Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A complaint or outcry without sufficient reason.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word humdudgeon.

Examples

  • ‘Hout tout, man—I would never be making a humdudgeon about a scart on the pow—but we’ll be in Scotland in five minutes now, and ye maun gang up to Charlies-hope wi’ me, that’s a clear case.

    Chapter XXIII 1917

  • I would never be making a humdudgeon about a scart on the pow; but we'll be in Scotland in five minutes now, and ye maun gang up to Charlie's Hope wi 'me, that's a clear case.'

    Guy Mannering — Complete Walter Scott 1801

  • I would never be making a humdudgeon about a scart on the pow; but we'll be in Scotland in five minutes now, and ye maun gang up to Charlie's Hope wi 'me, that's a clear case.'

    Guy Mannering, Or, the Astrologer — Volume 01 Walter Scott 1801

  • I would never be making a humdudgeon about a scart on the pow; but we'll be in Scotland in five minutes now, and ye maun gang up to Charlie's Hope wi 'me, that's a clear case.'

    Guy Mannering, Or, the Astrologer — Complete Walter Scott 1801

  • I would never be making a humdudgeon about a scart on the pow; but we’ll be in Scotland in five minutes now, and ye maun gang up to Charlie’s Hope wi’ me, that’s a clear case.’

    Guy Mannering 1815

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • imaginary pain or illness

    April 12, 2008

  • Now this is my kind of word. The world is afflicted by a pandemic of humdudgeon. Everyone's had it at one time or another. It's probably the universal dis-ease.

    April 12, 2008

  • You humdudgeon it, I'll singdudgeon it.

    April 12, 2008

  • What's imaginary humdudgeon, then?

    April 12, 2008

  • What? You think I made this word up? O ye of little faith!

    quinion

    April 12, 2008

  • You got me there for a minute, sionnach. I went into dudgeon until I spotted all the layers of meanings. Tell me I'm not imagining THEM. You did mean them?

    Great word, obsolete for the whole of the 20th century apparently. It deserves to be re-incarnated. I'll leave you to escort it to THE place to be.

    April 12, 2008

  • I see you've pulled, frindley. This one already has a date with sionnach.

    April 12, 2008

  • This word came wabefore my time...

    July 29, 2008