Pickles by Brian Crane for July 24, 2021

I’ll bet you had to look up that word in the dictionary Earl. I sure did.

Not to be confused with purse-nick-ety, which describes pickpockets. It’s a common mistake.

See how educational it is being around these two lovebirds.

For you curious yet lazy ones……..

making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.“a scurrilous attack on his integrity”

I seem to recall learning “scurrilous” from cartoons.

Earl says " Tell that Harridan to to Harpy off!!

Nelson is a tattletale.

“It means Gramma is persnickety – just like I said.”

It’s what you say when someone calls you persnickety.

Well at least he is learning “clean” words!

Nelson is getting quite the education here,

This could go back and forth for a while

So, through GoComics one can learn some new English words!

A couple of weeks ago my wife was sending out an email for work, and asked me how to spell “irritating”. My reply, “D-E-B-B-I-E”. One of us thought that was pretty funny, the other, not so much.

Little ears are better than radar.

Points go to Earl on this one ;-)

Nelson at home: “Mom, what does ‘over-inquisitive’ mean?”

Double insult when you have to grab a dictionary.

Stirring pots are we, Nelson?

My father used to say, “I can keep a secret. It’s the people I tell that can’t”.

Vocabulary building lessons, except none of his friends will understand when he uses his new words.

Since Earl probably doesn’t even know where she keeps the peanut butter, much less the toast, he has hungry times ahead.

Anyone remember Frank Luther? He had a children’s album with a song called “Old Man Persnickety”.

Nelson will tire out those little legs after a few rounds of vocabulary-pingpong

hehe My oldest came home from school all excited to have a “special assignment.” He showed me the paper. The 1st grade teacher had written, “Ask your dad what ‘obstreperous’ means.”

using big words to try to impress

just causes people to make a guess

which in the end is probably okay

except for the pain

to have to explain

what you were trying to say

Cold beets and lukewarm water for dinner. Any other questions?

Ha! Opal always has a comeback on the tip of her tongue! She has to be alert at all times, dealing with Earl!

“You’ll have to ask your Grandmother, Nelson. I don’t know, either.”

‘’Scurrilous means … mmm, warm and caring. Now, go home, your mother’s calling you.’’

I had to look it up too LOL

“Scurrilous” doesn’t describe Earl. He’s never vulgar or obscene. I don’t know what does describe him; maybe “put-upon” or “henpecked.”

hmm… milder comeback than I expected

scur·ril·ous/ˈskərələs/Learn to pronounceadjectivemaking or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.“a scurrilous attack on his integrity”Similar:abusivevituperativederogatorydisparagingdenigratorypejorativedeprecatoryinsultingoffensivedefamatoryslanderouslibelousscandalousopprobriousvitriolicvenomousunfoundedill-foundedgroundlessbaselessunsubstantiatedunwarrantedunsupportedinsupportableuncorroboratedunjustifiedunjustifiablebitchycontumeliouscalumniouscalumniatoryaspersiveinvectivehumorously insulting.“a very funny collection of bawdy and scurrilous writings”

The kid is getting an education!

The truth hurts Opal

Good way to force exercise on the kid…… back & forth (well played)

Obviously, it’s someone who is scary and delicious at the same time.

I didn’t cuz i don’t care but also I figured someone else would.

Opal mispronounced squirreliest.

must be a lot of folks looking it up… It’s at the top of the google list

I wonder if this comic made an upward tick in Google’s search data for that word.

I had a notion of the meaning, but thought I should look it up since I don’t hear “scurrilous” very often. OUCH! That is really harsh, Grandma. Taking it up several notches, eh?