Ever heard this funky word before?

I stumbled upon a funny-sounding word in a book I recently read: pooh-pooh.

When you hear or read the word, you just can't help but think of: (1) Winnie the Pooh, and/or (2) "poo," as in excrement. At first, the word to me sounded like it could mean to deride or lampoon someone -- something you'd expect to see a stand-up comedian do.

To pooh-pooh is to dismiss an idea or suggestion as being foolish, impractical, or unworthy of serious consideration. It's happened to all of us before, whether at work or at home. Maybe you've pooh-poohed someone yourself.

For example, if someone approaches you and argues that the sky is really orange, you might "pooh-pooh" his claim as nonsense. Other synonyms include reject, discount, rebuff, belittle, and repudiate.

It just goes to show you the sheer variety of words in the English language, some sounding more offbeat than others.

Had you heard of the word pooh-pooh before reading this?

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