ON MAKING YOURSELF REALLY SICK

I love words, and for that reason I subscribe to a site that each day sends me a "Word of the Day." Sometimes I am familiar with the word for that particular day and sometimes not. Other times I am not particularly interested in it, thinking I'd never ever have an occasion in which to put it to use. However, every once in a while.......

Today's word was "crapulous." I don't believe I've ever been aware of it before, and of course the sound of the word is enough to pique anyone's curiosity. Today I laughed.

Crapulous, adjective
1. Suffering the effects of, or derived from, or suggestive of gross intemperance, especially in drinking; as, a crapulous stomach.

2. Marked by gross intemperance, especially in drinking; as, a crapulous old reprobate.

The rest of the e-mail says that Crapulous is from Late Latin crapulosus, from Latin crapula, from Greek Kraipale, meaning drunkenness and its consequences, nausea, sickness and headache.

Only one time in my life have I been seriously "hung over" from drinking too much. And I have to admit that I woke up in a seriously crapulous condition, which lasted until about 5 pm that afternoon. I have never found a word to describe how bad that hangover was; to find one that is so succinct and sounds exactly like what it means is a real delight.

Yes, I do understand that word -- but mind you, only from that one experience, which came about when I was thrown into a different social life after being divorced and not having any experience whatsoever in the effects of too much alcohol. That one crapulous event was enough. Never again, said I, and there never has been and never will be.

In a sober condition that very word makes me almost roar with laughter, because I understand. And if you have a teeny similar indiscretion in your past that can best be described this way, I'm sure you will laugh too.