Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Nautical, the visiting and carousing of seamen in the Greenland ships.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun archaic, nautical
carousing onicebound Greenland whaling ships.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Apparently from a confusion of two similar Dutch words. The first of these is the obsolete mallemerok a “foolish woman”, from malle, foolish, plus marok, from French marotte, an object of foolish affection; a “bauble”. The second word mallemok is a name for some persons among the crew of a whaling vessel.
Support
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Examples
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For example, "mallemaroking" — a word meaning the "carousing of seamen in ice-bound ships."
Defined Intervention 2006
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One of my favourites is "mallemaroking"; for a great collection of peculiar words with discussions of etymology and usage, check out Michael Quinion's
Slaw 2010
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Without Chambers, the genealogist would be left to wonder why her great-grandfather was set adrift by Admiral Peary for being a "mallemaroking jobernowl."
Defined Intervention 2006
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[Stedman's Medical Dictionary, Baltimore] mallemaroking ... carousing of seamen in icebound ships.
sionnach commented on the word mallemaroking
The behavior of drunken sailors on icebound ships.
February 1, 2008
frindley commented on the word mallemaroking
Mallemaroking - the carousing of seamen in icebound ships. A wonderfully useful word! How many icebound ships do we all know?
(Sue H, Tiverton)
frindley thinks c_b may be able to give this word a home as well…
October 15, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word mallemaroking
I saw this the other day, I think... Is it Newfoundlandese? Not in my Dictionary of Newfoundland English, but I know I've seen this before... Different spelling?
October 15, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Apparently it derived from the Dutch for "foolish" or "silly," and an 1812 citation spells it "mallemuching." Does that look familiar, c_b?
October 15, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word mallemaroking
Not quite. Gah!
October 15, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Gah?
October 15, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word mallemaroking
Gah! I learn words and then forget them two days later!
October 15, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Gah!
October 16, 2008
rolig commented on the word mallemaroking
I take it "gah" is a delightful ejaculation.
But I thought this had something to do with French New Wave films set in Morocco.
October 16, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word mallemaroking
Sadly, no, rolig. Well, it's delightful to ejaculate thus, but it generally indicates frustration. In a comic way.
October 16, 2008
rolig commented on the word mallemaroking
Well, I just noticed it was on your "delightful ejaculation" list.
October 16, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word mallemaroking
Yes, it reminds me of my spawn, whom I shamelessly stole it from. Say it with me...
Gah!
See? Isn't that delightful?
October 16, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Delightful to say when frustrated.
October 16, 2008
asativum commented on the word mallemaroking
I suspect this is a derogatory derivation from malamute. Just 'cause I'm hoping to pick a fight.
October 16, 2008
bilby commented on the word mallemaroking
*leaps out from behind a drunken sailor and whumps Asa with a frozen snowball*
October 16, 2008
dontcry commented on the word mallemaroking
Mush!
October 16, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word mallemaroking
Hike! Gee! Haw! Lead dog! Wheel dog! ... umm... Snow!
October 16, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Bilby, what did you do with the drunken sailor?
October 16, 2008
bilby commented on the word mallemaroking
I tried to put him in the scuppers with a hosepipe on him. He weren't best pleased.
October 16, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Perhaps you should next try to tie him to the taffrail when she's yardarm under?
Just a thought.
October 16, 2008
zuccaciyecioglu commented on the word mallemaroking
keelhaul the lot of 'em.
October 17, 2008
frindley commented on the word mallemaroking
I think we could revive this for contemporary urban usage. Or is there an existing word for "carousing of shoppers in carpark-bound malls"?
October 17, 2008
bilby commented on the word mallemaroking
Shoppers don't carouse much where I live, but I like the sentiment.
October 17, 2008
asativum commented on the word mallemaroking
Maybe the frolicking of commuters stuck in traffic?
October 17, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Frolic is the last thing I do when stuck in traffic, Asa. How do you manage it?
October 18, 2008
asativum commented on the word mallemaroking
Don't. I live across from the subway line I take to work. But if I were stuck in traffic, I would make every attempt to frolic.
October 18, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemarodeborking
October 19, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemarodeborking
October 19, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemarodeborking
October 19, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemarodeborking
October 19, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word mallemaroking
A different stutter?
October 19, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
very mallemaroking funny
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
not very mallemaroking funny
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemaroking henry I
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemaroking henry II
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemaroking henry III
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemaroking henry IV
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemaroking henry V
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemaroking henry VI
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemaroking henry VII
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
mallemaroking henry VIII
October 20, 2008
frindley commented on the word mallemaroking
Oh, gangerh and other dear friends, please please have a heart for us Wordies who use Wordie on our mobile phones when out and about. There is nothing more disheartening than to see that the "last 20 comments" are restricted to one word and, in essence, one comment.
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
Oh, dear. Sorry, frindley and all others affected. I wasn't aware of this situation. Was just trying to correct an ugly screen situation caused by the 'o-word' being in the top 10 most commented.
I think I've found a simpler, 'one-comment' solution. Hope that doesn't adversely affect your mobile screen.
October 20, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Yes, I agree, frindley. This whole idea of adding nonsense comments to tinker with the scores on the home page gets to be a bit much when you're sorting through hundreds of comments. And I say that with all due respect. :-)
October 20, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word mallemaroking
I second frindley's kind but heartfelt remark.
It is also possible--I suggest merely as a possible consideration--to delete comments.
October 20, 2008
sionnach commented on the word mallemaroking
Yes: I'm sorry too - I got a little carried away. Like gangerh, I was just trying to get that evil word out of the top ten discussions so that new comments on the home page wouldn't be squeezed into a hideous pillar of text, only seven characters wide.
Despite unwelcome marsupial interference.
October 20, 2008
john commented on the word mallemaroking
frindley and friends, I'll soon truncate the length of words in the right hand column, should hopefully prevent the need for vigilante justice.
October 20, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
I'd never heard this word before last week. I climbed into my car today and the radio came on at the start of a discussion about mallemaroking with the definitions and history of the word.
(Well, that's better than my usual contribution to this page!)
October 24, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
That happens to me surprisingly often. There must be a word for it.... :-)
October 24, 2008
whichbe commented on the word mallemaroking
Synchronlexicity?
October 24, 2008
reesetee commented on the word mallemaroking
Ouch! That hurts my tongue. ;-)
October 24, 2008
gangerh commented on the word mallemaroking
Pallmallemaroking - the behaviour of a drunken Sub-Lieutenant Wales staggering home in midwinter.
October 24, 2008
jmjarmstrong commented on the word mallemaroking
JM is off to mallemaroking practice - back next season!
November 22, 2009
qms commented on the word mallemaroking
When whalers are done with whale stalking
And wearied of scrimshaw and talking,
Then, free of their labors,
They visit the neighbors
For long nights of mallemaroking.
August 21, 2014