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In the context of Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky," "whiffling" likely refers to the noise made by the creature's movement, suggesting a sense of twisting or turning quickly. It contributes to the overall sense of mystery and danger surrounding the Jabberwock.

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4w ago
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14y ago

Lewis Carroll doesn't offer a definition for the word 'whiffling', but in his Annotated Alice, Martin Gardner says:

Whiffling is not a Carrollian word. It had a variety of meanings in Carroll's time, but usually had reference to blowing unsteadily in short puffs, hence it came to be a slang term for being variable and evasive. In an earlier century whifflingmeant smoking and drinking.

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Q: What does 'whiffling' mean in Jabberwocky?
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What is the consonance in the poem jabberwocky?

In the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll, some examples of consonance include the repeated "m" sound in "beamish boy" and "whiffling through," as well as the repeated "s" sound in "slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe." These instances contribute to the playful and nonsensical tone of the poem.


What is the part of speech in the sentence The Jabberwock came whiffling through the tulgey wood?

Through is a preposition.This is from the poem 'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Caroll, used in on of the 'Alice' books. It is an imaginery tale with nonsense words.


What could tulgey mean?

When Lewis Carrol wrote Jabberwocky, he employed a number of words which he made up himself. Some of these were what he called "portmanteau words" which contain parts of two words and combine their meanings. In Jabberwocky the verse in question goes And as in uffish thought he stood The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame Came whiffling through the tulgey wood And burbled as it came. "Tulgey" might be a portmanteau of turgid and bulgy. Or it might be just nonsense.


What does uffish mean from jabberwocky?

In "Jabberwocky," the word "uffish" is used to describe the demeanor or expression of the character. It suggests a sense of irritability, impatience, or grumpiness.


What does the word wabe mean in jabberwocky?

a grass plot or sundial


Is whiffling a noun?

It can be, if it is used as a gerund. It can mean vacillating or gently gusting wind. Otherwise it is a form of the verb "to whiffle."


What does hast mean from jabberwocky?

"Hast" in the poem "Jabberwocky" means to have or possess something. It is an old English word that is used to indicate possession or ownership, similar to "has."


What does borogroves in jabberwocky mean?

A bird with feathers sticking out. It is a scruffy thin bird.


Can you say someone is a jabberwocky?

You could, but it depends what you mean. If you mean the person is a horrible beast, then you might want to say "Jabberwock" instead. The poem itself is called "Jabberwocky," so you would only be calling someone a poem.


What does brilling mean in the jabberwocky?

"Brilling" in "Jabberwocky" likely means to roar or bellow loudly. The term is a nonsense word created by Lewis Carroll to add to the whimsical and fantastical nature of the poem.


What does gyre mean from jabberwocky?

In "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll, the word "gyre" refers to a spiraling or twisting motion. The poem's language is mostly nonsensical and meant to create a whimsical and imaginative atmosphere.


What does 'sought' mean in Jabberwocky?

In Jabberwocky, "sought" means to search for or seek after something. It conveys the idea of making an effort to find or obtain something that is desired or needed.