spillikins

/ ˈspɪlɪkɪnz /

noun

functioning as singular a game in which players try to pick each spillikin from a heap without moving any of the others Also calledjackstraws

C18: from spill ² + diminutive ending. See -kin

One evening, Belinda was playing with little Charles Percival at spillikins.

So there was the situation till the war of Ninety-three came along to jumble us all up and knock everything to spillikins.

Weymouth, a hundred and eighty years ago, was about as symmetrical as a game of spillikins in confusion.

One writer compares the structure to a bundle of spillikins.

Leap frog is not too heavy for me and spillikins not too light.

April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

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