caterwaul [kat-er-wawl]

verb:
1 make a harsh cry, make a very loud and unpleasant sound
2 protest or complain noisily
3 utter long wailing cries, as cats in rutting time.
noun:
a shrill, discordant sound, an utter shrieking as of cats

Examples:

But their critics and coaches continue to caterwaul like spoiled Little League brats. ( ( Read more... )

pettifogging [pet-ee-fog-ing, -faw-ging]

adjective:
1 placing undue emphasis on petty details; petty or trivial
2 dishonest or unethical in insignificant matters; meanly petty.

Examples:

Has this forced him to recalibrate his pettifogging fussiness? Far from it - he now has more to get gloriously grumpy about in his latest show, entitled ( Read more... )

zaftig [zahf-tig, -tik]
adjective:
(informal North American) having a full rounded figure : pleasingly plump

Examples:

The postmistress was a large, zaftig woman with long, grayish blond hair and a floating, floral style of dress. (Dana Stabenow, Bad Blood)

Blonde, zaftig, and abrasive, always a great quote, she was a magnet for the media, a star ( Read more... )