The Dictionary Game

The reader finds a strange but real word. Everyone writes a pretend meaning, and then you all vote for the real one.

“The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.” Ecclesiastes 12:10

Game in progress

Players

3 to 8 players. Everyone takes a turn as the reader.

Game length

Everyone reads once Everyone reads twice

Pretend meanings

Written on paper Typed on this device

Votes

All at once In secret

Writing time

No timer 1 min 2 min 3 min

Options Sounds Ticks at the end of the writing time, and a fanfare for the real meaning.

You’ll need

Make it convincing

Your pretend meaning

Just the meaning, short and plain, the way a dictionary says it.

Fix any spelling that would give a fake away. If one says the real meaning, tap Too close: that player scores 2 and it’s left out.

The real meaning

Someone wrote the real meaning? Tap Too close for them: they score 2 and their slip is left out.

The real meaning

Use − and + to fix a score.

“The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.” Ecclesiastes 12:10

The reader looks at a strange but real word and its meaning, on their own. Everyone else looks away.
The reader says the word and spells it. Everyone else writes a pretend meaning that sounds real. The reader copies out the real one.
The reader reads all the meanings aloud, mixed together and numbered, twice through, with a straight face.
Everyone except the reader votes for the meaning they think is real. You can’t vote for your own!
The reader reveals the real meaning. Then the next player becomes the reader.

2 points if you vote for the real meaning.
1 point for every vote your pretend meaning gets.
3 points for the reader if nobody finds the real meaning.
Wrote the real meaning (or close enough)? The reader gives you 2 points and leaves your slip out.

Sound like a dictionary: start with noun, verb or adjective, and keep it short and plain.
Add a small, real-sounding detail: “in old Scotland”, “used of birds”, “a kind of rope”.
Give an example, like “as in ‘the sailors hauled it aboard’”.
Listen to the word. Does it sound like an animal, a tool or a feeling? Use that.
Readers: read every slip the same way, even the silly ones.