BOOK TO CAUSE CLISHMACLAVER (THAT'S GOSSIP, BY THE WAY); Now you'll never need to be stuck for strange words again.

THE English language is complex, rich and varied and is one of the hardest in the world to learn.

And even if it's your mother tongue, there are still thousands of words you will never have heard of - let alone know the meaning of.

Foyle's Philavery (a word invented to describe the book) was published in 2007 and contained a host of fascinating words, ancient and modern.

And now a follow-up book, Foyle's Further Philavery, by Christopher Foyle, the chairman of the worldfamous Foyle's bookshop in London, brings more linguistical delights.

The author has spent 20 years collecting unusual words that reflect his passion for hidden gems in the English language.

Foyle read newspapers and history books and watched TV shows, as well as studying countless books and magazines in the hope of discovering the odd strange word.

He said: "Some words, I am sure, will be known to our eccentric and learned readers but I have included them out of personal pleasure."

And some good old Scottish nouns such as "numpty" (meaning idiot) and "besom" (meaning lazy female ) have even made it into the book.

So if you fancy expanding your vocabulary with a strange variety of words, read on.

Abibliophobia - the fear or anxiety that one will run out of things to read.

Allantoid - means sausageshaped.

Anti-guggler - where a small tube is inserted into a container to allow the liquid content to be poured out without causing gurgling noise.

Anemophobia - the fear of wind or draughts.

Apricate - to bask in the sun.

Bagarre - a scuffle, a brawl, a rumpus.

Bangster - a violent person, (obsolete Scots).

Barp - a mound or cairn (Scots).

Beaadsman - a licensed beggar (Scots).

Beblubbered - disfigured by weeping.

Bibelot - a knick knack, which is pronounced "beeb-loh".

Couthie-old Scottish phrase meaning friendly and kindly. The word is derived from the Old English language "cuth" meaning familiar.

Clamjamphrie - rubbish, nonsense (Scots).

Cloot - a cloth (Scots).

Clishmaclaver - gossip (Scots).

Doup - used to describe the bottom section of an egg shell.

Dumbledore - not just Harry Potter's headmaster but is a word for bumblebee from the 18th century.

Earworm - a piece of music that, once heard, stays in your head for along time no matter how hard you try to forget it.

Erythrophobia - is when a person is terrified of blushing or an aversion to the colour red.

Fankle - a tangle, a muddle (Scots).

Fimblefamble - A word used to describe someone who has told a lie or given a false excuse.

Flibbertigibbet - a flirty, gossipy or mischievous person.

Fustilugs - a gross overgrown person, especially a woman.

Foyle's Further Philavery by Christopher Foyle is published by Chambers at pounds 9.99, hardback, and available from all good bookshops or call Bookpoint on 01235-827702 to purchase a copy at the special price of pounds 7.99, including free p&p

Geggery - trickery (Scots). Guddle - to dabble in, or play messily with something liquid, a mess, muddle or confusion (Scots).

Hirple - when a person struggles to walk or runs with a limp (Scots).

Horse-godmother - a fat, clumsy woman.

Interrobang - a punctuation mark consisting of a question mark superimposed on an exclamation mark.

Jobernowl - a stupid person.

Jougs - in Scottish history, an instrument of punishment consisting of an iron collar attached to a wall or post.

Knick-Knackatory - a large collection of objects lovingly assembled.

Laldie - a beating or thrashing as a punishment (Scots).

Logizomechanophobia - Describes a person with an abnormal fear of computers.

Mimsey - to be prim and demure.

Nacket - a snack or light lunch.

Outernet - a word coined to represent all of the traditional media such as print, television and film that are not part of the internet.

Prick-me-dainty - over-precise (Scots).

Paraskevidekatriaphobia - a morbid fear of Friday 13, the person fears they will experience bad luck.

Quakebuttock - meaning a cowardly person.

Rumbledethumps - a Scottish dish of mashed potatoes cabbage or turnip.

Sook - a soft, timid or cowardly person.

Sesquipedalian - tending to use long or cumbersome words.

Stramash - a confused disturbance (Scots).

Stigmatophilia - Used to describe a person with excessive enthusiasm for body piercing or tattooing.

Tattie-bogle - Scottish term for a scarecrow.

Tomomania - a compulsion to perform surgery.

Umbilicoplasty - A term for surgery used to improve the appearance of the navel.

Velology - the collection of expired tax discs as a hobby.

Valetudirian - a person who is constantly anxious and fanciful about his or her health.

Verruciform - wart-like.

Wabbit - adjective for a person who is exhausted or tired out (Scots).

Wallydraigle - a person or animal that is feeble or worthless (Scots).

Whigmaleerie - a trinket or knick-knack (Scots)

Wowf - crazy (Scots).

Xyster - a surgeon's instrument for scraping bones.

Yahoo - a brutal or boorish lout.

Zalambdodont - having molar teeth with V-shaped ridges.

Zugzwang - (chess) a blockade position in which any move is disadvantageous to the blockaded player.

HIPPOPOTOMONSTROSESQUIPEDALIOPHOBIA - A FEAR OF LONG WORDS

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HEARD THE LATEST: These two could well be a pair of flibbertigibbets - gossipy or mischievous types PICTURE: TELEGRAPH COLOUR LIBRARY