ok, i'm pronouncing this word as ooh-mm-ph. stoner moment, but i was driving and saw the mph on my spedometer and thought to myself, hmm... i wonder if people say to put some oomph into it because you step on the gas and you're putting more gas into it... ok, that probably didn't make sense, but does anyone agree or know where that really came from?
2007-08-07 08:57:03 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Merriam Webster says it's a word that comes from a sound...one of physical exertion. http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/oomph
Another possibility is here:http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=oomph
2007-08-07 09:13:35 · answer #1 · answered by Insanity 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's onomotopeia (sp), which is a word that represents a sound. So "cluck, cluck" is one example of onomotopeia. Umph (or oomph) is another.
2007-08-07 11:07:59 · answer #2 · answered by VeggieTart -- Let's Go Caps! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋