slithy is a variant of "sleathy", meaning slovenly. Humpty Dumpty says it is a combination of 'lithe and slimy.' Lithe meaning active.

toves rhymes with "groves" (according to The Hunting of the Snark) Humpty Dumpty says toves are 'something like lizards-and something like corkscrews." They make their nest under sundials and live on cheese.

gyre means to turn or whirl around.

gimble is a variation of "gimbal". Gimbals are pivoted rings used, for instance, to keep a ships compass level as the ship rolls. Humpty Dumpty says it means to 'make holes like a gimblet."

mimsy is a nonsense word. Humpty Dumpty says it is a combination of "flimsy and miserable."

borogoves NOT "borogroves", as I am tempted to pronounce it. The first O is said like the O in worry, and there are no R's. Humpty Dumpty says this is a 'shabby-looking bird with its feathers sticking out all round-something like a live mop."

mome, our expert thinks, means they lost their way.

rath, again according to Humpty, is a sort of green pig.

outgrabe is something between bellowing and whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle.

frumious is a combination of "fuming and furious"

tum-tum was a common phase in Carrols time. It is the sound of a monotonously strummed stringed instrument.

uffish Carrol wrote a child friend that "uffish" suggested to him "a state of mind when the voice is gruffish, the manner roughish, and the temper huffish."

snicker-snack "snickersnee" means to fight with a knife.

galumphing a combination of "gallop" and "triumphant".

beamish a variant of "beaming"

callooh Two forms of the greek word "kalos" are pronounced "callooh" and "callay". Kalos means "beautiful" or "good".

chortled a combination of "chuckle and snort".

Plagerized from:
1) The Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner
2) More Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner

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