28 NOVEMBER 1987, Page 29

My word

Sir: Auberon Waugh is extremely fond of the word `pilger'. In his excellent article this week he uses it three times.

Please, Sir, what does it mean, and why?

Julian Bharier

Sorrelsykes, West Burton, Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

Auberon Waugh writes: Pilger, verb intran- sitive: to seek to arouse indignation by inflated or absurd propositions e.g. 'Bad grammar is a crime.' Pilgerise, verb transi- tive: to distort in a tendentious way. The origin of both words has been lost in the mists of time.