Words of the day... and what it says about our education system

You may alredy know that Dictionary.com offers a daily email with their Word of the Day. Most days, I am thoroughly disappointed when I receive it, as I already know and use the word correctly. I am discouraged by the fact some of these words should have been a part of everyday language for most. Maybe I'm just being a vocbulary elitist, but shouldn't everyone know what flummox means, or how to use the word elucidate in a sentence? I believe that our focus on standardized testing and NCLB goals has prevented our school age children from falling in love with the language, and increasing their vocabulary out of want vs. need.

Today's word is actually very cool and unusual: susurrus (a whispering or rustling sound. )

Aside from unusual and limited frequency of use, it has another trait that I adore - It's onomatopoetic. In other words, the word mimics the sound it's describing (Flush, hiss, etc.)... I've spent hours thinking of words that fall into this category, and have had numerous arguments with my husbando about whether they fit or not - he has a more traditionalist view, I bend on the edges a little. For example: skate - isn't that the noise the skate makes on the ice? That's what it sounds like to me! What's your favorite onomatopoeia?