The next word in the Vest Pocket Dictionary is Ab’acus.

The dictionary defines it as a counting table.

Did anyone ever consider an abacus as a table? It’s really not something I ever thought of… I know they’re a decently common childrens’ toy if doctors office waiting rooms are to be used as any sort of metric.

The internet defines them as a counting frame, which for some reason I find more comforting and reasonable. They are generally still used to teach children about numbers and basic arithmatic which is great. They were also used in Europe, China, and Russia in the centuries before the adoption of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system.

As cute as this dictionary is, there is something to be said for context in explaining something.