СПАНТЕЛИЧИТИ

Just like with the verb "чимчикувати", another remarkable Ukrainian verb turns out to have Georgian origins—"спантеличити", meaning "to confuse" or "to baffle."

The key lies in the Georgian word "პანტელი" (panteli), which means "a tuft of wool." This establishes a clear connection between a tuft of wool and the concept of confusion.

Here’s an account of how balls for various games were made in Ukraine and Rus':

"...In the governorates of Yekaterinoslav, Vyatka, and others where sheep farming was common, exquisite balls were made entirely from sheep’s wool. > To create them, a sizable tuft of combed wool was rolled by hand to achieve maximum density. > Once sufficiently compacted, the wool was immersed in boiling water for half an hour, further tightening while maintaining its round shape. > After removal from the water, it was rolled again until the ball became as hard as wood. > Finally, it was left to dry. > Once dried, the wool formed a dense, resilient sphere, comparable in elasticity to rubber balls—yet light and soft, unlike rigid, harsh balls that could hurt the hands. > Rubber balls were still rare in Russia, mainly found among city dwellers. > From an early age, children became attached to ball games. > Almost every child over five years old could be found carrying a ball in their pocket, tossing it up for hours and trying to catch it with one hand, the other, or both. > In many games, the ball was used to create different figures before catching it, while in others, players threw the ball at opponents to "tag" them..."

Thus, the ball itself was a tuft of wool, and the game involved throwing it at other players. Anyone hit in the head with such a tuft of wool (panteli) could rightfully be considered "spantelychenyy"—confused or disoriented.