New (Old) Words
Listed here are forgotten and newly acquired words discovered while reading Rebecca West''s novel Harriet Hume.
"... they would not come to his house save on those occasions where the intersecting rays of chandeliers and tiaras form a chevaux de frise between the souls of all present."
CHEVAUX de FRISE: The cheval de frise was a medieval defensive anti-cavalry measure consisting of a portable frame covered with many projecting long iron or wooden spikes or spears. They were principally intended as an anti-cavalry obstacle but could also be moved quickly to help block a breach in another barrier.
CALASH: a bonnet that folds back like the top of a calash (folding top of a carriage), worn by women in the 18th century.
ReplyDeleteSCIMITAR: a saber having a curved blade with the edge on the convex side and used chiefly by Arabs and Turks
ReplyDeleteBUCKRAM: archaic, rigidity
ReplyDeleteGALVANIZATION: to arouse to awareness or action; spur
ReplyDeletePRIG: A person who demonstrates an exaggerated conformity or propriety, especially in an irritatingly arrogant or smug manner.
ReplyDeleteSYLPH: an elemental being in the theory of Paracelsus that inhabits air
ReplyDeleteJUNKET: a dish of sweetened and flavored curds of milk, often served with fruit
ReplyDeleteBRAINPAN: the cranium enclosing the brain
ReplyDeletePELLUCID: allowing the maximum passage of light, as glass; translucent.
ReplyDeleteEBONITE: hard rubber especially when black
ReplyDeleteCOCKATRICE: a mythical beast, essentially a two-legged dragon or serpent-like creature with a rooster's head.
ReplyDeleteFLUMMERY: empty compliments; nonsense.
ReplyDeleteINIMICAL: like an enemy; hostile; unfriendly
ReplyDeleteCONVIVIAL: something or someone that is festive and good company.
ReplyDeleteCAOUTCHOUC: unvulcanized natural rubber.
ReplyDeleteHOARDINGS: A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads.
ReplyDeleteODALISQUE: An odalisque (Turkish: Odalık) was a chambermaid or a female attendant in a Turkish seraglio, particularly the court ladies in the household of the Ottoman sultan
ReplyDeleteFRONDAGE: the fronds (of a plant)
ReplyDeleteGAMETE(S): a mature haploid male or female germ cell that is able to unite with another of the opposite sex in sexual reproduction to form a zygote.
ReplyDeleteJARDINIERE: an ornamental pot or stand for the display of growing plants.
ReplyDeletePOTHER: a commotion or fuss.
ReplyDeleteIMBROGLIO: an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation.
ReplyDeleteSIBYLLINE: relating to or characteristic of a sibyl; prophetic and mysterious
ReplyDeleteMICHING MALLECHO: so have almost ruined the whole plot. "Mallecho" is a Spanish word, current in England at the time, meaning misdeed or wickedness, "miching" means at once.
ReplyDeleteMAWKISH: sentimental in a feeble or sickly way.
ReplyDeleteDOLT: a stupid person
ReplyDeleteORGULOUS: haughty
ReplyDeleteDANAE: In Greek mythology, Danaë was the daughter, and only child of King Acrisius of Argos and his wife Queen Eurydice. She was the mother of the hero Perseus by Zeus.
ReplyDeleteFATUOUS: silly and pointless
ReplyDeleteBOLE: fine, compact, earthy clay, typically of a reddish color, used as a pigment
ReplyDeleteCOGIN: a projecting corner or angle of a wall or building.
ReplyDeleteJALOUSIES: A blind or shutter having adjustable horizontal slats for regulating the passage of air and light.
ReplyDeletePARTERRES: a level space in a garden or yard occupied by an ornamental arrangement of flower beds
ReplyDeleteFALDERALS: a useless ornament or accessory
ReplyDeleteGYVE: a fetter or shackle
ReplyDeleteCHURLISH: rude in a mean-spirited and surly way
ReplyDeleteEXEGESIS: critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture
ReplyDeleteLAXITY: lack of strictness or care
ReplyDelete