Clod

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Clod CLOD, n.
1. A hard lump of earth, of any kind; a mass of earth cohering.
2. A lump or mass of metal.
3. Turf; the ground.
4. That which is earthy, base and vile, as the body of man compared to his soul.
5. A dull, gross, stupid fellow; a dolt.
6. Any thing concreted.
CLOD, v.i. To collect into concretions, or a thick mass; to coagulate; as clodded gore.
[See Clot, which is more generally used.]
CLOD, v.t. To pelt with clods. clod


WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
clod n 1: a compact mass; "a ball of mud caught him on the shoulder" [syn: ball, clod, glob, lump, clump, chunk] 2: an awkward stupid person [syn: lout, clod, stumblebum, goon, oaf, lubber, lummox, lump, gawk] clod

Viticulturist

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
viticulturist n 1: a cultivator of grape vine viticulturist

Chocoholic

chocoholic (chocoholics) A chocoholic is someone who eats a great deal of chocolate and finds it hard to stop themselves eating it. (INFORMAL) The Confectionery Warehouse is a chocoholic's dream. N-COUNT
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary

Devout

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Devout DEVOUT, a. [L. See Devote.]
1. Yielding a solemn and reverential attention to God in religious exercises, particularly in prayer.
We must be constant and devout in the worship of God.
2. Pious; devoted to religion; religious.
Simeon was a just man and devout. Luke 2.
Devout men carried Stephen to his burial. Acts 8.
3. Expressing devotion or piety; as, with eyes devout.
4. Sincere; solemn; earnest; as, you have my devout wishes for your safety.
DEVOUT, n. A devotee. [Not used.] devout

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
devout adj 1: deeply religious; "a god-fearing and law-abiding people" H.L.Mencken [syn: devout, god-fearing] 2: earnest; "one's dearest wish"; "devout wishes for their success"; "heartfelt condolences" [syn: dear, devout, earnest, heartfelt] devout

Winnowed

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Winnowed WINNOWED, pp. Separated from the chaff by wind; sifted; examined. winnowed

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Winnew \Win"new\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Winnowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Winnowing.] [OE. windewen, winewen, AS. windwian; akin to Goth. winpjan (in comp.), winpi-skauro a fan, L. ventilare to fan, to winnow; cf. L. wannus a fan for winnowing, G. wanne, OHG. wanna. ????. See Wind moving air, and cf. Fan., n., Ventilate.] 1. To separate, and drive off, the chaff from by means of wind; to fan; as, to winnow grain. Ho winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing floor. --Ruth. iii. 2. 2. To sift, as for the purpose of separating falsehood from truth; to separate, as had from good. Winnow well this thought, and you shall find This light as chaff that flies before the wind. --Dryden. 3. To beat with wings, or as with wings.[Poetic] Now on the polar winds; then with quick fan Winnows the buxom air. --Milton.

Ingenious

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Ingenious INGE'NIOUS, a. [L. ingeniosus, from ingenium; in and genius, geno, gigno, to beget.
1. Possessed of genius, or the faculty of invention; hence, skillful or prompt to invent; having an aptitude to contrive, or to form new combinations of ideas; as an ingenious author; an ingenious mechanic.
The more ingenious men are, the more apt are they to trouble themselves.
2. Proceeding from genius or ingenuity; of curious design, structure or mechanism; as an ingenious performance of any kind; an ingenious scheme or plan; an ingenious model or machine; ingenious fabric; ingenious contrivance.
3. Witty; well formed; well adapted; as an ingenious reply.
4. Mental; intellectual. [Not used.] ingenious

Eventuation

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Eventuation \E*ven`tu*a"tion\, n. The act of eventuating or happening as a result; the outcome. --R. W. Hamilton.

Peruse

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Peruse \Pe*ruse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perused; p. pr. & vb. n. Perusing.] [Pref. per- + use.] 1. To observe; to examine with care. [R.] Myself I then perused, and limb by limb Surveyed. --Milton. 2. To read through; to read carefully. --Shak.

Stippled

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Stippled STIPPLED, pp. Engraved with dots.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
stippled adj 1: having a pattern of dots [syn: dotted, flecked, specked, speckled, stippled

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary
stippled A surface that is stippled is covered with tiny spots. The room remains simple with bare, stippled green walls. ADJ

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Stipple \Stip"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stippled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stippling.] [D. stippelen to make points, to spot, dot, from stippel, dim. of stip a dot, spot.] 1. To engrave by means of dots, in distinction from engraving in lines. The interlaying of small pieces can not altogether avoid a broken, stippled, spotty effect. --Milman. 2. To paint, as in water colors, by small, short touches which together produce an even or softly graded surface.

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
34 Moby Thesaurus words for "stippled": bespangled, blotched, blotchy, dotted, dotty, flea-bitten, flecked, fleckered, frecked, freckled, freckly, macular, maculate, maculated, patchy, peppered, pocked, pockmarked, pocky, pointille, pointillistic, polka-dot, punctated, spangled, specked, speckled, speckledy, speckly, splotched, splotchy, spotted, spotty, sprinkled, studded

Clairvoyance

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Clairvoyance \Clair*voy"ance\, n. [F.] A power, attributed to some persons while in a mesmeric state, of discering objects not perceptible by the senses in their normal condition.

Soule\'s Dictionary of English Synonyms
clairvoyance n. Seeing without eyes, seeing in a mesmeric state, trance-vision.

Vandyke Beard

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
vandyke beard n 1: a short pointed beard (named after the artist Anthony Vandyke) [syn: vandyke beard, vandyke]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Vandyke beard \Van*dyke" beard`\ A trim, pointed beard, such as those often seen in pictures by Vandyke.

Nosey-Parker

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
nosey-parker n 1: a person who meddles in the affairs of others [syn: busybody, nosy-parker, nosey-parker

Ultraconservative

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
ultraconservative adj 1: extremely conservative n 1: an extreme conservative; an opponent of progress or liberalism [syn: reactionary, ultraconservative, extreme right-winger]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
57 Moby Thesaurus words for "ultraconservative": Bircher, Bourbon, Tory, anarchistic, anarcho-syndicalist, backward, conservationist, conservatist, conservative, die-hard, diehard, extreme, extreme right-winger, extremist, extremistic, fogy, fogyish, hard hat, imperialist, laudator temporis acti, mildly radical, monarchist, mossback, nihilistic, nonprogressive, old fogy, old school, old-fashioned, old-fogyish, old-line, opposed to change, pink, preservative, radical, radical right, reactionarist, reactionary, reactionist, red, revolutionary, revolutionist, right, right of center, right wing, right-wing, right-winger, rightist, royalist, social Darwinist, standpat, standpatter, stick-in-the-mud, subversive, syndicalist, ultraist, ultraistic, unprogressive

Plummy

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
plummy adj 1: very desirable; "a plummy leading role" 2: (of a voice) affectedly mellow and rich; "the radio announcer's plummy voice"

Peculate

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Peculate PEC'ULATE, v.i. [L. peculatus, peculor, from peculium, private property, from pecus, cattle.]
1. To defraud the public of money or goods entrusted to one's care, by appropriating the property to one's own use; to defraud by embezzlement.
2. Among civilians, to steal.

Portmanteau

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
portmanteau n 1: a new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings; "`smog' is a blend of `smoke' and `fog'"; "`motel' is a portmanteau word made by combining `motor' and `hotel'"; "`brunch' is a well-known portmanteau" [syn: blend, portmanteau word, portmanteau] 2: a large travelling bag made of stiff leather [syn: portmanteau, Gladstone, Gladstone bag]

English Etymology Dictionary
portmanteau 1584, from M.Fr. portemanteau "traveling bag," originally "court official who carried a prince's mantle," from porte, imperative of porter "to carry" + manteau "cloak." Portmanteau word "word blending the sound of two different words," is 1882, coined by Lewis Carroll for the sort of words he invented for "Jabberwocky."

Esculent

English Explanatory Dictionary
esculent ˈeskjulənt adj. & n. --adj. fit to eat; edible. --n. an edible substance. [L esculentus f. esca food]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Esculent \Es"cu*lent\, a. [L. esculentus, fr. escare to eat, fr. esca food, fr. edere to eat: cf. F. esculent. See Eat.] Suitable to be used by man for food; eatable; edible; as, esculent plants; esculent fish. Esculent grain for food. --Sir W. Jones. Esculent swallow (Zo["o]l.), the swallow which makes the edible bird's-nest. See Edible bird's-nest, under Edible.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Esculent \Es"cu*lent\, n. Anything that is fit for eating; that which may be safely eaten by man.

Baba Ghanoush

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
baba ghanoush or baba ghanouj noun Etymology: Arabic dialect bābaghanūj Date: 1977 an appetizer or spread made chiefly of eggplant, tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon

Baba Ghanoush

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
baba ghanoush or baba ghanouj noun Etymology: Arabic dialect bābaghanūj Date: 1977 an appetizer or spread made chiefly of eggplant, tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon

Lachrymose

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
lachrymose adj 1: showing sorrow [syn: dolorous, dolourous, lachrymose, tearful, weeping]

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
lachrymose adjective Etymology: Latin lacrimosus, from lacrima Date: circa 1727 1. given to tears or weeping ; tearful 2. tending to cause tears ; mournful • lachrymosely adverb • lachrymosity noun

Polysyllabic

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Polysyllabic POLYSYLLAB'IC
POLYSYLLAB'ICAL, a. [from polysyllable.] Pertaining to a polysyllable; consisting of many syllables,or of more than three.


WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
polysyllabic adj 1: having or characterized by words of more than three syllables 2: (of words) long and ponderous; having many syllables; "sesquipedalian technical terms" [syn: polysyllabic, sesquipedalian]

Invidious

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Invidious INVID'IOUS, a. [L. invidiosus, from invideo, to envy; in and video, to see. Invideo signified properly, to look against.]
1. Envious; malignant.
2. Likely to incur ill will or hatred, or to provoke envy; hateful. [This is the usual sense.]
Agamemnon found it an invidious affair to give the preference to any one of the Grecian heroes.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
invidious adj 1: containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice; "discriminatory attitudes and practices"; "invidious comparisons" [syn: discriminatory, invidious]

Dopey

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
dopey adj 1: having or revealing stupidity; "ridiculous anserine behavior"; "a dopey answer"; "a dopey kid"; "some fool idea about rewriting authors' books" [syn: anserine, dopy, dopey, foolish, goosey, goosy, gooselike, jerky]

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
dopey also dopy adjective (dopier; -est) Date: 1896 1. a. dulled by alcohol or a narcotic b. sluggish, stupefied 2. stupid, fatuous • dopily adverb • dopiness noun

Tomfool

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
tomfool n 1: a person who lacks good judgment [syn: fool, sap, saphead, muggins, tomfool]

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
tomfool I. noun Date: 1640 a great fool ; blockhead II. adjective Date: 1760 extremely foolish, stupid, or doltish

Pandora's Box

Oxford English Reference Dictionary
Pandora's box
n. a process that once activated will generate many unmanageable problems.
Etymology: in Gk Mythol. the box from which the ills of mankind were released, Hope alone remaining: f. Gk Pandora all-gifted (as PAN-, doron gift)

Oxford English Reference Dictionary
pandora's box
n. a process that once activated will generate many unmanageable problems.
Etymology: in Gk Mythol. the box from which the ills of mankind were released, Hope alone remaining: f. Gk Pandora all-gifted (as PAN-, doron gift)

Hackneyed

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Hackneyed HACK'NEYED, pp. Used much or in common.
1. Practiced; accustomed.
He is long hackneyed in the ways of men.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
hackneyed adj 1: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse; "bromidic sermons"; "his remarks were trite and commonplace"; "hackneyed phrases"; "a stock answer"; "repeating threadbare jokes"; "parroting some timeworn axiom"; "the trite metaphor `hard as nails'" [syn: banal, commonplace, hackneyed, old-hat, shopworn, stock(a), threadbare, timeworn, tired, trite, well-worn]

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
hackneyed adjective Date: 1735 lacking in freshness or originality Synonyms: see trite

Oxford English Reference Dictionary
hackneyed
adj. (of a phrase etc.) made commonplace or trite by overuse.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary
hackneyed If you describe something such as a saying or an image as hackneyed, you think it is no longer likely to interest, amuse or affect people because it has been used, seen, or heard many times before. Power corrupts and absolute power absolutely corrupts. That's the old hackneyed phrase, but it's true. ADJ

English Explanatory Dictionary
hackneyed ˈhæknɪd adj. (of a phrase etc.) made commonplace or trite by overuse.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Hackney \Hack"ney\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hackneyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hackneying.] 1. To devote to common or frequent use, as a horse or carriage; to wear out in common service; to make trite or commonplace; as, a hackneyed metaphor or quotation. Had I lavish of my presence been, So common-hackneyed in the eyes of men. --Shak. 2. To carry in a hackney coach. --Cowper.

Soule\'s Dictionary of English Synonyms
hackneyed a. 1. Worn out, much used. 2. Common, commonplace, threadbare, trite, stale, beaten.

Inspissate

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Inspissate INSPIS'SATE, v.t. [L. in and spissus, thick.] To thicken, as fluids; to bring to greater consistence by evaporating the thinner parts, etc.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
inspissate v 1: make viscous or dense; "thicken the sauce by adding flour" [syn: thicken, inspissate] 2: make thick or thicker; "Thicken the sauce"; "inspissate the tar so that it becomes pitch" [syn: thicken, inspissate] [ant: thin] 3: become thick or thicker; "The sauce thickened"; "The egg yolk will inspissate" [syn: thicken, inspissate] [ant: thin]

Gimcrackery

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
gimcrackery n 1: ornamental objects of no great value [syn: folderal, falderol, frill, gimcrackery, gimcrack, nonsense, trumpery]

Awkly

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Awkly \Awk"ly\, adv. 1. In an unlucky (left-handed) or perverse manner. [Obs.] --Holland. 2. Awkwardly. [Obs.] --Fuller.

Intumescence

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Intumescence INTUMES'CENCE, n. [supra.] The action of swelling.
1. A swell; a swelling with bubbles; a rising and enlarging; a tumid state.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
intumescence n 1: swelling up with blood or other fluids (as with congestion) [syn: intumescence, intumescency] 2: the increase in volume of certain substances when they are heated (often accompanied by release of water) [syn: intumescence, intumescency, swelling]

Monasterial

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Monasterial \Mon`as*te"ri*al\, a. [L. monasterials, fr. monasterium.] Of or pertaining to monastery, or to monastic life. -- Mon`as*te"ri*al*ly, adv.

Conundrum

English Etymology Dictionary
conundrum 1596, Oxford University slang for "pedant," also "whim," etc., later (1790) "riddle, puzzle," also spelled quonundrum; the sort of ponderous pseudo-Latin word that was once the height of humor in learned circles.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
conundrum noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1645 1. a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun 2. a. a question or problem having only a conjectural answer b. an intricate and difficult problem

Oxford English Reference Dictionary
conundrum
n.
1 a riddle, esp. one with a pun in its answer.
2 a hard or puzzling question.
Etymology: 16th c.: orig. unkn.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary
conundrum (conundrums) A conundrum is a problem or puzzle which is difficult or impossible to solve. (FORMAL) ...this theological conundrum of the existence of evil and suffering in a world created by a good God. N-COUNT

English Explanatory Dictionary
conundrum kəˈnʌndrəm n. 1 a riddle, esp. one with a pun in its answer. 2 a hard or puzzling question. [16th c.: orig. unkn.]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Conundrum \Co*nun"drum\, n. [Origin unknown.] 1. A kind of riddle based upon some fanciful or fantastic resemblance between things quite unlike; a puzzling question, of which the answer is or involves a pun. Or pun ambiguous, or conundrum quaint. --J. Philips. 2. A question to which only a conjectural answer can be made. Do you think life is long enough to let me speculate on conundrums like that? --W. Black.

Prevarication

PREVARICATION

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Prevarication PREVARICA'TION, n. A shuffling or quibbling to evade the truth or the disclosure of truth; the practice of some trick for evading what is just or honorable; a deviation from the plain path of truth and fair dealing.
1. In the civil law, the collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution.
2. In common law, a seeming to undertake a thing falsely or deceitfully, for the purpose of defeating or destroying it.
3. A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office or commission.

Discomfit

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Discomfit DISCOMFIT, v.t. [L., to fasten, to nail; to fix.] To rout; to defeat; to scatter in fight; to cause to flee; to vanquish.
Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Exo 17.
He, fugitive, declined superior strength, discomfited, pursued.
DISCOMFIT, n. Rout; dispersion; defeat; overthrow.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
discomfit v 1: cause to lose one's composure [syn: upset, discompose, untune, disconcert, discomfit]

Squelched

SQUELCHED

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
squelched adj 1: subdued or overcome; "the quelled rebellion"; "an uprising quenched almost before it started"; "a squelched rumor" [syn: quelled, quenched, squelched]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Squelch \Squelch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Squelched; p. pr. & vb. n. Squelching.] [Cf. prov. E. quelch a blow, and quel to crush, to kill.] To quell; to crush; to silence or put down. [Colloq.] Oh 't was your luck and mine to be squelched. --Beau. & Fl. If you deceive us you will be squelched. --Carlyle.

Branch Water

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
branch water n 1: pure natural water from a stream or brook; often distinguished from soda water

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
branch water noun Etymology: 1branch (creek) Date: 1835 plain water

Dogmatically

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Dogmatically DOGMATICALLY, adv. Positively; in a magisterial manner; arrogantly.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
dogmatically adv 1: in a narrow-minded dogmatic manner; "he is a dogmatically opinionated critic of Modern Art"

Gloaming

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
gloaming n 1: the time of day immediately following sunset; "he loved the twilight"; "they finished before the fall of night" [syn: twilight, dusk, gloaming, gloam, nightfall, evenfall, fall, crepuscule, crepuscle]

Oxford English Reference Dictionary
gloaming
n. poet. twilight; dusk.
Etymology: OE glomung f. glom twilight, rel. to GLOW


English Explanatory Dictionary
gloaming ˈɡləumɪŋ n. poet. twilight; dusk. [OE glomung f. glom twilight, rel. to GLOW]


Handy Dictionary of Poetical Quotations
Gloaming Late, late in a gloamin, when all was still, When the fringe was red on the westlin hill, The wood was sere, the moon i' the wane, The reek o' the cot hung over the plain-- Like a little wee cloud in the world its lane; When the ingle lowed with an eiry leme, Late, late in the gloamin Kilmeny came hame! JAMES HOGG: Kilmeny.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Gloaming \Gloam"ing\, n. [See Gloom.] 1. Twilight; dusk; the fall of the evening. [Scot. & North of Eng., and in poetry.] --Hogg. 2. Sullenness; melancholy. [Obs.] J. Still.

Soule\'s Dictionary of English Synonyms
gloaming n. Twilight, dusk, fall of evening, eventide, nightfall.


Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
39 Moby Thesaurus words for "gloaming": bad light, brown of dusk, brownness, candlelight, candlelighting, cocklight, crepuscule, darkishness, darksomeness, deadness, dim, dim light, dimness, dimpsy, drabness, dullness, dusk, duskiness, duskingtide, duskness, eventide, flatness, gloam, glooming, half-light, lack of sparkle, lackluster, lifelessness, lusterlessness, mat, mat finish, murk, murkiness, nightfall, owllight, partial darkness, semidark, somberness, twilight

Corposant

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Corposant CORPOSANT, n. A name given by seamen to a luminous appearance often beheld, in dark tempestuous nights, about the decks and rigging of a ship, but particularly at the mastheads and yard-arms, supposed to be electrical.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)
corposant n 1: an electrical discharge accompanied by ionization of surrounding atmosphere [syn: corona discharge, corona, corposant, St. Elmo's fire, Saint Elmo's fire, Saint Elmo's light}, Saint Ulmo's fire, Saint Ulmo's light, electric glow]

Expunging

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Expunging EXPUN'GING, ppr. Blotting out; erasing; effacing; destroying.

Emendately

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Emendately \Em"en*date*ly\, adv. Without fault; correctly. [Obs.]

Didacticity

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Didacticity \Di`dac*tic"i*ty\, n. Aptitude for teaching. --Hare.

Proclivity

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Proclivity \Pro*cliv"i*ty\, n. [L. proclivitas: cf. F. proclivit['e].] 1. Inclination; propensity; proneness; tendency. ``A proclivity to steal.'' --Abp. Bramhall. 2. Readiness; facility; aptitude. He had such a dexterous proclivity as his teachers were fain to restrain his forwardness. --Sir H. Wotton.

Scurrility

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Scurrility SCURRIL'ITY, n. [L. scurrilitas.] Such low. vulgar, indecent or abusive language as is used by mean fellows, buffoons, jesters and the like; grossness of reproach or invective; obscene jests, etc.
Banish scurrility and profaneness. Dryden.

Menstrous

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Menstruous MEN'STRUOUS, a. [L. menstruus, from mensis, a month.]
1. Having the monthly flow or discharge; as a female.
2. Pertaining to the monthly flow of females.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oxford English Reference Dictionary
menstruous
adj.
1 of or relating to the menses.
2 menstruating.
Etymology: ME f. OF menstrueus or LL menstruosus (as MENSTRUAL)

Inconceivable

This word sounds much better when spoken with a lisp ala Princess Bride

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Inconceivable INCONCE'IVABLE, a. [in and conceivable.]
1. That cannot be conceived by the mind; incomprehensible. It is inconceivable to us, how the will acts in producing muscular motion.
2. That cannot be understood.

Five-and-ten

FIVE-AND-TEN

English Language Idioms
five-and-ten n. phr. A store that sells things that cost little. Charles bought a pencil at the five-and-dime.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
five-and-ten noun Etymology: from the fact that all articles in such stores were formerly priced at either 5 or 10 cents Date: 1880 a retail store that carries chiefly inexpensive merchandise (as notions and household goods) — called also five-and-dime

Hereditament

Websters 1828 Dictionary
Hereditament HEREDIT'AMENT, n. [L. haeres, haeredium. See Heir.]
Any species of property that may be inherited; lands, tenements,any thing corporeal or incorporeal, real, personal or mixed, that may descend to an heir.
A corporeal hereditament is visible and tangible; an incorporeal hereditament is an ideal right, existing in contemplation of law, issuing out of substantial corporeal property.

Ostentatious

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Ostentatious \Os`ten*ta"tious\, a. Fond of, or evincing, ostentation; unduly conspicuous; pretentious; boastful. Far from being ostentatious of the good you do. --Dryden. The ostentatious professions of many years. --Macaulay. -- Os`ten*ta"tious*ly, adv. -- Os`ten*ta"tious*ness, n.

Hygrophorus Marzuolus

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

Hygrophorus marzuolus n 1: a grey fungus frequently found near melting snow banks

Rune

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Rune Rune (r[udd]n), n. [AS. r[=u]n a rune, a secret, a mystery; akin to Icel. r[=u]n, OHG. & Goth. r[=u]na a secret, secret colloquy, G. & Dan. rune rune, and probably to Gr. 'ereyna^n to search for. Cf. Roun to whisper.] 1. A letter, or character, belonging to the written language of the ancient Norsemen, or Scandinavians; in a wider sense, applied to the letters of the ancient nations of Northern Europe in general. Note: The Norsemen had a peculiar alphabet, consisting of sixteen letters, or characters, called runes, the origin of which is lost in the remotest antiquity. The signification of the word rune (mystery) seems to allude to the fact that originally only a few were acquainted with the use of these marks, and that they were mostly applied to secret tricks, witchcrafts and enchantments. But the runes were also used in communication by writing. 2. pl. Old Norse poetry expressed in runes. Runes were upon his tongue, As on the warrior's sword. --Longfellow. Rune stone, a stone bearing a runic inscription.

Epiphany

Epiphany:
Merriam-Webster’s collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)
epiphany noun (plural -nies) Etymology: Middle English epiphanie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin epiphania, from Late Greek, plural, probably alteration of Greek epiphaneia appearance, manifestation, from epiphainein to manifest, from epi- + phainein to show Date: 14th century 1. capitalized January 6 observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ 2. an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being 3. a. (1) a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b. a revealing scene or moment

Jardiniere

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Jardiniere Jar`di`ni[`e]re", n. [F., fem. of jardinier gardener. See Garden.] An ornamental stand or receptacle for plants, flowers, etc., used as a piece of decorative furniture in room.


Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Jardiniere Jar`di`ni[`e]re", n. (Cookery) A preparation of mixed vegetables stewed in a sauce with savory herbs, etc.; also, a soup made in this way.

Aspergill

WordNet (r) 3.0

aspergill n 1: a short-handled device with a globe containing a sponge; used for sprinkling holy water [syn: aspergill, aspersorium]


Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Aspergill As"per*gill, Aspergillum As`per*gil"lum, n. [LL. aspergillum, fr. L. aspergere. See Asperse, v. t.] 1. The brush used in the Roman Catholic church for sprinkling holy water on the people. [Also written aspergillus.] 2. (Zo["o]l.) See Wateringpot shell.

Adumbrate

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Adumbrate ADUM'BRATE, v.t. [L. adumbro, to shade, from umbra, a shade.]
To give a faint shadow, or slight likeness; to exhibit a faint resemblance, like a shadow.


WordNet (r) 3.0

adumbrate v 1: describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of; "sketch the outline of the book"; "outline his ideas" [syn: sketch, outline, adumbrate] 2: give to understand; "I insinuated that I did not like his wife" [syn: intimate, adumbrate, insinuate]

Primo

WordNet (r) 3.0

primo adj 1: the best of its kind n 1: the principal part of a duet (especially a piano duet)


Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

primo I. noun (plural primos) Etymology: Italian, from primo first, from Latin primus Date: 1792 the first or leading part (as in a duet or trio) II. adverb Etymology: Latin, from primus Date: circa 1901 in the first place III. adjective Etymology: probably from Italian, chief, first Date: 1972 slang of the finest quality ; excellent


Oxford English Reference Dictionary

primo
n. (pl. -os) Mus. the leading or upper part in a duet etc.


English Explanatory Dictionary

primo n. (pl. -os) Mus. the leading or upper part in a duet etc.


Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Primo Pri"mo, a. [It.] (Mus.) First; chief.

Purfling

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Purfling Pur"fling, n. Ornamentation on the border of a thing; specifically, the inlaid border of a musical instrument, as a violin.

Lothario

WordNet (r) 3.0

Lothario n 1: a successful womanizer; a man who behaves selfishly in his sexual relationships with women


Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

lothario noun (plural -ios) Usage: often capitalized Etymology: Lothario, seducer in the play The Fair Penitent (1703) by Nicholas Rowe Date: 1756 a man whose chief interest is seducing women


Oxford English Reference Dictionary

Lothario
n. (pl. -os) a rake or libertine.
Etymology: a character in Rowe's Fair Penitent (1703)


Oxford English Reference Dictionary

lothario
n. (pl. -os) a rake or libertine.
Etymology: a character in Rowe's Fair Penitent (1703)


English Explanatory Dictionary

Lothario ləuˈθɑ:rɪəu n. (pl. -os) a rake or libertine. [a character in Rowe's Fair Penitent (1703)]


Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Lothario Lo*tha"ri*o, n. [Name of a character in Rowe's drama, ``The Fair Penitent.''] A gay seducer of women; a libertine.

Quipping

Quip Quip, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Quipped; p. pr. & vb. n. Quipping.] To taunt; to treat with quips. The more he laughs, and does her closely quip. --Spenser.

Chivalrous

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

chivalrous adjective Date: 14th century 1. valiant 2. of, relating to, or characteristic of chivalry and knight-errantry 3. a. marked by honor, generosity, and courtesy b. marked by gracious courtesy and high-minded consideration especially to women Synonyms: see civil • chivalrously adverb • chivalrousness noun


Oxford English Reference Dictionary

chivalrous
adj.
1 (usu. of a male) gallant, honourable, courteous.
2 involving or showing chivalry.
Derivatives:
chivalrously adv.
Etymology: ME f. OF chevalerous: see CHEVALIER


Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary

chivalrous A chivalrous man is polite, kind, and unselfish, especially towards women. He was handsome, upright and chivalrous. ADJ [approval]


English Explanatory Dictionary

chivalrous ˈʃɪvəlrəs adj. 1 (usu. of a male) gallant, honourable, courteous. 2 involving or showing chivalry. øøchivalrously adv. [ME f. OF chevalerous: see CHEVALIER]


English-Old English dictionary

chivalrous
eorlic


Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Chivalrous Chiv"al*rous, a. [OF. chevalerus, chevalereus, fr. chevalier. See Chivalry.] Pertaining to chivalry or knight-errantry; warlike; heroic; gallant; high-spirited; high-minded; magnanimous. In brave pursuit of chivalrous emprise. --Spenser.


Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

chivalrous n. 1. Gallant, adventurous, valiant, brave, warlike, bold, knightly. 2. High-minded, generous, gallant, magnanimous, knightly.


English Explanatory Dictionary (Synonyms)

chivalrous ˈʃɪvəlrəs adj. courtly, gracious, courteous, polite, gallant, noble, knightly, gentlemanly, considerate, kind, charitable, magnanimous: It was quite chivalrous of you to drive me home.


Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

74 Moby Thesaurus words for "chivalrous": aristocratic, benevolent, big, bighearted, bold, bold-spirited, brave, ceremonious, charitable, chivalric, considerate, courageous, courteous, courtly, doughty, ducal, elevated, exalted, formal, gallant, generous, genteel, gentle, gentlemanlike, gentlemanly, gracious, great, great of heart, greathearted, handsome, hardy, heroic, herolike, high, high-minded, idealistic, intrepid, ironhearted, kind, kinglike, kingly, knightlike, knightly, ladylike, largehearted, liberal, lionhearted, lofty, magnanimous, manful, manly, noble, noble-minded, of gentle blood, of rank, old-fashioned, old-world, openhanded, patrician, polite, princelike, princely, queenlike, queenly, quite the lady, soldierlike, soldierly, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, sublime, titled, valiant, valorous

Geniculate

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Geniculate Ge*nic"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Geniculated; p. pr. & vb. n. Geniculating.] To form joints or knots on. [R.] --Cockeram.

Flout

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Flout FLOUT, v.t. To mock or insult; to treat with contempt.
Phillida flouts me.
He flouted us downright.
FLOUT, v.i. To practice mocking; to sneer; to behave with contempt.
Fleer and gibe, and laugh and flout.
FLOUT, n. A mock; an insult.

Schmuck

WordNet (r) 3.0

schmuck n 1: (Yiddish) a jerk [syn: schmuck, shmuck, schmo, shmo]


Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

schmuck noun Etymology: Yiddish shmok, literally, penis Date: 1892 slang jerk 4b


Oxford English Reference Dictionary

schmuck
n. esp. US sl. a foolish or contemptible person.
Etymology: Yiddish


English Explanatory Dictionary

schmuck n. esp. US sl. a foolish or contemptible person. [Yiddish]


Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

23 Moby Thesaurus words for "schmuck": ass, born fool, buffoon, clown, doodle, egregious ass, figure of fun, fool, idiot, ignoramus, jackass, jerk, lunatic, milksop, mooncalf, nincompoop, ninny, perfect fool, softhead, sop, stupid ass, tomfool, zany

asceticism

WordNet (r) 3.0

asceticism n 1: the doctrine that through renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state 2: the trait of great self-denial (especially refraining from worldly pleasures) [syn: austerity, asceticism, nonindulgence] 3: rigorous self-denial and active self-restraint [syn: asceticism, ascesis]

Pariah

Oxford English Reference Dictionary

pariah
n.
1 a social outcast.
2 hist. a member of a low caste or of no caste in S. India.
Phrases and idioms:
pariah-dog = PYE-DOG.
Etymology: Tamil paraiyar pl. of paraiyan hereditary drummer f. parai drum


Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary

pariah (pariahs) If you describe someone as a pariah, you mean that other people dislike them so much that they refuse to associate with them. His landlady had treated him like a dangerous criminal, a pariah. = outcast N-COUNT [disapproval]

Affiance

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Affiance Af*fi"ance, v. t. [imp. ? p. p. Affianced; p. pr. ? vb. n. Affiancing.] [Cf. OF. afiancier, fr. afiance.] 1. To betroth; to pledge one's faith to for marriage, or solemnly promise (one's self or another) in marriage. To me, sad maid, he was affianced. --Spenser. 2. To assure by promise. [Obs.] --Pope.

Obscureness

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Obscureness OBSCU'RENESS,
OBSCU'RITY, n. [L. obscuritas.]
1. Darkness; want of light.
We wait for light, but behold obscurity. Isa 59.
2. A state of retirement from the world; a state of being unnoticed; privacy.
You are not for obscurity designed.
3. Darkness of meaning; unintelligibleness; as the obscurity of writings or of a particular passage.
4. Illegibleness; as the obscurity of letters or of an inscription.
5. A state of being unknown to fame; humble condition; as the obscurity of birth or parentage.

Ingustable

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Ingustable INGUST'ABLE, a. [L. in and gusto, to taste.]
That cannot be tasted. [Little used.]

Pantheist

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Pantheist PANTHE'IST, n. One that believes the universe to be God; a name given to the followers of Spinosa.
The earliest Grecian pantheist of whom we read is Orpheus.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

pantheist adj 1: of or relating to pantheism [syn: pantheist, pantheistic] n 1: someone who believes that God and the universe are the same

Nominal

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Nominal NOMINAL, a.
1. Titular; existing in name only; as , a nominal distinction or difference is a difference in name and not in reality.
2. Pertaining to a name or names; consisting in names.
NOMINAL, n. The Nominalists were a sect of school philosophers, the disciples of Ocham or Ocdcam, in the 14th century, who maintained that words and not things are the object of dialectics. They were the founders of the university of Leipsic.

Comeupance

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

comeupance n 1: an outcome (good or bad) that is well deserved [syn: deserts, comeuppance, comeupance]

Compunction

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Compunction COMPUNCTION, n. [L. To prick or sting.]
1. A pricking; stimulation; irritation; seldom used in a literal sense.
2. A pricking of heart; poignant grief or remorse proceeding from a consciousness of guilt; the pain of sorrow or regret for having offended God, and incurred his wrath; the sting of conscience proceeding from a conviction of having violated a moral duty.
He acknowledged his disloyalty to the king, with expressions of great compunction.


Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary

compunction If you say that someone has no compunction about doing something, you mean that they do it without feeling ashamed or guilty. He has no compunction about relating how he killed his father. N-UNCOUNT [disapproval]

Zamboni

Zamboni n 1: the trademark for a machine that smooths the ice in an ice- skating rink

Perfidious

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Perfidious PERFID'IOUS, a. [L. perfidus; per and fidus, faithful. Per in this word signifies through, beyond, or by, aside.]
1. Violating good faith or vows; false to trust or confidence reposed; treacherous; as a perfidious agent; a perfidious friend. [See Perfidy.]
2. Proceeding from treachery, or consisting in breach of faith; as a perfidious act.
3. Guilty of violated allegiance; as a perfidious citizen; a man perfidious to his country.

Fadge

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Fadge FADGE, v.i. [L. pango, pegi, pepegi, figo; Gr.]
1. To suit; to fit; to come close, as the parts of things united. Hence, to have one part consistent with another.
2. To agree; to live in amity.
3. To succeed; to hit.
[This word is now vulgar, and improper in elegant writing.]


1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

FADGE It won't fadge; it won't do. A farthing.

Vermeil

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Vermeil \Ver"meil\, n. [F., vermilion, fr. LL. vermiculus, fr. L. vermiculus a little worm, the coccus Indicus, from vermis a worm. See Worm, and cf. Vermicule.] 1. Vermilion; also, the color of vermilion, a bright, beautiful red. [Poetic & R.] In her cheeks the vermeil red did show Like roses in a bed of lilies shed. --Spenser. 2. Silver gilt or gilt bronze. 3. A liquid composition applied to a gilded surface to give luster to the gold. --Knight.

Pugnacious

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Pugnacious PUGNA'CIOUS, a. [L. pugnax, from pugna, a fight; from pugnus, the fist. See Pugil.]
Disposed to fight; inclined to fighting; quarrelsome; fighting.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

pugnacious adj 1: tough and callous by virtue of experience [syn: hard- bitten}, hard-boiled, pugnacious] 2: ready and able to resort to force or violence; "pugnacious spirits...lamented that there was so little prospect of an exhilarating disturbance"- Herman Melville; "they were rough and determined fighting men" [syn: pugnacious, rough]

Hoyden

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

hoyden noun Etymology: perhaps from obsolete Dutch heiden country lout, from Middle Dutch, heathen; akin to Old English hǣthen heathen Date: 1676 a girl or woman of saucy, boisterous, or carefree behavior • hoydenish adjective

Incongruous

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Incongruous \In*con"gru*ous\, a. [L. incongruus. See In- not, and Congruous.] Not congruous; reciprocally disagreeing; not capable of harmonizing or readily assimilating; inharmonious; inappropriate; unsuitable; not fitting; inconsistent; improper; as, an incongruous remark; incongruous behavior, action, dress, etc. ``Incongruous mixtures of opinions.'' --I. Taylor. ``Made up of incongruous parts.'' --Macaulay. Incongruous denotes that kind of absence of harmony or suitableness of which the taste and experience of men takes cognizance. --C. J. Smith. Incongruous numbers (Arith.), two numbers, which, with respect to a third, are such that their difference can not be divided by it without a remainder, the two numbers being said to be incongruous with respect to the third; as, twenty-five are incongruous with respect to four. Syn: Inconsistent; unsuitable; inharmonious; disagreeing; absurd; inappropriate; unfit; improper. See Inconsistent. -- In*con"gru*ous*ly, adv. -- In*con"gru*ous*ness, n.

Derisory

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Derisory DERISORY, a. Mocking; ridiculing.


WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

derisory adj 1: incongruous;inviting ridicule; "the absurd excuse that the dog ate his homework"; "that's a cockeyed idea"; "ask a nonsensical question and get a nonsensical answer"; "a contribution so small as to be laughable"; "it is ludicrous to call a cottage a mansion"; "a preposterous attempt to turn back the pages of history"; "her conceited assumption of universal interest in her rather dull children was ridiculous" [syn: absurd, cockeyed, derisory, idiotic, laughable, ludicrous, nonsensical, preposterous, ridiculous]

Walter Mitty

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

Walter Mitty noun Etymology: Walter Mitty, daydreaming hero of a story by James Thurber Date: 1949 a commonplace unadventurous person who seeks escape from reality through daydreaming • Walter Mittyish adjective

Importune

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Importune IMPORTU'NE, v.t. [L. importunus; in and porto, to bear on.]
To request with urgency; to press with solicitation; to urge with frequent or unceasing application.
Their ministers and residents here have perpetually importuned the court with unreasonable demands.
IMPORTU'NE, a. [L. importunus. Formerly accented on the second syllable.]
1. Pressing in request; urgent; troublesome by frequent demands; vexatious; unreasonable.
2. Unseasonable.
[This word is obsolete; being superseded by importunate, unless perhaps in poetry.]


WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

importune v 1: beg persistently and urgently; "I importune you to help them" [syn: importune, insist]

Funambulist

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Funambulist FUNAM'BULIST, n. [L. funis, rope, and ambulo, to walk.] A rope walker or dancer.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

funambulist n 1: an acrobat who performs on a tightrope or slack rope [syn: funambulist, tightrope walker]

Prostibulous

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Prostibulous \Pros*tib"u*lous\, a. [L. prostibulum prostitute.] Of or pertaining to prostitutes or prostitution; meretricious. [Obs.] --Bale.

Impallid

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Impallid IMPAL'LID, v.t. To make pallid or pale. [Not in use.]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Impallid \Im*pal"lid\, v. t. To make pallid; to blanch. [Obs.] --Feltham.

Anachronism

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Anachronism ANACH'RONISM, n. [Gr. time.]
An error in computing time; any error in chronology, by which events are misplaced.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

anachronism n 1: something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred [syn: anachronism, mistiming, misdating] 2: an artifact that belongs to another time 3: a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age

canorousness

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Canorousness \Ca*no"rous*ness\, n. The quality of being musical. He chooses his language for its rich canorousness. --Lowell.

Pacifically

pa·cif·i·cal·ly
–adverb
peaceably, mildly, calmly, or quietly.


Origin:
1785–95; obs. pacifical pacific (see pacific, -al) + -ly

Dribblet

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Dribblet \Drib"blet\, Driblet \Drib"let\, n. [From Dribble.] A small piece or part; a small sum; a small quantity of money in making up a sum; as, the money was paid in dribblets. When made up in dribblets, as they could, their best securities were at an interest of twelve per cent. --Burke.

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Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

52 Moby Thesaurus words for "driblet": ace, atom, bit, dab, dole, dot, dram, dribble, droplet, dwarf, farthing, fleck, flyspeck, fragment, globule, gobbet, grain, granule, groat, hair, handful, iota, jot, little, little bit, minim, minimum, minutiae, mite, modicum, molecule, mote, nutshell, ounce, particle, pebble, pinch, pittance, point, scrimption, scruple, smidgen, smitch, speck, spoonful, spot, thimbleful, tiny bit, tittle, trifling amount, trivia, whit

Jouissance

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Jouissance JOUIS'SANCE, n. Jollity; merriment. [Not in use.]

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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

jouissance foreign term Etymology: French pleasure ; sexual pleasure ; orgasm

Wantonly

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Wantonly WANTONLY, adv. Loosely; without regularity or restraint; sportively; gayly; playfully; lasciviously.

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WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

wantonly adv 1: in a wanton manner; "the animals were killed wantonly for sport" 2: in a licentious and promiscuous manner; "this young girl has to share a room with her mother who lives promiscuously" [syn: licentiously, wantonly, promiscuously]

Bewitchery

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Bewitchery BEWITCH'ERY, n. Fascination; charm; resistless power of anything that pleases.

Heinous

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Heinous \Hei"nous\, a. [OF. ha["i]nos hateful, F. haineux, fr. OF. ha["i]ne hate, F. haine, fr. ha["i]r to hate; of German origin. See Hate.] Hateful; hatefully bad; flagrant; odious; atrocious; giving great great offense; -- applied to deeds or to character. It were most heinous and accursed sacrilege. --Hooker. How heinous had the fact been, how deserving Contempt! --Milton. Syn: Monstrous; flagrant; flagitious; atrocious. -- Hei"nous*ly, adv. -- Hei"nous*ness, n.

Illation

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Illation \Il*la"tion\, n. [L. illatio, fr. illatus, used as p. p. of inferre to carry or bring in, but from a different root: cf. F. illation. See 1st In-, and Tolerate, and cf. Infer.] The act or process of inferring from premises or reasons; perception of the connection between ideas; that which is inferred; inference; deduction; conclusion. Fraudulent deductions or inconsequent illations from a false conception of things. --Sir T. Browne.

Twiddle

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Twiddle \Twid"dle\, v. t. [Probably of imitative origin. Cf. Tweedle.] To touch lightly, or play with; to tweedle; to twirl; as, to twiddle one's thumbs; to twiddle a watch key. [Written also twidle.] --Thackeray.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Twiddle \Twid"dle\, v. i. To play with anything; hence, to be busy about trifles. --Halliwell.

Peripetia

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

peripetia n 1: a sudden and unexpected change of fortune or reverse of circumstances (especially in a literary work); "a peripeteia swiftly turns a routine sequence of events into a story worth telling" [syn: peripeteia, peripetia, peripety]

Overworking

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

overworking n 1: the act of working too much or too long; "he became ill from overwork" [syn: overwork, overworking]
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Overwork \O`ver*work"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Overworkedor Overwrought; p. pr. & vb. n. Overworking.] 1. To work beyond the strength; to cause to labor too much or too long; to tire excessively; as, to overwork a horse. 2. To fill too full of work; to crowd with labor. My days with toil are overwrought. --Longfellow. 3. To decorate all over.

Doppelganger

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Doppelganger \Dop"pel*g["a]ng`er\, n. [G.] A spiritual or ghostly double or counterpart; esp., an apparitional double of a living person; a cowalker.

Defalcate

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Defalcate DEFALCATE, v.t. To cut off; to take away or deduct a part; used chiefly of money, accounts, rents, income, etc.

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WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

defalcate v 1: appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use; "The accountant embezzled thousands of dollars while working for the wealthy family" [syn: embezzle, defalcate, peculate, misappropriate, malversate]

Hamartia

HAMARTIA DEFINITIONS - 1 definition found



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WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

hamartia n 1: the character flaw or error of a tragic hero that leads to his downfall [syn: tragic flaw, hamartia]

Truncheon

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Truncheon \Trun"cheon\, n. [OE. tronchoun the shaft of a broken spear, broken piece, OF. tronchon, tron?on, F. tron?on, fr. OF. & F. tronce, tronche, a piece of wood; cf. OF. trons, tros, trois; all perhaps from L. thyrsus a stalk, stem, staff. See Thyrsus, and cf. Trounce.] 1. A short staff, a club; a cudgel; a shaft of a spear. With his truncheon he so rudely struck. --Spenser. 2. A baton, or military staff of command. The marshal's truncheon nor the judges robe. --Shak. 3. A stout stem, as of a tree, with the branches lopped off, to produce rapid growth. --Gardner.

Mantua

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Mantua MAN'TUA, n. A lady's gown.

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WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

mantua n 1: loose gown of the 17th and 18th centuries

Omnivorous

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

omnivorous adj 1: feeding on both plants and animals [ant: carnivorous, herbivorous, insectivorous]

Partialness

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

partialness n 1: the state of being only a part; not total; incomplete

Homiletics

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

homiletics n 1: the branch of theology that deals with sermons and homilies 2: the art of preaching

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

homiletics noun plural but singular in construction Date: 1830 the art of preaching

Propitious

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Propitious PROPI'TIOUS, a. [L.propitius.] Favorable; kind; applied to men.
1. Disposed to be gracious or merciful; ready to forgive sins and bestow blessings; applied to God.
2. Favorable; as a propitious season.

Impecunious

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Impecunious \Im"pe*cu"ni*ous\, a. [L. im- not + pecunia money: cf. F. imp['e]cunieux.] Not having money; habitually without money; poor. An impecunious creature. --B. Jonson.

Contrarious

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Contrarious \Con*tra"ri*ous\, a. [LL. contrariosus: cf. OF. contrarios contralius.] Showing contrariety; repugnant; perverse. [Archaic] --Milton. She flew contrarious in the face of God. --Mrs. Browning.

Eleemosynary

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Eleemosynary ELEEMOS'YNARY, a. [Gr. alms, to pity, compassion.]
1. Given in charity; given or appropriated to support the poor; as eleemosynary rents or taxes.
2. Relating to charitable donations; intended for the distribution of alms, or for the use and management of donations, whether for the subsistence of the poor or for the support and promotion of learning; as an eleemosynary corporation. A hospital founded by charity is an eleemosynary institution for the support of the poor, sick and impotent; a college founded by donations is an eleemosynary institution for the promotion of learning. The corporation entrusted with the care of such institutions is eleemosynary.
ELEEMOS'YNARY, n. One who subsists on charity.

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WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

eleemosynary adj 1: generous in assistance to the poor; "a benevolent contributor"; "eleemosynary relief"; "philanthropic contributions" [syn: beneficent, benevolent, eleemosynary, philanthropic]

Vermiculation

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Vermiculation VERMICULA'TION, n.
1. The act or operation of moving in the form of a worm; continuation of motion from one part to another, as in the peristaltic motion of the intestines.
2. The act of forming so as to resemble the motion of a worm.

Vesture

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Vesture VEST'URE, n. [See Vest.]
1. A garment; a robe.
There polish'd chests embroider'd vesture grac'd.
2. Dress; garments in general; habit; clothing; vestment; as the vesture of priests.
3. Clothing; covering.
Rocks, precipices and gulfs appareled with a vesture of plants.
- And gild the humble vestures of the plain.
4. In old law books, the corn with which land was covered; as the vesture of an acre.
5. In old books, seisin; possession. Obs.

Gracile

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Gracile GRAC'ILE, a. [L. gracilis.] Slender. [Not in use.]

Suggil

SUGGIL DEFINITIONS - 2 definitions found



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Websters 1828 Dictionary

Suggil SUG'GIL, v.t. [L. suggillo.] To defame. [Not in use.]

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Suggil \Sug"gil\, v. t. [L. suggillare, sugillare, suggillatum, sugillatum, literally, to beat black and blue.] To defame. [Obs.] --Abp. Parker.

Epistrophe

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

epistrophe noun Etymology: Greek epistrophē, literally, turning about, from epi- + strophē turning — more at strophe Date: circa 1584 repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect (as Lincoln's “of the people, by the people, for the people”) — compare anaphora

Laniation

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Laniation LANIA'TION, n. A tearing in pieces. [Little used.]

Soigne

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

soigne adj 1: polished and well-groomed; showing sophisticated elegance [syn: soigne, soignee]

Quotidian

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Quotidian QUOTID'IAN, a. [L. quotidianus; quotus and dies.] Daily; occurring or returning daily; as a quotidian fever.
QUOTID'IAN, n.
1. A fever whose paroxysms return every day.
2. Any thing returning daily.

Adient

adient adj 1: characterized by acceptance or approach [ant: abient]

Tumulus

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Tumulus \Tu"mu*lus\, n.; pl. Tumuli. [L., a mound, a sepulchral mound, probably from tumere to swell. Cf. Tumid.] An artificial hillock, especially one raised over a grave, particularly over the graves of persons buried in ancient times; a barrow.

Tetchy

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

tetchy adjective (tetchier; -est) Etymology: perhaps from obsolete tetch habit Date: 1592 irritably or peevishly sensitive ; touchy • tetchily adverb • tetchiness noun

Magniloquent

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Magniloquent \Mag*nil"o*quent\, a. [L. magnus great + loquens, -entis, p. pr. of loqui to speak. See Magnitude, Loquacious.] Speaking pompously; using swelling discourse; bombastic; tumid in style; grandiloquent. -- Mag*nil"o*quent*ly, adv.

Foretoken

foretoken - n. a prophetic sign; an omen - vt. to foreshadow

Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism – n. the attributing of human shape or characteristic to a god, animal, or inanimate thing.

Balbutiate

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Balbutiate \Bal*bu"ti*ate\, Balbucinate \Bal*bu"ci*nate\, v. i. [L. balbutire, fr. balbus stammering: cf. F. balbutier.] To stammer. [Obs.]

Wanion

Wan´ion
n. 1. A word of uncertain signification, used only in the phrase with a wanion, apparently equivalent to with a vengeance, with a plague, or with misfortune.

Innubilous

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Innubilous \In*nu"bi*lous\, a. [L. innubilus. See Nubilous.] Cloudless. [Obs.] --Blount.


"I hope tomorrow brings an innubilous day."

Insouciance

insouciance n 1: the cheerful feeling you have when nothing is troubling you [syn: carefreeness, insouciance, lightheartedness, lightsomeness]

Ineptitude

ineptitude n 1: unskillfulness resulting from a lack of training [syn: awkwardness, clumsiness, ineptness, ineptitude, maladroitness, slowness] 2: having no qualities that would render it valuable or useful; "the drill sergeant's intent was to convince all the recruits of their worthlessness" [syn: worthlessness, ineptitude] [ant: worth]

Veronica

Veronica
veronica \veh-RAH-ni-keh\ (noun) - 1 : A cloth with a representation of Jesus' face on it (from the legend that the face of Jesus was impressed on the kerchief offered him by Saint Veronica on the road to Calvary). 2 : A maneuver in bullfighting in which the matador stands erect with both feet firmly planted, attracts the bull with his cape, held away from his body, then sweeps the cape backwards allowing the bull to pass or dragging it over the bull's head, like St. Veronica wiping the face of Christ. 3 : A wild European plant with long spikes of flowers or low-growing single flowers similar to violets, usually blue but also white and pink.

"The dance floor was filled with gallantly swaying gentlemen wafted by ladies in elegant dress passing mystically through their capeless veronicas."

Today's word comes to us from Medieval Latin, probably by smushing together vera "true" + iconica "image," the feminine of iconicus "of an image." Latin "vera" is the feminine of verus "true." This root emerged in English as "very" and as the first element in "warlock," which came down to us from warloga "oath-breaker," when "war" meant "oath" and "leogan" meant "to lie." "Icon" comes from Greek eikon "image."

Today's entry comes from a suggestion of my good friend, Melinda. It does occur to me that she could be "punking" me and this entire definition could be made up. Oh well, it's not like anyone but the two of us are reading this blog anyway.

Peckish

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

peckish adj 1: somewhat hungry 2: easily irritated or annoyed; "an incorrigibly fractious young man"; "not the least nettlesome of his countrymen" [syn: cranky, fractious, irritable, nettlesome, peevish, peckish, pettish, petulant, scratchy, testy, tetchy, techy]

Ailurophile

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

ailurophile noun Etymology: Greek ailouros cat Date: 1927 a cat fancier; a lover of cats

Caruncle

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Caruncle CARUNCLE, n.
1. A small fleshy excrescence, either natural or morbid.
2. The fleshy comb on the head of a fowl.

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WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

caruncle n 1: an outgrowth on a plant or animal such as a fowl's wattle or a protuberance near the hilum of certain seeds [syn: caruncle, caruncula]

Dactylist

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Dactylist DAC'TYLIST, n. One who writes flowing verse.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Dactylist \Dac"tyl*ist\, n. A writer of dactylic verse.

This one is for you, Melinda.

Jejune

Jejune -
Pronunciation: \ji-ˈjün\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin jejunus empty of food, hungry, meager
Date: 1646
1 : lacking nutritive value
2 : devoid of significance or interest : dull
3 : juvenile, puerile

synonyms see insipid

— je·june·ly adverb

— je·june·ness \-ˈjün-nəs\ noun

New Year's diet began yesterday.

Exacerbate

exacerbate - vt.. 1. to make more intense or sharp; aggravate (disease, pain, feelings, etc.) 2. to irritate

The inadequacy I feel because I cannot pronounce this word was only exacerbated by hearing others use it three times in the last twenty-four hours.

Circumlocution

Circumlocution - n. a roundabout, indirect, or lengthy way of expressing something.

Perfunctory

perfunctory - adj. 1. performed merely as an uninteresting or routine duty; hasty and superficial; perfunctory courtesy. 2. without interest, care or enthusiasm; indifferent; In his lectures he reveals himself to be merely a perfunctory speaker.

I try to select a vocabulary word that is somehow pertinent to my day. I was assured that it is.

Corpulence

corpulence - n. fatness or stoutness of body; obesity; also corpulency - corpulent - adj. - corpulently adv.

Torpor

torpor - n. 1. a state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility. 2. lethargy; apathy. 3. the dormant, inactive state of a hibernating or estivating animal.

Mulligan

Mulligan - A mulligan, in a game, happens when a player gets a second chance to perform a certain move or action. The practice is also sometimes referred to as a "do-over."

There are many theories about the origin of the term. The United States Golf Association (USGA) cites three stories explaining that the term derived from the name of a Canadian golfer, David Mulligan, one time manager of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, who played at The Country Club of Montreal golf course, in Saint-Lambert near Montreal during the 1920s. One version has it that one day after hitting a poor tee shot, Mulligan re-teed and shot again. He called it a "correction shot," but his friends thought it more fitting to name the practice after him. David Mulligan then brought the concept from Canada to the famous U.S. golf club Winged Foot. A second version has the extra shot given to Mulligan due to his being jumpy and shaky after a difficult drive over the Victoria bridge to the course. The final version of the David Mulligan story gives him an extra shot after having overslept, rushing to get ready to make the tee time.

An alternate, later etymology credits a different man named Mulligan — John A. "Buddy" Mulligan, a locker room attendant at Essex Fells C.C., New Jersey. In the 1930s, he would finish cleaning the locker room and, if no other members appeared, play a round with the asst. pro, Dave O'Connell and a cub reporter/member, Des Sullivan (later Golf editor for The Newark Evening News). One day his first shot was bad and he beseeched O'Connell & Sullivan to allow another shot since they "had been practicing all morning" and he had not! Once the "OK" had been given and the round finished, Mulligan proudly exclaimed to the members in his locker room for months how he had gotten an extra shot from the duo! The members loved it and soon began giving themselves "Mulligans" in honor of John "Buddy" Mulligan. Shortly, Des Sullivan began using the term in his golf articles in The Newark Evening News. The TV "Today Show" ran this story about 2005 and has it in their archives. Mulligan was located in the '70s at a VA Hospital on Long Island.

According to the USGA, the term first achieved widespread use in the 1940s.

According to the author Henry Beard, Thomas Mulligan was a minor Anglo-Irish aristocrat and passionate golfer, who was born on May 1, 1793 and lived near Lough Sclaff, on the Shannon estuary, in a modest manor house called Duffnaught Hall, which was totally destroyed in a mysterious fire one week after his death on April 1, 1879. According to the author, "Inasmuch as strokes taken after play is concluded on the 18th hole do not count towards the total entered on one's tally card, it seems to me eminently reasonable that any shots struck before play is properly commenced with a satisfactory drive on the first tee, should be of no more consequence to one's score than those swings which one has made by way of practice in the course of hitting balls upon the driving ground."[citation needed] In short, the player's first tallied stroke for a game is the first playable drive from the first tee, and any shots made beforehand are not scored.

Another early story from golf goes back to old terminology referring to a "mull," a small hill of grass or dirt used to tee the golf ball for easier striking prior to modern tees. When a bad shot was played, the player told his caddy "I'll have a mull-again" to play another shot.

Mulligans can be banked up and used the following week, although this is an unaccepted practice usually.