- word: jetsam definition: unwanted material or goods that have been thrown overboard from a ship and washed ashore, especially material that has been discarded to lighten the vessel. Compare with flotsam. example: there was plenty of good kindling among the jetsam on the beach | the jetsam of technology figurative. - word: quondam definition: 'that once was; former:' example: quondam dissidents joined the establishment. - word: ontic definition: relating to entities and the facts about them; relating to real as opposed to phenomenal existence. - word: standfirst definition: a brief introductory summary of an article in a newspaper or on a website, typically appearing immediately after the headline and typographically distinct from the rest of the article example: the headline and standfirst were changed to clarify that the issue affects the wider UK fishing industry, not just Grimsby. - word: distich definition: a pair of verse lines; a couplet. - word: Festschrift definition: a collection of writings published in honour of a scholar example: on his sixtieth birthday he received a Festschrift with contributions from over thirty colleagues. - word: ratiocinate definition: form judgements by a process of logic; reason example: a tendency to ratiocinate in isolation. - word: moraine definition: a mass of rocks and sediment carried down and deposited by a glacier, typically as ridges at its edges or extremity. - word: exeat definition: a permission from a college, boarding school, or other institution for temporary absence. - word: simony definition: the buying or selling of ecclesiastical privileges, for example pardons or benefices - word: nutation definition: a periodic variation in the inclination of the axis of a rotating object. - word: apostille definition: a legal certification that makes a document from one country valid in another (provided that both are signatories to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization for Foreign Public Documents) example: she will need the divorce decree or death certificate for her former spouse, translated into Spanish with an apostille. - word: lustrate definition: purify by expiatory sacrifice, ceremonial washing, or some other ritual action example: a soul lustrated in the baptismal waters. - word: cantabile definition: (especially as a direction) in a smooth singing style example: he sang cantabile like an angel. - word: precis definition: a summary or abstract of a text or speech. - word: atrabilious definition: melancholy or irritable example: an atrabilious old man. - word: Tsundoku definition: wiktionary, the act of leaving a book unread after buying it, typically piled up together with other such unread books - word: philtre definition: a drink supposed to arouse love and desire for a particular person in the drinker; a love potion example: his philtres and potions. - word: entelechy definition: the realization of potential. - word: squiffy definition: 1. slightly drunk 2. askew; awry - word: madrigal definition: a part-song for several voices, especially one of the Renaissance period, typically unaccompanied and arranged in elaborate counterpoint. - word: habiliment definition: clothing - word: quire definition: any collection of leaves one within another in a manuscript or book example: the scribe numbered the quires of his manuscript as well as the leaves - word: guillemet definition: each of a pair of punctuation marks («») used as quotation marks in French and other European languages. - word: enfeoff definition: '(under the feudal system) give (someone) freehold property or land in exchange for their pledged service:' example: the enfeoffed knights and overlords. - word: isogloss definition: a line on a map marking an area having a distinct linguistic feature. - word: recondite definition: '(of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse:' example: he book is full of recondite information. - word: eidolon definition: a spectre or phantom. - word: letter of marque definition: a licence to fit out an armed vessel and use it in the capture of enemy merchant shipping and to commit acts which would otherwise have constituted piracy. - word: prolegomena definition: a critical or discursive introduction to a book example: a prolegomenon to the second part | the prolegomena to the enquiry. - word: expatiate definition: speak or write in detail about example: she expatiated on working-class novelists. - word: expurgate definition: remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a text or account) example: editors heavily expurgated the novel before its initial publication. - word: fulminate definition: explode violently or flash like lightning example: thunder fulminated around the house. - word: flummery definition: meaningless or insincere flattery or conventions example: she hated the flummery of public relations. - word: imbroglio definition: an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation example: the abdication imbroglio of 1936. - word: inflorescence definition: '[mass noun] the process of flowering.' - word: logocentric definition: regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics). - word: triptych definition: a picture or relief carving on three panels, typically hinged together vertically and used as an altarpiece example: a triptych depicting the Crucifixion. - word: boutonnière definition: a spray of flowers worn in a buttonhole. - word: chrestomathy definition: a selection of passages from an author or authors, designed to help in learning a language. - word: parlous definition: 'full of danger or uncertainty; precarious:' example: the parlous state of the economy - word: incipit definition: the opening of a manuscript, early printed book, or chanted liturgical text. - word: aposiopesis definition: 'the device of suddenly breaking off in speech:' example: in coping with the unsaid and unsayable, oral history is impelled towards aposiopesis. - word: concordance definition: an alphabetical list of the words (especially the important ones) present in a text, usually with citations of the passages in which they are found - word: cento definition: a literary work made up of quotations from other authors. - word: solipsistic definition: very self-centred or selfish example: their solipsistic belief that only their cares are the ones of any importance - word: immiscible definition: (of liquids) not forming a homogeneous mixture when mixed - word: philtrum definition: the vertical groove between the base of the nose and the border of the upper lip. - word: persiflage definition: light and slightly contemptuous mockery or banter example: an air of persiflage. - word: lapidary definition: (of language) elegant and concise, and therefore suitable for engraving on stone example: a lapidary statement. - word: in specie definition: in the real, precise, or actual form specified example: the plaintiff could not be sure of recovering his goods in specie. - word: imbricate definition: overlap or cause to overlap example: the leaflets lie neatly imbricated one over the other - word: ligneous definition: made, consisting of, or resembling wood; woody. - word: dirigible definition: an airship - word: aetiology definition: the investigation or attribution of the cause or reason for something, often expressed in terms of historical or mythical explanation. - word: burgher definition: a citizen of a town or city, typically a member of the wealthy bourgeoisie example: the poem is not the sort of thing the sturdy burghers of Manchester would wish to read. - word: grawlix definition: a string of typographical symbols (such as %@$&*!) used in place of an obscenity, especially in comic strips example: the slur was replaced with a grawlix. - word: peccant definition: having committed a fault or sin example: the peccant officials fell on their knees. - word: anadiplosis definition: wikitionary, the repetition of the last word of a preceding clause example: Mine be thy love, and thy love's use their treasure. - word: antimetabole definition: wiktionary, the technique of repeating a phrase while reversing the order of certain elements or its grammatical structure, as a form of juxtaposition example: Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. - word: autological definition: wiktionary, of a word, possessing the property it describes. example: The word polysyllabic is autological, but the word monosyllabic is not. - word: ballonet definition: wiktionary, Any of several small balloons, inside a dirigible, that can be inflated or deflated to control buoyancy during flight. - word: clbuttic definition: wiktionary, A type of error in which some bowdlerizing software garbles words by replacing objectionable words that occur within a word with tamer alternatives. - word: corflute definition: wiktionary, A sign made of corrugated plastic, especially for electioneering. - word: cunctatory definition: wiktionary, delaying; procrastinating - word: deipnosophist definition: wiktionary, A master of the art of dining, particularly learned conversation in the manner of Athenaeus's characters. - word: heterological definition: wiktionary, Of a word, not describing itself. - word: illeism definition: wikitionary, the practice of (excessively) referring to oneself in the third person. - word: Künstlerroman definition: wikitionary, a novel whose central character is an artist of any kind, and which shows his or her development from childhood to maturity. - word: Mamihlapinatapai definition: wikitionary, a look that without words is shared by two people who want to initiate something, but that neither will start - word: legerdemain definition: wikitionary, Sleight of hand; magic trickery - word: mono no aware definition: wikitionary, Japanese, a wistful awareness of the impermanence or transience of things. - word: mono no aware definition: wikitionary, Japanese, a wistful awareness of the impermanence or transience of things. - word: omphalos definition: wikitionary, The theological proposition that the world was created with certain indicia of a history which had not actually occurred (such as the humans who had never been connected to umbilical cords being created with navels). - word: omphalos definition: wikitionary, The theological proposition that the world was created with certain indicia of a history which had not actually occurred (such as the humans who had never been connected to umbilical cords being created with navels). - word: proligerous definition: wikitionary, Productive, generative; prolific. - word: saldo definition: wikitionary, balance (the difference between credit and debit of an account) - word: tricolon definition: wikitionary, In rhetoric, a sentence with three clearly defined parts of equal length, usually independent clauses. example: I came, I saw, I conquered - word: viridescent definition: greenish or becoming green example: viridescent vegetation. - word: pabulum definition: bland or insipid intellectual matter, entertainment, etc.. - word: spifflicate definition: treat roughly or severely; destroy example: the mosquito was spifflicated. - word: suborn definition: bribe or otherwise induce (someone) to commit an unlawful act such as perjury example: he was accused of conspiring to suborn witnesses. - word: suppurate definition: undergo the formation of pus; fester. - word: apricity definition: the warmth of the sun in winter example: Thursday dawned with grudging apricity. - word: borborygmus definition: a rumbling or gurgling noise made by the movement of fluid and gas in the intestines - word: cacoethes definition: an urge to do something inadvisable - word: crepuscular definition: resembling or relating to twilight example: a kind of crepuscular glow | the drama unfolds in a crepuscular gloom. - word: conurbation definition: an extended urban area, typically consisting of several towns merging with the suburbs of a central city example: the major conurbations of London and Birmingham. - word: eleemosynary definition: relating to or dependent on charity; charitable - word: gasconade definition: extravagant boasting - word: hebdomadal definition: weekly (used especially of organizations that meet weekly) example: Oxford University's Hebdomadal Council. - word: lucubration definition: writing or study example: after sixteen years' lucubration he produced this account. - word: tmesis definition: the separation of parts of a compound word by an intervening word or words, used mainly in informal speech for emphasis example: can't find it any-blooming-where - word: ultracrepidarian definition: a person who expresses opinions on matters outside the scope of their knowledge or expertise example: most patients are ultracrepidarians when it comes to medicine. - word: anfractuous definition: sinuous or circuitous example: the line of gold extends and becomes anfractuous. - word: sequelae definition: a condition which is the consequence of a previous disease or injury example: the long-term sequelae of infection. - word: corrigendum definition: a thing to be corrected, typically an error in a printed book example: the 1980-84 cumulation contains corrigenda which are not included in the annual volumes. - word: dactyl definition: a metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables or (in Greek and Latin) one long syllable followed by two short syllables. - word: propitious definition: giving or indicating a good chance of success; favourable example: the timing for such a meeting seemed propitious. - word: frustum definition: the portion of a cone or pyramid which remains after its upper part has been cut off by a plane parallel to its base, or which is intercepted between two such planes. - word: proliferous definition: (of a plant) producing buds or side shoots from a flower or other terminal part. - word: entasis definition: a slight convex curve in the shaft of a column, introduced to correct the visual illusion of concavity produced by a straight shaft. - word: supererogation definition: the performance of more work than duty requires example: to maximize profits is for management not an optional exercise or a work of supererogation. - word: jejune definition: naive, simplistic, and superficial example: their entirely predictable and usually jejune opinions. - word: jejune definition: (of ideas or writings) dry and uninteresting. - word: prolepsis definition: the representation of a thing as existing before it actually does or did so, as in he was a dead man when he entered. Compare with analepsis example: the destruction of the Vendôme Column and his part in it are foreshadowed in moments of haunting prolepsis. - word: abstemious definition: indulging only very moderately in something, especially food and drink example: ‘We only had a bottle.’ ‘Very abstemious of you.’ - word: acausal definition: not governed or operating by the laws of cause and effect. - word: adduce definition: cite as evidence example: a number of factors are adduced to explain the situation - word: agist definition: take in and feed (livestock) for payment example: the dairy farmer might wish to agist lambs after the cows are housed for the winter - word: ambit definition: the scope, extent, or bounds of something example: a full discussion of this complex issue was beyond the ambit of one book - word: anhedonia definition: inability to feel pleasure in activities that are usually considered to be pleasurable. - word: annexure definition: a supplement or appendix to a written document example: the annexure of the technical proposal - word: annunciate definition: announce (something). - word: anodyne definition: not likely to cause offence or disagreement and somewhat dull example: anodyne music - word: antedate definition: precede in time; come before (something) in date example: a civilization that antedated the Roman Empire - word: antediluvian definition: of or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood example: gigantic bones of antediluvian animals - word: antediluvian definition: ridiculously old-fashioned example: they maintain antediluvian sex-role stereotypes - word: antimacassar definition: a piece of cloth put over the back of a chair to protect it from grease and dirt or as an ornament. - word: Antipodean definition: a person from Australia or New Zealand (used by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere) example: a brisk Antipodean, she moved with speed and efficiency - word: apophenia definition: the erroneous perception of patterns or correlations in random or unconnected phenomena, events, and data example: conspiracy theories can result from apophenia— seeing a nefarious pattern in random or disconnected incidents - word: apophthegm definition: a concise saying or maxim; an aphorism example: the apophthegm ‘tomorrow is another day’ - word: aposiopesis definition: the device of suddenly breaking off in speech example: in coping with the unsaid and unsayable, oral history is impelled towards aposiopesis - word: appurtenance definition: an accessory or other item associated with a particular activity or style of living example: the appurtenances of consumer culture - word: arcology definition: an ideal integrated city contained within a massive vertical structure, allowing maximum conservation of the surrounding environment. - word: argent definition: silver; silvery white example: the argent moon - word: argot definition: the jargon or slang of a particular group or class example: teenage argot - word: argument definition: a summary of the subject matter of a book. - word: aspartame definition: a very sweet substance used as an artificial sweetener, chiefly in low-calorie products. It is a derivative of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. - word: asperity definition: harshness of tone or manner example: he pointed this out with some asperity - word: asperity definition: harsh qualities or conditions example: the asperities of a harsh and divided society - word: aubade definition: a poem or piece of music appropriate to the dawn or early morning. - word: avoirdupois definition: a system of weights based on a pound of 16 ounces or 7,000 grains, widely used in English-speaking countries. - word: avoirdupois definition: weight; heaviness example: she was putting on the avoirdupois like nobody's business - word: bailiwick definition: one's sphere of operations or area of interest example: after the war, the Middle East remained his bailiwick - word: baize definition: a coarse, typically green woollen material resembling felt, used especially for covering pool, snooker, and billiard tables example: he had a great love of snooker and won several awards for his ability on the baize - word: bantling definition: a young child. - word: bascule definition: a type of bridge with a section which can be raised and lowered using counterweights. - word: bathos definition: (especially in a literary work) an effect of anticlimax created by an unintentional lapse in mood from the sublime to the trivial or ridiculous example: his epic poem has passages of almost embarrassing bathos - word: bawd definition: a woman in charge of a brothel. - word: bijou definition: (especially of a house or flat) small and elegant example: a bijou residence - word: bijou definition: a jewel or trinket. - word: boodle definition: money, especially that gained or spent illegally or improperly example: he's spending tons of boodle - word: bordello definition: a brothel. - word: boreal definition: of the north or northern regions. - word: borstal definition: a custodial institution for young offenders. - word: boustrophedon definition: from right to left and from left to right in alternate lines example: in some examples the composition of pages is such that they must be read boustrophedon - word: brio definition: vigour or vivacity of style or performance. example: she told her story with some brio - word: bromide definition: a trite statement that is intended to soothe or placate example: feel-good bromides create the illusion of problem-solving - word: brut definition: (of sparkling wine) unsweetened; very dry. - word: burr definition: (loosely) a regional accent example: a soft Scottish burr - word: burr definition: the coronet of a deer's antler. - word: burr definition: a persistent source of irritation. - word: cabochon definition: a gem that has been polished but not faceted example: two big ruby cabochons - word: calque definition: originate or function as a loan translation of example: ‘it goes without saying’ is calqued on French ‘cela va sans dire’ - word: calumny definition: the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander example: a bitter struggle marked by calumny and litigation - word: canard definition: an unfounded rumour or story example: the old canard that LA is a cultural wasteland - word: cartouche definition: a carved tablet or drawing representing a scroll with rolled-up ends, used ornamentally or bearing an inscription. - word: cartouche definition: an ornate frame around a design or inscription example: a coat of arms in a cartouche - word: castellan definition: the governor of a castle. - word: catarrh definition: excessive discharge or build-up of mucus in the nose or throat, associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane. - word: ceteris paribus definition: with other conditions remaining the same; other things being equal example: shorter hours of labour will, ceteris paribus, reduce the volume of output - word: chiaroscuro definition: the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting. - word: chiasmus definition: a rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order. - word: chicanery definition: the use of deception or subterfuge to achieve one's purpose example: storylines packed with political chicanery - word: chyron definition: an electronically generated caption superimposed on a television or cinema screen. - word: cingulum definition: a curved bundle of nerve fibres in each hemisphere of the brain. - word: clangour definition: a continuous loud banging or ringing sound example: he went deaf because of the clangour of the steam hammers - word: codicil definition: an addition or supplement that explains, modifies, or revokes a will or part of one example: Francis has remembered him in a codicil to this will - word: comity definition: an association of nations for their mutual benefit. - word: conch definition: the roof of a semicircular apse, shaped like half a dome. - word: confabulate definition: engage in conversation; talk example: she could be heard on the telephone confabulating with someone - word: confabulate definition: fabricate imaginary experiences as compensation for loss of memory example: she has lapses in attention and concentration—she may be confabulating a little - word: conniption definition: a fit of rage or hysterics example: his client was having conniptions on the phone - word: conspecific definition: (of animals or plants) belonging to the same species. - word: conterminous definition: sharing a common boundary example: the forty-eight conterminous United States - word: conterminous definition: having the same area, context, or meaning example: a genealogy conterminous with the history of the USA - word: coolth definition: pleasantly low temperature example: the coolth of the evening - word: coolth definition: the quality of being fashionable example: the pinnacle of 1960s coolth - word: coot definition: a foolish or eccentric person, in particular an old man. - word: copacetic definition: in excellent order example: he said to tell you everything is copacetic - word: coprolalia definition: the involuntary and repetitive use of obscene language, as a symptom of certain neurological or mental conditions. - word: corbel definition: a projection jutting out from a wall to support a structure above it. - word: corniche definition: a road cut into the edge of a cliff, especially one running along a coast. - word: corrigendum definition: a thing to be corrected, typically an error in a printed book example: the 1980-84 cumulation contains corrigenda which are not included in the annual volumes - word: cortège definition: a solemn procession, especially for a funeral example: a funeral cortège - word: coxswain definition: the person who steers a ship's boat, racing boat, or other boat. - word: credentialism definition: belief in or reliance on academic or other formal qualifications as the best measure of a person's intelligence or ability to do a particular job example: credentialism is to a large degree responsible for people assuming that they need a degree - word: crepuscular definition: resembling or relating to twilight example: a kind of crepuscular glow - word: crotchet definition: a perverse or unfounded belief or notion example: the natural crotchets of inveterate bachelors - word: cruck definition: either of a pair of curved timbers extending from ground level to the transverse beam or ridge of a roof and forming a structure frame in a medieval timber-framed house example: a cruck barn - word: cynosure definition: a person or thing that is the centre of attention or admiration example: Kirk was the cynosure of all eyes - word: dactyl definition: a metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables or (in Greek and Latin) one long syllable followed by two short syllables. - word: debonair definition: confident, stylish, and charming (typically used of a man) example: all the men looked debonair and handsome in white tie and tails - word: defilade definition: the protection of forces against enemy observation or gunfire. - word: deicide definition: the killing of a god example: the urge to destroy civilizations or commit deicide - word: demesne definition: the lands of an estate example: a levy of one tenth on property in the royal demesne - word: demesne definition: possession of real property in one's own right. - word: demonym definition: a noun used to denote the natives or inhabitants of a particular country, state, city, etc. example: he struggled for the correct demonym for the people of Manchester - word: desideratum definition: something that is needed or wanted example: integrity was a desideratum - word: dexter definition: on or towards the right-hand side (in a coat of arms, from the bearer's point of view, i.e. the left as it is depicted). - word: diaphanous definition: (especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent example: a diaphanous dress of pale gold - word: diktat definition: an order or decree imposed by someone in power without popular consent example: a diktat from the Bundestag - word: dissimulate definition: conceal or disguise (one's thoughts, feelings, or character) example: a country gentleman who dissimulates his wealth beneath ragged pullovers - word: diurnal definition: of or resulting from the daily rotation of the earth example: diurnal aberration - word: divagate definition: stray or digress example: Yeats divagated into Virgil's territory only once - word: dyspeptic definition: having indigestion or a consequent air of irritable bad temper. - word: effete definition: affected and overly refined example: effete trendies from art college - word: efflorescence definition: rapid growth or development example: the state is enjoying an incomparable cultural efflorescence - word: egad definition: expressing surprise, anger, or affirmation. - word: elegiac definition: wistfully mournful example: she watched repeat serials, fixed on their moody and elegiac characterization - word: elision definition: the process of joining together or merging things, especially abstract ideas example: unease at the elision of so many vital questions - word: encyclical definition: a papal letter sent to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church. - word: enjambement definition: (in verse) the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza example: he uses enjambment less than many poets - word: ennead definition: a group or set of nine. - word: epigram definition: a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way example: a Wildean epigram - word: epigram definition: a short poem, especially a satirical one, with a witty or ingenious ending. - word: ersatz definition: (of a product) made or used as a substitute, typically an inferior one, for something else example: ersatz coffee - word: eructate definition: emit stomach gas noisily through the mouth; belch example: he frequently eructates without cause - word: escheat definition: the reversion of property to the state, or (in feudal law) to a lord, on the owner's dying without legal heirs example: the Crown's right of escheat was lost - word: etiolate definition: make (a plant) pale through lack of light example: the seedling had been etiolated by having been grown in darkness - word: factotum definition: an employee who does all kinds of work example: he was employed as the general factotum - word: fettle definition: condition example: Marguerite was in fine fettle - word: fidus Achates definition: a faithful friend or devoted follower example: accompanied by three guides and his fidus Achates, Bruce set out - word: fink definition: an unpleasant or contemptible person. - word: fink definition: fail to do something promised or expected example: administration officials had finked out - word: fink definition: cease to function example: your immune system begins finking out and you get sick - word: floccinaucinihilipilification definition: the action or habit of estimating something as worthless example: my new book is more than just a 400-page exercise in floccinaucinihilipilification. - word: foley definition: relating to or concerned with the addition of recorded sound effects after the shooting of a film example: a foley artist - word: fossick definition: rummage; search example: he spent years fossicking through documents - word: frontispiece definition: an illustration facing the title page of a book. - word: funicular definition: (of a railway, especially one on a mountainside) operating by cable with ascending and descending cars counterbalanced. - word: funicular definition: relating to a rope or its tension. - word: fustian definition: pompous or pretentious speech or writing example: a smokescreen of fustian and fantasy - word: gabion definition: a basket or container filled with earth, stones, or other material and used in civil engineering works or (formerly) fortifications. - word: garnet definition: a precious stone consisting of a deep red vitreous silicate mineral example: garnet ring - word: garrulous definition: excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters example: a garrulous cab driver - word: gelid definition: icy; extremely cold example: the gelid pond - word: genuflect definition: lower one's body briefly by bending one knee to the ground, typically in worship or as a sign of respect example: she genuflected and crossed herself - word: gerund definition: a verb form which functions as a noun, in Latin ending in -ndum (declinable), in English ending in -ing (e.g. asking in do you mind my asking you?). - word: gestalt definition: an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts. - word: glissade definition: slide down a steep slope of snow or ice with the support of an ice axe example: we wobbled down the line of ascent, glissading when we could - word: gloaming definition: twilight; dusk example: hundreds of lights are already shimmering in the gloaming - word: gofer definition: a person who runs errands, especially on a film set or in an office; a dogsbody example: he had worked his way from a gofer in the front office to general manager - word: grandiloquence definition: pompous or extravagant language, style, or manner, especially that intended to impress example: he avoided sentimentality and grandiloquence - word: graticule definition: a network of lines representing meridians and parallels, on which a map or plan can be represented. - word: grike definition: a fissure separating blocks or clints in a limestone pavement. - word: grimoire definition: a book of magic spells and invocations. - word: guardant definition: (especially of an animal) depicted with the body sideways and the face towards the viewer example: three lions passant guardant - word: gules definition: red, as a heraldic tincture example: sword and long cross gules - word: hapax legomenon definition: a term of which only one instance of use is recorded. - word: hauteur definition: proud haughtiness of manner example: she swept into the room with formidable hauteur - word: headword definition: a word that begins a separate entry in a dictionary or other reference work example: the volume has 1,800 pages containing 30,000 headwords - word: hie definition: go quickly example: I hied down to New Orleans - word: hirsute definition: hairy example: their hirsute chests - word: iliac definition: relating to the ilium or the nearby regions of the lower body example: the iliac artery - word: imago definition: an unconscious idealized mental image of someone, especially a parent, which influences a person's behaviour. - word: impecunious definition: having little or no money example: a titled but impecunious family - word: impost definition: the top course of a pillar that supports an arch. - word: inchoate definition: just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary example: a still inchoate democracy - word: inchoate definition: confused or incoherent example: inchoate proletarian protest - word: incipient definition: beginning to happen or develop example: he could feel incipient anger building up - word: ineluctable definition: unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable example: the ineluctable facts of history - word: ingénue definition: an innocent or unsophisticated young woman, especially in a play or film example: she is not some starry-eyed young ingénue - word: insoluble definition: impossible to solve example: the problem is not insoluble - word: insouciant definition: showing a casual lack of concern example: an insouciant shrug - word: intarsia definition: a method of knitting with a number of colours, in which a separate length or ball of yarn is used for each area of colour (as opposed to different yarns being carried at the back of the work) example: an intarsia design - word: internecine definition: destructive to both sides in a conflict example: the region's history of savage internecine warfare - word: inveigle definition: persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery example: we cannot inveigle him into putting pen to paper - word: kismet definition: destiny; fate example: what chance did I stand against kismet? - word: kitsch definition: considered to be in poor taste but appreciated in an ironic or knowing way example: the front room is stuffed with kitsch knick-knacks, little glass and gilt ornaments - word: lacuna definition: an unfilled space; a gap example: the journal has filled a lacuna in Middle Eastern studies - word: lacuna definition: a missing portion in a book or manuscript. - word: lading definition: the action of loading a ship with cargo. - word: lambent definition: (of light or fire) glowing, gleaming, or flickering with a soft radiance example: the magical, lambent light of the north - word: langued definition: having the tongue of a specified tincture. - word: latterly definition: in the later stages of something, especially of a person's life example: he worked on the paper for fifty years, latterly as its political editor - word: leal definition: loyal and honest example: his leal duty to the King - word: limpid definition: (of a liquid) completely clear and transparent example: the limpid waters of the Caribbean - word: limpid definition: (of a person's eyes) unclouded; clear example: the limpid grey eyes gazed trustfully at her - word: lipogram definition: a composition from which the writer systematically omits a certain letter or certain letters of the alphabet. - word: literati definition: well-educated people who are interested in literature. - word: littoral definition: a region lying along a shore example: irrigated regions of the Mediterranean littoral - word: loam definition: a fertile soil of clay and sand containing humus. - word: longueur definition: a tedious passage in a book, piece of music, etc. example: its brilliant comedy passages do not cancel out the occasional longueurs - word: Lothario definition: a man who behaves selfishly and irresponsibly in his sexual relationships with women example: they are seduced by a handsome Lothario who gains control of their financial affairs - word: lucubration definition: writing or study example: after sixteen years' lucubration he produced this account - word: lucubration definition: a learned or pedantic piece of writing example: it was natural enough to return the compliment by endorsing his newest lucubrations - word: lugubrious definition: looking or sounding sad and dismal example: his face looked even more lugubrious than usual - word: machicolation definition: (in medieval fortifications) an opening between the supporting corbels of a projecting parapet or the vault of a gate, through which stones or burning objects could be dropped on attackers example: the castle retains the earliest surviving stone machicolations in Britain - word: maisonette definition: a set of rooms for living in, typically on two storeys of a larger building and having a separate entrance. - word: malapropism definition: the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with an amusing effect (e.g. ‘dance a flamingo’ instead of flamenco) example: he's always been prone to gaffes and malapropisms - word: malinger definition: pretend to be ill in order to escape duty or work example: while some thought I was malingering, they couldn't see the pain I dealt with - word: manumit definition: release from slavery; set free example: old Angus had never manumitted a single slave - word: marmoreal definition: made of or compared to marble example: the marmoreal skin took on the flush of colour - word: melisma definition: a group of notes sung to one syllable of text example: the melismas of plainchant - word: mellifluous definition: (of a sound) pleasingly smooth and musical to hear example: her low mellifluous voice - word: mendicant definition: of or denoting one of the religious orders that originally relied solely on alms example: a mendicant friar - word: meretricious definition: apparently attractive but having no real value example: meretricious souvenirs for the tourist trade - word: microfiche definition: a flat piece of film containing microphotographs of the pages of a newspaper, catalogue, or other document example: the journal is available as a microfiche - word: mien definition: a person's appearance or manner, especially as an indication of their character or mood example: he has a cautious, academic mien - word: milieu definition: a person's social environment example: Gregory came from the same aristocratic milieu as Sidonius - word: mondegreen definition: a misunderstood or misinterpreted word or phrase resulting from a mishearing of the lyrics of a song. - word: mountebank definition: a person who deceives others, especially in order to trick them out of their money; a charlatan example: he was a mountebank who exploited his followers - word: munificent definition: characterized by or displaying great generosity example: a munificent bequest - word: noumenon definition: (in Kantian philosophy) a thing as it is in itself, as distinct from a thing as it is knowable by the senses through phenomenal attributes. - word: nugatory definition: of no value or importance example: a nugatory and pointless observation - word: numinous definition: having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating or suggesting the presence of a divinity example: the strange, numinous beauty of this ancient landmark - word: obloquy definition: disgrace, especially that brought about by public condemnation example: conduct to which no more obloquy could reasonably attach - word: obstreperous definition: noisy and difficult to control example: the boy is cocky and obstreperous - word: occidental definition: relating to the countries of the West example: modern occidental society - word: palimpsest definition: a manuscript or piece of writing material on which later writing has been superimposed on effaced earlier writing. - word: palimpsest definition: something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form example: Sutton Place is a palimpsest of the taste of successive owners - word: palter definition: equivocate or prevaricate in action or speech example: if you palter or double in your answers, I will have thee hung alive in an iron chain - word: panegyrize definition: speak or write in praise of; eulogize example: it has been admired and panegyrized as beautiful, eloquent, grand, and sublime - word: pareidolia definition: the perception of apparently significant patterns or recognizable images, especially faces, in random or accidental arrangements of shapes and lines example: there could be a mysterious stone coffin on Mars, or, more likely, it's just the latest example of pareidolia - word: parlous definition: full of danger or uncertainty; precarious example: the parlous state of the economy - word: parvenu definition: a person of humble origin who has gained wealth, influence, or celebrity example: the political inexperience of a parvenu - word: passel definition: a large group of people or things example: a passel of journalists - word: patois definition: the dialect of a particular region, especially one with low status in relation to the standard language of the country example: the nurse talked to me in a patois that even Italians would have had difficulty in understanding - word: peculate definition: embezzle or steal (money, especially public funds) example: the people accused them of having peculated the public money - word: pellucid definition: translucently clear example: mountains reflected in the pellucid waters - word: pellucid definition: easily understood; lucid example: he writes, as always, in pellucid prose - word: pellucid definition: (of music or other sound) clear and pure in tone example: his pellucid singing tone - word: pennon definition: a tapering flag on a ship. - word: percipient definition: (especially in philosophy or with reference to psychic phenomena) a person who is able to perceive things. - word: perdition definition: complete and utter ruin example: she used her last banknote to buy herself a square meal before perdition - word: peregrination definition: a journey, especially a long or meandering one example: she kept Aunt Ilsa company on her peregrinations - word: personalty definition: a person's personal property. - word: perspicacious definition: having a ready insight into and understanding of things example: it offers quite a few facts to the perspicacious reporter - word: petard definition: a kind of firework that explodes with a sharp report. - word: petard definition: have one's plans to cause trouble for others backfire on one. - word: phlegmatic definition: (of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition example: the phlegmatic British character - word: pillion definition: a seat for a passenger behind a motorcyclist. - word: pleonasm definition: the use of more words than are necessary to convey meaning (e.g. see with one's eyes), either as a fault of style or for emphasis. - word: poesy definition: the art or composition of poetry example: the genius of poesy - word: polygenesis definition: the hypothetical origination of language or of a surname from a number of independent sources in different places at different times. - word: poseur definition: a person who behaves affectedly in order to impress others; a poser. - word: praxis definition: practice, as distinguished from theory example: modern political praxis is now thoroughly permeated with a productivist ethos - word: precis definition: a summary or abstract of a text or speech. - word: prelapsarian definition: characteristic of the time before the Fall of Man; innocent and unspoilt example: a prelapsarian Eden of astonishing plenitude - word: prelate definition: a bishop or other high ecclesiastical dignitary. - word: prolix definition: (of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy example: he found the narrative too prolix and discursive - word: protean definition: able to do many different things; versatile example: protean thinkers who scan the horizons of work and society - word: pseud definition: intellectually pretentious or affected example: to seek inspiration in literature or folklore is to risk being pilloried as pseud - word: psithurism definition: the sound of whispering or rustling example: there is the susurration of water in the streams and rivers and the psithurism of the wind in the trees - word: pugilist definition: a boxer, especially a professional one. - word: pugilistic definition: aggressive or combative example: the pugilistic tone he adopted was often reactive - word: pulchritudinous definition: beautiful example: Dan gazed admiringly at the pulchritudinous brunette - word: purl definition: (of a stream or river) flow with a swirling motion and babbling sound example: large stones stood blackly in the water, making it purl as it rolled around them - word: quisling definition: a traitor who collaborates with an enemy force occupying their country example: he had the Quisling owner of the factory arrested - word: quotidian definition: ordinary or everyday; mundane example: his story is an achingly human one, mired in quotidian details - word: rabona definition: an action in which a player strikes the ball with their kicking leg crossed behind the other leg, typically so as to be able to play the ball instantly with their stronger foot or to deceive an opposing player example: this game will forever be remembered for Lamela's stupendous rabona - word: raiment definition: clothing example: ladies clothed in raiment bedecked with jewels - word: ramekin definition: a small dish for baking and serving an individual portion of food. - word: ratiocinate definition: form judgements by a process of logic; reason example: a tendency to ratiocinate in isolation - word: repêchage definition: (in rowing and other sports) a contest in which the best-placed of those who failed to win heats compete for a place in the final. - word: rescission definition: the revocation, cancellation, or repeal of a law, order, or agreement example: the plaintiff agreed to the rescission of the agreement - word: resile definition: abandon a position or a course of action example: can he resile from the agreement? - word: revanchism definition: a policy of seeking to retaliate, especially to recover lost territory example: a recipe for deep future resentment, revanchism and renewed conflict. - word: rime definition: frost formed on cold objects by the rapid freezing of water vapour in cloud or fog. - word: ruche definition: a frill or pleat of fabric as decoration on a garment or soft furnishing example: a white mini dress with ruche detailing - word: sabermetrics definition: the application of statistical analysis to baseball records, especially in order to evaluate and compare the performance of individual players. - word: saccade definition: a rapid movement of the eye between fixation points. - word: saltire definition: a diagonal cross as a heraldic ordinary. - word: sartorial definition: relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress example: sartorial elegance - word: saturnine definition: (of a person or their manner) gloomy example: a saturnine temperament - word: sedulous definition: (of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence example: he watched himself with the most sedulous care - word: selvedge definition: an edge produced on woven fabric during manufacture that prevents it from unravelling. - word: selvedge definition: a zone of altered rock, especially volcanic glass, at the edge of a rock mass. - word: seraglio definition: a Turkish or Ottoman palace, especially the Sultan's court and government offices at Constantinople. - word: seriatim definition: taking one subject after another in regular order; point by point example: it is proposed to deal with these matters seriatim - word: simpatico definition: (of a person) likeable and easy to get on with example: the inspector was a charming man, so simpatico - word: sinecure definition: a position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit example: political sinecures for the supporters of ministers - word: solecism definition: a grammatical mistake in speech or writing. - word: solecism definition: a breach of good manners; an instance of incorrect behaviour. - word: somnambulant definition: resembling or characteristic of a sleepwalker; sluggish example: a somnambulant stroll - word: speciesism definition: the assumption of human superiority leading to the exploitation of animals. - word: statant definition: (of an animal) standing with all four paws on the ground. - word: stevedore definition: a person employed at a dock to load and unload ships. - word: stultifying definition: tending to stifle enthusiasm, initiative, or freedom of action example: the stultifying conformity of provincial life - word: suasion definition: persuasion as opposed to force or compulsion example: the clearing banks found the use of both moral suasion and direct controls particularly irksome - word: surcease definition: relief or consolation example: drugs are taken to provide surcease from intolerable psychic pain - word: susurration definition: whispering or rustling example: the susurration of the river - word: svelte definition: (of a person) slender and elegant example: she was svelte and sophisticated - word: syllepsis definition: a figure of speech in which a word is applied to two others of which it grammatically suits only one (e.g. neither they nor it is working). - word: synecdoche definition: a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, as in England lost by six wickets (meaning ‘the English cricket team’). - word: tendentious definition: expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view, especially a controversial one example: a tendentious reading of history - word: thole definition: endure (something) without complaint or resistance; tolerate example: if there's one thing I can't thole it's a lie - word: tipple definition: drink alcohol, especially habitually example: those who liked to tipple and gamble - word: tipple definition: rain heavily example: it was tippling down with rain - word: tontine definition: an annuity shared by subscribers to a loan or common fund, the shares increasing as subscribers die until the last survivor enjoys the whole income. - word: topiary definition: the art or practice of clipping shrubs or trees into ornamental shapes example: a specialist in topiary art - word: torse definition: a wreath. - word: transom definition: a strengthening crossbar, in particular one set above a window or door. - word: transom definition: offered or sent without prior agreement; unsolicited example: the editors receive about ten manuscripts a week over the transom - word: trenchant definition: vigorous or incisive in expression or style example: the White Paper makes trenchant criticisms of health authorities - word: trepan definition: a trephine (hole saw) used by surgeons for perforating the skull. - word: tribology definition: the study of friction, wear, lubrication, and the design of bearings; the science of interacting surfaces in relative motion. - word: unctuous definition: excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily example: as I turned away an unctuous salesman appeared - word: uxorious definition: having or showing a great or excessive fondness for one's wife example: he had always impressed me as home-loving and uxorious - word: vambrace definition: a piece of armour for the arm, especially the forearm. - word: velleity definition: a wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action example: the notion intrigued me, but remained a velleity - word: verdigris definition: a bright bluish-green encrustation or patina formed on copper or brass by atmospheric oxidation, consisting of basic copper carbonate. - word: vexillology definition: the study of flags. - word: vigorish definition: an excessive rate of interest on a loan, typically one from an illegal moneylender. - word: viscera definition: the internal organs in the main cavities of the body, especially those in the abdomen, e.g. the intestines. - word: vituperative definition: bitter and abusive example: a vituperative outburst - word: volte-face definition: an abrupt and complete reversal of attitude, opinion, or position example: a remarkable volte-face on taxes - word: widdershins definition: in a direction contrary to the sun's course, considered as unlucky; anticlockwise example: she danced widdershins around him - word: wold definition: (in Britain) a piece of high, open uncultivated land or moor example: the Lincolnshire Wolds - word: wonted definition: habitual; usual example: the place had sunk back into its wonted quiet - word: zeugma definition: a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses (e.g. John and his driving licence expired last week).