Meeting the Big, Scary Words of Stephen R. Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Before and After:
"Mmm, tastes like chicken."
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z
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- A -
aborning - adverb - while being born or created
abrogate - verb - to cancel or repeal by authority; annul
admixture - noun - 1. the compound formed by mixing different substances together 2. that which is mixed with anything - verb - the act of mixing; mixture
adumbrate - verb - 1. to outline in a shadowy way, sketch 2. to suggest beforehand; foreshadow in a vague way 3. to obscure, overshadow
aegis - noun - 1. from Greek myth, a shield born by Zeus and, later, by his daughter Athena and occasionally by Apollo 2. a protection 3. sponsorship, auspices
ague - noun - 1. an acute fever 2. [medical] an intermittent fever, attended by alternate cold and hot fits (often used in reference to the fevers associated with malaria) 3. the cold fit or rigor of the intermittent fever; as, fever and ague 4. a chill, or state of shaking, as with cold
alacrity - adjective - 1. cheerful willingness; eagerness 2. speed or quickness; celerity
aliment - noun - 1. anything that nourishes; food 2. means of support; necessity - verb - to supply with aliment; nourish
amphora - noun - a two-handled jar with a narrow neck used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to carry wine or oil (N.B. plural amphorae)
anadem - verb - [old poetic] a wreath or garland for the head
anele - verb - [archaic] to anoint, especially in the last rites (N.B. not to be confused with anneal, which despite also being an obscure, archaic, and (or) obsolete word, means something entirely different)
anharmonically - adverb - not harmonically, in an un-harmonic manner (N.B. an- is a prefix meaning "without" or "not")
anneal - verb - 1. [obsolete] to fire or glaze, as in a kiln 2. to heat (glass, metals, etc.) and then cool, sometimes slowly, to prevent brittleness 3. to strengthen and temper (the mind, will, etc.) (N.B. not to be confused with anele—despite being pronounced in exactly the same way)
anoxia - noun - absence of oxygen; a pathological deficiency of oxygen
apothegm - noun - 1. a short, pithy saying 2. a terse remark, conveying some important truth 3. a sententious precept or maxim
apotheosis - noun - 1. the act of raising a person to the status of a god; deification 2. the glorification of a person or thing 3. a glorified ideal
apposite - adjective - strikingly appropriate and relevant; applicable; well adapted; suitable
architrave - noun - 1. the lowest part of an entablature, a beam resting directly on the tops, or capitals, of the columns 2. the molding around a doorway, window, etc. (N.B. an entablature is the upper section of a classical building, resting on the columns and constituting the architrave, frieze, and cornice)
argent - adjective - 1. [archaic] silver 2. [obsolete] silver coin, money 3. [heraldry] the representation of the metal silver: indicated in engravings by a plain white field - noun - 4. [old poetic] silvery
arras - noun - a tapestry; a rich figured fabric; especially a screen or hangings of heavy cloth with interwoven figures
arrogation - noun - 1. the act of arrogating, or making exorbitant claims; the act of taking more than one is justly entitled to 2. seizure by the government
aspersion - noun - 1. a) an unfavorable or damaging remark; slander b) the act of defaming or slandering 2. a sprinkling, as with water or dust, in a literal sense 3. [rare] a sprinkling with holy water, as at a baptism
aspirant - noun - one who aspires; one who eagerly seeks some high position or object of attainment - adjective - seeking recognition, distinction, or advancement
aspirate - verb - 1. to begin (a word) or precede (a sonorous speech sound) with a puff of breath resulting in the sound H 2. to follow (a consonant, especially a stop) with a puff of suddenly released breath (in English we usually aspirate the sound represented by P, T, or K when it begins a word) 3. to suck in or draw in, as by inhaling 4. [medical] to remove (fluid or gas), as from a body cavity, by suction - noun - 1. the speech sound H 2. an expiratory breath puff such as follows the initial P, T, or K in English 3. a consonant articulated with a following puff of breath - adjective - articulated with a preceding or following puff of breath
atelier - noun - a workshop or studio, especially for an artist or designer
atrabilious - adjective - 1. inclined to melancholy 2. having a peevish disposition; surly
attenuate - verb - 1. to make slender or thin 2. to dilute or rarefy 3. to lessen in severity, value, amount, intensity, etc.; weaken 4. [electronics] to reduce the strength (of an electrical impulse) - adjective - [botany] tapering gradually to a point, as the base of a leaf
augur - noun - 1. [Roman antiquity] an official diviner who foretold events by the singing, chattering, flight, and feeding of birds, or by signs or omens derived from celestial phenomena, certain appearances of quadrupeds, or unusual occurrences 2. one who foretells events by omens; a soothsayer; a diviner; a prophet - verb - 1. to predict, especially from signs or omens; foretell 2. to serve as an omen of; betoken
avaunt - interjection - [archaic] begone! go away! (N.B. useful for telemarketers)
- B -
banquette - noun - 1. a gunners' platform extending along the inside of a trench or parapet 2. [South] a raised way; sidewalk 3. an upholstered bench, especially one along a wall in a restaurant
battlewain - noun - a large wagon for use in battle (N.B. see wain)
begauded - adjective - bedecked gaudily; decorated with gauds or showy trinkets or colors
behung - adjective - hung (with something); decorated (with something)
belorn - adjective - bereft; forlorn
beneficent - adjective - 1. characterized by or performing acts of kindness or charity 2. producing benefit; beneficial
benignant - adjective - 1. pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence; favorable 2. gracious; characterized by kindness and warm courtesy, especially of a king to his subjects
beryl - noun - beryllium aluminum silicate, Be
berserkergang - noun - a group of frenzied warriors (N.B. a berserker is one of a band of ancient Norse warriors legendary for their savagery and reckless frenzy in battle)
bilious - adjective - 1. of, relating to, or containing bile; biliary 2. a) characterized by an excess secretion of bile b) relating to, characterized by, or experiencing gastric distress caused by a disorder of the liver or gallbladder 3. resembling bile, especially in color (greenish) 4. having a peevish disposition; ill-humored
borer - noun - 1. a tool used for drilling 2. an insect or insect larva, such as the corn borer, that bores into the woody parts of plants 3. any of various mollusks that bore into soft rock or wood
brachiation - noun - swinging by the arms from branch to branch (N.B. brachiate is having arms or armlike appendages)
bryony - noun - any of a genus Bryonia of perennial vines of the gourd family with large fleshy roots and greenish flowers
- C -
caducity - noun - 1. the quality or state of being perishable 2. senility
caesure - noun - variant spelling of caesurae which means 1. a metrical break in a verse, occurring in the middle of a foot and commonly near the middle of the verse; a sense pause in the middle of a foot 2. a pause in a line of verse dictated by sense or natural speech rhythm rather than by metrics 3. a pause or interruption, as in conversation 4. [music] a pause or breathing at a point of rhythmic division in a melody
capriole - noun - 1. a leap that a horse makes with all fours, upwards only, without advancing, but with a kick or jerk of the hind legs when at the height of the leap 2. a leap or caper, as in dancing - verb - to perform a capriole
caracole - noun - 1. a half turn to right or left performed by a horse and rider 2. [archaic] a staircase in a spiral form - verb - to perform a caracole
carbuncle - noun - 1. a painful localized bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue that usually has several openings through which pus is discharged 2. a) a deep-red garnet, unfaceted and convex b) [obsolete] a red precious stone 3. [heraldic] a charge or bearing supposed to represent the precious stone having eight scepters or staves radiating from a common center; also called escarbuncle
carcanet - noun - [archaic] a jeweled necklace, collar, or headband
carillon - noun - 1. set of stationary bells, each producing one tone if the chromatic scale, now usually sounded by means of a keyboard 2. a smaller instrument imitating this electronically, usually by amplifying the sounds made by striking metal tubes, bars, etc. instead of bells 3. a composition for the carillon 4. an organ stop producing a carillon-like sound
casque - noun - a helmet
catafalque - noun - 1. a wooden framework, usually draped, on which the body in a coffin lies in state during an elaborate funeral 2. Roman Catholic Church a coffinlike structure used to represent the dead at a requiem Mass after the actual burial
catechize - verb - 1. to teach, especially in the principles of Christian dogma, discipline, and ethics by the method of questions and answers 2. to question or examine closely or methodically
cautery - noun - 1. an instrument or substance for cauterizing 2. the act of cauterizing
celerity - noun - swiftness in acting or moving; speed
cenotaph - noun - an empty tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person who is buried elsewhere
censer - noun - an ornamented container in which incense is burned
cerement - noun - a cerecloth; a shroud (N.B. a cerecloth is cloth treated with wax or a similar substance, especially one used formerly to wrap a dead person for burial)
cerulean - adjective - azure; sky-blue
chancre - noun - 1. a dull red, hard, insensitive lesion that is the first manifestation of syphilis 2. an ulcer, lesion, or sore located at the initial point of entry of a pathogen
chasuble - noun - a sleeveless outer vestment worn over the alb by priests at Mass
chatelaine - noun - the keeper of a castle; castellan
chatoyant - adjective - having a changeable color or luster like the eye of a cat - noun - a gem or polished stone, as the cat's-eye, with such luster
chiaroscuro - noun - 1. the technique of using light and shade in pictorial representation 2. the arrangement of light and dark elements in a pictorial work of art 3. a) awoodcut technique in which several blocks are used to print different shades of a color b) a woodcut print made by this technique
chirurgeon - noun - archaic variation of surgeon
circinate - adjective - 1. ring-shaped 2. [botany] rolled up in the form of a coil with the tip in the center, as an unexpanded fern frond - verb - [obsolete] to make a circle around; to encompass
clewed - adjective - 1. rolled or coiled in to a ball 2. [nautical] with "up," used to describe a square sail with its lower corners raised by means of clew lines
coign - noun - 1. a) an exterior angle of a wall or other piece of masonry b) any of the stones used in forming such an angle, often being of large size and dressed or arranged so as to form a decorative contrast with the adjoining walls 2. a keystone 3. [printing] a wedge-shaped block used to lock type in a chase 4. a wedge used to raise the level of a gun
colloquy - noun - 1. a conversation, especially a formal discussion; conference 2. a written dialogue
concatenation - noun - 1. a linking together or being linked together in a series 2. a series of things or events regarded as causally or dependently connected
concupiscence - noun - strong desire or appetite, especially sexual desire; lust
consonance - noun - 1. harmony or agreement of elements or parts; accord 2. a pleasing combination of simultaneous musical sounds; harmony of tones 3. [prosody] a partial rhyme in which consonants in stressed syllables are repeated but vowels are not (example: mocker, maker)
cordon - noun - 1. a cord or ribbon bestowed or borne as a badge of honor; a broad ribbon, usually worn after the manner of a baldric, constituting a mark of a very high grade in an honorary order 2. a rich and ornamental lace or string, used to secure a mantle in some costumes of state 3. in fortifications, the coping of the scarp wall, which projects beyond the face of the wall a few inches 4. a line of people, military posts, or ships stationed around an area to enclose or guard it 5. [botany] a tree or shrub, especially a fruit tree such as an apple or pear, repeatedly pruned and trained to grow on a support as a single ropelike stem
corselet - noun - 1. a piece of armor worn to protect the trunk, often the body breastplate and backpiece taken together; also used for the entire suit of the day, including breastplate and backpiece, tasset and headpiece 2. an undergarment that is a combination of a light corset and a brassiere
corybantic - adjective - of, pertaining to, or resembling, the Corybantes or their rites; frantic, frenzied
coruscate - verb - to give off flashes of light; glitter; sparkle
coruscation - noun - 1. a coruscating; sparkling 2. a flash or gleam of light 3. a sudden brilliant display, as of wit
cotillion - noun - 1. a ball at which young ladies are presented to society 2. a lively dance originating in France in the 18th century 3. a tune which regulates the dance 4. a kind of woolen material for women's skirts
countervail - verb - 1. to make up for; compensate 2. to counteract; be successful, useful, etc. against; avail against 3. [archaic] to match or equal; to avail (against something)
cromlech - noun - 1. a prehistoric monument consisting of monoliths encircling a mound 2. a dolmen (N.B. a dolmen is a Neolithic tomb or monument consisting of a large, flat stone laid across upright stones)
crozier - noun - 1. a staff with a crook at the top, carried by or before a bishop or abbot as a symbol of his pastoral function 2. [botany] the coiled tip of a young fern frond (N.B. the more-used spelling is crosier)
cruse - noun - 1. a small earthenware container, such as a pot or jar, for holding liquids 2. a bottle for holding water, oil, honey, etc 3. a cup or dish
curvet - noun - a light leap by a horse, in which both hind legs leave the ground just before the forelegs are set down - verb - 1. to leap in a curvet 2. to prance; frolic
cynosure - noun - 1. a) the constellation Ursa Minor, to which, as containing the polar star, the eyes of mariners and travelers were often directed b) the North Star in the constellation Ursa Minor 2. that which serves to direct or to guide 3. any person or thing that is a center of attention or interest
- D -
debouch - verb - 1. [military] to come forth from a narrow or shut-in place into open country 2. to come forth; to emerge (N.B. a debouche is an outlet, as for troops to debouch through, and a debouchment is a mouth, as of a river; an outlet)
defalcation - noun - 1. embezzlement 2. a lopping off; a diminution; abatement; deficit; specifically: reduction of a claim by deducting a counterclaim 3. that which is lopped off, diminished, or abated
deflagration - noun - a burning up; conflagration, especially an intense, rapid one
deliquesce - verb - 1. a) to melt away b) to disappear as if by melting 2. [chemistry] to dissolve gradually and become liquid by attracting and absorbing moisture from the air, as certain salts, acids, and alkalies 3. a) [botany] to branch out into numerous subdivisions that lack a main axis b) to become fluid or soft on maturing, as certain fungi
demesne - noun - 1. [law] possession (of real estate) in one's own right 2. [historical] the land or estate belonging to a lord and not rented or let but kept in his own hands 3. the land around a mansion; lands of an estate 4. a region or domain; also used figuratively
demnify - verb - 1. the opposite of indemnify 2. to endanger; to expose to the possibility of loss, damage, etc.
descry - verb - 1. to catch sight of; discern (distant or obscure objects) 2. to discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect; discern; recognize
despication - noun - an expression of despite; a looking down, a despising, an expression of such
desuetude - noun - the condition of not being used or practiced any more; disuse
detrition - noun - a wearing away or down by friction
devolve - verb - 1. to be passed on or transferred to another 2. degenerate or deteriorate gradually 3. [archaic] to roll onward or downward 4. to pass by transmission or succession; to be handed over or down
discomfit - verb - 1. to make uneasy or perplexed; disconcert 2. to thwart the plans of; frustrate 3. [archaic] to defeat in battle; vanquish
discomfiture - noun - 1. frustration or disappointment 2. lack of ease; perplexity and embarrassment 3. [archaic] defeat
disport - verb - to amuse oneself in a light, frolicsome manner 2. to display - noun - a frolicsome diversion
dolomite - noun - 1. a common rock-forming mineral, CaMg(CO3)2, often occurring in extensive beds 2. any of several rocks similar to dolomite in composition
doughty - adjective - 1. able; strong; valiant; redoubtable 2. marked by stouthearted courage; brave
dromond - noun - [archaic] in the Middle Ages, a large, fast-sailing galley, or cutter; a large, swift war vessel
dudgeon - noun - 1. anger or resentment: now chiefly in the phrase in high dudgeon, very angry, offended, or resentful 2. [obsolete] a wood, perhaps boxwood, used for dagger hilts 3. a hilt of this wood or a dagger with such a hilt
- E -
ebon - adjective - [old poetic] ebony; black
effrontery - noun - impudence or boldness in confronting or in transgressing the bounds of duty or decorum; insulting presumptuousness; shameless boldness; barefaced assurance
eland - noun - either of two large African antelopes (Taurotragus oryx or T. derbianus) having a light brown or grayish coat and spirally twisted horns
eldritch - adjective - weird; eerie
embrasure - noun - 1. an opening (for a door, window, etc.), especially one with the sides slanted so that it is wider on the inside than on the outside 2. an opening (in a wall or parapet) with the sides slanting outward to increase the angle of fire of a gun
encyst - verb - to enclose in a cyst
eremite - noun - a religious recluse; hermit
etiolate - verb - 1. to cause to be pale and unhealthy 2. to deprive of strength; weaken 3. [botany] to cause (a plant) to develop without chlorophyll by preventing exposure to sunlight; to blanch or bleach by depriving of sunlight
etiology - noun - 1. assignment of a cause, an origin, or a reason for something 2. the science and study of the causes or origins of disease 3. the cause or origin of a disease or disorder as determined by medical diagnosis
exaction - noun - 1. an exacting, as of money, time, etc. 2. an excessive demand; extortion 3. an exacted fee, tax, etc.
excoriation - noun - 1. the act of excoriating or flaying, or state of being excoriated, or stripped of the skin 2. an abrasion; a raw irritated lesion 3. [obsolete] stripping of possession; spoliation 4. severe censure
excrudescence - noun - [medical] a projecting, external growth caused by the outbreak of some kind of infection or disease; external signs of a disease (N.B. possibly similar to excrescence, anything growing out unnaturally from anything else or recrudescence, a fresh outbreak of a dormant disease)
exculpation - noun - the act of exculpating from alleged fault or crime; that which exculpates; excuse
execration - noun - 1. the act of execrating; a cursing, denouncing, etc. 2. a curse 3. a person or things cursed or detested
exigency - noun - 1. the condition or quality of being exigent; urgency 2. a situation calling for immediate action or attention 3. [plural] pressing needs; demands; requirements
expostulate - verb - to reason with a person earnestly, objecting to that person's actions or intentions; remonstrate (with)
expostulation - noun - 1. the act of expostulating or reasoning with a person in opposition to some impropriety of conduct; remonstrance 2. earnest and kindly protest; dissuasion 3. an expression of opposition to a course of action
exudation - noun - the act of exuding; sweating; a discharge of humors, moisture, juice, or gum, as through pores or incisions; also, the substance exuded
- F -
falchion - noun - 1. a short, broad-bladed sword, slightly curved and with a convex cutting edge, used in medieval times 2. a name given generally and poetically to a sword, especially to the swords of Oriental and fabled warriors
febrifuge - noun - any substance for reducing fever; antipyretic (N.B. an antipyretic is, likewise, anything that reduces fever)
febrile - adjective - 1. of or characterized by fever; feverish 2. caused by fever
feoffment - noun - 1. a grant of lands as a fee 2. [law] a gift or conveyance in fee of land or other corporeal hereditaments, accompanied by actual delivery of possession 3. [law, rare] the instrument or deed by which corporeal hereditaments are conveyed
flinders - noun - small pieces or splinters; fragments
fretwork - noun - 1. ornamental work consisting of three-dimensional frets; geometric openwork 2. any minute play of light and shade, dark and light, or the like
fructify - verb - 1. to bear fruit; become fruitful 2. to make fruitful or productive
fundament - noun - 1. [obsolete] a foundation 2. the natural features of a land surface unaltered by humans 3. an underlying theoretical basis or principle 4. the part of the body on which one sits; the buttocks; specifically in anatomy the anus
furze - noun - a thorny, dense evergreen shrub (Ulex europaeus), with beautiful yellow flowers, very common upon the plains and hills of Great Britain; also called gorse and whin
- G -
galleass - noun - [Greek antiquity] a large, three-masted vessel having sails and oars and carrying heavy guns: used in the Mediterranean in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
gangrel - noun - [now chiefly dialect] a roving beggar; vagrant
gavotte - noun - 1. a seventeenth-century dance like the minuet, but faster and livlier 2. the music for this, in 4/4 time
gibber - verb - to prattle and chatter unintelligibly - noun - unintelligible or foolish talk
gibbous - adjective - 1. protuberant; rounded and bulging 2. designating the moon, a planet, etc. in that phase in which more than half, but not all, of the face reflects sunlight to the earth 3. humpbacked; kyphotic (N.B. kyphotic means hunchbacked)
gimbal - noun - a device consisting of two rings mounted on axes at right angles to each other so that an object, such as a ship's compass, will remain suspended in a horizontal plane between them regardless of any motion of its support
glauconite - noun - the green mineral found in greensand and used as a fertilizer and water softener
glister - noun - glitter; brilliance - verb - to bright; to sparkle; to be brilliant; to shine; to glisten; to glitter
glode - noun - [obsolete] 1. a place free from brushwood 2. a bright place in the sky; a flash of light - verb - past tense of glide
gobbet - noun - 1. a piece or chunk, especially of raw meat 2.
a bit or morsel 3. a small amount of liquid; a drop
gracile - adjective - graceful; gracefully slender
grampus - noun - 1. a cetacean (Grampus griseus) related to and resembling the dolphins but lacking a beaklike snout 2. any of various similar cetaceans, such as the killer whale
guy - verb - 1. hold up to ridicule; mock 2. to steady, guide, or secure with a rope, cord, or cable - noun - 1. a man, informally 2. a rope, cord, or cable used to steady, guide, or secure something
- H -
habiliments - noun - 1. clothing, dress, attire 2. furnishings or equipment; trappings
hagriding - verb - tormenting or harassing, especially with worry or dread
halitus - noun - any exhalation, as of a breath or vapor
harridan - noun - a woman regarded as scolding and vicious; a worn-out strumpet; a vixenish woman; a hag
hatchment - noun - 1. the act of achieving or performing; an obtaining by exertion; successful performance; accomplishment 2. a great or heroic deed; something accomplished by valor, boldness, or praiseworthy exertion; a feat 3. [heraldic] an escutcheon or ensign armorial; now generally applied to the funeral shield commonly called hatchment (N.B. an escutcheon is a shield or shield-shaped surface on which a coat of arms is displayed)
hawser - noun - a large rope for towing, mooring, or securing a ship
heuristic - adjective - 1. [computer science] relating to or using a problem-solving technique in which the most appropriate solution of several found by alternative methods is selected at successive stages of a program for use in the next step of the program 2. of or relating to a general formulation that serves to guide investigation 3. of or constituting an educational method in which learning takes place through discoveries that result from investigations made by the student - noun - a commonsense rule (or set of rules) intended to increase the probability of solving some problem
hieratic - noun - 1. of or used by priests; priestly; sacerdotal 2. designating or of the abridged form of cursive hieroglyphic writing once used by Egyptian priests (N.B. sacerdotal is 1. of priests or of the office of priests 2. priestly characterized by belief in the divine authority of the priesthood)
hove - verb- past participle of heave; often used nautically, as hove to, etc.
abeyance - noun - 1. temporary suspension, as of an activity or function 2. [law] a state of not having been determined or settled
abjure - verb - 1. to renounce, repudiate, or retract, especially with formal solemnity; recant 2. to renounce or give up under oath; forswear 3. to avoid or shun
abysm - noun - [old poetic] an abyss
accretion - noun - 1. growth in size, especially by addition 2. a growing together of parts normally separate 3. accumulated matter 4. a part added separately; an addition 5. a whole resulting from such a growth or accumulation 6. the addition of soil to land by gradual natural deposits
acidulous - adjective - slightly sour in taste or in manner
acolyte - noun - 1. a) [historical] a member of the highest of the four minor orders, whose duty was to serve, especially at Mass, in minor ways b) now a person officially appointed or delegated to serve in a minor way; also, an altar boy 2. an attendant; follower; helper
adamantine - adjective - 1. made of or resembling adamant 2. having the hardness or luster of a diamond; incapable of being broken, dissolved, or penetrated 3. unyielding; inflexible
adjudge - verb - 1. a) to decide or rule upon as a judge; adjudicate b) to pronounce judicially; make a judicial ruling 2. [archaic] sentence, condemn 3. to hold or pronounce to be; deem 4. to award or grant judicially in a case of controversy
adjure - verb - 1. to command or charge solemnly, often under oath or penalty 2. to entreat solemnly; appeal to earnestly
affectless - adjective - 1. showing or expressing no emotion 2. unfeeling; indifferent to the suffering of others
alabaster - noun - 1. a translucent, whitish, fine-grained variety of gypsum, used for statues, vases, etc. 2. a variety of calcite found especially in stalactites and stalagmites: it is sometimes streaked or mottled like marble - adjective - of or like alabaster, especially smooth and white
allemande - noun - 1. a German dance of the 16th century in moderate duple time 2. a piece of music based on its rhythm, often used as the first movement of a Baroque suite 3. a figure performed in a quadrille 4. a German folk dance in triple meter, similar to the ländler (N.B. a quadrille in this sense is a type of square dance that originated in France and the music for such a dance; it is also an 18th centuty card game and an adjective describing something marked with intersecting lines to form squares or rectangles)
allusive - adjective - 1. containing or characterized by indirect references 2. [obsolete] metaphorical; symbolic; figurative
ambergris - noun - a wax-like substance of marbled ashy color secreted by the intestines of sperm whales, often found floating in tropical seas: odiferous and used in some perfumes and, formerly, in cooking (N.B. in the Chronicles it is also found in the adjectival form, unambergrised; for more see the entry for unambergrised)
ambit - noun - 1. an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control; sphere or scope 2. an external boundary; a circuit
amity - noun - friendly, peaceful relations, as between nations; friendship
analystic - adjective - having to do with analysis; broken down into component parts (N.B. not found in the O.E.D.; the definition is extrapolated)
anile - adjective - of or like an old woman; infirm, weak
anodyne - adjective - relieving or lessening pain; soothing - noun - anything that relieves pain or soothes
antithetical - adjective - 1. of or containing antithesis 2. exactly opposite
apostrophe - noun - 1. words addressed to a person or thing, whether absent or present, generally in an exclamatory digression in a speech or literary writing 2. a mark ( ' ) used: a) to indicate the omission if a letter or letters frlom a wrod or phrase b) to form the possessive case of English nouns and some pronouns c) to form some plurals, as of figures and letters
approbation - noun - 1. a) approval b) official approval 2. an expression of warm approval; praise; commendation 3. [obsolete] conclusive proof
arête - noun - a sharp, narrow ridge or crest of a mountain or subsidiary ridge between two mountain gorges
argute - adjective - 1. [obsolete] sharp; shrill 2. sagacious; acute; subtle; shrewd
arrogate - verb - 1. to assume, or claim as one's own, unduly, proudly, or presumptuously; to make undue claims to, from vanity or baseless pretensions to right or merit 2. to ascribe on behalf of another in an unwarranted manner
arroyo - noun - [Southwest] 1. a dry gully 2. a rivulet or stream
askance - adverb - 1. with disapproval, suspicion, or distrust 2. with a sideways glance; obliquely
asperity - adjective - 1. roughness or harshness, as of surface, sound, weather, etc. or of circumstances 2. harshness or sharpness of temper
asseveration - noun - the act of asseverating, or that which is asseverated; positive affirmation or assertion; solemn declaration
assoil - verb - [archaic] 1. to absolve, pardon 2. to acquit, clear 3. to atone for, expiate
atavistic - adjective - having the characteristics of atavism (N.B. atavism is 1. the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence, usually caused by the chance recombination of genes 2. individual or a part that exhibits atavism; a throwback 3. the return of a trait or recurrence of previous behavior after a period of absence)
attar - noun - an essential oil or perfume made from the petals of flowers, especially of damask roses
aubade - noun - 1. a piece of music composed for performance in the morning 2. a lyric love poem about or suitable for dawn
augury - noun - 1. the art or practice of an augur; divination 2. the rite or ceremony of an augur 3. an omen, token, or indication
august - adjective - 1. inspiring reverence or admiration; of supreme dignity or grandeur; majestic 2. venerable; eminent
auto-da-fé - noun - the ceremony accompanying the pronouncement of judgment by the Inquisition and followed by the execution of sentence by the secular authorities; broadly, the burning of a heretic
autonomic - adjective - 1. acting or occurring involuntarily 2. relating to, affecting, or controlled by the autonomic nervous system or its effects or activity
avatar - noun - 1. the descent of a deity to earth, and his incarnation as a man or an animal; chiefly associated with the incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu 2. a) an embodiment, as of a quality or concept; an archetype b) incarnation; manifestation as an object of worship or admiration 3. a temporary manifestation or aspect of a continuing entity
aver - verb - 1. [obsolete] to assert or prove the truth of 2. [law] to avouch or verify; to offer to verify; to prove or justify 3. to affirm with confidence; to declare in a positive manner, as in confidence of asserting the truth - noun - [obsolete] a work horse or working ox
bale - noun - 1. misery; calamity; misfortune; sorrow; anguish 2. [poetic] evil; an evil, pernicious influence; something causing great injury 3. a large package of raw or finished material tightly bound with twine or wire and often wrapped - verb - to wrap in a bale or in bales
barranca - noun - a deep ravine or steep cliff, especially in the Southwest (N.B. also spelled barranco)
battlereme - noun - derived from reme which is [obsolete] 1. an oar 2. surface 3. realm - verb - 1. [obsolete] to leave, depart (from) 2. to cry or call out; to shout; to cry out in grief or pain; to lament, weep
bayamo - noun - violent thunder squall occurring on the south coast of Cuba, especially near Bayamo; the gusts, called bayamo winds, are modified foehn winds (N.B. I have no idea what a foehen wind is; some mystery must be left in the world)
bayard - noun - the name of a French military hero who was known as "chevalier sans peur et sans reproche" (the fearless and irreproachable knight)
bedizen - adjective - [now rare] to dress or decorate in a cheap, showy way (N.B. also used in a noun form, bedizenings)
beneficence - noun - 1. the state or quality of being kind, charitable, or beneficial 2. a charitable act or gift 3. the practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity; bounty springing from purity and goodness
benignance - noun - 1. kindness or graciousness, sometimes in a patronizing manner 2. benigness
benison - noun - [archaic] a blessing; benediction
betimes - adverb - 1. early; in good time 2. occasionally; at times 3. [archaic] within a short time; soon
bifurcation - noun - division into two parts or branches
blandishment - noun - 1. flattery intended to persuade 2. the act of urging by means of teasing or flattery
blazonry - noun - 1. the description or illustration of coats of arms 2. a coat of arms; heraldic emblem 3. an brilliant display
bluff - adjective - 1. a) having a broad flattened front b) rising steeply with a broad flat or rounded front 2. good-naturedly frank and outspoken - noun - 1. a high steep bank 2. one who bluffs 3. a) an act or instance of bluffing b) the practice of bluffing - verb - 1. a) to deter or frighten by pretense or a mere show of strength b) deceive c) feign 2. to deceive in cards by a bold bet on an inferior hand
boot - verb - [archaic] to remedy; profit; benefit
bootless - adjective - without benefit; useless
bosque - noun - [chiefly Southwest] a clump or grove of trees
bourne - noun - 1. a brook or stream 2. [archaic] a limit; boundary 3. a destination; a goal 3. a domain (N.B. also spelled bourn; in The Final Chronicles the two spellings may be used to differentiate between "a brook" and the other definitions)
brume - noun - [rare] mist; fog; vapor
brunt - noun - 1. the main impact or force, as of an attack 2. the main burden
bubo - noun - an inflamed swelling of a lymph node, especially in the armpit or groin
cacophonous - adjective - harsh-sounding or jarring; dissonant
caitiff - adjective - despicable, base, cowardly - noun - a cowardly person; a wretch
caliginous - adjective - affected with darkness or dimness; dark; obscure; misty; gloomy
cantrip - noun - [chiefly Scottish] 1. a magic spell 2. a prank
caparison - noun - 1. an ornamented covering for a horse; trappings 2. clothing, equipment, and ornaments; outfit - verb - 1. to cover (a horse) in trappings 2. to adorn with rich clothing; to deck out
carious - adjective - having caries; decayed (N.B. caries is decay of bones, especially teeth—yum!)
castigation - noun - a punishment or reprimand
cataphract - noun - 1. a type of armor worn to cover the whole body of a mounted soldier and that of the horse 2. a heavily armed and armored cavalryman
catastasis - noun - 1. the intensified part of the action directly preceding the catastrophe in classical tragedy 2. the climax of a drama 3. [rhetoric] that part of a speech, usually the exordium, in which the orator sets forth the subject matter to be discussed 4. [medical] the state, or condition of anything; constitution; habit of body
catenulate - adjective - 1. consisting of little links or chains 2. arranged like a chain; said both of color marks and of indentations when arranged like the links of a chain, as on shells, etc. (N.B. also used in noun form, catenulations, and in Donaldson as a verb to mean something like "linked")
cateran - noun - [Scottish] a Highland robber; a kind of irregular soldier; a marauder
cavalcade - noun - 1. a procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages 2. a ceremonial procession or display 3. a succession or series
chaconne - noun - 1. a slow, stately dance of the 18th century or the music for it 2. a form consisting of variations based on a reiterated harmonic pattern (N.B. other definitions state that the dance is "ancient" and that it is of either Spanish or Latin-American origins)
chancrous - adjective - of or having chancres
chaplet - noun - 1. a wreath or garland for the head 2. a) a string of prayer beads one third the length of a full rosary b) the prayers said with such beads 3. any string of beads; a necklace 4. [architecture] a small convex molding somewhat resembling a string of beads
charlock - noun - an annual weed (Sinapis arvensis) in the mustard family, native to Eurasia and naturalized in North America, having racemes of yellow flowers and hairy stems and foliage (N.B. the usage must refer to the color of the flowers)
charnel - adjective - of, like, or fit for a charnel - noun - 1. [obsolete] a cemetary 2. a building or place where corpses or bones are deposited
chary - adjective - 1. not taking chances; careful; cautious 2. not giving freely; sparing
chicane - noun - chicanery; trickery - verb - 1. to trick 2. to get by trickery
chlamys - noun - a short mantle fastened at the shoulder, worn by men in ancient Greece
choleric - adjective - 1. bilious 2. having or showing a quick temper or irascible nature
chrism - noun - 1. consecrated oil used in baptism and other sacraments in certain churches 2. a sacramental anointing with this oil
chrysoprase - noun - a light-green variety of chalcedony, sometimes used as a semiprecious stone (N.B. chalcedony is a kind of quartz that has the luster of wax and is variously colored, usually grayish or milky: it comprises agate, sard, cat's-eye, jasper, carnelian, and chrysoprase)
clave - noun 1. a cylindrical hardwood stick used in a pair as a percussion instrument 2. a syncopated two-bar musical pattern - verb [archaic] a past tense of cleave (N.B. cleave 1 is 1. to part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut 2. to part or open naturally; to divide 3. to make or accomplish by or as if by cutting 4. to pierce, penetrate or pass through something, such as water or air; cleave 2 is 1. to adhere closely; to stick; to hold fast; to cling 2. to be faithful 3. to unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment 4. to fit; to be adapted; to assimilate)
claymore - noun - 1. a large, two-edged broadsword formerly used by Scottish Highlanders 2. a broadsword with a basket hilt worn by Scottish regiments
climacteric - noun - 1. a) a period of life characterized by physiological and psychic change that marks the end of the reproductive capacity of women and terminates with the completion of menopause b) a corresponding period sometimes occurring in men that may be marked by a reduction in sexual activity, although fertility is retained 2. critical period or year in a person's life when major changes in health or fortune are thought to take place 3. a critical stage, period, or year - adjective - critical; crucial
clinquant - adjective - glittering; dressed in, or overlaid with, tinsel finery - noun - imitation gold leaf; tinsel; glitter
cohere - verb - 1. to stick together; be united; hold fast, as parts of the same mass 2. [physics] to be united within a body by the action of molecular forces 3. to be naturally or logically connected 4. to agree; to be congruous
col - noun - a pass between two mountain peaks or a gap in a ridge
concatenate - adjective - linked together; connected - verb - to link together or join, as in a chain
condign - adjective - deserved; suitable: said especially of punishment for wrongdoing (N.B. see also incondign)
conduce - verb - to tend to lead (to an effect); contribute
connivance - noun - 1. agreement on a secret plot 2. [law] tacit approval of someone's wrongdoing
consonant - adjective - 1. being in agreement or accord 2. corresponding or alike in sound, as words or syllables 3. harmonious in sound or tone - noun - 1. speech sound produced by a partial or complete obstruction of the air stream by any of various constrictions of the speech organs 2. a letter or character representing such a speech sound
contumely - noun - 1. an insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment 2. rudeness or contempt arising from arrogance; insolence 3. a humiliating insult
coomb - noun - a deep hollow or valley, especially on flank of a hill, mainly surviving in place names
coquelicot - noun - 1. the wild poppy, or red corn rose or corn poppy 2. the color of the wild poppy; a color nearly red, like orange mixed with scarlet
cortege - noun - 1. a funeral procession 2. the group following and attending to some important person; a retinue 3. a train of attendants
covert - adjective - 1. concealed; secret; disguised; not openly practiced, avowed, engaged in, accumulated, or shown 2. covered; sheltered 3. [law] being married and therefore protected by one's husband - noun - 1. a covering or cover 2. a) a place that covers and protects; a shelter; a defense b) thick underbrush or woodland affording cover for game 3. [zoology] one of the small feathers covering the bases of the longer feathers of a bird's wings or tail 4. a flock of coots (N.B. coots are a type of bird)
crèche - noun - 1. a display of a stable with figures, as at Christmas, representing a scene at the birth of Jesus 2. an institution for foundlings 3. [chiefly British] a day nursery
crenellation - noun - 1. a rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows or guns 2. a notch; an indentation; an embrasure (N.B. also spelled with one L)
crepitation - noun - a slight, sharp, repeated crackling sound
crepuscular - adjective - 1. of or like twilight; dim 2. [zoology] becoming active at twilight or before sunrise, as do bats and certain insects and birds
cuirass - noun - 1. defensive armor for the torso comprising a breastplate and backplate, originally made of leather; also called "corselet" 2. either of the plates forming such armor 3. any similar covering, as the protective armor of a ship 4. [zoology] a hard shell or other covering forming an indurated defensive shield - verb - to equip or cover with a cuirass
cymar - noun - a woman's long dress or robe; also light covering; a scarf (N.B. also spelled cimar, samare, simare)
defile - noun - 1. any narrow passage, especially between mountains 2. a march in a straight line - verb - 1. to march in a line or by files 2. to make foul, dirty, or unclean; pollute; taint; debase 3. to make impure for ceremonial use; desecrate 4. to profane or sully, as a person's reputation
deliracy - noun - [obsolete] delirium (N.B. derived from the verb delirate, which means "to madden" or "to rave")
delirant - adjective - [obsolete] delirious
delitescent - adjective - concealed; hidden; latent
denature - verb - 1. to change the nature of; take natural qualities away from 2. to make (alcohol, etc.) unfit for human consumption without spoiling for other uses 3. to change the structure of a protein by heat, acids, alkalies, etc. so that the original properties are greatly changed or eliminated
derogate - verb - 1. [archaic] to take (a part of quality) away from something so as to impair it 2. [rare] to lower in esteem; disparage 3. to take something desirable away; detract 4. to lower oneself; lose face; to deviate from a standard or expectation; go astray
destrier - noun - [archaic] a war horse; a charger
desultory - adjective - 1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful 2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random
devoir - noun - 1. duty; service owed 2. [plural] acts or expressions of due respect or courtesy
diminution - noun - 1. the act of diminishing, or of making or becoming less; state of being diminished; reduction in size, quantity, or degree 2. the act of lessening dignity or consideration, or the state of being deprived of dignity; a lowering in estimation; degradation; abasement
dolor - noun - [old poetical] sorrow; grief
donjon - noun - the heavily fortified inner tower or keep of a castle
dross - noun - 1. the scum or refuse matter which is thrown off, or falls from, metals in smelting the ore, or in the process of melting; recrement 2. [rare] rust of metals 3. waste matter; any worthless matter separated from the better part; leavings; dregs; refuse (N.B. recrement is superfluous matter separated from that which is useful; dross; scoria)
dun - adjective - chestnut-brown - noun - 1. a dull grayish brown 2. a dun horse 3. an artificial fishing fly of this color 4. a mayfly 5. a person who duns 6. an insistent demand, especially for payment of a debt - verb - 1. to ask a debtor insistently or repeatedly for payment 2. to annoy constantly
ecru - adjective - light tan; beige
effloresce - verb - 1. to burst into bloom; blossom 2. [chemistry] a) to change either throughout or on the surface to a mealy or powdery substance upon exposure to air, as a crystalline substance through loss of water of crystallization b) to become incrusted or covered with crystals of salt or the like through evaporation or chemical change
egress - noun - 1. the act of going out or forth; emergence 2. the right to go out 3. a way out; exit
eidolon - noun - 1. a phantom; an apparition; an unsubstantial image 2. an ideal
elegiac - adjective - 1. of or composed in dactylic-hexameter couplets, the second line having only an accented syllable in the third and sixth feet: the form was used for elegies and various other lyric poems 2. of, like, or fit for an elegy 3. sad; mournful; plaintive
elision - noun - 1. the omission, assimilation, or slurring over of a vowel, syllable, etc. in pronunciation 2. any act or instance of leaving out or omitting a part or parts
ensorcel - verb - to bewitch
ensorcellment - noun - bewitchment
epitonic - adjective - as combining the meaning of "tonic" with the Greek prefix "epi" makes little sense, possibly it's an alternate spelling of eupittonic, which is pertaining to, or derived from, eupittone (N.B. eupittone is a yellow, crystalline substance, resembling aurin, and obtained by the oxidation of pittacal; aurin is aurin a poisonous red dye; and pittacal is a dark blue substance obtained from wood tar; consisting of hydrocarbons, when oxidized it forms orange-yellow eupittonic compounds, the salts of which are dark blue; all of which goes to show that when you pick apart definitions, at some level of the picking, you render the word meaningless--perhaps the Deconstructionists were right after all)
equipoise - noun - 1. equal distribution of weight; state of balance or equilibrium 2. a weight or force that balances another; counterbalance
eschew - verb - to keep away from; shun; avoid; abstain from
excoriate - verb - 1. to tear or wear off the skin of; abrade 2. to censure strongly; denounce
execrate - verb - 1. to detest utterly; abhor; abominate 2. to curse; imprecate evil upon; damn; denounce 3. to declare to be hateful or abhorrent
exigent - adjective - 1. requiring immediate action or remedy 2. requiring much effort or expense; demanding
extirpate - verb - 1. to pull up by the roots; root out 2. to destroy or remove completely; exterminate; abolish
extrusion - noun - 1. something that bulges out or is protuberant or projects from its surroundings 2. squeezing out by applying pressure 3. the act or process of extruding
eyot - noun - a little island in a river or lake
fane - noun - 1. a temple 2. [archaic] a church
fervid - adjective - 1. hot; glowing 2. impassioned; fervent
fetor - noun - a strong, offensive smell; stench; fetidness
fey - adjective - 1. [now chiefly Scottish] a) originally, fated; doomed to death b) in an unusually excited state, formerly believed to portend sudden death 2. strange or unusual in any of certain ways, as, variously, eccentric, whimsical, visionary, elfin, shy, otherworldly
flamberge - noun - a type of fencing sword with an undulating blade (N.B. also spelled flamberg)
formication - noun - 1. [medical] a sensation resembling that made by the creeping of ants on the skin 2. [medical] hallucinated sensation that insects or snakes are crawling over the skin; a common side-effect of extensive use of cocaine or amphetamines
fortuitious - adjective - 1. happening by chance; accidental 2. bringing or happening by good luck; fortunate
frangible - adjective - readily or easily broken; breakable; fragile
freshet - noun - 1. a sudden overflow of a stream resulting from a heavy rain or a thaw 2. a stream of fresh water that empties into a body of salt water
friable - adjective - easily crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder; brittle
fug - noun - stale air, especially the humid, warm, ill-smelling air of a crowded or poorly ventilated room
fuligin - adjective - a word coined by Gene Wolfe in the four-book series The Book of the New Sun to designate a color that is blacker than black (N.B. though fuligin is nowhere to be found in the O.E.D., it cannot but be derived from such words as fuliginous - adjective - 1. a) pertaining to, consisting of, containing, or resembling soot; sooty; smoky b) covered or blackened with soot c of the color of soot, as dark gray, dull brown, black, etc.; fuliginated - adjective - of a sooty color or appearance; and fuligo - noun - soot; what is still more appropriate, Wolfe is known for the arcanity of his vocabulary as well; further still, I just made up "arcanity")
fulsomeness - noun - 1. disgustingness; offensiveness, especially because excessive or insincere 2. fullness; ampleness; abundance (N.B. originally fulsome meant "abundant," but it evolved to mean "disgusting" or "sickening" and now today is used in both senses)
fulvous - adjective - tawny; dull yellow, with a mixture of gray and brown
galvanic - adjective - 1. pertaining to or produced by galvanism; producing or caused by an electric current 2. affecting or affected as if by galvanism; startling; shocking 3. stimulating; energizing (N.B. galvanism is electricity produced by chemical reaction)
garrote - noun - 1. a) a method of execution as formerly in Spain with an iron collar tightened about the neck by a screw b) the iron collar so used 2. a) a cord, thong, or length of wire for strangling a robbery victim, enemy sentry, etc. in a surprise attack b) a disabling by strangling in this way; strangulation - verb - 1. to execute or attack with a garrote 2. to disable by strangling as in an attack for robbery
geas - noun - a bond, a spell, a prohibition, a taboo, a magical injunction, the violation of which led to misfortune and death (N.B. the word is Gaelic/Irish in originand is also spelled geis, its plural form is geassa or geissa)
gelid - adjective - extremely cold; frozen
gibbet - noun - 1. a gallows 2. a structure like a gallows from which bodies of criminals already executed are hung and exposed to public scorn - verb - 1. to execute by hanging 2. to hang on a gibbet 3. to expose to public scorn
glaive - noun - [archaic] a sword, especially a broadsword
glamour - noun - [Scottish; popularized by Sir Walter Scott] 1. originally a magic spell or charm 2. seemingly mysterious and elusive fascination or allure; as of some person, object, scene, etc.; bewitching charm
glaucous - adjective - 1. of a sea-green color; of a dull green passing into bluish gray 2. having a powdery or waxy coating that gives a frosted appearance and tends to rub off 3. [botany] covered with a fine bloom or fine white powder easily rubbed off, as that on a blue plum, or on a cabbage leaf
gloaming - noun - [Scottish] twilight; dusk; the fall of the evening
gout - noun - 1. a hereditary form of arthritis resulting from a disturbance of uric acid metabolism characterized by an excess of uric acid in the blood and deposits of uric acid salts, usually in the joints of the feet and hands, especially in the big toe 2. a large splash, clot, glob, etc.
gravid - adjective - carrying developing young or eggs; pregnant
gravitas - noun - 1. seriousness or sobriety, as of conduct or speech 2. substance; weightiness 3. a serious or dignified demeanor; formality in bearing or appearance
grue - noun - 1. [Scottish] a shudder of fear 2. a term originating in the computer gaming community that came to indicate a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth 3. a color-predicate invented in the 1950s by the American philospoher Nelson Goodman used to illustrate a significant problem with inductive predictions as follows: with respect to a designated future time, an object is grue if it is seen to be green when first observed before that time or if it is seen to be blue when first observed after that time 4. a crane - verb - to feel horror or terror; to shudder, shiver, or tremble; to be troubled in heart (N.B. I don't know what to make of Nelson Goodman either)
guerdon - noun - a reward; requital; recompense - verb - to reward; to be a recompense for
gyre - noun - 1. a ring or circle 2. a circular course or motion 3. [oceanography] a ringlike system of ocean currents rotating clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere
halt - adjective - [archaic] lame; crippled (N.B. in addition, of course, to the more prosaic meanings of the word)
hebetude - noun - the quality or condition of being mentally or physically dull or lethargic
hermetic - adjective - 1. of, pertaining to, or taught by Hermes Trismegistus; as, hermetic philosophy, hence alchemical 2. of or pertaining to the system which explains the causes of diseases and the operations of medicine on the principles of the hermetic philosophy, and which made much use, as a remedy, of an alkali and an acid 3. made perfectly close or air-tight by fusion, so that no gas or spirit can enter or escape
howe - adjective - 1. hollow 2. deep - noun - 1. a hole 2. the hold of a ship 3. a hollow; a dell