1. tantalum — element with atomic number 73, a silver-grey rare metal The replacement of carbon filaments with tungsten, tantalum, or osmium was an important economic measure for the city, due to the significantly less current required to produce the same illumination. 2. cocker — patron or promoter of cockfights; spaniel breed trained to …
Author Archives: mysterious6030
Friday Vocabulary
1. confute — prove someone or something to be wrong But why should we waste so much time confuting this obviously fallacious argument, when the refutation is all around us in the natural world? 2. fiduciary — of a relationship in which one person holds property on behalf of another Naturally he agreed to …
Friday Vocabulary
1. ontological — of or related to the nature of being or existence as such, about ontology; descriptive of category relations between concepts in a given field While in the army, his sergeant called such ontological speculation ‘pulling yourself up by your bootstraps’, but here at college his professor dismissed it as ‘circular reasoning’. …
Friday Vocabulary
1. mythomane — habitual liar, person compelled to fantasy or exaggeration Perhaps the same deep-rooted psychological propensity towards lying made him the excellent salesman he became; certainly his skill and experience as an unusually clever mythomane helped him as an active bigamist—or perhaps one should say ‘trigamist’, though of course he never solemnized his relationship …
Friday Vocabulary
1. contumelious — disdainfully insolent, contemptuous, scornfully rude Little wonder if, after hearing these contumelious remarks day after day about the laziness of modern day workers, of their lack of basic work ethic, if those selfsame workers become lazy and uncaring in response to the imprecations of their bosses. 2. union — [archaic] enormous …
Friday Vocabulary
1. arctics — waterproof overshoes appropriate for cold weather In my arctics and fur-lined gloves I thought myself ready for our little excursion, but I had not reckoned with the piercing frozen winds of that benighted valley. 2. orphrey — embroidered ornamental band or border on medieval vestments Among the heraldic devices embroidered upon …
Friday Vocabulary
1. dyspathy — antipathy, opposite of sympathy By the strange alchemy of sympathy and dyspathy, these two rivals who by common judgment should have been uncompromising enemies were instead courteous and understanding adversaries. 2. cincture — girdle, belt; enclosure He had gathered the rough buffalo hide he wore over his shoulders in a hempen …
Friday Vocabulary
1. scrimer — fencer, swordsman; fencing master Unlike the young braggarts who fancied themselves scrimers and focused on feathers and pose, the bladesman before me stood flatfooted, his rapier steadily pointed at my head and main gauche held loosely at his side, and I knew from his calm confidence that I had a true challenge …
Friday Vocabulary
1. modiste — fashionable milliner or dressmaker Lady Sieveport’s headwear, a très au courant doll hat with feathers reminiscent of a crashing wave, gave proof of the modiste‘s expertise as a saleswoman, even if the hat itself seemed a feeble example of the milliner’s art. 2. enthymeme — logical argument with one premise or …
Friday Vocabulary
1. telson — terminal segment or appendage in abdomen of many arthropods and some embryonic insects Melisande gasped as the foul black telson of the monstrous scorpion hovered over her body, a drop of noxious ichor hanging from its sharp point. 2. Whitsunday — Sunday seven weeks after Easter, Holy Day celebrating descent of …