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’. …
Category Archives: Vocabulary
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 …
Friday Vocabulary
1. avoirdupois — weight measurement system based upon a pound of 16 ounces; body weight Even from this great distance she can doubtless see that I carry around too much avoirdupois. 2. vigesimal — based upon or related to the number twenty With the arrival of the new century, however, this series of vigesimal …
Friday Vocabulary
1. mort — hunting horn note signifying death of the prey; [obsolete] death Let the trumpet sound a mort that all may know he lies here dead, and with him all our hopes. 2. mort — three year old salmon For this dish Chef Jackson prefers a mort to any younger fish, to better …