1. pelican crossing — pedestrian crosswalk in which pedestrians press buttons illuminating lights to stop vehicular traffic [has nothing to do with aquatic birds] On the weekends it was obvious that normal stop lights should have been installed instead of the pelican crossing, as the continual stream of pedestrians flowing across the avenue from one …
Category Archives: Vocabulary
Friday Vocabulary
1. sapropelic — pertaining to or living in mud or ooze made up of decomposed living material His moral sense weighed quite lightly upon his shoulders, making him especially able to thrive in the sapropelic environs of the District of Columbia. 2. fardel — (archaic) burden (esp. of sin or sorrow) Baudelaire speaks in …
Friday Vocabulary
1. scurf — scales of epidermis that are continually peeling off the skin; any scaly incrustation upon a body The telephone pole on the street corner was pierced with hundreds of large staples at eye level, each metal clinch holding down a geologic scurf formed from the shreds of old announcements of lost dogs, roommates …
Friday Vocabulary
1. rennet — membrane from the fourth stomach of an unweaned calf, used for curdling milk in the making of cheese Cream cheese can be made easily at home, since, like many soft cheeses, an acid such as lemon juice is used for curdling the milk rather than rennet. 2. invultuation — creation of …
Friday Vocabulary
1. clinker-built — (naut.) of a ship’s hull built with the edges of its planks overlapping, as opposed to “carvel-built” ships where the planks are fitted side-by-side and flush with one another The front end view of Viking longships shows the edge-over-edge construction characteristic of clinker-built boats. 2. felloe — outer part of wheel …
Friday Vocabulary
1. stertorous — characterized by heavy snoring Until three of the four sexagenarians started using CPAP machines, their Bohemian Grove cabin was famous for the stertorous rumblings emanating from within. 2. epergne — table centerpiece designed to hold fruit or flowers Though Roscoe appreciated the thought behind his aunt’s generous gift, in truth he …
Friday Vocabulary* [UPDATED]
NOTE: Due to recently (27 June 2019) discovered repetition of a previously used vocabulary word, the offending entry has been replaced with a new word, definition, and example sentence. The original entry is preserved with strikethrough formatting. 1. prolepsis — (1) marshaling counterarguments to a position so they may be refuted in advance “Just because …
Friday Vocabulary
1. eyot — small island, particularly in a river The raft ran aground upon the small, treeless eyot which lay in the center of the large bend in the river. 2. calcareous — of or like chalk The lizard’s calcareous medication may have added to the constipation of the gecko. 3. halitus — …
Friday Vocabulary
1. coffle — train of beasts, slaves, etc., chained together The coffle of indicted legislators attempted to hold their bound hands before their faces as they were cajoled down the steep marble stairs. 2. toxophilite — a lover or devotee of archery Every tree looks like a bow to the toxophilite. 3. myrmecology …
Friday Vocabulary
1. toast-and-water — water in which toast has been soaked, thought to be cooling and refreshing (also seen as toast-water) I availed myself of some toast-and-water from the pitcher near at hand, attempting to calm my febrile brain and efface the frightening visions. 2. glaucous — pale grey-green or greenish-blue In the crepuscule of …