1. gobsmacked — flabbergasted, utterly astounded
We were gobsmacked to learn that the mole was Mrs. Abernathy’s two year-old toddler, who was actually an Australian midget wearing a very clever disguise.
2. footling — blithering, foolish, silly
I managed to make some footling comments, but could barely conceal my very great surprise.
3. timoneer — steersman, helmsman
The cutter had almost come abaft of the ship when I saw it fall off suddenly to starboard, losing all its way, and in the resulting confusion I could see that the timoneer lay sprawled across the tiller, a crude arrow shaft transfixing his neck.
4. ruffle — to swagger
Emerging from the club, the young bons vivants buttoned back their frock coats to reveal the rapier and main gauche each wore ostentatiously, and set off ruffling down the cobblestoned street, looking for trouble.
5. eisegesis — interpretation (esp. of Scripture) which brings the interpreter’s own biases, ideas, etc. to the text, rather than drawing meaning from the text itself
Though we loved her many insights into popular culture, it was clear that her interpretation of Mr. Ed as a parable about the struggles of Bohemian Americans for acceptance in the rapidly changing post-WWII U.S. was plain and simple eisegesis.
6. morganatic — of a marriage between a man (usu.) of high rank and a lower rank woman (usu.), in which the woman and any issue of the marriage are not entitled to any titles or property of the higher rank spouse
Though King Edward VIII had suggested the idea of a morganatic marriage to Wallis Simpson, it soon became obvious that he could not marry her and remain king.
7. excelsior — short thin curled shavings of wood used for packaging, etc.
The broken swamp cooler still lay on the kitchen floor, the damp excelsior from its cooling pad heaped in a sodden mass among the debris.
8. moxibustion — burning dried mugwort close to the skin, often along acupuncture meridians, to facilitate healing in Chinese medicine
One should not attempt to perform moxibustion at home with only online guides; a qualified acupuncturist should give face-to-face instruction in using the moxa sticks.
9. rataplan — drumming or beating sound
The jackhammer continued its offensive rataplan as Jack once more struggled to write the article due that afternoon.
10. arbalest — crossbow using metal bow to shoot bolts or stones
Though our archers trained their bows upon the powerful enemy arbalest, its thick wooden shield was proof against our hail of arrows, and the devastating attack continued to decimate our troops.
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