1. diligence — public stagecoach of early 18th Century, esp. in France
I told the innkeeper to run out and hold the diligence while I gathered the soi-disant baroness up from the floor, along with her physical baggage.
2. bedizen — to dress up, esp. in a vulgar manner
His green plaid waistcoat was bedizened with silken tassels and small metal figurines suggesting the tools of his trade, among them a tiny pewter trowel and hod.
3. elapid — of or related to the Elapidae, a family of venomous snakes which include coral snakes and cobras, all having hollow venom-injecting fangs fixed to the upper jaw
We were warned to wear full eye protection as we sought the lair of the spitting cobra, as the venom projected from his elapid fangs could permanently blind the unwary hunter.
4. foetor (also fetor) — stench, offensive smell
The crime scene team seemed unfazed by the foetor which enshrouded the bottom of the dumpster where the body had been found, but I had to retreat up the fire escape and clear my lungs of the lingering stink.
5. opisthognathous — having retreating jaws or jawline
For all his talent on the ball field, he was cursed by his opisthognathous profile and his inability to grow a beard to hide that accursedly noteworthy weak chin.
6. spandrel — (architecture) space between arch and a rectangle enclosing that arch; space between extradoses of adjacent arches
Nestled within the two spandrels framing what had once been the postern of the church, I noted that what I had taken to be a pair of cherubs were actually winged demons, their bird-like claws tucked menacingly beneath their open jaws.
7. bibulous — addicted to drink; of or related to drink; absorbent of moisture
We all agreed how sad it was that Charlie’s fall from favor had not been checked though his own efforts, and that our formerly friendly louche loser had become merely another bibulous bottom-feeder and hanger-on at all the least exclusive parties.
8. butt splice — cylindrical crimp connector for electrical wiring, with a crimp at each end
After much searching we finally found the culprit: a faulty butt splice in which the connector had broken, hidden by the heat shrink plastic that exactly matched the color of the joined wires.
9. linctus — syrupy medicine
In France at that time you could purchase codeine over the counter, either in a linctus or pastilles, and so we did.
10. superincumbent — lying or resting upon; overhanging; from above (as of pressure)
We might never have found the corpse save for the rank smell, which the superincumbent boxes of potpourri could not conceal.
Bonus Vocabulary
(fashion, late 20th c.)
brothel creeper — shoe with thick crepe sole, often with suede uppers
Before it became the favored shoe of Teddy Boys and Russian stilyagi youth of the 1950s, the brothel creeper was worn by World War II soldiers stationed in the North African theatre.