1. clastic — (geology) formed from pieces of broken older rocks
The waters were held back by clastic dikes formed from old volcanic fragments mixed with sand which had resolidified over the centuries to form an impermeable barrier.
2. leitmotif — (music) theme associated with particular person, idea, or situation
His frustrating insistence that we explain our ideas twice or thrice over became the leitmotif for that seemingly endless business retreat.
3. charwoman — day-laboring woman hired to perform general cleaning around house or office
Davis searched everywhere for the notes he’d made of his interview with Dr. Pathekin, but it transpired that the charwoman had thrown out the ragged sheets, mistaking the crumpled ball of paper for trash.
4. damselfly — slender, winged insect of same order as dragonflies, from which it is distinguished by having its wings folded back along the body
Though it seemed so peaceful propped atop the gently swaying fern at lake’s edge, Justin knew that the red-bodied damselfly was actually a carnivorous killer, taking a break from its eternal hunt.
5. pallium — rectangular cloak of Greek origin worn by men in ancient times as alternative to the toga; long band of wool worn over other ecclesiastical garments by the Pope and other high church officials granted jurisdictional power
Rome reasserted her authority over the Irish bishops and archbishops, presenting the pallium to Armagh, Dublin, Cashel, and Tuam as a token of the Pope’s ultimate sovereignty.
6. sogering — (obsolete) goldbricking, shirking hard work
“You can stop paying court to that single sheet, my boy, and know that there’ll be no sogering aboard while the rest of us men are working hard!”
7. privet — any one of several evergreen shrubs, commonly used for garden hedges
Following Lee’s pointing finger we discerned a dark shape at the base of the privet which we recognized as the corpse of the missing soldier.
8. spoony — silly, foolish (of persons); foolishly amorous
Lord knows why but that summer the two friends got it in their weak heads to play the spoony couple everywhere they went, embarrassing their hosts at every garden party by their refusal to pay attention to anyone else, their eyes transfixed upon each other like pins through displayed insects.
9. postilion — rider upon left-hand horse of pair or front pair of horses drawing a carriage, usu. when no driver is used
The diligence had no sooner entered the wood than our postilion drew the team to a complete halt, crying out to his confederates who quickly surrounded us and yelled at us to descend from the coach.
10. spaniel — fawning, submissive person
Am I to be your spaniel at court, rebuked before my peers for speaking out on a course of action I deem unwise?