1. nastic — (biology) (of plant movement) caused by external stimulus which does not determine direction of response
A strong flick of the finger against the leaf of a mimosa plant creates a strong nastic response, with the leaf quickly and visibly folding up in a striking example of thigmonasty.
2. snug — (nautical) to lash down or stow away, as in preparation for a storm
Once we had snugged down the canvas our duty was merely one of almost interminable waiting.
3. javelina — collared peccary
During the hot summer days the javelina rests in the shade, hunting and seeking water only at night.
4. marchpane — marzipan
The children loved the tarts, biscuits, and marchpane laid out on the holiday buffet, but a small glass of sweet wine sufficed for me.
5. silage — ensilage, preservation of undried green fodder in a silo or pit
In a rainy climate, alfalfa may also be preserved as silage.
6. parthenic — virgin
She had the parthenic virtue of absolute certainty in the accuracy of her judgments.
7. trapezium — irregular quadrilateral, four-sided plane rectilinear figure not a parallelogram
It was Tommaso who first noticed that the cross-section of the chamber was actually a trapezium rather than a rectangle, after which we quickly found Lindley’s hidden vault.
8. oxer — horse jumping obstacle with two rails set in various formations; cattle guard consisting of hedge with guardrail
After you clear the water obstacle you’ll have only the ascending oxer to jump before you make the goal posts.
9. corbel — (architecture) bracket of stone or brick jutting from wall to support weight above
Though not specifically decorative, the cathedral’s many corbels contend with the grotesque gargoyles for richness of architectural imagination.
10. tarpaulin — sailor
Yes, sailors are a superstitious lot, my friend, save for your English tarpaulin who believes only in his daily tot of rum and who only fears its withdrawal.
Bonus Vocabulary
(slang)
gee-gee — horse
He was taking the train to Florida because the gee-gees were running at Hialeah.