1. boscage — mass of shrubs or trees, thicket
His naked legs were covered with scratches from the thorns in the surrounding boscage he had forced his way through.
2. entablature — (architecture) horizontal construction supported by columns in classical temples and the like, consisting of an architrave, a frieze, and a cornice
The roof had long ago collapsed, but the marble entablature still hung suspended against the sky, like a thick ribbon of stone supported by the fluted columns.
3. sacerdotal — of or related to priests, priestly
Only when he stepped off the Vespa and unzipped his leather jacket was his sacerdotal collar revealed.
4. nooning — noonday meal or rest period
Micah caught up with Jim Stryker’s boy the next day as the child was leaving school for the nooning.
5. ruck — crease, fold, or wrinkle
Jepperson paused to smooth away a ruck he imagined he saw in his shirtfront, and then knocked firmly on the door.
6. flense — to slice away the fat (from a whale or a seal)
Any sentimental feeling she had once had for the balding economist had long ago been flensed from her psyche by the cutting remarks and acute incivilities of Jens.
7. costive — constipated; slow or unenthusiastic in action
Maddie was no longer surprised that Richard’s costive assistance came too late to help, so tardy had he become in all things since losing his firstborn.
8. steeplejack — one who climbs steeples and towers to effect repairs
One of the prize items in his collection was The Night Climbers of Cambridge, a paean to the student steeplejacks of that university who once roamed freely over its roofs and spires.
9. nepenthe — drink inducing forgetfulness of pain or sorrow
He turned to work as his nepenthe for even in his dreams he was troubled by the unceasing ache of losing her.
10. flews — hanging flaps of the upper lips of certain dogs
He could see them coming in the distance now, the hounds’ noses already affixed to the scent, their flews dragging in the red clay, their necks straining for the release of the leash.
Bonus Vocabulary
(Latin)
in pectore — “in the breast” or “in the heart”, term used by Catholic Church to denote secret actions
Many observers believe the last in pectore cardinal appointed by the pope was the bishop of Hong Kong, already a target of the Communist Chinese government.