1. sannyasi — Hindu religious mendicant
Although one might have seen young sannyasis and sannyasinis wandering the streets of San Francisco during the so-called Summer of Love, in most views of Hindu philosophy, that path of near total renunciation was reserved for those Brahmans who had entered their twilight years and were approaching their final days of life.
2. fustian — bombast, inappropriately lofty language
I sat on my folding chair on the dais listening to the mayor’s turgid speech, appreciating for the first time the unironic virtues and high ideals of our national holiday, which even the overlenghty fustian of an interminable program of local politicos could neither dim nor diminish.
3. syllabub — dessert of beaten and sweetened cream flavored with wine; drink of milk or cream mixed with wine or cider
All his talk amounted to nothing more than a verbal syllabub: enjoyable enough at the end of an evening, but leaving no trace of satiety in its wake.
4. effluent — flowing out
The younger children paid her no mind, but the teenagers and some of the parents found her effluent enthusiasm quite cloying.
5. effluent — treated sewage; sewage or waste flowing into water
Several miles below the city we saw the oily green-black stains in the water, and before long we could smell the effluent of Saint Louis as our barge continued northwards on the river.
6. lote — [archaic] lotus
Pliny the Elder saw with his own eyes the lote tree planted before the temple of Vulcan by Romulus himself, still alive after 700 years.
7. menarche — first onset of menstruation
Though a sign of incipient womanhood, the arrival of menarche does not, in fact, mean the concomitant occurrence of ovulation.
8. yonks — [British informal] a very long time
Oh, it’s been yonks since I listened to their music.
9. stereotype — single metal plate of type made from mold of a forme of composed type
Quick distribution of her latest novel was aided by the shipment of duplicate stereotype plates to our country direct from London.
10. nidus — site of origin; place where insects deposit their eggs
For the child who listens to this talk, surrounded by his elders speaking of other men and women in terms of such inhumanity and hatred, the dining table becomes a nidus of vicious bigotry.