1. geas — magically inflicted obligation
I must leave you now, for my bowels have cast a geas upon me, and I must away to the bathroom to fulfill its terrible duty.
2. precentor — one who leads choir or congregation in singing
Everyone has noticed the much-diminished vigor of the choir since Simon Tapwell became precentor, and his own mumbling and stumbling solos do little to inspire or even maintain the faith.
3. bougie — thin flexible instrument for insertion or dilation of bodily passages
As I now understand it they intend to insert a bougie in order to relieve the pressure inside the bladder, though if this fails it may become necessary to perform a very dangerous operation.
4. charpoy — Indian bedstead using rope or tape netting
Chandler laid the documents carefully upon the blue weave of the charpoy beneath the wall lantern, so that we could all see the damning evidence of Major Deveril’s treasonous perfidy.
5. nipperkin — liquid measure amounting from a third to a half pint
Solemnly he poured Rodney a nipperkin of the rich port, and together they toasted the king.
6. subfusc — dusky, somber
Barely any light seemed to escape from the subfusc mining town, and even the children at play were singularly sullen.
7. demirep — demimondaine, woman of doubtful chastity
Behind the army came the usual hangers-on of a pillaging force, the sharpers and ‘shiners, the panderers and demireps, the purchasers of stolen gold and purveyors of stolen virtue.
8. diaphoretic — inducing perspiration
McCarthy’s aversion to communists often had a diaphoretic effect upon the senator, especially in the face of any criticism.
9. poniard — small dagger
His hand went instinctively to his left hip, but Sir Lowell grasped only an empty sheath, as he had left his poniard with the Master of the Outer Chamber before his audience with the king.
10. forritsome — [Scots] impudent, forward
She’s a forritsome lass with red hair and a temper to match.
Bonus Vocabulary
(idiomatic, from delay in old firearms between triggering and ignition)
hanging fire — delayed, undecided
The final decisions of the Mice Commission are still hanging fire, and it is greatly feared that once again the cat will get away scot free.