1. scorbutic — of, related to, or symptomatic of scurvy
The words of denial escaped painfully from his swollen, scorbutic gums.
2. undercroft — underground chamber or vault, crypt
The keys to the undercroft had gone missing in my grandfather’s time, so the police were forced to wrench open the rusted gates during their search.
3. syndicalism — movement espousing the transfer of control of the means of production and distribution to workers’ unions
The failure of American syndicalism and the oblivion into which the IWW have been consigned mean the lessons of the Lawrence strike have been almost entirely forgotten.
4. gravel — to perplex; [obsolete] to run aground
Fully a score of vessels were gravelled on the sandy beaches of our southeastern shores, though we still have no news of their crews.
5. grot — [literary] grotto
His elfin grot consisted mainly of a small chamber at the bottom of the stairs, illuminated solely by the pallid and leprous glow of the three (or was it four?) screens of the various computers and consoles at which he played video games all the day and night.
6. fipple — mouthpiece of certain recorders and flutes, with a fixed sharp edge against which the blown air is directed
Of course the recorder will need no tuning, but the tone does grow clearer as the fipple warms, so the player should take time to run through the usual ‘warm-up’ exercises before performing.
7. cavernicolous — living in caves
Jerome’s skin had the unhealthy pallor common to cavernicolous plants and animals.
8. blake — [obsolete] to become pale
Gabby’s face blaked as she realized the full import of our news.
9. nef — table accessory in the shape of a boat, used to hold utensils etc.; incense-boat
At the center of the table stood a golden nef holding jellies and other condiments, resting upon a set of rich pillows decorated to mimic the roiling seas.
10. commination — denunciation portending divine vengeance
Doctor Cobbledick was of the old school, and thought it his duty to issue comminations against the assembled sinners as if he were the very herald of the Lord, a modern Jeremiah sworn to call back the faithless from the brink of the pit.
Bonus Vocabulary
(British slang)
side — supercilious attitude
Though he is an expert—perhaps the expert—in the field of astrological forensics, he is quite agreeable company for all that and singularly free from side.