1. contumelious — disdainfully insolent, contemptuous, scornfully rude
Little wonder if, after hearing these contumelious remarks day after day about the laziness of modern day workers, of their lack of basic work ethic, if those selfsame workers become lazy and uncaring in response to the imprecations of their bosses.
2. union — [archaic] enormous pearl
Her devotion had given her a complexion like the sheen of a precious union, shining with pearly translucence when faced with the vicissitudes of the material world.
3. hylozoism — belief that life is an inherent property of all matter
Thus the hylozoism in the strange world of Adventure Time is shown by this and other episodes, but no more significantly than the story of the crying mountain.
4. equitation — horse riding, horsemanship
Alas! Modern westerns are ruined the moment the lead actors begin to ride, for the art of equitation has been almost entirely lost in this all too enlightened century.
5. ambilevous (also ambilævous) — left-handed on both sides, clumsy, unhandy
Though well-proportioned and bestowed of all vigor and comeliness befitting such a youth, Andrew was ambilevous in everything he put his hand to, awkward in the saddle or sports, unable to catch or to throw, and likely to break any tools he took up in his fist.
6. leery (also leary) — suspicious, wary
While you are quite right to be leery of Señor Totoro’s promises, still it behooves you to at least listen to his proposal.
7. quidnunc — gossip, habitually inquisitive person
The outer chamber of the social hall—center for the Bradford machine—was filled with the usual clumps of politicians, hangers-on, and quidnuncs who perennially gathered outside the doors of power hoping for any crumb of preference they might pick up.
8. sorn — [Scots] to sponge off, to mooch
Even a fine lady as wealthy and well-endowed as Lady Regan does not like to feel she is paid court to only by a bunch of men who sorn her food and hospitality while making love to her maids.
9. parsimony — frugality; miserliness
This foolish parsimony as good as forced the best teachers at the institute to look elsewhere for employment, leaving behind only the inept, the uncaring, or the senescent.
10. portiere — curtain hung across a doorway in lieu of a door
The silken portieres separating the alcoves along the walls of the main chamber were removed for the children’s performance, to accommodate additional seating areas for the puppet show.