1. econophysics — unorthodox use of mathematical models from physics to analyze economics
In spite of a strong debate about the fertility and benefits of econophysics, it mostly seems another example of economists at the highest levels using overly complicated mathematics to explain either the inexplicable or why they got the last explanation wrong.
2. yeet — [slang] to throw something with great force; general affirmative exclamation
If you yeet that cat I’ll break your nose.
3. skip — large bag or basket, often on wheels, frequently used for collecting laundry
For an exorbitant fee we bought a skip from the local dry cleaners and used it to transport the alien to our room in the hotel, hiding him beneath some of Sammy’s clothes and just marching in through the back entrance bold as brass.
4. lame — tool holding razor blade, used for marking or scoring bread dough
Since she’s become quite the bread baker, we thought this fancy wooden lame would make a nice gift, but apparently she had her heart set on one that included the ability to fashion the razor blade into a curve as well as the usual straight scores.
5. gallimaufry — dish made from odds and ends of available food; hodgepodge
Instead of calling it ‘leftover hash’ I advised labelling it ‘Gourmet Gallimaufry‘ on the menu, and thus justified my exorbitant consultant fees.
6. granolithic — composed of crushed granite pieces
Though granolithic concrete flooring can be difficult to apply correctly, it provides a highly durable surface for many uses, such as workroom floors.
7. pelage — mammalian fur, hair, or wool
There is little change in the male’s pelage during winter, his cold weather coat consisting of, if anything, very slightly darker fur.
8. serous — of or related to serum; watery like animal bodily fluid
A large pocket of serous fluid gathered around the site of the bite.
9. prelate — high-ranking ecclesiastic
An attentive observer at the hotel might have noted that the supposed prelate‘s collar bore a faint but noticeable carmine stain, which a suspicious mind might have recognized as lipstick.
10. internecine — of or related to fighting within a group; destructive, with great slaughter; mutually destructive
Perhaps the worst aspect of the internecine politics of the interregnum was the despair of the masses, who became inured to the terribly violent excesses even as they lost hope for any change save a slow, lingering spiral into worse and worse horrors to come.
Bonus Vocabulary
(Latin)
fides Punica (sometimes Punica fides)— treachery, lit. “the faith of the Carthaginians” or “Carthaginian honesty”
The long dreary history of U.S. treaties with Native American tribes is an almost uninterrupted string of fides Punica.