1. oolite — spherical sedimentary rock formed in concentric layers
The walls of the keep have fallen almost in ruins, and are made from oolite from the Northland deposits some twenty miles away.
2. stumer — [British slang] fraud; bad check; failure
After Wally’s remarks before, I expected that Russell’s check would turn out to be a stumer, but to my surprise the bank cashed it no questions asked.
3. militate — to substantially weigh (usu. against)
If the other witnesses support Birdie’s claims, this well may militate against him being sent back to the jug.
4. hamesucken — [Scots law] criminal assault of a person within his own dwelling
The courts have always held that though the victim does not need to actually own a residence for the charge of hamesucken to be brought, an attack against a temporary guest within a lodge, hotel, or even a private home does not meet the requirements of the crime.
5. halidom — holy place, sanctuary; sacred thing or relic
And there and then the three men swore a mighty oath upon the halidom of the sainted beggarboy Richard, in whose chapel they were, not to pause until they had avenged their lord and recovered his children.
6. pericranium — [anatomy] membrane surrounding the skull, the periosteum of the cranial bones
In the case of severe head wounds, Galen urges that first the physician must determine whether the pericranium has been injured, though the doctor should only separate it from the contused flesh at first.
7. quodlibet — [archaic] topic for philosophical debate; thus, any subtle or abstruse argument or debate
Though Chester could propound either side of any linguistic or theological quodlibet, he had great difficulty deciding the best course of action if caught out in the rain.
8. brumation — period of torpor and sluggish activity
The young sea turtles are believed by some to enter brumation during the winter months, embedding themselves in the sea bottom, but recent surveys of drag catches in the channel have shown no increase in turtles caught, leading many to question the assertion.
9. gazingstock — someone stared at
Will you always insist on wearing such outlandish garb, making yourself a gazingstock of everyone in the street?
10. abscission — [botany] natural separation of parts from a plant; cutting off
During the process of abscission this membrane becomes thinner and thinner, until the weight of the leaf finally pulls it away from the branch.
Bonus Vocabulary
(slang)
style it out — to act in a confident manner in an embarrassing or uncomfortable situation so as to cause others to ignore one’s difficulty
And you think we can just style it out with your breeches torn off, and those red claw marks upon your arse exposed for all the world to see?