Friday Vocabulary

1. grutch — to complain

“If you must grutch and moan,” said the hospitaler, “have the sense to do it away from the sickroom windows.”

 

2. voile — diaphanous cotton fabric

If you decide to use voile for the side panels, be sure that the fabric is fully mercerized.

 

3. haylage — silage made from partly wet grass

We used the smaller opening for processing the haylage from Mr. Green’s silo, and that seemed to work fairly well.

 

4. oviduct — tube through which egg passes from ovary

Of course, most birds will have only an undeveloped oviduct and ovary on the right side.

 

5. philomath — scholar; astrologer

Whatever failings the noted philomath may have had, excessive humility was not among them.

 

6. wat — Buddhist temple (in parts of Southeast Asia)

In this village the wat was the social center, so we made our way thitherward to continue our inquiries.

 

7. Martinmas — November 11, St. Martin’s day

The weather at Martinmas was clear and cold, betokening a short and mild winter.

 

8. parfleche — rawhide with hair removed; item made from such hide

He accepted the gift parfleche gladly, doubtless planning to use it to resole his moccasins.

 

9. noma — gangrenous disease of the cheeks and mouth

Noma is only to be found in young children, and then only in those children already affected by other disease.

 

10. burgonet — light helmet for infantrymen with protective crest and cheek pieces

He thought himself well accoutered for war, though the veterans laughed to themselves at his fancy burgonet shaped like a lion’s head and chased with gold filigree.

 

Bonus Vocabulary

(British idiom)

the Big Smoke — London; any big city

“Well, I was just thinking that it’s time maybe to be leaving the Big Smoke,” he said with a deceptive grin, “and you’ve just gone and made my decision for me.”

 

Leave a comment