1. withal — in addition, besides; nevertheless
He exhibited an irascible mien, yet Nicholas withal was a gentle soul at heart, ever ready to help the weak and downtrodden.
2. stadial — of or related to geological ages; of or related to stages of society, civilization, etc.
The 100-year anniversary of The Glorious Revolution saw both Tories and Whigs portraying the freedom of the press acquired almost by accident in 1695 as part of a grand stadial progression in the development of liberty from feudal times.
3. oblong — neither square nor circular, having length in one dimension greater than in another; elongated
Hidden in the barn’s shadow lying oblong across the paddock at day’s end was the injured fox.
4. bargee — worker on a barge
The naval board of enquiry found that the bargees should have dropped anchor without further instructions from the tug, given the quite visible (and audible) nature of the accident, as well as the long delay between the explosion and the collision.
5. amirial — of or related to an amir or emir
We are fortunate that photographs of several amirial households are still extant, so that Nelson’s hypothesis can be definitively disproven, and the original pen box theory sustained.
6. vlei — [South Africa] lowland marsh or flat lake, often appearing only seasonally
The bull nosed hopefully through the parched earth of the vlei, but at this time of year not even moist dirt could be found.
7. stylobate — [architecture] top platform (usu. of three) of the crepidoma, foundation upon which main structure is built; course of masonry upon which columns are placed
In the Classical Period dilithic stylobates became the norm, however, being both more economical and easier to build with in difficult terrain, which of course was often the case atop the hills of Greece where most of these temples were sited.
8. attrit — to wear down or erode (usu. by physical action); [military] to lose troops by engagement with larger forces or firepower
The many marble steps have been attritted by continual use going back to the 10th Century, so the modern visitor must be careful not to stumble on the now uneven stairs.
9. buckshee — [UK slang] extra, free
The rajah didn’t know that Reggie’s gone all Buddhist and vegetarian so there’s a buckshee steak we can split if you come by tonight after dark.
10. forcemeat — ground or sieved meat mixed with fat and sometimes flavoring or vegetables for use in various recipes
The delicate texture of the Mousseline forcemeat derives from the cream and eggs used in its preparation.
Bonus Vocabulary
(geography)
Macaronesia — the four island groupings west of Gibraltar, consisting of the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde
Malvasia was originally grown in the Mediterranean and Macaronesia, but nowadays only Madeira wine acquires the ‘Malmsey’ label.