Friday Vocabulary

1. desultory — halfheartedly jumping from one subject to another, fitful, disconnected; lacking consistency, unmethodical, random Was it truly only my own prejudice which made me fear another hour’s desultory conversation with Howard, while I looked forward with eagerness to a delightfully discursive evening’s talk with his cousin?   2. baluster — (architecture) short pillar, …

Friday Vocabulary

1. gyniolatry — worship of women Perhaps Poul Anderson’s gyniolatry may seem to balance Philip K. Dick’s misogyny, though more likely both are perversions of the true view of relations between the sexes.   2. phenakistiscope — first device for viewing animated images, consisting of a revolving disc with distinct illustrations that appeared in motion …

Friday Vocabulary

1. pluviophile — lover of rain and rainy days As the storm subsided into a steady shower, Daniel looked out into the comforting grey sky and he realized how much he had missed rainy days, realized that he had always been a pluviophile, perhaps since he used to visit his grandfather in the little county …

Friday Vocabulary

1. descant — to comment or enlarge upon ‘Twould be so very easy to descant upon poodles, those paragons of puppyhood, most distinguished of dogs, those curly-haired canines at the peak of the pack.   2. oriflamme — banner of St. Denis, red with two or three points; ensign or standard serving as a rallying …