soigne, or soignee

dressed and groomed elegantly with great care: the sp. used when referring to a man is soigne

Breakfast, pg. 284 1973HC

[(6-25-05 8:34pm) The accent is, again, missing over the first 'e' in each of the two words.]

progenitor

1.) a forefather; ancester in direct line 2.) a source from which something develops; originator or precursor

Breakfast, pg. 270 1973HC

[(6-25-05 8:30pm) Sometimes I really wonder why I bother to look up words that I've deduced correctly from context and linguistics... but I do it anyway. Sheer bloody-mindedness, I think.]

solipsistic, from solipsism

1.) the theory that the self can be aware of nothing but its own experiences and states 2.) the theory that nothing exists or is real but the self

Breakfast, pg. 257 1973HC

nacre

MOTHER OF PEARL

Def. link from NACREOUS

nacreous

1.) of or like nacre 2.) yielding nacre 3.) iridescent; lustrous

Breakfast, pg. 225 1973HC

burnishing, from burnish

to make or become shiny by rubbing; polish

Breakfast, pg. 96 1973HC

goiters, from goiter

an enlargement of the thyroid gland, often visible as a swelling in the lower part of the front of the neck

Breakfast, pg. 4 1973HC

diplopod

MILLIPEDE

Conversation with Matt

This is not, in fact, a bird.

auspicious

1.) of good omen; boding well for the future; favorable; propituous 2.) favored by fortune; successful

Fifth E., pg. 310 AmHC

cogent

forceful and to the point, as a reason or argument; compelling; convincing

Fifth E., pg. 227 AmHC

salubrious

promoting health or welfare; healthful. wholesome, salutary, etc.

Fifth E., pg. 205 AmHC

fret saw

a saw with a narrow, fine-toothed blade in a U-shaped frame, for cutting curved patterns in thin boards or metal plates

Fifth E., pg. 134 AmHC

halberds, from halberd

a combination spear and battleaxe used in the 15th and 16th cent.

Fifth E., pg. 132 AmHC

punnet

a small, shallow basket, as for fruits and vegetables

Fifth E., pg. 93 AmHC

miasmic, from miasma

1.) a vapor rising as from marshes or decomposing animal or vegetable matter, formerly supposed to poison and infect the air, causing malaria, etc. 2.) an unwholesome or befogging atmosphere, influence, etc.

Fifth E., pg. 51 AmHC

semaphore

1.) any apparatus for signaling, as the arrangement of lights, flags, and mechanical arms on railroads 2.) a system of signaling by the use of two flags, one held in each hand: the letters of the alphabet are represented by various positions of the arms 3.) any system of signaling by semaphore

Fifth E., pg. 48 AmHC

verisimilar

seeming to be true or real; plausible; likely

from Dict., above verisimillitude

The roots mean "very + similar". I give up, this is the laziest word ever.

verisimillitude

1.) the appearance of being true or real 2.) something having the mere appearance of being true or real

Fifth E., pg. 20 AmHC

elan

spirited self-assurance; verve; dash; enthusiasm

Fifth E., pg. 5 AmHC

[(6-25-05 8:11pm) This is missing the accent over the 'e'. I don't know how to do that here.]

pulmotor

an apparatus used in applying artificial respiration by forcing oxygen into the lungs

Monkey House, pg. 233 1968HC

bivouacked, from bivouac

1.) [Archaic] a night guard to avoid surprise attack 2.) a temporary encampment (esp. of soldiers) in the open, with only tents or improvised shelter

Monkey House, pg. 181 1968HC

ordnance

1.) cannon or artillery 2.) all military weapons together with ammunition, combat vehicles, etc., and the equipment and supplies used in servicing these 3.) military branch or unit that orders, stores, and supplies ordnance

Monkey House, pg. 167 1968HC

truncheon

1.) [Obs.] a short, thick club; cudgel 2.) any staff or baton used as a symbol of authority 3.) [Chiefly Brit.] a policeman's stick or billy 4.) [Obs.] the shaft of a spear 5.) [Obs.] a trunk or stem, esp. one with the branches lopped off

Monkey House, pg. 141 1968HC

I knew this one, just trying to place it in context. Note to self: this rhymes enticingly with "luncheon".

scup

a brown-and-white porgy (Stenotomus chrysops) found along the N Atlantic coast of the U.S.

Monkey House, pg. 140 1968HC

veranda

an open porch or portico, usually roofed, along the outside of a building

Monkey House, pg. 137 1968HC

A Yankee porch, then?
[(6-25-05 7:56pm) Sometimes I look up words, just because I don't understand why the simpler one wasn't used. As I suspected, there is no significant technical difference here.
Then again, sometimes I look up words, just for the sheer joy of looking them up.]

Lochinvar

the hero of a ballad in Scott's Marnicon, who boldly rides off with his sweeheart just as she is about to be married to another

Monkey House, pg. 117 1968HC

recluse

shut away from the world; secluded; solitary

Logomachy with Matt

He won, but I proved my point.

hermit

1.) a person who lives alone in a lonely or secluded spot, often from religious motives; recluse 2.) a spiced cookie made with nuts and raisins

Logomachy with Matt

He won.

euphonious

characterized by euphony; having a pleasant sound; harmonious

Monkey House, pg. 108 1968HC

parvenus, from parvenu

a person who has suddenly acquired wealth or power, esp. one who is not fully accepted socially by the class associated with the higher position; upstart

Monkey House, pg. 108 1968HC

logomachy

strife or contention in words only, or an argument about words

Monkey House, pg. 108 1968HC

Useful word!

descriptive

describing; of or characterized by description; specif. a) designating or of a branch of a science in which its data or materials are described and classified [descriptive anatomy] b) Gram. designating an adjective that indicates a quality or condition of the person or thing named by the word it modifies

Monkey House, pg. 108 1968HC

This is truly a labor of love. Only Kurt Vonnegut can make me come close to regretting my project.

prescriptive

1.) that prescribes 2.) based on legal prescription 3.) prescribed by custom or long use

Monkey House, pg. 108 1968HC

trammel

1.) a) a fishing net consisting of two outer layers of coarse mesh and a loosely hung middle layer of fine mesh b) a fowling net: also trammel net 2.) a king of shackle for a horse, esp. one to teach ambling 3.) [usually pl.] something that confines, restrains, or shackles 4.) a device with links or openings at different heights for hanging a pothook in a fireplace 5.) an instrument for drawing ellipses 6.) any of several devices for adjusting or aligning parts of a machine

Monkey House, pg. 107 1968HC

CURSE YOU, KURT VONNEGUT! A POX UPON YOUR ESSAY ABOUT DICTIONARIES, AND A PLAGUE ON MY OWN CURIOSITY AND BLOODY-MINDEDNESS!
[(6-23-05 1:54pm) Please keep in mind that all of this is hand-written first. The last three words came from one sentence, in which Vonnegut listed words he'd looked up in his dictionary. I could have cheated and pretended I knew them all, but I didn't. Dammit.]

dugong

any of a genus (Dugong) of large tropical sirenian mammals that live along the shores of the Indian Ocean and feed mostly on seaweed

Monkey House, pg. 107 1968HC

arbalest

a medieval crossbow consisting of a steel bow set crosswise in a wooden shaft with a mechanism to bend the bow: it propelled arrows, balls, or stones: also arbalist

Monkey House, pg. 107 1968HC

pejorative

1.) declining; making or becoming worse: applied to words whose basic meaning has changed for the worse (Ex.: knave, cretin) 2.) disparaging or derogatory

Monkey House, pg. 106 1968HC

leviathan

1.) Bible a sea monster, variously thought of as a reptile or a whale 2.) anything huge or very powerful

Monkey House, pg. 106 1968HC

I didn't know the second.

turpitude

1.) baseness; vileness; depravity 2.) an instance of this

Monkey House, pg. 65 1968HC

A fun word to say, I'd forgotten whether it was good or bad.

dint

1.) force; exertion; now chiefly in by dint of 2.) a dent 3.) [Archaic] a blow

Monkey House, pg. 53 1968HC

One of those words I used appropriately, both in time and contextually, that I wished to know a bit more about.

colonnade

Archit. a series of columns set at regular intervals, usually supporting a roof or series of arches

Monkey House, pg. 49 1968HC

colonnade

Archit. a series of columns set at regular intervals, usually supporting a roof or series of arches

Monkey House, pg. 49 1968HC

seraglio

1.) the part of a Muslim household where wives or concubines live; harem 2.) the palace of a Turkish sultan

Monkey House, pg. 41 1968HC

geodesic

1.) GEODETIC (sense 1) 2.) a) designating the shortest surface line between two points on a surface, esp. a curved surface b) of or pertaining to the geometry of such lines 3.) Archit. having a structurally strong suface made up of short, straight, lightweight bars that form a grid of polygons [geodesic dome]

Monkey House, pg. 37 1968HC

drupe

any fruit with a soft, fleshy part (mesocarp) covered by a skin-like outer layer (exocarp, or epicarp) and surrounding an inner stone (endocarp) that contains the seed, as an apricot, cherry, plum, etc.

Def. link from DRUPELET

drupelet

a small drupe: a single blackberry consists of many drupelets

Monkey House, pg. 27 1968HC

chockablock

1.) Naut. a) pulled so tight as to have the blocks touching (said of a hoisting tackle) b) hoisted all the way up, as a signal flag 2.) crowded or jammed

Monkey House, pg. 4 1968HC

halophangasmic

"a synonym for candescent but not as lazy as incandescent, also used as a random adjective"

Maura's new word

[(6-23-05 1:07pm) Would this be on the same level as fanfiction for my blog? A new word created in reaction to one I've brought to light, pardon the pun. Has potential, I believe.]

raddled, from raddle (1)

INTERWEAVE (sense 1)

Thicker, pg. 65 AmHC

pulchritudinous, from pulchritude

physical beauty

Thicker, pg. 12 AmHC

chunter

[Brit.] 1.) to mutter or murmur 2.) to make a low, rumbling noise

Random flip-find

larrikin

[Slang, Chiefly Austral.] a hoodlum or rowdy, esp. a young one

Last Cont., pg. 192 AmHC

larrikin

[Slang, Chiefly Austral.] a hoodlum or rowdy, esp. a young one

Last Cont., pg. 192 AmHC

macerated, from macerate

1.) to soften and break down into component parts by soaking in liuid for some tie; specif., to soften and break down (food) in the digestive system 2.) to steep (fruit or vegetables) as in wine or liquor 3.) loosely, to break, tear, chop, etc. into bits 4.) to cause to waste away or grow thin

Last Cont., pg. 191 AmHC

brachiate

having widely spreading branches, alternately arranged --vi. to swing arm over arm from one hold to the next, as certain apes and monkeys do

Last Cont., pg. 165 AmHC

venire

1.) short for VENIRE FACIAS 2.) a list or group of people from among whom a jury or juries will be selected

Random flip-find

veldt

in S&E Africa, open grassy country, with few bushes and almost no trees; grassland

Last Cont., pg. 156 AmHC

midden (1)

[Brit.] a dunghill or refuse heap 2.) short for KITCHEN MIDDEN

Last Cont., pg. 123 AmHC

imputation, from impute

1.) to attribute (esp. a fault or misconduct) to another; charge with; ascribe 2.) Theol. to ascribe ( goodness or guilt) to a person as coming from another

Last Cont., pg. 115 AmHC

coracles, from coracle

a short, roundish boat made of animals skins or canvas water-proofed and stretched over a wicker or wooden frame

Last Cont., pg. 109 AmHC

winkle (2)

[Informal] to pry or rout from cover, secrecy, etc. : with out, out of

from Dict., below winkle(1)

winkles, from winkle(1)

1.) short for PERIWINKLE 2.) any of various gastropod mollusks that are very destructive to oysters and clams

Last Cont., pg. 29 AmHC

girt

1.) to gird; girdle 2.) to fasten with a girth 3.) to measure the girth of

Last Cont., pg. 28 AmHC

egregious

1.) [Archaic] remarkable 2.) outstanding for undesirable qualities; remarkably bad; flagrant

Last Cont., pg. 25 AmHC

Only because I have a book titled, "I Always Look Up The Word 'Egregious'."

antimacassar

a small cover on the back or arms of a chair, sofa, etc. to prevent soiling

Last Cont., pg. 7 AmHC

I was uncertain as to this until I read that its roots are from anti + a kind of hair oil, and then I recalled the flappy bits.

castors, from castor

1.) [Rare] a beaver 2.) a sexual gland of the beaver containing a strong-smelling, oily substance used as a scent in trapping and in making perfumes: also castoreum 3.) a hat of beaver or rabbit fur

Last Cont., pg. 7 AmHC

lee

1.) shelter; protection 2.) a sheltered place, esp one on that side of anything away from the wind 3.) Naut. the side or direction away from the wind

Last Cont., pg. 2 AmHC

Number one: I was thinking "lea," a meadow, which didn't make sense in context. Two: the second definition strikes me as ridiculously funny.

proctor

1.) a person employed to manage the affairs of another; agent; attorney 2.) a person who supervises or monitors students, as at an examination

Last Cont., pg. 2 AmHC

mendacious

not truthful; lying or false

Just Ella, pg. 45 HC

inamorata

a woman in relation to the person who loves her; sweetheart or lover

Random flip-find

intaglio

1.) a design or figure carved, incised, or engraved into a hard material so that it is below the surface 2.) something, as a gem or stone, ornamented with such a design or figure: opposed to CAMEO 3.) the art or process of making such designs or figures 4.) a method of printing from a plate on which incised lines, which carry the ink, leave a raised impression 5.) a die cut to produce a design in relief

Random flip-find

globigerina ooze

a fine, deep-sea sediment covering approximately one-third of the ocean floors at depths usually between 2000 and 4000m (6560 and 13120 ft) consisting predominantly of the empty, calcareous shells of a genus (Globigerina) of planktonic foraminifera

Random flip-find

contention

1.) the act of contending; strife, struggle, controversy, dispute, quarrel, etc. 2.) a statement or point that one argues for as true or valid

Rats Saw God, pg. 84 HC

hacienda

in Spanish America, a) a large estate, ranch, or plantation b) the main dwelling on any of these

Rats Saw God, pg. 81 HC

catechized, from catechize

1.) to teach, esp. in the principles of religion, by the method of questions and answers 2.) to question searchingly or fully

Rats Saw God, pg. 78 HC

It was the verb tense that tripped me up.

bantam

1.) any of various small, domestic fowls 2.) a small but aggressive person

Rats Saw God, pg. 71 HC

I knew there was a reason I thought "rooster."

torpid

1.) a) having lost temporarily all or part of the power of sensation or motion, as a hibernating animal; dormant b) sluggish in functioning 2.) slow and dull; apathetic

Rats Saw God, pg. 59 HC

incommodious

1.) causing inconvenience; uncomfortable; troublesome 2.) inconveniently small, narrow, etc.

Rats Saw God, pg. 55 HC

glutted, from glut

to eat like a glutton; overindulge --vt. 1.) to feed, fill, supply, etc. to excess; surfeit 2.) to flood (the market) with certain goods so that the supply is greater than the demand --n. 1.) a glutting or being glutted 2.) a supply of certain goods that is greater than the demand

Rats Saw God, pg. 54 HC

I knew the meaning of this one, technically, because I knew glutton. Is there any word that sounds as appropriate to what it means? You can hear the gristle dripping off of this one.

extruded, from extrude

1.) to push or force out; expel 2.) to force (metal, plastic, etc.) through a die or very small holes to give it a certain shape

from Deadlands with Greg

Is spaghetti said to be extruded, amongst the more technically precise pasta chefs?

oviparous

1.) producing eggs that develop and hatch after leaving the body of the female

Rats Saw God, pg. 11 HC

petrichor

The pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.

from IM with Kimi

Not actually in the dictionary, this is the definition given to Kimi by a drunken Adam.
[(6-20-05) I found the definition of it here, although it's not in the hard-copy dictionary or on dictionary.com.]

sodality

1.) fellowship; companionship 2.) an association or brotherhood 3.) R.C. Church a lay society for devotional or charitable activity

Gypsyworld, pg. 18 HC

diaphane, def. from root of diaphanous

transparent (from diaphanes)

Ulysses, pg. 38 1946AmHC

[(6-18-05) That's a long 'e' in diaphanes.]

modality

1.) the fact, state, or quality of being modal 2.) a special attribute, emphasis, etc. that marks certain individuals, things, groups, etc. 3.) Logic the qualification in a proposition that indicates that what is affirmed or denied is possible, impossible, necessary, contingent, etc. 4. Med. a) the employment of, or the method of employment of, a therapeutic agent b) a specific sensory channel, as vision or hearing

Ulysses, pg. 38 1946AmHC

ineluctable

not to be avoided or escaped; certain; inevitable

Ulysses, pg. 38 1946AmHC

inveigled, from inveigle

to lead on with deception; entice or trick into doing or giving something, going somewhere, etc.

Jingo, pg. 310 AmHC

unguent

a salve or ointment

Bastardized word- Jingo, pg. 300 AmHC (see previous)

ungulate

1.) having hoofs; of or belonging to a former group of all mammals having hoofs 2.) shaped like a hoof

Bastardized word- Jingo, pg. 300 AmHC

adjutant

1.) an assistant 2.) Mil. a staff officer who serves as an administrative assistant to the commanding officer 3.) a) a very large stork (Leptoptilos dubius) about 1.5m (5ft) tall, of India and SE Asia, with a bare head and neck and a large, thick bill b) a similar but small stork (L. javanicus) found in the same countries (see MARABOU [!])

Jingo, pg. 273 AmHC

nautch

in India, a performance by professional dancing girls

Jingo, pg. 230 AmHC

hegira

1.) [often H-] Mohammed's flight from Mecca to Medina in 622AD; the Muslim era dates from this 2.) a trip or journey, esp. one made to escape a dangerous or undesirable situation

from Dict., below hegemony

The song, Heijira... who was that by, again? I think it's on the 80's CD.
[(6-18-05) Joni Mitchell. Also a great song, I recommend it.]

hegemony

leadership or dominance, esp. that of one state or nation over others

Jingo, pg. 215 AmHC

eudaemonia

happiness or well-being; specif., in Aristotle's philosophy, happiness or well-being, the main universal goal, distinct from pleasure and derived from a life activity governed by reason

from Dict., same page as etiology

I knew I recognized the word from Ethics/Values. I still think ataraxia is prettier.

etiology

1.) the assignment of a cause, or the cause assigned 2.) the science of causes or origins 3.) a) the science of causes or origins of disease b) the causes of a specific disease

from Dict., below etiolate

Oddly enough, these two words do not share a language of origin, let alone similar roots. The former is French, the latter is Greek.

etiolate

1.) to cause to be pale and unhealthy 2.) to deprive of strength; weaken 3.) Bot. to blanch or bleach by depriving of sunlight

Bastardized word- Jingo, pg. 198 AmHC

incumbent

1.) lying, resting, or pressing with its weight on something else 2.) currently in office

Linguistic follow-up

Same root as previous. Funny, how a person already in office is almost synonymous with idle.

recumbent

1.) a) lying down; reclining; leaning b)resting; idle 2.) Biol. designating a part that leans or lies upon some other part or surface

Jingo, pg. 197 AmHC

From re-, back + cumbere/cubare, lie down.

equerry

1.) [Historical] an officer in charge of the horses of a royal or noble household 2.) an officer who is a personal attendant on some member of a royal family

Jingo, pg. 147 AmHC

depredation

the act or an instance of robbing, plundering, or laying waste

Jingo, pg. 11 AmHC

Bethune, Mary McLeod

1875-1955; U.S. educator

Question from Matt

leman

[Archaic] a sweetheart or lover (man or woman); esp., a mistress

Ulysses, pg. 35 1946AmHC

maladroit

awkward; clumsy; bungling

Ulysses, pg. 35 1946AmHC

Fenian

1.) any of a group of legendary military heroes or ancient Ireland 2.) a member of a secret revolutionary movement formed in New York and Ireland to free Ireland from English rule: the movement was most active in the 1860s and continued until WWI

Ulysses, pg. 32 1946AmHC

I think Joyce uses the term here generally, to mean one sympathetic to Ireland and antipathetic to England--it's not an accusation of membership. Perhaps also just an Irishman who dislikes England [(6-18-05) i.e. All of them]-- Mr. Deasy calls himself a Tory.

abraded, from abrade

to scrape or rub off; wear away by scraping or rubbing

Ulysses, pg. 30 1946AmHC

rapine

the act of seizing and carrying off by force others' property; plunder; pillage

Ulysses, pg. 29 1946 AmHC

heath

1.) a tract of open wasteland, esp. in the British Isles, covered with heather, low shrubs, etc. ; moor 2.) any plant of the heat family; esp. any of the various shrubs and plants (genera Erica and Calluna) that grown on heaths, as heather

Ulysses, pg. 28 1946AmHC

Always read it, never looked it up for a fuller picture. Wasteland, not a meadow or something.

craven

very cowardly; abjectly afraid

Ulysses, pg. 27 1946AmHC

Hm. I always associated it with gory and dark, underworld-ly. Must be Wes Craven's influence.

in- (2)

prefix no, not, without, non- ; it becomes il- before l; im- before b, m, or p; and ir- before r

Linguistic question

Intensified before Latin origin: candescent, flammable. Negative otherwise: mobile, gratitude... wait a minute. Not always true. Damn. Examples don't hold--no simple rule. Guess I'll stick to the dictionary.

in- (1)

prefix in, into, within, on, toward: also used as an intensifier in some words of Latin origin; it becomes il- before l; im- before b, m, or p; and ir- before r

Linguistic question

candescent

[Rare] glowing with intense heat; incandescent

Ulysses, pg. 27 1946AmHC

candescent:incandescent::flammable:inflammable

zeppelin

any rigid airship: commonly used from 1900-1937

Lauren's spelling question

immiscible

that cannot be mixed, as oil and water

Def. link from EMULSION

heresiarch

the founder or head of a heresy or heretical sect

Ulysses, pg. 22 1946AmHC

ferrule

1.) a metal ring or cap put around the end of a cane, tool handle, etc. to prevent splitting or to give added strength 2.) Mech. a short tube or bushing for tightening a joing

Ulysses, pg. 21 1946AmHC

"agenbite of inwit"

[...phrase revived by James Joyce (1922) in Ulysses] remorse of conscience

Ulysses, pg. 16 1946AmHC

shrive

[Archaic] 1.) to hear the confession of and absolve 2.) to get absolution for oneself by confessing --vi. [Archaic] 1.) to make one's confession 2.) to hear confessions

Ulysses, pg. 16 1946AmHC

kine

[Archaic] cows; cattle

Ulysses, pg. 15 1946AmHC

dugs (2)

a female animal's nipple, teat, or udder: sometimes used, vulgarly or contemptuously, of a woman's breast

Ulysses, pg. 15 1946AmHC

prepuces

1.) FORESKIN 2.) a fold of skin over the end of the clitoris

Ulysses, pg. 15 1946AmHC

finical, from fincky

too particular or exacting; overly dainty or fastidious; fussy

Ulysses, pg. 15 1946AmHC

ao dai

[[Vietnamese]] the traditional costume of Vietnamese women, consisting of a long, high-necked, close-fitting tunic split along the sides from waist to hem: it is worn over loose-fitting trousers

Random flip-find

barbicans

a defensive tower or similar fortification at a gate or bridge leading into a town or castle

Ulysses, pg. 13 1946AmHC

sartorial

1.) of tailors and their work 2.) of clothing and dress, esp. men's

Sheer curiosity

Sassenach

an English person or Lowlander: term used, often disparagingly, by the Irish and Scots

Ulysses, pg. 11 1946AmHC

debagged, from debag

[Brit. Slang] to remove the trousers from (someone) by force, usually as a prank

Ulysses, pg. 9 1946AmHC

purfle

1.) to decorate the border of 2.) to adorn or edge with metallic thread, beads, lace, etc. --n. an ornamental border or trimming, as the inlaid border of a violin: also pur' - fling

from Dict., above purgative

purgative

1.) that purges; purging 2.) causing bowel movement --n. a substance that purges; specif., a cathartic

Def. link from JALAP

jalap

1.) the dried root of a Mexican vine (Ipomoea purga) of the morning-glory family, formerly used as a purgative 2.) a resin obtained from this root 3.) the plant bearing this root 4.) any of several other plants with similar roots

Ulysses, pg. 9 1946AmHC

lancet

1.) a small, pointed surgical knife, usually two-edged, used for making small incisions, skin punctures, etc. 2.) a) LANCET ARCH b) LANCET WINDOW

Ulysses, pg. 8 1946AmHC

[(6-18-05) This differs from the hard-copy, because I believe I made some errors in recording. This should be the corrected version, but I will rectify both copies, if need be, when my dictionary is closer at hand.]

skivvy (2)

[Brit.] HOUSEMAID: a contemptuous term

Ulysses, pg. 8 1946 AmHC

[(6-18-05) This was a term I was familiar with, used in an unfamiliar context. I think men's undershirts or undergarments, which is the primary definition... more technically worded, I am sure.]

palps, from palpus

1.) a joined organ or feeler for touching or tasting, attached to one of the head appendages of insects, lobsters, etc. 2.) a fleshy, sensory structure in the oral region of some polychaete worms

Ulysses, pg. 8 1946AmHC

hyperborean

1.) of the far north 2.) very cold; frigid 3.) [H-] of the Hyperboreans --n. 1. ) [H-] Gr. Myth. an inhabitant of a northern region of sunshine and everlasting spring, beyond the north wind 2.) a person of a far northern region

Ulysses, pg. 7 1946AmHC

jejune

1.) not nourishing; barren 2.) not interesting or satisfying; dull or empty 3.) [[? by confusion with JUVENILE]] not mature; childish

untonsured, from tonsure

1.) a clipping off or shaving off of part or all of the hair of the head, done esp. formerly as a signal of entrance into the clerical or monastic state 2.) the head area so clipped or shaved

Ulysses, pg. 5 1946AmHC

Chrysostomos, from Chrysostom, Saint John

Gr. church father: archbishop of Constantinople (398-404): his day is Sept. 13

Ulysses, pg. 5 1946AmHC

corpuscle

1.) a very small particle 2.)Anat. a protoplasmic particle or cell with a special function; esp. any of the erythrocytes (red corpuscles) or leukocytes (white corpuscles) that float in the blood, lymph, etc. of vertebrates

Ulysses, pg. 5 1946AmHC

emetic

causing vomiting

Foreword to Ulysses, pg. xiv 1946AmHC

penumbral, from penumbra

1.) the partly lighted area surrounding the complete shadow (unbra) of a body, as the moon, during an eclipse 2.) the less dark regioun surrounding the dark central area of a sunspot 3.) a vague, indefinite, or borderline area

Foreword to Ulysses, pg. xi 1946AmHC

palimpsest

a parchment, tablet, etc. that has been written upon or inscribed two or three times, the previous text or texts having been imperfectly erased and remaining, therefore, still visible

Foreword to Ulysses, pg. xi 1946 AmHC

orrery

a mechanical apparatus which illustrates with balls of various sizes the relative motions and positions of the earth, moon, sun, etc.

Soul Music, pg. 123 AmHC

saturnine

1.) Astrol. born under the influence of the planet Saturn 2.) sluggish, morose, or taciturn 3.) [[ ML Saturnus, alchemists' term for lead, which they considered to be very cold, like the planet]] having lead poisoning

Shelly, "word-of-the-day" conversation

eurythmics

the art of performing various bodily movements in rhythm, usually to musical accompniment

Soul Music, pg. 53 AmHC

perspicacious

1.) having keen judgment or understanding; acutely perceptive 2.) [Archaic] having keen vision

Soul Music, pg. 47 AmHC

chelonian

of, like, or being a turtle

Light Fan pg. 135 Brit HC

houri

1.) in Muslim belief, any of the beautiful nymphs of the Muslim paradise 2.) a seductively beautiful woman

Light Fan, pg. 104 Brit HC

weir

1.) a low dam built in a river to back up or divert water, as for a mill; milldam 2.) a fence, as of brushwood or stakes, built in a stream, channel, etc., for catching fish 3.) an obstruction placed in a stream, diverting the water through a prepared aperture for measuring the rate of flow

Light Fan, pg 97 Brit HC

yurt

a circular tent of felt or skins on a framework of poles, used by nomads of Mongolia [(or Discworld)]

Light Fan, pg. 81 Brit HC

venial

1.) that may be forgiven; pardonable 2.) that may be excused or overlooked; excusable 3.) Theol. not causing a spiritual death: said of sin either not serious in itself or, if serious, not adequately recognized as such or not committed with full consent of one's will

Light Fan, pg. 64 Brit HC

Again, not full in keeping, but moreso than the previous, and at least stretchable, in context. Check other/later versions, perhaps. May switch to "genial but ignorant."

nascent

1.) coming into being; being born 2.) beginning to form, start, grow, or develop: said of ideas, cultures, etc. 3.) Chem. designating or of the state of an element just released from a compound and having unusual chemical activity because atoms of the element have not combined to form molecules

Light Fan pg. 60 Brit HC

I don't know if that word is entirely correct contextually, but I'm more willing to trust this kind of usage from Terry Pratchett, than Martin Malone. I knew it had something to do with birth, though.

preternatural

1.) differing from or beyond what is normally found in or expected from natural; abnormal 2.) SUPERNATURAL

Def. link from UNCANNY

uncial

designating or of a form of large, rounded letter used in the script of Greek and Lating manuscripts between AD 300 and 900

from Dict., same page as prior

uncanny

1.) mysterious or unfamiliar, esp. in such a way as to frighten or make uneasy; preternaturally strange; eerie, weird 2.) so remarkable, acute, etc. as to seem preternatural

Linguistic follow-up

The two are obviously related, but not exactly opposites. Uncanny.

canny

1.) careful and shrewd in one's actions and dealings; clever and cautious 2.) careful with money; thrifty 3.) [Scot.] careful in action; gentle; easy; quiet 4.) [Brit. Dial.] good; nice; fine

Sheer curiosity

mycological, from mycology

1.) the branch of biology dealing with fungi 2.) all the fungi of a region

[Light Fan, pg. 20 Brit HC]

dogend

cigarette butt

Light Fan, pg 16 Brit HC

This term is British slang, not found in Webster's College Dictionary. Finally found on a martial arts messageboard discussion about British slang. (http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10675&page=2)

gnomon

1.) a column or pin on a sundial, etc. that casts a shadow indicating the time of day 2.) the part of a parallelogram remaining after a similar, smaller parallelogram has been taken from one of its corners

Light Fan, pg. 15 Brit HC

Neat! But why is there a word for it?
[In the hard-copy, there is a small sketch of the second definition.]

redolent

1.) sweet-smelling; fragrant 2.) smelling (of) 3.) suggestive or evocative (of)

Linguistic follow-up

No--redolent comes from Latin olere - to smell.

indolent

1.) disliking or avoiding work; idle; lazy 2.) Med. a) causing little or no pain b) slow to heal c) inactive or slowly developing

Broken Cedar, pg. 223 PB

A note on the roots of that word: from Latin dolere - to feel pain. Like doleful, or dolor (sorrow) in Italian. Curious, the "lazy" definition. Also, redolent--doesn't that mean rife with, or pervading? Like incense...

extirpate

1.) to pull up by the roots, root out 2.) to destroy or remove completely; exterminate; abolish

Random flip-find

emulsion

a stable colloidal suspension, as milk, consisting of an immiscible liquid dispersed and held in another liquid by substances called emulsifiers; specif. a) Pharmacy such a suspension used as a vehicle for medication b) Photog. a suspension of salt of silver, platinum, etc. in gelatin or collodion, used to coat plates, film, and paper

Broken Cedar, pg. 222 PB

Another word that doesn't quite make sense. Does it smell like milk? Like a dark room? Like medicine? What?

soughing, from sough (?)

a soft, low, murmuring, sighing, or rustling sound

Broken Cedar, pg. 181 PB

At first I just overlooked this word, but when I re-read the paragraph later, I had to look it up. Yet another word that does not make sense in any context. The root is a noun. Maybe the author's making poetic flourishes... or he's just trying to sound smart.
[Then again, my dictionary could have excluding some meanings... perhaps to make such a sound. Nonetheless, the word does not make sense in context. "...winds capable of soughing screws from the hinges of a man's mind." (6-15-05)]

cenotaph

a monument or empty tomb honoring a person or persons whose remains are elsewhere

Broken Cedar, pg. 170 PB

plangent

1.) beating with a loud or deep sound, as breaking waves, etc. 2.) loud or resonant, and, often, mournful-sounding

Already here [hard-copy]

facetious

joking or trying to be jocular, esp. at an inappropriate time

because of a question from Matt

sinecure

1.) a church benefice not involving the care of souls 2.) any office or position providing an income or other advantage but requiring little or no work

Broken Cedar, pg. 44 PB

ataxia (or ataxic)

Perhaps the author meant:

total or partial inability to coordinate voluntary bodily movements, as in walking

from Dict., below atavism

ataraxia

calmness of the mind and emotions; tranquility

from Dict., above atavism

atavistic, from atavism

1.) appearance in an individual of some characteristic found in a remote ancestor but not in nearer ancestors 2.) a. such a characteristic b. an individual with such a characteristic

Broken Cedar, pg. 24 PB

This word does not appear to make sense in the context of the sentence, or the paragraph. Curious.

prosector

a person skilled in dissection who prepares subjects for anatomical demonstration

Am Gods, pg. 482 AmPB

frisson

a shudder or shiver of excitement, fear, or pleasure

Am Gods, pg. 480 Am PB

perquisite

1.) something additional to regular profit or pay, resulting from one's position or employment; esp. something customary or expected 2.) a tip or gratuity 3.) a privilege or benefit to which a person, institution, etc. is entitled by virtue of status, position, or the like; prerogative; right

Am Gods, pg. 327 AmPB

PERK. Not having read the entire entry, it sent me searching for prerequisite, because I'd been inspired to find the word mispronounced on the same terms as those two, which are not often mistaken. To thesaurus under "right," prerogative, often pronounced (incorrectly, as stated before, much to my annoyance) as "per-rogative." Had I read the entire dictionary entry, I would have found it.

[Further note, outside of the written version, for those reading: If that didn't make sense, merely think of it this way, which is how I saw it:
perquisite:prerequisite::per-rogative:prerogative
My mental discord came from the fact that the "per-rogative" is an all-too-common mispronunciation. The phonetic similarities triggered my search.]