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deciduous
(dĭ-sĭj′o͞o-əs)
adj.
- Shedding or losing foliage at the end of the growing season: deciduous trees.
- Falling off or shed at a specific season or stage of growth: deciduous antlers; deciduous leaves.
- Of or relating to the primary teeth.
[From Latin dēciduus, from dēcidere, to fall off : dē-, de- + cadere, to fall; see kad- in Indo-European roots.]
de·cid′u·ous·ly adv.
de·cid′u·ous·ness n.
silica
(sĭl′ĭ-kə)
n. A white or colorless crystalline compound, SiO2, occurring abundantly as quartz, sand, flint, agate, and many other minerals and used to manufacture a wide variety of materials, especially glass and concrete.
[New Latin, from Latin silex, silic-, hard stone, flint.]
Molly Bloom
Molly Bloom is a fictional character in the novel Ulysses by James Joyce. The wife of main character Leopold Bloom, she roughly corresponds to Penelope in the Odyssey. The major difference between Molly and Penelope is that while Penelope is eternally faithful, Molly is not. Molly is having an affair with Hugh ‘Blazes’ Boylan after ten years of her celibacy within the marriage. Molly, whose given name is Marion, was born in Gibraltar in 1870, the daughter of Major Tweedy, an Irish military officer, and Lunita Laredo, a Gibraltarian of Spanish Jewish descent. Molly and Leopold were married in 1888. She is the mother of Milly Bloom, who, at the age of 15, has left home to study photography. She is also the mother of Rudy Bloom, who died at the age of 11 days. In Dublin, Molly is an opera singer of some renown.
The final chapter of Ulysses, often called “Molly Bloom’s Soliloquy”, is a long and unpunctuated stream of consciousness passage comprising her thoughts as she lies in bed next to Bloom.
bracken
n.
- A fern (Pteridium aquilinum) found worldwide, with large, triangular fronds usually divided into three parts.
- An area with dense thickets of this fern.
welter / weltering
n.
- A confused mass; a jumble: a welter of papers and magazines.
- Confusion; turmoil.
intr. v. wel·tered, wel·ter·ing, wel·ters
1. To wallow, roll, or toss about, as in mud or high seas.
2. To lie soaked in a liquid.
3. To roll and surge, as the sea.
[From Middle English welteren, to toss about, as in high seas, from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch, to roll; see wel- in Indo-European roots.]
barbiturate
(bär-bĭch′ər-ĭt, -ə-rāt′, bär-bĭch′ə-wĭt)
n. Any of a group of barbituric acid derivatives that act as central nervous system depressants and are used as sedatives or hypnotics.
transmogrify
(trăns-mŏg′rə-fī′, trănz-)
v. trans·mog·ri·fied, trans·mog·ri·fy·ing, trans·mog·ri·fies
v.tr.
To change thoroughly, as into a different shape or form. See Synonyms at convert.
v. To be thoroughly changed: “He couldn’t figure out why his simple desires for competence and order so often seemed to transmogrify into anger”
trans·mog′ri·fi·ca′tion (-fĭ-kā′shən) n.
pupa
(pyo͞o′pə)
n. pl. pu·pae (-pē) or pu·pas
An insect in the nonfeeding stage between the larva and adult, during which it typically undergoes complete transformation within aprotective cocoon or hardened case. Only insects that undergo complete metamorphosis have pupal stages.
gunmetal
n.
- An alloy of copper with 10 percent tin.
- Metal used for guns.
- A dark gray.
gun′met′al adj.
sarcophagus
n. pl. sar·coph·a·gi (-jī′) or sar·coph·a·gus·es
A stone coffin, often inscribed or decorated with sculpture.
[Latin, from Greek sarkophagos, coffin, from (lithos) sarkophagos, limestone that consumed the flesh of corpses laid in it : sarx, sark-, flesh + -phagos, -phagous.]
Word History: Sarcophagus, our term for a stone coffin located above ground, has a macabre origin befitting a macabre thing. Its ultimate source is the Greek word sarkophagos, “eating flesh, carnivorous,” a compound derived from sarx, “flesh,” and phagein, “to eat.” Sarkophagos was also used in the phrase lithos (“stone”) sarkophagos to denote a kind of limestone with caustic properties from which coffins were made in the ancient world. The Roman natural historian Pliny the Elder says that this stone was quarried near the town of Assos in the Troad and describes its remarkable properties as follows: “It is well known that the bodies of the dead placed in it will be completely consumed after forty days, except for the teeth.” The Greek term sarkophagos could also be used by itself as a noun to mean simply “coffin.” Greek sarkophagos was borrowed into Latin as sarcophagus and used in the phrase lapis (“stone”) sarcophagus to refer to the same stone as in Greek. In Latin, too, sarcophagus came to be used as a noun meaning “coffin made of any material.” The first known attestation of the word sarcophagus in English dates from 1601 and occurs in a translation of Pliny’s description of the stone. Later, sarcophagus begins to be used in English with the meaning “stone coffin,” especially in descriptions of sarcophagi from antiquity.
concertina
n. A small instrument with bellows like an accordion but with buttons in place of keys.
[concert + Italian -ina, feminine diminutive suff.]
evince
(ĭ-vĭns′)
tr.v. e·vinced, e·vinc·ing, e·vinc·es
To show or demonstrate clearly; manifest: evince distaste by grimacing.
martinet
(mär′tn-ĕt′)
n.
- A rigid military disciplinarian.
- One who demands absolute adherence to forms and rules.
tortuous
(tôr′cho͞o-əs)
adj.
- Having or marked by repeated turns or bends; winding or twisting: a tortuous road through the mountains.
- Not straightforward; circuitous; devious: a tortuous plot; tortuous reasoning.
- Highly involved; complex: tortuous legal procedures.
[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin tortuōsus, from tortus, a twisting, from past participle of torquēre, to twist; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
tor′tu·ous·ly adv.
tor′tu·ous·ness n.
Usage Note: Although tortuous and torturous both come from the Latin word torquēre, “to twist,” their primary meanings are distinct. Tortuous means “twisting” (a tortuous road) or by extension “complex” or “devious.” Torturous refers primarily to torture and the pain associated with it. However, torturous also can be used in the sense of “twisted, strained, belabored” and tortured is an even stronger synonym: a tortured analogy.
bivouac
(bĭv′o͞o-ăk′, bĭv′wăk′)
n. , v. -acked, -ack•ing. n.
1. a military encampment made with tents.
2. the place used for such an encampment.
3. to assemble in a bivouac.
oncology
n.
The branch of medicine that deals with tumors, including study of their development, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
[Greek onkos, mass, tumor; see nek- in Indo-European roots + -logy.]
on′co·log′i·cal (-kə-lŏj′ĭ-kəl), on′co·log′ic (-lŏj′ĭk) adj.
on·col′o·gist n.
Choronzon
Choronzon /ˌkoʊˌroʊnˈzoʊn/ is a demon or devil that originated in writing with the 16th century occultists Edward Kelley and John Dee within the latter’s occult system of Enochian magic. In the 20th century he became an important element within the mystical system of Thelema, founded by Aleister Crowley, where he is the Dweller in the Abyss, believed to be the last great obstacle between the adept and enlightenment. Thelemites believe that if he is met with proper preparation, then his function is to destroy the ego, which allows the adept to move beyond the Abyss of occult cosmology.
portico
(pôr′tĭ-kō′)
n. pl. por·ti·coes or por·ti·cos
A porch or walkway with a roof supported by columns, often leading to the entrance of a building.
[Italian, from Latin porticus, from porta, gate; see per- in Indo-European roots.]
por′ti·coed′ adj.
Size of the Milky Way
Think the Milky Way is big? It’s puny compared to M87, an elliptical galaxy 980,000 light years in diameter. The Milky Way is only 100,000 light years in diameter.
Mary Tudor
Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon who was Queen of England from 1553 to 1558; she was the wife of Philip II of Spain and when she restored Roman Catholicism to England many Protestants were burned at the stake as heretics (1516-1558)
Also: Bloody Mary, Mary I
abatis
(ăb′ə-tē′, -tĭs)
n. pl. ab·a·tis (-tēz′) or ab·a·tis·es (-tĭ-sĭz)
A defensive obstacle made by laying felled trees on top of each other with branches, sometimes sharpened, facing the enemy.
[French, pile of things thrown down, from Old French abateis; akin to abattre, to throw down; see abate.]
Pan / Faunus
In Greek religion and mythology, Pan is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature of mountain wilds and rustic music, and companion of the nymphs. He has the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat, in the same manner as a faun or satyr. With his homeland in rustic Arcadia, he is also recognized as the god of fields, groves, and wooded glens; because of this, Pan is connected to fertility and the season of spring. The ancient Greeks also considered Pan to be the god of theatrical criticism.
In Roman religion and myth, Pan’s counterpart was Faunus, a nature god who was the father of Bona Dea, sometimes identified as Fauna; he was also closely associated with Sylvanus, due to their similar relationships with woodlands. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Pan became a significant figure in the Romantic movement of western Europe and also in the 20th-century Neopagan movement.
fulminate
(fo͝ol′mə-nāt′, fŭl′-)
v. ful·mi·nat·ed, ful·mi·nat·ing, ful·mi·nates
v. intr.
1. To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation: fulminated against political chicanery.
2. To explode or detonate.
v.tr. 1.
To issue (a denunciation, for example) thunderously.
2. To cause to explode. n. An explosive salt of fulminic acid, especially fulminate of mercury.
ful′mi·na′tion n.
ful′mi·na′tor n.
ful′mi·na·to′ry (-nə-tôr′ē) adj.
elocution
(ĕl′ə-kyo͞o′shən)
n.
- The art of public speaking in which gesture, vocal production, and delivery are emphasized.
- A style or manner of speaking, especially in public.
[Middle English elocucioun, from Latin ēlocūtiō, ēlocūtiōn-, from ēlocūtus, past participle of ēloquī, to speak out : ē-, ex-, ex- + loquī, to speak; see tolkw- in Indo-European roots.]
el′o·cu′tion·ar′y (-shə-nĕr′ē) adj.
el′o·cu′tion·ist n.
agrarian
(ə-grâr′ē-ən)
adj.
- Relating to the cultivation of land; agricultural: an agrarian economy.
- Relating to or concerning the land and its ownership, cultivation, and tenure: agrarian reform.
n.
A person who favors equitable distribution of land.
[From Latin agrārius, relating to the land, from ager, agr-, field; see agro- in Indo-European roots.]
combe
(ko͞om)
n.
Chiefly British 1. also coom or coombe (ko͞om)
a. A steep, deep valley, especially one running down to the sea.
b. A dry, bowl-shaped valley or hollow on the side of a hill. 2. See cirque.
[Middle English coumb, hollow, valley, from Old English cumb, of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh cwm, valley.]
myrrh
(mûr)
n. An aromatic gum resin obtained from several trees and shrubs of the genus Commiphora of northeastern Africa and Arabia, used in perfume, incense, and medicinal preparations.
apiarist
(ā′pē-ə-rĭst, -ĕr′ĭst)
n. One who keeps bees, specifically one who cares for and raises bees for commercial or agricultural purposes. Also called beekeeper.
Esperanto
(ĕs′pə-răn′tō, -rän′-)
n.
An artificial international language with a vocabulary based on word roots common to many European languages and a regularized system of inflection.
[After Dr. Esperanto, “one who hopes,” pseudonym of Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof (1859-1917), Polish philologist.]
Es′pe·ran′tist adj. & n.
pique
(pēk)
n.
A state of vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity; a feeling of wounded pride.
tr. v. piqued, piqu·ing, piques
1. To cause to feel resentment or indignation.
2. To provoke; arouse: The portrait piqued her curiosity.
3. To pride (oneself): He piqued himself on his stylish attire.
[French, a prick, irritation, from Old French, from piquer, to prick, from Vulgar Latin *piccāre, ultimately of imitative origin.]
paresis
(pə-rē′sĭs, păr′ĭ-sĭs)
n. pl. pa·re·ses (-sēz)
1. Slight or partial paralysis.
2. General paresis.
[Greek, act of letting go, paralysis, from parīenai, to let fall : para-, beside; see hīenai in Indo-European roots.]
pa·ret′ic (pə-rĕt′ĭk) adj. & n.
pa·ret′i·cal·ly adv.
investiture
(ĭn-vĕs′tĭ-cho͝or′, -chər)
n.
- The act or formal ceremony of conferring the authority and symbols of a high office.
- An adornment or cover.
charnel
(chär′nəl)
n.
A repository for the bones or bodies of the dead; a charnel house.
adj.
Resembling, suggesting, or suitable for receiving the dead.
Marshall McLuhan
Herbert Marshall McLuhan (1911 – 1980) was a Canadian philosopher of communication theory and a public intellectual. His work is viewed as one of the cornerstones of the study of media theory, as well as having practical applications in the advertising and television industries. He was educated at the University of Manitoba and Cambridge University and began his teaching career as a Professor of English at several universities in the U.S. and Canada, before moving to the University of Toronto where he would remain for the rest of his life.
McLuhan is known for coining the expressions “the medium is the message” and “the global village,” and for predicting the World Wide Web almost thirty years before it was invented. Although he was a fixture in media discourse in the late 1960s, his influence began to wane in the early 1970s. In the years after his death, he continued to be a controversial figure in academic circles. With the arrival of the internet, however, interest in his work and perspective has renewed.
McLuhan was credited with coining the phrase Turn on, tune in, drop out by its popularizer, Timothy Leary, in the 1960s. In a 1988 interview with Neil Strauss, Leary stated that slogan was “given to him” by McLuhan during a lunch in New York City. Leary said McLuhan “was very much interested in ideas and marketing, and he started singing something like, ‘Psychedelics hit the spot / Five hundred micrograms, that’s a lot,’ to the tune of a Pepsi commercial. Then he started going, ‘Tune in, turn on, and drop out.’” During his lifetime and afterward, McLuhan heavily influenced cultural critics, thinkers, and media theorists such as Neil Postman, Jean Baudrillard, Timothy Leary, Terence McKenna, William Irwin Thompson, Paul Levinson, Douglas Rushkoff, Jaron Lanier, Hugh Kenner, and John David Ebert, as well as political leaders such as Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Jerry Brown. Andy Warhol was paraphrasing McLuhan with his now famous 15 minutes of fame quote. When asked in the 70s for a way to sedate violences in Angola, he suggested a massive spread of TV devices. The character “Brian O’Blivion” in David Cronenberg’s 1983 film Videodrome is a “media oracle” based on McLuhan. In 1991 McLuhan was named as the “patron saint” of Wired Magazine and a quote of his appeared on the masthead[citation needed] for the first ten years of its publication. He is mentioned by name in a Peter Gabriel-penned lyric in the song “Fly on a Windshield”. This song appears on the concept album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, from progressive rock band Genesis. The lyric is: “Marshall McLuhan, casual viewin’ head buried in the sand.” McLuhan is also jokingly referred to during an episode of The Sopranos entitled “House Arrest”. Despite his death in 1980, someone claiming to be McLuhan was posting on a Wired mailing list in 1996. The information this individual provided convinced one writer for Wired that “if the poster was not McLuhan himself, it was a bot programmed with an eerie command of McLuhan’s life and inimitable perspective.”
Magna Carta
The charter that King John of England issued in 1215 at the behest of his barons, recognizing the right of persons to certain basic liberties, such as due process, later also embodied in the American Constitution: “We are heirs to a tradition given voice 800 years ago by Magna Carta, which … confined executive power by ‘the law of the land’” (David Souter).
osprey
(ŏs′prē, -prā)
n. pl. os·preys
1. A fish-eating raptor (Pandion haliaetus) found almost worldwide, having plumage that is dark on the back and mostly white below. Also called fish hawk.
2. A plume formerly used to trim women’s hats.
[Middle English osprai, from Anglo-Norman ospreit, from Medieval Latin avis praedae, bird of prey : Latin avis, bird; see awi- in Indo-European roots + Latin praedae, genitive of praeda, booty, prey; see ghend- in Indo-European roots.]
coping
(kō′pĭng)
n. The top layer or course of a masonry wall, usually having a slanting upper surface to shed water; a cope.
Image: A bridge on the Lancaster Canal, featuring coping stones linked by large metal “staples”.
striation
(strī-ā′shən)
n.
- The state of being striated or having striae.
- One of a number of parallel lines or scratches on the surface of a rock that were inscribed by rock fragments embedded in the base of a glacier as it moved across the rock.
- The form taken by striae.
- A stria.
bate
tr. v. bat·ed, bat·ing, bates
1. To lessen the force or intensity of; moderate: “To his dying day he bated his breath a little when he told the story” (George Eliot).
2. To take away; subtract.
intr.v. bat·ed, bat·ing, bates also bait·ed or bait·ing or baits
To flap the wings wildly or frantically. Used of a falcon.
benight
v. t.
1.
To involve in darkness; to shroud with the shades of night; to obscure. [imp. & p. p. Benighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Benighting.] The clouds benight the sky. - Garth.
2. To overtake with night or darkness, especially before the end of a day’s journey or task. Some virgin, sure, . . . benighted in these woods. - Milton.
3. To involve in moral darkness, or ignorance; to debar from intellectual light. Shall we to men benighted The lamp of life deny ? - Heber.
gibbous
(gĭb′əs)
adj.
1.
a. Characterized by convexity; protuberant: a gibbous seashell.
b. More than half but less than fully illuminated from the point of view of an observer. Used of phases of the moon or the planets.
2. Archaic Having a hump; humpbacked.
[Middle English, bulging, from Late Latin gibbōsus, hunch-backed, from Latin gibbus, hump.]
gib′bous·ly adv.
gib′bous·ness n.
probity
n. integrity and uprightness; honesty.
trellis
n.
- A structure of open latticework, especially one used as a support for vines and other climbing plants.
- An arbor or arch made of latticework.
tr. v. trel·lised, trel·lis·ing, trel·lis·es
1. To provide (an area) with a trellis.
2. To cause or allow (a vine, for example) to grow on a trellis.
purloin
(pər-loin′, pûr′loin′)
tr.v. pur·loined, pur·loin·ing, pur·loins
To steal, especially in a stealthy way. See Synonyms at steal.
[Middle English purloinen, to remove, from Anglo-Norman purloigner : pur-, away (from Latin prō-; see loign in Indo-European roots).]
pur·loin′er n.
implacable
(ĭm-plăk′ə-bəl, -plā′kə-)
adj.
Impossible to placate or appease: implacable foes; implacable suspicion.
im·plac′a·bil′i·ty n.
im·plac′a·bly adv.
keelson
(kēl′sən, kĕl′-) also kel·son (kĕl′-)
n. Nautical A timber or girder fastened above and parallel to the keel of a ship or boat for additional strength.
catenate
(kăt′n-āt′)
tr.v. cat·e·nat·ed, cat·e·nat·ing, cat·e·nates
To connect in a series of ties or links; form into a chain.
[Latin catēnāre, catēnāt-, from catēna, chain.]
entelechy
(ĕn-tĕl′ĭ-kē)
n. pl. en·tel·e·chies
1. In the philosophy of Aristotle, the condition of a thing whose essence is fully realized; actuality.
2. In some philosophical systems, a vital force that directs an organism toward self-fulfillment.
[Late Latin entelechīa, from Greek entelekheia : entelēs, complete (en-, in; see telos in Indo-European roots) + ekhein, to have; see segh- in Indo-European roots.]
Diogenes of Sinope
Diogenes of Sinope (/daɪˈɒdʒəˌniːz/) was a Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynic philosophy. Also known as Diogenes the Cynic (Ancient Greek: Διογένης ὁ Κυνικός, Diogenēs ho Kunikos), he was born in Sinope (modern-day Sinop, Turkey), an Ionian colony on the Black Sea, in 412 or 404 BC and died at Corinth in 323 BC.
Diogenes of Sinope was a controversial figure. His father minted coins for a living, and when Diogenes took to debasement of currency, he was banished from Sinope. After being exiled, he moved to Athens and criticized many cultural conventions of the city. Diogenes modelled himself on the example of Heracles. He believed that virtue was better revealed in action than in theory. He used his simple lifestyle and behaviour (which arguably resembled poverty) to criticize the social values and institutions of what he saw as a corrupt or at least confused society. In a highly non-traditional fashion, he had a reputation of sleeping and eating wherever he chose and took to toughening himself against nature. He declared himself a cosmopolitan and a citizen of the world rather than claiming allegiance to just one place. There are many tales about him dogging Antisthenes’ footsteps and becoming his “faithful hound”. Diogenes made a virtue of poverty. He begged for a living and often slept in a large ceramic jar in the marketplace. He became notorious for his philosophical stunts such as carrying a lamp in the daytime, claiming to be looking for an honest man. He criticized and embarrassed Plato, disputed his interpretation of Socrates and sabotaged his lectures, sometimes distracting attendees by bringing food and eating during the discussions. Diogenes was also responsible for publicly mocking Alexander the Great.
After being captured by pirates and sold into slavery, Diogenes eventually settled in Corinth. There he passed his philosophy of Cynicism to Crates, who taught it to Zeno of Citium, who fashioned it into the school of Stoicism, one of the most enduring schools of Greek philosophy. None of Diogenes’ many writings has survived, but details of his life come in the form of anecdotes (chreia), especially from Diogenes Laërtius, in his book Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers. All that is available is a number of anecdotes concerning his life and sayings attributed to him in a number of scattered classical sources.
hector
n.
Greek Mythology A Trojan prince, the eldest son of Priam and Hecuba, killed by Achilles in Homer’s Iliad.
n.
A bully.
v. hec·tored, hec·tor·ing, hec·tors
v.tr.
To intimidate or dominate in a blustering way.
v.intr.
To behave like a bully; swagger.
pustulate
(pŭs′chə-lāt′, pŭs′tyə-)
v. pus·tu·lat·ed, pus·tu·lat·ing, pus·tu·lates
v. tr. To cause to form pustules.
v. intr. To form pustules.
adj. (also -lĭt) Covered with pustules.
cognomen
(kŏg-nō′mən)
n. pl. cog·no·mens or cog·nom·i·na (-nŏm′ə-nə)
1.
a. A family name; a surname.
b. The third and usually last name of a citizen of ancient Rome, as Caesar in Gaius Julius Caesar.
2. A name, especially a descriptive nickname or epithet acquired through usage over a period of time.
[Latin cognōmen : co-, con-, co- (influenced by cognōscere, to know) + nōmen, name; see nō̆-men- in Indo-European roots.]
cog·nom′i·nal (-nŏm′ə-nəl) adj.
deiform
adj 1. (Art Terms) having the form or appearance of a god; sacred or divine
deacon
dē′kən)
n.
- A cleric ranking just below a priest in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic churches.
- A lay assistant to a Protestant minister.
- Used as a title prefixed to the surname of such a person: Deacon Brown.
[Middle English deken, from Old English dīacon, from Late Latin diāconus, perhaps from Greek diākonos, attendant, minister.]
scupper
(skŭp′ər)
n.
- Nautical An opening in the side of a ship at deck level to allow water to run off.
- An opening for draining off water, as from a floor or the roof of a building.
[Middle English scoper- (in scopernail, nail for attaching leather under a scupper to prevent dirty water from soiling the hull), probably from scopen, to scoop, from scope, a scoop; see scoop.]
anthropology
science of the origins and social relationships of humans
sentinel
(sĕn′tə-nəl)
n.
One that keeps guard; a sentry.
tr. v. sen·ti·neled, sen·ti·nel·ing, sen·ti·nels or sen·ti·nelled or sen·ti·nel·ling
1. To watch over as a guard.
2. To provide with a guard.
3. To post as a guard.
[French sentinelle, from Italian sentinella, probably from Old Italian sentina, vigilance, from sentire, to watch, from Latin sentīre, to feel; see sent- in Indo-European roots.]
mellifluous
(mə-lĭf′lo͞o-əs)
adj.
Having a pleasant and fluid sound: “polite and cordial, with a mellifluous, well-educated voice” (H.W. Crocker III).
[Middle English, from Late Latin mellifluus : Latin mel, mell-, honey; see melit- in Indo-European roots + Latin -fluus, flowing; see bhleu- in Indo-European roots.]
mel·lif′lu·ous·ly adv.
mel·lif′lu·ous·ness n.
potash
(pŏt′ăsh′)
n.
- See potassium carbonate.
- See potassium hydroxide.
- Any of several compounds containing potassium, especially soluble compounds such as potassium oxide, potassium chloride, and various potassium sulfates, used chiefly in fertilizers.
[From sing. of obsolete pot ashes, an alkaline substance obtained by leaching wood ashes and evaporating the leachate in a pot.]
chancre
(shăng′kər)
n.
1. A dull red, hard, insensitive lesion that is the first manifestation of syphilis.
2. An ulcer located at the initial point of entry of a pathogen.
First empire
As far as we know, the world’s first empire was formed about 2250 B.C., by Sargon the Great, in Mesopotamia. His empire included the Sumerian cities of the Tigris-Euphrates Delta. After taking control of these, Sargon went into Syria to the Taurus Mountains near Cyprus. Sargon is, less plausibly, said to have gone into Egypt, India, and Ethiopia.
febrile
fĕb′rəl, fē′brəl)
adj. Of, relating to, or characterized by fever; feverish.
[Late Latin febrīlis, from Latin febris, fever.]
byre
(bīr)
n. Chiefly British A barn for cows.
fatuous
(făch′o͞o-əs)
adj. Foolish or silly, especially in a smug or self-satisfied way: “an era of delicious, fatuous optimism shaped by the belief that enough good will on the part of people like ourselves could repair anything” (Shirley Abbott). See Synonyms at foolish.
fat′u·ous·ly adv.
fat′u·ous·ness n.
certes
(sûr′tēz, sûrts)
adv. Archaic Certainly; truly.
[Middle English, from Old French (a) certes, perhaps from Latin ad certās or from Vulgar Latin *certānus, both from Latin certus, certain; see certain.]
armada
(är-mä′də, -mā′-)
n.
- A fleet of warships.
- A large group of moving things: an armada of ants crossing the lawn.
[Spanish, from Medieval Latin armāta; see army.]
wharf
n. pl. wharves (wôrvz, hwôrvz) or wharfs
1. A pier where ships or boats are tied up and loaded or unloaded.
2. Obsolete A shore or riverbank.
v. wharfed, wharf·ing, wharfs
v.tr. 1.
To moor (a vessel) at a wharf.
2. To take to or store (cargo) on a wharf.
3. To furnish, equip, or protect with wharves or a wharf.
v.intr.
To berth at a wharf.
clowder
n. 1. a group of cats.
effervesce
ntr. v. ef·fer·vesced, ef·fer·vesc·ing, ef·fer·vesc·es
1. To emit small bubbles of gas, as a carbonated or fermenting liquid.
2. To escape from a liquid as bubbles; bubble up.
3. To show high spirits or animation.
[Latin effervēscere : ex-, up, out; see fervescere in Indo-European roots.]
ef′fer·ves′cence, ef′fer·ves′cen·cy n.
ef′fer·ves′cent adj.
ef′fer·ves′cent·ly adv.
elohim
Elohim is a grammatically singular or plural noun for “god” or “gods” in both modern and ancient Hebrew language.
When used with singular verbs and adjectives elohim is usually singular, “god” or especially, the God. When used with plural verbs and adjectives elohim is usually plural, “gods” or “powers”.
Mark S. Smith said that the notion of divinity underwent radical changes throughout the period of early Israelite identity. Smith said that the ambiguity of the term Elohim is the result of such changes, cast in terms of “vertical translatability” by Smith (2008); i.e. the re-interpretation of the gods of the earliest recalled period as the national god of the monolatrism as it emerged in the 7th to 6th century BCE in the Kingdom of Judah and during the Babylonian captivity, and further in terms of monotheism by the emergence of Rabbinical Judaism in the 2nd century CE. A different version was produced by Morton Smith. Despite the -im ending common to many plural masculine nouns in Hebrew, the word when referring to the Name of God is grammatically singular, and takes a singular verb in the Hebrew Bible.
The word is identical to the usual plural of el meaning gods or magistrates, and is cognate to the ‘l-h-m found in Ugaritic, where it is used for the pantheon of Canaanite gods, the children of El and conventionally vocalized as “Elohim”. Most use of the term Elohim in the later Hebrew text imply a view that is at least monolatrist at the time of writing, and such usage (in the singular), as a proper title for the supreme deity, is generally not considered to be synonymous with the term elohim, “gods” (plural, simple noun). Hebrew grammar allows for this nominally-plural form to mean “He is the Power (singular) over powers (plural)”, or roughly, “God of gods”. Rabbinic scholar Maimonides wrote that the various other usages are commonly understood to be homonyms.
nomenclature
(nō′mən-klā′chər, nō-mĕn′klə-)
n.
- A system of names used in an art or science: the nomenclature of mineralogy.
- The system or procedure of assigning names to groups of organisms as part of a taxonomic classification: the rules of nomenclature in botany.
no′men·cla′tur·al adj.
bequest
(bĭ-kwĕst′)
n.
- Law The act of giving or leaving personal property by a will.
- Something that is bequeathed; a legacy.
[Middle English biquest (influenced by biquethen, to bequeath) : bi-, be- + quist, will (from Old English -cwis, as in andcwis, answer; see gwet- in Indo-European roots).]
wan
(wŏn)
adj. wan·ner, wan·nest
1. Unnaturally pale, as from physical or emotional distress.
2. Suggestive or indicative of weariness, illness, or unhappiness; melancholy: a wan expression.
intr.v. wanned, wan·ning, wans
To become pale.
[Middle English, pale, gloomy, from Old English wann, gloomy, dark.]
wan′ly adv.
wan′ness n.
bosky
(bŏs′kē)
adj. bosk·i·er, bosk·i·est
1. Having an abundance of bushes, shrubs, or trees: “a bosky park leading to a modest yet majestic plaza” (Jack Beatty).
2. Of or relating to woods.
arable
(ăr′ə-bəl)
adj.
Fit for cultivation, as by plowing.
n.
Land fit to be cultivated.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin arābilis, from arāre, to plow.]
ar′a·bil′i·ty n.
valetudinarian
(văl′ĭ-to͞od′n-âr′ē-ən, -tyo͞od′-)
n.
A sickly or weak person, especially one who is constantly and morbidly concerned with his or her health.
adj.
- Chronically ailing; sickly.
- Constantly and morbidly concerned with one’s health.
[From Latin valētūdinārius, from valētūdō, valētūdin-, state of health, from valēre, to be strong or well; see wal- in Indo-European roots.]
val′e·tu′di·nar′i·an·ism n.
Anglican
adj.
- Of or characteristic of the Church of England or any of the churches related to it in origin and communion, such as the Episcopal Church.
- Archaic Of or relating to England or the English.
n.
A member of the Church of England or of any of the churches related to it.
Helena Blavatsky
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (Russian: 1831 – 1891) was an occultist, spirit medium, and author who co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875. She gained an international following as the leading theoretician of Theosophy, the esoteric movement that the Society promoted.
Born into an aristocratic Russian-German family, Blavatsky traveled widely around the Russian Empire as a child. Largely self-educated, she developed an interest in Western esotericism during her teenage years. According to her later claims, in 1849 she embarked on a series of world travels, visiting Europe, the Americas, and India. She alleged that during this period she encountered a group of spiritual adepts, the “Masters of the Ancient Wisdom”, who sent her to Shigatse, Tibet, where they trained her to develop her own psychic powers. Both contemporary critics and later biographers have argued that some or all of these foreign visits were fictitious, and that she spent this period in Europe. By the early 1870s, Blavatsky was involved in the Spiritualist movement; although defending the genuine existence of Spiritualist phenomena, she argued against the mainstream Spiritualist idea that the entities contacted were the spirits of the dead. Relocating to the United States in 1873, she befriended Henry Steel Olcott and rose to public attention as a spirit medium, attention that included public accusations of fraudulence.
In New York City, Blavatsky co-founded the Theosophical Society with Olcott and William Quan Judge in 1875. In 1877 she published Isis Unveiled, a book outlining her Theosophical world-view. Associating it closely with the esoteric doctrines of Hermeticism and Neoplatonism, Blavatsky described Theosophy as “the synthesis of science, religion and philosophy”, proclaiming that it was reviving an “Ancient Wisdom” which underlay all the world’s religions. In 1880 she and Olcott moved to India, where the Society was allied to Dayananda Saraswati’s Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement. That same year, while in Ceylon she and Olcott became the first Euro-Americans to officially convert to Buddhism. Although opposed by the British administration, Theosophy spread rapidly in India, although experienced internal problems after Blavatsky was accused of producing fraudulent paranormal phenomena in the Coulomb Affair. Amid ailing health, in 1885 she returned to Europe, eventually settling in London, where she established the Blavatsky Lodge. Here she published The Secret Doctrine, a commentary on what she claimed were ancient Tibetan manuscripts, as well as two further books, The Key to Theosophy and The Voice of the Silence. She died of influenza in the home of her disciple and successor, Annie Besant.
Blavatsky was a controversial figure during her lifetime, championed by supporters as an enlightened guru and derided as a fraudulent charlatan by critics. Her Theosophical doctrines influenced the spread of Hindu and Buddhist ideas in the West as well as the development of Western esoteric currents like Ariosophy, Anthroposophy, and the New Age Movement.
bedstead
n. The frame supporting a bed.
sextant
(sĕk′stənt)
n.
- A navigational instrument containing a graduated 60-degree arc, used for measuring the altitudes of celestial bodies for use in determining the latitude and longitude of the observer.
- Sextant See Sextans.
[New Latin sextāns, sextant-, from Latin, sixth part (so called because the instrument’s arc is a sixth of a circle), from sextus, sixth; see s(w)eks in Indo-European roots.]
stanchion
(stăn′chən, -shən)
n.
- An upright pole, post, or support.
- A framework consisting of two or more vertical bars, used to secure cattle in a stall or at a feed trough.
tr. v. stan·chioned, stan·chion·ing, stan·chions
1. To equip with stanchions.
2. To confine (cattle) by means of stanchions.
[Middle English stanchon, from Old French estanchon, probably from estance, act of standing upright, prop, from estans, present participle of ester, to stand, from Latin stāre; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
marmalade
n. A clear, jellylike preserve made from the pulp and rind of fruits, especially citrus fruits.
aeonian
\ee-OH-nee-uh n\
adjective
1. eternal; everlasting.
spoor
n.
- The track or trail of an animal or person.
- The footprints or other signs left by an animal or person, considered as a group: found fresh spoor.
tr.v. spoored, spoor·ing, spoors To track (an animal or person) by following the spoor.
Elizabethan
(ĭ-lĭz′ə-bē′thən, -bĕth′ən)
adj. Of, relating to, or characteristic of Elizabeth I of England or her reign. “William Shakespeare was an Elizabethan”
E·liz′a·be′than n.
consumptive
(kən-sŭmp′tĭv)
adj.
- Consuming or tending to consume.
- Of, relating to, or afflicted with consumption.
n. A person afflicted with consumption.
con·sump′tive·ly adv.
liniment
(lĭn′ə-mənt)
n. A medicinal fluid rubbed into the skin to soothe pain or relieve stiffness.
[Middle English, from Late Latin linīmentum, from Latin linere, linīre, to rub over, anoint; see lei- in Indo-European roots.]
subterfuge
(sŭb′tər-fyo͞oj′)
n.
- Deception used to achieve an end: tried to get her to sign the contract by subterfuge.
- A deceptive stratagem or device: The meeting was a subterfuge to get him out of his office while it was searched.
medial
adj.
- Relating to, situated in, or extending toward the middle; median.
- Linguistics Being a sound, syllable, or letter occurring between the initial and final positions in a word or morpheme.
- Mathematics Being or relating to an average or a mean.
- Average; ordinary.
n. Linguistics
1. A voiced stop, such as (b), (d), or (g). Also called media.
2. A sound, letter, or form of a letter that is neither initial nor final.
me′di·al·ly adv.
parley
(pär′lē)
n. pl. par·leys
A discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of truce or other matters.
intr.v. par·leyed, par·ley·ing, par·leys
To have a discussion, especially with an enemy.
[Middle English, from Old French parlee, from feminine past participle of parler, to talk, from Vulgar Latin *paraulāre, from Late Latin parabolāre, from parabola, discourse; see parable.]
accession
(ăk-sĕsh′ən)
n.
1. The attainment of a dignity or rank: the queen’s accession to the throne.
2.
a. Something that has been acquired or added; an acquisition.
b. An increase by means of something added.
3. Law
a. The addition to or increase in value of property by means of improvements or natural growth.
b. The right of a proprietor to ownership of such addition or increase.
4. Agreement or assent.
5. Access; admittance.
6. A sudden outburst.
tr.v. ac·ces·sioned, ac·ces·sion·ing, ac·ces·sions
To record in the order of acquisition: a curator accessioning newly acquired paintings.
ac·ces′sion·al adj.
dowager
(dou′ə-jər)
n. 1. A widow who holds a title or property derived from her deceased husband.
2. An elderly woman of high social station.
proximate
(prŏk′sə-mĭt)
adj.
- Direct or immediate: “The stock market crash in October, 1929 … is often regarded as … the major proximate cause of the Great Depression” (Milton Friedman). “The proximate cause of America’s deficits is that Washington has dramatically cut the taxes of America’s rich” (Eamonn Fingleton).
- Very near or next, as in space, time, or order. See Synonyms at close.
[Latin proximātus, past participle of proximāre, to come near, from proximus, nearest; see per in Indo-European roots.]
prox′i·mate·ly adv.
prox′i·mate·ness n.
weft
n.
1.
a. The horizontal threads interlaced through the warp in a woven fabric; woof.
b. Yarn used for the weft.
2. Woven fabric.
entreat
v. en·treat·ed, en·treat·ing, en·treats v.tr.
1. To make an earnest request of (someone). See Synonyms at beg.
2. To ask for earnestly; petition for: “She made a hasty gesture with her hand, as if to entreat my patience and my silence” (Charles Dickens).
3. Archaic To deal with; treat.
v.intr. To make an earnest request or petition.
en·treat′ing·ly adv.
en·treat′ment n.
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin (Russian: 1878 – 1953) was the leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953.
He was one of the seven members of the first Politburo, founded in 1917 in order to manage the Bolshevik Revolution, alongside Lenin, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Trotsky, Sokolnikov and Bubnov. Among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who took part in the Russian Revolution of 1917, Stalin was appointed General Secretary of the party’s Central Committee in 1922. He subsequently managed to consolidate power following the 1924 death of Vladimir Lenin through suppressing Lenin’s criticisms (in the postscript of his testament) and expanding the functions of his role, all the while eliminating any opposition. He remained general secretary until the post was abolished in 1952, concurrently serving as the Premier of the Soviet Union from 1941 onward.
Under Stalin’s rule, the concept of “Socialism in One Country” became a central tenet of Soviet society, contrary to Leon Trotsky’s view that socialism must be spread through continuous international revolutions. He replaced the New Economic Policy introduced by Lenin in the early 1920s with a highly centralised command economy, launching a period of industrialization and collectivization that resulted in the rapid transformation of the USSR from an agrarian society into an industrial power. However, the economic changes coincided with the imprisonment of millions of people in Gulag labour camps. The initial upheaval in agriculture disrupted food production and contributed to the catastrophic Soviet famine of 1932–33, known as the Holodomor in Ukraine. Between 1934 and 1939 he organized and led a massive purge (known as “Great Purge”) of the party, government, armed forces and intelligentsia, in which millions of so-called “enemies of the Soviet people” were imprisoned, exiled or executed. In a period that lasted from 1936 to 1939, Stalin instituted a campaign against enemies within his regime. Major figures in the Communist Party, such as the Old Bolsheviks, Leon Trotsky, and most of the Red Army generals, were killed after being convicted of plotting to overthrow the government and Stalin.
In August 1939, after failed attempts to conclude anti-Hitler pacts with other major European powers, Stalin entered into a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany that divided their influence and territory within Eastern Europe, resulting in their invasion of Poland in September of that year, but Germany later violated the agreement and launched a massive invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Despite heavy human and territorial losses, Soviet forces managed to halt the Nazi incursion after the decisive Battles of Moscow and Stalingrad. After defeating the Axis powers on the Eastern Front, the Red Army captured Berlin in May 1945, effectively ending the war in Europe for the Allies. The Soviet Union subsequently emerged as one of two recognized world superpowers, the other being the United States. The Yalta and Potsdam conferences established communist governments loyal to the Soviet Union in the Eastern Bloc countries as buffer states. He also fostered close relations with Mao Zedong in China and Kim Il-sung in North Korea.
Stalin led the Soviet Union through its post-war reconstruction phase, which saw a significant rise in tension with the Western world that would later be known as the Cold War. During this period, the USSR became the second country in the world to successfully develop a nuclear weapon, as well as launching the Great Plan for the Transformation of Nature in response to another widespread famine and the Great Construction Projects of Communism.
In the years following his death, Stalin and his regime have been condemned on numerous occasions, most notably in 1956 when his successor Nikita Khrushchev denounced his legacy and initiated a process of de-Stalinization. He remains a controversial figure today, with many regarding him as a tyrant. However, popular opinion within the Russian Federation is mixed. The exact number of deaths caused by Stalin’s regime is a subject of debate, but it is widely agreed upon that it is on the order of millions.
cobalt
n.
Symbol Co
A hard, brittle metallic element, found associated with nickel, silver, lead, copper, and iron ores and resembling nickel and iron in appearance. It is used chiefly for magnetic alloys, high-temperature alloys, and in the form of its salts for blue glass and ceramic pigments.
antediluvian
(ăn′tĭ-də-lo͞o′vē-ən)
adj.
- Bible Occurring or belonging to the era before the Flood.
- Extremely old or old-fashioned. See Synonyms at old.
[From ante- + Latin dīluvium, flood; see diluvial.]
an′te·di·lu′vi·an n.
confluent
(kŏn′flo͞o-ənt)
adj.
- Flowing together; blended into one.
- Merging or running together so as to form a mass, as sores in a rash.
n.
- One of two or more confluent streams.
- A tributary.
[Middle English, from Latin cōnfluēns, cōnfluent-, present participle of cōnfluere, to flow together : com-, com- + fluere, to flow; see bhleu- in Indo-European roots.]
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (100 – 44 BC) was a Roman general, statesman, Consul, and notable author of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. In 60 BC, Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey formed a political alliance that was to dominate Roman politics for several years. Their attempts to amass power through populist tactics were opposed by the conservative ruling class within the Roman Senate, among them Cato the Younger with the frequent support of Cicero. Caesar’s victories in the Gallic Wars, completed by 51 BC, extended Rome’s territory to the English Channel and the Rhine. Caesar became the first Roman general to cross both when he built a bridge across the Rhine and conducted the first invasion of Britain.
servitor
(sûr′vĭ-tər, -tôr′)
n. One that performs the duties of a servant to another; an attendant.
[Middle English servitour, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin servītor, from servīre, to serve; see serve.]
ser′vi·tor·ship′ n.
caustic
adj.
- Capable of burning, corroding, dissolving, or eating away by chemical action.
- Sarcastic or cutting; biting: “The caustic jokes … deal with such diverse matters as political assassination, talk-show hosts, medical ethics” (FrankRich).
- Given to making caustic remarks: a caustic TV commentator.
n.
- A caustic material or substance.
- A hydroxide of a light metal.
- The enveloping surface formed by light rays reflecting or refracting from a curved surface, especially one with spherical aberration.
autobahn
n. An expressway in Germany or another area where German is spoken.
amanuensis
(ə-măn′yo͞o-ĕn′sĭs)
n. pl. a·man·u·en·ses (-sēz)
One who is employed to take dictation or to copy manuscript.
[Latin āmanuēnsis, from the phrase (servus) ā manū, (slave) at handwriting : ā, ab, by; see manū in Indo-European roots.]
moue
(mo͞o)
n. A small grimace; a pout.
groundling
- A bottom fish.
2.
a. A spectator in the cheap standing-room section of an Elizabethan theater.
b. A person with uncultivated tastes.
prodigal son
n. a wayward son who squanders his inheritance but returns home to find that his father forgives him. Luke 15:11–32.
liturgy
(lĭt′ər-jē)
n. pl. lit·ur·gies
1. A prescribed form or set of forms for public religious worship.
2. often Liturgy Christianity The sacrament of the Eucharist.
aquiline
(ăk′wə-līn′, -lĭn)
adj.
- Relating to or having the characteristics of an eagle.
- Curved or hooked like an eagle’s beak: an aquiline nose.
[Latin aquilīnus, from aquila, eagle.]
aq′ui·lin′i·ty (-lĭn′ĭ-tē) n.
fustian
(fŭs′chən)
n.
1.
a. A coarse sturdy cloth made of cotton and linen or flax.
b. Any of several thick twilled cotton fabrics, such as corduroy, having a short nap.
2. Pretentious speech or writing; pompous language.
adj.
- Made of or as if of fustian: “[He] disliked the heavy, fustian … and brocaded decor of Soviet officialdom” (Frederick Forsyth).
- Pompous, bombastic, and ranting: “Yossarian was unmoved by the fustian charade of the burial ceremony” (Joseph Heller).
[Middle English, from Old French fustaigne, from Medieval Latin fūstānum, fūstiānum, possibly from Latin fūstis, wooden stick, club (translation of Greek xulinos, wood-linen, cotton) or from El Fostat , (El Fustat), a section of Cairo, Egypt.]
disquisition
(dĭs′kwĭ-zĭsh′ən)
n. A formal discourse on a subject, often in writing.
[Latin disquīsītiō, disquīsītiōn-, investigation, from disquīsītus, past participle of disquīrere, to investigate : dis-, dis- + quaerere, to search for.]
badinage
(băd′n-äzh′)
n. Light, playful banter.
[French, from badin, joker, from Provençal badar, to gape, from Latin *batāre.]
gelignite
(jĕl′ĭg-nīt′)
n. An explosive mixture composed of nitroglycerine, guncotton, wood pulp, and potassium nitrate.
lacuna
(lə-kyo͞o′nə, -ko͞o′-)
n. pl. la·cu·nae (-nē) or la·cu·nas
1. An empty space or a missing part; a gap: “self-centered in opinion, with curious lacunae of astounding ignorance” (Frank Norris).
2. Anatomy A cavity, space, or depression, especially in a bone, containing cartilage or bone cells.
[Latin lacūna; see lagoon.]
la·cu′nal adj.
capillary
adj.
- Relating to or resembling a hair; fine and slender.
- Having a very small internal diameter: a capillary tube.
- Anatomy Of or relating to the capillaries.
- Physics Of or relating to capillarity.
n. pl. cap·il·lar·ies
1. Anatomy One of the minute blood vessels that connect arterioles and venules. These blood vessels form an intricate network throughout the body for the interchange of various substances, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, between blood and tissue cells.
2. A tube with a very small internal diameter.
[From Latin capillāris, from capillus, hair.]
Yesod
Yesod (Hebrew: יסוד “foundation”) is a sephirah in the kabbalistic Tree of Life. Yesod is the sephirah below Hod and Netzach, and above Malkuth (the kingdom). It is the vehicle, from one thing or condition to another. It is the power of connection.
ion
n. An atom or a group of atoms that has acquired a net electric charge by gaining or losing one or more electrons.
jointure
(join′chər)
n.
- Law
a. The designation of property, held by one spouse (historically the husband) and jointly used by both spouses, to be provided to the other spouse (historically the wife) in the event of the death of the spouse holding the property.
b. The property so designated. - The act of joining or the state of being joined.
[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin iūnctūra, joint; see juncture.]
epistle
(ĭ-pĭs′əl)
n.
- A letter, especially a formal one. See Synonyms at letter.
- A literary composition in the form of a letter.
- Epistle Bible
a. One of the letters included as a book in the New Testament.
b. An excerpt from one of these letters, read as part of a religious service.
catarrh
(kə-tär′)
n. Copious discharge of mucus associated with inflammation of mucous membranes, especially of the nose and throat.
[Middle English catarre, from Old French catarrhe, from Late Latin catarrhus, from Greek katarrous, from katarrein, to flow down : kata-, cata- + rhein, to flow; see sreu- in Indo-European roots.]
ca·tarrh′al, ca·tarrh′ous adj.
ca·tarrh′al·ly adv.
amygdala
The amygdalae (singular: amygdala; /əˈmɪɡdələ/), listed in Gray’s Anatomy as the nucleus amygdalæ, are two almond-shaped groups of nuclei located deep and medially within the temporal lobes of the brain in complex vertebrates, including humans. Shown in research to perform a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional reactions, the amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system.
In complex vertebrates, including humans, the amygdalae perform primary roles in the formation and storage of memories associated with emotional events.
dottle
(dŏt′l)
n. The plug of tobacco ash left in the bowl of a pipe after it has been smoked.
[From dot, lump (obsolete).]
foundling
(found′lĭng)
n. A deserted or abandoned child of unknown parentage.
[Middle English, from found, past participle of finden, to find; see find.]
damask
(dăm′əsk)
n.
- A rich patterned fabric of cotton, linen, silk, or wool.
- A fine, twilled table linen.
- Damascus steel.
- The wavy pattern on Damascus steel.
tr. v. dam·asked, dam·ask·ing, dam·asks
1. To damascene.
2. To decorate or weave with rich patterns.
[Middle English, Damascus, damask, from Latin Damascus, from Greek Damaskos.]
dam′ask adj.
acerbic
(ə-sûr′bĭk) also a·cerb (ə-sûrb′)
adj.
- Sour or bitter tasting; acid. See Synonyms at bitter, sour.
- Sharp or biting, as in character or expression: “At times, the playwright allows an acerbic tone to pierce through otherwise arid or flowery prose”.
[From Latin acerbus; see ak- in Indo-European roots.]
a·cer′bi·cal·ly adv.
theosophy
n. pl. the·os·o·phies
1. Religious philosophy or speculation about the nature of the soul based on mystical insight into the nature of God.
2. often Theosophy The system of beliefs and teachings of the Theosophical Society, founded in New York City in 1875, incorporating aspects of Buddhism and Brahmanism, especially the belief in reincarnation and spiritual evolution.
the′o·soph′ic (-ə-sŏf′ĭk), the′o·soph′i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj.
the′o·soph′i·cal·ly adv. the·os′o·phist n.
onomatopoeia
(ŏn′ə-măt′ə-pē′ə, -mä′tə-)
n. The formation or use of words such as buzz or murmur that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
[Late Latin, from Greek onomatopoiiā, from onomatopoios, coiner of names : onoma, onomat-, name; see nō̆-men- in Indo-European roots + poiein, to make; see kwei- in Indo-European roots.]
on′o·mat′o·poe′ic, on′o·mat′o·po·et′ic (-pō-ĕt′ĭk) adj.
on′o·mat′o·poe′i·cal·ly, on′o·mat′o·po·et′i·cal·ly adv.
Niels Bohr
Niels Henrik David Bohr (Danish: [ˈnels ˈboɐ̯ˀ]; 1885 – 1962) was a Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922. Bohr was also a philosopher and a promoter of scientific research.
Bohr developed the Bohr model of the atom, in which he proposed that energy levels of electrons are discrete and that the electrons revolve in stable orbits around the atomic nucleus but can jump from one energy level (or orbit) to another. Although the Bohr model has been supplanted by other models, its underlying principles remain valid.
complaisant
adj. Exhibiting a desire or willingness to please; cheerfully obliging.
[French, from Old French, present participle of complaire, to please, from Latin complacēre; see complacent.]
com·plai′sant·ly adv.
NOTE: complaisant versus complacent:
Complacent means self-satisfied or smug and derives in part from the Latin verb placere (to please). Example:
He felt complacent about his excellent examination results.
Complaisant, on the other hand, means eager to please or obliging. An example of its use is:
He had thought she might oppose him, but found that she was surprisingly complaisant.
somnambulate
(sŏm-năm′byə-lāt′)
intr.v. som·nam·bu·lat·ed, som·nam·bu·lat·ing, som·nam·bu·lates
To walk or perform another act while asleep or in a sleeplike condition.
som·nam′bu·lar (-lər) adj.
som′nam·bu·la′tion n.
tumbledown
adj. Being in such bad repair as to seem in danger of collapsing; very dilapidated or rickety: a tumbledown shack.
decoct / decoction
tr.v. de·coct·ed, de·coct·ing, de·cocts
- To extract the flavor of by boiling.
- To make concentrated; boil down.
[Middle English decocten, to boil, from Latin dēcoquere, dēcoct-, to boil down or away : dē-, de- + coquere, to boil, to cook; see pekw- in Indo-European roots.]
de·coc′tion n.
adamant
(ăd′ə-mənt, -mănt′)
adj.
Not willing to change one’s opinion, purpose, or principles; unyielding.
n.
- A stone once believed to be impenetrable in its hardness.
- An extremely hard substance.
[From Middle English, a hard precious stone, from Old French adamaunt, from Latin adamās, adamant-, from Greek, unconquerable, hard steel, diamond; see demə- in Indo-European roots.]
ad′a·mance, ad′a·man·cy n.
ad′a·mant·ly adv.
tableau
(tăb′lō′, tă-blō′)
n. pl. tab·leaux or tab·leaus (tăb′lōz′, tă-blōz′)
1. A vivid or graphic description: The movie was a tableau of a soldier’s life.
2. A striking incidental scene, as of a picturesque group of people: “New public figures suddenly abound in the hitherto faceless totalitarian tableaux” (John McLaughlin).
3. An interlude during a scene when all the performers on stage freeze in position and then resume action as before.
4. A tableau vivant.
[French, from Old French tablel, diminutive of table, surface prepared for painting; see table.]
trireme
(trī′rēm′)
n. An ancient Greek or Roman galley or warship, having three tiers of oars on each side.
cairn
A mound of stones erected as a memorial or marker.
sloop
n. A single-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged sailing boat with a short standing bowsprit or none at all and a single headsail set from the forestay.
frisson
(frē-sōN′)
n. pl. fris·sons (-sōNz′, -sōN′)
A moment of intense excitement; a shudder: The story’s ending arouses a frisson of terror.
Thomism
(tō′mĭz′əm)
n. The theological and philosophical system of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a system that dominated scholasticism.
Tho′mist n.
Tho·mis′tic adj.
nonce
(nŏns)
n. The present or particular occasion: “Her tendency to discover a touch of sadness had for the nonce disappeared” (Theodore Dreiser).
viscid
(vĭs′ĭd)
adj.
- Thick and adhesive. Used of a fluid.
- Covered with a sticky or clammy coating.
[Late Latin viscidus, from Latin viscum, mistletoe, birdlime made from mistletoe berries.]
vis·cid′i·ty, vis′cid·ness n.
vis′cid·ly adv.
roister
(roi′stər)
intr. v. rois·tered, rois·ter·ing, rois·ters
1. To engage in boisterous merrymaking; revel noisily.
2. To behave in a blustering manner; swagger.
[From obsolete roister, roisterer, probably from Old French rustre, ruffian, alteration of ruste, from Latin rūsticus, rustic; see rustic.]
rois′ter·er n.
rois′ter·ous adj.
rois′ter·ous·ly adv.
leman
(lĕm′ən, lē′mən)
n. Archaic
1. A sweetheart; a lover.
2. A mistress.
whorl
(wôrl, hwôrl, wûrl, hwûrl)
n.
1. A form that coils or spirals; a curl or swirl: spread the icing in peaks and whorls.
2. Botany An arrangement of three or more leaves, petals, or other organs arising from a single node.
3. Zoology A single turn or volution of a spiral shell.
4. One of the circular ridges or convolutions of a fingerprint.
5. Architecture An ornamental device, as in stonework or weaving, consisting of stylized vine leaves and tendrils.
6.
a. A small pulley that regulates the speed of the bobbin of a spinning wheel.
b. A small flywheel that regulates the speed of a hand-operated spindle.
[Middle English whorle, alteration of whirle, whirl, from whirlen, to whirl; see whirl.]
Middle Platonism
Middle Platonism is the modern name given to a stage in the development of Plato’s philosophy, lasting from about 90 BC - when Antiochus of Ascalon rejected the scepticism of the New Academy - until the development of Neoplatonism under Plotinus in the 3rd century. Middle Platonism absorbed many doctrines from the rival Peripatetic and Stoic schools. The pre-eminent philosopher in this period, Plutarch (c. 45-120), defended the freedom of the will and the immortality of the soul. He sought to show that God, in creating the world, had transformed matter, as the receptacle of evil, into the divine soul of the world, where it continued to operate as the source of all evil. God is a transcendent being, which operates through divine intermediaries, which are the gods and daemons of popular religion. Numenius of Apamea (c. 160) combined Platonism with Neopythagoreanism and other eastern philosophies, in a move which would prefigure the development of Neoplatonism.
gyre
(jīr)
n.
A circular or spiral motion or form, especially a circular ocean current.
intr.v. gyred, gyr·ing, gyres
To whirl.
tatterdemalion
(tăt′ər-dĭ-māl′yən, -mā′lē-ən)
n. A person wearing ragged or tattered clothing; a ragamuffin.
adj. Ragged; tattered.
Proteus
(prō′tē-əs, -tyo͞os′)
n. Greek Mythology A sea god who could change his shape at will.
In Greek mythology, Proteus is an early sea-god or god of rivers and oceanic bodies of water, one of several deities whom Homer calls the “Old Man of the Sea”. Some who ascribe to him a specific domain call him the god of “elusive sea change”, which suggests the constantly changing nature of the sea or the liquid quality of water in general. He can foretell the future, but, in a mytheme familiar to several cultures, will change his shape to avoid having to; he will answer only to someone who is capable of capturing him. From this feature of Proteus comes the adjective protean, with the general meaning of “versatile”, “mutable”, “capable of assuming many forms”. “Protean” has positive connotations of flexibility, versatility and adaptability.
alderman
(ôl′dər-mən)
n.
1. A member of the municipal legislative body in a town or city in many jurisdictions.
2. A member of the higher branch of the municipal or borough council in England and Ireland before 1974.
3.
a. A noble of high rank or authority in Anglo-Saxon England.
b. The chief officer of a shire in Anglo-Saxon England.
[Middle English, a person of high rank, from Old English ealdorman : ealdor, elder, chief (from eald, old; see al- in Indo-European roots) + man, man; see man.]
al′der·man·cy (-sē) n.
al′der·man′ic (-măn′ĭk) adj.
plebeian
(plĭ-bē′ən)
adj.
- Of or relating to the common people of ancient Rome: a plebeian magistrate.
- Of, belonging to, or characteristic of commoners.
- Unrefined or coarse in nature or manner; common or vulgar: plebeian tastes.
n.
- One of the common people of ancient Rome.
- A member of the lower classes.
- A vulgar or coarse person.
[From Latin plēbius, from plēbs, plēb-, the common people; see pelə- in Indo-European roots.]
ple·be′ian·ism n.
ple·be′ian·ly adv.
vocative
adj.
- Relating to, characteristic of, or used in calling.
- Of, relating to, or being a grammatical case in certain inflected languages that indicates the person or thing being addressed.
n.
- The vocative case.
- A word or form in the vocative case.
[Middle English vocatif, from Old French, from Latin vocātīvus (cāsus), vocative (case), from vocātus, past participle of vocāre, to call; see vocation.]
voc′a·tive·ly adv.
Hephaestus / Vulcan
(hĭ-fĕs′təs, -fē′stəs)
n. Greek Mythology The god of fire and metalworking.
Roman counterpart: Vulcan
carmine
(kär′mĭn, -mīn′)
n.
- A strong to vivid red.
- A crimson pigment derived from cochineal.
adj.
Strong to vivid red.
Vril
Vril, the Power of the Coming Race is an 1871 novel by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, originally printed as The Coming Race. Among its readers have been those who have believed that its account of a superior subterranean master race and the energy-form called “Vril” is accurate, to the extent that some theosophists, notably Helena Blavatsky, William Scott-Elliot, and Rudolf Steiner, accepted the book as truth.[1] A popular book, The Morning of the Magicians (1960) suggested that a secret Vril Society existed in pre-Nazi Berlin. However, there is no historical evidence for the existence of such a society.
quaff
(kwŏf, kwăf, kwôf)
v. quaffed, quaff·ing, quaffs
v.tr.
To drink (a beverage) heartily: quaffed the ale with gusto.
v.intr.
To drink a liquid heartily: quaffed from the spring.
n.
A hearty draft of liquid.
Martin Luther
1483-1546
Martin Luther, one of the most notable theologians in Christian history, is responsible for initiating the Protestant Reformation. To some sixteenth century Christians he was hailed as a pioneering defender of truth and religious freedoms, to others he was charged as a heretic leader of a religious revolt.
Today most Christians would agree that he influenced the shape of Protestant Christianity more than any other person.
extirpate
(ĕk′stər-pāt′)
tr.v. ex·tir·pat·ed, ex·tir·pat·ing, ex·tir·pates
1.
a. To destroy totally; kill off: an effort to reintroduce wildlife that had been extirpated from the region.
b. To render absent or nonexistent: “No society … is devoid of … religion, even those … which have made deliberate attempts to extirpate it” See Synonyms at eliminate.
2. To pull up by the roots.
3. To remove by surgery.
pullulate
(pŭl′yə-lāt′)
intr. v. pul·lu·lat·ed, pul·lu·lat·ing, pul·lu·lates
1. To breed rapidly or abundantly.
2. To be or increase in great numbers: “Ideas pullulated in his brain” (G.D. Dess).
3. To teem; swarm: a lagoon that pullulated with fish.
[Latin pullulāre, pullulāt-, from pullulus, diminutive of pullus, young fowl; see pullet.]
pul′lu·la′tion n.
Priapus / priapic / priapism
Priapus (prī-ā′pəs)
n.
1. Priapus Greek & Roman Mythology
The god of procreation, guardian of gardens and vineyards, and personification of the erect phallus.
2. An image of this god, often used as a scarecrow in ancient gardens.
3. A representation of a phallus.
priapic (prī-ā′pĭk, -ăp′ĭk) also pri·a·pe·an (prī′ə-pē′ən)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or resembling a phallus; phallic.
2. Relating to or overly concerned with masculinity.
In Greek mythology, Priapus (/praɪˈeɪpəs/), was a minor rustic fertility god, protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens and male genitalia. Priapus is marked by his oversized, permanent erection, which gave rise to the medical term priapism. He became a popular figure in Roman erotic art and Latin literature, and is the subject of the often humorously obscene collection of verse called the Priapeia.
Darius I
Darius I (Old Persian: Dārayava(h)uš, c. 550–486 BCE) was the third king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. Also called Darius the Great, he ruled the empire at its peak, when it included much of West Asia, the Caucasus, Central Asia as far as the Indus Valley, the eastern Balkans (Thrace and Macedonia) and Pannonia, portions of north and northeast Africa including Egypt (Mudrâya),1 eastern Libya and coastal Sudan.
vulpine
(vŭl′pīn′)
adj.
- Of, resembling, or characteristic of a fox.
- Cunning; clever.
[Latin vulpīnus, from vulpēs, fox; see wl̥p-ē- in Indo-European roots.]
monolatry
(mɒˈnɒlətrɪ)
n. (Other Non-Christian Religions) the exclusive worship of one god without excluding the existence of others
monolater moˈnolatrist n
moˈnolatrous adj
Monsignor
(mŏn-sēn′yər)
n. Roman Catholic Church
1. A title conferred by the pope on a high-ranking male cleric, such as a protonotary apostolic.
2. A cleric holding such a title.
3. Abbr. Msgr. or Mgr. Used as a form of address prefixed to the name of such a cleric.
Mon′si·gnor′i·al (mŏn′sēn-yôr′ē-əl) adj.
querulous
adj.
- Given to complaining; peevish.
- Expressing a complaint or grievance; grumbling: a querulous voice; querulous comments.
[Middle English querulose, litigious, quarrelsome, from Old French querelos, from Late Latin querulōsus, querulous, from Latin querulus, from querī, to complain; see kwes- in Indo-European roots.]
quer′u·lous·ly adv.
quer′u·lous·ness n.
tonsure
(tŏn′shər)
n.
- The act of shaving the head or part of the head, especially as a preliminary to becoming a priest or a member of a monastic order.
- The part of a monk’s or priest’s head that has been shaved.
tr.v. ton·sured, ton·sur·ing, ton·sures
To shave the head of.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin tōnsūra, from Latin, a shearing, from tōnsus, past participle of tondēre, to shear; see tem- in Indo-European roots.]
defoliate
(dē-fō′lē-āt′)
v. de·fo·li·at·ed, de·fo·li·at·ing, de·fo·li·ates
v. tr.
1. To deprive (a plant or a vegetated area, for example) of leaves.
2. To cause the leaves of (a plant or plants) to fall off, especially by the use of chemicals.
v.intr.
To lose foliage.
[Late Latin dēfoliāre, dēfoliāt- : Latin dē-, de- + Latin folium, leaf; see bhel- in Indo-European roots.]
de·fo′li·ate (-ĭt) adj.
de·fo′li·a′tion n.
de·fo′li·a′tor n.
carrack
also car·ack (kăr′ək)
n. A large sailing vessel with a high forecastle and poop, used from the 1300s to the 1500s.
clout
n
1. a blow with the hand or a hard object
2. power or influence, esp in politics
3. (Archery) archery
a. the target used in long-distance shooting
b. the centre of this target
c. a shot that hits the centre
4. (Building) Also called: clout nail a short, flat-headed nail used esp for attaching sheet metal to wood
5.
a. a piece of cloth: a dish clout.
b. a garment
c. a patch
vb (tr)
- to give a hard blow to, esp with the hand
- (Knitting & Sewing) to patch with a piece of cloth or leather
quarterdeck
n. The after part of the upper deck of a ship, usually reserved for officers.
cerulean
(sə-ro͞o′lē-ən)
adj.
Azure; sky-blue.
antipyretic
(ăn′tē-pī-rĕt′ĭk, ăn′tī-)
adj. Reducing or tending to reduce fever.
n. A medication that reduces fever.
an′ti·py·re′sis (-rē′sĭs) n.
inveigle
(ĭn-vā′gəl, -vē′-)
tr. v. in·vei·gled, in·vei·gling, in·vei·gles
1. To win over by coaxing, flattery, or artful talk: He inveigled a friend into becoming his tennis partner.
2. To obtain by cajolery: inveigled a free pass to the museum.
in·vei′gle·ment n.
in·vei′gler n.
vainglory
(vān′glôr′ē, vān-glôr′ē)
n.
- Excessive or unwarranted pride in one’s accomplishments or qualities.
- Vain, ostentatious display: “a narcissistic chaser of vainglory” (Jonathan Miles).
[Middle English vein glory, from Old French vaine gloire, from Latin vāna glōria, empty pride : vāna, feminine of vānus, empty; see vain + glōria, glory, pride.]
yowl
v. yowled, yowl·ing, yowls v.intr.
To utter a long loud mournful cry; wail.
v.tr.
To say or utter with a yowl.
n.
A long loud mournful cry; a wail.
[Middle English yowlen, probably of imitative origin .]
chilblains
chĭl′blān′)
n. An inflammation followed by itchy irritation on the hands, feet, or ears, resulting from exposure to moist cold.
metallurgy
(mĕt′l-ûr′jē)
n.
- The science that deals with procedures used in extracting metals from their ores, purifying and alloying metals, and creating useful objects from metals.
- The study of metals and their properties in bulk and at the atomic level.
met′al·lur′gic, met′al·lur′gi·cal adj.
met′al·lur′gi·cal·ly adv.
met′al·lur′gist n.
beauteous
adj. Beautiful, especially to the sight.
beau′te·ous·ly adv.
beau′te·ous·ness n.
rigging
n.
- Nautical The system of ropes, chains, and tackle used to support and control the masts, sails, and yards of a sailing vessel.
- The supporting material for construction work.
paramour
n. A lover, especially a lover of a person who is married to someone else.
[Middle English, from par amour, by way of love, passionately, from Anglo-Norman : par, by (from Latin per; see per in Indo-European roots) + amour, love (from Latin amor, from amāre, to love).]
stanza
n. One of the divisions of a poem, composed of two or more lines usually characterized by a common pattern of meter, rhyme, and number of lines.
[Italian; see stance.]
stan·za′ic (-zā′ĭk) adj.
adit
(ăd′ĭt)
n. An almost horizontal entrance to a mine.
[Latin aditus, access, from past participle of adīre, to approach : ad-, ad- + īre, to go; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]
baleful
- Portending evil; ominous: The guard’s baleful glare frightened the children.
- Harmful or malignant in intent or effect: a baleful influence.
gorget
(gôr′jĭt)
n.
- A piece of armor protecting the throat.
- An ornamental collar.
- The scarflike part of a wimple covering the neck and shoulders.
- A band or patch of distinctive color on the throat of an animal, especially an area of brightly colored feathers on the throat of a bird.
[Middle English, from Old French gorgete, diminutive of gorge, throat; see gorge.]
protectorate
(prə-tĕk′tər-ĭt)
n.
1.
a. A relationship of protection and partial control assumed by a superior power over a dependent country or region.
b. The protected country or region.
2. Protectorate
a. The government, office, or term of a protector.
b. The government of England under Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard, ruling as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth.
cadge
To beg or get by begging.
Hermeticism
Hermeticism, also called Hermetism, is a religious and philosophical tradition based primarily upon writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. These writings have greatly influenced the Western esoteric tradition and were considered to be of great importance during both the Renaissance and the Reformation. The tradition claims descent from a prisca theologia, a doctrine that affirms the existence of a single, true theology that is present in all religions and that was given by God to man in antiquity.
Many Christian writers, including Lactantius, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Marsilio Ficino, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Giordano Bruno, Campanella, Sir Thomas Browne, and Emerson, considered Hermes Trismegistus to be a wise pagan prophet who foresaw the coming of Christianity.
An account of how Hermes Trismegistus received the name “Thrice Great” is derived from the The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, wherein it is stated that he knew the three parts of the wisdom of the whole universe. The three parts of the wisdom are alchemy, astrology, and theurgy.
The Poimandres, from which Marsilio Ficino formed his opinion, states that “They called him Trismegistus because he was the greatest philosopher and the greatest priest and the greatest king.” The Suda (10th century) states that “He was called Trismegistus on account of his praise of the trinity, saying there is one divine nature in the trinity.”
Much of the importance of Hermeticism arises from its connection with the development of science during the time from 1300 to 1600 AD. The prominence that it gave to the idea of influencing or controlling nature led many scientists to look to magic and its allied arts (e.g., alchemy, astrology) which, it was thought, could put Nature to the test by means of experiments. Consequently it was the practical aspects of Hermetic writings that attracted the attention of scientists.
Isaac Newton placed great faith in the concept of an unadulterated, pure, ancient doctrine, which he studied vigorously to aid his understanding of the physical world. Many of Newton’s manuscripts—most of which are still unpublished—detail his thorough study of the Corpus Hermeticum, writings said to have been transmitted from ancient times, in which the secrets and techniques of influencing the stars and the forces of nature were revealed.
promontory
(prŏm′ən-tôr′ē)
n. pl. prom·on·to·ries
1. A high ridge of land or rock jutting out into a body of water; a headland.
2. Anatomy A projecting part.
phosphor
n.
- A substance that exhibits phosphorescence.
- The phosphorescent coating inside the screen of a cathode-ray tube.
[Latin Phōsphorus, the morning star; see phosphorus.]
Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound (1885 – 1972) was an American expatriate poet and critic of the early modernist movement. His contribution to poetry began with his promotion of Imagism, a movement that called for a return to more Classical values, stressing clarity, precision and economy of language, and had an interest in verse forms such as the Japanese Haiku. His best-known works include Ripostes (1912), Hugh Selwyn Mauberley (1920) and his unfinished 120-section epic, The Cantos (1917–1969).
Working in London and Paris in the early 20th century as foreign editor of several American literary magazines, Pound helped to discover and shape the work of contemporaries such as T. S. Eliot, James Joyce, Robert Frost and Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway wrote of him in 1925: “He defends [his friends] when they are attacked, he gets them into magazines and out of jail. … He writes articles about them. He introduces them to wealthy women. He gets publishers to take their books. He sits up all night with them when they claim to be dying … he advances them hospital expenses and dissuades them from suicide.”
Outraged by the loss of life during the First World War, he lost faith in England, blaming the war on usury and international capitalism. He moved to Italy in 1924, where throughout the 1930s and 1940s, to his friends’ dismay, he embraced Benito Mussolini’s fascism, expressed support for Adolf Hitler and wrote for publications owned by Oswald Mosley. The Italian government paid him during the Second World War to make hundreds of radio broadcasts criticizing the United States, as a result of which he was arrested for treason by American forces in Italy in 1945. He spent months in detention in a U.S. military camp in Pisa, including 25 days in a six-by-six-foot outdoor steel cage that he said triggered a mental breakdown, “when the raft broke and the waters went over me.” Deemed unfit to stand trial, he was incarcerated in St. Elizabeths psychiatric hospital in Washington, D.C., for over 12 years.[3]
While in custody in Italy, he had begun work on sections of The Cantos that became known as The Pisan Cantos (1948), for which he was awarded the Bollingen Prize in 1949 by the Library of Congress, triggering enormous controversy. He was released from St. Elizabeths in 1958 and returned to live in Italy until his death. His political views ensure that his work remains controversial; in 1933 Time magazine called him “a cat that walks by himself, tenaciously unhousebroken and very unsafe for children.” Hemingway nevertheless wrote: “The best of Pound’s writing – and it is in the Cantos – will last as long as there is any literature.”
busk
intr.v.
busked, busk·ing, busks
To play music or perform entertainment in a public place, usually while soliciting money.
malodorous
(măl-ō′dər-əs)
adj. Having a bad odor; foul.
mal·o′dor·ous·ly adv.
mal·o′dor·ous·ness n.
hepatitis
n. pl. hep·a·tit·i·des (-tĭt′ĭ-dēz′)
1. Inflammation of the liver, caused by infectious or toxic agents and characterized by jaundice, fever, liver enlargement, and abdominal pain.
2. Any of various types of such inflammation, especially viral hepatitis.
remunerate
(rĭ-myo͞o′nə-rāt′)
tr. v. re·mu·ner·at·ed, re·mu·ner·at·ing, re·mu·ner·ates
1. To pay (a person) a suitable equivalent in return for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred; recompense.
2. To compensate for; make payment for: remunerated his efforts.
[Latin remūnerārī, remūnerāt- : re-, re- + mūnerārī, to give (from mūnus, mūner-, gift; see mei- in Indo-European roots).]
re·mu′ner·a·bil′i·ty (-nər-ə-bĭl′ĭ-tē) n.
re·mu′ner·a·ble adj.
re·mu′ner·a′tor n.
patella
(pə-tĕl′ə)
n. pl. pa·tel·lae (-tĕl′ē)
1.
a. A flat triangular bone located at the front of the knee joint. Also called kneecap.
b. A dish-shaped anatomical formation.
2. A pan or dish in ancient Rome.
[Latin, diminutive of patina, plate, pan; see paten.]
pa·tel′lar, pa·tel′late (-tĕl′ĭt, -āt′) adj.
rook
n.
- a black, bare-faced Eurasian crow, Corvus frugilegus, that nests and roosts colonially.
- a sharper at cards or dice; swindler.
v. t.
3. to cheat or swindle.
enuresis
(ĕn′yə-rē′sĭs)
n. The involuntary discharge of urine; urinary incontinence.
[New Latin, from Greek enourein, to urinate in : en-, in; see en-2 + ourein, to urinate.]
en′u·ret′ic (-rĕt′ĭk) adj.
pile driver
n. A machine that drives a pile by raising a weight between guideposts and dropping it on the head of the pile.
regent
n.
- One who rules during the minority, absence, or disability of a monarch.
- One acting as a ruler or governor.
- A member of a board that governs an institution, such as a state university.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin regēns, regent-, ruler, from present participle of regere, to rule; see reg- in Indo-European roots.]
re′gent·al (-jən-tl) adj.
dram
(drăm)
n.
1. Abbr. dr.
a. A unit of weight in the US Customary System equal to 1/16 of an ounce or 27.34 grains (1.77 grams).
b. A unit of apothecary weight equal to 1/8 of an ounce or 60 grains (3.89 grams).
2.
a. A small draft: took a dram of brandy.
b. A small amount; a bit: not a dram of compassion.
saffron
(săf′rən)
n.
1.
a. A corm-producing plant (Crocus sativus) native to the eastern Mediterranean region, having purple or white flowers with orange stigmas.
b. The dried aromatic stigmas of this plant, used to color foods and as a cooking spice and dyestuff.
2. A moderate or strong orange yellow to moderate orange.
[Middle English safroun, from Old French safran, from Medieval Latin safrānum, from Arabic za’farān.]
Hydra
n.
- Greek Mythology The many-headed monster that was slain by Hercules. (Lernaean Hydra)
- Astronomy A satellite of Pluto.
- A constellation in the equatorial region of the southern sky near Cancer, Libra, and Centaurus. Also called Snake.
- A persistent or multifaceted problem that cannot be eradicated by a single effort.
[Middle English Idra, from Latin Hydra, from Greek Hudrā, Hydra, a water serpent; see wed- in Indo-European roots.]
oblique
adj.
1.
a. Having a slanting or sloping direction, course, or position; inclined.
b. Mathematics Designating geometric lines or planes that are neither parallel nor perpendicular.
2. Botany Having the part on one side of the midrib of a different size or shape than the part on the other side. Used of a leaf.
3. Anatomy Situated in a slanting position; not transverse or longitudinal: oblique muscles or ligaments.
4.
a. Indirect or evasive: oblique political maneuvers.
b. Devious, misleading, or dishonest: gave oblique answers to the questions.
5. Not direct in descent; collateral.
6. Grammar Designating any noun case except the nominative or the vocative.
n.
An oblique thing, such as a line, direction, or muscle.
adv. (ō-blīk′, ə-blīk′)
At an angle of 45°.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin oblīquus.]
o·blique′ly adv.
o·blique′ness n.
chancel
The space around the altar of a church for the clergy and sometimes the choir, often enclosed by a lattice or railing.
axiom
ak-see-uh m
- A self-evident or universally recognized truth; a maxim: “It is an economic axiom as old as the hills that goods and services can be paid for onlywith goods and services” (Albert Jay Nock).
- An established rule, principle, or law.
- A self-evident principle or one that is accepted as true without proof as the basis for argument; a postulate.
palimpsest
(păl′ĭmp-sĕst′)
n.
- A manuscript, typically of papyrus or parchment, that has been written on more than once, with the earlier writing incompletely scraped off or erased and often legible.
- An object or area that has extensive evidence of or layers showing activity or use: “My skin had become a palimpsest of fleeting sensations, and each layer bore the imprint of who I was” (Paul Auster).
[Latin palimpsēstum, from Greek palimpsēston, neuter of palimpsēstos, scraped again : palin, again; see kwel- in Indo-European roots + psēn, to scrape.]
declaim
v. de·claimed, de·claim·ing, de·claims
v. intr.
1. To deliver a formal recitation, especially as an exercise in rhetoric or elocution.
2. To speak loudly and vehemently; inveigh.
v.tr.
To utter or recite with rhetorical effect.
[Middle English declamen, from Latin dēclāmāre : dē-, intensive pref.; see clāmāre in Indo-European roots.]
de·claim′er n.
ochre
(or ochre)
n.
- Any of several earthy mineral oxides of iron occurring in yellow, brown, or red and used as pigments.
- A moderate orange yellow, from moderate or deep orange to moderate or strong yellow.
[Middle English oker, from Old French ocre, from Late Latin ōcra, from Latin ōchra, from Greek ōkhra, from ōkhros, pale yellow.]
o′cher·ous, o′cher·y (ō′krē) adj.
(ō′kər)
libertine
n.
- One who acts without moral restraint; a dissolute person.
- One who defies established religious precepts; a freethinker.
adj.
Morally unrestrained; dissolute.
Scholasticism
Scholasticism is a method of critical thought which dominated teaching by the academics (“scholastics,” or “schoolmen”) of medieval universities in Europe from about 1100 to 1700, and a program of employing that method in articulating and defending dogma in an increasingly pluralistic context. It originated as an outgrowth of, and a departure from, Christian monastic schools at the earliest European universities. It is difficult to define the date at which they became true universities, although the lists of studia generalia for higher education in Europe held by the Catholic Church and its various religious orders are a useful guide.
Not so much a philosophy or a theology as a method of learning, scholasticism places a strong emphasis on dialectical reasoning to extend knowledge by inference, and to resolve contradictions. Scholastic thought is also known for rigorous conceptual analysis and the careful drawing of distinctions. In the classroom and in writing, it often takes the form of explicit disputation: a topic drawn from the tradition is broached in the form of a question, opponents’ responses are given, a counterproposal is argued and opponent’s arguments rebutted. Because of its emphasis on rigorous dialectical method, scholasticism was eventually applied to many other fields of study.
As a program, scholasticism began as an attempt at harmonization on the part of medieval Christian thinkers: to harmonize the various authorities of their own tradition, and to reconcile Christian theology with classical and late antiquity philosophy, especially that of Aristotle but also of Neoplatonism.
strabismus
(strə-bĭz′məs)
n. A visual defect in which one eye cannot focus with the other on an object because of imbalance of the eye muscles. Also called squint.
[New Latin, from Greek strabismos, condition of squinting, from strabizein, to squint, from strabos, squinting; see streb(h)- in Indo-European roots.]
stra·bis′mal (-məl), stra·bis′mic (-mĭk) adj.
Solomon
Solomon, also called Jedidiah, was, according to the Bible (Book of Kings: 1 Kings 1–11; Book of Chronicles: 1 Chronicles 28–2, 2 Chronicles 1–9), Qur’an, and Hidden Words a king of Israel and the son of David. The conventional dates of Solomon’s reign are circa 970 to 931 BC. He is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, which would break apart into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah shortly after his death. Following the split, his patrilineal descendants ruled over Judah alone.
According to the Talmud, Solomon is one of the 48 prophets. In the Qur’an, he is considered a major prophet, and Muslims generally refer to him by the Arabic variant Sulayman, son of David.
The Hebrew Bible credits Solomon as the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem. It portrays him as great in wisdom, wealth, and power, but ultimately as a king whose sins, including idolatry and turning away from Yahweh, led to the kingdom’s being torn in two during the reign of his son Rehoboam. Solomon is the subject of many other later references and legends, most notably in the 1st-century apocryphal work known as the Testament of Solomon. In later years, in mostly non biblical circles, Solomon also came to be known as a magician and an exorcist, with numerous amulets and medallion seals dating from the Hellenistic period invoking his name.
ménage
(mā-näzh′)
n.
- People living together as a unit; a household.
- The management of a household.
[French, from Old French mesnage, alteration (influenced by maisnie, family) of manage, from maneir, to stay, from Latin manēre, to remain; see remain.]
Carthage
An ancient city and state of northern Africa on the Bay of Tunis northeast of modern Tunis. It was founded by the Phoenicians in the ninth century bc and became the center of a maritime empire in the Mediterranean after the sixth century bc. The city was destroyed by the Romans at the end of the Third Punic War (146 bc) but was rebuilt by Julius Caesar and later (ad 439-533) served as capital of the Vandals before its virtual annihilation by the Arabs (698).
Car′tha·gin′i·an (kär′thə-jĭn′ē-ən) adj. & n.
scintilla
(sĭn-tĭl′ə)
n.
- A minute amount; an iota or trace.
- A spark; a flash.
[Latin, spark.]
scin′til·lant adj.
earthenware
n. Pottery made from a porous clay that is fired at relatively low temperatures. Faience, delft, and majolica are examples of earthenware.
substratum
n. pl. sub·stra·ta (-strā′tə, -străt′ə) or sub·stra·tums
1.
a. An underlying layer.
b. A layer of earth beneath the surface soil; subsoil.
2. A foundation or groundwork.
3. The material on which another material is coated or fabricated.
4. Philosophy The characterless substance that supports attributes of reality.
5. Biology A substrate.
6. Linguistics A substrate.
[New Latin substrātum, from neuter of Latin substrātus, past participle of substernere, to lay under : sub-, sub- + sternere, to stretch, spread; see ster- in Indo-European roots.]
sub·stra′tive adj.
pellucid
(pə-lo͞o′sĭd)
adj.
- Admitting the passage of light; transparent or translucent. See Synonyms at clear.
- Transparently clear in style or meaning: pellucid prose.
[Latin pellūcidus, from pellūcēre, to shine through : per-, through; see lūcēre in Indo-European roots.]
pel·lu·cid′i·ty, pel·lu′cid·ness n.
pel·lu′cid·ly adv.
assay
(ăs′ā′, ă-sā′)
n.
1.
a. Qualitative or quantitative analysis of a metal or ore to determine its components.
b. A substance to be so analyzed.
c. The result of such an analysis.
2. A bioassay.
3. An analysis or examination.
4. Archaic An attempt; an essay.
v. (ă-sā′, ăs′ā′) as·sayed, as·say·ing, as·says v.tr.
1.
a. To subject (a metal, for example) to chemical analysis so as to determine the strength or quality of its components.
b. To bioassay.
2. To examine by trial or experiment; put to a test: assay one’s ability to speak Chinese.
3. To evaluate; assess: assayed the situation before taking action.
4. To attempt; try: “Singers of every race and nationality have by now assayed the role” (Barry Singer).
v.intr.
To be shown by analysis to contain a certain proportion of usually precious metal.
[Middle English, from Old French essai, assai; see essay.]
as·say′a·ble adj.
as·say′er n.
William Blake
William Blake (1757 – 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age. His prophetic poetry has been said to form “what is in proportion to its merits the least read body of poetry in the English language”. Although he lived in London his entire life (except for three years spent in Felpham), he produced a diverse and symbolically rich oeuvre, which embraced the imagination as “the body of God” or “human existence itself”.
Although Blake was considered mad by contemporaries for his idiosyncratic views, he is held in high regard by later critics for his expressiveness and creativity, and for the philosophical and mystical undercurrents within his work. His paintings and poetry have been characterised as part of the Romantic movement and as “Pre-Romantic”. Reverent of the Bible but hostile to the Church of England (indeed, to all forms of organised religion), Blake was influenced by the ideals and ambitions of the French and American Revolutions. Though later he rejected many of these political beliefs, he maintained an amiable relationship with the political activist Thomas Paine; he was also influenced by thinkers such as Emanuel Swedenborg. Despite these known influences, the singularity of Blake’s work makes him difficult to classify. The 19th-century scholar William Rossetti characterised him as a “glorious luminary”, and “a man not forestalled by predecessors, nor to be classed with contemporaries, nor to be replaced by known or readily surmisable successors”.
itinerant
(ī-tĭn′ər-ənt, ĭ-tĭn′-)
adj.
Traveling from place to place, especially to perform work or a duty: an itinerant judge; itinerant labor. n. One who travels from place to place.
[Late Latin itinerāns, itinerant-, present participle of itinerārī, to travel, from Latin iter, itiner-, journey; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]
i·tin′er·ant·ly adv.
abyssal
(ə-bĭs′əl)
adj.
- Abysmal; unfathomable.
- Of or relating to the great depths of the oceans.
- Of or relating to the region of the ocean bottom between the bathyal and hadal zones, from depths of approximately 2,000 to 6,000 meters (6,500 to 20,000 feet).
Ergodic theory
Ergodic theory (ergon work, hodos way) is a branch of mathematics that studies dynamical systems with an invariant measure and related problems. Its initial development was motivated by problems of statistical physics. A central concern of ergodic theory is the behavior of a dynamical system when it is allowed to run for a long time. The first result in this direction is the Poincaré recurrence theorem, which claims that almost all points in any subset of the phase space eventually revisit the set. More precise information is provided by various ergodic theorems which assert that, under certain conditions, the time average of a function along the trajectories exists almost everywhere and is related to the space average. Two of the most important theorems are those of Birkhoff (1931) and von Neumann which assert the existence of a time average along each trajectory. For the special class of ergodic systems, this time average is the same for almost all initial points: statistically speaking, the system that evolves for a long time “forgets” its initial state. Stronger properties, such as mixing and equidistribution, have also been extensively studied. The problem of metric classification of systems is another important part of the abstract ergodic theory. An outstanding role in ergodic theory and its applications to stochastic processes is played by the various notions of entropy for dynamical systems. The concepts of ergodicity and the ergodic hypothesis are central to applications of ergodic theory. The underlying idea is that for certain systems the time average of their properties is equal to the average over the entire space. Applications of ergodic theory to other parts of mathematics usually involve establishing ergodicity properties for systems of special kind. In geometry, methods of ergodic theory have been used to study the geodesic flow on Riemannian manifolds, starting with the results of Eberhard Hopf for Riemann surfaces of negative curvature. Markov chains form a common context for applications in probability theory. Ergodic theory has fruitful connections with harmonic analysis, Lie theory (representation theory, lattices in algebraic groups), and number theory (the theory of diophantine approximations, L-functions).
penurious
(pə-no͝or′ē-əs, -nyo͝or′-)
adj.
- Poverty-stricken; destitute.
- Unwilling to spend money; stingy.
- Scanty or meager: “an allowance of cold meat and bread, in the same penurious proportion observed in our ordinary meals” (Charlotte Brontë).
pe·nu′ri·ous·ly adv.
pe·nu′ri·ous·ness n.
Pygmy
n. pl. Pyg·mies also Pig·mies
1. Greek Mythology A member of a race of dwarfs.
2. also pygmy A member of any of various peoples, especially of equatorial Africa and parts of Southeast Asia, having an average height less than 5 feet (1.5 meters).
3. pygmy
a. An individual of unusually small size.
b. An individual considered to be of little or no importance: political pygmies.
adj.
- also pygmy Of or relating to the Pygmies.
- pygmy
a. Unusually or atypically small.
b. Unimportant; trivial.
languor
(lăng′gər, lăng′ər)
n.
- Lack of physical or mental energy; listlessness: “the languor of the men, induced by the heat” (Herman Melville). See Synonyms at lethargy.
- A dreamy, lazy, or sensual quality, as of expression: “the clarity of her complexion, the length and languor of her eyelashes” (Jhumpa Lahiri).
- Oppressive stillness, especially of the air: the languor of a hot July afternoon.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin, from languēre, to be languid; see languish.]
lan′guor·ous adj.
lan′guor·ous·ly adv.
lan′guor·ous·ness n.
bilge
n
- (Nautical Terms) nautical the parts of a vessel’s hull where the vertical sides curve inwards to form the bottom
- (Nautical Terms) (often plural) the parts of a vessel between the lowermost floorboards and the bottom
- (Nautical Terms) Also called: bilge water the dirty water that collects in a vessel’s bilge
- silly rubbish; nonsense
- (Brewing) the widest part of the belly of a barrel or cask vb
- (Nautical Terms) nautical (intr) (of a vessel) to take in water at the bilge
- (Nautical Terms) nautical (tr) to damage (a vessel) in the bilge, causing it to leak
(probably a variant of bulge)
stratum
(strā′təm, străt′əm)
n. pl. stra·ta (-tə) or stra·tums
1. A horizontal layer of material, especially one of several parallel layers arranged one on top of another.
2. Geology A bed or layer of sedimentary rock that is visually distinguishable from adjacent beds or layers.
3. Any of the regions of the atmosphere, such as the troposphere, that occur as layers.
4. Biology A layer of tissue: the epithelial stratum.
5. A level of society composed of people with similar social, cultural, or economic status.
6. One of a number of layers, levels, or divisions in an organized system: a complex poem with many strata of meaning.
[Latin strātum, a covering, from neuter past participle of sternere, to spread; see stratus.]
stra′tal (strāt′l) adj.
Usage Note: The standard singular form is stratum; the standard plural is strata (or sometimes stratums), not stratas.
laryngeal
(lə-rĭn′jē-əl, -jəl, lăr′ən-jē′əl) also la·ryn·gal (lə-rĭng′gəl)
adj.
- Of, relating to, affecting, or near the larynx.
- Produced in or with the larynx; glottal.
n.
- A laryngeal sound.
- Any of a set of h-like sounds reconstructed for early Proto-Indo-European and partially preserved in Anatolian.
[From New Latin laryngeus, from Greek larunx, larung-, larynx.]
Tetragrammaton
(tĕt′rə-grăm′ə-tŏn′) n. The four Hebrew letters usually transliterated as YHWH or JHVH, used as a biblical proper name for God. [Middle English Tetragramaton, from Greek tetragrammaton, four-letter word, from neuter of tetragrammatos, four-lettered : tetra-, tetra- + gramma, grammat-, letter; see gerbh- in Indo-European roots.]
The tetragrammaton (from Greek τετραγράμματον, meaning “(consisting of) four letters”) is the Hebrew theonym יהוה, commonly transliterated into Latin letters as YHWH. It is one of the names of the national God of the Israelites used in the Hebrew Bible.
While YHWH is the most common transliteration of the tetragrammaton in English academic studies, the alternatives YHVH, JHVH and JHWH are also used.
Although “Yahweh” is favored by most Hebrew scholars and is widely accepted as the ancient pronunciation of the tetragrammaton, Jehovah is still used in some translations of the Bible. The Samaritans understand the pronunciation to be iabe. Some patristic sources give evidence for a Greek pronunciation iaō.
Religiously observant Jews are forbidden to pronounce the name of God, and when reading the Torah they use the word Adonai (“Lord”).
The name may be derived from a verb that means “to be”, “exist”, “become”, or “come to pass”.
tabard
(tăb′ərd)
n.
1. A short, heavy cape of coarse cloth formerly worn outdoors.
2.
a. A tunic or capelike garment worn by a knight over his armor and emblazoned with his coat of arms.
b. A similar garment worn by a herald and bearing his lord’s coat of arms.
3. An embroidered pennant attached to a trumpet.
[Middle English, from Old French tabart or Old Spanish tabardo.]
doldrums
pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
1.
a. A period of stagnation or slump.
b. A period of depression or unhappy listlessness.
2.
a. A region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or squalls.
b. The weather conditions characteristic of these regions of the ocean.
[From obsolete doldrum, dullard, alteration (influenced by tantrum) of Middle English dold, past participle of dullen, to dull, from dul, dull; see dull.]
Faustian universe
From Illuminates:
There’s an article in there by the University College physicist F. R. Stannard about what he calls the Faustian Universe. He tells how the behavior of K-mesons can’t be explained assuming a one way time-track, but fits into a neat pattern if you assume our universe overlaps another where time runs in the opposite direction. He calls it the Faustian universe, but I’ll bet he has no idea that Goethe wrote Faust after experiencing that universe directly, just as you’re doing lately. Incidentally, Stannard points out that everything in physics is symmetrical, except our present concept of one-way time. Once you admit two -way time traffic, you’ve got a completely symmetrical universe. Fits the Occamite’s demand for simplicity. Stannard’ll give you lots of words, man.
trepidation
n.
- A state of alarm or dread; apprehension. See Synonyms at fear.
- Archaic An involuntary trembling or quivering.
[Latin trepidātiō, trepidātiōn-, from trepidātus, past participle of trepidāre, to be in a state of confusion, from trepidus, anxious.]
trep′i·da′tious (-shəs) adj.
rowan
(rō′ən, rou′-)
n. A small deciduous European tree (Sorbus aucuparia) in the rose family, having pinnately compound leaves, corymbs of white flowers, and orange-red berries.
Astarte / Ashtorot / Ishtar
Astarte /æˈstɑrti/ (Ancient Greek: Ἀστάρτη, “Astártē”) is the Greek name of the Mesopotamian (i.e. Assyrian, Akkadian, Babylonian) Semitic goddess Ishtar known throughout the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean from the early Bronze Age to Classical times. It is one of a number of names associated with the chief goddess or female divinity of those peoples. She is found as Ugaritic ????? (ʻṯtrt, “ʻAṯtart” or “ʻAthtart”); in Phoenician as ????? (ʻštrt, “Ashtart”); in Hebrew עשתרת (Ashtoret, singular, or Ashtarot, plural); and appears originally in Akkadian as ???? D, the grammatically masculine name of the goddess Ishtar; the form Astartu is used to describe her age. The name appears also in Etruscan as ??? ????? Uni-Astre (Pyrgi Tablets), Ishtar or Ashtart.
Ishtar (English pronunciation /ˈɪʃtɑːr/) is the East Semitic Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna, and is the cognate for the Northwest Semitic Aramean goddess Astarte.
reductio ad absurdum
Reductio ad absurdum, also known as argumentum ad absurdum, is a common form of argument which seeks to demonstrate that a statement is true by showing that a false, untenable, or absurd result follows from its denial, or in turn to demonstrate that a statement is false by showing that a false, untenable, or absurd result follows from its acceptance. First recognized and studied in classical Greek philosophy, this technique has been used throughout history in both formal mathematical and philosophical reasoning, as well as informal debate.
abstruse
(ăb-stro͞os′, əb-)
adj. Difficult to understand; recondite: The students avoided the professor’s abstruse lectures.
[Latin abstrūsus, past participle of abstrūdere, to hide : abs-, ab-, away; see trūdere in Indo-European roots.]
ab·struse′ly adv.
ab·struse′ness n.
goiter
(goi′tər)
n. A noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland, visible as a swelling at the front of the neck, that is often associated with iodine deficiency. Also called struma.
concupiscence
(kŏn-kyo͞o′pĭ-səns)
n. A strong desire, especially sexual desire; lust.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin concupīscentia, from Latin concupīscēns, concupīscent-, present participle of concupīscere, inchoative of concupere, to desire strongly : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + cupere, to desire.]
con·cu′pis·cent adj.
circumvallate
(sûr′kəm-văl′āt′)
tr.v. cir·cum·val·lat·ed, cir·cum·val·lat·ing, cir·cum·val·lates
To surround with or as if with a rampart.
adj.
- (also -ĭt) Surrounded with or as if with a rampart.
- Anatomy Surrounded by a ridge or raised, wall-like structure.
spectroscopy
(spĕk-trŏs′kə-pē)
n. pl. spec·tros·co·pies
The study of the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, by a prism.
spec·tros′co·pist n.
colloquial
adj.
- (Linguistics) of or relating to conversation
- (Linguistics) denoting or characterized by informal or conversational idiom or vocabulary. Compare informal
[From colloquy.] col·lo′qui·al n. col·lo′qui·al·ly adv. col·lo′qui·al·ness n.
Enoch
(ˈiːnɒk)
n
- (Bible) the eldest son of Cain after whom the first city was named (Genesis 4:17)
- (Bible) the father of Methuselah: said to have walked with God and to have been taken by God at the end of his earthly life (Genesis 5:24)
Lamarckism
(lə-mär′kĭz′əm) also La·marck·i·an·ism (-kē-ə-nĭz′əm)
n. A theory of biological evolution holding that physical changes that occur in an organism through purposeful use and disuse of body parts are inherited by its offspring.
[After Chevalier de Jean Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet Lamarck.]
lodestone
also load·stone (lōd′stōn′)
n. 1. A piece of magnetite that has magnetic properties and attracts iron or steel.
2. One that attracts strongly.
[Middle English lode, way; see lode + stone (from its use by sailors to show the way).]
hie
(hī)
intr. & tr.v. hied, hie·ing or hy·ing (hī′ĭng), hies
To go quickly; hasten.
entomology
(ĕn′tə-mŏl′ə-jē)
n. The scientific study of insects.
en′to·mo·log′ic (-mə-lŏj′ĭk), en′to·mo·log′i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj.
en′to·mo·log′i·cal·ly adv.
en′to·mol′o·gist n.
halcyon
(hăl′sē-ən)
adj.
- Calm and peaceful; tranquil.
- Prosperous; golden: halcyon years.
n.
- A fabled bird, identified with the kingfisher, that was supposed to have had the power to calm the wind and the waves while it nested on the sea during the winter solstice.
- A kingfisher, especially one of the genus Halcyon.
[Middle English alcioun, mythical halcyon bird, from Latin alcyōn, halcyōn, from Greek halkuōn, alteration (influenced by hals, salt, sea, and kuōn, conceiving) of alkuōn, probably from a pre-Greek Mediterranean language .]
magnanimous
adj.
Highly moral, especially in showing kindness or forgiveness, as in overlooking insults or not seeking revenge.
[From Latin magnanimus : magnus, great; see meg- in Indo-European roots + animus, soul, mind; see anə- in Indo-European roots.]
mag·nan′i·mous·ly adv.
mag·nan′i·mous·ness n.
illimitable
(ĭ-lĭm′ĭ-tə-bəl)
adj.
Impossible to limit or circumscribe; limitless: “an illusion of illimitable power” (Freeman Dyson).
il·lim′it·a·bil′i·ty, il·lim′it·a·ble·ness n.
il·lim′it·a·bly adv.
philanthropy
n. pl. phi·lan·thro·pies
1. The effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations.
2. Love of humankind in general.
3. Something, such as an activity or institution, intended to promote human welfare.
[Late Latin philanthrōpia, from Greek, from philanthrōpos, humane, benevolent : phil-, philo-, philo- + anthrōpos, man, mankind.]
phi·lan′thro·pist n.
Ptolemaic Kingdom
The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a Hellenistic kingdom based in Egypt. It was ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty which started with Ptolemy I Soter’s accession after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and which ended with the death of Cleopatra VII and the Roman conquest in 30 BC.
cur
n.
- A dog considered to be inferior or undesirable; a mongrel.
- A base or cowardly person.
proscenium
(prō-sē′nē-əm, prə-)
n. pl. pro·sce·ni·ums or pro·sce·ni·a (-nē-ə)
1. The area of a modern theater that is located between the curtain and the orchestra.
2. The stage of an ancient theater, located between the background and the orchestra.
3. A proscenium arch.
[Latin proscēnium, from Greek proskēnion : pro-, before; see pro-2 + skēnē, buildings at the back of the stage.]
dyad
(dī′ăd′, -əd)
n.
- Two individuals or units regarded as a pair: the mother-daughter dyad.
- Biology One pair of homologous chromosomes resulting from the division of a tetrad during meiosis.
- Mathematics a. A function that draws a correspondence from any vector u to the vector (v·u)w and is denoted vw, where v and w are a fixed pair of vectors and v·u is the scalar product of v and u. For example, if v = (2,3,1), w = (0,-1,4), and u = (a,b,c), then the dyad vw draws a correspondence from u to (2a + 3b + c)w. b. A tensor formed from a vector in a vector space and a linear functional on that vector space.
adj.
Made up of two units.
[From Greek duas, duad-, from duo, two; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.]
coppice
n.
A thicket or grove of small trees or shrubs, especially one maintained by periodic cutting or pruning to encourage suckering, as in the cultivation of cinnamon trees for their bark.
v. cop·piced, cop·pic·ing, cop·pic·es v.tr.
To cut or prune (a tree) in making or maintaining a coppice.
v.intr.
To grow as a coppice after cutting. Used of trees.
[Old French copeiz; see copse.]
treadle
(trĕd′l)
n.
A pedal or lever operated by the foot for circular drive, as in a potter’s wheel or sewing machine.
intr.v. tread·led, tread·ling, tread·les
To work a treadle.
[Middle English tredel, from Old English, step of a stair, from tredan, to tread.]
tread′ler n.
Cerberus
(sûr′bər-əs)
n. Greek & Roman Mythology A three-headed dog guarding the entrance to Hades.
Cer′ber·e′an (sûr′bə-rē′ən) adj.
convivial
(kən-vĭv′ē-əl)
adj.
1. Enjoying good company; sociable. See Synonyms at social.
2. Characterized by merry celebrating; festive: a convivial atmosphere at the reunion.
sidle
v. si·dled, si·dling, si·dles
v. intr.
1. To move sideways: sidled through the narrow doorway.
2. To advance in an unobtrusive, furtive, or coy way: swindlers who sidle up to tourists.
v.tr.
To cause to move sideways: We sidled the canoe to the riverbank.
n.
- An unobtrusive, furtive, or coy advance.
- A sideways movement.
[Back-formation from sideling.]
si′dling·ly adv.
oblation
(ə-blā′shən, ō-blā′-)
n.
- The act of offering something, such as worship or thanks, to a deity.
- Oblation
a. The act of offering the bread and wine of the Eucharist.
b. Something offered, especially the bread and wine of the Eucharist. - A charitable offering or gift.
[Middle English oblacioun, from Old French oblacion, from Late Latin oblātiō, oblātiōn-, from Latin oblātus, past participle of offerre, to offer : ob-, ob- + lātus, brought; see telə- in Indo-European roots.]
ob·la′tion·al, ob′la·to′ry (ŏb′lə-tôr′ē) adj.
dewlap
- A fold of loose skin hanging from the neck of certain animals.
- A pendulous part similar to this, such as the wattle of a bird.
- A fold of loose skin hanging from the neck of a person.
auspice
n. pl. aus·pi·ces (ô′spĭ-sĭz, -sēz′)
- also auspices
Protection or support; patronage. - A sign indicative of future prospects; an omen: Auspices for the venture seemed favorable.
- Observation of and divination from the actions of birds.
[Latin auspicium, bird divination, auspices, from auspex, auspic-, bird augur; see awi- in Indo-European roots.]
pedantry
(pĕd′n-trē)
n. pl. ped·ant·ries
1. The ostentatious display of academic knowledge, or undue attention paid to minor details or formal rules: His detailed research was dismissed as pedantry.
2. An instance of pedantic behavior: grew tired of his pedantries.
founder
(foun′dər)
v. foun·dered, foun·der·ing, foun·ders
v. intr.
1. To sink below the surface of the water: The ship struck a reef and foundered.
2. To cave in; sink: The platform swayed and then foundered.
3. To fail utterly; collapse: a marriage that soon foundered.
4. To stumble, especially to stumble and go lame. Used of horses.
5. To become ill from overeating. Used of livestock.
6. To be afflicted with laminitis. Used of horses.
v.tr.
To cause to founder: A large wave foundered the boat.
n. See laminitis.
[Middle English foundren, to sink to the ground, from Old French fondrer, from Vulgar Latin *funderāre, from *fundus, *funder-, bottom, from Latin fundus, fund-.]
Usage Note: The verbs founder and flounder are often confused. Founder comes from a Latin word meaning “bottom” (as in foundation) and originally referred to knocking enemies down; it is now also used to mean “to fail utterly, collapse.” Flounder means “to move clumsily, thrash about,” and hence “to proceed in confusion.” If John is foundering in Chemistry 101, he had better drop the course; if he is floundering, he may yet pull through.
exotropia
(ĕk′sō-trō′pē-ə)
n. A form of strabismus in which one or both of the eyes deviate outward. Also called walleye.
[New Latin : exo- + Greek tropē, a turning; see -tropic.]
ex′o·trop′ic (-trŏp′ĭk, -trō′pĭk) adj.
forbearance
(fôr-bâr′əns)
n.
- Tolerance and restraint in the face of provocation; patience.
- Law The act of giving a debtor more time to pay rather than immediately enforcing a debt that is due.
pall
(pôl)
n.
1. A cover for a coffin, bier, or tomb, often made of black, purple, or white velvet.
2. A coffin, especially one being carried to a grave or tomb.
3.
a. A covering that darkens or obscures: a pall of smoke over the city.
b. A gloomy effect or atmosphere: “A pall of depressed indifference hung over Petrograd during February and March 1916” (W. Bruce Lincoln).
4. Ecclesiastical
a. A linen cloth or a square of cardboard faced with cloth used to cover the chalice.
b. See pallium.
tr.v. palled, pall·ing, palls
To cover with or as if with a pall.
v. palled, pall·ing, palls
v. intr.
1. To become insipid, boring, or wearisome.
2. To have a dulling, wearisome, or boring effect.
3. To become cloyed or satiated.
v. tr.
1. To cloy; satiate.
2. To make vapid or wearisome.
baize
An often bright-green woolen or cotton material napped to imitate felt and used chiefly as a cover for gaming tables.
prefect
n.
- A high administrative official or chief officer, as:
a. Any of several high military or civil officials in ancient Rome.
b. The chief of police of Paris, France.
c. A chief administrative official of a department of France.
d. The administrator in charge of discipline at a Jesuit school. - A student monitor or officer, especially in a private school.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praefectus, from past participle of praeficere, to place at the head of : prae-, pre- + facere, to make; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.]
tumescent
(to͞o-mĕs′ənt, tyo͞o-)
adj.
- Somewhat tumid.
- Becoming swollen; swelling.
[Latin tumēscēns, tumēscent-, present participle of tumēscere, to begin to swell, inchoative of tumēre, to swell; see teuə- in Indo-European roots.]
Romulus and Remus
Romulus /ˈrɒmjʉləs/ and Remus /ˈriːməs/ were the twin brothers and main characters of Rome’s foundation myth. Their mother was Rhea Silvia, daughter of Numitor, king of Alba Longa. Before their conception, Numitor’s brother Amulius seized power, killed Numitor’s male heirs and forced Rhea Silvia to become a Vestal Virgin, sworn to chastity. Rhea Silvia conceived the twins by the god Mars, or by the god Hercules. Once the twins were born, Amulius had them abandoned to die in the Tiber river. They were saved by a series of miraculous interventions: the river carried them to safety, a she-wolf (in Latin, lupa) found and suckled them, and a woodpecker fed them. A shepherd and his wife found them and fostered them to manhood as simple shepherds. The twins, still ignorant of their true origins, proved to be natural leaders. Each acquired many followers. When they discovered the truth of their birth, they killed Amulius and restored Numitor to his throne. Rather than wait to inherit Alba Longa, they chose to found a new city.
While Romulus wanted to found the new city on the Palatine Hill, Remus preferred the Aventine Hill. They agreed to determine the site through augury but when each claimed the results in his own favor, they quarreled and Remus was killed. Romulus founded the new city, named it Rome, after himself, and created its first legions and senate. The new city grew rapidly, swelled by landless refugees; as most of these were male and unmarried, Romulus arranged the abduction of women from the neighboring Sabines. The ensuing war ended with the joining of Sabines and Romans as one Roman people. Thanks to divine favour and Romulus’s inspired leadership, Rome became a dominant force, but Romulus himself became increasingly autocratic, and disappeared or died in mysterious circumstances. In later forms of the myth, he ascended to heaven and was identified with Quirinus, the divine personification of the Roman people.
The legend as a whole encapsulates Rome’s ideas of itself, its origins and moral values. For modern scholarship, it remains one of the most complex and problematic of all foundation myths, particularly Remus’s death. Ancient historians had no doubt that Romulus gave his name to the city. Most modern historians believe his name a back-formation from the name Rome; the basis for Remus’s name and role remain subjects of ancient and modern speculation. The myth was fully developed into something like an “official”, chronological version in the Late Republican and early Imperial era; Roman historians dated the city’s foundation to between 758 and 728 BC, and Plutarch reckoned the twins’ birth year as c. 27/28 March 771 BC. An earlier tradition that gave Romulus a distant ancestor in the semi-divine Trojan prince Aeneas was further embellished, and Romulus was made the direct ancestor of Rome’s first Imperial dynasty. Possible historical bases for the broad mythological narrative remain unclear and disputed. The image of the she-wolf suckling the divinely fathered twins became an iconic representation of the city and its founding legend, making Romulus and Remus preeminent among the feral children of ancient mythography.
clavicle
n.
- Either of two slender bones in humans that extend from the manubrium of the sternum to the acromion of the scapula. Also called collarbone.
- One of the bones of the pectoral girdle in many vertebrates.
[New Latin clāvīcula, from Latin, diminutive of clāvis, key (from its shape).]
cla·vic′u·lar (klə-vĭk′yə-lər) adj.
cla·vic′u·late′ (-lāt′) adj.
canticle
(kăn′tĭ-kəl)
n.
- A song or chant, especially a nonmetrical hymn with words taken from a biblical text other than from the book of Psalms.
- Canticles Bible The Song of Songs.
[Middle English, from Latin canticulum, diminutive of cantus, song, from past participle of canere, to sing; see kan- in Indo-European roots.]
fug
(fŭg)
n. A heavy, stale atmosphere, especially the musty air of an overcrowded or poorly ventilated room: “In spite of the open windows the stench had become a reeking fug”
echinoderm
(ĭ-kī′nə-dûrm′)
n. Any of numerous radially symmetrical marine invertebrates of the phylum Echinodermata, which includes the starfishes, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers, having an internal calcareous skeleton and often covered with spines.
[From New Latin Echīnodermata, phylum name : echino- + -dermata, -skinned (from Greek derma, dermat-, skin; see -derm).]
e·chi′no·der′mal, e·chi′no·der′ma·tous (-dûr′mə-təs) adj.
irremediable
(ĭr′ĭ-mē′dē-ə-bəl)
adj. Impossible to remedy, correct, or repair; incurable or irreparable: irremediable errors in judgment.
ir′re·me′di·a·bly adv.
insular
adj.
1.
a. Of, relating to, or constituting an island.
b. Living or located on an island.
2.
a. Suggestive of the isolated life of an island: “He is an exceedingly insular man, so deeply private as to seem inaccessible to the scrutiny of a novelist” (Leonard Michaels).
b. Circumscribed and detached in outlook and experience; narrow or provincial.
3. Anatomy Of or relating to isolated tissue or an island of tissue.
in′su·lar·ism, in′su·lar′i·ty (-lăr′ĭ-tē) n.
in′su·lar·ly adv.
pustule
n.
- A small inflamed elevation of the skin that is filled with pus; a pimple.
- A small swelling similar to a blister or pimple.
- Something likened to an inflamed, pus-filled lesion: “a cool glimpse of green between hot pustules of sooty sprawl” (Nicholas Proffitt).
nettle
n.
- Any of various plants of the genus Urtica, having toothed leaves, unisexual apetalous flowers, and stinging hairs that cause skin irritation on contact.
- Any of various hairy, stinging, or prickly plants.
tr. v. net·tled, net·tling, net·tles
1. To sting with or as if with a nettle.
2. To irritate; vex.
penury
(pĕn′yə-rē)
n. Extreme want or poverty; destitution.
lyceum
(lī-sē′əm)
n.
- A hall in which public lectures, concerts, and similar programs are presented.
- An organization sponsoring public programs and entertainment.
- A lycée. [Latin Lycēum, from Greek Lukeion, the name of a grove with athletic training grounds near Athens in which Aristotle taught, from Lukeios, epithet of Apollo (to whom the grove was sacred)]
kabbalah
or kab·ba·la or ka·ba·la also ca·ba·la or qa·ba·la or qa·ba·lah (kăb′ə-lə, kə-bä′lə)
n.
- often Kabbalah A body of mystical teachings of rabbinical origin, often based on an esoteric interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures.
- A secret doctrine resembling these teachings.
[Medieval Latin cabala, from Hebrew qabbālâ, received doctrine, tradition, from qibbēl, to receive; see qbl in Semitic roots.]
kab′ba·lism n.
kab′ba·list n.
Usage Note: There are no less than two dozen variant spellings of kabbalah, the most common of which include kabbalah, kabala, kabalah, qabalah, qabala, cabala, cabbala, kaballah, kabbala, kaballah, and qabbalah.
galoot
(gə-lo͞ot′)
n. Slang
A person, especially a clumsy or uncouth one.
titration
(tī-trā′shən)
n. The process, operation, or method of determining the concentration of a substance in solution by adding to it a standard reagent of known concentration in carefully measured amounts until a reaction of definite and known proportion is completed, usually as shown by a color change or by electrical measurement, and then calculating the unknown concentration.
pennon
(pĕn′ən)
n.
- A long narrow banner or streamer borne upon a lance.
- A pennant, banner, or flag.
- A pinion; a wing.
[Middle English, from Old French penon, streamer, feather of an arrow, augmentative of penne, feather, from Latin penna; see pet- in Indo-European roots.]
pen′noned adj.
mizzen
(mĭz′ən)
n. Nautical
1. A fore-and-aft sail set on the mizzenmast.
2. A mizzenmast.
miz′zen adj.
equine
(ē′kwīn′, ĕk′wīn′)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a horse.
2. Of or belonging to the family Equidae, which includes the horses, asses, and zebras.
berth
n
- a bed or bunk in a vessel or train, usually narrow and fixed to a wall
- (Nautical Terms) nautical a place assigned to a ship at a mooring
- (Nautical Terms) nautical sufficient distance from the shore or from other ships or objects for a ship to manoeuvre
- give a wide berth to to keep clear of; avoid
- (Nautical Terms) nautical accommodation on a ship
- a job, esp as a member of a ship’s crew vb
- (Nautical Terms) nautical (tr) to assign a berth to (a vessel)
- (Nautical Terms) nautical to dock (a vessel)
- (tr) to provide with a sleeping place, as on a vessel or train
- (Nautical Terms) nautical (intr) to pick up a mooring in an anchorage
circuitous
(sər-kyo͞o′ĭ-təs)
adj. 1. Being or taking a roundabout, lengthy course: took a circuitous route to avoid the accident site.
2. Characterized by indirectness, evasiveness, or complexity, as in action or language: a circuitous method of inquiry; a circuitous argument.
[From Medieval Latin circuitōsus, from Latin circuitus, a going around; see circuit.]
cir·cu′i·tous·ly adv.
cir·cu′i·ty, cir·cu′i·tous·ness n.
livery
(lĭv′ə-rē, lĭv′rē)
n. pl. liv·er·ies
1. A distinctive uniform worn by the male servants of a household.
2. The distinctive dress worn by the members of a particular group; uniform: ushers in livery.
3. The costume or insignia worn by the retainers of a feudal lord.
4.
a. The boarding and care of horses for a fee.
b. The hiring out of horses and carriages.
c. A livery stable.
5. A business that offers vehicles, such as automobiles or boats, for hire.
6. Law Official delivery of property, especially land, to a new owner.
palmy
adj. palm·i·er, palm·i·est
1. Of or relating to palm trees.
2. Covered with palm trees.
3. Prosperous; flourishing: palmy times for stockbrokers.
toadstool
n. A fungus with an umbrella-shaped fruiting body, especially one thought to be inedible or poisonous.
limpid
adj.
- Characterized by transparent clearness; pellucid. See Synonyms at clear.
- Free from clouds or haze: a limpid sky.
- Easily intelligible; clear: writes in a limpid style.
- Easily or pleasantly heard; distinct: playing the violin with a limpid tone.
- Flowing or moving gracefully: limpid movements of a dancer.
lim·pid′i·ty, lim′pid·ness n.
lim′pid·ly adv.
pendulous
adj.
- Hanging loosely; suspended so as to swing or sway.
- Wavering; undecided.
[From Latin pendulus, from pendēre, to hang; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots.]
pen′du·lous·ly adv.
pen′du·lous·ness n.
ergodicity
an attribute of stochastic systems; generally, a system that tends in probability to a limiting form that is independent of the initial conditions
haphazardness, stochasticity, randomness, noise - the quality of lacking any predictable order or plan
laconic
(lə-kŏn′ĭk)
adj. Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.
[Latin Lacōnicus, Spartan, from Greek Lakōnikos, from Lakōn, a Spartan (from the reputation of the Spartans for brevity of speech).]
la·con′i·cal·ly adv.
Synonyms: laconic, reticent, taciturn, tightlipped
despoliation
n
- the act of despoiling; plunder or pillage
- the state of being despoiled
chancery
(chăn′sə-rē)
n. pl. chan·cer·ies
1. Law
a. A court of chancery.
b. The proceedings and practice of a court of chancery; equity.
c. A court of public record; an office of archives.
d. One of the five divisions of the High Court of Justice of Great Britain, presided over by the Lord High Chancellor.
2. The office or department of a chancellor; a chancellery.
[Middle English chancerie, alteration of chancelrie; see chancellery.]
renege
(rĭ-nĕg′, -nĭg′)
v. re·neged, re·neg·ing, re·neges
v. intr.
1. To fail to carry out a promise or commitment: reneged on the contract at the last minute.
2. Games To fail to follow suit in cards when able and required by the rules to do so.
v.tr.
Archaic To renounce; disown.
n.
The act of reneging.
[Medieval Latin renegāre, to deny; see renegade.]
re·neg′er n.
fetor
(fē′tər, -tôr′) also foe·tor (fē′tər)
n. A strong, offensive odor. See Synonyms at stench.
[Middle English fetoure, from Latin fētor, from fētēre, to stink.]
keelhauling
Keelhauling is a form of punishment meted out to sailors at sea. The sailor was tied to a line that looped beneath the vessel, thrown overboard on one side of the ship, and dragged under the ship’s keel, either from one side of the ship to the other, or the length of the ship (from bow to stern). As the hull was usually covered in barnacles and other marine growth, if the offender was pulled quickly, keelhauling would typically result in serious cuts, loss of limbs and even decapitation. If the victim was dragged slowly, his weight might lower him sufficiently to miss the barnacles, but this method would frequently result in his drowning.
Keelhauling was legally permitted as a punishment in the Dutch Navy by a Dutch ordinance of 1560, and the practice was not formally abolished until 1853. Keelhauling has become strongly associated with pirate lore. The earliest known mention of keelhauling is from the Greeks in the Rhodian Maritime Code (Lex Rhodia), of circa 800 BC, which outlines punishment for piracy. It is also pictured on a Greek vase from the same era.
The term still survives today, although usually in the sense of being over-punished or receiving extreme discipline for lightly violating the rules.
dervish
n.
- A member of any of various Muslim ascetic orders, some of which perform whirling dances and vigorous chanting as acts of ecstatic devotion.
- One that possesses abundant, often frenzied energy: “[She] is a dervish of unfocused energy, an accident about to happen” (Jane Gross).
[Turkish derviş, mendicant, from Persian darvēš, from Middle Persian driyōš, needy one, one who lives in holy mendicancy, from Old Iranian (Avestan) drigu-; akin to Sanskrit adhriguḥ (a divine epithet of unknown but favorable meaning) : perhaps a-, not + *dhrigu-, poor.]
poignard
Poignard, or poniard, (Fr.), refers to a long, lightweight thrusting knife with a continuously tapering, acutely pointed blade and crossguard, historically worn by the upper class, noblemen, or the knighthood. Similar in design to a parrying dagger, the poignard emerged during the Middle Ages and was used during the Renaissance in Western Europe, particularly in France, Switzerland, and Italy.
Modern usage
In modern French, the term poignard has come to be defined as synonymous with dague, the general term for “dagger”, and in English the term poignard or poniard has gradually evolved into a term for any small, slender dagger.
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development project that produced the first atomic bombs during World War II. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer was the scientific director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory that designed the actual bombs.
Neopythagoreanism
Neopythagoreanism (or Neo-Pythagoreanism) was a school of Hellenistic philosophy which revived Pythagorean doctrines. Neopythagoreanism was influenced by Middle Platonism and in turn influenced Neoplatonism. It originated in the 1st century BCE and flourished during the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. The 1911 Britannica describes Neopythagoreanism as “a link in the chain between the old and the new” within Hellenistic philosophy. As such, it contributed to the doctrine of monotheism as it emerged during Late Antiquity (among other things influencing early Christianity). Central to Neopythagorean thought was the concept of a soul and its inherent desire for a unio mystica with the divine.
The word “Neopythagoreanism” is a modern (19th century) term, coined as a parallel of “Neoplatonism”.
drawknife
n. A knife with a handle at each end of the blade, used with a drawing motion to shave a surface. Also called drawshave.
coif
(koif)
n.
1. (also kwäf) A coiffure.
2. A tight-fitting cap worn under a veil, as by nuns.
3. A white skullcap formerly worn by English lawyers.
4.
a. A hood of chain mail or other heavy material, usually worn under a helmet.
b. A cervellière.
tr. v. coifed, coif·ing, coifs
1. (also kwäf) To arrange or dress (the hair).
2. To cover with or as if with a coif.
flexuous
adj. Bending or winding alternately from side to side; sinuous.
[From Latin flexuōsus, from flexus, a bending, a turning, from past participle of flectere, to bend.]
flex′u·os′i·ty (-ŏs′ĭ-tē) n.
flex′u·ous·ly adv.
shrive
v. shrove (shrōv) or shrived, shriv·en (shrĭv′ən) or shrived, shriv·ing, shrives
v. tr.
1. To hear the confession of and give absolution to (a penitent).
2. To obtain absolution for (oneself) by confessing and doing penance.
v. intr. Archaic
1. To make or go to confession.
2. To hear confessions.
[Middle English schriven, from Old English scrīfan, from Latin scrībere, to write; see skrībh- in Indo-European roots.]
shriv′er n.
billet
n
- (Military) accommodation, esp for a soldier, in civilian lodgings
- (Military) the official requisition for such lodgings
- (Nautical Terms) a space or berth allocated, esp for slinging a hammock, in a ship
- a job
- a brief letter or document vb, -lets, -leting or -leted
- (Military) (tr) to assign a lodging to (a soldier)
- (tr) to assign to a post or job
- to lodge or be lodged
nonplus
(nŏn-plŭs′)
tr. v. non·plussed, non·plus·sing, non·plus·ses also non·plused or non·plus·ing or non·plus·es
1. To put at a loss as to what to think, say, or do; bewilder.
2. Usage Problem To cause to feel indifferent or bored.
n.
A state of bewilderment or perplexity.
[From Latin nōn plūs, no more : nōn, not; see plūs in Indo-European roots.]
Usage Note: The verb nonplus, from the Latin phrase nōn plūs, “not more,” is well established with the meaning “to surprise and bewilder.” The verb and its participial adjective nonplussed often imply that the affected person is at a loss for words. This use of the word was acceptable to 90 percent of the Usage Panel in our 2013 survey in the sentence The scientists were completely nonplussed—the apparatus had not acted at all as they had expected. However, the word is frequently used to mean “to make indifferent, bore,” as if the plus part of the word meant “to overcome with excitement.” This usage is still controversial and should probably be avoided.
epithelium
(ĕp′ə-thē′lē-əm)
n. pl. ep·i·the·li·a (-lē-ə) or ep·i·the·li·ums
Membranous tissue composed of one or more layers of cells separated by very little intercellular substance and forming the covering of most internal and external surfaces of the body and its organs.
[New Latin epithēlium : epi- + Greek thēlē, nipple; see dhē(i)- in Indo-European roots.]
ep′i·the′li·al adj.
hansom
n. A two-wheeled covered carriage with the driver’s seat above and behind the passenger compartment. Also called hansom cab.
[After Joseph Aloysius Hansom, (1803-1882), British architect.]
beleaguer
(bĭ-lē′gər)
tr. v. be·lea·guered, be·lea·guer·ing, be·lea·guers
1. To harass; beset: We are beleaguered by problems.
2. To surround with troops; besiege: The enemy beleaguered the enclave.
[Probably Dutch belegeren : be-, around (from Middle Dutch bie; see ambhi in Indo-European roots) + leger, camp; see legh- in Indo-European roots.]
be·lea′guer·ment n.
starveling
(stärv′lĭng)
n.
One that is starving or being starved.
adj.
1. Starving. 2.
Poor in quality; inadequate.
dray
n. A low, heavy cart without sides, used for haulage.
tr. v. drayed, dray·ing, drays To haul by means of a dray.
[Middle English draie, sledge, cart, from Old English dragan, to draw.]
cyclorama
(sī′klə-răm′ə, -rä′mə)
n.
- A large composite picture placed on the interior walls of a cylindrical room so as to appear in natural perspective to a spectator standing in the center of the room.
- A large curtain or wall, usually concave, hung or placed at the rear of a stage.
[cycl(o)- + (pan)orama.]
cy′clo·ram′ic adj.
filament
- A fine or very thin thread or fiber: filaments of cloth; filaments of flax.
- A slender or threadlike structure or part, especially:
a. A fine wire that is heated electrically to produce light in an incandescent lamp.
b. The stalk that bears the anther in the stamen of a flower.
c. A chainlike series of cells, as in many algae.
d. A long thin cellular structure characteristic of many fungi, usually having multiple nuclei and often divided by septa.
e. Any of various long thin celestial objects or phenomena, such as a solar filament.
concord
(kŏn′kôrd′, kŏng′-)
n.
- Harmony or agreement of interests or feelings; accord.
- A treaty establishing peaceful relations.
- Grammar Agreement between words in person, number, gender, or case.
- Music A harmonious combination of simultaneously sounded tones.
[Middle English concorde, from Old French, from Latin concordia, from concors, concord-, agreeing : com-, com- + cor, heart; see kerd- in Indo-European roots.]
neurasthenia
(no͝or′əs-thē′nē-ə, nyo͝or′-)
n. A group of symptoms, including chronic physical and mental fatigue, weakness, and generalized aches and pains, usually considered a psychological disorder. It was formerly thought to result from exhaustion of the nervous system and is no longer in clinical use in many parts of the world.
neu′ras·then′ic (-thĕn′ĭk) adj. & n.
neu′ras·then′i·cal·ly adv.
inure
(ĭn-yo͝or′)
tr.v. in·ured, in·ur·ing, in·ures
also en·ured or en·ur·ing or en·ures
To habituate to something undesirable, especially by prolonged subjection; accustom: “Though the food became no more palatable, he soon became sufficiently inured to it” (John Barth).
in·ure′ment n.
indubitable
adj. Too apparent to be doubted; unquestionable.
in·du′bi·ta·bly adv.
gulch
A small ravine, especially one cut by a torrent.
hovel
(hŭv′əl, hŏv′-)
n.
- A small, miserable dwelling.
- An open, low shed.
[Middle English, hut.]
sortie
n.
- An armed attack, especially one made from a place surrounded by enemy forces.
- A flight of a combat aircraft on a mission.
intr.v. sor·tied, sor·tie·ing, sor·ties
To go on a sortie.
[French, from feminine past participle of sortir, to go out, from Old French.]
eldritch
(ĕl′drĭch)
adj. Strange or unearthly; eerie.
coursing
Hunting with dogs trained to chase game by sight instead of scent.
verdant
adj.
- Green with vegetation; covered with green growth.
- Green in hue.
- Lacking experience or sophistication; naive.
[French verdoyant, from Old French, present participle of verdoyer, to become green, from Vulgar Latin *viridiāre, from Latin viridis.]
ver′dan·cy n.
ver′dant·ly adv.
mote
n. A very small particle; a speck: “Dust motes hung in a slant of sunlight” (Anne Tyler).
affable
adj.
- Easy and pleasant to speak to; approachable.
- Gentle and gracious: an affable smile.
[Middle English affabil, from Old French affable, from Latin affābilis, from affārī, to speak to : ad-, ad- + fārī, to speak; see bhā- in Indo-European roots.]
af′fa·bil′i·ty n.
af′fa·bly adv.
Magnus effect
The Magnus effect is the commonly observed effect in which a spinning ball (or cylinder) curves away from its principal flight path. It is important in many ball sports. It affects spinning missiles, and has some engineering uses, for instance in the design of rotor ships and Flettner aeroplanes.
equinox
n.
- Either of two points on the celestial sphere at which the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator.
- Either of the two times during a year when the sun crosses the celestial equator and when the length of day and night are approximately equal; the vernal equinox or the autumnal equinox.
[Middle English, from Old French equinoxe, from Medieval Latin aequinoxium, from Latin aequinoctium : aequi-, equi- + nox, noct-, night; see nekw-t- in Indo-European roots.]
Image: celestial sphere showing the positions of the autumnal and vernal equinoxes
venule
(vĕn′yo͞ol, vēn′-)
n. A small vein, especially one joining capillaries to larger veins.
[Latin vēnula, diminutive of vēna, vein.]
ven′u·lar (-yə-lər) adj.
bodice
(bŏd′ĭs)
n.
- The fitted part of a dress that extends from the waist to the shoulder.
- A woman’s laced outer garment, worn like a vest over a blouse.
empyreal
\em-PIR-ee-uhl, -PAHY-ree-, em-puh-REE-uhl, -pahy-\
adjective
- pertaining to the sky; celestial: empyreal blue.
- pertaining to the highest heaven in the cosmology of the ancients.
Quotes
Outside, the even rows of white clouds folded like crests of waves on the empyreal blue. – R. Clifton Spargo, Beautiful Fools: The Last Affair of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, 2013
Origin
Empyreal derives from the Greek term empýrios meaning “fiery.”
pinion
n.
- The wing of a bird.
- The outer rear edge of the wing of a bird, containing the primary feathers.
- A primary feather of a bird.
tr.v. pin·ioned, pin·ion·ing, pin·ions
1.
a. To remove or bind the wing feathers of (a bird) to prevent flight.
b. To cut or bind (the wings of a bird).
2.
a. To restrain or immobilize (a person) by binding the arms.
b. To bind (a person’s arms).
3. To bind fast or hold down; shackle.
[Middle English, from Old French pignon, from Vulgar Latin *pinniō, pinniōn-, from Latin penna, pinna, feather; see pinna.]
n. A small cogwheel that engages or is engaged by a larger cogwheel or a rack.
sigmoid
(sĭg′moid′) also sig·moi·dal (sĭg-moid′l)
(from sigma)
adj.
- Having the shape of the letter S.
- Of or relating to the sigmoid colon.
[Greek sīgmoeidēs : sīgma, sigma; see sigma + -oeidēs, -oid.]
Abdul Alhazred
Abdul Alhazred is a fictional character created by American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. He is the so-called “Mad Arab” credited with authoring the fictional book Kitab al-Azif (the Necronomicon), and as such is an integral part of Cthulhu Mythos lore.
delouse
(dē-lous′)
tr.v. de·loused, de·lous·ing, de·lous·es To rid (a person or an animal) of lice by physical or chemical means.
canard
(kə-närd′)
n.
1. An unfounded or false, deliberately misleading story.
2.
a. A short winglike control surface projecting from the fuselage of an aircraft, such as a space shuttle, mounted forward of the main wing and serving as a horizontal stabilizer.
b. An aircraft whose horizontal stabilizing surfaces are forward of the main wing.
assiduous
(ə-sĭj′o͞o-əs)
adj. Showing or characterized by persistent attention or untiring application: an assiduous worker who strove for perfection; did assiduous research before writing the book. See Synonyms at diligent.
[From Latin assiduus, from assidēre, to attend to : ad-, ad- + sedēre, to sit; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]
as·sid′u·ous·ly adv.
as·sid′u·ous·ness n.
Robert Browning
Robert Browning (1812 – 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, and in particular the dramatic monologue, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets. His poems are known for their irony, characterization, dark humor, social commentary, historical settings, and challenging vocabulary and syntax. The speakers in his poems are often musicians or painters whose work functions as a metaphor for poetry.
Browning’s admirers have tended to temper their praise with reservations about the length and difficulty of his most ambitious poems, particularly The Ring and the Book. Nevertheless, they have included such eminent writers as Henry James, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, G. K. Chesterton, Ezra Pound, Jorge Luis Borges, and Vladimir Nabokov. Among living writers, Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series and A.S. Byatt’s Possession make direct reference to Browning’s work.
Today Browning’s most critically esteemed poems include the monologues Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, Fra Lippo Lippi, Andrea Del Sarto, and My Last Duchess. His most popular poems include Porphyria’s Lover, How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix, the diptychMeeting at Night, the patriotic Home Thoughts from Abroad, and the children’s poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin. His abortive dinner-party recital of How They Brought The Good News was recorded on an Edison wax cylinder, and is believed to be the oldest surviving recording made in England of a notable person.
Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya (1746 – 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. Goya was court painter to the Spanish Crown; throughout the Peninsular War he remained in Madrid, where he painted the portrait of Joseph Bonaparte, pretender to the Spanish throne, and documented the war in the masterpiece of studied ambiguity known as the Desastres de la Guerra. Through his works he was both a commentator on and chronicler of his era. The subversive imaginative element in his art, as well as his bold handling of paint, provided a model for the work of artists of later generations, notably Édouard Manet, Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon.
astrodynamics
(ăs′trō-dī-năm′ĭks)
n. (used with a sing. verb)
The dynamics of natural and human-made bodies in outer space.
as′tro·dy·nam′ic adj.
René Descartes
René Descartes (1596 – 1650) was a French philosopher, mathematician and writer who spent most of his life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the father of modern philosophy, and much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day. In particular, his Meditations on First Philosophy continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments.
Descartes’ influence in mathematics is equally apparent; the Cartesian coordinate system — allowing reference to a point in space as a set of numbers, and allowing algebraic equations to be expressed as geometric shapes in a two-dimensional coordinate system (and conversely, shapes to be described as equations) — was named after him. He is credited as the father of analytical geometry, the bridge between algebra and geometry, crucial to the discovery of infinitesimal calculus and analysis. Descartes was also one of the key figures in the scientific revolution and has been described as an example of genius. He refused to accept the authority of previous philosophers, and refused to trust his own senses. Descartes frequently sets his views apart from those of his predecessors. In the opening section of the Passions of the Soul, a treatise on the early modern version of what are now commonly called emotions, Descartes goes so far as to assert that he will write on this topic “as if no one had written on these matters before”. Many elements of his philosophy have precedents in late Aristotelianism, the revived Stoicism of the 16th century, or in earlier philosophers like Augustine. In his natural philosophy, he differs from the schools on two major points: First, he rejects the splitting of corporeal substance into matter and form; second, he rejects any appeal to final ends—divine or natural—in explaining natural phenomena.9 In his theology, he insists on the absolute freedom of God’s act of creation.
Descartes laid the foundation for 17th-century continental rationalism, later advocated by Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Leibniz, and opposed by the empiricist school of thought consisting of Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. Leibniz, Spinoza and Descartes were all well versed in mathematics as well as philosophy, and Descartes and Leibniz contributed greatly to science as well.
His best known philosophical statement is “Cogito ergo sum.”
marmoreal
(mär-môr′ē-əl) also mar·mo·re·an (-ē-ən)
adj. Resembling marble, as in smoothness, whiteness, or hardness.
[From Latin marmoreus, from marmor, marble.]
mar·mo′re·al·ly adv.
vacillate
(văs′ə-lāt′)
intr.v. vac·il·lat·ed, vac·il·lat·ing, vac·il·lates
- To be unable to choose between different courses of action or opinions; waver: She vacillated about whether to leave.
- To change between one state and another; fluctuate: The weather vacillated between sunny and rainy.
- Archaic To sway from one side to the other.
[Latin vacillāre, vacillāt-, to waver.]
vac′il·lat′ing·ly adv.
vac′il·la′tion n.
vac′il·la′tor n.
leaven
(lĕv′ən)
n.
- An agent, such as yeast, that causes batter or dough to rise, especially by fermentation.
- An element, influence, or agent that works subtly to lighten, enliven, or modify a whole.
tr. v. leav·ened, leav·en·ing, leav·ens
1. To add a rising agent to.
2. To cause to rise, especially by fermentation.
3. To pervade with a lightening, enlivening, or modifying influence.
stoat
n
1. (Animals) a small Eurasian musteline mammal, Mustela erminea, closely related to the weasels, having a brown coat and a black-tipped tail: in the northern parts of its range it has a white winter coat and is then known as an ermine
Sir Peter Paul Rubens
Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577 – 1640) was a Flemish Baroque painter. A proponent of an extravagant Baroque style that emphasized movement, colour, and sensuality, Rubens is well known for his Counter-Reformation altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects.
In addition to running a large studio in Antwerp that produced paintings popular with nobility and art collectors throughout Europe, Rubens was a classically educated humanist scholar and diplomat who was knighted by both Philip IV of Spain and Charles I of England.
chiaroscuro
(kē-är′ə-sko͝or′ō, -skyo͝or′ō)
n. pl.
chi·a·ro·scu·ros
1. The technique of using light and shade in pictorial representation.
2. The arrangement of light and dark elements in a pictorial work of art.
3.
a. A woodcut technique in which several blocks are used to print different shades of a color.
b. A woodcut print made by this technique. In all senses also called claire-obscure.
Tophet
(tō′fĕt′, -fĭt)
n.
- In the Bible, a place outside Jerusalem where the Canaanites offered children as sacrifices to Moloch.
- The place where wicked souls are punished after death; Hell.
[Middle English, from Hebrew tōpet; see wtp in Semitic roots.]
larder
(lär′dər)
n.
- A place, such as a pantry or cellar, where food is stored.
- A supply of food.
ambivalence
- The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea.
- Uncertainty or indecisiveness as to which course to follow.
fricative
(frĭk′ə-tĭv)
n. A consonant, such as f or s in English, produced by the forcing of breath through a constricted passage. Also called spirant.
adj. Of, relating to, or being a fricative consonant.
[New Latin fricātīvus, from Latin fricātus, past participle of fricāre, to rub.]
loam
(lōm)
n.
- Soil composed of a mixture of sand, clay, silt, and organic matter.
- A mixture of moist clay and sand, and often straw, used especially in making bricks and foundry molds.
tr.v. loamed, loam·ing, loams
To fill, cover, or coat with loam.
[Middle English lam, lom, clay, from Old English lām; see lei- in Indo-European roots.]
loam′y adj.
fluke
n.
- Any of numerous parasitic flatworms, including the trematodes, some of which infect humans, and the monogeneans, which are chiefly ectoparasites of fish.
- Any of various flatfishes chiefly of the genus Paralichthys, especially the summer flounder.
n.
- Nautical The triangular blade at the end of an arm of an anchor, designed to catch in the ground.
- A barb or barbed head, as on an arrow or a harpoon.
- Either of the two horizontally flattened divisions of the tail of a whale.
avast
(ə-văst′)
interj. Nautical Used as a command to stop or desist.
[From Middle Dutch hou vast, hold fast : hou, houd, imperative of houden, to hold + vast, fast; see past- in Indo-European roots.]
spirant
n.
1. a consonant sound, as (th), (v), or (h), characterized by audible friction produced by forcing the breath through a constricted or partially obstructed passage in the vocal tract.
adj.
2. of or pertaining to a fricative.
tête-à-tête
(tāt′ə-tāt′, tĕt′ə-tĕt′)
adv. & adj.
Without the intrusion of a third person; in intimate privacy: talk
tête-à-tête; a tête-à-tête supper. n.
- A private conversation between two persons.
- A sofa for two, especially an S-shaped one allowing the occupants to face each other.
[French : tête, head (from Late Latin testa, skull; see teston) + à, to + tête, head.]
weal
n.
- Prosperity; happiness: in weal and woe.
- The welfare of the community; the general good: the public weal.
n.
A ridge on the flesh raised by a blow; a welt.
abominable
adj.
- Unequivocally detestable; loathsome: abominable treatment of prisoners.
- Thoroughly unpleasant or disagreeable: abominable weather.
[Middle English abhominable, from Old French, from Latin abōminābilis, from abōminārī, to abhor; see abominate.]
a·bom′i·na·bly adv.
aileron
(ā′lə-rŏn′)
n. Either of two movable flaps on the wings of an airplane that can be used to control the plane’s rolling and banking movements.
Typhon
n. Greek Mythology A monster with 100 heads, thrown by Zeus into Tartarus.
Typhon was the most fearsome monster of Greek mythology. The last son of Gaia, fathered by Tartarus, Typhon was, with his mate Echidna, the father of many famous monsters.
ragamuffin
or rag·ga·muf·fin (răg′ə-mŭf′ĭn)
n. A shabbily clothed, dirty child.
[Middle English Ragamuffyn, a personal name : probably raggi, ragged (from ragge, rag; see rag) + Middle Dutch moffel, muffe, mitten; see muff.]
masque
also mask (măsk)
n.
- A dramatic entertainment, usually performed by masked players representing mythological or allegorical figures, that was popular in England in the 1500s and early 1600s.
- A dramatic verse composition written for such an entertainment.
- See masquerade.
[French; see mask.]
laminitis
(lăm′ə-nī′tĭs)
n. Inflammation of the sensitive laminae of the hoof, especially in horses. Also called founder.
gibbet
(jĭb′ĭt)
n.
- A device used for hanging a person until dead; a gallows.
- An upright post with a crosspiece, forming a T-shaped structure from which executed criminals were formerly hung for public viewing.
tr.v. gib·bet·ed, gib·bet·ing, gib·bets or gib·bet·ted or gib·bet·ting
1. To execute by hanging on a gibbet.
2.
a. To hang on a gibbet for public viewing.
b. To expose to infamy or public ridicule.
ossuary
(ŏsh′o͞o-ĕr′ē, ŏs′yo͞o-)
n. pl. os·su·ar·ies
A container or receptacle, such as an urn or a vault, for holding the bones of the dead.
[Late Latin ossuārium, from neuter of Latin ossuārius, of bones, from os, oss-, bone; see ost- in Indo-European roots.]
cordite
Any of a family of smokeless explosive powders consisting chiefly of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, and petrolatum that have been dissolved in acetone,dried, and extruded in cords
prig
n.
- A person who demonstrates an exaggerated conformity or propriety, especially in an irritatingly arrogant or smug manner.
- Archaic
a. A petty thief or pickpocket.
b. A conceited dandy; a fop.
tr.v. prigged, prig·ging, prigs Chiefly British
To steal or pilfer. [Origin unknown.]
prig′ger·y n.
prig′gish adj.
prig′gish·ly adv.
prig′gish·ness n.
libretto
(lĭ-brĕt′ō)
n. pl. li·bret·tos or li·bret·ti (-brĕt′ē)
1. The text of a dramatic musical work such as an opera, including the lyrics to be sung and sometimes interpolated spoken passages.
2. A book containing such a text.
[Italian, diminutive of libro, book, from Latin liber, libr-, inner bark of trees used as a writing material, book.]
bestride
(bĭ-strīd′)
tr. v. be·strode (-strōd′), be·strid·den (-strĭd′n), be·strid·ing, be·strides
1. To sit or stand on with the legs astride; straddle.
2. To dominate by position; tower over: “Hitler’s ghost, the specter that … bestrides mid-twentieth-century history” (Economist).
3. Archaic To step or stride across.
[Middle English bistriden, from Old English bestrīdan : be-, be- + strīdan, to mount a horse; see stride.]
grippe
(grĭp)
n. See influenza.
[French, from Old French, claw, quarrel, from gripper, to seize, grasp, from Frankish *grīpan.]
grip′py adj.
outrigger
(out′rĭg′ər)
n.
- Nautical
a. A projecting beam or spar run out from the side of a vessel to help in securing the masts or from a mast to be used in extending a rope or sail.
b. A long thin float attached parallel to a seagoing canoe by projecting spars as a means of preventing it from capsizing.
c. A vessel fitted with such a float or beam.
d. A support for an oarlock projecting from the side of a racing shell.
e. A racing shell fitted with such a support. - A projecting frame extending laterally beyond the main structure of a vehicle, aircraft, or machine to stabilize the structure or support an extending part.
ellipsis
(ĭ-lĭp′sĭs)
n. pl. el·lip·ses (-sēz)
1.
a. The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding.
b. An example of such omission.
2. A mark or series of marks ( … or * * * , for example) used in writing or printing to indicate an omission, especially of letters or words.
[Latin ellīpsis, from Greek elleipsis, from elleipein, to fall short; see ellipse.]
Valentinianism
Valentinianism is a Gnostic Christian movement that was founded by Valentinus in the second century AD. Valentinianism was one of the major Gnostic movements. Its influence was extremely widespread, not just within Rome, but also from Egypt through Asia Minor and Syria in the east, and Northwest Africa.
Valentinians believed that at the beginning there was a Pleroma (literally, a ‘fullness’). At the centre of the Pleroma was the primal Father or Bythos, the beginning of all things who, after ages of silence and contemplation, projected thirty Aeons, heavenly archetypes representing fifteen syzygies or sexually complementary pairs. Among them was Sophia. Sophia’s weakness, curiosity and passion led to her fall from the Pleroma and the creation of the world and man, both of which are flawed. Valentinians identified the God of the Old Testament as the Demiurge, the imperfect creator of the material world. Man, the highest being in this material world, participates in both the spiritual and the material nature. The work of redemption consists in freeing the former from the latter. One needed to recognize the Father, the depth of all being, as the true source of divine power in order to achieve gnosis (knowledge). The Valentinians believed that the attainment of this knowledge by the human individual had positive consequences within the universal order and contributed to restoring that order, and that gnosis, not faith, was the key to salvation. Clement wrote that the Valentinians regarded Catholic Christians “as simple people to whom they attributed faith, while they think that gnosis is in themselves. Through the excellent seed that is to be found in them, they are by nature redeemed, and their gnosis is as far removed from faith as the spiritual from the physical”.
alkaloid
n. Any of various organic compounds that are usually basic and contain at least one nitrogen atom in a heterocyclic ring, occurring chiefly in flowering plants. Many alkaloids, such as nicotine, quinine, cocaine, and morphine, are known for their poisonous or medicinal attributes.
al′ka·loi′dal (-loid′l) adj.
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. In addition to carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen, alkaloids may also contain oxygen, sulfur and more rarely other elements such as chlorine, bromine, and phosphorus.
Alkaloids are produced by a large variety of organisms including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. They can be purified from crude extracts of these organisms by acid-base extraction. Alkaloids have a wide range of pharmacological activities including antimalarial (e.g. quinine), antiasthma (e.g. ephedrine), anticancer (e.g. homoharringtonine), cholinomimetic (e.g. galantamine), vasodilatory (e.g. vincamine), antiarrhythmic (e.g. quinidine), analgesic (e.g. morphine), antibacterial (e.g. chelerythrine), and antihyperglycemic activities (e.g. piperine). Many have found use in traditional or modern medicine, or as starting points for drug discovery. Other alkaloids possess psychotropic (e.g. psilocin) and stimulant activities (e.g. cocaine, caffeine, nicotine), and have been used in entheogenic rituals or as recreational drugs. Alkaloids can be toxic too (e.g. atropine, tubocurarine). Although alkaloids act on a diversity of metabolic systems in humans and other animals, they almost uniformly invoke a bitter taste.
Image: The first individual alkaloid, morphine, was isolated in 1804 from the opium poppy
ebullient
(ĭ-bo͝ol′yənt, ĭ-bŭl′-)
adj.
- Zestfully enthusiastic.
- Boiling or seeming to boil; bubbling.
[Latin ēbulliēns, ēbullient-, present participle of ēbullīre, to bubble up : ē-, ex-, up, out; see ex- + bullīre, to bubble, boil.]
e·bul′lient·ly adv.
Usage Note: Traditionally, ebullient is pronounced (ĭ-bŭl′yənt), with a short u in the second syllable, as in gull. This is apparently still the preferred pronunciation in British English. In American English, the pronunciation (ĭ-bo͝ol′yənt), with the second syllable like bull, is now equally common.
ionize
(ī′ə-nīz′)
tr. & intr.v. i·on·ized, i·on·iz·ing, i·on·iz·es
To convert or be converted totally or partially into ions.
i′on·i′za·ble adj.
i′on·iz′er n.
foundry
- An establishment where metal objects are made by melting metal and pouring it into molds.
2.
a. The skill or operation of founding.
b. The castings made by founding.
proclivity
n. pl. pro·cliv·i·ties
A natural propensity or inclination; a predisposition: a proclivity for exaggeration; a proclivity to complain.
[Latin prōclīvitās, from prōclīvis, inclined : prō-, forward; see clīvus in Indo-European roots.]
prior / prioress / priory
prior
n.
- A monastic officer in charge of a priory or ranking next below the abbot of an abbey.
- One of the ruling magistrates of the medieval Italian republic of Florence.
pri′or·ate (-ĭt), pri′or·ship′ (-shĭp′) n.
prioress (prī′ər-ĭs)
n. A nun in charge of a priory or ranking next below the abbess of an abbey.
* * *
priory
n. pl. pri·or·ies
monastery governed by a prior or a convent governed by a prioress.
mortise
also mor·tice (môr′tĭs)
n.
- A usually rectangular cavity in a piece of wood, stone, or other material, prepared to receive a tenon and thus form a joint.
- Printing A hole cut in a plate for insertion of type.
tr. v. mor·tised, mor·tis·ing, mor·tis·es also mor·ticed or mor·tic·ing or mor·tic·es
1. To join or fasten securely, as with a mortise and tenon.
2. To make a mortise in.
3. Printing
a. To cut a hole in (a plate) for the insertion of type.
b. To cut such a hole and insert (type).
[Middle English mortaise, from Old French, perhaps from Arabic murtazz, fastened, from irtazza, to be fixed (in place), derived stem of razza, to fix, insert; see rzz in Semitic roots.]
Image: mortise-and-tenon joint
ankh
n. A cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top, especially as used in ancient Egypt as a symbol of life. Also called ansate cross.
[Egyptian ‘nḫ, life.]
It represents the concept of eternal life, which is the general meaning of the symbol. The Egyptian gods are often portrayed carrying it by its loop, or bearing one in each hand, arms crossed over their chest. The ankh appears in hand or in proximity of almost every deity in the Egyptian pantheon (including Pharaohs). Thus it is fairly and widely understood as a symbol of early religious pluralism: all sects believed in a common story of eternal life, and this is the literal meaning of the symbol. This rationale contributed to the adoption of the ankh by New Age mysticism in the 1960s, to mean essentially the same tolerance of diversity of belief and common ethics as in Ancient Egypt.
rathskeller
(rät′skĕl′ər, răt′-, răth′-)
n. A restaurant or tavern, usually below street level, that serves beer.
[German Ratskeller, Rathskeller, restaurant in the city hall basement : German Rat, council, counsel (from Middle High German rāt, from Old High German; see ar- in Indo-European roots) + German Keller, cellar (from Middle High German, from Old High German kellāri, from Latin cellārium; see cellar).]
beech
n.
1.
a. Any of various deciduous trees of the genus Fagus having smooth gray bark, alternate simple leaves, and three-sided nuts enclosed in prickly burs, including F. sylvatica of Europe and its many cultivated forms, and F. grandifolia of eastern North America.
b. The wood of any of these trees, used for flooring, containers, plywood, and tool handles.
2. See southern beech.
fastidious
adj.
- Showing or acting with careful attention to detail: a fastidious scholar; fastidious research.
- Difficult to please; exacting: “The club is also becoming far more fastidious about what constitutes a breed standard” (Janet Burroway).
- Excessively scrupulous or sensitive, as in taste, propriety, or neatness: “He was a fastidious man who hated to dirty his hands, in particular with food” (Michael Chabon). See Synonyms at meticulous.
- Microbiology Having complex nutritional requirements.
[Middle English, squeamish, particular, haughty, from Old French fastidieux, from Latin fastīdiōsus, from fastīdium, squeamishness, haughtiness, probably from fastus, disdain.]
fas·tid′i·ous·ly adv.
fas·tid′i·ous·ness n.
voir dire
(vwär dîr′)
n.
The formal examination of a prospective juror under oath to determine suitability for jury service or of a prospective witness under oath to determine competence to give testimony.
tr.v. voir dired, voir dir·ing, voir dires
To conduct a voir dire of: voir dired the witness.
[Anglo-Norman, to speak the truth : Latin vērus, true; see wērə-o- in Indo-European roots + Latin dīcere, to say; see deik- in Indo-European roots.]
tome
(tōm)
n.
- One of the books in a work of several volumes.
- A book, especially a large or scholarly one.
demesne
(dĭ-mān′, -mēn′)
n.
1. Law Possession and use of one’s own land.
2. Manorial land retained for the private use of a feudal lord.
3. The grounds belonging to a mansion or country house.
4. An extensive piece of landed property; an estate.
5. A district; a territory.
6. A realm; a domain.
fete
also fête (fāt, fĕt)
n.
1. A festival or feast.
2.
a. An elaborate, often outdoor entertainment.
b. An elaborate party.
tr. v. fet·ed, fet·ing, fetes also fêt·ed or fêt·ing or fêtes
1. To celebrate or honor with a festival, a feast, or an elaborate entertainment.
2. To pay honor to.
[French fête, from Old French feste; see feast.]
idyll
(īd′l)
n.
1.
a. A short poem or prose piece depicting a rural or pastoral scene, usually in idealized terms.
b. A narrative poem treating an epic or romantic theme.
2. A scene or event of a simple and tranquil nature.
3.
a. A carefree episode or experience: a summer idyll on the coast of France.
b. A romantic interlude.
pennant
(pĕn′ənt)
n.
- Nautical A long, tapering, usually triangular flag, used on ships for signaling or identification.
- A flag or an emblem similar in shape to a ship’s pennant.
- Sports
a. A flag that symbolizes the championship of a league, especially a professional baseball league.
b. The championship symbolized by such a flag.
[Blend of pendant and pennon.]
houngan
Houngan is the term for a male priest in Haitian Vodou (a female priest is known as a mambo). The term is derived from the Fon word “hùn gan”. There are two ranks of houngan: houngan asogwe (high priest) and houngan sur pwen (junior priest). A houngan asogwe is the highest member of clergy in voodoo and the only one with authority to ordain other priests.
It is the houngan’s role to preserve the rituals and songs and maintain the relationship between the spirits and the community as a whole (though some of this is the responsibility of the whole community as well). They are entrusted with leading the service of all of the spirits of their lineage. Sometimes they may also be bokor (sorcerers).
Keter / Kether
Keter also known as Kether, is the topmost of the Sephirot of the Tree of Life in Kabbalah. Since its meaning is “crown”, it is interpreted as both the “topmost” of the Sephirot and the “regal crown” of the Sephirot. It is between Chokmah and Binah (with Chokmah on the right and Binah in the left) and it sits above Tiphereth. It is usually given three paths, to Chokmah, Tiphereth, and Binah.
Keter is so sublime, it is called in the Zohar “the most hidden of all hidden things”, and is completely incomprehensible to man. It is also described as absolute compassion, and Rabbi Moshe Cordovero describes it as the source of the 13 Supernal Attributes of Mercy.
Keter is invisible, colorless.
estuary
n. pl. es·tu·ar·ies
1. The part of the wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides.
2. An arm of the sea that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river.
[Latin aestuārium, from aestus, tide, surge, heat.]
es′tu·ar′i·al (-âr′ē-əl) adj.
tar baby
tar baby
n.
- A inextricable situation or difficult and pressing problem that often grows worse as one tries to deal with it.
- Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a black person, especially a dark-skinned black child.
[After “Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby,” an Uncle Remus story by Joel Chandler Harris in which Brer Fox makes a doll out of tar and Brer Rabbit gets stuck in it when he punches it after it does not return his greeting.]
squall
n.
A loud, harsh cry.
intr.v. squalled, squall·ing, squalls
To scream or cry loudly and harshly.
n.
- A brief sudden violent windstorm, often accompanied by rain or snow.
- Informal A brief commotion.
intr.v. squalled, squall·ing, squalls
To blow strongly for a brief period.
courtesan
A woman prostitute, especially one whose clients are members of a royal court or men of high social standing.
histrionic
(hĭs′trē-ŏn′ĭk) also his·tri·on·i·cal (-ĭ-kəl)
adj.
- Of or relating to actors or acting.
- Excessively dramatic or emotional; affected.
[Late Latin histriōnicus, from Latin histriō, histriōn-, actor, probably of Etruscan origin.]
his′tri·on′i·cal·ly adv.
hailstone
A pellet of hail.
Rupert Sheldrake / morphic resonance
Alfred Rupert Sheldrake is an English author, public speaker, and researcher in the field of parapsychology, known for his “morphic resonance” concept. He worked as a biochemist and cell biologist at Cambridge University from 1967 to 1973 and as principal plant physiologist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics until 1978.
Sheldrake’s morphic resonance posits that “memory is inherent in nature” and that “natural systems, such as termite colonies, or pigeons, or orchid plants, or insulin molecules, inherit a collective memory from all previous things of their kind”. Sheldrake proposes that it is also responsible for “telepathy-type interconnections between organisms”. His advocacy of the idea encompasses paranormal subjects such as precognition, telepathy and the psychic staring effect as well as unconventional explanations of standard subjects in biology such as development, inheritance, and memory.
Morphic resonance is not accepted by the scientific community as a real phenomenon and Sheldrake’s proposals relating to it have been characterized as pseudoscience. Critics cite a lack of evidence for morphic resonance and an inconsistency of the idea with data from genetics and embryology, and also express concern that popular attention from Sheldrake’s books and public appearances undermines the public’s understanding of science.
supercool
v. su·per·cooled, su·per·cool·ing, su·per·cools
v.tr.
To cool (a substance) below a phase-transition temperature without the transition occurring; for example, to cool a gas below the boiling point without condensation or to cool a liquid below the freezing point without solidification.
v.intr.
To become supercooled.
sanctum sanctorum
n.
- Judaism The innermost shrine of a tabernacle and temple; the holy of holies.
- An inviolably private place: The clubhouse was their sanctum sanctorum.
[Late Latin sānctum sānctōrum (translation of Greek to hagion tōn hagiōn, translation of Hebrew qōdeš haqqodāšîm) : sānctum, holy place + sānctōrum, genitive pl. of sānctum, holy place.]
endorphin
(ĕn-dôr′fĭn)
n. Any of a group of peptide hormones that bind to opioid receptors and act as neurotransmitters. Endorphins reduce the sensation of pain and affect emotions.
[endo(genous) + (mo)rphin(e).]
parvenu
(pär′və-no͞o′, -nyo͞o′)
n. A person who has suddenly risen to a higher social and economic class and has not yet gained social acceptance by others in that class.
par′ve·nu′ adj.
hulk
n.
- Nautical
a. A heavy, unwieldy ship.
b. The hull of an old, unseaworthy, or wrecked ship.
c. often hulks An old or unseaworthy ship used as a prison or warehouse. - One, such as a person or object, that is bulky, clumsy, or unwieldy.
- A wrecked or abandoned shell of a usually large object, such as a building or vehicle.
intr. v. hulked, hulk·ing, hulks
1. To appear as a massive or towering form; loom: The big truck hulked out of the fog.
2. To move clumsily.
[Middle English, from Old English hulc, from Medieval Latin hulcus, probably from Greek holkas, ship that is towed, merchant ship, from holkos, machine for hauling ships, from helkein, to pull.]
intimation
an indirect suggestion; “not a breath of scandal ever touched her”
Synonyms: hint, breath
inscrutable
(ĭn-skro͞o′tə-bəl)
adj. Difficult to understand or interpret; impenetrable: “that little creature, whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence … out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion” (Nathaniel Hawthorne).
[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin īnscrūtābilis : in-, not; see in- + scrūtārī, to scrutinize; see scrutiny.]
in·scru′ta·bil′i·ty n.
in·scru′ta·bly adv.
idiom
- A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements, as in keep tabs on.
- The specific grammatical, syntactic, and structural character of a given language.
- Regional speech or dialect.
- A specialized vocabulary used by a group of people; jargon: legal idiom.
- A style of artistic expression characteristic of a particular individual, school, period, or medium: the idiom of the French impressionists; the punk rock idiom.
luthier
(lo͞o′tē-ər)
n. One that makes or repairs stringed instruments, such as violins.
[French, from luth, lute, from Old French lut; see lute.]
Rienzi
Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen (Rienzi, the Last of the Tribunes; WWV 49) is an early opera by Richard Wagner in five acts, with the libretto written by the composer after Bulwer-Lytton’s novel of the same name (1835). The title is commonly shortened to Rienzi.
The opera is set in Rome and is based on the life of Cola di Rienzi (1313–1354), a late medieval Italian populist figure who succeeds in outwitting and then defeating the nobles and their followers and in raising the power of the people. Magnanimous at first, he is forced by events to crush the nobles’ rebellion against the people’s power, but popular opinion changes and even the Church, which had urged him to assert himself, turns against him. In the end the populace burns the Capitol, in which Rienzi and a few adherents have made a last stand.
Ganesha
Ganesha (/ɡəˈneɪʃə/; Sanskrit: गणेश, Gaṇeśa), also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India.
Although he is known by many attributes, Ganesha’s elephant head makes him easy to identify. Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the deva of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions. Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography.
dulcet
adj.
1.
a. Pleasing to the ear; melodious.
b. Having a soothing, agreeable quality.
2. Archaic Sweet to the taste.
[Alteration (influenced by Latin dulcis) of Middle English doucet, from Old French, diminutive of douce, feminine of doux, sweet, from Latin dulcis.]
dul′cet·ly adv.
varmint
(vär′mĭnt)
n. Informal One that is considered undesirable, obnoxious, or troublesome.
[Variant of vermin.]
equipoise
(ē′kwə-poiz′, ĕk′wə-)
n.
- Equality in distribution, as of weight, relationship, or emotional forces; equilibrium.
- A counterpoise; a counterbalance.
Trisagion
The Trisagion (Greek: “Thrice Holy”), sometimes called by its opening line Agios O Theos, is a standard hymn of the Divine Liturgy in most of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches. The Latin name Tersanctus or Ter Sanctus is sometimes used to refer to this hymn, although this name is also sometimes used to refer to the Sanctus; it is the latter, a different formula, which is used in Western Christianity in the Mass.
In churches which use the Byzantine Rite, the Trisagion is chanted immediately before the Prokeimenon and the Epistle reading. It is also included in a set of prayers named for it, called the Trisagion Prayers, which forms part of numerous services (the Hours, Vespers, Matins, and as part of the opening prayers for most services).
It is popular also in the Latin Church, where it is a part of the supplication, the chaplet of divine mercy and other prayers.
atavism
(ăt′ə-vĭz′əm)
n.
- The reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence.
- An individual or a part that exhibits atavism. Also called throwback.
- The return of a trait or recurrence of previous behavior after a period of absence.
atavist, atavistic
laconic
lə-kŏn′ĭk
Using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
limn
(lĭm)
tr. v. limned, limn·ing (lĭm′nĭng), limns
1. To describe or depict by painting or drawing.
2. To suffuse or highlight with light or color; illuminate: “There was just enough juice left in Merrill’s flashlight to limn the outlines: A round lobe here. Another lobe over there” (Hampton Sides).
3. To describe or portray in words.
limn′er (lĭm′nər) n.
Synonyms: delineate, outline
vitreous
(vĭt′rē-əs)
adj.
- Of, relating to, resembling, or having the nature of glass; glassy.
- Obtained or made from glass.
- Of or relating to the vitreous humor.
n.
The vitreous humor.
[From Latin vitreus, from vitrum, glass.]
vit′re·os′i·ty (-ŏs′ĭ-tē), vit′re·ous·ness (-əs-nĭs) n.
pedant
(pĕd′nt)
n.
- One who ostentatiously exhibits academic knowledge or who pays undue attention to minor details or formal rules.
- Obsolete A schoolmaster.
[French pédant or Italian pedante (French, from Italian), possibly from Vulgar Latin *paedēns, *paedent-, present participle of *paedere, to instruct, probably from Greek paideuein, from pais, paid-, child; see pedo-.]
antiquarian
(ăn′tĭ-kwâr′ē-ən)
n.
One who studies, collects, or deals in antiquities.
adj.
- Of or relating to antiquarians or to the study or collecting of antiquities.
- Dealing in or having to do with old or rare books.
an′ti·quar′i·an·ism n.
alembic
(ə-lĕm′bĭk)
n.
- An apparatus consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, formerly used for distilling liquids.
- A device that purifies or alters by a process comparable to distillation.
[Middle English alambic, from Old French, from Medieval Latin alembicus, from Arabic al-‘anbīq : al-, the + ‘anbīq, still (from Greek ambix, cup).]
narcosis
n. pl. nar·co·ses (-sēz)
A condition of deep stupor or unconsciousness produced by a drug or other chemical substance.
[New Latin narcōsis, from Greek narkōsis, a numbing, from narkoun, to benumb, from narkē, numbness.]
chthonic
(thŏn′ĭk) also chtho·ni·an (thō′nē-ən)
adj. Greek Mythology Of or relating to the underworld.
trade wind
n. often trade winds Any of a consistent system of prevailing winds occupying most of the tropics, constituting the major component of the general circulation of the atmosphere, and blowing northeasterly in the Northern Hemisphere and southeasterly in the Southern Hemisphere.
Image: As warm, moist air rises along the equator, surface air moves in to take its place, creating trade winds.
patois
also patwa (păt′wä′, pă-twä′)
n. pl. pat·ois (păt′wäz′, pă-twä′)
1.
a. A regional dialect, especially one without a literary tradition.
b. Nonstandard speech.
2. The special jargon of a group; cant.
[French, from Old French, incomprehensible or crude speech, local dialect, from patoier, to gesticulate (like one unable to speak), speak crudely, from pate, paw, from Vulgar Latin *patta, probably originally imitative of the sound of one object striking another, such as the footfall of an animal.]
gesticulating
v. ges·tic·u·lat·ed, ges·tic·u·lat·ing, ges·tic·u·lates
v.intr.
To make gestures especially while speaking, as for emphasis.
v.tr.
To say or express by gestures. ges·tic′u·la′tive
adj. ges·tic′u·la′tor n. ges·tic′u·la·to′ry (-lə-tôr′ē)
cordial
adj.
1.
a. Warm and sincere; friendly: a cordial welcome; very cordial relations.
b. Polite and respectful; formally pleasant: “He shook my hand, but not warmly; he was cordial, but not amiable” (Oliver Sacks).
2. Strongly felt; fervent: a cordial abhorrence of waste.
3. Archaic Invigorating; stimulating. Used especially of a beverage.
n.
- A liqueur.
- An invigorating or medicinal drink; a tonic.
[Middle English, of the heart, from Medieval Latin cordiālis, from Latin cor, cord-, heart; see kerd- in Indo-European roots.]
cor·dial′i·ty (-jăl′ĭ-tē, -jē-ăl′-, -dē-ăl′-), cor′dial·ness n.
cor′dial·ly adv.
ignominy / ignominious
ignominy (ĭg′nə-mĭn′ē, -mə-nē)
n. pl. ig·no·min·ies
1. Great personal dishonor or humiliation: a military adventure that ended in ignominy.
2. An instance or source of this: had suffered many ignominies because of his insensitivity.
ignominious (ĭg′nə-mĭn′ē-əs)
adj.
- Characterized by or deserving shame or disgrace: “It was an ignominious end … as a desperate mutiny by a handful of soldiers blossomed into full-scale revolt” (Harry Anderson).
- Degrading; debasing: “The young people huddled with their sodden gritty towels and ignominious goosebumps inside the gray-shingled bathhouse” (John Updike).
ig′no·min′i·ous·ly adv.
ig′no·min′i·ous·ness n.
batik
n
- (Dyeing)
a. a process of printing fabric in which parts not to be dyed are covered by wax
b. fabric printed in this way
c. (as modifier): a batik shirt.
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC (1803 – 1873), was an English novelist, poet, playwright, and politician. He was immensely popular with the reading public and wrote a stream of bestselling novels which earned him a considerable fortune. He coined the phrases “the great unwashed”, “pursuit of the almighty dollar”, “the pen is mightier than the sword”, as well as the infamous opening line “It was a dark and stormy night”.
Also the writers of theosophy were influenced by his work. Annie Besant and especially Helena Blavatsky incorporated his thoughts and ideas from particularly The Last Days of Pompeii, Vril, the Power of the Coming Race and Zanoni inher own books.
polyphemus moth
(pŏl′ə-fē′məs) n. A large North American silkworm moth (Antheraea polyphemus) having an eyelike spot on each hind wing.
dotage
(dō′tĭj)
n. A deterioration of mental faculties associated with aging.
azalea
(ə-zāl′yə)
n. Any of various shrubs of the genus Rhododendron in the heath family, having showy, variously colored flowers.
[Greek azaleā, from feminine of azaleos, dry (so called because it grows in dry soil or from the texture of its wood); see as- in Indo-European roots.]
Gorgon
(gôr′gən)
n.
- Greek Mythology Any of the three sisters Stheno, Euryale, and the mortal Medusa who had snakes for hair and eyes that if looked into turned the beholder into stone.
- gorgon A woman regarded as ugly or terrifying.
soliloquy
n. pl. so·lil·o·quies
1.
a. A dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a character talks to himself or herself or reveals his or her thoughts when alone or unaware of the presence of other characters.
b. A specific speech or piece of writing in this form.
2. The act of speaking to oneself.
[Late Latin sōliloquium : Latin sōlus, alone; see s(w)e- in Indo-European roots + Latin loquī, to speak; see tolkw- in Indo-European roots.]
chignon
(shēn-yŏn′, shēn′yŏn′)
n. A roll or knot of hair worn at the back of the head or especially at the nape of the neck.
[French, from Old French chaignon, chain, collar, nape, from Vulgar Latin *catēniō, from Latin catēna, chain.]
eucalyptus
(yo͞o′kə-lĭp′təs) also eu·ca·lypt (yo͞o′kə-lĭpt′)
n. pl. eu·ca·lyp·tus·es or eu·ca·lyp·ti (-tī′) also eu·ca·lypts
Any of numerous trees of the genus Eucalyptus, native chiefly to Australia and widely planted worldwide, having aromatic leaves and valued as a source of oil, gum, and wood.
lament
(lə-mĕnt′)
v. la·ment·ed, la·ment·ing, la·ments
v. tr.
1. To express grief for or about; mourn: lament a death.
2. To regret deeply; deplore: He lamented his thoughtless acts.
v. intr.
1. To grieve audibly; wail.
2. To express sorrow or regret.
See Synonyms at grieve.
n. 1. A feeling or expression of grief; a lamentation.
2. A song or poem expressing deep grief or mourning.
[Middle English lementen, from Old French lamenter, from Latin lāmentārī, from lāmentum, lament.]
la·ment′er n.
enervate
(ĕn′ər-vāt′)
tr. v. en·er·vat·ed, en·er·vat·ing, en·er·vates
1. To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of: “the luxury which enervates and destroys nations” (Henry David Thoreau).
2. Medicine To remove a nerve or part of a nerve.
adj. (ĭ-nûr′vĭt)
Deprived of strength; debilitated.
timorous
(tĭm′ər-əs)
adj. Full of apprehensiveness; timid.
[Middle English, from Old French timoureus, from Medieval Latin timōrōsus, from Latin timor, timōr-, fear, from timēre, to fear.]
tim′or·ous·ly adv.
tim′or·ous·ness n.
harridan
(hăr′ĭ-dn)
A woman regarded as critical and scolding.
acrostic
(ə-krô′stĭk, ə-krŏs′tĭk)
n.
- A poem or series of lines in which certain letters, usually the first in each line, form a name, motto, or message when read in sequence.
- See word square.
[French acrostiche, from Old French, from Greek akrostikhis : akron, head, end; see stikhos in Indo-European roots.]
a·cros′tic adj.
Binah
Binah (meaning “Understanding”), is the second intellectual sephira on the kabbalistic Tree of Life. It sits on the level below Keter (in the formulations that include that sephirah), across from Chokmah and directly above Gevurah. It is usually given four paths: to Keter, Chockmah, Gevurah, and Tiphereth (some Kabbalists place a path from Binah to Chesed as well.) In an anthropomorphic visualization (in which the sephira are reversed, as if one is standing inside the tree, looking out) it may be related to the “left eye”, “left hemisphere of the brain” or the “heart.”
Binah is associated with the color green.
postern
(pō′stərn, pŏs′tərn)
n.
A small rear gate, especially one in a fort or castle.
adj.
Situated in the back or at the side.
[Middle English posterne, from Old French, alteration of posterle, from Late Latin posterula, diminutive of Latin posterus, behind; see posterior.]
lulu
n. Slang A remarkable person, object, or idea.
forecastle
(fōk′səl, fôr′kăs′əl) also fo’c’s’le (fōk′səl)
n.
- The section of the upper deck of a ship located at the bow forward of the foremast.
- A superstructure at the bow of a merchant ship where the crew is housed. See
Usage Note at boatswain.
[Middle English forecastel : fore-, fore- + castel, fortification; see castle.]
ecclesiastical
- Of or relating to a church, especially as an organized institution.
- Appropriate to a church or to in a church: ecclesiastical architecture; ecclesiastical robes.
gale
n.
1.
a. A wind with a speed of from 34 to 40 knots (39 to 46 miles per hour; 63 to 74 kilometers per hour), according to the Beaufort scale. Also called fresh gale.
b. A storm at sea.
2. often gales A forceful outburst: gales of laughter.
darshan
Darśana (also Darśan or Darshan; Sanskrit: दर्शन) is a term meaning “auspicious sight” (in the sense of an instance of seeing or beholding and being seen or beheld at the same time; from a root dṛś “to see”), vision, apparition, or glimpse. It is most commonly used for theophany, “manifestation / visions of the divine” in Hindu worship, e.g. of a deity (especially in image form), or a very holy person or artifact. One could also “receive” darshana or a glimpse of the deity in the temple, or from a great saintly person, such as a great guru.
In the sense “to see with reverence and devotion,” the term translates to hierophany, and could refer either to a vision of the divine or to being in the presence of a highly revered person. In this sense it may assume a meaning closer to audience. “By doing darshan properly a devotee develops affection for God, and God develops affection for that devotee.”
Darshan is ultimately difficult to define, since it is an event in consciousness—an interaction in presence between devotee and God/guru; or between devotee and image or sculpture, which focuses and calls out the consciousness of the devotee. In either event, a heightening of consciousness or spirituality is the intended effect.
sepulcher
(sĕp′əl-kər)
n.
- A burial vault.
- A receptacle for sacred relics, especially in an altar.
tr.v. sep·ul·chered, sep·ul·cher·ing, sep·ul·chers
To place into a sepulcher; inter.
[Middle English sepulcre, from Old French, from Latin sepulcrum, sepulchrum, from sepultus, past participle of sepelīre, to bury the dead.]
depredation
- A predatory attack; a raid.
- Damage or loss; ravage: “[Carnegie Hall has] withstood the wear and tear of enthusiastic music lovers and the normal depredations of time”(Mechanical Engineering).
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky (Russian: pronounced [ˈlʲɛf ˈtrotskʲɪj]; born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein; 1879 – 1940) was a Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army.
Trotsky initially supported the Menshevik Internationalists faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. He joined the Bolsheviks immediately prior to the 1917 October Revolution, and eventually became a leader within the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (bolsheviks). He was one of the seven members of the first legendary Politburo, founded in 1917 in order to manage the Bolshevik Revolution: Lenin, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Trotsky, Stalin, Sokolnikov and Bubnov. During the early days of the RSFSR and the Soviet Union, he served first as People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs and later as the founder and commander of the Red Army with the title of People’s Commissar of Military and Naval Affairs. He was a major figure in the Bolshevik victory in the Russian Civil War (1918–1923). He also became one of the first members (1919–1926) of the Politburo.
After leading a failed struggle of the Left Opposition against the policies and rise of Joseph Stalin in the 1920s and against the increasing role of bureaucracy in the Soviet Union, Trotsky was removed from power (October 1927), expelled from the Communist Party (November 1927), and finally exiled from the Soviet Union in 1929. As the head of the Fourth International, Trotsky continued in exile in Mexico to oppose the Stalinist bureaucracy in the Soviet Union. On Stalin’s orders, he was assassinated in Mexico in August 1940 by Ramón Mercader, a Spanish-born Soviet agent.
Trotsky’s ideas formed the basis of Trotskyism, a major school of Marxist thought that opposes the theories of Stalinism. He was one of the few Soviet political figures who were not rehabilitated by the government under Nikita Khrushchev in the 1950s. In the late 1980s, his books were released for publication in the Soviet Union.
summery
adj. Of, intended for, or suggesting summer.
braise
r.v. braised, brais·ing, brais·es To cook (meat or vegetables) by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container.
[French braiser, from braise, hot charcoal, from Old French brese, of Germanic origin; see bhreu- in Indo-European roots.]
excreta
(ĭk-skrē′tə)
pl.n.
Waste matter, such as sweat, urine, or feces, discharged from the body.
ex·cre′tal adj.
puissance
(pwĭs′əns, pyo͞o′ĭ-səns, pyo͞o-ĭs′əns)
n. Power; might.
[Middle English, from Old French, from poissant, powerful, present participle of pooir, to be able; see power.]
puis′sant adj.
puis′sant·ly adv.
How comes all this, if there be not something puissant in whaling?—Moby Dick I-LXVII by Melville, Herman
demarcation
also de·mar·ka·tion (dē′mär-kā′shən)
n.
- The setting or marking of boundaries or limits.
- A separation; a distinction: a line of demarcation between two rock strata.
[Spanish demarcación, from demarcar, to mark boundaries : de-, off (from Latin dē-; see marcar in Indo-European roots).]
mawkish
adj.
- Excessively and objectionably sentimental. See Synonyms at sentimental.
- Archaic Having a sickening taste.
[From Middle English mawke, maggot, variant of magot; see maggot.]
mawk′ish·ly adv.
mawk′ish·ness n.
remand
r.v. re·mand·ed, re·mand·ing, re·mands
To send or order back, especially:
a. To send back (a person) into legal custody, as to a jail or prison.
b. To send (a case) from a higher to a lower court, as when an appellate court determines that the trial court needs to hold a new trial or engage in additional proceedings.
[Middle English remaunden, from Old French remander, from Late Latin remandāre, to send back word : Latin re-, re- + Latin mandāre, to order; see man- in Indo-European roots.]
re·mand′ n.
re·mand′ment n.
malinger
intr.v. ma·lin·gered, ma·lin·ger·ing, ma·lin·gers
To feign illness or other incapacity in order to avoid duty or work.
ma·lin′ger·er n.
shire
(shīr)
n.
- A former administrative division of Great Britain, equivalent to a county.
- often Shire A Shire horse.
[Middle English, from Old English scīr, official charge, administrative district.]
vixen
n.
- A female fox.
- A woman regarded as quarrelsome or ill-tempered.
[From dialectal alteration of Middle English fixen, from Old English fyxe.]
vix′en·ish adj.
vix′en·ish·ly adv.
vix′en·ish·ness n.
Word History: In the traditional dialects of Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall, counties of southern England, words that begin with the voiceless fricative sounds (f) and (s) are pronounced instead with voicing, as (v) and (z). (The local rendering of the county name Somerset, in fact, is “Zomerzet.”) The voicing is due to a Middle English sound change and may have roots even earlier. At least three examples of this dialectal pronunciation have entered standard English: vat, vane, and vixen. The first of these is a variant of an earlier word fat; the pronunciation with (f) was still used in the 1800s before being displaced by the southern pronunciation (văt). Vane, which used to mean “flag,” has a cognate in the German word for “flag,” Fahne, showing the original f. Vixen, finally, represents the southern pronunciation of a word that goes back to Old English fyxe, the feminine of fox. It was formed by a change in the root vowel of fox and the addition of a suffix -e or -en. Besides being one of the rare southern English dialect forms to have come into standard English, vixen is also the only survival of this type of feminine noun in the modern language.
friable
(frī′ə-bəl)
adj. Readily crumbled; brittle: friable asbestos insulation.
[Latin friābilis, from friāre, to crumble.]
fri′a·bil′i·ty n.
Golden Dawn
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (or, more commonly, the Golden Dawn) was a magical order active in Great Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which practiced theurgy and spiritual development. It has been one of the largest single influences on 20th-century Western occultism.
Concepts of magic and ritual at the center of contemporary traditions, such as Wicca and Thelema, were inspired by the Golden Dawn.
The three founders, William Robert Woodman, William Wynn Westcott, and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers were Freemasons and members of Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (S.R.I.A.). Westcott appears to have been the initial driving force behind the establishment of the Golden Dawn.
The Golden Dawn system was based on hierarchy and initiation like the Masonic Lodges; however women were admitted on an equal basis with men. The “Golden Dawn” was the first of three Orders, although all three are often collectively referred to as the “Golden Dawn”. The First Order taught esoteric philosophy based on the Hermetic Qabalah and personal development through study and awareness of the four Classical Elements as well as the basics of astrology, tarot divination, and geomancy. The Second or “Inner” Order, the Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis (the Ruby Rose and Cross of Gold), taught proper magic, including scrying, astral travel, and alchemy. The Third Order was that of the “Secret Chiefs”, who were said to be highly skilled; they supposedly directed the activities of the lower two orders by spirit communication with the Chiefs of the Second Order.
Influences
Influences on Golden Dawn concepts and work include: Christian mysticism, Qabalah, Hermeticism, Ancient Egyptian religion, Theurgy, Freemasonry, Alchemy, Theosophy, Astrology, Eliphas Levi, Papus, John Dee & Edward Kelly, Enochian magic, and Renaissance grimoires, as well as Anna Kingsford & Frederick Hockley.
abscond
(ăb-skŏnd′)
intr.v. ab·scond·ed, ab·scond·ing, ab·sconds
To leave quickly and secretly and hide oneself, often to avoid arrest or prosecution.
[Latin abscondere, to hide : abs-, ab-, away; see condere in Indo-European roots.]
ab·scond′er n.
scholium
(skō′lē-əm)
n. pl. scho·li·ums or scho·li·a (-lē-ə)
1. An explanatory note or commentary, as on a Greek or Latin text.
2. A note amplifying a proof or course of reasoning, as in mathematics.
[New Latin, from Greek skholion, diminutive of skholē, lecture, school; see segh- in Indo-European roots.]
fillet
(fĭl′ĭt)
n.
- A narrow strip of ribbon or similar material, often worn as a headband.
- also fi·let (fĭ-lā′, fĭl′ā′)
a. A strip or compact piece of boneless meat or fish, especially the beef tenderloin.
b. A boneless strip of meat rolled and tied, as for roasting. - Architecture
a. A thin flat molding used as separation between or ornamentation for larger moldings.
b. A ridge between the indentations of a fluted column. - A narrow decorative line impressed onto the cover of a book.
- Heraldry A narrow horizontal band placed in the lower fourth area of the chief.
- Anatomy A loop-shaped band of fibers, such as the lemniscus.
tr. v. fil·let·ed, fil·let·ing, fil·lets
1. To bind or decorate with or as if with a fillet.
2. also fi·let (fĭ-lā′, fĭl′ā′) To slice, bone, or make into fillets.
Urd
Urðr (Old Norse “fate”) is one of the Norns in Norse mythology. Along with Verðandi (possibly “happening” or “present”) and Skuld (possibly “debt” or “future”[3]), Urðr makes up a trio of Norns that are described as deciding the fates of people. Urðr is attested in stanza 20 of the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá and the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning.
Urðr is together with the Norns located at the well Urðarbrunnr beneath the world ash tree Yggdrasil of Asgard. They spin threads of life, cut marks in the pole figures and measure people’s destinies, which shows the fate of all human beings and gods. Norns are always present when a child is born and decide its fate. The three Norns represent the past (Urðr), future (Skuld) and present (Verðandi).
Urðr is commonly written as Urd or Urth. In some English translations, her name is glossed with the Old English form of urðr; Wyrd.
heterodox
adj.
- Not in agreement with accepted beliefs, especially in church doctrine or dogma.
- Holding unorthodox opinions.
[Greek heterodoxos : hetero-, hetero- + doxa, opinion (from dokein, to think; see dek- in Indo-European roots).]
tenebrous
adj.
Dark and gloomy.
[Middle English, from Old French tenebreus, from Latin tenebrōsus, from tenebrae, darkness.]
ten′e·bros′i·ty (-brŏs′ĭ-tē) n.
diabolism
(dī-ăb′ə-lĭz′əm)
n.
- Dealings with or worship of the devil or demons.
- Devilish conduct or character. di·ab′o·list n.
ribald
(rĭb′əld, rī′bôld′)
adj. Characterized by or indulging in humor that is vulgar and lewd.
n. A vulgar, lewdly funny person.
[From Middle English ribaud, ribald person, from Old French, from riber, to be wanton, from Middle High German rīban, to rub, be in heat, copulate, from Old High German; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]
squamous
(skwā′məs, skwä′-) also squa·mose (-mōs′)
adj. 1. Covered with or formed of scales; scaly.
2. Resembling a scale or scales; thin and flat like a scale: the squamous cells of the cervix.
3. Of or relating to the thin, platelike part of the temporal bone.
[Latin squāmōsus, from squāma, scale.]
squa′mous·ly adv.
squa′mous·ness n.
calumny
(kăl′əm-nē)
n. pl. cal·um·nies
1. A false statement maliciously made to injure another’s reputation.
2. The utterance of maliciously false statements; slander.
imputable
adj.
Possible to impute or ascribe; attributable: imputable oversights.
im·put′a·bly adv.
attenuate
v. at·ten·u·at·ed, at·ten·u·at·ing, at·ten·u·ates
v. tr.
1. To make slender, fine, or small: The drought attenuated the river to a narrow channel.
2. To reduce in force, value, amount, or degree; weaken: Medicine attenuated the fever’s effect.
3. To lessen the density of; rarefy.
4. Biology To make (bacteria or viruses) less virulent.
5. Electronics To reduce (the amplitude of an electrical signal) with little or no distortion.
v.intr.
To become thin, weak, or fine.
adj. (-yo͞o-ĭt)
1. Reduced or weakened, as in strength, value, or virulence.
2. Botany Gradually tapering to a slender point.
[Latin attenuāre, attenuāt- : ad-, ad- + tenuāre, to make thin (from tenuis, thin; see ten- in Indo-European roots).]
at·ten′u·a′tion n.
larceny
(lär′sə-nē)
n. pl. lar·ce·nies
The unlawful taking and removing of another’s personal property with the intent of permanently depriving the owner; theft.
lar′ce•nist, lar′ce•ner, n.
lar′ce•nous, adj.
lar′ce•nous•ly, adv.
Synonyms: stealing, theft, thievery, thieving
monolatrism
(mɒˈnɒlətrɪ)
n 1. (Other Non-Christian Religions) the exclusive worship of one god without excluding the existence of others monolater
moˈnolatrist n
moˈnolatrous adj
exoteric
(ĕk′sə-tĕr′ĭk)
adj.
- Not confined to an inner circle of disciples or initiates.
- Comprehensible to or suited to the public; popular.
- Of or relating to the outside; external.
[Latin exōtericus, external, from Greek exōterikos, from exōterō, comparative of exō, outside; see exo-.]
ex′o·ter′i·cal·ly adv.
refectory
n. pl. re·fec·to·ries
A room where meals are served, especially in a college or other institution.
schism
(skĭz′əm, sĭz′-)
n.
1. A separation or division into factions: “[He] found it increasingly difficult to maintain party unity in the face of ideological schism over civil rights” (Nick Kotz).
2.
a. A formal breach of union within a religious body, especially a Christian church.
b. The offense of attempting to produce such a breach.
[Middle English scisme, from Old French, from Latin schisma, schismat-, from Greek skhisma, from skhizein, to split; see skei- in Indo-European roots.]
Usage Note: The word schism, which was originally spelled scisme, cisme, and sisme in English, is traditionally pronounced (sĭz′əm), without a (k) sound. The modern spelling with the h dates back to the 16th century, when the word was respelled to resemble its Latin and Greek ancestors. The pronunciation with (k), (skĭz′əm), was long regarded as incorrect, but it has become so common in both British and American English that it gained acceptability and now predominates in standard American usage.
John Dee
John Dee (1527–1608 or 1609) was a Welsh mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occultist, navigator, imperialist and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I. He devoted much of his life to the study of alchemy, divination and Hermetic philosophy.
Dee straddled the worlds of science and magic just as they were becoming distinguishable. One of the most learned men of his age, he had been invited to lecture on advanced algebra at the University of Paris while still in his early twenties. Dee was an ardent promoter of mathematics and a respected astronomer, as well as a leading expert in navigation, having trained many of those who would conduct England’s voyages of discovery.
Simultaneously with these efforts, Dee immersed himself in the worlds of magic, astrology and Hermetic philosophy. He devoted much time and effort in the last thirty years or so of his life to attempting to commune with angels in order to learn the universal language of creation and bring about the pre-apocalyptic unity of mankind. A student of the Renaissance Neo-Platonism of Marsilio Ficino, Dee did not draw distinctions between his mathematical research and his investigations into Hermetic magic, angel summoning and divination. Instead he considered all of his activities to constitute different facets of the same quest: the search for a transcendent understanding of the divine forms which underlie the visible world, which Dee called “pure verities”.
In his lifetime Dee amassed one of the largest libraries in England. His high status as a scholar also allowed him to play a role in Elizabethan politics. He served as an occasional adviser and tutor to Elizabeth I and nurtured relationships with her ministers Francis Walsingham and William Cecil. Dee also tutored and enjoyed patronage relationships with Sir Philip Sidney, his uncle Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and Edward Dyer. He also enjoyed patronage from Sir Christopher Hatton.
suborn
(sə-bôrn′)
tr. v. sub·orned, sub·orn·ing, sub·orns
1. To induce (a person) to commit an unlawful or evil act.
2. Law
a. To procure (perjured testimony): suborn perjury.
b. To induce (a person) to commit perjury.
[Latin subōrnāre : sub-, secretly; see ōrnāre in Indo-European roots.]
sub′or·na′tion (sŭb′ôr-nā′shən) n.
sub·orn′er n.
lupine
n.
Any of numerous plants of the genus Lupinus of the pea family, having palmately compound leaves and colorful flowers grouped in spikes or racemes. Some species are cultivated as ornamentals and others for their edible seeds.
adj.
- Characteristic of or resembling a wolf.
- Rapacious; ravenous.
crenel
(krĕn′əl)
n.
- An open space or notch between two merlons in a battlement or crenelated wall.
- A crenature.
[Middle English, from Old French; see crenelated.]
effete
(ĭ-fēt′)
adj.
1.
a. Characterized by extreme refinement or self-indulgence, often to the point of unworldiness or decadence: “the effete taste of people surfeited with expensive comforts”
b. Having or reflecting an attitude of social superiority; pretentious or snobbish: “Throughout its amateur era tennis was a country club sport, denigrated as elitist and effete”
2. Depleted of vitality, force, or effectiveness; exhausted: the effete monarchies of Europe.
3. Effeminate: “As a manly adventurer … [Saint Paul] seemed the perfect rebuttal to our great, if unspoken, fear that the celibate vocation was effete”
4. Archaic No longer productive; infertile.
[Latin effētus, worn out, exhausted : ex-, ex- + fētus, bearing young, pregnant; see dhē(i)- in Indo-European roots.]
ef·fete′ly adv.
ef·fete′ness n.
stodgy
adj. stodg·i·er, stodg·i·est
1.
a. Dull, unimaginative, and commonplace. See Synonyms at dull.
b. Old-fashioned and stuffy: “Why is the middle-class so stodgy—so utterly without a sense of humor!” (Katherine Mansfield).
2. Indigestible and starchy; heavy: stodgy food.
3. Solidly built; stocky.
[From stodge, thick filling food, from stodge, to cram.]
stodg′i·ly adv.
stodg′i·ness n.
crone
n.
- Derogatory An old woman considered to be ugly; a hag.
- A woman who is venerated for experience, judgment, and wisdom.
clement
(klĕm′ənt)
adj.
- Inclined to be lenient or merciful.
- Mild: clement weather.
[Middle English, from Latin clēmēns, clēment-.]
clem′ent·ly adv.
Vishnu
Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: विष्णु, Viṣṇu) is a Hindu god, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Narayana and Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, he is conceived as “the Preserver or the Protector” within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.
In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a pale blue being, as are his incarnations Rama and Krishna. He holds a padma (lotus flower) in his lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in his lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in his upper left hand and the discus weapon Sudarshana Chakra in his upper right hand.
gazetteer
(găz′ĭ-tîr′)
n.
- A dictionary, listing, or index of geographic names.
- Archaic A writer for a gazette; a journalist.
parishioner
member of a Parish
sceptre / scepter
n.
- A staff held by a sovereign as an emblem of authority.
- Ruling power or authority; sovereignty.
tr.v. scep·tered, scep·ter·ing, scep·ters
To invest with royal authority.
[Middle English sceptre, from Old French, from Latin scēptrum, from Greek skēptron.]
oeuvre
(œ′vrə)
n. pl. oeu·vres (œ′vrə)
1. A work of art.
2. The sum of the lifework of an artist, writer, or composer.
Oligarchy
Oligarchy (from Greek ὀλιγαρχία (oligarkhía); from ὀλίγος (olígos), meaning “few”, and ἄρχω (arkho), meaning “to rule or to command”)123 is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a small number of people. These people could be distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, education, corporate, religious or military control. Such states are often controlled by a few prominent families who typically pass their influence from one generation to the next, but inheritance is not a necessary condition for the application of this term.
keel
n
- (Nautical Terms) one of the main longitudinal structural members of a vessel to which the frames are fastened and that may extend into the water to provide lateral stability
- on an even keel well-balanced; steady
- (Aeronautics) any structure corresponding to or resembling the keel of a ship, such as the central member along the bottom of an aircraft fuselage
- (Biology) biology a ridgelike part; carina
- a poetic word for ship
vb
6. to capsize
[C14: from Old Norse kjölr; related to Middle Dutch kiel,keel²] ˈkeel-less adj
sublimation
v. sub·li·mat·ed, sub·li·mat·ing, sub·li·mates
v.intr.
Chemistry To be transformed directly from the solid to the gaseous state or from the gaseous to the solid state without becoming a liquid.
v. tr.
1. Chemistry To cause (a solid or gas) to sublimate.
2.
a. To modify the natural expression of (a primitive, instinctual impulse) in a socially acceptable manner.
b. To divert the energy associated with (an unacceptable impulse or drive) into an acceptable activity.
n.
Chemistry A product of sublimation.
[Latin sublīmāre, sublīmāt-, to elevate, from sublīmis, uplifted.]
sub′li·ma′tion (-mā′shən) n.
zephyr
(zĕf′ər)
n.
- The west wind.
- A gentle breeze.
- Any of various soft light fabrics, yarns, or garments, especially a lightweight, checked gingham fabric.
- Something that is airy, insubstantial, or passing.
transitive
adj.
- of or designating a verb that is accompanied by a direct object and from which a passive can be formed, as deny, put, or elect.
- characterized by or involving transition; transitional.
n.
3. a transitive verb.
omerta
(ō-mûr′tə, ō′mĕr-tä′)
n. A rule or code that prohibits speaking or divulging information about certain activities, especially the activities of a criminal organization.
[Italian omertà, probably from alteration (influenced by Sicilian omu, man) of Spanish hombredad, manliness, from Spanish hombre, man; see ombre.]
grog
n. An alcoholic liquor, especially rum diluted with water.
impassive
(ĭm-păs′ĭv)
adj.
- Devoid of or not subject to emotion.
- Revealing no emotion; expressionless.
- Archaic Incapable of physical sensation.
- Motionless; still.
im·pas′sive·ly adv.
im·pas′sive·ness, im′pas·siv′i·ty n.
mantic
adj. Of, relating to, or having the power of divination; prophetic.
[Greek mantikos, from mantis, seer; see men- in Indo-European roots.]
man′tic·al·ly adv.
Ship of Theseus
The ship of Theseus, also known as Theseus’s paradox, is a paradox that raises the question of whether an object which has had all its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. The paradox is most notably recorded by Plutarch in Life of Theseus from the late 1st century. Plutarch asked whether a ship which was restored by replacing all and every of its wooden parts, remained the same ship.
alight
intr. v. a·light·ed or a·lit (ə-lĭt′), a·light·ing, a·lights
1. To come down and settle, as after flight: “A swarm of black birds flew across the road and alighted in a pecan tree” (Ernest J. Gaines).
2. To get down, as from a vehicle; dismount: The queen alighted from the carriage. 3. To come by chance: alight on a happy solution.
[Middle English alighten, from Old English ālīhtan : ā-, intensive pref. + līhtan, to relieve of a burden (from līht, light; see light).]
jib
n.
1. Nautical
A triangular sail stretching from the foretopmast head to the jib boom, the bowsprit, or the bow.
2.
a. The arm of a mechanical crane.
b. The boom of a derrick.
tumbril
or tum·bril (tŭm′brəl)
n.
- A two-wheeled cart, especially a farmer’s cart that can be tilted to dump a load.
- A crude cart used to carry condemned prisoners to their place of execution, as during the French Revolution.
[Middle English tumberell, from Old French tomberel, from tomber, to fall, perhaps of Germanic origin and akin to English tumble.]
ruff
n.
- A stiffly starched frilled or pleated circular collar of lace, muslin, or other fine fabric, worn by men and women in the 1500s and 1600s.
- A distinctive collarlike projection around the neck, as of feathers on a bird or of fur on a mammal.
- A migratory sandpiper (Philomachus pugnax) of the Eastern Hemisphere, the male of which has collarlike, erectile feathers around the neck during the breeding season.
[Perhaps short for ruffle.]
ruffed adj.
abject
adj.
- Extremely contemptible or degrading: abject cowardice. See Synonyms at base.
- Being of the most miserable kind; wretched: abject poverty; abject grief.
- Thoroughgoing; complete. Used to modify pejorative nouns: an abject failure.
- Extremely submissive or self-abasing: abject apologies.
[Middle English, outcast, from Latin abiectus, past participle of abicere, to cast away : ab-, from; see iacere in Indo-European roots.]
ab′ject′ly adv.
ab·ject′ness n.
ab·jec′tion n.
sough
(sou, sŭf)
intr.v. soughed, sough·ing, soughs
To make a soft murmuring or rustling sound.
n.
A soft murmuring or rustling sound, as of the wind or a gentle surf.
venturesome
adj.
- Disposed to venture or to take risks; daring. See Synonyms at adventurous.
- Involving risk or danger; hazardous: a venturesome expedition up Mount Everest.
ven′ture·some·ly adv.
ven′ture·some·ness n.
trepan
(trĭ-păn′)
n.
- A rock-boring tool used in mining for sinking shafts.
- Medicine A trephine.
tr. v. tre·panned, tre·pan·ning, tre·pans
1. To bore (a shaft) with a trepan.
2. To bore or otherwise make a hole in (the skull), as in certain prehistoric cultures or in surgery using a trephine.
[Middle English trepane, surgical crown saw, from Medieval Latin trepanum, from Greek trūpanon, borer, from trūpān, to pierce, from trūpē, hole; see terə- in Indo-European roots.]
trep′a·na′tion (trĕp′ə-nā′shən) n.
Archaic tr.v. tre·panned, tre·pan·ning, tre·pans
To trap; ensnare.
n.
- A trickster.
- A trick or snare.
syndic
- One appointed to represent a corporation, university, or other organization in business transactions; a business agent.
- A civil magistrate or similar government official in some European countries.
[French, from Old French sindiz, from Late Latin syndicus, from Greek sundikos, public advocate : sun-, syn- + dikē, justice; see deik- in Indo-European roots.]
syn′di·cal adj.
anathema
(ə-năth′ə-mə)
n. pl. a·nath·e·mas
1. A formal ecclesiastical ban, curse, or excommunication.
2. A vehement denunciation; a curse: “the sound of a witch’s anathemas in some unknown tongue” (Nathaniel Hawthorne).
3. One that is cursed or damned.
4. One that is greatly reviled, loathed, or shunned: “Essentialism—a belief in natural, immutable sex differences—is anathema to postmodernists, for whom sexuality itself, along with gender, is a ‘social construct’” (Wendy Kaminer).
[Late Latin, doomed offering, accursed thing, from Greek, from anatithenai, anathe-, to dedicate : ana-, ana- + tithenai, to put; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.]
perspicacity
(pûr′spĭ-kăs′ĭ-tē)
n. Acuteness of perception, discernment, or understanding.
chaise
(shāz)
n.
- Any of various light open carriages, often with a collapsible hood, especially a two-wheeled carriage drawn by one horse.
- A post chaise.
- A chaise longue.
[French, chair, variant of Old French chaiere; see chair.]
Charon
(kâr′ən)
In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon is the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. A coin to pay Charon for passage, usually an obolus or danake, was sometimes placed in or on the mouth of a dead person. Some authors say that those who could not pay the fee, or those whose bodies were left unburied, had to wander the shores for one hundred years. In the catabasis mytheme, heroes – such as Heracles, Orpheus, Aeneas, Theseus, Sisyphus, Dionysus, Odysseus and Psyche – journey to the underworld and return, still alive, conveyed by the boat of Charon.
He is the son of Nyx and Erebus. Nyx and Erebus were brother and sister. He was also the brother of Thanatos and Hypnos.
fumid
Smoky; vaporous.
imprecation
(ĭm′prĭ-kāt′)
tr.v. im·pre·cat·ed, im·pre·cat·ing, im·pre·cates
To invoke evil upon; curse.
im′pre·ca′tor n.
im′pre·ca·to′ry (-kə-tôr′ē) adj.
proscenium
(prō-sē′nē-əm, prə-)
n. pl. pro·sce·ni·ums or pro·sce·ni·a (-nē-ə)
1. The area of a modern theater that is located between the curtain and the orchestra.
2. The stage of an ancient theater, located between the background and the orchestra.
3. A proscenium arch.
[Latin proscēnium, from Greek proskēnion : pro-, before; see pro-2 + skēnē, buildings at the back of the stage.]
putsch
also Putsch (po͝och)
n. A sudden attempt by a group to overthrow a government.
[German, from German dialectal, from Middle High German, thrust, of imitative origin.]
putsch′ist n.
capacious
adj.
Capable of containing a large quantity; spacious or roomy: a capacious office building.
caliginous
(kə-lĭj′ə-nəs)
adj.
Dark, misty, and gloomy.
iridescent
adj.
- Producing a display of lustrous, rainbowlike colors: an iridescent oil slick; iridescent plumage.
- Brilliant, lustrous, or colorful in effect or appearance: “The prelude was as iridescent as a prism in a morning room” (Carson McCullers).
ir′i·des′cent·ly adv.
turret
(tûr′ĭt, tŭr′-)
n.
1. A small tower or tower-shaped projection on a building.
2.
a. A low, heavily armored structure, usually rotating horizontally, containing mounted guns and their gunners or crew, as on a warship or tank.
b. A domelike gunner’s enclosure projecting from the fuselage of a combat aircraft.
3. A tall wooden structure mounted on wheels and used in ancient warfare by besiegers to scale the walls of an enemy fortress.
4. An attachment for a lathe consisting of a rotating cylindrical block holding various cutting tools.
5. A rotating device holding various lenses, as for a microscope, allowing easy switching from one lens to another.
[Middle English turet, from Old French torete, diminutive of tor, tower; see tower.]
caparison
(kə-păr′ĭ-sən)
n.
- An ornamental covering for a horse or for its saddle or harness; trappings.
- Richly ornamented clothing; finery.
tr. v. ca·par·i·soned, ca·par·i·son·ing, ca·par·i·sons
1. To outfit (a horse) with an ornamental covering.
2. To dress (another) in rich clothing.
jounce
intr. & tr.v. jounced, jounc·ing, jounc·es
To move or cause to move with bumps and jolts; bounce.
n.
A rough, jolting movement; a jolt.
bantam
n.
- Any of various breeds of very small domesticated fowl that are often miniatures of members of larger breeds.
- A small but aggressive and spirited person.
adj.
- Diminutive; miniature.
- Aggressive and spirited.
murmuration
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
versify
(vûr′sə-fī′)
v. ver·si·fied, ver·si·fy·ing, ver·si·fies
v. tr.
1. To change from prose into metrical form.
2. To treat or tell in verse: versify stories from the Bible.
v.intr.
To write verses.
[Middle English versifien, from Old French versifier, from Latin versificāre : versus, verse; see verse1 + -ficāre, -fy.]
ver′si·fi·ca′tion (-fĭ-kā′shən) n.
ver′si·fi′er n.
Chronos
Chronos is a god, serpentine shape in form, with three heads—those of a man, a bull, and a lion. He and his consort, serpentine Ananke (Inevitability), circled the primal world egg in their coils and split it apart to form the ordered universe of earth, sea and sky.
Chronos was confused with, or perhaps consciously identified with, due to the similarity in name, the Titan Cronus already in antiquity, the identification becoming more widespread during the Renaissance, giving rise to the allegory of “Father Time” wielding the harvesting scythe.
He was depicted in Greco-Roman mosaics as a man turning the Zodiac Wheel. Chronos, however, might also be contrasted with the deity Aion as Eternal Time (see aeon).
Chronos is usually portrayed through an old, wise man with a long, grey beard, similar to Father Time. Some of the current English words whose etymological root is khronos/chronos include chronology, chronometer, chronic, anachronism, and chronicle.
Mythical cosmogonies
In the Orphic cosmogony, the unaging Chronos produced Aether and Chaos, and made a silvery egg in the divine Aether. It produced the hermaphroditic god Phanes, who gave birth to the first generation of gods and is the ultimate creator of the cosmos.
Pherecydes of Syros in his lost Heptamychos (the seven recesses), around 6th century BC, claimed that there were three eternal principles: Chronos, Zas (Zeus) and Chthonie (the chthonic). The semen of Chronos was placed in the recesses and produced the first generation of gods.
evert
(ĭ-vûrt′)
tr.v. e·vert·ed, e·vert·ing, e·verts
To turn inside out or outward.
[Back-formation from Middle English everted, turned upside down, from Latin ēvertere, to overturn : ē-, ex-, ex- + vertere, to turn; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]
comet / cometary
comet
n. A celestial body, observed only in that part of its orbit that is relatively close to the sun, having a head consisting of a solid nucleus surrounded by a nebulous coma up to 2.4 million kilometers (1.5 million miles) in diameter and an elongated curved vapor tail arising from the coma when sufficiently close to the sun. Comets are thought to consist chiefly of ammonia, methane, carbon dioxide, and water.
* * *
cometary
adj. of or relating to or resembling a comet
sartorial
(sär-tôr′ē-əl)
adj.
Of or relating to a tailor, tailoring, or tailored clothing: sartorial elegance.
[From Late Latin sartor, tailor; see sartorius.]
sar·to′ri·al·ly adv.
grapnel
n.
- A small anchor with three or more flukes, especially one used for anchoring a small vessel. Also called grapple, grappling.
- See grapple.
[Middle English grapenel, probably ultimately from Old French grapin, hook, diminutive of grape; see grape.]
sallow
(săl′ō)
adj. sal·low·er, sal·low·est
Of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion.
tr.v. sal·lowed, sal·low·ing, sal·lows
To make sallow.
[Middle English salowe, from Old English salo.]
sal′low·ly adv.
sal′low·ness n.
Apollo
n.
- Greek Mythology The god of prophecy, music, medicine, and poetry, sometimes identified with the sun.
- apollo pl. apol·los A young man of great physical beauty.
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in classical Greek and Roman religion and Greek and Roman mythology. The ideal of the kouros (a beardless, athletic youth), Apollo has been variously recognized as a god of music, truth and prophecy, healing, the sun and light, plague, poetry, and more. Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and has a twin sister, the chaste huntress Artemis.
As the patron of Delphi (Pythian Apollo), Apollo was an oracular god—the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle. Medicine and healing are associated with Apollo, whether through the god himself or mediated through his son Asclepius, yet Apollo was also seen as a god who could bring ill-health and deadly plague. Amongst the god’s custodial charges, Apollo became associated with dominion over colonists, and as the patron defender of herds and flocks. As the leader of the Muses and director of their choir, Apollo functioned as the patron god of music and poetry. Hermes created the lyre for him, and the instrument became a common attribute of Apollo. Hymns sung to Apollo were called paeans.
In Hellenistic times, especially during the 3rd century BCE, as Apollo Helios he became identified among Greeks with Helios, Titan god of the sun, and his sister Artemis similarly equated with Selene, Titan goddess of the moon.
fugacious
(fyo͞o-gā′shəs)
adj.
- Passing away quickly; evanescent.
- Botany Withering or dropping off early.
[From Latin fugāx, fugāc-, from fugere, to flee.]
fu·ga′cious·ly adv.
fu·gac′i·ty (-găs′ĭ-tē) n.
oneirology
Oneirology (from Greek ὄνειρον, oneiron, “dream”; and -λογία, -logia, “the study of”) is the scientific study of dreams. Current research seeks correlations between dreaming and current knowledge about the functions of the brain, as well as understanding of how the brain works during dreaming as pertains to memory formation and mental disorders. The study of oneirology can be distinguished from dream analysis in that the aim is to quantitatively study the process of dreams instead of analyzing the meaning behind them.
de jure
(dĭ jo͝or′ē, dā yo͝or′ā)
adv. & adj.
According to law; by right.
scullery
(skŭl′ə-rē)
n. pl. scul·ler·ies
A small room adjoining a kitchen, in which dishwashing and other kitchen chores are done.
crag
A steep rugged mass of rock projecting upward or outward.
dyspepsia
n. Disturbed digestion; indigestion.
dyspeptic
mummery
n. pl. mum·mer·ies
1. A performance by mummers.
2. A pretentious or hypocritical show or ceremony.
tope / toper
tr. & intr.v. toped, top·ing, topes Archaic To drink (liquor) habitually and excessively or engage in such drinking.
[Possibly from obsolete tope, interjection used in proposing a toast.]
top′er n.
acropolis
(ə-krŏp′ə-lĭs)
n. 1. The fortified height or citadel of an ancient Greek city.
2. A raised area holding a building or cluster of buildings, especially in a pre-Columbian city.
[Greek akropolis : akron, top; see polis in Indo-European roots.]
sycophant
(sĭk′ə-fənt, sī′kə-)
n. A person who attempts to gain advantage by flattering influential people or behaving in a servile manner.
[Latin sȳcophanta, informer, slanderer, from Greek sūkophantēs, informer, from sūkon phainein, to show a fig (perhaps originally said of denouncers of theft or exportation of figs or of persons making a lascivious gesture resembling a fig) : sūkon, fig + phainein, to show; see bhā- in Indo-European roots.]
syc′o·phan′tic (-făn′tĭk), syc′o·phan′ti·cal (-tĭ-kəl) adj.
syc′o·phan′ti·cal·ly adv.
fledge
v. fledged, fledg·ing, fledg·es
v. tr.
1. To take care of (a young bird) until it is ready to fly.
2. To cover with or as if with feathers.
3. To provide (an arrow) with feathers.
v.intr.
To grow the plumage necessary for flight.
[Probably from obsolete fledge, feathered, from Middle English flegge, from Old English *flycge; see pleu- in Indo-European roots.]
sedge
n. Any of numerous grasslike plants of the family Cyperaceae, characteristically having solid three-sided stems, leaves arranged in three rows, and spikelets of inconspicuous flowers.
ensconce
(ĕn-skŏns′)
tr. v. en·sconced, en·sconc·ing, en·sconc·es
1. To settle (oneself) securely or comfortably: She ensconced herself in an armchair.
2. To place or conceal in a secure place.
obsequious
(ŏb-sē′kwē-əs, əb-)
adj.
Full of or exhibiting servile compliance; fawning.
[Middle English, from Latin obsequiōsus, from obsequium, compliance, from obsequī, to comply : ob-, to; see sequī in Indo-European roots.]
ob·se′qui·ous·ly adv.
ob·se′qui·ous·ness n.
interlard
(ĭn′tər-lärd′)
tr.v. in·ter·lard·ed, in·ter·lard·ing, in·ter·lards
To insert something foreign into: interlarded the narrative with witty remarks.
[Middle English interlarden, to mix fat into, from Old French entrelarder : entre-, between (from Latin inter-; see inter-) + larder, to lard (from lard, lard; see lard).]
Archimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse (Greek: c. 287 BC – c. 212 BC) was an Ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity.
Generally considered the greatest mathematician of antiquity and one of the greatest of all time, Archimedes anticipated modern calculus and analysis by applying concepts of infinitesimals and the method of exhaustion to derive and rigorously prove a range of geometrical theorems, including the area of a circle, the surface area and volume of a sphere, and the area under a parabola. Other mathematical achievements include deriving an accurate approximation of pi, defining and investigating the spiral bearing his name, and creating a system using exponentiation for expressing very large numbers. He was also one of the first to apply mathematics to physical phenomena, founding hydrostatics and statics, including an explanation of the principle of the lever. He is credited with designing innovative machines, such as his screw pump, compound pulleys, and defensive war machines to protect his native Syracuse from invasion.
Archimedes died during the Siege of Syracuse when he was killed by a Roman soldier despite orders that he should not be harmed. Cicero describes visiting the tomb of Archimedes, which was surmounted by a sphere and a cylinder, which Archimedes had requested to be placed on his tomb, representing his mathematical discoveries.
Unlike his inventions, the mathematical writings of Archimedes were little known in antiquity. Mathematicians from Alexandria read and quoted him, but the first comprehensive compilation was not made until c. 530 AD by Isidore of Miletus in Byzantine Constantinople, while commentaries on the works of Archimedes written by Eutocius in the sixth century AD opened them to wider readership for the first time. The relatively few copies of Archimedes’ written work that survived through the Middle Ages were an influential source of ideas for scientists during the Renaissance,[6] while the discovery in 1906 of previously unknown works by Archimedes in the Archimedes Palimpsest has provided new insights into how he obtained mathematical results.
scullion
(skŭl′yən)
n. A servant employed to do menial tasks in a kitchen.
[Middle English sculyon, probably from Old French escouvillon, dishcloth, diminutive of escouve, broom, from Latin scōpa, branches, broom.]
casuistry
(kăzh′o͞o-ĭ-strē)
n. pl. ca·sui·ist·ries
1. Specious or excessively subtle reasoning intended to rationalize or mislead.
2. The determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by analyzing cases that illustrate general ethical rules.
[From casuist.]
muscadine
(mŭs′kə-dīn′, -dĭn)
n. A woody vine (Vitis rotundifolia) of the southeast United States, bearing a thick-skinned musky grape used to make juice and wine. Also called scuppernong.
BDNF
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, also known as BDNF, is a protein that, in humans, is encoded by the BDNF gene. BDNF is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors, which are related to the canonical Nerve Growth Factor. Neurotrophic factors are found in the brain and the periphery.
Gaul
(gôl)
n. 1. A Celt of ancient Gaul.
2. A French person.
serry
(ˈsɛr i)
v.i., v.t. -ried, -ry•ing. Archaic.
to crowd closely together.
[1575–85;
Serry a crowd or massed bunch of people. Examples: serry of pikemen, 1581; of warriors, 1843; serried ranks of soldiers, 1821.
aniconism
Aniconism is the practice of or belief in the avoiding or shunning of images of divine beings, prophets or other respected religious figures, or in different manifestations, any human beings or living creatures. The term aniconic may be used to describe the absence of graphic representations in a particular belief system, regardless of whether an injunction against them exists. The word itself derives from Greek εἰκών ‘image’ with the negative prefix an- (Greek privative alpha) and the suffix -ism (Greek -ισμός). Aniconism in religion is presented in greater detail in separate articles (see below under “Manifestations: Religion”).
Uncle Remus
Uncle Remus is a fictional character, the title character and fictional narrator of a collection of African-American folktales adapted and compiled by Joel Chandler Harris, published in book form in 1881. A journalist in post-Reconstruction Atlanta, Georgia, Harris produced seven Uncle Remus books.
tessellate / tessellation
(tĕs′ə-lāt′)
tr.v. tes·sel·lat·ed, tes·sel·lat·ing, tes·sel·lates
To form into a mosaic pattern, as by using small squares of stone or glass.
[From Latin tessellātus, of small square stones, from tessella, small cube, diminutive of tessera, a square; see tessera.]
tes′sel·la′tion n.
deltoid
n.
- A thick triangular muscle covering the shoulder joint, used to raise the arm from the side.
- See kite.
adj.
1.
a. Triangular.
b. Having the shape of a geometric kite.
2. Of or relating to the deltoid.
putative
(pyo͞o′tə-tĭv)
adj. Generally regarded as such; supposed: a foundling’s putative parents.
[Middle English, from Old French putatif, from Late Latin putātīvus, from Latin putāre, to prune, think; see pau- in Indo-European roots.]
pu′ta·tive·ly adv.
occlude
v. oc·clud·ed, oc·clud·ing, oc·cludes v.tr.
1. To cause to become closed; obstruct: occlude an artery.
2. To prevent the passage of: occlude light; occlude the flow of blood.
3. Chemistry To absorb or adsorb and retain (a substance).
4. To force (air) upward from the earth’s surface, as when a cold front overtakes and undercuts a warm front.
5. To bring together (the upper and lower teeth) in proper alignment for chewing.
v.intr.
To close so that the cusps fit together. Used of the teeth of the upper and lower jaws.
oc·clud′ent adj.
catboat
n. A broad-beamed sailboat carrying a single fore-and-aft sail on a mast near the bow and often fitted with a centerboard.
adumbrate
(ăd′əm-brāt′, ə-dŭm′-)
tr. v. ad·um·brat·ed, ad·um·brat·ing, ad·um·brates
1. To give a sketchy outline of.
2. To prefigure indistinctly; foreshadow.
3. To disclose partially or guardedly.
4. To overshadow; shadow or obscure.
[Latin adumbrāre, adumbrāt-, to represent in outline : ad-, ad- + umbra, shadow.]
ad′um·bra′tion n.
ad·um′bra·tive (ə-dŭm′brə-tĭv) adj.
ad·um′bra·tive·ly adv.
Rhodesia
(rō-dē′zhə)
- A former region of south-central Africa north of the Limpopo River. The native kingdoms in the region were colonized by Cecil Rhodes’s British South Africa Company in the 1890s. The region remained under British control until the 1960s, when northern and southern Rhodesia gained their independence as Zambia and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
- See Zimbabwe.
Rho·de′sian adj. & n.
triptych
(trĭp′tĭk)
n.
- A work, such as an altarpiece, consisting of three painted or carved panels that are hinged together.
- A hinged writing tablet consisting of three leaves, used in ancient Rome.
[From Greek triptukhos, threefold : tri-, tri- + ptux, ptukh-, fold.]
caprice
a. An impulsive change of mind: “I find it a relief that plagues and cancers … are the result of the impartial—and comprehensible—forces ofevolution rather than the caprices of a deity” (Olivia Judson).
b. An inclination to change one’s mind impulsively: tyrants who rule by caprice.
c. A sudden, unpredictable action or change: the caprices of the wind.
benediction
n.
- A blessing.
- An invocation of divine blessing, usually at the end of a church service.
- often Benediction Roman Catholic Church A short service consisting of prayers, the singing of a Eucharistic hymn, and the blessing of the congregation with the host.
- An expression of good wishes.
[Middle English benediccioun, from Old French benedicion, from Latin benedictiō, benedictiōn-, from benedictus, past participle of benedīcere, to bless : bene, well; see deu- in Indo-European roots + dīcere, to speak; see deik- in Indo-European roots.]
ben′e·dic′tive, ben′e·dic′to·ry (-dĭk′tə-rē) adj.
obelisk
(ŏb′ə-lĭsk)
n.
- A tall, four-sided shaft of stone, usually tapered and monolithic, that rises to a pointed pyramidal top.
- The dagger sign (†), used especially as a reference mark. Also called dagger, obelus.
[Latin obeliscus, from Greek obeliskos, diminutive of obelos, a spit, obelisk.]
ob′e·lis′cal (-lĭs′kəl) adj.
ob′e·lis′koid′ (-koid′) adj.
Paracelsus
Paracelsus (1493 – 1541) was a German-Swiss Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist. He founded the discipline of toxicology. He is also known as a revolutionary for insisting upon using observations of nature, rather than looking to ancient texts, in open and radical defiance of medical practice of his day. He is also credited for giving zinc its name, calling it zincum, and for the terms “gas”, “chemistry”, and “alcohol”. Modern psychology often also credits him for being the first to note that some diseases are rooted in psychological illness.
monad
Monad (from Greek monas, “unit” in turn from monos, “alone”), conceived reportedly by the Pythagoreans meant divinity, the first being, or the totality of all beings, referring in cosmogony (creation theories) variously to source acting alone and/or an indivisible origin. It had a geometric counterpart, which was debated and discussed contemporaneously by the same groups of people.
According to Hippolytus, the worldview was inspired by the Pythagoreans, who called the first thing that came into existence the “monad”, which begat (bore) the dyad (from the greek word for two), which begat the numbers, which begat the point, begetting lines or finiteness, etc. It meant divinity, the first being, or the totality of all beings, referring in cosmogony (creation theories) variously to source acting alone and/or an indivisible origin and equivalent comparators.
Pythagorean and Platonic philosophers like Plotinus and Porphyry condemned Gnosticism (see Neoplatonism and Gnosticism) for their treatment of the monad.
For the Pythagoreans, the generation of number series was related to objects of geometry as well as cosmogony. According to Diogenes Laertius, from the monad evolved the dyad; from it numbers; from numbers, points; then lines, two-dimensional entities, three-dimensional entities, bodies, culminating in the four elements earth, water, fire and air, from which the rest of our world is built up.
cubit
(kyo͞o′bĭt)
n. An ancient unit of linear measure, originally equal to the length of the forearm from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow, or about 17 to 22 inches (43 to 56 centimeters).
[Middle English cubite, from Latin cubitum, cubit, elbow.]
gawp
intr.v. gawped, gawp·ing, gawps
Chiefly British
To gawk.
lode
1.
a. The metalliferous ore that fills a fissure in a rock formation.
b. A vein of mineral ore deposited between clearly demarcated layers of rock. Also called lead.
2. A rich source or supply: found a lode of important documents in the archives.
enmity
(ĕn′mĭ-tē)
n. pl. en·mi·ties
1. Deep-seated, often mutual hatred.
2. A feeling or state of hatred or animosity: “More than almost any public man I have ever met, he has avoided exciting personal enmities” (Theodore Roosevelt).
[Middle English enemite, from Old French enemistie, from Vulgar Latin *inimīcitās, from Latin inimīcus, enemy; see enemy.]
Synonyms: enmity, hostility, antagonism, animosity, animus, antipathy These nouns refer to the feeling or expression of ill will toward another. Enmity is deep-seated hatred that seeks to oppose, harm, or defeat another: “hardhat construction workers—symbols of blue-collar enmity toward the antiwar movement” (Bill Turque).
Black Hand / Unification or Death
Unification or Death (Serbian), popularly known as the Black Hand, was a secret military society formed on 9 May 1911 by officers in the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia, originating in the conspiracy group that assassinated the Serbian royal couple (1903), led by captain Dragutin Dimitrijević “Apis”.
It was formed with the aim of uniting all of the territories with a South Slavic majority not ruled by either Serbia or Montenegro. Its inspiration was primarily the unification of Italy in 1859–70, but also that of Germany in 1871. Through its connections to the June 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, which was committed by the members of youth movement Young Bosnia, the Black Hand is often viewed as having contributed to the start of World War I by precipitating the July Crisis of 1914, which eventually led to Austria-Hungary’s invasion of the Kingdom of Serbia.
preen
v. preened, preen·ing, preens
v.tr.
1.
a. To smooth or clean (feathers) with the beak or bill.
b. To trim or clean (fur) with the tongue, as cats do.
2. To dress or groom (oneself) with elaborate care; primp.
3. To take pride or satisfaction in (oneself); gloat.
v. intr.
1. To dress up; primp.
2. To swell with pride; gloat or exult.
[Middle English proinen, preinen, blend of Old French proignier, to prune; see prune, and Old French poroindre, to anoint before (por-, before from Latin prō-; see pro- + oindre, to anoint, from Latin unguere).]
preen′er n.
interregnum
(ĭn′tər-rĕg′nəm)
n. pl. in·ter·reg·nums or in·ter·reg·na (-nə)
1. The interval of time between the end of a sovereign’s reign and the accession of a successor.
2. A period of temporary suspension of the usual functions of government or control.
3. A gap in continuity.
[Latin : inter-, inter- + rēgnum, reign; see reign.]
in′ter·reg′nal (-nəl) adj.
Jim Crow
n.
The systematic practice of discriminating against and segregating black people, especially as practiced in the American South from the end of Reconstruction to the mid-1900s.
adj.
- Upholding or practicing discrimination against and segregation of black people: Jim Crow laws; a Jim Crow town.
- Reserved or set aside for a racial or ethnic group that is to be discriminated against: “I told them I wouldn’t take a Jim Crow job” (Ralph Bunche).
[From obsolete Jim Crow, derogatory name for a black person, ultimately from the title of a 19th-century minstrel song.]
Jim′-Crow′ism (-krō′ĭz′əm) n.
judder
intr.v. jud·dered, jud·der·ing, jud·ders
To shake rapidly or spasmodically; vibrate conspicuously: “Edith would watch her wrestling with words, her thin little body juddering with the effort to unlock them” (Anita Brookner).
n.
A rapid or spasmodic shaking.
wont
(wônt, wōnt, wŭnt)
adj.
- Accustomed or used: “The poor man is wont to complain that this is a cold world” (Henry David Thoreau).
- Likely: chaotic as holidays are wont to be.
n.
Customary practice; usage. See Synonyms at habit.
v. wont or wont·ed, wont·ing, wonts Archaic v.tr.
To make accustomed to.
v.intr. To be in the habit of doing something.
Usage Note: The most traditionally correct pronunciations of wont are (wōnt), the common pronunciation in Britain, sounding like the contraction won’t, and (wŭnt), the historic American pronunciation, rhyming with hunt. However, the most common form of wont in contemporary American speech is probably (wônt), which to most people’s ears sounds similar to (or even identical with) the word want. This (wônt) pronunciation may in fact be motivated by a confusion of the meanings of wont and want, both of which have to do with personal inclination. In any case, all three of these pronunciations are acceptable, though the historic (wŭnt) pronunciation may strike some listeners as odd or affected.
depilate
(dĕp′ə-lāt′)
tr.v. dep·i·lat·ed, dep·i·lat·ing, dep·i·lates
To remove hair from (the body).
[Latin dēpilāre, dēpilāt- : dē-, de- + pilāre, to deprive of hair (from pilus, hair).]
dep′i·la′tion n.
dep′i·la′tor n.
desultory
(dĕs′əl-tôr′ē, dĕz′-)
adj.
- Moving or jumping from one thing to another; disconnected: “She had suddenly begun speaking, after sitting silently through several hours of desultory discussion … about the Resistance” (Adam Nossiter).
- Occurring randomly or sporadically. See Synonyms at chance.
[Latin dēsultōrius, leaping, from dēsultor, a leaper, from dēsultus, past participle of dēsilīre, to leap down : dē-, de- + salīre, to jump; see sel- in Indo-European roots.]
des′ul·to′ri·ly adv.
des′ul·to′ri·ness n.
Vestal Virgin
In ancient Rome, the Vestals or Vestal Virgins (Vestales, singular Vestalis) were priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth. The College of the Vestals and its well-being was regarded as fundamental to the continuance and security of Rome. They cultivated the sacred fire that was not allowed to go out. The Vestals were freed of the usual social obligations to marry and bear children, and took a vow of chastity in order to devote themselves to the study and correct observance of state rituals that were off-limits to the male colleges of priests.
compunction
n.
- A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt: stole the money without compunction. See Synonyms at penitence.
- A sting of conscience or a pang of doubt aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing: “commercial speculators and hired politicians who had no compunction about pillaging their country for personal gain” (Leo Damrosch).
[Middle English compunccioun, from Old French componction, from Late Latin compūnctiō, compūnctiōn-, puncture, sting of conscience, from Latin compūnctus, past participle of compungere, to sting : com-, intensive pref.; see pungere in Indo-European roots.]
com·punc′tious (-shəs) adj.
com·punc′tious·ly adv.
burgher
- (Historical Terms) a member of the trading or mercantile class of a medieval city
- (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a respectable citizen; bourgeois
defrock
tr. v. de·frocked, de·frock·ing, de·frocks
1. To strip of priestly privileges and functions.
2. To deprive of the right to practice a profession.
3. To deprive of an honorary position.
garrulous
(găr′ə-ləs, găr′yə-)
adj.
- Given to excessive and often trivial or rambling talk; tiresomely talkative.
- Wordy and rambling: a garrulous speech.
[From Latin garrulus, from garrīre, to chatter.]
gar′ru·lous·ly adv.
gar′ru·lous·ness n.
iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter is a commonly used type of metrical line in traditional English poetry and verse drama. The term describes the rhythm that the words establish in that line, which is measured in small groups of syllables called “feet”. The word “iambic” refers to the type of foot that is used, known as the iamb, which in English is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The word “pentameter” indicates that a line has five of these “feet”.
These terms originally applied to the quantitative meter of classical poetry. They were adopted to describe the equivalent meters in English accentual-syllabic verse. Different languages express rhythm in different ways. In Ancient Greek and Latin, the rhythm was created through the alternation of short and long syllables. In English, the rhythm is created through the use of stress, alternating between unstressed and stressed syllables.
Iambic pentameter is the most common meter in English poetry; it is used in many of the major English poetic forms, including blank verse, the heroic couplet, and some of the traditional rhymed stanza forms. William Shakespeare used iambic pentameter in his plays and sonnets.
“da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM”
“to swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells”
nave
n.
The central part of a church, extending from the narthex to the chancel and flanked by aisles.
[Medieval Latin nāvis, from Latin, ship (from its shape); see nāu- in Indo-European roots.]
Image: plan of the 4th-century ad St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome Italy
A. apse B. transept C. nave D. aisles E. narthex F. atrium
avaunt
(ə-vônt′, ə-vänt′)
adv. Hence; away.
[Middle English, forward, from Old French avant, from Latin abante : ab-, from; see ab- + ante, before; see ante-.]
sunder
v. sun·dered, sun·der·ing, sun·ders
v. tr.
1. To break into two or more pieces or parts; sever: “Several disputed sculptures … are sundered, with fragments residing in separate museums” (Lee Rosenbaum).
2. To force or keep apart: “Even our own kindred in the North are sundered from us” (J.R.R. Tolkien). See Synonyms at separate.
3. To form a barrier or border between: a river that sunders the two mountain ranges.
4. To dissolve (a connection or relationship): a disagreement that sundered their friendship.
v.intr.
To become broken into parts or disunited.
[Middle English sundren, from Old English sundrian.] sun′der·ance n.
capstone / copestone
(kăp′stōn′)
n.
- The top stone of a structure or wall.
- The crowning achievement or final stroke; the culmination or acme.
iconoclast
(ī-kŏn′ə-klăst′)
n.
- One who attacks and seeks to overthrow traditional or popular ideas or institutions.
- One who destroys sacred religious images.
[French iconoclaste, from Medieval Greek eikonoklastēs, smasher of religious images : eikono-, icono- + Greek -klastēs, breaker (from klān, klas-, to break).]
i·con′o·clas′tic adj.
i·con′o·clas′ti·cal·ly adv.
Word History: Among the Ten Commandments found in the Bible is the following: “Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” In the 8th and 9th centuries, these words inspired some Christians of the Byzantine Empire to destroy religious images such as paintings and sculptures of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the saints. The Medieval Greek word for a person who destroyed such images was eikonoklastēs, formed from the elements eikōn, “image, likeness,” and -klastēs, “breaker,” and the Medieval Greek word is the source of the English word iconoclast. In addition to simply destroying many paintings and sculptures, the Medieval Greek iconoclasts also sought to have them barred from display and veneration. In English, the word iconoclast was originally used in reference to these Byzantine iconoclasts. During the Protestant Reformation, however, images in churches were again felt to be idolatrous and were once more banned and destroyed, and the word iconoclast came to be used of the Protestant opponents of graven images, too. In the 19th century, iconoclast took on the secular sense that it has today.
sooth
(so͞oth)
Archaic adj.
- Real; true.
- Soft; smooth.
n.
Truth; reality.
croft
n. Chiefly British
1. A small enclosed field or pasture near a house.
2. A small farm, especially a tenant farm.
barque
n
- (Nautical Terms) a sailing ship of three or more masts having the foremasts rigged square and the aftermast rigged fore-and-aft
- any boat, esp a small sailing vessel
gainsay
tr.v. gain·said (-sād′, -sĕd′), gain·say·ing, gain·says (-sāz′, -sĕz′)
- To declare to be false; deny. See Synonyms at deny.
- To oppose (someone), especially by contradiction: “She was going to fashion the end of her existence in her own way, and in this determinationshe would not be gainsaid”
mahout
(mə-hout′) n. A person who takes care of, rides, and controls a tamed elephant.
veriest
adj 1. (intensifier): the veriest coward.
kipper
n.
A herring or salmon that has been split, salted, and smoked.
tr.v. kip·pered, kip·per·ing, kip·pers
To prepare (fish) by splitting, salting, and smoking.
ordinal number
n. A number indicating position in a series or order. The ordinal numbers are first (1st), second (2nd), third (3rd), and so on.
David Hume
David Hume (1711 – 1776) was a Scottish historian, philosopher, economist, diplomat and essayist known today especially for his radical philosophical empiricism and skepticism.
In light of Hume’s central role in the Scottish Enlightenment, and in the history of Western philosophy, Bryan Magee judged him as a philosopher “widely regarded as the greatest who has ever written in the English language.” While Hume failed in his attempts to start a university career, he took part in various diplomatic and military missions of the time. He wrote The History of England, which became a bestseller, and it became the standard history of England in its day.
His empirical approach places him with John Locke, George Berkeley, and a handful of others at the time as a British Empiricist.
Beginning with his A Treatise of Human Nature (1739), Hume strove to create a total naturalistic “science of man” that examined the psychological basis of human nature. In opposition to the rationalists who preceded him, most notably René Descartes, he concluded that desire rather than reason governed human behaviour. He also argued against the existence of innate ideas, concluding that humans have knowledge only of things they directly experience. He argued that inductive reasoning and therefore causality cannot be justified rationally. Our assumptions in favour of these result from custom and constant conjunction rather than logic. He concluded that humans have no actual conception of the self, only of a bundle of sensations associated with the self.
Hume’s compatibilist theory of free will proved extremely influential on subsequent moral philosophy. He was also a sentimentalist who held that ethics are based on feelings rather than abstract moral principles, and expounded the is–ought problem.
Hume has proved extremely influential on subsequent western philosophy, especially on utilitarianism, logical positivism, William James, the philosophy of science, early analytic philosophy, cognitive philosophy, theology and other movements and thinkers. In addition, according to philosopher Jerry Fodor, Hume’s Treatise is “the founding document of cognitive science”. Hume engaged with contemporary intellectual luminaries such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, James Boswell, and Adam Smith (who acknowledged Hume’s influence on his economics and political philosophy). Immanuel Kant credited Hume with awakening him from “dogmatic slumbers”.
capricious
Characterized by, arising from, or subject to caprice; impulsive or unpredictable: capricious decisions; capricious weather.
kwashiorkor
(kwä′shē-ôr′kôr′)
n. Severe protein malnutrition, especially in children after weaning, marked by lethargy, growth retardation, anemia, edema, potbelly, skin depigmentation, and hair loss or change in hair color.
[Ga (Niger-Congo language of Ghana) kwashiɔkɔ, sickness of the weanling deplaced by the birth of a sibling.]
David Hume
David Hume (1711-1776) was a Scottish historian, philosopher, economist, diplomat and essayist known today especially for his radical philosophical empiricism and skepticism.
He wrote The History of England, which became a bestseller, and it became the standard history of England in its day.
His empirical approach places him with John Locke, George Berkeley, and a handful of others at the time as a British Empiricist.
Beginning with his A Treatise of Human Nature (1739), Hume strove to create a total naturalistic “science of man” that examined the psychological basis of human nature. In opposition to the rationalists who preceded him, most notably René Descartes, he concluded that desire rather than reason governed human behaviour. He also argued against the existence of innate ideas, concluding that humans have knowledge only of things they directly experience. He argued that inductive reasoning and therefore causality cannot be justified rationally. Our assumptions in favour of these result from custom and constant conjunction rather than logic. He concluded that humans have no actual conception of the self, only of a bundle of sensations associated with the self.
Hume’s compatibilist theory of free will proved extremely influential on subsequent moral philosophy. He was also a sentimentalist who held that ethics are based on feelings rather than abstract moral principles, and expounded the is–ought problem.
contrite
adj.
- Feeling regret and sorrow for one’s sins or offenses; penitent.
- Arising from or expressing contrition: contrite words.
[Middle English contrit, from Latin contrītus, past participle of conterere, to crush : com-, com- + terere, to grind; see terə- in Indo-European roots.]
con·trite′ly adv.
con·trite′ness n.
taciturn
(tăs′ĭ-tûrn′)
adj.
- Habitually untalkative. See Synonyms at laconic.
- Characterized by reserve or a lack of expression: “Beneath his taciturn exterior was an optimist” (Buzz Bizzinger).
[French taciturne, from Old French, from Latin taciturnus, from tacitus, silent; see tacit.]
tac′i·tur′ni·ty (-tûr′nĭ-tē) n.
tac′i·turn·ly adv.
nominalism
Nominalism is a metaphysical view in philosophy according to which general or abstract terms and predicates exist, while universals or abstract objects, which are sometimes thought to correspond to these terms, do not exist. There are at least two main versions of nominalism. One version denies the existence of universals – things that can be instantiated or exemplified by many particular things (e.g., strength, humanity). The other version specifically denies the existence of abstract objects – objects that do not exist in space and time.
Most nominalists have held that only physical particulars in space and time are real, and that universals exist only post res, that is, subsequent to particular things. However, some versions of nominalism hold that some particulars are abstract entities (e.g., numbers), while others are concrete entities – entities that do exist in space and time (e.g., thrones, couches, bananas).
Nominalism is primarily a position on the problem of universals, which dates back at least to Plato, and is opposed to realism – the view that universals do exist over and above particulars. However, the name “nominalism” emerged from debates in medieval philosophy with Roscellinus.
The term ‘nominalism’ stems from the Latin nomen, “name.” For example, John Stuart Mill once wrote, that “there is nothing general except names”. In philosophy of law, nominalism finds its application in what is called constitutional nominalism.
supplicate
(sŭp′lĭ-kāt′)
v. sup·pli·cat·ed, sup·pli·cat·ing, sup·pli·cates v.tr.
1. To ask for humbly or earnestly, as by praying.
2. To make a humble entreaty to; beseech.
v.intr.
To make a humble, earnest petition; beg.
[Middle English supplicaten, from Latin supplicāre, supplicāt-, from supplex, supplic-, suppliant; see supple.]
sup′pli·ca′tion n.
sup′pli·ca·to′ry (-kə-tôr′ē) adj.
murre
(mûr)
n. pl. murre or murres
Either of two large auks, Uria aalge or U. lomvia, having a black back and head and white underparts.
[Earlier, any of various species of guillemots and other auks, probably ultimately imitative of the call of certain guillemots; akin to Scots marrot, murre, razorbill.]
Pentecost
(pĕn′tĭ-kôst′, -kŏst′)
n.
- Christianity The seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. Also called Whitsunday.
- Judaism See Shavuot.
[Middle English pentecoste, from Old English Pentecosten, from Late Latin Pentēcostē, from Greek pentēkostē (hēmerā), fiftieth (day), feminine of pentēkostos, fiftieth, from pentēkonta, fifty; see penkwe in Indo-European roots.]
lexicon
(lĕk′sĭ-kŏn′)
n. pl. lex·i·cons or lex·i·ca (-kə)
1. A dictionary.
2. A stock of terms used in a particular profession, subject, or style; a vocabulary: the lexicon of surrealist art.
3. Linguistics The morphemes of a language considered as a group.
lark
n.
- Any of various birds of the family Alaudidae, found almost worldwide and having a melodious song, especially the skylark.
- Any of several similar birds, such as the meadowlark.
carcinoma
(kär′sə-nō′mə)
n. pl. car·ci·no·mas or car·ci·no·ma·ta (-mə-tə)
An invasive malignant tumor derived from epithelial tissue that tends to metastasize to other areas of the body.
[Latin, cancerous ulcer, from Greek karkinōma, from karkinos, cancer; see kar- in Indo-European roots.]
car′ci·no′ma·toid (-nō′mə-toid′) adj.
car′ci·nom′a·tous (-nŏm′ə-təs, -nō′mə-) adj.
sylvan
also sil·van (sĭl′vən)
adj.
- Relating to or characteristic of woods or forest regions.
- Located in or inhabiting a wood or forest.
- Abounding in trees; wooded.
n.
One that lives in or frequents the woods.
[Medieval Latin sylvānus, from Latin Silvānus, god of the woods, from silva, forest.]
perfidious
adj
guilty, treacherous, or faithless; deceitful
perˈfidiously adv
perˈfidiousness n
cornice
(kôr′nĭs)
n.
1.
a. A horizontal molded projection that crowns or completes a building or wall.
b. The uppermost part of an entablature.
2.
a. A strip of molding that runs along the upper part of a wall just below the ceiling.
b. An ornamental horizontal molding or frame used to conceal rods, picture hooks, or other devices.
3. An overhanging mass of windblown snow on a ridge or the crest of a mountain.
tr.v. cor·niced, cor·nic·ing, cor·nic·es To supply, decorate, or finish with or as if with a cornice.
[Obsolete French, from Italian, possibly from Latin cornīx, cornīc-, crow, from its resemblance to a crow’s beak (influenced by Greek korōnis, curved line, flourish).]
Persephone
n. Greek Mythology The daughter of Demeter and Zeus who was abducted by Hades but rescued by her mother and thereafter spent six months of the year on earth and six months in the underworld.
The myth of her abduction represents her function as the personification of vegetation, which shoots forth in spring and withdraws into the earth after harvest; hence, she is also associated with spring as well as the fertility of vegetation. Similar myths appear in the Orient, in the cults of male gods like Attis, Adonis and Osiris, and in Minoan Crete.
Persephone as a vegetation goddess and her mother Demeter were the central figures of the Eleusinian mysteries that predated the Olympian pantheon and promised to the initiated a more enjoyable prospect after death. Persephone is further said to have become by Zeus the mother of Dionysus, Iacchus, or Zagreus, usually in orphic tradition. The origins of her cult are uncertain, but it was based on very old agrarian cults of agricultural communities.
antipathy
n. pl. an·tip·a·thies
1. Extreme dislike; aversion or repugnance. See Synonyms at enmity.
2. A feeling of aversion: longstanding antipathies between two nations.
3. Inherent incompatibility or inability to mix: the antipathy between faith and reason; the antipathy of hydrocarbons and water.
[Latin antipathīa, from Greek antipatheia, from antipathēs, of opposite feelings : anti-, anti- + pathos, feeling; see pathos.]
internecine
(ĭn′tər-nĕs′ēn′, -ĭn, -nē′sīn′)
adj.
- Of or relating to struggle within a nation, organization, or group.
- Mutually destructive; ruinous or fatal to both sides.
- Characterized by bloodshed or carnage.
feckless
(fĕk′lĭs)
adj.
- Careless and irresponsible: “political prestidigitation designed to distract public attention from his feckless flouting of basic ethical principles” (DougIreland).
- Feeble or ineffective: “Pickering’s life was routinely threatened, and one feckless attempt had already been made to kidnap or kill him” (GarryWills).
aberration
n.
1. A deviation from what is considered proper or normal. See Synonyms at deviation.
2. A departure from what is typical: an election that was an aberration from usual state politics.
3. Psychology A disorder or abnormal alteration in one’s mental state.
4.
a. A defect of focus, such as blurring in an image.
b. An imperfect image caused by a physical defect in an optical element, as in a lens.
5. The apparent displacement of the position of a celestial body in the direction of motion of an observer on Earth, caused by the motion of Earth and the finite velocity of light.
6. Genetics A deviation in the normal structure or number of chromosomes in an organism.
[Latin aberrātiō, aberrātiōn-, diversion, from aberrātus, past participle of aberrāre, to go astray : ab-, away from; see errāre in Indo-European roots.]
foray
n.
- A sudden raid or military advance.
- A venture or an initial attempt, especially outside one’s usual area: an actor’s foray into politics.
v. for·ayed, for·ay·ing, for·ays
v. intr.
1. To make a raid.
2. To make inroads, as for profit or adventure.
delta
- the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet (Δ, δ).
- the consonant sound represented by this letter.
- the fourth in a series of items.
- anything triangular, like the Greek capital delta (Δ).
- Mathematics. an incremental change in a variable, as Δ or δ.
- a nearly flat plain of alluvial deposit between diverging branches ofthe mouth of a river, often, though not necessarily, triangular: the Nile delta.
- (usually initial capital letter) a word used in communications torepresent the letter D.
An area of the south-central United States extending on either side of the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee, to Vicksburg, Mississippi. Animportant cotton-producing region, it is noted for its folk culture, especially as the home of some of the earliest blues music.
Bacchus
(Classical Myth & Legend) (in ancient Greece and Rome) a god of wine and giver of ecstasy, identified with Dionysus
Anna Sprengel
Anna Sprengel (allegedly died in 1891), countess of Landsfeldt, love-child of Ludwig I of Bavaria and Lola Montez, is a person whose existence was never proven, and who it now seems was invented by William Wynn Westcott to confer legitimacy on the Golden Dawn. In 1901 Mathers, leader of the Golden Dawn, briefly supported the claim of Swami Laura Horos, who had long campaigned for recognition as that countess, to have written Westcott as Anna Sprengel.
Westcott’s anecdote
According to William Wynn Westcott, with whom he claimed she entered into voluminous correspondence, Anna Sprengel was born in Nuremberg and was responsible for the foundation of the Golden Dawn around 1886. She is supposed to have held a Rosicrucian ritual and to have nominated Westcott as the head of the Golden Dawn in Britain.
One of Westcott’s friends had decoded a series of manuscripts which the occultist Fred Hockley had brought from Germany which were given to him by a German Rosicrucian secret society. The address which was encoded there was that of a certain Anna Sprengel, countesse of Landsfeldt, near Nuremberg. It was thus that Westcott is supposed to have been put into contact with Anna Sprengel.
By 1886, Anna Sprengel is supposed to have already established contact with the person who would become the main leader of the Golden Dawn in Britain, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (1854-1918). Anna Sprengel is supposed to have given Mathers a charter authorising him to found lodges of the Golden Dawn in Britain. Westcott and Mathers henceforth collaborated to develop the Golden Dawn, notably in France and in the United States.
pelisse
(pə-lēs′)
n.
- A long cloak or outer robe, usually of fur or with a fur lining.
- A woman’s loose light cloak, often with openings for the arms.
[French, from Old French pelice, from Late Latin pellīcia, from Latin, feminine of pellīcius, made of skin, from pellis, skin; see pel- in Indo-European roots.]
cockerel
(kŏk′ər-əl)
n. A young rooster.
[Middle English cokerel, diminutive of cok, cock; see cock.]
Baruch Spinoza
Baruch Spinoza (1632 – 1677, later Benedict de Spinoza) was a Dutch philosopher of Sephardi Portuguese origin. The breadth and importance of Spinoza’s work was not fully realized until many years after his death.
By laying the groundwork for the 18th-century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism, including modern conceptions of the self and, arguably, the universe, he came to be considered one of the great rationalists of 17th-century philosophy.
His magnum opus, the posthumous Ethics, in which he opposed Descartes’ mind–body dualism, has earned him recognition as one of Western philosophy’s most important thinkers. In the Ethics, “Spinoza wrote the last indisputable Latin masterpiece, and one in which the refined conceptions of medieval philosophy are finally turned against themselves and destroyed entirely.” Hegel said, “You are either a Spinozist or not a philosopher at all.”
caterwaul
(kăt′ər-wôl′)
intr. v. cat·er·wauled, cat·er·waul·ing, cat·er·wauls
1. To cry or screech like a cat in heat.
2. To make a shrill, discordant sound.
3. To have a noisy argument.
n.
A shrill, discordant sound.
hale
adj.
hal·er, hal·est Free from infirmity or illness; sound. See Synonyms at healthy.
hale′ness n.
pericardium
(pĕr′ĭ-kär′dē-əm)
n. pl. per·i·car·di·a (-dē-ə)
The membranous sac filled with serous fluid that encloses the heart and the roots of the aorta and other large blood vessels.
[New Latin, from Greek perikardion, from perikardios, around the heart : peri-, peri- + kardiā, heart; see kerd- in Indo-European roots.]
per′i·car′di·al (-dē-əl), per′i·car′di·ac′ (-dē-ăk′) adj.
incisive
(ĭn-sī′sĭv)
adj. Penetrating, clear, and sharp, as in operation or expression: an incisive mind; incisive comments.
in·ci′sive·ly adv.
in·ci′sive·ness n.
solstice
n. Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest angular distance from the celestial equator. The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs about June 21, when the sun is at the zenith on the Tropic of Cancer; the winter solstice occurs about December 21, when the sun is at zenith on the Tropic of Capricorn. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year; the winter solstice is the shortest.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin sōlstitium : sōl, sun; see sāwel- in Indo-European roots + -stitium, a stoppage; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
sol·sti′tial (-stĭsh′əl) adj.
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (1599 – 1658) was an English military and political leader and later Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland.
Born into the middle gentry, Cromwell was relatively obscure for the first 40 years of his life. After undergoing a religious conversion in the 1630s, he became an independent puritan, taking a generally tolerant view towards the many Protestant sects of his period. An intensely religious man—a self-styled Puritan Moses—he fervently believed that God was guiding his victories. He was elected Member of Parliament for Huntingdon in 1628 and for Cambridge in the Short (1640) and Long (1640–49) Parliaments. He entered the English Civil War on the side of the “Roundheads” or Parliamentarians. Nicknamed “Old Ironsides”, he was quickly promoted from leading a single cavalry troop to become one of the principal commanders of the New Model Army, playing an important role in the defeat of the royalist forces.
Cromwell was one of the signatories of King Charles I’s death warrant in 1649, and, as a member of the Rump Parliament (1649–53), he dominated the short-lived Commonwealth of England. Cromwell’s forces defeated the Confederate and Royalist coalition in Ireland and occupied the country – bringing to an end the Irish Confederate Wars. During this period a series of Penal Laws were passed against Roman Catholics (a significant minority in England and Scotland but the vast majority in Ireland), and a substantial amount of their land was confiscated. Cromwell also led a campaign against the Scottish army between 1650 and 1651.
On 20 April 1653 he dismissed the Rump Parliament by force, setting up a short-lived nominated assembly known as Barebone’s Parliament, before being invited by his fellow leaders to rule as Lord Protector of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland from 16 December 1653. As a ruler he executed an aggressive and effective foreign policy. After his death from natural causes in 1658 he was buried in Westminster Abbey, but after the Royalists returned to power in 1660 they had his corpse dug up, hung in chains, and beheaded.
Cromwell is one of the most controversial figures in the history of the British Isles, considered a regicidal dictator by historians such as David Sharp, a military dictator by Winston Churchill, but a hero of liberty by John Milton, Thomas Carlyle and Samuel Rawson Gardiner, and a class revolutionary by Leon Trotsky. In a 2002 BBC poll in Britain, Cromwell was selected as one of the ten greatest Britons of all time. However, his measures against Catholics in Scotland and Ireland have been characterised as genocidal or near-genocidal, and in Ireland his record is harshly criticised.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein (/ˈvɪtɡənˌstaɪn/; German: 1889 – 1951) was an Austrian-British philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. During his lifetime he published just one slim book, the 75-page Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1921), one article, one book review and a children’s dictionary. His voluminous manuscripts were edited and published posthumously. Philosophical Investigations appeared as a book in 1953 and by the end of the century it was considered an important modern classic. Philosopher Bertrand Russell described Wittgenstein as “the most perfect example I have ever known of genius as traditionally conceived; passionate, profound, intense, and dominating”.
Born in Vienna into one of Europe’s richest families, he inherited a large fortune from his father in 1913. He gave some considerable sums to poor artists. In a period of severe personal depression after the first World War, he then gave away his entire fortune to his brothers and sisters. Three of his brothers committed suicide, with Wittgenstein contemplating it too.
His philosophy is often divided into an early period, exemplified by the Tractatus, and a later period, articulated in the Philosophical Investigations. The early Wittgenstein was concerned with the logical relationship between propositions and the world and believed that by providing an account of the logic underlying this relationship, he had solved all philosophical problems. The later Wittgenstein rejected many of the assumptions of the Tractatus, arguing that the meaning of words is best understood as their use within a given language-game.
Wittgenstein’s influence has been felt in nearly every field of the humanities and social sciences, yet there are diverging interpretations of his thought. In the words of his friend and colleague Georg Henrik von Wright:
He was of the opinion… that his ideas were generally misunderstood and distorted even by those who professed to be his disciples. He doubted he would be better understood in the future. He once said he felt as though he was writing for people who would think in a different way, breathe a different air of life, from that of present-day men.
drear
(drîr)
adj. Dreary.
obtrude
(ŏb-tro͞od′, əb-)
v. ob·trud·ed, ob·trud·ing, ob·trudes
v. tr.
1. To impose (oneself or one’s ideas) on others with undue insistence or without invitation.
2. To thrust out; push forward.
v.intr.
To impose oneself on others.
[Latin obtrūdere : ob-, against; see trūdere in Indo-European roots.]
ob·trud′er n.
ob·tru′sion (-tro͞o′zhən) n.
disconsolate
(dĭs-kŏn′sə-lĭt)
adj.
1. Seeming beyond consolation; extremely dejected: disconsolate at the loss of the dog. See Synonyms at depressed.
2. Cheerless; gloomy: a disconsolate winter landscape.
Diocletian
(dī′ə-klē′shən)
Originally Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus. ad 245?-313?
Emperor of Rome (284-305) who divided the empire into east and west (286) in an attempt to rule the territory more effectively. His desire to revivethe old religion of Rome led to the last major persecution of the Christians (303).
nosebag
n (Horse Training, Riding & Manège) a bag, fastened around the head of a horse and covering the nose, in which feed is placed
mendicant
(mĕn′dĭ-kənt)
adj.
- Depending on alms for a living; practicing begging.
- Of or relating to religious orders whose members are forbidden to own property individually or in common and must work or beg for their livings.
n.
- A beggar.
- A member of a mendicant order.
glade
(glād)
n.
- An open space in a forest.
- A tract of marshland.
promenade
(prŏm′ə-nād′, -näd′)
n.
1.
a. A leisurely walk, especially one taken in a public place as a social activity.
b. A public place for such walking.
2.
a. A formal dance; a ball.
b. A march of all the guests at the opening of a ball.
3. A square-dance figure in which couples march counterclockwise in a circle.
4. In ballet, a slow supported turn on one foot.
v. prom·e·nad·ed, prom·e·nad·ing, prom·e·nades
v. intr.
1. To go on a leisurely walk.
2. To execute a promenade at a ball or in square dancing.
v. tr.
1. To take a promenade along or through: “[The] young women … promenaded the streets in the cool of evening” (Charles Dickens).
2. To take or display on or as if on a promenade: promenade a friend; promenade one’s charms.
[French, from promener, to take for a walk, from Latin prōmināre, to drive forward : prō-, forward; see mināre in Indo-European roots).]
prom′e·nad′er n.
elide / elision
(ĭ-līd′)
tr.v. e·lid·ed, e·lid·ing, e·lides
1.
a. To omit or slur over (a syllable, for example) in pronunciation.
b. To strike out (something written).
2.
a. To eliminate or leave out of consideration.
b. To cut short; abridge.
twain
n., adj. & pron.
Two.
disgorge
v. tr.
1. To bring up and expel from the throat or stomach; vomit.
2. To discharge violently; spew.
3. To surrender (stolen goods or money, for example) unwillingly.
v.intr.
To discharge or pour forth contents.
stricture
(strĭk′chər)
n.
- A restraint, limit, or restriction: strictures placed on free assembly; strictures against food in the library; the strictures of traditional gender roles.
- An abnormal narrowing of a bodily duct or passage.
- An adverse remark or criticism: “my writing … which he praises sufficiently to give his strictures a good deal of force” (Virginia Woolf).
[Middle English, an abnormal narrowing of a bodily part, from Late Latin strictūra, contraction, from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere, to draw tight; see strict.]
Plotinus
Plotinus (/plɒˈtaɪnəs/; c. 204/5 – 270) was a major philosopher of the ancient world. In his philosophy there are three principles: the One, the Intellect, and the Soul. His teacher was Ammonius Saccas and he is of the Platonic tradition. Historians of the 19th century invented the term Neoplatonism and applied it to him and his philosophy which was influential in Late Antiquity. Much of the biographical information about Plotinus comes from Porphyry’s preface to his edition of Plotinus’ Enneads. His metaphysical writings have inspired centuries of Pagan, Christian, Jewish, Islamic and Gnostic metaphysicians and mystics.
Plotinus taught that there is a supreme, totally transcendent “One”, containing no division, multiplicity or distinction; beyond all categories of being and non-being. His “One” “cannot be any existing thing”, nor is it merely the sum of all things [compare the Stoic doctrine of disbelief in non-material existence], but “is prior to all existents”. Plotinus identified his “One” with the concept of ‘Good’ and the principle of ‘Beauty’.
besot
tr.v. be·sot·ted, be·sot·ting, be·sots
To muddle or stupefy, as with alcoholic liquor or infatuation.
[be- + sot, to stupefy (from sot, fool; see sot) or from assot, to befool (from Old French assoter, from sot, foolish).]
intractable
(ĭn-trăk′tə-bəl)
adj.
1.
a. Difficult to manage, deal with, or change to an acceptable condition: an intractable conflict; an intractable dilemma.
b. Difficult to alleviate, remedy, or cure: intractable pain; intractable depression.
2. Difficult to persuade or keep under control, as in behavior: “Bullheaded enough when he was cold sober, he was intractable after a few drinks” (John Grisham). See Synonyms at obstinate.
3. Difficult to mold or manipulate: intractable materials.
in·trac′ta·bil′i·ty, in·trac′ta·ble·ness n.
in·trac′ta·bly adv.
frenetic
(frə-nĕt′ĭk) also fre·net·i·cal or phre·net·i·cal (-ĭ-kəl)
adj. Wildly excited or active; frantic; frenzied.
triumvirate
(trī-ŭm′vər-ĭt)
n.
- Government by triumvirs.
- The office or term of a triumvir.
- A body or group of triumvirs.
- An association or a group of three. Also called troika.
[Latin triumvirātus, from triumvirī, board of three; see triumvir.]
swallow
n.
- Any of various small graceful swift-flying passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, having long pointed wings, a usually notched or forked tail, and a large mouth for catching flying insects.
- Any of various similar birds, such as a swift.
nightshade
n. A plant of the nightshade family, especially a poisonous one of the genus Solanum or Atropa, such as bittersweet nightshade or belladonna.
horology
(hə-rŏl′ə-jē)
n.
- The science of measuring time.
- The art of making timepieces.
[Greek hōrā, hour, season; see yēr- in Indo-European roots + -logy.]
peckish
adj.
- Ill-tempered; irritable.
- Chiefly British Somewhat hungry.
[From peck, to eat.]
tautology
n. pl. tau·tol·o·gies
1.
a. Needless repetition of the same sense in different words; redundancy.
b. An instance of such repetition.
2. Logic An empty or vacuous statement composed of simpler statements in a fashion that makes it logically true whether the simpler statements are factually true or false; for example, the statement Either it will rain tomorrow or it will not rain tomorrow.
tau′to·log′i·cal (tôt′l-ŏj′ĭ-kəl), tau′to·log′ic (-ĭk), tau·tol′o·gous (-tŏl′ə-gəs) adj.
tau′to·log′i·cal·ly, tau·tol′o·gous·ly adv.
swab
n.
- a. A small piece of absorbent material attached to the end of a stick or wire and used for cleansing a surface, applying medicine, or collecting a sample of a substance. b. A sample collected with a swab.
- A sponge or patch of absorbent material used to clean the bore of a firearm or cannon.
* *3. A mop used for cleaning floors or decks.** - Slang A sailor.
- Slang A lout.
tr. v. swabbed, swab·bing, swabs also swobbed or swob·bing or swobs
1. To use a swab on.
2. To clean with a swab.
3. To collect a sample from (a person, for example) using a swab.
myocardium
n. pl. my·o·car·di·a (-dē-ə)
The muscular tissue of the heart.
[New Latin : myo- + Greek kardiā, heart; see kerd- in Indo-European roots.]
my′o·car′di·al adj.
Teleology
A teleology is an account of a given thing’s end or purpose. For instance, we might give a teleological account of why forks have prongs by showing their purpose—how the design helps humans to eat certain foods. Stabbing food and helping humans eat is what forks are for.
fob
(fŏb)
n.
1. A small pocket at the front waistline of a man’s trousers or in the front of a vest, used especially to hold a watch.
2.
a. A short chain or ribbon attached to a pocket watch and worn hanging in front of the vest or waist.
b. An ornament or seal attached to such a chain or ribbon.
3. A key fob.
[Probably akin to Low German Fobke, small pocket.]
noumenal / noumenon / nounema
In the philosophy of Kant, an object as it is in itself independent of the mind, as opposed to a phenomenon. Also called thing-in-itself.
Zephyrus
n. Greek Mythology A god personifying the gentle west wind. Zephyrus, or sometimes just Zephyr, in Latin Favonius, is the Greek god of the west wind. The gentlest of the winds, Zephyrus is known as the fructifying wind, the messenger of spring. It was thought that Zephyrus lived in a cave in Thrace. Zephyrus was reported as having several wives in different stories. He was said to be the husband of Iris, goddess of the rainbow. He abducted the goddess Chloris, and gave her the domain of flowers. With Chloris, he fathered Karpos (“Fruit”). He is said to have vied for Chloris’s love with his brother Boreas, eventually winning her devotion. Additionally, with yet another sister and lover, the harpy Podarge (also known as Celaeno), Zephyrus was said to be the father of Balius and Xanthus, Achilles’ horses. One of the surviving myths in which Zephyrus features most prominently is that of Hyacinth. Hyacinth was a very handsome and athletic Spartan prince. Zephyrus fell in love with him and courted him, and so did Apollo. The two competed for the boy’s love, but he chose Apollo, driving Zephyrus mad with jealousy. Later, catching Apollo and Hyacinth throwing a discus, Zephyrus blew a gust of wind at them, striking the boy in the head with the falling discus. When Hyacinth died, Apollo created the hyacinth flower from his blood. Apollo was furious, but Eros protected Zephyrus, as the act was committed in the name of love, on the condition that the wind god served Eros forever. In the story of Cupid and Psyche, Zephyrus served Eros (or Cupid) by transporting Psyche to his abode.
basilisk
(băs′ə-lĭsk′, băz′-)
n
- (Classical Myth & Legend) (in classical legend) a serpent that could kill by its breath or glance
- (Animals) any small arboreal semiaquatic lizard of the genus Basiliscus of tropical America: family Iguanidae (iguanas). The males have aninflatable head crest, used in display
- (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) a 16th-century medium cannon, usually made of brass
cogitate
(kŏj′ĭ-tāt′)
intr. & tr.v. cog·i·tat·ed, cog·i·tat·ing, cog·i·tates
To take careful thought or think carefully about; ponder. See Synonyms at think.
[Latin cōgitāre, cōgitāt- : co-, intensive pref.; see co- + agitāre, to consider; see agitate.]
cog′i·ta′tor n.
bowline
- Nautical A rope attached to the weather leech of a square sail to hold the leech forward when sailing close-hauled.
- A knot forming a loop that does not slip.
saturnine
(săt′ər-nīn′)
adj.
1. Having the temperament of one born under the supposed astrological influence of Saturn.
2.
a. Melancholy or sullen.
b. Having or marked by a tendency to be bitter or sardonic: a saturnine expression on his face.
3. Produced by absorption of lead.
apotheosis
(ə-pŏth′ē-ō′sĭs, ăp′ə-thē′ə-sĭs)
n. pl. a·poth·e·o·ses (-sēz′)
1. Exaltation to divine rank or stature; deification.
2. Elevation to a preeminent or transcendent position; glorification: “tried to attribute Warhol’s current apotheosis to the subversive power of artistic vision” (Michiko Kakutani).
3. An exalted or glorified example: Their leader was the apotheosis of courage.
[Late Latin apotheōsis, from Greek, from apotheoun, to deify : apo-, change; see theos in Indo-European roots.]
incise
(ĭn-sīz′)
tr.v. in·cised, in·cis·ing, in·cis·es
1. To cut into, as with a sharp instrument: incised the tablet with chisels; a plateau that had been deeply incised by streams.
2.
a. To engrave (designs or writing, for example) into a surface; carve.
b. To engrave designs, writing, or other marks into.
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American retired stage magician and scientific skeptic best known for his challenges to paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the co-founder of Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) and the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). He began his career as a magician named The Amazing Randi, but after retiring at age 60, he chose to devote most of his time to investigating paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims, which he collectively calls “woo-woo”.
Although often referred to as a “debunker”, Randi dislikes the term’s connotations and prefers to describe himself as an “investigator”. He has written about the paranormal phenomena, skepticism, and the history of magic. He was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and was occasionally featured on the television program Penn & Teller: Bullshit! The JREF sponsors the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge offering a prize of US $1,000,000 to eligible applicants who can demonstrate evidence of any paranormal, supernatural or occult power or event under test conditions agreed to by both parties.
Randi entered the international spotlight in 1972 when he publicly challenged the claims of Uri Geller.
In 1976, Randi, Martin Gardner and Ray Hyman founded the Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), using donations and sales of their magazine, Skeptical Inquirer. They and secular humanist philosopher Paul Kurtz took seats on the executive board, with Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan joining as founding members. Randi traveled the world on behalf of CSICOP, becoming its public face, and according to Ray Hyman, the face of the skeptical movement.
farrier
(făr′ē-ər)
n. One who shoes horses.
[Obsolete French ferrier, from Latin ferrārius, of iron, blacksmith, from ferrum, iron.]
far′ri·er·y n.
inglenook
(ĭng′gəl-no͝ok′)
n.
- A nook or corner beside an open fireplace.
- A bench, especially either of two facing benches, placed in a nook or corner beside a fireplace.
[ingle + nook.]
autochthonous
(ô-tŏk′thə-nəs) also au·toch·tho·nal (-thə-nəl) or au·toch·thon·ic (ô′tŏk-thŏn′ĭk)
adj.
- Originating or formed in the place where found; indigenous: autochthonous rocks; an autochthonous people; autochthonous folk tales. See Synonyms at native.
- Ecology Native to or produced within a system: an autochthonous species; algae that provide an autochthonous source of nutrients in a lake.
au·toch′thon·ism, au·toch′tho·ny n.
au·toch′tho·nous·ly adv.
mercurial
(mər-kyo͝or′ē-əl)
adj.
1. often Mercurial
a. Roman Mythology Of or relating to the god Mercury.
b. Astronomy Of or relating to the planet Mercury.
2. Having the characteristics of eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, and thievishness attributed to the god Mercury.
3. Containing or caused by the action of the element mercury.
4. Quick and changeable in temperament; volatile: a mercurial nature.
n.
A pharmacological or chemical preparation containing mercury.
Siberia
A region of central and eastern Russia stretching from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Inhabited by a variety of peoples including the Ostyak, Chukchi, Evenki, and Yakut, Siberia was annexed by Russia in stages during the 1500s and 1600s. Long used as a place of exile for political prisoners, Siberia began to be developed for its mineral resources after the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in the early 20th century.
commodore
n.
1.
a. A commissioned rank formerly used in the US Navy that was above captain and below rear admiral. Abolished in 1899, it was restored temporarily during World War II and in the early 1980s.
b. One who holds this rank.
c. Used as an honorary title for a captain in the US Navy in command of a fleet division or squadron.
2.
a. The senior captain of a naval squadron or merchant fleet.
b. The presiding officer of a yacht club.
[Obsolete commandore, probably from Dutch komandeur, commander, from French commandeur, from Old French, from comander, to command; see command.]
Telemachus
(tə-lĕm′ə-kəs)
n. Greek Mythology
The son of Odysseus and Penelope, who helped his father kill Penelope’s suitors.
psychopomp
(sī′kō-pŏmp′)
n. In various systems of religious belief, a being, such as a god or a person acting as a shaman, who guides the spirits of the dead to the afterlife or the otherworld.
Psychopomps (from the Greek word psuchopompos, meaning the “guide of souls”) are creatures, spirits, angels, or deities in many religions whose responsibility is to escort newly deceased souls from Earth to the afterlife. Their role is not to judge the deceased, but simply to provide safe passage. Frequently depicted on funerary art, psychopomps have been associated at different times and in different cultures with horses, whip-poor-wills, ravens, dogs, crows, owls, sparrows, cuckoos, and harts.
Classical examples of a psychopomp in Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology are Charon, Hermes, Mercury, and Anubis.
In Jungian psychology, the psychopomp is a mediator between the unconscious and conscious realms. It is symbolically personified in dreams as a wise man or woman, or sometimes as a helpful animal. In many cultures, the shaman also fulfills the role of the psychopomp. This may include not only accompanying the soul of the dead, but also vice versa: to help at birth, to introduce the newborn child’s soul to the world. This also accounts for the contemporary title of “midwife to the dying”, or “End of Life Doula” which is another form of psychopomp work.
solicitude
n.
- The state of being solicitous; care or concern, as for the well-being of another.
- A cause of concern: “Our party went off extremely well. There were many solicitudes, alarms & vexations beforehand of course” (Jane Austen).
caw
n.
The hoarse raucous sound that is characteristic of a crow or similar bird.
intr.v. cawed, caw·ing, caws
To utter such a hoarse raucous sound.
Justified Ancients of Mummu (JAMs)
The fictional conspiratorial group from The Illuminatus! Trilogy. In those novels, the JAMs are what the Illuminati call a group of Discordians who have infiltrated the Illuminati in order to feed them false information.
ferrule
(fĕr′əl)
n.
- A metal ring or cap placed around a pole or shaft for reinforcement or to prevent splitting.
- A bushing used to secure a pipe joint.
[Alteration (influenced by Latin ferrum, iron) of Middle English verrele, from Old French virole, from Latin viriola, little bracelet, diminutive of viriae, bracelets; see wei- in Indo-European roots.]
fer′rule v.
schizoid
adj.
- Of, relating to, or having a personality disorder marked by extreme shyness, flat affect, reclusiveness, discomfort with others, and an inability to form close relationships.
- Of, relating to, or suggestive of schizophrenia. No longer in scientific use.
- Informal Relating to or characterized by the coexistence of disparate or antagonistic elements: “This schizoid town is part resort, part sardine cannery” (Jean Anderson).
n.
A schizoid person.
Athena / Pallas / Minerva
Athena, often given the epithet Pallas, is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, mathematics, strength, war strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill in ancient Greek religion and mythology.
Athena is portrayed as a shrewd companion of heroes and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavour. She is the virgin patroness of Athens. The Athenians founded the Parthenon on the Acropolis of her namesake city, Athens, in her honour.
Also called: Pallas Athena or Pallas Roman counterpart: Minerva
quahog
also qua·haug (kō′hôg′, -hŏg′, kwô′-, kwō′-)
n. An edible clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) of the Atlantic coast of North America, having a hard rounded shell. Also called hard-shell clam, round clam.
theriomorphic
(thîr′ē-ə-môr′fĭk) also the·ri·o·mor·phous (-fəs)
adj. Thought of as having the form of a beast. Used of a deity.
[Greek thērion, diminutive of thēr, wild beast; see theropod + -morphic.]
mica
(mī′kə)
n. Any of a group of chemically and physically related aluminum silicate minerals, common in igneous and metamorphic rocks, characteristically splitting into flexible sheets used in insulation and electrical equipment.
[Latin mīca, grain (perhaps influenced by micāre, to flash).]
mi·ca′ceous (-kā′shəs) adj.
Alexandria
A city of northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea at the western tip of the Nile Delta. It was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 bc and became a repository of Jewish, Arab, and Hellenistic culture famous for its extensivelibraries. Its pharos (lighthouse) was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
cucurbit
(kyo͞o-kûr′bĭt)
n.
- Any of various mostly climbing or trailing plants of the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes the squash, pumpkin, cucumber, gourd, watermelon, and cantaloupe.
- A gourd-shaped flask forming the body of an alembic, formerly used in distillation.
[Middle English cucurbite, from Old French, from Latin cucurbita, gourd.]
askance
(ə-skăns′) also a·skant (ə-skănt′)
adv.
- With disapproval, suspicion, or distrust: “The area is so dirty that merchants report the tourists are looking askance” (Chris Black).
- With a sideways glance; obliquely.
dell
n. A small secluded wooded valley.
bilious
(bĭl′yəs)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or containing bile; biliary.
2.
a. Characterized by an excess secretion of bile.
b. Relating to, characterized by, or experiencing gastric distress caused by a disorder of the liver or gallbladder.
c. Appearing as if affected by such a disorder; sickly.
3. Resembling bile, especially in color: a bilious green.
4. Having a peevish disposition; ill-humored.
bil′ious·ly adv.
bil′ious·ness n.
apoapsis / periapsis
apoapsis (ăp′ō-ăp′sĭs)
n. pl. ap·o·ap·si·des (-ăp′sĭ-dēz′)
The point at which an orbiting object is farthest away from the center of mass of the body it is orbiting.
periapsis (pĕr′ē-ăp′sĭs)
n. pl. per·i·ap·si·des (-sĭ-dēz′)
The point at which an orbiting object is closest to the center of mass of the body it is orbiting.
cantonment
(kăn-tōn′mənt, -tŏn′-)
n.
1.
a. A group of temporary billets for troops.
b. Assignment of troops to temporary quarters.
2. A permanent military installation in India.
dissemble
(dĭ-sĕm′bəl)
v. dis·sem·bled, dis·sem·bling, dis·sem·bles
v.intr.
To disguise or conceal one’s real nature, motives, or feelings behind a false appearance.
v.tr.
To disguise or conceal behind a false appearance. See Synonyms at disguise.
[Middle English dissemblen, from Old French dessembler, to be different : des-, dis- + sembler, to appear, seem; see semblable.]
dis·sem′blance n.
dis·sem′bler n.
dis·sem′bling·ly adv.
veritable
adj.
Being truly so called; real or genuine: “Her tea … was set forth with as much grace as if she had been a veritable guest to her own self” (Mary Wilkins Freeman).
[Middle English, from Old French, from verite; see verity.]
ver′i·ta·ble·ness n.
ver′i·ta·bly adv.
interminable
(ĭn-tûr′mə-nə-bəl)
adj.
Being or seeming to be without an end; endless: an interminable wait at the airport.
See Synonyms at continual.
in·ter′mi·na·bil′i·ty n.
in·ter′mi·na·bly adv.
decorous
(dĕk′ər-əs, dĭ-kôr′əs)
adj. Characterized by or exhibiting decorum; proper: decorous behavior.
[From Latin decōrus, becoming, handsome, from decor, seemliness, beauty; see dek- in Indo-European roots.]
dec′o·rous·ly adv.
dec′o·rous·ness n.
penology
also poe·nol·o·gy (pē-nŏl′ə-jē)
n. The study, theory, and practice of prison management and criminal rehabilitation.
[Latin poena, penalty (from Greek poinē; see kwei- in Indo-European roots) + -logy.]
pe′no·log′i·cal (pē′nə-lŏj′ĭ-kəl) adj.
pe′no·log′i·cal·ly adv.
pe·nol′o·gist n.
glaive
(glāv)
n. Archaic A sword, especially a broadsword.
leeward
(lo͞o′ərd, lē′wərd)
adv. & adj.
On or toward the side to which the wind is blowing.
n.
The lee side or quarter.
Ekpyrotic universe
The ekpyrotic universe, or ekpyrotic scenario, is a cosmological model of the origin and shape of the universe. The name comes from a Stoic term ekpyrosis (Ancient Greek ἐκπύρωσις ekpurōsis) meaning conflagration or in Stoic usage “conversion into fire”.1 The ekpyrotic model of the Universe is an alternative to the standard cosmic inflation model for the very early universe; both models accommodate the standard Big Bang Lambda-CDM model of our universe.23 The ekpyrotic model is a precursor to, and part of, some cyclic models.
The ekpyrotic model came out of work by Neil Turok and Paul Steinhardt and maintains that the Universe did not start in a singularity, but came about from the collision of two branes.
rouge
n.
- A red or pink cosmetic for coloring the cheeks or lips.
- A reddish powder, chiefly ferric oxide, used to polish metals or glass.
v. rouged, roug·ing, roug·es
v. tr.
1. To put rouge onto: rouged her cheeks.
2. To color or prettify as if with a facial cosmetic: “Their job is to rouge up the war … to turn the horror into cheering press releases” (Richard Corliss).
v.intr.
To use rouge.
[French, from Old French, red, from Latin rubeus; see reudh- in Indo-European roots.]
garret
(găr′ĭt)
n. An attic room or rooms, typically under a pitched roof.
[Middle English, from Old French garite, watchtower, from garir, to defend, of Germanic origin; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]
reave
v.
reaved also reft (rĕft), reav·ing, reaves Archaic
v. tr.
1. To seize and carry off forcibly.
2. To deprive (one) of something; bereave.
v.intr.
To rob, plunder, or pillage.
[Middle English reven, to plunder, from Old English rēafian; see reup- in Indo-European roots.]
mohair
(mō′hâr′)
n.
- The long silky hair of the Angora goat.
- Fabric or yarn made from this hair.
stonechat
(stōn′chăt′)
n. Any of various small insectivorous birds of the genus Saxicola of Eurasia and Africa, especially S. rubicola, which has a black head and chestnut underparts.
[From the resemblance of the call of S. rubicola to the sound of two small stones being struck together.]
diadem
(dī′ə-dĕm′, -dəm)
n.
1. A crown worn as a sign of royalty.
2. Royal power or dignity.
tr.v. di·a·demed, di·a·dem·ing, di·a·dems
To adorn with or as if with a diadem.
polyglot
(pŏl′ē-glŏt′)
adj.
Speaking, writing, written in, or composed of several languages.
n.
- A person having a speaking, reading, or writing knowledge of several languages.
- A book, especially a Bible, containing several versions of the same text in different languages.
- A mixture or confusion of languages.
[French polyglotte, from Greek poluglōttos : polu-, poly- + glōtta, tongue, language.]
pol′y·glot′ism, pol′y·glot′tism n.
aquaduct
n.
1.
a. A pipe or channel designed to transport water from a remote source, usually by gravity.
b. A bridgelike structure supporting a conduit or canal passing over a river or low ground.
2. Anatomy A channel or passage in an organ or a body part, especially such a channel for conveying fluid.
[Latin aquaeductus : aquae, genitive of aqua, water; see aqua + ductus, a leading; see duct.]
dale
n. (Physical Geography) an open valley, usually in an area of low hills
whereat
conj.
- Toward or at which.
- As a result or consequence of; whereupon.
“I lunged gayly with my stick at a lamp-post and missed it, whereat a street-urchin grinned, and I winked at him and slipped twopence down his back.”
currant
(kûr′ənt, kŭr′-)
n.
- Any of various deciduous, spineless shrubs of the genus Ribes, native chiefly to the Northern Hemisphere and having flowers in racemes and edible red, black, or white berries.
- The fruits of any of these plants, used for jams, jellies, desserts, or beverages.
- A small seedless raisin of the Mediterranean region, used chiefly in baking.
- Any of several other plants or their fruit.
Wikipedia: Zante currants, Corinth raisins, or Corinthian raisins, also called simply currants, are dried berries of the small, sweet, seedless grape cultivar ‘Black Corinth’. The name comes from the Anglo-Frenchphrase “raisins de Corinthe” (grapes of Corinth) and the Ionian island of Zakynthos (Zante), which was once the major producer and exporter. It is not related to black, red or white currants, which are berries of shrubs in the Ribes genus and not usually prepared in dried form.
The currant is one of the oldest known raisins.
occiput
(ŏk′sə-pŭt′, -pət)
n. pl. oc·cip·i·ta (ŏk-sĭp′ĭ-tə) or oc·ci·puts
The back part of the head or skull.
[Middle English, from Latin occiput, occipit- : ob-, against; see caput in Indo-European roots.]
phantasm
n.
- Something apparently seen but having no physical reality; a phantom or an apparition. Also called phantasma.
- An illusory mental image. Also called phantasma.
- In Platonic philosophy, objective reality as perceived and distorted by the five senses.
[Middle English fantasme, from Old French, from Latin phantasma, from Greek, from phantazein, to make visible, from phantos, visible, from phainein, to show; see bhā- in Indo-European roots.]
phan·tas′mal (făn-tăz′məl), phan·tas′mic (-tăz′mĭk) adj.
cataract
n.
- A large or high waterfall.
- A great downpour; a deluge.
- Medicine Opacity of the lens or capsule of the eye, causing impairment of vision or blindness.
cat′a·rac′tous (-răk′təs) adj.
hob
n.
- A shelf or projection at the back or side of a fireplace, used for keeping food or utensils warm.
- A tool used for cutting the teeth of machine parts, as of a gearwheel.
n.
- Chiefly British A hobgoblin, sprite, or elf.
- Mischievous behavior.
n
- (Cookery) Brit the flat top part of a cooking stove, or a separate flat surface, containing hotplates or burners
- (Cookery) a shelf beside an open fire, for keeping kettles, etc, hot
- (Tools) a steel pattern used in forming a mould or die in cold metal
- (Tools) a hard steel rotating cutting tool used in machines for cutting gears vb, hobs, hobbing or hobbed
- (Tools) (tr) to cut or form with a hob
cadre
(kä′drā, -drə, kăd′rē, kä′dər)
n.
1. A nucleus of trained personnel around which a larger organization can be built and trained: a cadre of corporals who train recruits.
2.
a. A tightly knit group of zealots who are active in advancing the interests of a revolutionary party.
b. A member of such a group.
muscat
(mŭs′kăt′, -kət)
n.
- Any of various fragrant white, red, or black grapes, used for making wine or raisins.
- Muscatel wine.
lee shore
A shore toward which the wind blows and toward which a ship is likely to be driven.
parsimonious
adj.
- Excessively sparing or frugal.
- Accounting for observed data with a relatively simple explanation: The physicist argued that her new theory was more parsimonious than the standard model.
par′si·mo′ni·ous·ly adv. par′si·mo′ni·ous·ness n.
carious
(kâr′ē-əs)
adj. Having caries, especially of the teeth; decayed.
car′i·os′i·ty (-ŏs′ĭ-tē), car′i·ous·ness n.
barrister
n. Chiefly British A lawyer who is authorized to appear and present cases at any court in a jurisdiction.
recondite
(rĕk′ən-dīt′, rĭ-kŏn′dīt′)
adj.
- requiring special knowledge to be understood; abstruse: “To gain a reputation for wisdom a man must seem to have a store of recondite knowledge” (Bertrand Russell).
- dealing with abstruse or profound subjects
[Latin reconditus, past participle of recondere, to put away : re-, re- + condere, to put together, preserve; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.]
rec′on·dite′ly adv.
cloister
n.
1. A covered walk with an open colonnade on one side, running along the walls of buildings that face a quadrangle.
2.
a. A place, especially a monastery or convent, devoted to religious seclusion.
b. Life in a monastery or convent.
3. A secluded, quiet place.
tr. v. clois·tered, clois·ter·ing, clois·ters
1. To shut away from the world in or as if in a cloister; seclude.
2. To furnish (a building) with a cloister.
[Middle English cloistre, from Old French, alteration (influenced by cloison, partition) of clostre, from Latin claustrum, enclosed place, from claudere, to close.]
belladonna
n.
- A poisonous perennial herb (Atropa belladonna) native to Eurasia and northern Africa and naturalized in parts of North America, having nodding, purplish-brown, bell-shaped flowers and glossy black berries. Also called deadly nightshade.
- An alkaloidal extract or tincture derived from this plant and used in medicine.
[Italian : bella, feminine of bello, beautiful (from Latin bellus; see deu- in Indo-European roots) + donna, lady; see Donna (the plant perhaps being so called because women of Italian courts during the Renaissance are said to have used the juice of belladonna berries to make their eyes more attractive by dilating their pupils) .]
becket
n. Nautical
A device, such as a looped rope, hook and eye, strap, or grommet, used to hold or fasten loose ropes, spars, or oars in position.
Image: Chest handles are traditionally called “becket”. Sailors would make them at sea during spare time, using rigging scraps of rope, canvas and leather.
licentious
(lī-sĕn′shəs)
adj.
- Lacking moral restraint, especially in sexual conduct.
- Archaic Ignoring accepted rules or standards, as of prescriptive grammar.
[Latin licentiōsus, from licentia, freedom, license; see license.]
li·cen′tious·ly adv.
li·cen′tious·ness n.
brig
n.
- A two-masted sailing vessel, square-rigged on both masts.
- A jail or prison on board a US Navy or Coast Guard vessel.
- A jail or guardhouse, especially on the premises of a US military installation.
[Short for brigantine. Senses 2 and 3, from the use of ships as prisons.]
gaff
n.
1. A large iron hook attached to a pole or handle and used to land large fish.
2. Nautical A spar attached to the mast and used to extend the upper edge of a fore-and-aft sail.
3.
a. A sharp metal spur or spike fastened to the leg of a gamecock.
b. A climbing hook used by telephone and electric line workers.
4. Slang A trick or gimmick, especially one used in a swindle or to rig a game.
5. Slang Harshness of treatment; abuse.
tr. v. gaffed, gaf·fing, gaffs
1. To hook or land (a fish) using a gaff.
2. To equip (a gamecock) with a gaff.
3. Slang
a. To take in or defraud; swindle.
b. To rig or fix in order to cheat: knew that the carnival games had been gaffed.
atmosphere
n.
Abbr. atm Physics A unit of pressure equal to the air pressure at sea level. It equals the amount of pressure that will support a column of mercury 760 millimeters high at 0 degrees Celsius under standard gravity, or 14.7 pounds per square inch (1.01325 × 105 pascals).
[New Latin atmosphaera : Greek atmos, vapor; see wet- in Indo-European roots + Latin sphaera, sphere; see sphere.]
apophenia
Apophenia is the experience of perceiving patterns or connections in random or meaningless data.
The term is attributed to Klaus Conrad by Peter Brugger, who defined it as the “unmotivated seeing of connections” accompanied by a “specific experience of an abnormal meaningfulness”. Apophenia has come to imply a universal human tendency to seek patterns in random information, such as gambling.
In 1958, Klaus Conrad published a monograph titled Die beginnende Schizophrenie. Versuch einer Gestaltanalyse des Wahns (“The onset of schizophrenia: an attempt to form an analysis of delusion”), in which he described in groundbreaking detail the prodromal mood and earliest stages of schizophrenia. He coined the word “Apophänie” to characterize the onset of delusional thinking in psychosis. Conrad’s theories on the genesis of schizophrenia have since been partially, yet inconclusively, confirmed in psychiatric literature when tested against empirical findings.
Conrad’s neologism was translated into English as “apophenia” (from the Greek apo [away from] + phaenein [to show]) to reflect the fact that a schizophrenic initially experiences delusion as revelation.
In contrast to an epiphany, an apophany (i.e., an instance of apophenia) does not provide insight into the nature of reality or its interconnectedness but is a “process of repetitively and monotonously experiencing abnormal meanings in the entire surrounding experiential field”. Such meanings are entirely self-referential, solipsistic, and paranoid — “being observed, spoken about, the object of eavesdropping, followed by strangers”. Thus the English term “apophenia” has a somewhat different meaning than that which Conrad defined when he coined the term “Apophänie”.
“Apophany” should not be confused with “apophony”.
Cornwall
A region of extreme southwest England on a peninsula bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and English Channel. Its tin and copper mines were known to ancient Greek traders.
aureole
(ôr′ē-ōl′) also au·re·o·la (ô-rē′ə-lə)
- (Art Terms) (esp in paintings of Christian saints and the deity) a border of light or radiance enveloping the head or sometimes the whole of a figure represented as holy
- a less common word for halo
- (Astronomy) another name for corona
[Middle English, from Late Latin (corōna) aureola, golden (crown), feminine of Latin aureolus, golden, from aureus, from aurum, gold.]
wafture
n
- the act of wafting or waving
- anything that is wafted
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770 – 1831) was a German philosopher who was a major figure in German idealism. His historicist and idealist account of reality revolutionized European philosophy and was influential to Continental philosophy, Marxism and historism.
Hegel’s principal achievement was his development of absolute idealism as a means to integrate the notions of mind, nature, subject, object, psychology, the state, history, art, religion and philosophy. In particular, he developed the notion of the master–slave dialectic and the concept of Geist (“mind-spirit”) as the expression of the integration (“sublation”, Aufheben), without elimination or reduction, of otherwise seemingly contradictory or opposing ideas. Examples include relationships between nature and freedom and between immanence and transcendence. He also made original and influential contributions to speculative logic, the role of history and the notions of the negative and the ethical.
Hegel influenced many thinkers and writers whose own positions varied widely. Karl Barth described Hegel as a “Protestant Aquinas”, while Maurice Merleau-Ponty wrote that “All the great philosophical ideas of the past century – the philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche, phenomenology, German existentialism, and psychoanalysis – had their beginnings in Hegel”. Michel Foucault has contended that contemporary philosophers may be “doomed to find Hegel waiting patiently at the end of whatever road [they] travel”.
sybarite / sybaritic
(sĭb′ə-rīt)
n.
- often sybarite A person devoted to pleasure and luxury; a voluptuary.
- A native or inhabitant of Sybaris.
[Latin Sybarīta, native of Sybaris, from Greek Subarītēs, from Subaris, Sybaris (from the notorious luxury of its inhabitants).]
syb′a·rit·ism (-rĭ-tĭz′əm) n.
(sĭb′ə-rĭt′ĭk)
adj.
- Devoted to or marked by pleasure and luxury.
- Sybaritic Of or relating to Sybaris or its people.
syb′a·rit′i·cal·ly adv.
topology
In mathematics, topology, the study of topological spaces, is an area of mathematics concerned with the properties of space that are preserved under continuous deformations, such as stretching and bending, but not tearing or gluing. Important topological properties include connectedness and compactness.
Topology developed as a field of study out of geometry and set theory, through analysis of such concepts as space, dimension, and transformation. Such ideas go back to Gottfried Leibniz, who in the 17th century envisioned the geometria situs (Greek-Latin for “geometry of place”) and analysis situs (Greek-Latin for “picking apart of place”). The term topology was introduced by Johann Benedict Listing in the 19th century, although it was not until the first decades of the 20th century that the idea of a topological space was developed. By the middle of the 20th century, topology had become a major branch of mathematics.
Topology has many subfields:
General topology establishes the foundational aspects of topology and investigates properties of topological spaces and investigates concepts inherent to topological spaces. It includes point-set topology, which is the foundational topology used in all other branches (including topics like compactness and connectedness).
Algebraic topology tries to measure degrees of connectivity using algebraic constructs such as homology and homotopy groups.
Differential topology is the field dealing with differentiable functions on differentiable manifolds. It is closely related to differential geometry and together they make up the geometric theory of differentiable manifolds.
Geometric topology primarily studies manifolds and their embeddings (placements) in other manifolds. A particularly active area is low dimensional topology, which studies manifolds of four or fewer dimensions. This includes knot theory, the study of mathematical knots.
gunwale
also gun·nel (gŭn′əl)
n. Nautical The upper edge of the side of a vessel. See Usage Note at boatswain.
[So called because guns were mounted on it.]
henosis
Henosis is the word for mystical “oneness,” “union,” or “unity” in classical Greek. In Platonism, and especially Neoplatonism, the goal of henosis is union with what is fundamental in reality: the One, the Source, or Monad.
epistemology
The branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.
infirmity
1.
a. The condition of being infirm, often as associated with old age; weakness or frailty: the infirmity brought on by the disease.
b. A bodily ailment or weakness: complained about his infirmities.
2.
a. Weakness of resolution or character: the infirmity inherent in human nature.
b. A moral failing or defect in character: the infirmities and depravities of corrupt nobles.
cardamom
a. A rhizomatous herb (Elettaria cardamomum) native to South Asia, having capsular fruits with aromatic seeds used as a spice or condiment.
b. The capsules or seeds of this plant.
masticate
(măs′tĭ-kāt′)
v. mas·ti·cat·ed, mas·ti·cat·ing, mas·ti·cates
v. tr. 1. To chew (food).
2. To grind and knead (rubber, for example) into a pulp.
v.intr. To chew food.
mas′ti·ca′tion n.
mas′ti·ca′tor n.
yaw
(yô)
v. yawed, yaw·ing, yaws
v. intr.
1. Nautical To swerve off course momentarily or temporarily: The ship yawed as the heavy wave struck abeam.
2. To turn about the vertical axis. Used of an aircraft, spacecraft, or projectile.
3. To move unsteadily; weave.
v.tr.
To cause to yaw.
n.
- The act of yawing.
- Extent of yawing, measured in degrees.
martin
n. Any of various swallows, such as the house martin or the purple martin.
insolubilia
In the Middle Ages, variations on the liar paradox were studied under the name of insolubilia (insolubles).
Although the liar paradox was well known in antiquity, interest seems to have lapsed until the twelfth century, when it appears to have been reinvented independently of ancient authors. Medieval interest may have been inspired by a passage in the Sophistical Refutations of Aristotle. Although the Sophistical Refutations are consistently cited by medieval logicians from the earliest insolubilia literature, medieval studies of insolubilia go well beyond Aristotle. Other ancient sources which could suggest the liar paradox, including Saint Augustine, Cicero, and the quotation of Epimenides appearing in the Epistle to Titus, were not cited in discussions of insolubilia.
Adam of Balsham mentioned, in passing, some paradoxical statements (dated to 1132), but he did not dwell on the difficulties raised by these statements. Alexander Neckham, writing later in the twelfth century, explicitly recognized the paradoxical nature of insolubilia, but did not attempt to resolve the inconsistent implications of the paradox. The first resolution was given by an anonymous author at the end of the twelfth or beginning of the thirteenth century. There was an established literature on the topic by about 1320, when Thomas Bradwardine prefaced his own discussion of insolubilia with nine views then current. Interest in insolubilia continued throughout the fourteenth century, especially by Jean Buridan.
The medieval insolubilia literature seems to treat these paradoxes as difficult but not truly “insoluble”, and, though interesting and meriting investigation, not central to the study of logic. This may be contrasted with modern studies of self-referential paradoxes such as Russell’s paradox, in which the problems are seen as fundamentally insoluble, and central to the foundations of logic.
canto
(ˈkæntəʊ)
n, pl -tos
- (Classical Music) music another word for cantus
- (Poetry) a main division of a long poem
[from Italian: song, from Latin cantus, from canere to sing]
curvet
(kûr-vĕt′)
n.
A light leap by a horse, in which both hind legs leave the ground just before the forelegs are set down.
v. cur·vet·ted, cur·vet·ting, cur·vets or cur·vet·ed or cur·vet·ing
v. intr.
1. To leap in a curvet.
2. To prance; frolic.
v.tr.
To cause to leap in a curvet.
[Italian corvetta, from Old Italian, from Old French courbette, from courber, to curve, from Latin curvāre, from curvus, curved; see sker- in Indo-European roots.]
equerry
(ĕk′wə-rē)
n. pl. eq·uer·ries
1. A personal attendant to the British royal household.
2. An officer charged with supervision of the horses belonging to a royal or noble household.
ephemeral
(ĭ-fĕm′ər-əl)
adj.
- Lasting for a markedly brief time: “There remain some truths too ephemeral to be captured in the cold pages of a court transcript” (Irving R.Kaufman).
- Having a short lifespan or a short annual period of aboveground growth. Used especially of plants.
n.
Something, especially a plant, that is ephemeral.
victual
(vĭt′l)
n.
- Food fit for human consumption.
- victuals Food supplies; provisions.
v. vict·ualed, vict·ual·ing, vict·uals or vict·ualled or vict·ual·ling v.tr.
To provide with food.
v. intr.
1. To lay in food supplies.
2. To eat.
Usage Note: Victual is properly pronounced (vĭt′l), with two syllables and no (k) sound. It was borrowed in the 1300s from the Old French form vitaille, which had stress and a diphthong in the second syllable, but the word was Anglicized after that to put the stress up front in the manner of most native English words. The spelling with c (and a little later with u) has a long history too, in both French and English. This spelling is a learned one, showing off the knowledge that the word came from Late Latin victuālia, “provisions.” The word is now usually spelled victual, or on occasion vittle, but the pronunciation has remained (vĭt′l).
spermaceti
(spûr′mə-sē′tē, -sĕt′ē)
n. pl. sper·ma·ce·tis A white waxy substance obtained chiefly from the head of the sperm whale, consisting of various esters of fatty acids and formerly used for making candles, ointments, and cosmetics.
[Middle English, from Medieval Latin spermacētī : Late Latin sperma, semen; see sperm1 + Latin cētī, genitive of cētus, whale; see Cetus.]
bonny
also bon·nie
adj. bon·ni·er, bon·ni·est Scots
1. Physically attractive or appealing; pretty.
2. Excellent.
[Probably ultimately from French bon, good, from Latin bonus; see deu- in Indo-European roots.]
bon′ni·ly adv.
bon′ni·ness n.
parboil
(pär′boil′)
tr. v. par·boiled, par·boil·ing, par·boils
1. To cook partially by boiling for a brief period: parboiled and then sautéed the new potatoes.
2. To subject to intense, often uncomfortable heat.
[Middle English parboilen, to boil partly, to boil thoroughly (influenced by part, part), from Old French parboillir, to boil thoroughly, from Late Latin perbullīre : Latin per-, thoroughly; see per- + Latin bullīre, to boil.]
meridian
n.
1.
a. An imaginary great circle on the earth’s surface passing through the North and South geographic poles.
b. Either half of such a great circle from pole to pole. All points on the same meridian have the same longitude.
2. Astronomy A great circle passing through the two poles of the celestial sphere and the zenith of a given observer. Also called celestial meridian, local meridian, vertical circle.
3. Mathematics
a. A curve on a surface of revolution, formed by the intersection of the surface with a plane containing the axis of revolution.
b. A plane section of a surface of revolution containing the axis of revolution.
4. Any of the longitudinal lines or pathways on the body along which the acupuncture points are distributed.
5. Archaic
a. The highest point in the sky reached by the sun or another celestial body; a zenith.
b. The time at which the sun reaches its highest point in the sky; noon.
6. The highest point or stage of development; peak: “Men come to their meridian at various periods of their lives” (John Henry Newman).
7. Midwestern US See median.
adj.
- Of or relating to a meridian; meridional.
- Of or at midday: the meridian hour.
- Of, relating to, or constituting the highest point, as of development or power: the empire in its meridian period.
inter
(ĭn-tûr′)
tr.v. in·terred, in·ter·ring, in·ters
To place in a grave or tomb; bury.
[Middle English enteren, from Old French enterrer, from Medieval Latin interrāre : Latin in-, in; see terra in Indo-European roots.]
parliament
- A representative body having supreme legislative powers within a state or multinational organization.
- Parliament The national legislature of the United Kingdom, made up of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
[Middle English, a meeting about national concerns, from Old French parlement, from parler, to talk; see parley.]
Herbert Spencer
Herbert Spencer (1820 – 1903) was an English philosopher, biologist, anthropologist, sociologist, and prominent classical liberal political theorist of the Victorian era.
Spencer developed an all-embracing conception of evolution as the progressive development of the physical world, biological organisms, the human mind, and human culture and societies. He was “an enthusiastic exponent of evolution” and even “wrote about evolution before Darwin did.” As a polymath, he contributed to a wide range of subjects, including ethics, religion, anthropology, economics, political theory, philosophy, literature, biology, sociology, and psychology. During his lifetime he achieved tremendous authority, mainly in English-speaking academia. “The only other English philosopher to have achieved anything like such widespread popularity was Bertrand Russell, and that was in the 20th century.”
Spencer is best known for the expression “survival of the fittest”, which he coined in Principles of Biology (1864), after reading Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. This term strongly suggests natural selection, yet as Spencer extended evolution into realms of sociology and ethics, he also made use of Lamarckism.
lection
(lĕk′shən)
n.
- A variant reading or transcription of a text or copy.
- A reading from Scripture that forms a part of a church service.
[Latin lēctiō, lēctiōn-, a reading; see lesson.]
westering
(wĕs′tər)
n.
A strong wind coming from the west.
intr.v. west·ered, west·er·ing, west·ers
To move westward. Used of the sun, the moon, or a star.
curtilage
the land occupied by a dwelling and its yard, outbuildings, etc., actually enclosed or considered as enclosed.
obstreperous
(ŏb-strĕp′ər-əs, əb-)
adj.
Noisily unruly or defiant: The restaurant owner ejected the obstreperous customer.
[From Latin obstreperus, noisy, from obstrepere, to make a noise against : ob-, against; see ob- + strepere, to make a noise (of imitative origin).]
ob·strep′er·ous·ly adv.
ob·strep′er·ous·ness n.
sinuous
(sĭn′yo͞o-əs)
adj.
- Characterized by many curves or turns; winding: a sinuous stream.
- Characterized by supple and lithe movements: the sinuous grace of a dancer.
- Sinuate: a sinuous leaf.
[From Latin sinuōsus, from sinus, curve.]
sin′u·ous·ly adv.
sin′u·ous·ness n.
doff
tr. v. doffed, doff·ing, doffs
1. To take off; remove: doff one’s clothes.
2. To tip or remove (one’s hat) in salutation.
3. To put aside; discard.
[Middle English doffen, from don off, to do off : don, to do; see do + off, off; see off.]
nephrite
(nĕf′rīt′)
n. A white to dark green variety of jade, chiefly a metasilicate of iron, calcium, and magnesium.
Nephrite tools and amulets are known since the Early Neolithic (VII mill. BC) to the Late Chalcolithic (V mill. BC) on the Balkans (mainly Bulgaria; also in Greece, Serbia, Croatia) from two or more unknown sources - Balkan “nephrite culture”.
animus
(ăn′ə-məs)
n.
- A feeling of animosity; ill will. See Synonyms at enmity.
- An attitude that informs one’s actions; disposition or intention.
- In Jungian psychology, the masculine inner personality as present in women.
teleology
A teleology is an account of a given thing’s purpose. For example, a teleological explanation of why forks have prongs is that this design helps humans eat certain foods; stabbing food to help humans eat is what forks are for.
A purpose that is imposed by a human use, such as that of a fork, is called extrinsic. Natural teleology contends that natural entities have intrinsic purposes, irrespective of human use or opinion. For instance, Aristotle claimed that an acorn’s intrinsic telos is to become a fully grown oak tree.
Though ancient atomists rejected the notion of natural teleology, teleological accounts of non-personal or non-human nature were explored and often endorsed in ancient and medieval philosophies, but fell into disfavor during the modern era (1600-1900).
In the late 18th century, Immanuel Kant used the concept of telos as a regulative principle in his Critique of Judgment. Teleology was also fundamental to the speculative philosophy of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.
Contemporary philosophers and scientists are still actively discussing whether teleological talk is useful or accurate in doing modern philosophy and science. For instance, in 2012, Thomas Nagel proposed a neo-Darwinian account of evolution that incorporates impersonal, natural teleological laws to explain the existence of life, consciousness, rationality, and objective value. Another example is chaos theory and its notion of attractor.
actuary
n. pl. ac·tu·ar·ies
A statistician who computes insurance risks and premiums.
ac′tu·ar′i·al (-âr′ē-əl) adj.
ac′tu·ar′i·al·ly adv.
empyrean
(ĕm′pī-rē′ən, ĕm-pîr′ē-ən)
n.
1.
a. The highest reaches of heaven, believed by the ancients to be a realm of pure fire or light.
b. The abode of God and the angels; paradise.
2. The sky.
adj.
Of or relating to the empyrean of ancient belief.
[From Medieval Latin empyreum, from empyreus, empyreal; see empyreal.]
cabochon
n.
- A highly polished, convex-cut, unfaceted gem.
- A convex style of cutting gems.
adv.
In a highly polished, convex-cut, unfaceted style: a sapphire that was cut cabochon.
forfend
also fore·fend (fôr-fĕnd′)
tr. v. for·fend·ed, for·fend·ing, for·fends also fore·fend·ed or fore·fend·ing or fore·fends
1. To keep or ward off; avert.
2. Archaic To forbid.
[Middle English forfenden : for-, for- + fenden, to ward off; see fend.]
tosh
n. Chiefly British Foolish nonsense.
[Probably blend of trash and bosh.]
quiescent
(kwē-ĕs′ənt, kwī-)
adj.
- Quiet, still, or inactive. See Synonyms at inactive.
- Characterized by an absence of upheaval or discord: “We tend to think of the decades following the final overthrow of Napoleon as remarkably quiescent”
- Astronomy Having little or no sunspot activity.
- Medicine Asymptomatic: a quiescent infection.
[Latin quiēscēns, quiēscent-, present participle of quiēscere, to rest, from quiēs, quiet; see quiet.]
qui·es′cence n.
qui·es′cent·ly adv.
perfunctory
adj.
- Done routinely and with little interest or care: The operator answered the phone with a perfunctory greeting.
- Acting with indifference; showing little interest or care.
[Late Latin perfūnctōrius, from Latin perfūnctus, past participle of perfungī, to get through with : per-, per- + fungī, to perform.]
per·func′to·ri·ly adv.
per·func′to·ri·ness n.
ululate
(ŭl′yə-lāt′, yo͞ol′-)
intr.v. ul·u·lat·ed, ul·u·lat·ing, ul·u·lates
To howl, wail, or lament loudly, especially by alternating rapidly between two high-pitched sounds.
[Latin ululāre, ululāt-, ultimately of imitative origin.]
ul′u·lant (-lənt) adj.
ul′u·la′tion n.
Epimenides
Epimenides of Knossos was a semi-mythical 7th or 6th century BC Greek seer and philosopher-poet. While tending his father’s sheep, he is said to have fallen asleep for fifty-seven years in a Cretan cave sacred to Zeus, after which he reportedly awoke with the gift of prophecy. Plutarch writes that Epimenides purified Athens after the pollution brought by the Alcmeonidae, and that the seer’s expertise in sacrifices and reform of funeral practices were of great help to Solon in his reform of the Athenian state. The only reward he would accept was a branch of the sacred olive, and a promise of perpetual friendship between Athens and Cnossus.
Athenaeus also mentions him, in connection with the self-sacrifice of the erastes and eromenos pair of Cratinus and Aristodemus, who were believed to have given their lives in order to purify Athens. Even in antiquity there were those who held the story to be mere fiction. Diogenes Laërtius preserves a number of spurious letters between Epimenides and Solon in his Lives of the Philosophers. Epimenides was also said to have prophesied at Sparta on military matters.
He died in Crete at an advanced age; according to his countrymen, who afterwards honoured him as a god, he lived nearly three hundred years. According to another story, he was taken prisoner in a war between the Spartans and Cnossians, and put to death by his captors, because he refused to prophesy favourably for them. Pausanias reports that when Epimenides died, his skin was found to be covered with tattooed writing. This was considered odd, because the Greeks reserved tattooing for slaves. Some modern scholars have seen this as evidence that Epimenides was heir to the shamanic religions of Central Asia, because tattooing is often associated with shamanic initiation. The skin of Epimenides was preserved at the courts of the ephores in Sparta, conceivably as a good-luck charm. Epimenides is also reckoned with Melampus and Onomacritus as one of the founders of Orphism.
Credited with the liar paradox. He says “all Cretans are liars,” when he, himself, is a Cretan.
bedlam
- A place or situation of noisy uproar and confusion.
Archaic An insane asylum.
Pythagoreanism
Pythagoreanism was the system of esoteric and metaphysical beliefs held by Pythagoras and his followers, the Pythagoreans, who were considerably influenced by mathematics, music and astronomy. Pythagoreanism originated in the 5th century BC and greatly influenced platonism and the concept of vegetarianism. Later revivals of Pythagorean doctrines led to what is now called neopythagoreanism.
pensive
adj.
- Engaged in deep and serious thought.
- Showing or expressing deep, often melancholy thought: a pensive look.
pen′sive·ly adv. pen′sive·ness n.
Synonyms: pensive, contemplative, reflective, meditative, thoughtful These adjectives mean characterized by or disposed to deep or serious thought.
Pensive often connotes a wistful, dreamy, or sad quality: “while pensive poets painful vigils keep” (Alexander Pope).
Contemplative implies slow directed consideration, often with conscious intent of achieving better understanding or spiritual or aesthetic enrichment: “[He] had envisioned an actual grove of academe through which scholars young and old might take contemplative strolls” (Tom Wolfe).
Reflective suggests careful analytical deliberation, as in reappraising past experience: “She … is as wise as if she’d been on this earth for eighty years. Her nature is reflective—not all over the map, like mine” (Alice Munro).
Meditative implies earnest sustained thought: “She sat with her shoulders rounded in some clearly deepening meditative privacy and forgot me” (E.L. Doctorow).
Thoughtful can refer to absorption in thought or to the habit of reflection and circumspection: “I had spoken at once … to Silvius about our departure, and we talked the matter over, for he was a thoughtful and intelligent child, and children have a wisdom of their own” (Ursula K. Le Guin).
boom
n.
1. Nautical A long spar extending from a mast to hold or extend the foot of a sail.
2. A long pole extending upward at an angle from the mast of a derrick to support or guide objects being lifted or suspended.
3.
a. A barrier composed of a chain of floating logs enclosing other free-floating logs, typically used to catch floating debris or to obstruct passage.
b. A floating barrier serving to contain an oil spill.
4. A long movable arm used to maneuver and support a microphone.
5.
a. A spar that connects the tail surfaces and the main structure of an airplane.
b. A long hollow tube attached to a tanker aircraft, through which fuel flows to another aircraft being refueled in flight.
tr.v. boomed, boom·ing, booms
To move or position using a crane: boomed the cargo onto the ship.
Idiom: drop/lower the boom
To act suddenly and forcefully to repress a practice or reprimand an offender; crack down.
[Dutch, tree, pole, from Middle Dutch; see bheuə- in Indo-European roots.]
callow
adj.
Lacking adult maturity or experience; immature: a callow young man.
[Middle English calwe, bald, from Old English calu.]
cal′low·ness n.
rentier
(räN-tyā′)
n. A person who lives on income from property or investments.
[French, from rente, yearly income, from Old French; see rent1.]
curvilinear
(kûr′və-lĭn′ē-ər) also cur·vi·lin·e·al (-əl)
adj.
Formed, bounded, or characterized by curved lines.
[Latin curvus, curved; see curve + linear.]
cur′vi·lin′e·ar′i·ty (-ē-ăr′ĭ-tē) n.
cur′vi·lin′e·ar·ly adv.
brindle
(brĭn′dld)
adj. Tawny or grayish with streaks or spots of a darker color.
[Alteration of Middle English brended, probably from brende, past participle of brennen, to burn, from Old Norse brenna; see gwher- in Indo-European roots.]
Orion
Orion was a giant huntsman in Greek mythology whom Zeus placed among the stars as the constellation of Orion.
Ancient sources tell several different stories about Orion; there are two major versions of his birth and several versions of his death. The most important recorded episodes are his birth somewhere in Boeotia, his visit to Chios where he met Merope and was blinded by her father, Oenopion, the recovery of his sight at Lemnos, his hunting with Artemis on Crete, his death by the bow of Artemis or the sting of the giant scorpion which became Scorpio, and his elevation to the heavens. Most ancient sources omit some of these episodes and several tell only one. These various incidents may originally have been independent, unrelated stories and it is impossible to tell whether omissions are simple brevity or represent a real disagreement.
In Greek literature he first appears as a great hunter in Homer’s epic the Odyssey, where Odysseus sees his shade in the underworld. The bare bones of his story are told by the Hellenistic and Roman collectors of myths, but there is no extant literary version of his adventures comparable, for example, to that of Jason in Apollonius of Rhodes’ Argonautica or Euripides’ Medea; the entry in Ovid’s Fasti for May 11 is a poem on the birth of Orion, but that is one version of a single story. The surviving fragments of legend have provided a fertile field for speculation about Greek prehistory and myth.
Orion served several roles in ancient Greek culture. The story of the adventures of Orion, the hunter, is the one on which we have the most evidence (and even on that not very much); he is also the personification of the constellation of the same name; he was venerated as a hero, in the Greek sense, in the region of Boeotia; and there is one etiological passage which says that Orion was responsible for the present shape of the Straits of Sicily.
Herodotus
Herodotus was a Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria (modern-day Bodrum, Turkey) and lived in the fifth century BC (c. 484–425 BC). Widely referred to as “The Father of History” (first conferred by Cicero), he was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically and critically, and then to arrange them into a historiographic narrative.
The Histories—his masterpiece and the only work he is known to have produced—is a record of his “inquiry”, being an investigation of the origins of the Greco-Persian Wars and including a wealth of geographical and ethnographical information. Although some of his stories were fanciful and others inaccurate, he claimed he was reporting only what had been told to him. Little is known of his personal history.
escutcheon
(ĭ-skŭch′ən)
n.
- Heraldry A shield or shield-shaped emblem bearing a coat of arms.
- An ornamental or protective plate, as for a keyhole.
- Nautical The plate on the stern of a ship inscribed with the ship’s name.
Idiom: a blot on (one’s) escutcheon
Dishonor to one’s reputation.
[Middle English escochon, from Anglo-Norman escuchon, from Vulgar Latin *scūtiō, scūtiōn-, from Latin scūtum, shield; see skei- in Indo-European roots.]
es·cutch′eoned adj.
dissidence
n. Disagreement, as of opinion or belief; dissent.
dirigible
(dĭr′ə-jə-bəl, də-rĭj′ə-bəl)
adj 1. able to be steered or directed
n 2. (Aeronautics) another name for airship
dirigiˈbility n
spiflicate
vb 1. (tr) Brit to destroy; annihilate
lucent
adj.
- Giving off light; luminous.
- Translucent; clear.
[Latin lūcēns, lūcent-, present participle of lūcēre, to shine; see leuk- in Indo-European roots.]
lu′cen·cy n.
lu′cent·ly adv.
Stoicism
Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC. The Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of “moral and intellectual perfection”, would not suffer such emotions.
Stoics were concerned with the active relationship between cosmic determinism and human freedom, and the belief that it is virtuous to maintain a will (called prohairesis) that is in accord with nature. Because of this, the Stoics presented their philosophy as a way of life, and they thought that the best indication of an individual’s philosophy was not what a person said but how that person behaved.
curlew
(kûrl′yo͞o, kûr′lo͞o)
n. Any of several brownish, long-legged shorebirds of the genus Numenius, having long, slender, downward-curving bills.
[Middle English curleu, from Old French courlieu, perhaps of imitative origin.]
Byronic
of or like Lord Byron or his work, as in displaying romanticism.
Lord Byron: British poet acclaimed as one of the leading figures of the romantic movement. The “Byronic hero”—lonely, rebellious, and brooding—first appeared in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage (1812-1818). Among his other works are Manfred (1817) and the epic satire Don Juan (1819-1824). He died while working to secure Greek independence from the Turks.
Penates
(pə-nā′tēz, -nä′-)
pl.n. Roman Mythology
The Roman gods of the household, tutelary deities of the home and of the state, whose cult was closely connected and often identified with that of the Lares.
[Latin Penātēs, from penus, foodstuff, interior of a house.]
In ancient Roman religion, the Di Penates or Penates were among the dii familiares, or household deities, invoked most often in domestic rituals. When the family had a meal, they threw a bit into the fire on the hearth for the Penates. They were thus associated with Vesta, the Lares, and the Genius of the paterfamilias in the “little universe” of the domus.
Like other domestic deities, the Penates had a public counterpart.
buccaneer
n.
- A pirate, especially one of the freebooters who plundered Spanish shipping in the West Indies during the 17th century.
- A ruthless speculator or adventurer.
intr. v. buc·ca·neered, buc·ca·neer·ing, buc·ca·neers
1. To plunder shipping; act as a buccaneer.
2. To show boldness and enterprise, as in business, often in a reckless or unscrupulous way.
[French boucanier, from boucaner, to cure meat, from boucan, barbecue frame, of Tupian origin; akin to Tupí mukém, rack.]
Word History: When it is first attested in the middle of the 17th century, the French word boucanier, later borrowed into English as buccaneer, referred to French traders on the islands of Hispaniola and Tortuga. The traders hunted the feral cattle and boars on the islands for their hides, and they smoked the meat in a barbecue frame known in French as a boucan. The French word came from the Tupí word for a wooden rack used for roasting. The original barbecuing buccaneers subsequently adopted a more remunerative way of life, piracy, which accounts for the modern meanings of the English word.
laissez-faire
lais·sez faire also lais·ser faire (lĕs′ā fâr′, lā′zā)
n.
- An economic doctrine that opposes governmental regulation of or interference in commerce beyond the minimum necessary for a free-enterprise system to operate according to its own economic laws.
- Noninterference in the affairs of others.
[French : laissez, second person pl. imperative of laisser, to let, allow + faire, to do.]
lais′sez-faire′ adj.
belie
(bĭ-lī′)
tr. v. be·lied, be·ly·ing, be·lies
1. To give a false representation to; misrepresent: “He spoke roughly in order to belie his air of gentility” (James Joyce).
2. To show to be false; contradict: Their laughter belied their outward grief.
[Middle English bilien, from Old English belēogan, to deceive with lies; see leugh- in Indo-European roots.]
be·li′er n.
usury
(yo͞o′zhə-rē)
n. pl. u·su·ries
1. The practice of lending money and charging the borrower interest, especially at an exorbitant or illegally high rate.
2. An excessive or illegally high rate of interest charged on borrowed money.
3. Archaic Interest charged or paid on a loan.
[Middle English, from Medieval Latin ūsūria, alteration of Latin ūsūra, from ūsus, use; see usual.]
debark
go ashore
v.tr.
To unload, as from a ship or airplane.
v.intr.
To disembark.
rue
v. rued, ru·ing, rues
v.tr.
To feel regret, remorse, or sorrow for: “I never rued a day in my life like the one I rued when I left that old mother of mine” (Flannery O’Connor).
v.intr.
To feel regret, remorse, or sorrow.
n.
Sorrow; regret: “I … won her from various rivals, who … went away, one may say, full of rue” (Brian Doyle).
[Middle English ruen, from Old English hrēowan, to affect with grief, and hrēowian, to repent.]
ru′er n.
cicerone
(sĭs′ə-rō′nē, chĭch′ə-, chē′chĕ-rō′nĕ)
n. pl. cic·e·ro·nes or cic·e·ro·ni (-nē)
A guide for sightseers.
[Italian, from Latin Cicerō, Cicerōn-, Marcus Tullius Cicero.]
convex
Having a surface or boundary that curves or bulges outward, as the exterior of a sphere.
Image: left to right: biconvex, plano-convex, and convexo-concave lenses
deportment
(dĭ-pôrt′mənt)
n. A manner of personal conduct; behavior. See Synonyms at behavior.
prodigious
(prə-dĭj′əs)
adj.
- Impressively great in size, force, or extent; enormous: a prodigious storm.
- Extraordinary; marvelous: a prodigious talent.
- Obsolete Portentous; ominous.
[Latin prōdigiōsus, portentous, monstrous, from prōdigium, omen.]
pro·di′gious·ly adv.
pro·di′gious·ness n.
urbane
(ûr-bān′)
adj. ur·ban·er, ur·ban·est
Polite, refined, and often elegant in manner.
[Latin urbānus, of a city; see urban.]
ur·bane′ly adv.
equivocal
(ĭ-kwĭv′ə-kəl)
adj.
- Open to two or more interpretations and often intended to conceal the truth. See Synonyms at ambiguous.
- Characterized by a mixture of opposing elements and therefore questionable or uncertain: Evidence of the drug’s effectiveness has been equivocal.
[From Late Latin aequivocus : Latin aequi-, equi- + Latin vocāre, to call; see wekw- in Indo-European roots.]
e·quiv′o·cal′i·ty (-kăl′ĭ-tē), e·quiv′o·cal·ness n.
e·quiv′o·cal·ly adv.
Jungian Archetypes
- The hero, who pursues a great quest to realize his destiny.
- The self, the personality striving towards its own complete realization.
- The shadow, the amoral remnant of our instinctual animal past.
- The persona, the mask and pretense we show others.
- The anima and animus, our female and male roles and urges.
- The mother, primarily in the sense of our need of her.
- The father, primarily an authority figure often inducing fear.
- The child, our innocent beginning with all our potential in front of us.
- The sage, or wise old man, one who has the profound knowledge.
- The god, the perfect image of the Self.
- The goddess, the great mother, or Mother Earth.
- The trickster, a rascal agent pushing us towards change.
- The hermaphrodite, the joiner of opposites.
- The beast, a representation of the primitive past of man.
- The scapegoat, suffering the shortcomings of others.
- The fool, wandering off in confusion and faulty directions.
- The artist, the visionary and inspired way of approaching truth.
- Mana and other concepts of spiritual energy.
- The journey, a representation of the quest towards self-realization.
- Life, death and rebirth, the cyclic nature of existence.
- Light and dark, images of the conscious and the unconscious.
- The tree, the growth towards self-fulfillment.
- Water, the unconscious and the emotions.
- The wizard, knowledgeable of the hidden and of transformation needed.
Jakob Böhme
Jakob Böhme (1575 – 1624) was a German Christian mystic and theologian. He is considered an original thinker within the Lutheran tradition, and his first book, commonly known as Aurora, caused a great scandal. Influenced theosophy.
peat
(pēt)
n. Partly decomposed vegetable matter, usually mosses, found in bogs and sometimes burned as fuel or mixed into soil to improve growing conditions.
peat′y adj.
rend
v. rent (rĕnt) also rend·ed, rend·ing, rends
v.tr.
1.
a. To tear or split apart or into pieces violently. See Synonyms at tear.
b. To tear (one’s garments or hair) in anguish or rage.
2. To pull away forcibly; wrest: rent the money from his hand.
3.
a. To pull, split, or divide: “Chip was rent between the impulse to laugh wildly and a bitterness that threatened hot tears” (Louis Auchincloss).
b. To pierce or disturb with sound: a scream rent the silence.
c. To cause pain or distress to: tales that rend the heart.
v.intr.
To become torn or split; come apart: a hole where the seam rends.
tawny
(tô′nē)
n. A light brown to brownish orange.
taw′ni·ness n.
taw′ny adj.
claret
(klăr′ĭt)
n.
1.
a. A dry red wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France.
b. A similar wine made elsewhere.
2. A dark or grayish purplish red to dark purplish pink.
chrysalis
(krĭs′ə-lĭs)
n. pl. chrys·a·lis·es or chry·sal·i·des (krĭ-săl′ĭ-dēz′)
1.
a. A pupa, especially of a butterfly.
b. The hardened case of a pupa.
2. A protected stage of development.
rissole
(rĭ-sōl′, rĭs′ōl, rē-sôl′) n. A small, pastry-enclosed croquette of finely minced meat or fish, usually fried in deep fat.
set theory
Set theory is the branch of mathematical logic that studies sets, which informally are collections of objects. Although any type of object can be collected into a set, set theory is applied most often to objects that are relevant to mathematics. The language of set theory can be used in the definitions of nearly all mathematical objects.
The modern study of set theory was initiated by Georg Cantor and Richard Dedekind in the 1870s. After the discovery of paradoxes in naive set theory, numerous axiom systems were proposed in the early twentieth century, of which the Zermelo–Fraenkel axioms, with the axiom of choice, are the best-known.
Set theory is commonly employed as a foundational system for mathematics, particularly in the form of Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory with the axiom of choice. Beyond its foundational role, set theory is a branch of mathematics in its own right, with an active research community. Contemporary research into set theory includes a diverse collection of topics, ranging from the structure of the real number line to the study of the consistency of large cardinals.
Image: A Venn diagram illustrating the intersection of two sets.
purl
(pûrl)
intr.v. purled, purl·ing, purls
To flow or ripple with a murmuring sound.
n.
The sound made by rippling water.
gout
- A disturbance of uric-acid metabolism occurring chiefly in males, characterized by painful inflammation of the joints, especially of the feet andhands, and arthritic attacks resulting from elevated levels of uric acid in the blood and the deposition of urate crystals around the joints. The conditioncan become chronic and result in deformity.
- A large blob or clot: “and makes it bleed great gouts of blood” (Oscar Wilde).
Georg Cantor
Georg Cantor (German: 1845 – 1918) was a German mathematician, best known as the inventor of set theory, which has become a fundamental theory in mathematics. Cantor established the importance of one-to-one correspondence between the members of two sets, defined infinite and well-ordered sets, and proved that the real numbers are “more numerous” than the natural numbers. In fact, Cantor’s method of proof of this theorem implies the existence of an “infinity of infinities”. He defined the cardinal and ordinal numbers and their arithmetic. Cantor’s work is of great philosophical interest, a fact of which he was well aware.
Cantor’s theory of transfinite numbers was originally regarded as so counter-intuitive – even shocking – that it encountered resistance from mathematical contemporaries such as Leopold Kronecker and Henri Poincaré and later from Hermann Weyl and L. E. J. Brouwer, while Ludwig Wittgenstein raised philosophical objections. Cantor, a devout Lutheran, believed the theory had been communicated to him by God. Some Christian theologians (particularly neo-Scholastics) saw Cantor’s work as a challenge to the uniqueness of the absolute infinity in the nature of God – on one occasion equating the theory of transfinite numbers with pantheism – a proposition that Cantor vigorously rejected.
The objections to Cantor’s work were occasionally fierce: Poincaré referred to his ideas as a “grave disease” infecting the discipline of mathematics, and Kronecker’s public opposition and personal attacks included describing Cantor as a “scientific charlatan”, a “renegade” and a “corrupter of youth.” Kronecker even objected to Cantor’s proofs that the algebraic numbers are countable, and that the transcendental numbers are uncountable, results now included in a standard mathematics curriculum. Writing decades after Cantor’s death, Wittgenstein lamented that mathematics is “ridden through and through with the pernicious idioms of set theory,” which he dismissed as “utter nonsense” that is “laughable” and “wrong”. Cantor’s recurring bouts of depression from 1884 to the end of his life have been blamed on the hostile attitude of many of his contemporaries, though some have explained these episodes as probable manifestations of a bipolar disorder.
The harsh criticism has been matched by later accolades. In 1904, the Royal Society awarded Cantor its Sylvester Medal, the highest honor it can confer for work in mathematics. David Hilbert defended it from its critics by famously declaring: “No one shall expel us from the Paradise that Cantor has created.”
portative
adj.
- Portable.
- Capable of or used in carrying.
[Middle English portatif, from Old French, from Latin portāre, to carry; see per- in Indo-European roots.]
cardinal number
n
- (Mathematics) a number denoting quantity but not order in a set. Sometimes shortened to: cardinal
- (Mathematics) maths logic a. a measure of the size of a set that does not take account of the order of its members. Compare natural number b. a particular number having this function
- (Logic) maths logic
a. a measure of the size of a set that does not take account of the order of its members. Compare natural number
b. a particular number having this function
Image: A bijective function, f: X → Y, from set X to set Y demonstrates that the sets have the same cardinality, in this case equal to the cardinal number 4.
stern / aft
n.
- Nautical The rear part of a ship or boat.
- A rear part or section.
tine
n.
- A branch of a deer’s antlers.
- A prong on an implement such as a fork or pitchfork.
poultice
(pōl′tĭs)
n.
A soft moist mass of bread, meal, clay, or other adhesive substance, usually heated, spread on cloth, and applied to warm, moisten, or stimulate an aching or inflamed part of the body. Also called cataplasm.
tr.v. poul·ticed, poul·tic·ing, poul·tic·es
To apply a poultice to.
[Middle English pultes, from Medieval Latin pultēs, thick paste, from Latin, pl. of puls, pult-, pottage; see pulse.]
cortical
adj.
- Of, relating to, derived from, or consisting of cortex.
- Of, relating to, associated with, or depending on the cerebral cortex.
cor′ti·cal·ly adv.
vagus nerve
n. Either of the tenth and longest of the cranial nerves, passing through the neck and thorax into the abdomen and supplying sensation to part of the ear, the tongue, the larynx, and the pharynx, motor impulses to the vocal cords, and motor and secretory impulses to the abdominal and thoracic viscera. Also called pneumogastric nerve. [New Latin (nervus) vagus, wandering (nerve), from Latin.]
ejecta
(ĭ-jĕk′tə)
pl.n. Ejected matter, as that from an erupting volcano.
[New Latin ēiecta, from neuter pl. of Latin ēiectus, past participle of ēicere, to throw out; see eject.]
accrete
v. ac·cret·ed, ac·cret·ing, ac·cretes
v.tr.
To make larger or greater, as by increased growth.
v. intr.
1. To grow together; fuse.
2. To grow or increase gradually, as by addition.
In astrophysics, accretion is the growth of particles into a massive object by gravitationally attracting more matter, typically gaseous matter in an accretion disk.[1] This attracted matter accelerates the growth of the particles into boulder-sized planetesimals. The more massive planetesimals accrete some smaller ones, while others shatter in collisions.
ursine
(ûr′sīn′)
adj. Of or characteristic of bears or a bear.
[Latin ursīnus, from ursus, bear; see r̥tko- in Indo-European roots.]
dolorous
(dō′lər-əs, dŏl′ər-)
adj.
Marked by or exhibiting sorrow, grief, or pain.
strop
n.
- A strap, especially a short rope whose ends are spliced together to make a ring.
- A flexible strip of leather or canvas used for sharpening a razor. tr.v. stropped, strop·ping, strops To sharpen (a razor) on a strop.
spleen
n.
1.
a. A large, highly vascular lymphoid organ, lying in the human body to the left of the stomach below the diaphragm, serving to store blood, disintegrate old blood cells, filter foreign substances from the blood, and produce lymphocytes.
b. A homologous organ or tissue in other vertebrates.
c. Obsolete This organ conceived as the seat of emotions or passions.
2. Ill temper: vent one’s spleen.
3. Archaic Melancholy.
4. Obsolete A whim; a caprice.
[Middle English splen, from Old French esplen, from Latin splēn, from Greek.]
spleen′y adj.
trebuchet
(trĕb′yə-shĕt′) also treb·uc·ket (-ə-kĕt′)
n. A medieval catapult for hurling heavy stones, often employing a long sling.
[Middle English, from Old French, from trebucher, to overthrow : tre-, over (from Latin trāns-; see trans-) + but, trunk of the body (of Germanic origin).]
argent
(är′jənt)
n.
- Silver as conventionally represented in heraldry by the color white.
- Archaic The metal silver.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin argentum, silver; see arg- in Indo-European roots.]
tuber
(to͞o′bər, tyo͞o′-) n. 1. a. A swollen, fleshy, usually underground outgrowth of the stem or rhizome of a plant, such as the potato, bearing buds from which new plant shoots arise. b. A similar outgrowth of a plant root. 2. A rounded projection or swelling; a tubercle.
paroxysm
(păr′ək-sĭz′əm)
n.
1. A sudden outburst of emotion or action: a paroxysm of laughter.
2.
a. A sudden attack, recurrence, or intensification of a disease.
b. A spasm or fit; a convulsion.
[Middle English paroxism, periodic attack of a disease, from Medieval Latin paroxysmus, from Greek paroxusmos, from paroxūnein, to stimulate, irritate : para-, intensive pref.; see oxūnein in Indo-European roots).]
par′ox·ys′mal (-ək-sĭz′məl) adj.
par′ox·ys′mal·ly adv.
Lilliputian
(lĭl′ə-pyo͞o′shən)
n.
A very small person or being.
adj.
- Very small; diminutive.
- Trivial; petty.
[After Lilliput, a country in Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, where everything was diminutive.]
meson
(mĕz′ŏn′, mĕs′-, mē′zŏn′, -sŏn′, mā′-) n. Any of a class of subatomic particles that are both hadrons and bosons, are composed of a quark and an antiquark, participate in strong interactions, and have masses generally intermediate between those of leptons and baryons. [meso- + -on.] me·son′ic (mĕ-zŏn′ĭk, -sŏn′, mē-, mā-) adj.
lamia
(lā′mē-ə)
n. pl. la·mi·as or la·mi·ae (-mē-ē′)
1. also Lamia Greek Mythology A monster represented as a serpent with the head and breasts of a woman that ate children and sucked the blood from men.
2. A female vampire.
In ancient Greek mythology, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Libya who became a child-eating daemon. Aristophanes claimed her name derived from the Greek word for gullet (laimos), referring to her habit of devouring children.
basalt
(bə-sôlt′, bā′sôlt′)
n.
- A hard, dense, dark igneous rock composed chiefly of plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene, and olivine, and often having a glassy appearance.
- A kind of hard unglazed pottery.
[Latin basaltēs, alteration of basanītēs, touchstone, from Greek basanītēs (lithos), from basanos, Egyptian bḫn, graywacke.]
ba·sal′tic (-sôl′tĭk) adj.
idolatry
n. pl. i·dol·a·tries
- Worship of idols.
- Blind or excessive devotion to something.
iˈdolater n
iˈdolatress fem n
iˈdolatrous adj
iˈdolatrously adv
iˈdolatrousness n
apotropaic
(ăp′ə-trō-pā′ĭk)
adj. Intended to ward off evil: an apotropaic symbol.
[From Greek apotropaios, from apotrepein, to ward off : apo-, apo- + trepein, to turn; see trep- in Indo-European roots.]
ap′o·tro·pa′i·cal·ly adv.
burdock
(bûr′dŏk′)
n. Any of several plants of the genus Arctium of the composite family, having edible roots and pink or purplish flower heads surrounded by prickly bracts that form burs.
[bur + dock.]
tumid
(to͞o′mĭd, tyo͞o′-)
adj.
- Swollen; distended. Used of a body part or organ.
- Of a bulging shape; protuberant.
- Overblown; bombastic: tumid political prose.
[Latin tumidus, from tumēre, to swell; see teuə- in Indo-European roots.]
tu·mid′i·ty n.
tu′mid·ly adv.
diffident
adj. Lacking or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid: He was too diffident to express his opinion.
[Middle English, from Latin diffīdēns, diffīdent-, present participle of diffīdere, to mistrust : dis-, dis- + fīdere, to trust; see bheidh- in Indo-European roots.]
dif′fi·dent·ly adv.
phalanx
(fā′lăngks′, făl′ăngks′)
n. pl. pha·lanx·es or pha·lan·ges (fə-lăn′jēz, fā-)
1. A compact or close-knit body of people: “formed a solid phalanx in defense of the Constitution and Protestant religion” (G.M. Trevelyan).
2. A formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears, developed by Philip II of Macedon and used by Alexander the Great.
3. pl. phalanges Anatomy A bone of a finger or toe. Also called phalange.
4. See phalanstery.
[Latin phalanx, phalang-, from Greek.]
Patagonia
A tableland region of South America in southern Argentina and Chile extending from the Río Colorado to the Straits of Magellan and from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean. The study of its indigenous inhabitants, the Tehuelche, and its unusual wildlife have attracted many scientific expeditions, including that of Charles Darwin (1831-1836).
Pat′a·go′ni·an adj. & n.
lingam
(lĭng′gəm) also lin·ga (lĭn′gə)
n. Hinduism
A stylized phallus worshiped as a symbol of the god Shiva.
[Sanskrit liṅgam, mark, penis.]
The lingam (also linga, ling, Shiva linga, Shiv ling, Sanskrit: लिङ्गं,liṅgaṃ, meaning “mark”, “sign”, or “inference”) is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples. In traditional Indian society, the linga is rather seen as a symbol of the energy and potential of God, Shiva himself.
The lingam is often represented alongside the yoni, a symbol of the goddess or of Shakti, female creative energy. The union of lingam and yoni represents the “indivisible two-in-oneness of male and female, the passive space and active time from which all life originates”.
Linga represents Cosmic Egg (‘Brahmanda’ in Sanskrit) who has no beginning nor end. It is believed that this changing world (‘Jagat’ in Sanskrit) merges or dissolves into the Formless in the end. So, the Linga is the simplest sign of emergence and mergence.
handspike
n. A bar used as a lever.
[Alteration of Dutch handspaak : hand, hand (from Middle Dutch hant) + spaak, spoke (from Middle Dutch spāke, stick).]
vicar
(vĭk′ər)
n.
1.
a. An Anglican parish priest in a parish where historically someone other than the priest was entitled to the tithes.
b. A cleric in charge of a chapel in the Episcopal Church of the United States.
2. An Anglican or Roman Catholic cleric who acts for or represents another, often higher-ranking member of the clergy.
[Middle English, from Old French vicaire, from Latin vicārius, vicarious, a substitute, from vicis, genitive of *vix, change; see weik- in Indo-European roots.]
vic′ar·ship′ n.
newel
(no͞o′əl, nyo͞o′-)
n.
- A vertical support at the center of a circular staircase.
- A post that supports a handrail at the bottom or at the landing of a staircase.
ram
n.
- (Breeds) an uncastrated adult sheep
- (Astrology) the Ram the constellation Aries, the first sign of the zodiac
Demeter
(dĭ-mē′tər)
n. Greek Mythology The goddess of the harvest, daughter of Rhea and Cronus and mother of Persephone.
Presided over grains and the fertility of the earth. Her cult titles include Sito, “she of the Grain”,[1] as the giver of food or grain and Thesmophoros (thesmos: divine order, unwritten law; “phoros”: bringer, bearer), “Law-Bringer,” as a mark of the civilized existence of agricultural society.
Though Demeter is often described simply as the goddess of the harvest, she presided also over the sacred law, and the cycle of life and death. She and her daughter Persephone were the central figures of the Eleusinian Mysteries that predated the Olympian pantheon. In the Linear B Mycenean Greek tablets of circa 1400–1200 BC found at Pylos, the “two mistresses and the king” may be related with Demeter, Persephone and Poseidon.
Her Roman equivalent is Ceres.
pestle
(pĕs′əl, pĕs′təl)
n.
- A club-shaped, handheld tool for grinding or mashing substances in a mortar.
- A large bar moved vertically to stamp or pound, as in a press or mill.
v. pes·tled, pes·tling, pes·tles
v.tr.
To pound, grind, or mash with or as if with a pestle.
v.intr.
To use a pestle.
[Middle English pestel, from Old French, from Latin pistillum.]
ratatouille
(răt′ə-to͞o′ē, rä′tä-)
n. A vegetable stew, usually made with eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and onions, seasoned with herbs and garlic.
[French, from alteration of toillier, touiller, to stir, mix; see toil.]
grouse
(grous)
n. pl. grouse or grous·es
Any of various plump, chiefly ground-dwelling gallinaceous birds of the subfamily Tetraoninae of northern North America and Eurasia, characteristically having feathered legs and nostrils and mottled plumage.
fecundate
(fē′kən-dāt′, fĕk′ən-)
tr. v. fe·cun·dat·ed, fe·cun·dat·ing, fe·cun·dates
1. To make fecund or fruitful.
2. To impregnate; fertilize.
William James
William James (1842 – 1910) was an American philosopher and psychologist who was also trained as a physician. The first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States, James was one of the leading thinkers of the late nineteenth century and is believed by many to be one of the most influential philosophers the United States has ever produced, while others have labelled him the “Father of American psychology”. Along with Charles Sanders Peirce and John Dewey, he is considered to be one of the major figures associated with the philosophical school known as pragmatism, and is also cited as one of the founders of functional psychology. He also developed the philosophical perspective known as radical empiricism. James’ work has influenced intellectuals such as Émile Durkheim, W. E. B. Du Bois, Edmund Husserl, Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Hilary Putnam, and Richard Rorty.
Born into a wealthy family, James was the son of the Swedenborgian theologian Henry James Sr and the brother of both the prominent novelist Henry James, and the diarist Alice James. James wrote widely on many topics, including epistemology, education, metaphysics, psychology, religion, and mysticism. Among his most influential books are The Principles of Psychology, which was a groundbreaking text in the field of psychology, Essays in Radical Empiricism, an important text in philosophy, and The Varieties of Religious Experience, which investigated different forms of religious experience, which also included the then theories on Mind cure.
James defined true beliefs as those that prove useful to the believer. His pragmatic theory of truth was a synthesis of correspondence theory of truth and coherence theory of truth, with an added dimension. Truth is verifiable to the extent that thoughts and statements correspond with actual things, as well as the extent to which they “hang together,” or cohere, as pieces of a puzzle might fit together; these are in turn verified by the observed results of the application of an idea to actual practice.
James investigated mystical experiences throughout his life, leading him to experiment with chloral hydrate (1870), amyl nitrite (1875), nitrous oxide (1882), and peyote (1896). James claimed that it was only when he was under the influence of nitrous oxide that he was able to understand Hegel.
poppet
n.
- A poppet valve.
- Nautical
a. A small wooden strip on a gunwale that forms or supports an oarlock.
b. One of the beams of a launching cradle supporting a ship’s hull. - Chiefly British A darling.
[Middle English popet, small child, doll, puppet; see puppet.]
astrolabe
(ăs′trə-lāb′)
n. A medieval instrument, now replaced by the sextant, that was once used to determine the altitude of the sun or other celestial bodies.
[Middle English astrelabie, from Old French astrelabe, from Medieval Latin astrolabium, from Greek astrolabon, planisphere : astro-, astro- + lambanein, lab-, to take.]
flue
(flo͞o)
n.
- A pipe, tube, or channel for conveying hot air, gas, steam, or smoke, as from a furnace or fireplace to a chimney.
- Music
a. An organ pipe sounded by means of a current of air striking a lip in the side of the pipe and causing the air within to vibrate. Also calledlabial.
b. The lipped opening in such a pipe.
stickleback
n. Any of various small freshwater and marine fishes of the family Gasterosteidae, having erectile spines along the back.
Saint Paul
(New Testament) a Christian missionary to the Gentiles; author of several Epistles in the New Testament; even though Paul was not present at the Last Supper he is considered an Apostle; “Paul’s name was Saul prior to his conversion to Christianity” Names: Apostle of the Gentiles, Apostle Paul, Paul the Apostle, Saul of Tarsus, St. Paul, Saul, Paul
conflagration
A large destructive fire.
knobkerrie
(nŏb′kĕr′ē)
n. A short club with one knobbed end, used as a weapon by warriors of certain South African peoples.
[Afrikaans knopkierie : knop, knob (from Middle Dutch cnoppe) + kieri, club (from Khoikhoi kirri, stick).]
savanna
also sa·van·nah (sə-văn′ə)
n. A flat grassland of tropical or subtropical regions.
[Obsolete Spanish çavana, from Taíno zabana.]
ciliate
adj
- (Zoology) Also: ciliated possessing or relating to cilia: a ciliate epithelium.
- (Animals) of or relating to protozoans of the phylum Ciliophora, which have an outer layer of cilia
n
3. (Animals) a protozoan of the phylum Ciliophora ˌ
ciliˈation n
glen
n. A small, secluded valley.
imbricate
adj.
Having regularly arranged, overlapping edges, as roof tiles or fish scales.
v. im·bri·cat·ed, im·bri·cat·ing, im·bri·cates v.tr.
To overlap in a regular pattern. v.intr. To be arranged with regular overlapping edges.
[Latin imbricātus, covered with roof tiles, from imbrex, imbric-, roof tile, from imber, imbr-, rain.]
im′bri·ca′tion n.
dun
- An almost neutral brownish gray to dull grayish brown.
- A horse of this color.
3.
a. A mayfly in its earliest adult stage.
b. An fishing fly that imitates such an insect.
lintel
(lĭn′tl)
n. A horizontal structural member, such as a beam or stone, that spans an opening, as between the uprights of a door or window or between two columns or piers.
efflorescence
(ĕf′lə-rĕs′əns)
n.
1. Botany A state or time of flowering.
2.
a. A gradual process of unfolding or developing.
b. The point or time of greatest vigor; the culmination. See Synonyms at bloom.
3. Chemistry
a. A deposit that results from the process of efflorescing. Also called bloom.
b. The process of efflorescing.
4. Medicine Redness, a rash, or an eruption on the skin.
ef′flo·res′cent adj.
millet
(mĭl′ĭt)
n.
- Any of various annual grasses with small grains that are harvested for food, livestock feed, and birdseed, especially proso millet.
- The grains of any of these plants.
[Middle English milet, from Old French, diminutive of mil, millet, from Latin milium; see melə- in Indo-European roots.]
patina
(pə-tē′nə, păt′n-ə) also pa·tine (pă-tēn′)
n.
- A thin greenish layer, usually basic copper sulfate, that forms on copper or copper alloys, such as bronze, as a result of natural corrosion or chemical treatment.
- The sheen on a surface, such as one made of wood, produced by age and use.
- A superficial exterior layer; a coating: “Everything bore that dull patina of grime that speaks of years of neglect” (Amitav Ghosh).
- An appearance or perceptible change produced by behavior, practice, or use: “Beneath the fourth-grade patina of obedience and good manners I could be such a surprisingly irresponsible, daydreaming child” (Philip Roth).
[Italian, from Latin, plate (from the incrustation on ancient metal plates and dishes); see paten.]
Usage Note: Most English words borrowed from Italian follow the stress pattern of that language and are stressed on the second-to-last syllable. There are many exceptions to this rule, however, and among them is the traditional pronunciation of patina, which has emphasis on the first syllable, so it rhymes roughly with the phrase sat in a. This pronunciation remains the preferred pronunciation in Britain and among careful speakers in the United States. But patina also developed a pronunciation that follows the pattern of other -ina words in English, such as cantina. According to the 2009 survey, not only do 90 percent of the Usage Panel find this newer pronunciation acceptable, 60 percent prefer it.
Odysseus
- (Classical Myth & Legend) Greek myth one of the foremost of the Greek heroes at the siege of Troy, noted for his courage and ingenuity. His return to his kingdom of Ithaca was fraught with adventures in which he lost all his companions and he was acknowledged by his wife Penelope only after killing her suitors. Roman name: Ulysses
glaucous
(glô′kəs)
adj.
- Of a pale grayish or bluish green.
- Botany Covered with a grayish, bluish, or whitish waxy coating or bloom that is easily rubbed off: glaucous leaves.
[Latin glaucus, from Greek glaukos.]
glau′cous·ness n.
obverse
adj.
- Facing or turned toward the observer: the obverse side of a statue.
- Serving as a counterpart or complement.
n. (ŏb′vûrs′, ŏb-vûrs′, əb-)
1. The side of a coin, medal, or badge that bears the principal stamp or design.
2. The more conspicuous of two possible alternatives, cases, or sides: the obverse of this issue.
3. Logic The counterpart of a proposition obtained by exchanging the affirmative for the negative quality of the whole proposition and then negating the predicate: The obverse of “Every act is predictable” is “No act is unpredictable.”
[Latin obversus, past participle of obvertere, to turn toward; see obvert.]
ob·verse′ly adv.
Image: obverse (top) and reverse (bottom) of a Polish zloty coin
galleon
(găl′ē-ən, găl′yən)
n. A large three-masted sailing ship with a square rig and usually two or more decks, used from the 16th to the 18th century especially by Spain as a merchant ship or warship.
undulate
v. un·du·lat·ed, un·du·lat·ing, un·du·lates v.intr.
1. To move in waves or with a smooth, wavelike motion: “gleaming seaweed that curls and undulates with the tide” (Willa Cather).
2. To have a wavelike appearance or form: dunes that undulate toward the sea.
3. To increase and decrease in volume or pitch.
v. tr.
1. To cause to move in a smooth wavelike motion: The dancer undulated her hips.
2. To give a wavelike appearance or form to: The rock strata are undulated.
adj. (-lĭt, -lāt′)
Having a wavy outline or appearance: leaves with undulate margins.
[From Late Latin undula, small wave, diminutive of Latin unda, wave; see wed- in Indo-European roots.]
un′du·la·to′ry (-lə-tôr′ē) adj.
gaggle
n.
- A flock of geese.
- A cluster or group: “A gaggle of photographers huddled on the sidewalk beside a swelling crowd of onlookers” (Gioia Diliberto).
Anubis
Anubis is the Greek name of a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion.
Like many ancient Egyptian deities, Anubis assumed different roles in various contexts. Depicted as a protector of graves as early as the First Dynasty (c. 3100 – c. 2890 BC), Anubis was also an embalmer. By the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055 – 1650 BC), Anubis was replaced by Osiris in his role as Lord of the underworld. One of his prominent roles was as a god who ushered souls into the afterlife. He attended the weighing scale during the “Weighing of the Heart,” in which it was determined whether a soul would be allowed to enter the realm of the dead. Despite being one of the most ancient and “one of the most frequently depicted and mentioned gods” in the Egyptian pantheon, however, Anubis played almost no role in Egyptian myths.
Anubis was depicted in black, a color that symbolized both rebirth and the discoloration of the corpse after embalming. Anubis is associated with Wepwawet (also called Upuaut), another Egyptian god portrayed with a dog’s head or in canine form, but with grey or white fur. Historians assume that the two figures were eventually combined. Anubis’ female counterpart is Anput. His daughter is the serpent goddess Kebechet.
bovine
adj.
- Of, relating to, or resembling a ruminant mammal of the bovid subfamily Bovinae, such as a cow, ox, or buffalo, especially one in the genus Bos.
- Sluggish, dull, and stolid.
n.
An animal of the subfamily Bovinae, especially one of the genus Bos.
phosphorus
n.
- Symbol P A highly reactive, poisonous, nonmetallic element occurring naturally in phosphates, especially apatite, and existing in three allotropic forms, white (or sometimes yellow), red, and black (or violet). An essential element for biological cells, it is used in safety matches, pyrotechnics, incendiary shells, and fertilizers and to protect metal surfaces from corrosion. Atomic number 15; atomic weight 30.9738; melting point (white) 44.15°C; boiling point 280.5°C; specific gravity (white) 1.82, (red) 2.16, (black) 2.25 to 2.69; valence 3, 4, 5. See Periodic Table.
- A phosphorescent substance.
- Phosphorus Astronomy See Lucifer.
[Modern Latin phōsphorus, substance or organism that emits light, phosphorus, Latin Phōsphorus, morning star, from Greek phōsphoros, bringing light, morning star : phōs, light; see bhā- in Indo-European roots + -phoros, -phorous.]
Dictaphone
A trademark for an apparatus that records and reproduces dictation for transcription.
adventitious
(ăd′vĕn-tĭsh′əs, -vən-)
adj.
- Arising from an external cause or factor; not inherent: “These rodents … appear suddenly in the Oligocene, as if by adventitious entrance independent of the rest of the fauna” (George Gaylord Simpson).
- Biology Of or belonging to a structure that develops in an unusual place: adventitious roots.
[From Latin adventīcius, foreign, from adventus, arrival; see advent.]
ad′ven·ti′tious·ly adv.
ad′ven·ti′tious·ness n.
furl
v. furled, furl·ing, furls
v.tr.
To roll up and secure (a flag or sail, for example) to something else.
v.intr.
To be or become rolled up.
n.
- The act or an instance of rolling up.
- A single roll or a rolled section.
[Perhaps from French ferler, from Old French ferlier, to fasten : ferm, firm; see lier in Indo-European roots).]
crosier
or cro·zier (krō′zhər)
A crosier (crozier, pastoral staff, paterissa, pósokh) is the stylized staff of office (pastoral staff) carried by high-ranking Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran, United Methodist and Pentecostal prelates. The other typical insignia of most of these prelates, but not all, are the mitre, the pectoral cross, and the episcopal ring.
midden
- A dunghill or refuse heap.
- Archaeology A mound or deposit containing shells, animal bones, and other refuse that indicates the site of a human settlement. Also called kitchen midden.
W. B. Yeats
William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939) was an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms. Yeats was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and, along with Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn, and others, founded the Abbey Theatre, where he served as its chief during its early years. In 1923, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature as the first Irishman so honoured for what the Nobel Committee described as “inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation.” Works include The Tower (1928) and The Winding Stair and Other Poems (1929). Yeats was a very good friend of American expatriate poet and Bollingen Prize laureate Ezra Pound.
He studied poetry in his youth and from an early age was fascinated by both Irish legends and the occult. Those topics feature in the first phase of his work, which lasted roughly until the turn of the 20th century. From 1900, Yeats’s poetry grew more physical and realistic. He largely renounced the transcendental beliefs of his youth, though he remained preoccupied with physical and spiritual masks, as well as with cyclical theories of life.
bairn
(bârn)
n. Scots
A child.
[Middle English barn, from Old English bearn; see bher- in Indo-European roots.]
astringent
adj.
- Medicine Tending to draw together or constrict tissues; styptic.
- Sharp and penetrating; pungent or severe: astringent remarks.
n.
A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions.
susurration
(so͞o′sə-rā′shən) also su·sur·rus (so͝o-sûr′əs, -sŭr′-)
n. A soft, whispering or rustling sound; a murmur.
[Middle English susurracioun, from Late Latin susurrātiō, susurrātiōn-, from Latin susurrātus, past participle of susurrāre, to whisper, from susurrus, whisper, ultimately of imitative origin.]
su·sur′rant (so͝o-sûr′ənt, -sŭr′-), su·sur′rous (-sûr′əs, -sŭr′-) adj.
Horus
n. Mythology The ancient Egyptian god of the sky, son of Osiris and Isis, represented as having the head of a falcon.
Horus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egypt specialists. These various forms may possibly be different perceptions of the same multi-layered deity in which certain attributes or syncretic relationships are emphasized, not necessarily in opposition but complementary to one another, consistent with how the Ancient Egyptians viewed the multiple facets of reality. He was most often depicted as a falcon, most likely a lanner or peregrine, or as a man with a falcon head.
Horus served many functions in the Egyptian pantheon, most notably being a god of the sun, war and protection.
plectrum
n. pl. plec·trums or plec·tra (-trə)
A small thin piece of metal, plastic, bone, or similar material, used to pluck the strings of certain instruments, such as the guitar or lute.
antebellum
(ăn′tē-bĕl′əm)
adj. Belonging to the period before a war, especially the American Civil War.
[From Latin ante bellum, before the war : ante, before; see ante- + bellum, war.]
sibyl
(sĭb′əl) n. 1. (Classical Myth & Legend) (in ancient Greece and Rome) any of a number of women believed to be oracles or prophetesses, one of the most famous being the sibyl of Cumae, who guided Aeneas through the underworld 2. (Alternative Belief Systems) a witch, fortune-teller, or sorceress
spume
(spyo͞om)
n. Foam or froth on a liquid, as on the sea. intr.v. spumed, spum·ing, spumes To froth or foam.
[Middle English, from Old French espume, from Latin spūma.]
spu′mous, spum′y adj.
gully
n. pl. gul·lies
A deep ditch or channel cut in the earth by running water after a prolonged downpour.
v. gul·lied, gul·ly·ing, gul·lies
v.tr.
To wear a deep ditch or channel in.
v.intr.
To form a deep ditch or channel.
[Perhaps alteration of Middle English golet, throat, channel; see gullet.]
n. pl. gul·lies
Chiefly British A large knife.
[Short for dialectal gully knife : gully (probably alteration of Middle English golet, throat; see gullet) + knife.]
hawser
(hô′zər)
n. A cable or rope used in mooring or towing a ship.
[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman haucer, from Old French haucier, to hoist, from Vulgar Latin *altiāre, alteration of Late Latin altāre, from Latin altus, high; see al- in Indo-European roots.]
lichen
n.
- A composite organism made up of a fungus, usually an ascomycete, that grows symbiotically with an alga or a cyanobacterium and characteristically forms a crustlike or branching growth on rocks or tree trunks.
- Medicine Any of various skin diseases characterized by patchy eruptions of small, firm papules.
tr.v. li·chened, li·chen·ing, li·chens
To cover with lichens.
[Latin līchēn, a kind of plant, from Greek leikhēn, from leikhein, to lick; see leigh- in Indo-European roots.]
li′chen·ous adj.
limpet
(lĭm′pĭt)
n.
- Any of numerous marine gastropod mollusks that have a conical shell and often adhere to rocks in intertidal areas, especially those of the order Patellogastropoda.
- One that clings persistently.
- A type of explosive designed to cling to the hull of a ship and detonate on contact or signal.
starboard & port / larboard
(stär′bərd)
n. The right-hand side of a ship or aircraft as one faces forward.
adj. On the right-hand side as one faces forward.
adv. To or toward the right-hand side as one faces forward.
[Middle English sterbord, from Old English stēorbord : stēor-, a steering; see stā- in Indo-European roots + bord, side of a ship.]
port / larboard:
n. The left-hand side of a ship or aircraft facing forward. Also called larboard.
dhow
n. Nautical Any of various lateen-rigged sailing vessels with one or two masts, used especially along the eastern coast of Africa.
colloquium
(kə-lō′kwē-əm)
n. pl. col·lo·qui·ums or col·lo·qui·a (-kwē-ə)
1. An informal meeting for the exchange of views.
2. An academic seminar on a broad field of study, usually led by a different lecturer at each meeting.
[Latin, conversation, from colloquī, to talk together : com-, com- + loquī, to speak; see tolkw- in Indo-European roots.]
rector
n. Abbr. R.
1. A cleric in charge of a parish in the Episcopal Church.
2. An Anglican parish priest in a parish where historically the priest was entitled to the tithes.
3. A Roman Catholic priest appointed to be managerial as well as spiritual head of a church or other institution, such as a seminary or university.
4. The principal of certain schools, colleges, and universities.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin rēctor, director, from , rēctus past participle of regere, to rule; see reg- in Indo-European roots.]
rec′tor·ate (-ĭt) n.
rec·to′ri·al (rĕk-tôr′ē-əl) adj.
ablution
(ə-blo͞o′shən, ă-blo͞o′-)
n.
- A washing or cleansing of the body, especially as part of a religious rite.
- The liquid so used.
[Middle English ablucioun, from Latin ablūtiō, ablūtiōn-, from ablūtus, past participle of abluere, to wash away : ab-, away; see -luere in Indo-European roots.]
ab·lu′tion·ar′y (-shə-nĕr′ē) adj.
tartan
n
- (Textiles)
a. a design of straight lines, crossing at right angles to give a chequered appearance, esp the distinctive design or designs associated with each Scottish clan: the Buchanan tartan.
b. (as modifier): a tartan kilt. - (Textiles) a woollen fabric or garment with this design
- (Clothing & Fashion) the tartan Highland dress
tartaned adj
n
1. (Nautical Terms) a single-masted vessel used in the Mediterranean, usually with a lateen sail
chemise
(shə-mēz′)
n.
- A woman’s loose, shirtlike undergarment.
- A loosely fitting dress that hangs straight; a shift.
[Middle English, from Old French, shirt, from Late Latin camisia, probably ultimately (perhaps via Gaulish) of Germanic origin; akin to German Hemd, shirt.]
intrepid
adj.
Resolutely courageous; fearless.
See Synonyms at brave.
[Latin intrepidus : in-, not; see in-1 + trepidus, alarmed.]
in′tre·pid′i·ty (-trə-pĭd′ĭ-tē), in·trep′id·ness n.
in·trep′id·ly adv.
rhododendron
(rō′də-dĕn′drən)
n. Any of numerous usually evergreen shrubs of the genus Rhododendron of the heath family, having clusters of variously colored, often bell-shaped flowers and widely grown as ornamentals.
sarong
(sə-rông′, -rŏng′)
n.
- A garment consisting of a length of cloth that is wrapped around the body and tied at the waist or below the armpits, worn by men and women in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Pacific islands.
- A length of cloth that is wrapped around the waist and tied, worn by women as a skirt.
[Malay (kain) sarong, covering (cloth), sarong.]
mambo
n, pl -bos
- (Dancing) a modern Latin American dance, resembling the rumba, derived from the ritual dance of voodoo
- (Other Non-Christian Religions) a voodoo priestess vb, -bos, -boing or -boed
- (Dancing) (intr) to perform this dance
[American Spanish, probably from Haitian Creole: voodoo priestess]
nacre
(nā′kər) n. mother-of-pearl. a hard, iridescent substance that forms the inner layer of certain mollusk shells, used for making buttons, beads, etc. na′cred (-kərd), na′cre·ous (-krē-əs) adj.
henbane
n. A poisonous Eurasian plant (Hyoscyamus niger) in the nightshade family, having a strong odor, sticky leaves, and funnel-shaped greenish-yellow flowers. It is a source of hyoscyamine.
hotpot
- (Cookery) Brit a baked stew or casserole made with meat or fish and covered with a layer of potatoes
- Austral a heavily backed horse
wainscot
(wān′skət, -skŏt′, -skōt′)
n.
- A facing or paneling, usually of wood, applied to the walls of a room.
- The lower part of an interior wall when finished in a material different from that of the upper part.
tr.v. wain·scot·ed, wain·scot·ing, wain·scots or wain·scot·ted or wain·scot·ting
To line or panel (a room or wall) with wainscoting.
[Middle English, from Middle Dutch waghenscot : perhaps waghen, wagen, wagon (from the quality of wood used for carriagework); see scot in Indo-European roots.]
blancmange
(blə-mänj′, -mäNzh′)
n. A flavored and sweetened milk pudding thickened with cornstarch.
[Middle English blankmanger, a dish made with almond milk, from Old French blanc mangier : blanc, white (of Germanic origin; see bhel- in Indo-European roots) + mangier, to eat, food (from Latin manducāre; see manger).]
micturition
(mĭk′chə-rāt′, mĭk′tə-)
intr.v. mic·tu·rat·ed, mic·tu·rat·ing, mic·tu·rates
To urinate.
mic′tu·ri′tion (-rĭsh′ən) n.
adamantine
adj.
- Made of or resembling adamant.
- Having the hardness or luster of a diamond.
- Unyielding; inflexible: “If there is one dominant trait that emerges from this account, it is adamantine willpower” (Eugene Linden).
strake
n. Nautical
A single continuous line of planking or metal plating extending on a vessel’s hull from stem to stern.
[Middle English, probably from Old English *straca.]
tumulus
(to͞o′myə-ləs, tyo͞o′-)
n. pl. tu·mu·li (-lī′)
An ancient grave mound; a barrow.
[Latin; see teuə- in Indo-European roo
rootle
- (of an animal) to dig into the ground, with the snout
abeam
(ə-bēm′)
adv. At right angles to the keel of a ship. prep. Alongside or at right angles to: The ship drew abeam the cove.
patrician
n.
- A person of refined upbringing, manners, and tastes.
- A member of an aristocracy; an aristocrat.
- A member of one of the noble families of the ancient Roman Republic, which before the third century bc had exclusive rights to the Senate and the magistracies.
- Used as a title for members of a class of honorary nobility appointed by the Byzantine emperors.
- A member of the hereditary ruling class in the medieval free cities of Italy and Germany.
[Middle English patricion, from Old French patricien, from Latin patricius, from patrēs (cōnscrīptī), enrolled fathers, senators, pl. of pater, patr-, father; see pəter- in Indo-European roots.]
pa·tri′cian adj.
tunic
n.
1.
a. A loose-fitting garment, sleeved or sleeveless, extending to the knees and worn by men and women especially in ancient Greece and Rome.
b. A medieval surcoat.
2. A long, plain, close-fitting jacket, usually having a stiff high collar and worn as part of a uniform.
3. A loose-fitting women’s garment that falls to the hip or thigh and is often worn over leggings or pants.
4. Anatomy A coat or layer enveloping an organ or part.
5. Botany A loose membranous outer covering of a bulb or corm, as of an onion, tulip, or crocus.
6. See tunicle.
[Middle English tunik, from Old French tunique, from Latin tunica, of Phoenician origin; akin to Hebrew kuttōnet, kətōnet, from Central Semitic *kuttān, *kittān; see chiton.]
precipitous
(prĭ-sĭp′ĭ-təs)
adj.
- Resembling a precipice; extremely steep. See Synonyms at steep.
- Having several precipices: a precipitous bluff.
- Extremely rapid, hasty, or abrupt; precipitate: a precipitous collapse in prices. See Usage Note at precipitate.
[Probably from obsolete precipitious, from Latin praecipitium, precipice; see precipice.]
pre·cip′i·tous·ly adv.
pre·cip′i·tous·ness n.
nimbus
n. pl. nim·bi (-bī′) or nim·bus·es
1. A cloudy radiance said to surround a classical deity when on earth.
2. A radiant light that appears usually in the form of a circle or halo about or over the head in the representation of a god, demigod, saint, or sacred person such as a king or an emperor.
3. A splendid atmosphere or aura, as of glamour, that surrounds a person or thing.
4. A rain cloud, especially a low dark layer of clouds such as a nimbostratus.
[Latin, cloud; see nebh- in Indo-European roots.]
The Peloponnesian War / Athenian War
The Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) was an ancient Greek war fought by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. Historians have traditionally divided the war into three phases. In the first phase, the Archidamian War, Sparta launched repeated invasions of Attica, while Athens took advantage of its naval supremacy to raid the coast of the Peloponnese attempting to suppress signs of unrest in its empire. This period of the war was concluded in 421 BC, with the signing of the Peace of Nicias. That treaty, however, was soon undermined by renewed fighting in the Peloponnese. In 415 BC, Athens dispatched a massive expeditionary force to attack Syracuse in Sicily; the attack failed disastrously, with the destruction of the entire force, in 413 BC. This ushered in the final phase of the war, generally referred to either as the Decelean War, or the Ionian War. In this phase, Sparta, now receiving support from Persia, supported rebellions in Athens’ subject states in the Aegean Sea and Ionia, undermining Athens’ empire, and, eventually, depriving the city of naval supremacy. The destruction of Athens’ fleet at Aegospotami effectively ended the war, and Athens surrendered in the following year. Corinth and Thebes demanded that Athens should be destroyed and all its citizens should be enslaved but Sparta refused.
The Peloponnesian War reshaped the ancient Greek world. On the level of international relations, Athens, the strongest city-state in Greece prior to the war’s beginning, was reduced to a state of near-complete subjection, while Sparta became established as the leading power of Greece. The economic costs of the war were felt all across Greece; poverty became widespread in the Peloponnese, while Athens found itself completely devastated, and never regained its pre-war prosperity. The war also wrought subtler changes to Greek society; the conflict between democratic Athens and oligarchic Sparta, each of which supported friendly political factions within other states, made civil war a common occurrence in the Greek world.
Greek warfare, meanwhile, originally a limited and formalized form of conflict, was transformed into an all-out struggle between city-states, complete with atrocities on a large scale. Shattering religious and cultural taboos, devastating vast swathes of countryside, and destroying whole cities, the Peloponnesian War marked the dramatic end to the fifth century BC and the golden age of Greece.
nib
n.
1.
a. The sharpened point of a quill pen.
b. A tapered point of a pen, designed to be inserted into a penholder or fountain pen.
2. A sharp point or tip.
3. A bird’s beak or bill.
curate
(kyo͝or′ĭt)
n.
- A cleric, especially one who has charge of a parish.
- A cleric who assists a rector or vicar.
bacchanal
n
- (Classical Myth & Legend) a follower of Bacchus
- a drunken and riotous celebration
- a participant in such a celebration; reveller
adj
4. (Classical Myth & Legend) of or relating to Bacchus
delineate
tr.v. de·lin·e·at·ed, de·lin·e·at·ing, de·lin·e·ates
1.
a. To draw or depict: “In black and white wash, he delineated the gnarled roots of a tree” (Sally Holmes Holtze).
b. To describe or characterize in words: “the specter of the bored and isolated housewife, which Friedan delineated so brilliantly” (Mary V.Dearborn).
2.
a. To mark, form, or show the outline or border of: The police delineated the crime scene with yellow tape. A hedge delineates one plot of landfrom the other.
b. To establish the position of (a border): The treaty delineates the border between Spanish and American territory.
c. To show or contain a distinguishing characteristic of; distinguish: “The first game … delineated the differences between the two teams” (Stuart Miller).
bangle
- (Clothing & Fashion) a bracelet, usually without a clasp, often worn high up round the arm or sometimes round the ankle
- (Jewellery) a disc or charm hanging from a bracelet, necklace, etc
marmite
(mär′mīt, mär-mēt′)
n.
- A large covered earthenware or metal cooking pot.
- A small, covered earthenware casserole.
pyrheliometer
(pīr′hē-lē-ŏm′ĭ-tər, pĭr′-)
n. Any of various devices that measure the intensity of solar radiation received at the earth.
lateen
(lə-tēn′, lă-)
Nautical adj.
Being, relating to, or rigged with a triangular sail hung on a long yard that is attached at an angle to the top of a short mast.
n.
- A lateen-rigged boat.
- A lateen sail.
[French (voile) latine, lateen (sail), feminine of latin, Latin (from its use in the Mediterranean), from Old French; see Latin.]
furtive
Characterized by, acting with, or suggesting stealth or a desire to avoid discovery; surreptitious: “J.W. from time to time gave her a furtive squeeze ofthe hand, but they never got to go out alone any more” (John Dos Passos). See Synonyms at secret.
starling
n. Any of various passerine birds of the family Sturnidae, native to the Eastern Hemisphere and characteristically having a short tail, pointed wings, and dark, often iridescent plumage, especially Sturnus vulgaris, widely naturalized worldwide.
barkentine
also bar·quen·tine (bär′kən-tēn′)
n. A sailing ship with from three to five masts of which only the foremast is square-rigged, the others being fore-and-aft rigged.
[Probably bark + (brig)antine.]
gannet
(găn′ĭt)
n. Any of several large seabirds of the genus Morus, especially M. bassanus of the North Atlantic, having a pointed bill and tail, long wings, and whiteplumage with black wingtips. Also called solan.
coracle
cor·a·cle (kôr′ə-kəl, kŏr′-)
n. A small rounded boat made of waterproof material stretched over a wicker or wooden frame.
[Welsh corwgl, from corwg, from Middle Welsh corwc; akin to Old Irish curach, currach.]
Herculaneum
(hûr′kyə-lā′nē-əm)
An ancient city of south-central Italy on the Bay of Naples. A popular resort during Roman times, it was completely destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius (ad 79). Important ruins have been unearthed since the early 1700s.
punkah
(pŭng′kə)
n. A fan used especially in India, made of a palm frond or strip of cloth hung from the ceiling and moved by a servant.
[Hindi paṅkhá, from Sanskrit pakṣakaḥ, fan, from pakṣaḥ, wing.]
Frau
(frou)
n. pl.
Frau·en (frou′ən) Abbr. Fr.
Used as a courtesy title in a German-speaking area before the surname or professional title of an adult woman.
[German, from Middle High German vrowe, from Old High German frouwa; see per in Indo-European roots.]
brogue
n.
- A heavy shoe of untanned leather, formerly worn in Scotland and Ireland.
- A strong oxford shoe, usually with ornamental perforations or wingtips.
[Irish and Scottish Gaelic bróg, from Old Irish bróc, shoe, possibly from Old Norse brōk, legging, or from Old English brōc; see breech.]
n.
A strong dialectal accent, especially a strong Irish or Scottish accent when speaking English.
purblind
(pûr′blīnd′)
adj.
- Having poor vision; nearly or partly blind.
- Slow in understanding or discernment; dull: “a purblind oligarchy that flatly refused to see that history was condemning it to the dustbin” (Jasper Griffin).
- Obsolete Completely blind.
[Middle English pur blind, totally blind, nearsighted : pur, pure; see pure + blind, blind; see blind.]
pur′blind′ly adv.
pur′blind′ness n.
Orphism
Orphism (more rarely Orphicism) is the name given to a set of religious beliefs and practices originating in the ancient Greek and the Hellenistic world, as well as by the Thracians, associated with literature ascribed to the mythical poet Orpheus, who descended into Hades and returned. Orphics also revered Persephone (who annually descended into Hades for a season and then returned) and Dionysus or Bacchus (who also descended into Hades and returned). Orpheus was said to have invented the Mysteries of Dionysus. Poetry containing distinctly Orphic beliefs has been traced back to the 6th century BC or at least 5th century BC, and graffiti of the 5th century BC apparently refers to “Orphics”.
Classical sources, such as Plato, refer to “Orpheus-initiators” and associated rites, although how far “Orphic” literature in general related to these rites is not certain. As in the Eleusinian mysteries, initiation into Orphic mysteries promised advantages in the afterlife.
figurehead
(fĭg′yər-hĕd′)
n.
- A carved figure on the prow of a ship.
- A person given a position of nominal leadership but having no actual authority.
obdurate
(ŏb′do͝o-rĭt, -dyo͝o-)
adj.
1. Not changing in response to argument or other influence; obstinate or intractable: “Everyone in the region has been obdurate in water negotiations with everyone else” (Marq de Villiers).
2.
a. Hardened in wrongdoing or wickedness; stubbornly impenitent: “obdurate conscience of the old sinner” (Sir Walter Scott).
b. Hardened against feeling; hardhearted: an obdurate miser.
[Middle English obdurat, from Late Latin obdūrātus, past participle of obdūrāre, to harden, from Latin, to be hard, endure : ob-, intensive pref.; see dūrus in Indo-European roots.]
ob′du·rate·ly adv.
ob′du·ra·cy (-do͝or-ə-sē, -dyo͝or-), ob′du·rate·ness n.
thwart
tr. v. thwart·ed, thwart·ing, thwarts
1. To prevent the occurrence, realization, or attainment of: They thwarted her plans.
2. To oppose and defeat the efforts, plans, or ambitions of (someone).
n.
A seat across a boat on which a rower may sit.
adj.
- Extending, lying, or passing across; transverse.
- Eager to oppose, especially wrongly; perverse.
adv. & prep. Archaic Athwart;
* *across.**
[Middle English thwerten, from thwert, across, from Old Norse thvert, neuter of thverr, transverse; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
thwart′er n.
thwart′ly adv.
gantry
n. pl. gan·tries
1. A mount for a crane consisting of a large archlike or bridgelike frame that can be moved, often along a set of tracks.
2. A similar spanning frame supporting a group of railway signals over several tracks.
3. A massive vertical frame structure used in assembling or servicing a rocket, especially at a launch site.
4. A support for a barrel lying on its side.
verdure
(vûr′jər)
n.
1.
a. The lush greenness of flourishing vegetation.
b. Vigorous greenery.
2. A fresh or flourishing condition: the verdure of childhood.
[Middle English, from Old French, from verd, green, from Latin viridis.]
ver′dur·ous adj.
ver′dur·ous·ness n.
“How fresh and pleasant, how full of verdure, was everything”—Poor Folk by Dostoyevsky
“As we approached the little clump of verdure I saw”
bandy
tr.v. ban·died, ban·dy·ing, ban·dies
1.
a. To toss or throw back and forth.
b. To hit (a ball, for example) back and forth.
2.
a. To give and receive (words, for example); exchange: The old friends bandied compliments when they met.
b. To discuss in a casual or frivolous manner: bandy an idea about.
adj.
Bowed or bent in an outward curve: bandy legs.
n. pl. ban·dies Sports
1. A game resembling field hockey but played on ice by skaters.
2. A stick, bent at one end, used in playing this game.
coronet
n.
- A small crown worn by princes and princesses and by other nobles below the rank of sovereign.
- A chaplet or headband decorated with gold or jewels.
- The upper margin of a horse’s hoof.
[Middle English coronette, from Old French, diminutive of corone, crown, from Latin corōna; see crown.]
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 1400), known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to be buried in Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey.
While he achieved fame during his lifetime as an author, philosopher, alchemist and astronomer, composing a scientific treatise on the astrolabe for his ten-year-old son Lewis, Chaucer also maintained an active career in the civil service as a bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Among his many works, which include The Book of the Duchess, the House of Fame, the Legend of Good Women and Troilus and Criseyde, he is best known today for The Canterbury Tales.
Chaucer was a crucial figure in developing the legitimacy of the vernacular, Middle English, at a time when the dominant literary languages in England were French and Latin.
Latium
(lā′shē-əm, -shəm)
- An ancient country of west-central Italy bordering on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It was dominated by Rome after the third century bc.
Latium is the region of central western Italy in which the city of Rome was founded and grew to be the capital city of the Roman Empire. Latium was originally a small triangle of fertile, volcanic soil on which resided the tribe of the Latins. It was located on the left bank (east and south) of the Tiber river, extending northward to the Anio river (a left-bank tributary of the Tiber) and southeastward to the Pomptina Palus (Pontine Marshes, now the Pontine Fields) as far south as the Circeian promontory. The right bank of the Tiber was occupied by the Etruscan city of Veii, and the other borders were occupied by Italic tribes. Subsequently Rome defeated Veii and then its Italic neighbors, expanding Latium to the Apennine Mountains in the northeast and to the opposite end of the marsh in the southeast. The modern descendant, the Italian Regione of Lazio, also called Latium in Latin, and occasionally in modern English, is somewhat larger still, but not as much as double the original Latium.
diamonback terrapin
n. A turtle (Malaclemys terrapin) of salt marshes and estuaries of the eastern and southern United States, having edible flesh and a carapace with diamond-shaped ridged or knobbed markings.
Tethys
(tē′thĭs)
n.
- Greek Mythology A Titaness and sea goddess who was both sister and wife of Oceanus.
- A satellite of Saturn.
Tethys, daughter of Uranus and Gaia, was an archaic Titaness and aquatic sea goddess, invoked in classical Greek poetry, but not venerated in cult.
circumambulate
tr.v. cir·cum·am·bu·lat·ed, cir·cum·am·bu·lat·ing, cir·cum·am·bu·lates
To walk around (something), especially as part of a ritual: “Circumambulate the city of a dreamy Sabbath afternoon” (Herman Melville).
cape
A point or head of land projecting into a body of water.
sheepfold
A pen for sheep.
tumbler
n
- (Cookery)
a. a flat-bottomed drinking glass with no handle or stem. Originally, a tumbler had a round or pointed base and so could not stand upright
b. Also called: tumblerful the contents or quantity such a glass holds - (Jewellery) Also called: tumbling box a pivoted box or drum rotated so that the contents (usually inferior gemstones) tumble about and become smooth and polished
- the part of a lock that retains or releases the bolt and is moved by the action of a key
- (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) a lever in a gunlock that receives the action of the mainspring when the trigger is pressed and thus forces the hammer forwards
- (Mechanical Engineering)
a. a part that moves a gear in a train of gears into and out of engagement
b. a single cog or cam that transmits motion to the part with which it engages
phrenology
(frĭ-nŏl′ə-jē)
n. The study of the shape and protuberances of the skull, based on the now discredited belief that they reveal character and mental capacity.
phren′o·log′ic (frĕn′ə-lŏj′ĭk, frē′nə-), phren′o·log′i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj.
phre·nol′o·gist n.
trefoil
(trē′foil′, trĕf′oil′)
n.
- Any of various plants of the pea family, chiefly of the genera Trifolium and Lotus, having compound trifoliolate leaves.
- An ornament, symbol, or architectural form having the appearance of a trifoliolate leaf.
[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman trifoil, from Latin trifolium : tri-, tri- + folium, leaf; see bhel- in Indo-European roots.]
cistern
(sĭs′tərn)
n.
- A receptacle for holding water or other liquid, especially a tank for catching and storing rainwater.
- Anatomy A cisterna.
[Middle English cisterne, from Latin cisterna, from cista, box, from Greek kistē, basket.]
cis·tern′al (sĭ-stûr′nəl) adj.
fathom
n. Abbr. fth. or fm.
A unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.83 meters), used principally in the measurement and specification of marine depths.
tr. v. fath·omed, fath·om·ing, fath·oms
1. To penetrate to the meaning or nature of; comprehend.
2. To determine the depth of; sound.
[Middle English fathme, from Old English fæthm, outstretched arms; see petə- in Indo-European roots.]
fath′om·a·ble adj.
Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham (1748 – 1832) was a British philosopher, jurist, and social reformer. He is regarded as the founder of modern utilitarianism.
Bentham became a leading theorist in Anglo-American philosophy of law, and a political radical whose ideas influenced the development of welfarism. He advocated individual and economic freedom, the separation of church and state, freedom of expression, equal rights for women, the right to divorce, and the decriminalising of homosexual acts. He called for the abolition of slavery, the abolition of the death penalty, and the abolition of physical punishment, including that of children. He has also become known in recent years as an early advocate of animal rights. Though strongly in favour of the extension of individual legal rights, he opposed the idea of natural law and natural rights, calling them “nonsense upon stilts”.
Bentham’s students included his secretary and collaborator James Mill, the latter’s son, John Stuart Mill, the legal philosopher John Austin, as well as Robert Owen, one of the founders of utopian socialism. Bentham has been described as the “spiritual founder” of University College London, though he played little direct part in its foundation.
louver
also lou·vre (lo͞o′vər)
n.
1.
a. A framed opening, as in a wall, door, or window, fitted with fixed or movable horizontal slats for admitting air or light and often for shedding rain.
b. One of the slats used in such an opening.
c. One of the narrow openings formed by such slats.
2. A slatted, ventilating opening, as on the hood of a motor vehicle.
3. A lantern-shaped cupola on the roof of a medieval building for admitting air and providing for the escape of smoke.
[Middle English lover, skylight, chimney, from Old French, from Middle Dutch love, gallery, from Middle High German lauble.]
lou′vered adj.
bung
n.
- A stopper, especially for the hole through which a cask, keg, or barrel is filled or emptied.
- A bunghole.
tr. v. bunged, bung·ing, bungs
1. To close with a cork or stopper.
2. Informal To injure or damage: fell on skis and bunged up my leg.
3. Chiefly British To fling; toss.
pontoon
(pŏn-to͞on′)
n. Any of various floating structures, especially:
a. A flatbottom boat used to support a bridge.
b. A floating structure that serves as a dock.
c. Either of a pair of floats supporting a boat or seaplane.
[French ponton, from Old French, from Latin pontō, pontōn-, floating bridge, from pōns, pont-, bridge; see pent- in Indo-European roots.]
aerie / eyrie
or aer·y also ey·rie or ey·ry (âr′ē, îr′ē)
n. pl. aer·ies also ey·ries
1. The nest of a bird, such as an eagle, built on a cliff or other high place.
2. A house or stronghold perched on a height.
[Medieval Latin aeria, from Old French aire, aerie, origin, family (probably influenced by Latin ārea, open space, threshing floor, and āerius, aerial), from Latin ager, field; see agro- in Indo-European roots.]
lugger
(lŭg′ər)
n. A small boat used for fishing, sailing, or coasting and having two or three masts, each with a lugsail, and two or three jibs set on the bowsprit.
Richard von Krafft-Ebing
Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing was an Austro–German psychiatrist and author of the foundational work Psychopathia Sexualis.
Krafft-Ebing, born in Mannheim, Germany, studied medicine at the University of Heidelberg, where he specialized in psychiatry. He later practiced in psychiatric asylums. After leaving his work in asylums, he pursued a career in psychiatry, forensics, and hypnosis.
Christian Rosenkreuz
Christian Rosenkreuz (also spelled Rosenkreutz) is the legendary, possibly allegorical, founder of the Rosicrucian Order (Order of the Rosy Cross). He is presented in three manifestos that were published early in the 17th century.
According to legend, Christian Rosenkreuz was a doctor who discovered and learned esoteric wisdom on a pilgrimage to the Middle East among Turkish, Arab and Persian sages, possibly Sufi or Zoroastrian masters, supposedly in the early 15th century; returned and founded the “Fraternity of the Rose Cross” with himself (Frater C.R.C.) as Head of the Order. Under his direction a Temple, called Sanctus Spiritus, or “The House of the Holy Spirit”, was built.
It is described that his body was discovered by a Brother of the Order, in a perfect state of preservation, 120 years after his death (which occurred in absolute secrecy) – as Rosenkreuz had predicted —, in a heptagonal chamber erected by himself as a storehouse of knowledge. It is described that on the Sarcophagus in the centre of the Crypt of Christian Rosenkreutz were written, among other inscriptions the words, “Jesus mihi omnia, nequaquam vacuum, libertas evangelii, dei intacta gloria, legis jugum” (being in translation, “Jesus is everything to me, by no means empty, the freedom of the gospel, the untouched glory of god, the yoke of the law”), testifying to the builder’s Christian character.
Rosenkreuz’s crypt, according to the description presented in the legend, is located in the interior of the Earth, recalling the alchemical motto V.I.T.R.I.O.L.: Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem [“Visit the interior of the Earth; by rectification thou shalt find the hidden stone.”].
hustings
(hŭs′tĭngz)
pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
1.
a. A place where political campaign speeches are made: a candidate out on the hustings in the farm belt.
b. The activities involved in political campaigning: a veteran of the hustings.
2. Chiefly British A court formerly held in some English cities and still held infrequently in London.
3. Chiefly British
a. A platform on which candidates for Parliament formerly stood to address the electors.
b. The proceedings of a parliamentary election.
[From Middle English husting, court of common pleas, from Old English hūsting, court, from Old Norse hūsthing : hūs, house + thing, assembly.]
theodolite
(thē-ŏd′l-īt′)
n. An optical instrument consisting of a small mounted telescope rotatable in horizontal and vertical planes, used to measure angles in surveying.
the·od′o·lit′ic (-lĭt′ĭk) adj.
albedo
(ăl-bē′dō)
n. pl. al·be·dos
1. The fraction of incident electromagnetic radiation reflected by a surface, especially of a celestial body.
2. The spongy white tissue on the inside of the rind of citrus fruit.
[Late Latin albēdō, whiteness, from Latin albus, white; see albho- in Indo-European roots.]
Ecliptic
The ecliptic is the apparent path of the Sun on the celestial sphere, and is the basis for the ecliptic coordinate system. It also refers to the plane of this path, which is coplanar with both the orbit of the Earth around the Sun and the apparent orbit of the Sun around the Earth. The path of the Sun is not normally noticeable from the Earth’s surface because the Earth rotates, carrying the observer through the cycles of sunrise and sunset, obscuring the apparent motion of the Sun with respect to the stars.
legionnaire
n. A member of a legion.
[French légionnaire, from Old French, from legion, legion; see legion.]
spindrift
n
- (Physical Geography) spray blown up from the surface of the sea
- (Physical Geography) powdery snow blown off a mountain
Nontechnical name: spoondrift
flaxen
- Made of or resembling flax.
- Having the pale grayish-yellow color of flax fiber: flaxen braids.
filial
(fĭl′ē-əl, fē′lē-)
adj.
- Of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter: filial respect.
- Having or assuming the relationship of child or offspring to parent.
- Genetics Of or relating to a generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin fīliālis, from Latin fīlius, son; see dhē(i)- in Indo-European roots.]
fil′i·al·ly adv.
mausoleum
n. pl. mau·so·le·ums or mau·so·le·a (-lē′ə)
- A large stately tomb or a building housing such a tomb or several tombs.
- A gloomy, usually large room or building.
[Middle English, from Latin Mausōlēum, from Greek Mausōleion, from Mausōlos, Mausolus (died c. 353 bc), Persian satrap of Caria whose tomb was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.]
mau′so·le′an adj.
banshee
(European Myth & Legend) (in Irish folklore) a female spirit whose wailing warns of impending death
coruscate
(kôr′ə-skāt′, kŏr′-)
intr. v. cor·us·cat·ed, cor·us·cat·ing, cor·us·cates
1. To give forth flashes of light; sparkle and glitter: diamonds coruscating in the candlelight.
2. To exhibit sparkling virtuosity: a flutist whose music coruscated throughout the concert hall.
[Latin coruscāre, coruscāt-, to flash.]
cor′us·ca′tion n.
privation
(prī-vā′shən)
n.
1.
a. Lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life: living in times of privation.
b. An act, condition, or result of deprivation or loss: endured the privations of war.
2. The condition of being without a specified quality or attribute: the privation of liberty.
marsh
An area of low-lying land that is usually saturated with water and is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plants.
bluebottle
(blo͞o′bŏt′l)
n. Any of several blowflies of the genus Calliphora that have a bright metallic-blue body and lay their eggs in decaying organic matter.
explicate
vb (tr)
- to make clear or explicit; explain
- to formulate or develop (a theory, hypothesis, etc)
aerobraking
(Astronautics) the use of aerodynamic braking in extremely low-density atmospheres in space at hypersonic Mach numbers
Aerobraking is a spaceflight maneuver that reduces the high point of an elliptical orbit (apoapsis) by flying the vehicle through the atmosphere at the low point of the orbit (periapsis). The resulting drag slows the spacecraft. Aerobraking is used when a spacecraft requires a low orbit after arriving at a body with an atmosphere, and it requires less fuel than does the direct use of a rocket engine.
gorse
(gôrs)
n. Any of several spiny evergreen shrubs of the genus Ulex of the pea family, especially U. europaeus, native to Europe and naturalized elsewhere,having fragrant yellow flowers and black pods. Also called furze, whin.
mayfly
Mayflies or shadflies are aquatic insects belonging to the order Ephemeroptera (from the Greek ephemeros = “short-lived” (literally “lasting a day”, cf. English “ephemeral”), and pteron = “wing”, referring to the brief lifespan of adults). They are in an ancient group of insects termed the Palaeoptera, which also contains the dragonflies and damselflies.
Mayflies are relatively primitive insects and exhibit a number of ancestral traits that were probably present in the first flying insects, such as long tails and wings that do not fold flat over the abdomen. They are aquatic insects whose immature stage (called “naiad” or “nymph”) lives in fresh water. They are unique among insects in having a fully winged terrestrial adult stage, the subimago, that moults into a sexually mature adult.
Mayflies “hatch” (emerge as adults) in spring, not necessarily in May, in enormous numbers. Some hatches attract tourists. Fly fishermen make use of mayfly hatches by choosing artificial fishing flies that resemble the species in question. One of the most famous English mayflies is Rhithrogena germanica, the fisherman’s “March brown mayfly”.
viridian
(və-rĭd′ē-ən)
n. A durable bluish-green pigment.
[From Latin viridis, green; see virid.]
Serengeti
The Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa. It is located in northern Tanzania and extends to south-western Kenya between 1 and 3 degrees south latitudes and between 34 and 36 degrees east longitudes.
The Serengeti hosts the largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world, which helps secure it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and one of the ten natural travel wonders of the world. The Serengeti is also renowned for its large lion population and is one of the best places to observe prides in their natural environment. The region contains the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and several game reserves.
Approximately 70 larger mammal and 500 bird species are found there. This high diversity is a function of diverse habitats, including riverine forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands, and woodlands. Blue wildebeests, gazelles, zebras, and buffalos are some of the commonly found large mammals in the region.
There has been controversy about a proposed road to be built through the Serengeti.
Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language, Maa; specifically, “Serengit” meaning “Endless Plains”.
aqueous / vitreous humor
The human eye is composed of six main components, which directly relate to eye optics, namely; cornea, lens, vitreous humor, aqueous humor, and retina.
Aqueous humor is a clear liquid found in the space between the cornea and the lens. Main functions of aqueous humor are nourishing and removing the wastes of avascular structures such as the cornea, the lens, playing a role in refraction of light, and maintaining the intraocular pressure.
Vitreous humor is a clear, gel-like substances present in the rear part of the eyeball, which includes the space between the lens and the retina. The main function of vitreous humor is to hold the retina in the eyeball and provide a shape to eyeball.
spinster
(spĭn′stər)
n.
- Often Offensive A woman, especially an older one, who has not married.
- Archaic A person, especially a woman, whose occupation is spinning thread.
[Middle English spinnestere, female spinner of thread : spinnen, to spin; see spin + -estere, -ster, -ster.]
spin′ster·hood′ n.
spin′ster·ish, spin′ster·ly adj.
merlon
(mûr′lən)
n. A solid portion between two crenels in a battlement or crenelated wall.
[French, from Italian merlone, augmentative of merlo, battlement, perhaps from Medieval Latin merulus, from Latin, merle (from their imagined similarity to blackbirds sitting on a wall).]
obsequious
(ŏb-sē′kwē-əs, əb-)
adj. Full of or exhibiting servile compliance; fawning.
[Middle English, from Latin obsequiōsus, from obsequium, compliance, from obsequī, to comply : ob-, to; see sequī in Indo-European roots.]
ob·se′qui·ous·ly adv.
ob·se′qui·ous·ness n.
cashmere
(kăzh′mîr′, kăsh′-, kăzh-mîr′, kăsh-)
n.
- The fine wool of a Cashmere goat.
- A soft fabric made of this wool or of similar fibers.
caduceus
(kə-do͞o′sē-əs, -shəs, -dyo͞o′-)
n. pl. ca·du·ce·i (-sē-ī′)
1.
a. A herald’s wand or staff, especially in ancient times.
b. Greek Mythology A winged staff with two serpents twined around it, carried by Hermes.
2. An insignia modeled on Hermes’s staff and used as the symbol of the medical profession.
[Latin cādūceus, alteration of Greek dialectal kārūkeion, from kārūx, herald.] ca·du′ce·an (-sē-ən, -shən) adj.
braze
(brāz)
tr. v. brazed, braz·ing, braz·es
1. To make of or decorate with brass.
2. To make hard like brass.
[Middle English brasen, from Old English brasian, from bræs, brass.]
braze 2
tr.v. brazed, braz·ing, braz·es To solder (two pieces of metal) together using a hard solder with a high melting point.
skein
(skān)
n.
1.
a. A length of thread or yarn wound in a loose long coil.
b. Something suggesting the coil of a skein; a complex tangle: a twisted skein of lies.
2. A flock of geese or similar birds in flight.
yoke
n.
1.
a. A contoured crossbar having two U-shaped attachments that fit around the necks of a team of oxen or other draft animals, with a central ring for hitching the team to a cart, plow, or other load.
b. pl. yoke or yokes A pair of draft animals, such as oxen, joined by a yoke.
c. A bar used with a double harness to connect the collar of each horse to the pole of a wagon or coach.
2. A frame designed to be carried across a person’s shoulders with equal loads suspended from each end.
3. Nautical A crossbar on a ship’s rudder to which the steering cables are connected.
4. A clamp or vise that holds a machine part in place or controls its movement or that holds two such parts together.
5. A piece of a garment that is closely fitted, either around the neck and shoulders or at the hips, and from which an unfitted or gathered part of the garment is hung.
6. Something that connects or joins together; a bond or tie.
7. Electronics A series of two or more magnetic recording heads fastened securely together for playing or recording on more than one track simultaneously.
8.
a. Any of various emblems of subjugation, such as a structure made of two upright spears with a third laid across them, under which conquered enemies of ancient Rome were forced to march in subjection.
b. The condition of being subjugated by or as if by a conqueror; subjugation or bondage: 14th-century Russia under the Tatar yoke; the yoke of drug addiction.
v. yoked, yok·ing, yokes v.tr.
1. To fit or join with a yoke.
2.
a. To harness a draft animal to.
b. To harness (a draft animal) to a vehicle or an implement.
3. To join together; bind: partners who were yoked together for life.
4. To force into heavy labor, bondage, or subjugation. v.intr. To become joined.
arbalest
also ar·ba·list (är′bə-lĭst)
n. A medieval missile launcher designed on the principle of the crossbow.
[Middle English arblast, from Old English, from Old French arbaleste, from Late Latin arcuballista : Latin arcus, bow + Latin ballista, ballista; see ballista.]
ar′ba·lest′er (-lĕs′tər) n.
Inca
also In·ka (ĭng′kə)
n. pl. Inca or In·cas also Inka or In·kas
1.
a. A member of the group of Quechuan peoples of highland Peru who established an empire from northern Ecuador to central Chile before the Spanish conquest.
b. A ruler or high-ranking member of the Inca Empire.
2. A member of any of the peoples ruled by the Incas.
[Spanish, from Quechua inka, ruler, man of royal lineage.]
benison
(bĕn′ĭ-zən, -sən)
n. A blessing; a benediction.
[Middle English, from Old French beneison, from Latin benedictiō, benedictiōn-, praising; see benediction.]
squalid
(skwŏl′ĭd)
adj.
- Dirty or deteriorated, especially from poverty or lack of care. See Synonyms at dirty.
- Morally repulsive; sordid: “the squalid atmosphere of intrigue, betrayal, and counterbetrayal” (W. Bruce Lincoln).
[Latin squālidus, from squālēre, to be filthy, from squālus, filthy.]
squal′id·ly adv.
squal′id·ness, squa·lid′i·ty (skwŏ-lĭd′ĭ-tē) n.
valediction
(văl′ĭ-dĭk′shən)
n.
- An act of bidding farewell; a leave-taking.
- A speech or statement made as a farewell.
- A word or phrase of farewell used to end a letter or message.
[From Latin valedictus, past participle of valedīcere, to say farewell : valē, farewell; see dīcere in Indo-European roots.]
drubbing
(drŭb′ĭng)
n.
- A severe thrashing.
- A total defeat.
whelp
n.
1. A young offspring of a carnivorous mammal, especially a dog or wolf.
2.
a. A child; a youth.
b. An impudent boy or young man.
3.
a. A tooth of a sprocket wheel.
b. Nautical Any of the ridges on the barrel of a windlass or capstan.
v. whelped, whelp·ing, whelps
v.intr.
To give birth to whelps or a whelp.
v.tr.
To give birth to (whelps or a whelp).
Tiber
(tī′bər)
A river of central Italy flowing about 406 km (252 mi) south and southwest through Rome to the Tyrrhenian Sea at Ostia.
hank
n.
- A coil or loop.
- Nautical A ring on a stay attached to the head of a jib or staysail.
- A looped bundle, as of yarn.
[Middle English, from Old Norse hönk.]
seine
(sān)
n.
A large fishing net made to hang vertically in the water by weights at the lower edge and floats at the top.
v. seined, sein·ing, seines v.intr.
To fish with such a net.
[Middle English, from Old English segne, from Germanic *sagina, from Latin sagēna, from Greek sagēnē.]
sein′er n.
clinker built
Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull planks overlap, called a “land” or “landing.” In craft of any size planks are also joined end to end into a strake. The technique developed in northern Europe and was successfully used by the Norsemen and typical for the Hanseatic cog. A contrasting method, where plank edges are butted smoothly seam to seam, is known as carvel construction. Examples of clinker-built boats directly descended from those of Norsemen shipbuilders are the traditional round-bottomed Thames skiffs of the River Thames, and the larger (originally) cargo-carrying Norfolk wherries of England.
sacrament
n.
- Christianity A rite believed to be a means of or visible form of grace, especially:
a. In the Eastern, Roman Catholic, and some other Western Christian churches, any of the traditional seven rites that were instituted by Jesus and recorded in the New Testament and that confer sanctifying grace.
b. In most other Western Christian churches, the two rites, Baptism and the Eucharist, that were instituted by Jesus to confer sanctifying grace. - A religious rite similar to a Christian sacrament, as in character or meaning.
- often Sacrament
a. The Eucharist.
b. The consecrated elements of the Eucharist, especially the bread or host.
[Middle English, from Old French sacrement, from Late Latin sacrāmentum, from Latin, oath, from sacrāre, to consecrate, from sacer, sacr-, sacred; see sacred.]
Hermes
n. Greek Mythology The god of commerce, invention, cunning, and theft, who also served as messenger, scribe, and herald for the other gods.
triturate
(trĭch′ə-rāt′)
tr.v. trit·u·rat·ed, trit·u·rat·ing, trit·u·rates
To rub, crush, grind, or pound into fine particles or a powder; pulverize.
n. (-ər-ĭt)
A triturated substance, especially a powdered drug.
[Late Latin trītūrāre, trītūrāt-, to thresh, from Latin trītūra, a threshing, from trītus, past participle of terere, to thresh; see terə- in Indo-European roots.]
trit′u·ra·ble adj.
trit′u·ra′tor n.
transom
n.
1.
a. A horizontal crosspiece over a door or between a door and a window above it.
b. A small hinged window above a door or another window.
2. A horizontal dividing bar of wood or stone in a window.
3. A lintel.
4. Nautical
a. Any of several transverse beams affixed to the sternpost of a wooden ship and forming part of the stern.
b. The aftermost transverse structural member in a steel ship, including the floor, frame, and beam assembly at the sternpost.
c. The stern of a square-sterned boat when it is a structural member.
5. The horizontal beam on a cross or gallows. Idiom: over the transom Without being agreed to; unsolicited: They even publish a few manuscripts that come in over the transom.
[Middle English traunsom, probably alteration of Latin trānstrum, cross-beam, from trāns, across; see trans-.]
Maitreya
Maitreya (Sanskrit) is regarded as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he is referred to as Ajita.
According to Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is a bodhisattva who will appear on Earth in the future, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor to the present Buddha, Gautama Buddha (also known as Śākyamuni Buddha). The prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya refers to a time in the future when the dharma will have been forgotten by most on the terrestrial world. This prophecy is found in the canonical literature of all major schools of Buddhism.
Maitreya has also been adopted for his millenarian role by many non-Buddhist religions in the past such as the White Lotus as well as by modern new religious movements such as Yiguandao.
mottle
tr.v. mot·tled, mot·tling, mot·tles
To mark with spots or blotches of different shades or colors.
n.
- A spot or blotch of color.
- A variegated pattern, as on marble.
[Probably back-formation from motley.]
mot′tler n.
tracery
n. pl. trac·er·ies
Ornamental work of interlaced and branching lines, especially the lacy openwork in a Gothic window.
[From trace.]
trac′er·ied adj.
caravel
or car·a·velle (kăr′ə-vĕl′) also car·vel (kär′vəl, -vĕl′)
n. Any of several types of small, light sailing ships, especially one with two to four masts and lateen sails used by the Spanish and Portuguese in the 1400s and 1500s.
spar
n.
- Nautical A wooden or metal pole, such as a boom, yard, or bowsprit, used to support sails and rigging.
- A usually metal pole used as part of a crane or derrick.
- A main structural member in an airplane wing or a tail assembly that runs from tip to tip or from root to tip.
tr. v. sparred, spar·ring, spars
1. To supply with spars.
2. Obsolete To fasten with a bolt.
Ymir
n 1. (Norse Myth & Legend) Norse myth the first being and forefather of the giants. He was slain by Odin and his brothers, who made the earth from his flesh, the water from his blood, and the sky from his skull
Giordano Bruno
Italian philosopher who used Copernican principles to develop a pantheistic monistic philosophy; condemned for heresy by the Inquisition and burned at the stake (1548-1600)
Fräulein
(froi′līn′, frou′-)
n. pl. Fräulein Abbr. Frl.
1. Used as a courtesy title in a German-speaking area before the name of an unmarried woman or girl.
2. fräulein Used as a form of polite address for a girl or young woman in a German-speaking area.
3. Chiefly British A German governess.
ornithology
n.
The branch of zoology that deals with birds.
or′ni·tho·log′ic (-thə-lŏj′ĭk), or′ni·tho·log′i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj.
or′ni·tho·log′i·cal·ly adv.
or′ni·thol′o·gist n.
fen
An area of low wet land having peaty soil and typically being less acidic than a bog.
jenny
n. pl. jen·nies
1. The female of certain animals, especially a donkey or a wren.
2. A spinning jenny.
parapet
(păr′ə-pĭt, -pĕt′)
n.
- A low protective wall or railing along the edge of a raised structure such as a roof or balcony.
- An earthen or stone embankment protecting soldiers from enemy fire. See Synonyms at bulwark.
[French, from Italian parapetto : parare, to shield; see parasol + petto, chest (from Latin pectus).]
J. Robert Oppenheimer
Julius Robert Oppenheimer (1904 – 1967) was an American theoretical physicist and professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley. He is among the persons who are often called the “father of the atomic bomb” for their role in the Manhattan Project, the World War II project that developed the first nuclear weapons. The first atomic bomb was detonated on July 16, 1945, in the Trinity test in New Mexico; Oppenheimer remarked later that it brought to mind words from the Bhagavad Gita: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.
jamb
- One of a pair of vertical posts or pieces that together form the sides of a door, window frame, or fireplace, for example.
- A projecting mass or columnar part.
clew
n.
- A ball of yarn or thread.
- Greek Mythology The ball of thread used by Theseus to find his way out of the labyrinth.
- clews The cords by which a hammock is suspended.
- also clue Nautical
a. One of the two lower corners of a square sail.
b. The lower aft corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
c. A metal loop attached to the lower corner of a sail.
tr. v. clewed, clew·ing, clews
1. To roll or coil into a ball.
2. also clue Nautical To raise the lower corners of (a square sail) by means of clew lines. Used with up.
emollient
(ĭ-mŏl′yənt)
adj.
- Softening and soothing, especially to the skin.
- Making less harsh or abrasive; mollifying: the emollient approach of a diplomatic mediator.
n.
- An agent that softens or soothes the skin.
- An agent that assuages or mollifies.
palanquin
(păl′ən-kēn′, păl′ən-kwĭn) also pal·an·keen (păl′ən-kēn′)
n. A covered litter carried on poles on the shoulders of multiple bearers, formerly used in eastern Asia.
parson
n.
- An Anglican cleric with full legal control of a parish under ecclesiastical law; a rector.
- A member of the clergy, especially a Protestant minister.
[Middle English, parish priest, from Old French persone, from Medieval Latin persōna, from Latin, character; see person.]
viaduct
(vī′ə-dŭkt′)
n. A series of spans or arches used to carry a road or railroad over a wide valley or over other roads or railroads.
[Latin via, road; see via + (aque)duct.]
Giambattista Vico
Giovan Battista (Giambattista) Vico (1668 – 1744) was an Italian political philosopher, rhetorician, historian, and jurist. He criticized the expansion and development of modern rationalism and was an apologist of classical antiquity. Vico is best known for his magnum opus, the Scienza Nuova of 1725, often published in English as New Science.
Vico is a precursor of systemic and complexity thinking, as opposed to Cartesian analysis and other kinds of reductionism. He is also well known for noting that verum esse ipsum factum (“true itself is fact” or “the true itself is made”), a proposition that has been read as an early instance of constructivist epistemology.
Vico is often claimed to have inaugurated modern philosophy of history, although the term is not found in his text (Vico speaks of a “history of philosophy narrated philosophically”). While Vico was not, strictly speaking, a historicist, interest in him has often been driven by historicists.
The view of history in Finnegans Wake is very strongly influenced by Giambattista Vico. Vico propounded a cyclical view of history, in which civilization rose from chaos, passed through theocratic, aristocratic, and democratic phases, and then lapsed back into chaos.
humus
(hyo͞o′məs)
n. A brown or black organic substance consisting of partially or wholly decayed vegetable or animal matter that provides nutrients for plants and increases the ability of soil to retain water.
k-meson
also kaon
an unstable meson produced as the result of a high-energy particle collision K particle, kaon, kappa-meson
meson, mesotron - an elementary particle responsible for the forces in the atomic nucleus; a hadron with a baryon number of 0
Wikipedia:
In particle physics, a kaon /ˈkeɪ.ɒn/, also called a K meson and denoted K,[nb 1] is any of a group of three mesons distinguished by a quantum number called strangeness. In the quark model they are understood to be bound states of a strange quark (or antiquark) and an up or down antiquark (or quark).
Kaons have proved to be a copious source of information on the nature of fundamental interactions since their discovery in cosmic rays in 1947. They were essential in establishing the foundations of the Standard Model of particle physics, such as the quark model of hadrons and the theory of quark mixing (the latter was acknowledged by a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2008). Kaons have played a distinguished role in our understanding of fundamental conservation laws: CP violation, a phenomenon generating the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe, was discovered in the kaon system in 1964 (which was acknowledged by a Nobel prize in 1980). Moreover, direct CP violation was also discovered in the kaon decays in the early 2000s.
torpor
(tôr′pər)
n.
- A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility.
- Lethargy; apathy. See Synonyms at lethargy.
- The dormant, inactive state of a hibernating or estivating animal.
[Latin, from torpēre, to be stiff; see ster- in Indo-European roots.]
tor′po·rif′ic (-pə-rĭf′ĭk) adj.
dovecote
(dŭv′kōt′, -kŏt′) also dove·cot (-kŏt′)
n. A compartmental structure, often raised on a pole, for housing domesticated pigeons.
qualm
(kwäm, kwôm)
n.
- An uneasy feeling about the propriety or rightness of a course of action: “an ignorant ruffianly gaucho, who … would … fight, steal, and do other naughty things without a qualm” (W.H. Hudson).
- A sudden disturbing feeling: “I heard with a qualm of terror the faint, remorseless sound of a telephone ringing somewhere down in the depths of the house” (John Banville).
- A sudden feeling of sickness, faintness, or nausea.
qualm′ish adj.
qualm′ish·ly adv.
Baphomet
Baph´o`met
Baphomet is a term originally used to describe an idol or other deity that the Knights Templar were accused of worshiping, and that subsequently was incorporated into disparate occult and mystical traditions. It appeared as a term for a pagan idol in trial transcripts of the Inquisition of the Knights Templar in the early 14th century. The name first came into popular English usage in the 19th century, with debate and speculation on the reasons for the suppression of the Templars.
Since 1856, the name Baphomet has been associated with a “Sabbatic Goat” image drawn by Eliphas Levi which contains binary elements representing the “sum total of the universe” (e.g. male and female, good and evil, etc.).
hassock
(hăs′ək)
n.
- A thick cushion used as a footstool or for kneeling.
- A dense clump of grass.
[Middle English hassok, clump of grass, from Old English hassuc.]
prehensile
(prē-hĕn′səl, -sīl′)
adj.
- Able to seize, grasp, or hold, especially by wrapping around an object: a monkey’s prehensile tail.
- Having a keen intellect or powerful memory: a prehensile mind.
[French préhensile, from Latin prehēnsus, past participle of prehendere, to grasp; see ghend- in Indo-European roots.]
pre′hen·sil′i·ty (-sĭl′ĭ-tē) n.
mew
(myo͞o)
n.
- A cage for hawks, especially when molting.
- A secret place; a hideaway.
- mews (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
a. A group of buildings originally containing private stables, often converted into residential apartments.
b. A small street, alley, or courtyard on which such buildings stand.
v. mewed, mew·ing, mews v.tr.
To confine in or as if in a cage.
v.intr.
To molt. Used of a hawk.
ruddy
adj. rud·di·er, rud·di·est
1.
a. Having a healthy, reddish color.
b. Reddish; rosy.
2. Chiefly British Slang Used as an intensive: “You ruddy liar!” (John Galsworthy).
[Middle English rudi, from Old English rudig; see reudh- in Indo-European roots.]
rud′di·ly adv.
rud′di·ness n.
moraine
(mə-rān′)
n. An accumulation of boulders, stones, or other debris carried and deposited by a glacier.
[French, from French dialectal morena, mound of earth, from Provençal morre, muzzle, from Vulgar Latin *murrum.]
mo·rain′al, mo·rain′ic adj.
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and Catholic priest and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, within which he is also known as the “Doctor Angelicus” and “Doctor Communis”.
He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology, and the father of Thomism. His influence on Western thought is considerable, and much of modern philosophy was conceived in development or opposition of his ideas, particularly in the areas of ethics, natural law, metaphysics, and political theory. Unlike many currents in the Church of the time, Thomas embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle — whom he referred to as “the Philosopher” — and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity.
The works for which he is best known are the Summa Theologica and the Summa contra Gentiles.
Also honored as a Doctor of the Church.
glissade
(glĭ-säd′, -sād′)
n.
- A gliding step in ballet.
- A controlled slide, in either a standing or sitting position, used in descending a steep icy or snowy incline.
intr.v. glis·sad·ed, glis·sad·ing, glis·sades
To perform a glissade.
[French, from glisser, to slide, from Old French, possibly alteration (influenced by glacer, to slide) of glier, to glide, of Germanic origin; see ghel- in Indo-European roots.]
glis·sad′er n.
lugubrious
adj. Mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree.
[From Latin lūgubris, from lūgēre, to mourn.]
lu·gu′bri·ous·ly adv.
lu·gu′bri·ous·ness n.
obeisance
(ō-bā′səns, ō-bē′-)
n.
- A gesture or movement of the body, such as a curtsy, that expresses deference or homage.
- An attitude of deference or homage.
[Middle English obeisaunce, from Old French obeissance, from obeissant, present participle of obeir, to obey; see obey.]
o·bei′sant adj.
exult
(ĭg-zŭlt′)
intr. v. ex·ult·ed, ex·ult·ing, ex·ults
1. To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant.
2. Obsolete To leap upward, especially for joy.
[Latin exsultāre : ex-, ex- + saltāre, to dance, frequentative of salīre, to leap; see sel- in Indo-European roots.]
ex·ul′tance, ex·ul′tan·cy n.
John von Neumann
John von Neumann (1903 – 1957) was a Hungarian and later American pure and applied mathematician, physicist, inventor, polymath, and polyglot. He made major contributions to a number of fields, including mathematics (foundations of mathematics, functional analysis, ergodic theory, geometry, topology, and numerical analysis), physics (quantum mechanics, hydrodynamics, and fluid dynamics), economics (game theory), computing (Von Neumann architecture, linear programming, self-replicating machines, stochastic computing), and statistics. He was a pioneer of the application of operator theory to quantum mechanics, in the development of functional analysis, a principal member of the Manhattan Project and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton (as one of the few originally appointed), and a key figure in the development of game theory and the concepts of cellular automata, the universal constructor, and the digital computer.
Von Neumann’s mathematical analysis of the structure of self-replication preceded the discovery of the structure of DNA. In a short list of facts about his life he submitted to the National Academy of Sciences, he stated “The part of my work I consider most essential is that on quantum mechanics, which developed in Göttingen in 1926, and subsequently in Berlin in 1927–1929. Also, my work on various forms of operator theory, Berlin 1930 and Princeton 1935–1939; on the ergodic theorem, Princeton, 1931–1932.” Along with Hungarian-born American theoretical physicist Edward Teller and Polish mathematician Stanislaw Ulam, von Neumann worked out key steps in the nuclear physics involved in thermonuclear reactions and the hydrogen bomb.
Von Neumann founded the field of game theory as a mathematical discipline.
repast
(rĭ-păst′)
n.
A meal or the food eaten or provided at a meal.
v. re·past·ed, re·past·ing, re·pasts
v.intr.
To eat or feast. v.tr. Obsolete To give food to.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin repāstus, from past participle of repāscere, to feed : re-, re- + Latin pāscere, to feed; see pā- in Indo-European roots.]
corvine
(kôr′vīn′, -vĭn)
adj. Of, resembling, or characteristic of crows.
[Latin corvīnus, from corvus, raven.]
avuncular
- Of or having to do with an uncle.
- Regarded as characteristic of an uncle, especially in benevolence or tolerance.
maidenhead
(mād′n-hĕd′)
n.
- Archaic The condition or quality of being a maiden; virginity.
- The hymen.
Budai
Budai or Pu-Tai (Chinese: 布袋; pinyin: Bùdài), or 布袋 (Hotei) in Japanese, is a Chinese folkloric deity. His name means “Cloth Sack,” and comes from the bag that he is conventionally depicted as carrying. He is usually identified with or seen as an incarnation of Maitreya, the future Buddha, so much so that the Budai image is one of the main forms in which Maitreya is depicted in East Asia. He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the Laughing Buddha. In the West, the image of Budai is often mistaken for Gautama Buddha.
maudlin
adj.
Effusively sad or full of self-pity; extremely sentimental: “displayed an almost maudlin concern for the welfare of animals” (Aldous Huxley). See Synonyms at sentimental.
[Alteration of (Mary) Magdalene, who was frequently depicted as a tearful penitent.]
maud′lin·ly adv.
maud′lin·ness n.
legion
n.
- The major unit of the Roman army consisting of 3,000 to 6,000 infantry troops and 100 to 200 cavalry troops.
- A large military unit trained for combat; an army.
- A large number; a multitude. See Synonyms at multitude.
- often Legion A national organization of former members of the armed forces.
adj.
Constituting a large number; multitudinous: Her admirers were legion. His mistakes were legion.
[Middle English legioun, from Old French legion, from Latin legiō, legiōn-, from legere, to gather; see leg- in Indo-European roots.]
penumbra
(pĭ-nŭm′brə)
n. pl. pe·num·bras or pe·num·brae (-brē)
1. A partial shadow, as in an eclipse, between regions of complete shadow and complete illumination.
2. The diffuse outer part of a sunspot.
3. An area in which something exists to a lesser or uncertain degree: “The First Amendment has a penumbra where privacy is protected from governmental intrusion” (Joseph A. Califano, Jr.)
4. An outlying surrounding region; a periphery: “Downtown Chicago and its penumbra also stand rejuvenated” (John McCormick).
[New Latin pēnumbra : Latin paene, almost + Latin umbra, shadow.]
pe·num′bral, pe·num′brous adj.
Bavarian Illuminati
The Illuminati (plural of Latin illuminatus, “enlightened”) is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776. The society’s goals were to oppose superstition, obscurantism, religious influence over public life and abuses of state power. “The order of the day,” they wrote in their general statutes, “is to put an end to the machinations of the purveyors of injustice, to control them without dominating them.”[1] The Illuminati—along with Freemasonry and other secret societies—were outlawed through Edict, by the Bavarian ruler, Charles Theodore, with the encouragement of the Roman Catholic Church, in 1784, 1785, 1787 and 1790.[2] In the several years following, the group was vilified by conservative and religious critics who claimed that they continued underground and were responsible for the French Revolution.
In subsequent use, “Illuminati” refers to various organisations which claim or are purported to have links to the original Bavarian Illuminati or similar secret societies, though these links are unsubstantiated. They are often alleged to conspire to control world affairs, by masterminding events and planting agents in government and corporations, in order to gain political power and influence and to establish a New World Order. Central to some of the most widely known and elaborate conspiracy theories, the Illuminati have been depicted as lurking in the shadows and pulling the strings and levers of power in dozens of novels, movies, television shows, comics, video games and music videos.
Image: Adam Weishaupt (1748–1830), founder of the Bavarian Illuminati
quay
(kē, kā, kwā)
n. A wharf or reinforced bank for the loading or unloading of ships or boats.
[Middle English keye, from Old North French cai, of Celtic origin.]
specter
(spĕk′tər)
n.
- A ghostly apparition; a phantom.
- A haunting or disturbing image or prospect: the terrible specter of nuclear war.
[French spectre, from Latin spectrum, appearance, apparition; see spectrum.]
peregrine
(pĕr′ə-grĭn, -grēn′)
n.
A peregrine falcon.
adj.
- Roving or wandering.
- Archaic Foreign; alien.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin peregrīnus, wandering, pilgrim, from Latin, foreigner, from pereger, being abroad : per-, through; see ager in Indo-European roots.]
gamekeeper
n. One employed to protect and maintain game birds and other game animals, especially on an estate or game preserve.
hominid
n. Any of various primates of the family Hominidae, which includes orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and modern humans, and their extinct relatives. The family formerly included only Homo sapiens, extinct species of Homo, and the extinct genus Australopithecus.
[From New Latin Hominidae, family name, from Latin homō, homin-, man; see dhghem- in Indo-European roots.]
hom′i·nid adj.
embrasure
(ĕm-brā′zhər)
n.
1. An opening in a thick wall for a door or window, especially one with sides angled so that the opening is larger on the inside of the wall than on the outside.
2. A flared opening for a gun in a wall or parapet.
[French, from embraser, to widen an opening.]
em·bra′sured adj.
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing and fertility.
Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of the Germanic peoples.
Thor is the husband of the golden-haired goddess Sif, is the lover of the jötunn Járnsaxa, and is generally described as fierce-eyed, red-haired and red-bearded. With Sif, Thor fathered the goddess (and possible valkyrie) Þrúðr; with Járnsaxa, he fathered Magni; with a mother whose name is not recorded, he fathered Móði, and he is the stepfather of the god Ullr. The same sources list Thor as the son of the god Odin and the personified earth, Fjörgyn, and by way of Odin, Thor has numerous brothers. Thor has two servants, Þjálfi and Röskva, rides in a cart or chariot pulled by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (that he eats and resurrects), and is ascribed three dwellings (Bilskirnir, Þrúðheimr, and Þrúðvangr). Thor wields the mountain-crushing hammer, Mjölnir. Thor’s exploits, including his relentless slaughter of his foes and fierce battles with the monstrous serpent Jörmungandr—and their foretold mutual deaths during the events of Ragnarök—are recorded throughout sources for Norse mythology.
portcullis
(pôrt-kŭl′ĭs)
n. A grating of iron or wooden bars or slats, suspended in the gateway of a fortified place and lowered to block passage.
[Middle English port-colice, from Old French porte coleice, sliding gate : porte, gate (from Latin porta; see per- in Indo-European roots) + coleice, feminine of coleis, sliding (from Vulgar Latin *cōlātīcius, from Latin cōlātus, past participle of cōlāre, to filter, strain, from cōlum, sieve).]
taffeta
(tăf′ĭ-tə)
n. A crisp, smooth, plain-woven fabric with a slight sheen, made of various fibers, such as silk, rayon, or nylon, and used especially for women’s garments.
adj. Made of or resembling this fabric.
[Middle English taffata, from Old French taffetas, from Old Italian taffetà, from Persian tāfta, silk or linen cloth, from past participle of tāftan, to twist, spin.]
Erebus
(ĕr′ə-bəs)
n
- (Classical Myth & Legend) the god of darkness, son of Chaos and brother of Night
- (Classical Myth & Legend) the darkness below the earth, thought to be the abode of the dead or the region they pass through on their way to Hades
n
1. (Placename) Mount Erebus a volcano in Antarctica, on Ross Island: discovered by Sir James Ross in 1841 and named after his ship. Height: 3794 m (12 448 ft)
In Greek mythology, Erebus was often conceived as a primordial deity, representing the personification of darkness; for instance, Hesiod’s Theogony identifies him as one of the first five beings in existence, born of Chaos. Erebus features little in Greek mythological tradition and literature, but is said to have fathered several other deities with Nyx; depending on the source of the mythology, this union includes Aether, Hemera, the Hesperides, Hypnos, the Moirai, Geras, Styx, Charon, and Thanatos.
In Greek literature the name Erebus is also used of a region of the Greek underworld where the dead pass immediately after dying, and is sometimes used interchangeably with Tartarus.
Thomas Robert Malthus / Malthusian
(măl′thəs), 1766-1834.
British economist who wrote An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798), arguing that population tends to increase faster than food supply, with inevitably disastrous results, unless the increase in population is checked by moral restraints or by war, famine, and disease.
Mal·thu′sian (-tho͞o′zhən, -zē-ən) adj. & n.
Mal·thu′sian·ism n.
Hecate
or Hek·a·te (hĕk′ə-tē, hĕk′ĭt)
Hecate or Hekate is a goddess in Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding two torches or a key and in later periods depicted in triple form. She was variously associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, dogs, light, the moon, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery. In the post-Christian writings of the Chaldean Oracles (2nd-3rd century CE) she was regarded with (some) rulership over earth, sea and sky, as well as a more universal role as Saviour (Soteira), Mother of Angels and the Cosmic World Soul. She was one of the main deities worshiped in Athenian households as a protective goddess and one who bestowed prosperity and daily blessings on the family.
Hecate may have originated among the Carians of Anatolia, where variants of her name are found as names given to children. William Berg observes, “Since children are not called after spooks, it is safe to assume that Carian theophoric names involving hekat- refer to a major deity free from the dark and unsavoury ties to the underworld and to witchcraft associated with the Hecate of classical Athens.” She also closely parallels the Roman goddess Trivia, with whom she was identified in Rome.
chatoyant
(shə-toi′ənt)
adj. Having a changeable luster.
n. A chatoyant stone or gemstone, such as the cat’s-eye.
[French, present participle of chatoyer, to shimmer like cats’ eyes, from chat, cat, from Vulgar Latin *cattus, perhaps of African origin.]
cha·toy′an·cy n.
mauve
(mōv)
n. A moderate grayish violet to reddish purple.
mauve adj.
saunter
intr.v. saun·tered, saun·ter·ing, saun·ters
To walk at a leisurely pace; stroll.
n.
- A leisurely pace.
- A leisurely walk or stroll.
saun′ter·er n.
soporific
(sŏp′ə-rĭf′ĭk, sō′pə-)
adj.
- Inducing or tending to induce sleep.
- Drowsy. n. A drug or other substance that induces sleep; a hypnotic.
tallow
n.
- Hard fat obtained from parts of the bodies of cattle, sheep, or horses, and used in foodstuffs or to make candles, leather dressing, soap, and lubricants.
- Any of various similar fats, such as those obtained from plants.
tr. v. tal·lowed, tal·low·ing, tal·lows
1. To smear or cover with tallow.
2. To fatten (animals) in order to obtain tallow.
tal′low·y adj.
andiron
(ănd′ī′ərn)
n. One of a pair of metal supports used for holding up logs in a fireplace. Also called dog; also called regionally dog iron, firedog.
[Middle English aundiren, alteration (influenced by Middle English iren, iron) of Old French andier, probably from Gaulish *anderos, young bull (andirons often being decorated with ornaments shaped like the heads of animals); akin to Welsh anner, heifer.]
Our Living Language A number of words that formerly were limited to one region of the United States are now used throughout the country. Andiron was once Northern, contrasting with Southern dog iron and firedog. The Southern terms remain limited to that region, but andiron is now everywhere. Other formerly Northern words that have become national include faucet, contrasting with Southern spigot and frying pan, contrasting with Midland and Upper Southern skillet. Southern words that are now used nationwide include feisty and gutters.
logarithm
n. Mathematics
The power to which a base, such as 10, must be raised to produce a given number. If nx = a, the logarithm of a, with n as the base, is x; symbolically, logn a = x. For example, 103 = 1,000; therefore, log10 1,000 = 3. The kinds most often used are the common logarithm (base 10), the natural logarithm (base e), and the binary logarithm (base 2).
[New Latin logarithmus : Greek logos, reason, proportion; see leg- in Indo-European roots + Greek arithmos, number; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]
log′a·rith′mic (-rĭth′mĭk), log′a·rith′mi·cal (-mĭ-kəl) adj.
log′a·rith′mi·cal·ly adv.
trenchant
(trĕn′chənt)
adj.
- Forceful and clear; penetrating: a trenchant argument.
- Caustic; cutting: a trenchant wit.
- Distinct; clear-cut: “The times were felt to require … trenchant distinctions between good and bad, right and wrong”
[Middle English, from Old French, cutting, from present participle of trenchier, to cut; see trench.]
trench′an·cy n.
trench′ant·ly adv.
exultant
(ĭg-zŭl′tənt)
adj. Marked by great joy or jubilation; triumphant.
ex·ul′tant·ly adv.
Trotskyism
Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky identified as an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, and supported founding a vanguard party of the working-class, proletarian internationalism, and a dictatorship of the proletariat based on working-class self-emancipation and mass democracy. Trotskyists are critical of Marxism-Leninism, as they oppose the idea of Socialism in One Country. Trotskyists also criticise the bureaucracy that developed under the Stalin period of the USSR.
Vladimir Lenin and Trotsky were close both ideologically and personally during the Russian Revolution and its aftermath, and some call Trotsky its “co-leader”. However, Lenin criticized Trotsky’s ideas and intra-Party political habits. Trotsky was the paramount leader of the Soviet Red Army in the direct aftermath of the Revolutionary period.
Trotsky originally opposed some aspects of Leninism. Later, he concluded that unity between the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks was impossible, and joined the Bolsheviks. Trotsky played a leading role with Lenin in the revolution. Assessing Trotsky, Lenin wrote, “Trotsky long ago said that unification is impossible. Trotsky understood this and from that time on there has been no better Bolshevik.”
Trotsky’s Fourth International was established in France in 1938 when Trotskyists argued that the Comintern or Third International had become irretrievably “lost to Stalinism” and thus incapable of leading the international working class to political power. In contemporary English language usage, an advocate of Trotsky’s ideas is often called a “Trotskyist”; a Trotskyist can be called a “Trotskyite” or “Trot”, especially by a critic of Trotskyism.
adze
or adz (ădz)
n. An axlike tool with a curved blade at right angles to the handle, used for shaping wood.
[Middle English adese, from Old English adesa.]
antipodes
(ăn-tĭp′ə-dēz′)
pl. n.
1. Any two places or regions that are on diametrically opposite sides of the earth.
2. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Something that is the exact opposite or contrary of another; an antipode.
[Middle English, people with feet opposite ours, from Latin, from Greek, from pl. of antipous, with the feet opposite : anti-, anti- + pous, pod-, foot; see ped- in Indo-European roots.]
an·tip′o·de′an adj.
haddock
(hăd′ək)
n. pl. haddock or had·docks
A food fish (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) of northern Atlantic waters, closely related to and resembling the cod, but having a dark spot above each pectoral fin.
sandglass
n. An instrument for measuring time by the running of sand. See Hourglass.
Genealogy of the Olympians in Greek mythology
See image
hippocampus
The hippocampus (named after its resemblance to the seahorse, from the Greek ἱππόκαμπος, “seahorse” from ἵππος hippos, “horse” and κάμπος kampos, “sea monster”) is a major component of the brains of humans and other vertebrates. Humans and other mammals have two hippocampi, one in each side of the brain. It belongs to the limbic system and plays important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and spatial navigation.
inlet
n.
1.
a. A recess, such as a bay or cove, along a coast.
b. A stream or bay leading inland, as from the ocean; an estuary.
c. A narrow passage of water, as between two islands.
d. A drainage passage, as to a culvert.
2. An opening providing a means of entrance or intake.
paten
also pat·in (păt′n)
n.
- A plate, usually of gold or silver, that is used to hold the host during the celebration of the Eucharist. Also called patina.
- A plate or shallow dish, especially an artifact from an ancient civilization.
- A thin disk of or resembling metal.
[Middle English, from Old French patene, from Medieval Latin patina, from Latin, pan, from Greek patanē, platter; see petə- in Indo-European roots.]
libation
(lī-bā′shən) n. 1. a. The pouring of a liquid offering as a religious ritual. b. The liquid so poured. 2. Informal a. A beverage, especially an intoxicating beverage. b. The act of drinking an intoxicating beverage.
diaphanous
dī-ăf′ə-nəs
- Sufficiently or as to be translucent: a diaphanous gown; diaphanous gauze.
- Of composition as to be easily damaged or broken; delicate: diaphanous butterfly wings.
viscera
(vĭs′ər-ə)
pl. n.
1. The soft internal organs of the body, especially those contained within the abdominal and thoracic cavities.
2. The intestines.
tenement
n. 1. A building for human habitation, especially one that is rented to tenants. 2. A rundown, low-rental apartment building whose facilities and maintenance barely meet minimum standards. 3. Chiefly British An apartment or room leased to a tenant. 4. Law A property of a permanent nature that is possessed or owned, such as land or a building, along with the rights associated with such possession or ownership. [Middle English, house, from Old French, from Medieval Latin tenēmentum, from Latin tenēre, to hold; see ten- in Indo-European roots.] ten′e·men′tal (-mĕn′tl) adj.
heather
- A low-growing Eurasian shrub (Calluna vulgaris) in the heath family, growing in dense masses and having small evergreen leaves and clusters of small, bell-shaped pinkish-purple flowers. Also called ling.
- See heath.
- A grayish purple to purplish red.
Ra
Ra /rɑː/ or Re /reɪ/ is the ancient Egyptian solar deity. By the Fifth Dynasty (2494 to 2345 BCE) he had become a major god in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the midday sun.
In later Egyptian dynastic times, Ra was merged with the god Horus, as Ra-Horakhty (“Ra, who is Horus of the Two Horizons”). He was believed to rule in all parts of the created world: the sky, the earth, and the underworld. He was associated with the falcon or hawk. When in the New Kingdom the god Amun rose to prominence he was fused with Ra as Amun-Ra. During the Amarna Period, Akhenaten suppressed the cult of Ra in favour of another solar deity, the Aten, the deified solar disc, but after the death of Akhenaten the cult of Ra was restored.
The cult of the Mnevis bull, an embodiment of Ra, had its centre in Heliopolis and there was a formal burial ground for the sacrificed bulls north of the city.
All forms of life were believed to have been created by Ra, who called each of them into existence by speaking their secret names. Alternatively humans were created from Ra’s tears and sweat, hence the Egyptians call themselves the “Cattle of Ra.” In the myth of the Celestial Cow it is recounted how mankind plotted against Ra and how he sent his eye as the goddess Sekhmet to punish them. When she became bloodthirsty she was pacified by drinking beer mixed with red dye.
escarpment
(ĭ-skärp′mənt)
n.
- A steep slope or long cliff that results from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.
- A steep slope in front of a fortification.
Aeneas
(ĭ-nē′əs) n. Greek & Roman Mythology The Trojan hero of Virgil’s epic poem, the Aeneid, and son of Anchises and Aphrodite. He escaped the sack of Troy and wandered for seven years before settling in Italy.
In Greco-Roman mythology, Aeneas (/aɪˈniːəs/; possibly derived from Greek αἰνή meaning “praised”) was a Trojan hero, the son of the prince Anchises and the goddess Venus (Aphrodite). His father was the second cousin of King Priam of Troy, making Aeneas Priam’s second cousin, once removed. He is a character in Greek mythology and is mentioned in Homer’s Iliad. Aeneas receives full treatment in Roman mythology, most extensively in Virgil’s Aeneid where he is an ancestor of Romulus and Remus. He became the first true hero of Rome.
Saracen
(săr′ə-sən)
n.
- A member of a pre-Islamic nomadic people of the Syrian and Arabian Deserts.
- A Muslim, especially of the time of the Crusades.
Sar′a·cen′ic (-sĕn′ĭk) adj.
Quaker
n
1. (Protestantism) a member of the Religious Society of Friends, a Christian sect founded by George Fox about 1650, whose central belief is the doctrine of the Inner Light. Quakers reject sacraments, ritual, and formal ministry, hold meetings at which any member may speak, and have promoted many causes for social reform
adj
2. (Protestantism) of, relating to, or designating the Religious Society of Friends or its religious beliefs or practices
[C17: originally a derogatory nickname, alluding either to their alleged ecstatic fits, or to George Fox’s injunction to “quake at the word of the Lord”] ˈ
Quakeress fem n
Quakerish adj
Quakerism n
tern
A three-masted schooner.
felicity
n. pl. fe·lic·i·ties
1.
a. Great happiness; bliss.
b. An instance of great happiness.
2. A cause or source of happiness.
3.
a. An appropriate and pleasing manner or style: felicity of expression.
b. An instance of appropriate and pleasing manner or style.
4. Archaic Good fortune.
interloper
n.
- One that interferes with the affairs of others, often for selfish reasons; a meddler.
- One that intrudes in a place, situation, or activity: “When these interlopers choke out native species, ecologists see a danger signal” (William K. Stevens).
- Archaic
a. One that trespasses on a trade monopoly, as by conducting unauthorized trade in an area designated to a chartered company.
b. A ship or other vessel used in such trade.
in′ter·lope′ v.
heliostat
(hē′lē-ə-stăt′)
n. An instrument in which a mirror is automatically moved so that it reflects sunlight in a constant direction. It is used with a pyrheliometer to make continuous measurements of solar radiation.
crenelated
adj.
- Having battlements.
- Indented; notched: a crenelated wall.
[Probably from French créneler, to furnish with battlements, from Old French crenel, crenelation, diminutive of cren, notch; see cranny.]
cren′e·la′tion n.
skiff
(skĭf)
n. A flatbottom open boat of shallow draft, having a pointed bow and a square stern and propelled by oars, sail, or motor.
[Middle English skif, from Old French esquif, from Old Italian schifo, of Germanic origin.]
pippin
(pĭp′ĭn)
n.
- Any of several varieties of apple.
- The seed of a fleshy fruit; a pip.
- Informal A person or thing that is admired.
ewe
(yo͞o)
n. A female sheep, especially when full grown.
quadrangle
n.
1. Mathematics A quadrilateral.
2.
a. A rectangular area surrounded on all four sides by buildings.
b. The buildings bordering this area.
3. The area of land shown on one atlas sheet charted by the US Geological Survey.
quad·ran′gu·lar (-răng′gyə-lər) adj.
quad·ran′gu·lar·ly adv.
tussock
(tŭs′ək)
n. A clump or tuft, as of growing grass.
tus′sock·y adj.
warren
n.
1.
a. An area where rabbits live in burrows.
b. A colony of rabbits.
2. An enclosure for small game animals.
3.
a. An overcrowded living area.
b. A mazelike place where one may easily become lost: a warren of narrow, dark alleys and side streets.
augury
(ô′gyə-rē)
n. pl. au·gu·ries
1. The art, ability, or practice of auguring; divination.
2. A sign of something coming; an omen: “The chartist buys when the auguries look favorable and sells on bad omens” (Burton G. Malkiel).
[Middle English augurie, from Old French, from Latin augurium, from augur, augur; see augur.]
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Russian: alias Lenin (1870 – 1924) was a Russian communist revolutionary, politician and political theorist. He served as head of government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1917, and of the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death. Under his administration, the Russian Empire was replaced by the Soviet Union; all wealth including land, industry and business was confiscated. Based in Marxism, his political theories are known as Leninism.
Born to a wealthy middle-class family in Simbirsk, Lenin gained an interest in revolutionary leftist politics following the execution of his brother Aleksandr in 1887. Expelled from Kazan State University for participating in anti-Tsarist protests, he devoted the following years to a law degree and to radical politics, becoming a Marxist. In 1893 he moved to Saint Petersburg, and became a senior figure in the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP). Arrested for sedition and exiled to Siberia for three years, he married Nadezhda Krupskaya, and fled to Western Europe, where he became known as a prominent party theorist. In 1903, he took a key role in the RSDLP schism, leading the Bolshevik faction against Julius Martov’s Mensheviks. Briefly returning to Russia during the Revolution of 1905, he encouraged violent insurrection and later campaigned for the First World War to be transformed into a Europe-wide proletariat revolution. After the 1917 February Revolution ousted the Tsar, he returned to Russia.
Lenin, along with Leon Trotsky, played a senior role in orchestrating the October Revolution in 1917, which led to the overthrow of the Provisional Government and the establishment of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic. He was one of the seven members of the first legendary Politburo, founded in 1917 in order to manage the Bolshevik Revolution: Lenin, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Trotsky, Stalin, Sokolnikov and Bubnov. Lenin was elected to the position of the head of government by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. Under Lenin’s leadership the new government nationalized the estates and crown lands. Homosexuality and abortion were legalized; Lenin’s Russia was the first country in the world to establish both of these rights. Free access was being given to both abortion and birth control. No-fault divorce was also legalized, along with universal free healthcare and free education being established. The Bolsheviks fought in the Russian Civil War during which Lenin’s government carried out the Red Terror. The civil war resulted in millions of deaths. Lenin supported world revolution and immediate peace with the Central Powers, agreeing to a punitive treaty that turned over a significant portion of the former Russian Empire to Germany. The treaty was voided after the Allies won the war. In 1921 Lenin proposed the New Economic Policy, a mixed economic system of state capitalism that started the process of industrialisation and recovery from the Civil War. In 1922, the Russian SFSR joined former territories of the Russian Empire in becoming the Soviet Union, with Lenin as its head of government. Only 13 months later, after being incapacitated by a series of strokes, Lenin died at his home in Gorki.
After his death, there was a struggle for power in the Soviet Union between two major factions, namely Stalin’s and the Left Opposition (with Trotsky as de facto leader). Eventually, Stalin, whom Lenin distrusted and wanted removed, came to power and eliminated any opposition.
Lenin remains a controversial and highly divisive world figure. Lenin had a significant influence on the international Communist movement and was one of the most influential and controversial figures of the 20th century. Admirers view him as a champion of working people’s rights and welfare whilst critics see him as a dictator who carried out mass human rights abuses. Historian J. Arch Getty has remarked that “Lenin deserves a lot of credit for the notion that the meek can inherit the earth, that there can be a political movement based on social justice and equality”, while one of his biographers, Robert Service, says he “laid the foundations of dictatorship and lawlessness. Lenin had consolidated the principle of state penetration of the whole society, its economy and its culture. Lenin had practised terror and advocated revolutionary amoralism.” Time magazine named Lenin one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century, and one of their top 25 political icons of all time; remarking that “for decades, Marxist–Leninist rebellions shook the world while Lenin’s embalmed corpse lay in repose in Red Square”. Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, reverence for Lenin declined among the post-Soviet generations, yet he remains an important historical figure for the Soviet-era generations.
menhir
(mĕn′hîr′)
n. (Archaeology) a single standing stone, often carved, dating from the middle Bronze Age in the British Isles and from the late Neolithic Age in W Europe
Babylon
Babylon was a significant city in ancient Mesopotamia, in the fertile plain between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The city was built upon the Euphrates, and divided in equal parts along its left and right banks, with steep embankments to contain the river’s seasonal floods.
Babylon was originally a small Semitic Akkadian city dating from the period of the Akkadian Empire c. 2300 BC. The town attained independence as part of a small city state with the rise of the First Amorite Babylonian Dynasty in 1894 BC. Claiming to be the successor of the more ancient Sumero-Akkadian city of Eridu, Babylon eclipsed Nippur as the “holy city” of Mesopotamia around the time Amorite king Hammurabi created the first short lived Babylonian Empire in the 18th century BC. Babylon grew and South Mesopotamia came to be known as Babylonia.
The empire quickly dissolved after Hammurabi’s death and Babylon spent long periods under Assyrian, Kassite and Elamite domination. After being destroyed and then rebuilt by the Assyrians, Babylon became the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire from 609 to 539 BC. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. After the fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, the city came under the rules of the Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian, Roman and Sassanid empires.
It has been estimated that Babylon was the largest city in the world from c. 1770 to 1670 BC, and again between c. 612 and 320 BC. It was perhaps the first city to reach a population above 200,000. Estimates for the maximum extent of its area range from 890 to 900 hectares (2,200 acres).
The remains of the city are in present-day Hillah, Babil Governorate, Iraq, about 85 kilometres (53 mi) south of Baghdad, comprising a large tell of broken mud-brick buildings and debris.
Image: Show within Iraq
recumbent
adj.
- Lying down, especially in a position of comfort or rest; reclining.
- Resting; idle.
- Biology Resting on the surface from which it arises. Used of an organ or other structure.
n.
A recumbent bicycle.
[Latin recumbēns, recumbent-, present participle of recumbere, to lie down : re-, re- + cumbere, to lie.]
re·cum′bence, re·cum′ben·cy n.
re·cum′bent·ly adv.
astigmatism
(ə-stĭg′mə-tĭz′əm)
n. A visual defect in which the unequal curvature of one or more refractive surfaces of the eye, usually the cornea, prevents light rays from focusing clearly at one point on the retina, resulting in blurred vision.
[a- + Greek stigma, stigmat-, point (from stizein, stig-, to tattoo; see steig- in Indo-European roots).]
as′tig·mat′ic (ăs′tĭg-măt′ĭk) adj. & n.
as′tig·mat′i·cal·ly adv.
tobacconist
n. A dealer in tobacco and smoking supplies.
Norn
(nôrn) n. Norse Mythology Any of the three goddesses of fate.
The Norns are female beings who rule the destiny of gods and men, possibly a kind of dísir, and comparable to the Moirai (also called “The Fates”) in Greek mythology.
The three most important norns, Urðr (Wyrd), Verðandi and Skuld come out from a hall standing at the Well of Urðr (well of fate) and they draw water from the well and take sand that lies around it, which they pour over Yggdrasill so that its branches will not rot. These norns are described as three powerful maiden giantesses (Jotuns) whose arrival from Jötunheimr ended the golden age of the gods.
Beside these three norns, there are many other norns who arrive when a person is born in order to determine his or her future. There were both malevolent and benevolent norns, and the former caused all the malevolent and tragic events in the world while the latter were kind and protective goddesses. Recent research has discussed the relation between the myths associated with norns and valkyries and traveling Völvas (seiðr-workers). The norns were thought to have visited newborn children in the pre-Christian Norse societies.
Alessandro Cagliostro
Count Alessandro di Cagliostro (Italian: 1743 – 1795) was the alias of the occultist Giuseppe Balsamo, an Italian adventurer.
The history of Cagliostro is shrouded in rumour, propaganda, and mysticism. Some effort was expended to ascertain his true identity when he was arrested because of possible participation in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe relates in his Italian Journey that the identification of Cagliostro with Giuseppe Balsamo was ascertained by a lawyer from Palermo who, upon official request, had sent a dossier with copies of the pertinent documents to France. Goethe met the lawyer in April 1787 and saw the documents and Balsamo’s pedigree: Balsamo’s great-grandfather Matteo Martello had two daughters: Maria, who married Giuseppe Bracconeri; and Vincenza, who married Giuseppe Cagliostro. Maria and Giuseppe Bracconeri had three children: Matteo; Antonia; and Felicità, who married Pietro Balsamo (the son of a bookseller, Antonino Balsamo, who had declared bankruptcy before dying at age 44). The son of Felicità and Pietro Balsamo was Giuseppe, who was christened with the name of his great-uncle and eventually adopted his surname, too.
Cagliostro himself stated during the trial following the Affair of the Diamond Necklace that he had been born of Christians of noble birth but abandoned as an orphan upon the island of Malta. He claimed to have travelled as a child to Medina, Mecca, and Cairo and upon return to Malta to have been admitted to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, with whom he studied alchemy, the Kabbalah, and magic.
cilium
(sĭl′ē-əm)
n. pl. cil·i·a (-ē-ə)
1. A microscopic hairlike process extending from the surface of a cell or unicellular organism. Capable of rhythmical motion, it acts in unison with other such structures to bring about the movement of the cell or of the surrounding medium.
2. An eyelash.
3. Botany One of the hairs along the margin or edge of a structure, such as a leaf, usually forming a fringe.
[Latin, eyelid; see kel- in Indo-European roots.]
crosstree
(krôs′trē′, krŏs′-)
n. Nautical One of the two horizontal crosspieces at the upper ends of the lower masts in fore-and-aft-rigged vessels, serving to spread the shrouds.
osseous
(ŏs′ē-əs)
adj. Composed of, containing, or resembling bone; bony.
[From Latin osseus, from os, oss-, bone; see ost- in Indo-European roots.]
os′se·ous·ly adv.
ophidian
adj. Of, relating to, or resembling a snake or the snakes.
n. A snake.
flax
1.
a. A widely cultivated plant, Linum usitatissimum, having pale blue flowers, seeds that yield linseed oil, and slender stemsfrom which a textile fiber is obtained.
b. The fine, light-colored textile fiber obtained from this plant.
c. Any of various other plants of the genus Linum or of other genera in the family Linaceae.
2. A pale grayish yellow.
snapdragon
n. Any of several plants of the genus Antirrhinum of the figwort family, especially A. majus, widely cultivated for its showy racemes of two-lipped, variously colored flowers.
[From the imagined resemblance of the flowers to the mouth of a dragon.]
codicil
(kŏd′ə-sĭl)
n.
- Law A supplement or appendix to a will.
- A supplement or appendix.
[Middle English, from Old French codicille, from Latin cōdicillus, diminutive of cōdex, cōdic-, codex; see codex.]
cod′i·cil′la·ry (kŏd′ə-sĭl′ə-rē) adj.
spinney
n. pl. spin·neys Chiefly British
A small grove; a copse.
[Obsolete French espinoi, from Old French espinei, thorny place, from Vulgar Latin *spīnēta, pl. of Latin spīnētum, thorn hedge, from spīna, thorn.]
Geothe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - German poet and novelist and dramatist who lived in Weimar (1749-1832)
His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on botany, anatomy, and colour; and four novels. In addition, numerous literary and scientific fragments, more than 10,000 letters, and nearly 3,000 drawings by him are extant. A literary celebrity by the age of 25, Goethe was ennobled by the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, Karl August in 1782. He was an early participant in the Sturm und Drang literary movement. Arthur Schopenhauer cited Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship as one of the four greatest novels ever written, along with Tristram Shandy, La Nouvelle Heloïse, and Don Quixote, and Ralph Waldo Emerson selected Goethe as one of six “representative men” in his work of the same name, along with Plato, Napoleon, and William Shakespeare. There are frequent references to Goethe’s writings throughout the works of G. W. F. Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Hermann Hesse, Thomas Mann, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Jung. Goethe’s poems were set to music throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by a number of composers, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Charles Gounod, Richard Wagner, Hugo Wolf, Felix Mendelssohn, and Gustav Mahler.
trestle
(trĕs′əl)
n.
- A horizontal beam or bar held up by two pairs of divergent legs and used as a support.
- A framework consisting of slanted braces and horizontal crosspieces supporting a bridge or causeway.
[Middle English trestel, from Old French, alteration of Vulgar Latin *trāstellum, trānstellum, diminutive of Latin trānstrum, beam; see transom.]
schooner
(sko͞o′nər)
n.
- A fore-and-aft-rigged sailing vessel having at least two masts, with a foremast that is usually smaller than the other masts.
- A large beer glass, generally holding a pint or more.
- A prairie schooner.
fallow
(făl′ō)
adj.
- Plowed but left unseeded during a growing season: fallow farmland.
- Characterized by inactivity: a fallow gold market.
n.
- Land left unseeded during a growing season.
- The act of plowing land and leaving it unseeded.
- The condition or period of being unseeded.
tr. v. fal·lowed, fal·low·ing, fal·lows
1. To plow (land) without seeding it afterward.
2. To plow and till (land), especially to eradicate or reduce weeds.
[Middle English falow, from Old English fealh, fallow land.]
fal′low·ness n.
caul
(Anatomy) a portion of the amniotic sac sometimes covering a child’s head at birth
gambol
(găm′bəl)
intr.v. gam·boled, gam·bol·ing, gam·bols or gam·bolled or gam·bol·ling
To leap about playfully; frolic.
n.
A playful skipping or frolicking about.
[Alteration of French gambade, horse’s jump, from Old French, perhaps from Old Italian gambata, from gamba, leg, from Late Latin, hoof, from Greek kampē, bend (as in a limb).]
“The air was dark with Davises, and many Jones gamboled like a flock of young giraffes.”
tack
n.
- Nautical
a. A rope for holding down the weather clew of a course.
b. A rope for hauling the outer lower corner of a studdingsail to the boom.
c. The part of a sail, such as the weather clew of a course, to which this rope is fastened.
d. The lower forward corner of a fore-and-aft sail. - Nautical
a. The position of a vessel relative to the trim of its sails.
b. The act of changing from one position or direction to another.
c. The distance or leg sailed between changes of position or direction. - An approach to accomplishing a goal or a method of dealing with a problem.
- A large, loose stitch made as a temporary binding or as a marker.
- Stickiness, as that of a newly painted surface.
v. tacked, tack·ing, tacks v.tr.
1. Nautical To bring (a vessel) into the wind in order to change course or direction.
v. intr.
1. Nautical
a. To change the direction of a sailing vessel, especially by turning the bow into and past the direction of the wind: Stand by to tack.
b. To sail a zigzag course upwind by repeatedly executing such a maneuver.
c. To change tack: The ship tacked to starboard.
tack′er n.
tack′less adj.
galiot / galliot
(găl′ē-ət)
n. Nautical
1. A light, swift galley formerly used in the Mediterranean.
2. A light, single-masted, flatbottom Dutch merchant ship.
[Middle English, from Old French, from galee, galie; see galley.]
A galiot, galliot or galiote, is a term for three different types of historical naval vessels that sailed on different seas, and for a type of French flat-bottom river boat or barge.
Andes
(ăn′dēz)
A mountain system of western South America extending more than 8,000 km (4,970 mi) along the Pacific coast from Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego. The Andes rise at many points to more than 6,500 m (21,325 ft).
An′de·an (ăn′dē-ən, ăn-dē′ən) adj. & n.
rictus
n. pl. rictus or ric·tus·es
1. A gaping grimace: “his mouth gaping in a kind of rictus of startled alarm” (Richard Adams).
2.
a. The expanse of an open mouth or a bird’s beak.
b. The corner of the mouth or the fleshy area where the upper and lower mandibles of a bird meet.
[Latin, from past participle of ringī, to gape.]
ric′tal adj.
cuirass
(kwĭ-răs′)
n.
1.
a. A piece of armor for protecting the breast and back, often consisting of two pieces fastened together.
b. The front piece of this armor.
2. Zoology A protective covering of bony plates or scales.
divan
(dĭ-vän′, -văn′)
n.
1. A long backless sofa, especially one set with pillows against a wall.
2. (also dī-văn′)
a. A counting room, tribunal, or public audience room in Muslim countries.
b. The seat used by an administrator when holding audience.
c. A government bureau or council chamber.
3. (also dī-văn′) A coffeehouse or smoking room.
4. (also dī-văn′) A book of poems, especially one written in Arabic or Persian by a single author.
lagoon
(lə-go͞on′)
n.
- A shallow body of water, especially one separated from a sea by sandbars or coral reefs.
- A shallow artificial pond used for treating or storing liquid waste material or for collecting flood waters.
sozzled
adj. Slang Drunk; intoxicated.
garnet
- Any of several common, widespread aluminum or calcium silicate minerals occurring in two internally isomorphic series, (Mg, Mn, Fe)3Al2Si3O12and Ca3(Cr, Al, Fe)2Si3O12, generally crystallized, often embedded in igneous and metamorphic rocks, and colored red, brown, black, green, yellow,or white and used both as gemstones and as abrasives.
- A dark to very dark red.
citadel
(sĭt′ə-dəl, -dĕl′)
n.
- A fortress in a commanding position in or near a city.
- A stronghold or fortified place; a bulwark.
[French citadelle, from Italian cittadella, diminutive of città, city, from Latin cīvitās; see city.]
sari
(sä′rē)
n. pl. sa·ris also sa·rees
An outer garment worn chiefly by women of South Asia, consisting of a length of lightweight cloth with one end wrapped about the waist to form a skirt and the other draped over the shoulder or covering the head.
lees
(lēz) pl.n.
Sediment settling during fermentation, especially in wine; dregs.
mast
n.
1. Nautical A tall vertical spar, sometimes sectioned, that rises from the keel or deck of a sailing vessel to support the sails and the standing and running rigging.
2.
a. A vertical pole.
b. A tall vertical antenna, as for a radio.
3. A captain’s mast.
plantain
(plăn′tən)
n. Any of various plants of the genus Plantago, having a basal rosette of leaves and dense spikes of small greenish flowers.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin plantāgō, plantāgin-, from planta, sole of the foot (from its broad leaves); see plat- in Indo-European roots.]
mortarboard
n.
- A square board with a handle used for holding and carrying masonry mortar.
- An academic cap topped by a flat square.
Epimenides paradox
The Epimenides paradox reveals a problem with self-reference in logic.
It is named after the Cretan philosopher Epimenides of Knossos (alive circa 600 BC) who is credited with the original statement.
A typical description of the problem is given in the book Gödel, Escher, Bach, by Douglas Hofstadter
Epimenides was a Cretan who made one immortal statement: “All Cretans are liars.” A paradox of self-reference arises when one considers whether it is possible for Epimenides to have spoken the truth.
jakes
pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
Chiefly British
A latrine; a privy.
counterpane
n. A cover for a bed; a bedspread.
[Alteration of obsolete counterpoint, from Middle English countrepoint, from Old French contrepointe, alteration of coultepointe, from Medieval Latin culcita pūncta, stitched quilt : Latin culcita, quilt, mattress + Latin pūnctus, stitched, pricked; see point.]
fakir
(fə-kîr′, fä-, fă-)
n.
- A Muslim religious mendicant.
- A Hindu ascetic or religious mendicant, especially one who performs feats of magic or endurance.
mezzanine
(mĕz′ə-nēn′, mĕz′ə-nēn′)
n. 1. A partial story between two main stories of a building.
2. The lowest balcony in a theater or the first few rows of that balcony.
adj.
Of or relating to securities granting a claim on interest or assets that is subordinate to that of secured and senior debt but above that of equity.
[French, from Italian mezzanino, diminutive of mezzano, middle, from Latin mediānus, in the middle; see median.]
maunder
(môn′dər, män′-)
intr.v. maun·dered, maun·der·ing, maun·ders
- To talk incoherently or aimlessly.
- To move or act aimlessly or vaguely; wander.
[Probably dialectal variant of meander (probably influenced by wander).]
ford
(fôrd)
n.
A shallow place in a body of water, such as a river, where one can cross by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle.
tr.v. ford·ed, ford·ing, fords To cross (a body of water) at a ford.
Henri Poincaré
Jules Henri Poincaré (French: 1854 – 1912) was a French mathematician, theoretical physicist, engineer, and a philosopher of science. He is often described as a polymath, and in mathematics as The Last Universalist by Eric Temple Bell, since he excelled in all fields of the discipline as it existed during his lifetime.
As a mathematician and physicist, he made many original fundamental contributions to pure and applied mathematics, mathematical physics, and celestial mechanics. He was responsible for formulating the Poincaré conjecture, which was one of the most famous unsolved problems in mathematics until it was solved in 2002–2003. In his research on the three-body problem, Poincaré became the first person to discover a chaotic deterministic system which laid the foundations of modern chaos theory. He is also considered to be one of the founders of the field of topology.
Poincaré made clear the importance of paying attention to the invariance of laws of physics under different transformations, and was the first to present the Lorentz transformations in their modern symmetrical form. Poincaré discovered the remaining relativistic velocity transformations and recorded them in a letter to Dutch physicist Hendrik Lorentz in 1905. Thus he obtained perfect invariance of all of Maxwell’s equations, an important step in the formulation of the theory of special relativity.
The Poincaré group used in physics and mathematics was named after him.
Philosophy
Poincaré had philosophical views opposite to those of Bertrand Russell and Gottlob Frege, who believed that mathematics was a branch of logic. Poincaré strongly disagreed, claiming that intuition was the life of mathematics. Poincaré gives an interesting point of view in his book Science and Hypothesis:
For a superficial observer, scientific truth is beyond the possibility of doubt; the logic of science is infallible, and if the scientists are sometimes mistaken, this is only from their mistaking its rule.
Poincaré believed that arithmetic is a synthetic science. He argued that Peano’s axioms cannot be proven non-circularly with the principle of induction, therefore concluding that arithmetic is a priori synthetic and not analytic. Poincaré then went on to say that mathematics cannot be deduced from logic since it is not analytic. His views were similar to those of Immanuel Kant. He strongly opposed Cantorian set theory, objecting to its use of impredicative definitions.
However, Poincaré did not share Kantian views in all branches of philosophy and mathematics. For example, in geometry, Poincaré believed that the structure of non-Euclidean space can be known analytically. Poincaré held that convention plays an important role in physics. His view (and some later, more extreme versions of it) came to be known as “conventionalism”. Poincaré believed that Newton’s first law was not empirical but is a conventional framework assumption for mechanics. He also believed that the geometry of physical space is conventional. He considered examples in which either the geometry of the physical fields or gradients of temperature can be changed, either describing a space as non-Euclidean measured by rigid rulers, or as a Euclidean space where the rulers are expanded or shrunk by a variable heat distribution. However, Poincaré thought that we were so accustomed to Euclidean geometry that we would prefer to change the physical laws to save Euclidean geometry rather than shift to a non-Euclidean physical geometry.
Poincaré was dismayed by Georg Cantor’s theory of transfinite numbers, and referred to it as a “disease” from which mathematics would eventually be cured.[55] Poincaré said, “There is no actual infinite; the Cantorians have forgotten this, and that is why they have fallen into contradiction.”
verdigris
(vûr′dĭ-grēs′, -grĭs′, -grē′)
n.
- A blue or green powder consisting of basic cupric acetate used as a paint pigment and fungicide.
- A green patina or crust of copper sulfate or copper chloride formed on copper, brass, and bronze exposed to air or seawater for long periods of time.
[Middle English vertegrez, from Old French verte grez, alteration of vert-de-Grice : verd, green; see verdant + de, of (from Latin dē; see de-) + Grice, Greece.]
Eucharist
(yo͞o′kər-ĭst)
n.
- A sacrament and the central act of worship in many Christian churches, which was instituted at the Last Supper and in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed in remembrance of Jesus’s death; Communion.
- The consecrated elements of this rite; Communion.
Eu′cha·ris′tic, Eu′cha·ris′ti·cal adj.
anabatic
Of or relating to rising wind currents. Anabatic winds are created in a valleywhen cool air reaches a warmed surface,and the warmed lighter air then risesupslope.
casement
n.
1.
a. A window sash that opens outward by means of hinges.
b. A window with such sashes.
2. A case or covering.
[Middle English, a hollow molding, possibly from Middle English case, chest, frame; see case.]
case′ment·ed adj.
porter
n.
- A person employed to carry burdens, especially an attendant who carries travelers’ baggage at a hotel or transportation station.
- A railroad employee who waits on passengers in a sleeping car or parlor car.
- A maintenance worker for a building or institution.
Orthogonality
In mathematics, orthogonality is the relation of two lines at right angles to one another, and the generalization of this relation into n dimensions; and to a variety of mathematical relations thought of as describing non-overlapping, uncorrelated, or independent objects of some kind.
In attached image, the line segments AB and CD are orthogonal to each other.
howdah
(hou′də)
n. A seat, usually fitted with a canopy and railing, placed on the back of an elephant or a camel.
cutwater
n.
- The forward part of a ship’s prow.
- The wedge-shaped end of a bridge pier, designed to divide the current and break up ice floes.
hasp
n.
A metal fastener with a hinged slotted part that fits over a staple and is secured by a pin, bolt, or padlock.
tr.v. hasped, hasp·ing, hasps
To close or lock with such a fastener.
phosphorescence
n.
- Persistent emission of light following exposure to and removal of incident radiation.
- Emission of light without appreciable heat, as from chemiluminescence of phosphorus or bioluminescence of living organisms.
phos′pho·res′cent adj.
phos′pho·res′cent·ly adv.
griffin / griffon / gryphon
also grif·fon or gryph·on (grĭf′ən)
n. A fabulous beast with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion.
[Middle English griffoun, from Old French griffon, from grif, from Latin grȳpus, grȳphus, variants of grȳps, grȳp-, from Greek grūps.]
nadir
(nā′dər, -dîr′)
n.
- Astronomy A point on the celestial sphere directly below the observer, diametrically opposite the zenith.
- The lowest point: the nadir of their fortunes.
[Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic naẓīr (as-samt), opposite (the zenith), from naẓara, to see, watch; see nṯ̣r in Semitic roots.]
thalamus
The thalamus (from Greek θάλαμος, “chamber”) is a midline symmetrical structure of two halves, within the vertebrate brain, situated between the cerebral cortex and the midbrain. Some of its functions are the relaying of sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex, and the regulation of consciousness, sleep, and alertness. The two parts of the thalamus surround the third ventricle. It is the main product of the embryonic diencephalon.
The thalamus has multiple functions. It may be thought of as a kind of hub of information. It is generally believed to act as a relay between different subcortical areas and the cerebral cortex. In particular, every sensory system (with the exception of the olfactory system) includes a thalamic nucleus that receives sensory signals and sends them to the associated primary cortical area.
The thalamus also plays an important role in regulating states of sleep and wakefulness.
mangonel
(măng′gə-nĕl′)
n. A military machine used during the Middle Ages for hurling stones and other missiles, often employing a wooden arm with a container at one end.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin mangonellus, diminutive of Late Latin manganum, catapult, from Greek manganon, war machine.]
rostrum
(rŏs′trəm, rô′strəm)
n. pl. ros·trums or ros·tra (rŏs′trə, rô′strə)
1. A dais, pulpit, or other elevated platform for public speaking.
2.
a. The curved, beaklike prow of an ancient Roman ship, especially a war galley.
b. The speaker’s platform in an ancient Roman forum, which was decorated with the prows of captured enemy ships.
3. Biology A beaklike projection, especially:
a. An anterior projection of an insect’s or an arachnid’s mouthparts, of the upper jaw of a cetacean, or of the cephalothorax of a crustacean.
b. A beaklike projection of a plant part, as the fruit of a geranium.
[Latin rōstrum, beak; see rēd- in Indo-European roots.]
piebald
(pī′bôld′)
adj. Spotted or patched, especially in black and white.
n. A piebald animal, especially a horse.
greenhouse effect
n. A phenomenon in which the atmosphere of a planet traps radiation emitted by its sun, caused by gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through but retain heat radiated back from the planet’s surface.
Image: Energy radiated by the sun converts to heat when it reaches the earth. Some heat is reflected back through the atmosphere, while some is absorbed by atmospheric gases and radiated back to the earth.
beatitude
n.
- Supreme blessedness or happiness.
- Any of the declarations of blessedness made by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.
- Used as a title and form of address for a patriarch in the Armenian Church or a metropolitan in the Russian Orthodox Church: Your Beatitude.
parabola
(pə-răb′ə-lə)
n. A plane curve formed by the intersection of a right circular cone and a plane parallel to an element of the cone or by the locus of points equidistant from a fixed line and a fixed point not on the line.
[New Latin, from Greek parabolē, comparison, application, parabola (from the relationship between the line joining the vertices of a conic and the line through its focus and parallel to its directrix), from paraballein, to compare; see parable.]
Image: Any point on a parabola is the samedistance from the directrix as it is from thefocus (F). AC equals CF and BD equalsDF.
mentation
(mĕn-tā′shən)
n. Mental activity; thinking: “The heartless hip analysis of crime is … a part of my life and my mentation” (Scott Turow).
[From Latin mēns, ment-, mind; see mental.]
apiary
(ā′pē-ĕr′ē)
n. pl. a·pi·ar·ies
A place where bees and beehives are kept, especially a place where bees are raised for their honey.
[Latin apiārium, beehive, from apis, bee.]
Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
Count Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (Italian: 1463 – 1494) was an Italian Renaissance philosopher. He is famed for the events of 1486, when at the age of 23, he proposed to defend 900 theses on religion, philosophy, natural philosophy and magic against all comers, for which he wrote the famous Oration on the Dignity of Man, which has been called the “Manifesto of the Renaissance”, and a key text of Renaissance humanism and of what has been called the “Hermetic Reformation”.
yeoman
(yō′mən)
n.
1.
a. An attendant, servant, or lesser official in a royal or noble household.
b. A yeoman of the guard.
2. A petty officer performing chiefly clerical duties in the US Navy.
3. An assistant or other subordinate, as of a sheriff.
4. A diligent, dependable worker.
5. A farmer who cultivates his own land, especially a member of a former class of small freeholders in England.
[Middle English yeman, yoman, perhaps contraction of yong man, young man (yong, young; see *gēaman in Indo-European roots).]
jetty
(jĕt′ē)
n. pl. jet·ties
1. A structure, such as a pier, that projects into a body of water to influence the current or tide or to protect a harbor or shoreline from storms or erosion.
2. A wharf.
philter
also phil·tre (fĭl′tər)
n.
- A love potion.
- A magic potion or charm.
tr.v. phil·tered, phil·ter·ing, phil·ters also phil·tred or phil·tring or phil·tres
To enchant with or as if with a philter.
[French philtre, from Old French, from Latin philtrum, from Greek philtron, from philein, to love, from philos, beloved, loving.]
barghest
also bar·guest (bär′gĕst)
n. A goblin in English folklore, often appearing in the shape of a large dog and believed to portend imminent death or misfortune.
[bar (perhaps from barrow) + ghest, ghost (dialectal variant of ghost).]
cooper
(ko͞o′pər)
n. A person who makes or repairs wooden barrels and tubs.
[Middle English couper, from Middle Dutch kūper, from kūpe, basket, tub; see coop.]
coop′er v.
coop′er·age n.
simian
(sĭm′ē-ən)
adj.
- Relating to, characteristic of, or resembling a monkey or an ape: humans and other simian primates.
- Relating to, characteristic of, or resembling a monkey or a nonhuman ape: caricatures of politicians with simian features.
n.
- A monkey or an ape.
- A monkey or a nonhuman ape.
[From Latin sīmia, ape, ultimately (probably via the Greek personal name Sīmiās, originally a nickname for a snub-nosed man, perhaps also given to pet apes in reference to their appearance) from Greek sīmos, snub-nosed and of unknown origin.]
Sephirot
Sephirot, meaning emanations, are the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which Ein Sof (The Infinite) reveals himself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the chain of higher metaphysical realms (Seder hishtalshelus). The term is alternatively transliterated into English as Sefirot/Sefiroth, singular Sephirah/Sefirah etc. Alternative configurations of the sephirot are given by different schools in the historical development of Kabbalah, with each articulating different spiritual aspects. The tradition of enumerating 10 is stated in the Sefer Yetzirah, “Ten sephirot of nothingness, ten and not nine, ten and not eleven”. As altogether 11 sephirot are listed across the different schemes, two (Keter and Daat) are seen as unconscious and conscious manifestations of the same principle, conserving the ten categories. In Kabbalah the functional structure of the sephirot in channeling Divine creative life force, and revealing the unknowable Divine essence to Creation is described. The first sephirah describes the Divine Will above intellect. The next sephirot describe conscious Divine Intellect, and the latter sephirot describe the primary and secondary conscious Divine Emotions. Two sephirot (Binah and Malchut) are feminine, as the female principle in Kabbalah describes a vessel that receives the outward male light, then inwardly nurtures and gives birth to lower sephirot. Corresponding to this is the Female Divine Presence. Kabbalah sees the human soul as mirroring the Divine (after Genesis 1:27, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them”), and more widely, all creations as reflections of their life source in the sephirot. Therefore, the sephirot also describe the spiritual life of man, and constitute the conceptual paradigm in Kabbalah for understanding everything. This relationship between the soul of man and the Divine, gives Kabbalah one of its two central metaphors in describing Divinity, alongside the other Ohr (light) metaphor. However, Kabbalah repeatedly stresses the need to avoid all corporeal interpretation. Through this, the sephirot are related to the structure of the body and are reformed into Partsufim (Personas). Underlying the structural purpose of each sephirah is a hidden motivational force which is understood best by comparison with a corresponding psychological state in human spiritual experience. In Hasidic philosophy, which has sought to internalise the experience of Jewish mysticism into daily inspiration (dveikus), this inner life of the sephirot is explored, and the role they play in man’s service of God in this world.
catkin
(kăt′kĭn)
n. A dense, cylindrical, often drooping cluster of unisexual apetalous flowers found especially in willows, birches, and oaks. Also called ament.
[From obsolete Dutch katteken, kitten, diminutive of katte, cat (from its resemblance to a kitten’s tail), from Germanic *kattuz.]
Theodor Reuss
Theodor Reuss (1855 – 1923) was an Anglo-German tantric occultist, freemason, police spy, journalist, singer, and head of Ordo Templi Orientis.
moonbow
a fainter arch or rainbow, formed by the moon.
parquet
(pär′kĭ-trē)
n. pl. par·quet·ries
Inlay of wood, often of different colors, that is worked into a geometric pattern or mosaic and is used especially for floors.
Parquet
n.
1. A floor made of parquetry.
2. The art or process of making parquetry.
3.
a. The part of the main floor of a theater between the orchestra pit and the parquet circle.
b. The entire main floor of a theater.
tr.v. par·queted (-kăd′), par·quet·ing (-kā′ĭng), par·quets (-kāz′)
- To furnish with a floor of parquetry.
- To make (a floor, for example) of parquetry.
[French, parquetry, from Old French, diminutive of parc, enclosure; see park.]
marl
n.
A crumbly mixture of clays, calcium and magnesium carbonates, and remnants of shells that is sometimes found under desert sands and used as fertilizer for lime-deficient soils.
tr.v. marled, marl·ing, marls
To fertilize with such a mixture.
[Middle English marle, from Old French, from Medieval Latin margila, marla, diminutive of Latin marga, marl, of Celtic origin.]
marl′y adj.
scoria
(skôr′ē-ə)
n. pl. sco·ri·ae (skôr′ē-ē′)
1. Geology Porous cinderlike fragments of dark lava. Also called cinders, slag.
2. Metallurgy The refuse of a smelted metal or ore; slag. Also called cinder.
[Middle English, dross, from Latin scōria, from Greek skōriā, from skōr, excrement, dung; see sker- in Indo-European roots.]
sco′ri·a′ceous (-ā′shəs) adj.
geodesy
(jē-ŏd′ĭ-sē)
n. The geologic science of the size and shape of the earth.
[New Latin geōdaesia, from Greek geōdaisiā : geō-, geo- + daiesthai, to divide; see dā- in Indo-European roots.]
ge·od′e·sist n.
brazier
also bra·sier (brā′zhər)
n.
One who makes brass articles.
[Middle English brasier, from bras, brass; see brass.]
n.
- A metal pan for holding burning coals or charcoal.
- A cooking device consisting of a charcoal or electric heating source over which food is grilled.
[French brasier, from braise, hot coals; see braise.]
Acheron
(ăk′ə-rŏn′, -rən)
n. Greek Mythology
The river of woe, one of the five rivers of Hades.
The Roman poet Virgil called it the principal river of Tartarus, from which the Styx and Cocytus both sprang. The newly dead would be ferried across the Acheron by Charon in order to enter the Underworld.
Daedalus
(dĕd′l-əs)
n. Greek Mythology
A renowned craftsman, sculptor, and inventor and builder of the Labyrinth. He fashioned the wings with which he and his son Icarus escaped from Crete after their imprisonment by Minos.
He is the father of Icarus.
Dae·da′li·an, Dae·da′le·an (dĭ-dā′lē-ən, -dāl′yən) adj.
veld
also veldt (vĕlt, fĕlt)
n. Any of the open grazing areas of southern Africa.
Pompeii
An ancient city of southern Italy southeast of Naples. Founded in the sixth or early fifth century bc, it was a Roman colony by 80 bc and became a prosperous port and resort with many noted villas, temples, theaters, and baths. Pompeii was destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ad 79. The incredibly well-preserved ruins were rediscovered in 1748 and have been extensively excavated.
Pom·pe′ian, Pom·pei′ian adj. & n.
Image: Pompeii and other cities affected by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The black cloud represents the general distribution of ash and cinder. Modern coast lines are shown.
cruet
(kro͞o′ĭt)
n.
- A small bottle for holding a condiment, such as vinegar or oil.
- Ecclesiastical A small vessel for holy water or for water or wine used in the consecration of the Eucharist.
[Middle English, from Old French, diminutive of crue, flask, of Germanic origin.]
caravanserai
(kăr′ə-văn′sə-rē) also car·a·van·se·rai (-rī′)
n. pl. car·a·van·sa·ries also car·a·van·se·rais
1. An inn built around a large court for accommodating caravans along trade routes in central and western Asia.
2. A large inn or hostelry. In both senses also called serai.
[French caravanserai, from Persian kārvānsarāy : kārvān, caravan + sarāy, camp, palace; see ter?- in Indo-European roots.]
husbandry
1.
a. The act or practice of cultivating crops and breeding and raising livestock; agriculture.
b. The application of scientific principles to agriculture, especially to animal breeding.
2. Careful management or conservation of resources; economy.
bowsprit
(bou′sprĭt′, bō′-)
n. Nautical
A spar, extending forward from the stem of a ship, to which the stays of the foremast are fastened.
ibis
(ī′bĭs)
n. pl. ibis or i·bis·es
Any of various storklike wading birds of the family Threskiornithidae of temperate and tropical regions, having a long, slender, downward-curving bill.
mangrove
n. Any of various tropical or subtropical evergreen salt-tolerant trees or shrubs especially of the family Rhizophoraceae, forming dense thickets along tidal shores and typically having well-developed aerial roots.
[Probably Portuguese mangue (from Taíno) + grove.]
dropsy / hydropsy / dropsical / edema
dropsy (drŏp′sē)
n. Edema. No longer in scientific use.
[Middle English dropesie, short for idropesie, from Old French ydropisie, from Medieval Latin ydrōpisia, from Latin hydrōpisis, from Greek hudrōpiāsis, from hudrōps, dropsy, a dropsical person : hudro-, water; see ops in Indo-European roots.]
drop′si·cal (-sĭ-kəl) adj.
drop′si·cal·ly adv.
edema also oe·de·ma (ĭ-dē′mə)
n. pl. e·de·mas or e·de·ma·ta (-mə-tə) also oe·de·mas or oe·de·ma·ta
1. Medicine An excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue spaces or a body cavity.
2. Botany A condition of plants characterized by blisterlike swellings on the leaves or other parts, caused by an accumulation of water.
[Middle English ydema, from Greek oidēma, a swelling, from oidein, to swell.]
e·dem′a·tous (ĭ-dĕm′ə-təs) adj.
cenotaph
(sĕn′ə-tăf′)
n. A monument erected in honor of a dead person whose remains lie elsewhere.
[French cénotaphe, from Old French, from Latin cenotaphium, from Greek kenotaphion : kenos, empty + taphos, tomb.]
cen′o·taph′ic adj.
supine
(so͞o′pīn′, so͞o-pīn′)
adj.
- Lying on the back or having the face upward.
- Having the palm upward. Used of the hand.
- Marked by or showing lethargy, passivity, or blameworthy indifference: “No other colony showed such supine, selfish helplessness in allowing her own border citizens to be mercilessly harried” (Theodore Roosevelt).
su·pine′ly adv.
su·pine′ness n.
rime
n.
- A white incrustation of ice formed when supercooled water droplets freeze almost instantly on contact with a solid surface.
- A coating, as of mud or slime, likened to a frosty film: “A meal couldn’t leave us feeling really full unless it laid down a rime of fat globules in our mouths and stomachs” (James Fallows).
tr.v. rimed, rim·ing, rimes
To cover with or as if with frost or ice: “heavy [shoes] rimed with mud and cement … from the building site” (Seamus Deane).
rim′y adj.
ariosophy
Armanism and Ariosophy are the names of ideological systems of an esoteric nature, pioneered by Guido von List and Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels respectively, in Austria between 1890 and 1930. The term ‘Ariosophy’, meaning wisdom concerning the Aryans, was first coined by Lanz von Liebenfels in 1915 and became the label for his doctrine in the 1920s. In research on the topic, such as Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke’s book The Occult Roots of Nazism, the term ‘Ariosophy’ is used generically to describe the Aryan-esoteric theories of a subset of the ‘Völkische Bewegung’. This broader use of the word is retrospective and was not generally current among the esotericists themselves.” List actually called his doctrine ‘Armanism’, while Lanz used the terms ‘Theozoology’ and ‘Ario-Christianity’ before the First World War.
The ideas of Von List and Lanz von Liebenfels were part of a general occult revival in Austria and Germany of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, inspired by historical Germanic paganism and holistic philosophy as well as esoteric concepts influenced by German romanticism and Theosophy. The connection of this Germanic mysticism with historical Germanic culture is evident in the mystics’ fascination with runes, in the form of Guido von List’s Armanen runes. Ariosophy in its narrow sense was a Liturgic-free newthought-influenced movement without clearly delineated dogmatics, centered around the publications of Herbert Reichstein Verlag.
trews
(tro͞oz)
pl.n.
Close-fitting trousers, usually of tartan.
[Variant of obsolete trouse; see trouser.]
wain
(wān)
n. Archaic A large open farm wagon.
eiderdown
also eider down (ī′dər-doun′)
n.
- The down of the eider, used as stuffing for quilts and pillows.
- A quilt stuffed with the down of the eider.
- A warm napped fabric.
[Swedish ejderdun, from Icelandic ædhar-dún : ædhar, genitive of ædhr, eider (from Old Norse ǣdhr) + dún, down (from Old Norse dūnn).]
vizier
(vĭ-zîr′, vĭz′yər)
n. A high officer in a Muslim government, especially in the Ottoman Empire.
[Turkish vezir, from Arabic wazīr, burdened, minister, from ‘āzara, to help, derived form of ‘azara, to surround; see ʔzr in Semitic roots, or from wazara, to carry a burden; see wzr in Semitic roots.]
vi·zier′ate (vĭ-zîr′ĭt, -āt′, vĭz′yər-ĭt, -yə-rāt′) n.
vi·zier′i·al adj.
thistledown
n. The silky down attached to the seedlike fruit of a thistle.
remonstrate
v. re·mon·strat·ed, re·mon·strat·ing, re·mon·strates
v.tr.
To say or plead in protest, objection, or reproof.
v.intr.
To reason or plead in protest; present an objection. See Synonyms at object.
[Medieval Latin remōnstrāre, remōnstrāt-, to demonstrate : Latin re-, re- + Latin mōnstrāre, to show (from mōnstrum, portent; see monster).]
re′mon·stra′tion (rē′mŏn-strā′shən, rĕm′ən-) n.
re·mon′stra·tive (rĭ-mŏn′strə-tĭv) adj.
re·mon′stra·tive·ly adv.
re·mon′stra′tor n.
milliner
n. One that makes, trims, designs, or sells hats.
[Probably alteration of Middle English Milener, native of Milan, from Milan, the source of goods such as bonnets and lace.]
bokor
Bokors in the religion of Vodou are sorcerers or houngan (priests) or mambo (priestesses) for hire who are said to ‘serve the loa with both hands’, meaning that they practice both dark magic and light magic. Their black magic includes the creation of zombies and the creation of ‘ouangas’, talismans that house spirits.
The name Bokor can also refer to the leader of the Makaya division of Vodou (which originated in the Congo region) and Bokor also refers to the highest initiation rank in Dominican Vodou.
liana
(lē-ä′nə, -ăn′ə) also li·ane (-än′, -ăn′)
n. Any of various climbing, woody, usually tropical vines.
[Alteration of French liane, probably from lier, to bind, from Old French; see liable.]
moult / molt
vb
1. (Zoology) (of birds, mammals, reptiles, and arthropods) to shed (feathers, hair, skin, or cuticle)
n
2. (Zoology) the periodic process of moulting.
See also ecdysis
ˈmoulter ˈmolter n
yoni
(yō′nē)
n. pl. yo·nis Hinduism
A stylized representation of a vulva worshiped as a symbol of a goddess or Shakti.
[Sanskrit yoniḥ, womb, abode, source.]
Yoni (Sanskrit: योनि yoni, literally “vagina” or “womb”) is the symbol of the Goddess (Shakti or Devi), the Hindu Divine Mother. Within Shaivism, the sect dedicated to the god Shiva, the yoni symbolizes his consort. The male counterpart of the yoni is Shivaling. Their union represents the eternal process of creation and regeneration. Since the late 19th century, some have interpreted the yoni and the lingam as aniconic representations of the vulva and a phallus respectively.
mortar
n.
1. A vessel in which substances are crushed or ground with a pestle.
2. A machine in which materials are ground and blended or crushed.
3.
a. A portable, usually muzzleloading cannon used to fire shells at low velocities, short ranges, and high trajectories.
b. A shell fired by such a cannon.
c. Any of several similar devices, such as one that shoots life lines across a stretch of water.
d. A short, usually stationary, muzzleloading cannon used from the 1700s to early 1900s to fire large round shells at low velocities, short ranges, and high trajectories.
4. Any of various bonding materials used in masonry, surfacing, and plastering, especially a mixture of cement or lime, sand, and water that hardens in place and is used to bind together bricks or stones.
tr. v. mor·tared, mor·tar·ing, mor·tars
1. To bombard with mortar shells.
2. To plaster or join with mortar.
hackle
n.
1. Any of the long, slender, often glossy feathers on the neck of a bird, especially a male fowl.
2. hackles The erectile hairs along the back of the neck of an animal, especially of a dog. 3.
A feather, usually from the neck of a chicken, used in trimming a fishing fly.
tr.v. hack·led, hack·ling, hack·les To trim (an artificial fishing fly) with a hackle.
divot
(dĭv′ət)
n.
- A piece of turf torn up by a golf club in striking a ball, or by a horse’s hoof.
- Scots A thin square of turf or sod used for roofing.
currycomb
(kûr′ē-kōm′, kŭr′-)
n.
A comb with plastic or rubber teeth, used for grooming horses.
tr.v. cur·ry·combed, cur·ry·comb·ing, cur·ry·combs
To groom with a currycomb.
coquette / coquetry
(kō-kĕt′)
n. A woman who regularly makes romantic or sexual overtures; a flirt.
[French, feminine of coquet, flirtatious man; see coquet.]
co·quet′tish adj.
co·quet′tish·ly adv.
co·quet′tish·ness n.
conquetry (kō′kĭ-trē, kō-kĕt′rē)
n. pl. co·quet·ries
Dalliance; flirtation.
foxglove
n. Any of several herbs of the genus Digitalis, especially D. purpurea of Europe and northern Africa, having a long cluster of large, tubular, pinkish-purple flowers and leaves that are the source of the drug digitalis. Also called digitalis.
[From the resemblance of its flowers to the fingers of a glove.]
gable
n.
1.
a. The generally triangular section of wall at the end of a pitched roof, occupying the space between the two slopes of the roof.
b. The whole end wall of a building or wing having a pitched roof.
2. A triangular, usually ornamental architectural section, as one above an arched door or window.
[Middle English gable, gavel, from Norman French gable (perhaps of Celtic origin) and from Old Norse gafl; see ghebh-el- in Indo-European roots.]
ga′bled adj.
exculpate
(ĕk′skəl-pāt′, ĭk-skŭl′-)
tr.v. ex·cul·pat·ed, ex·cul·pat·ing, ex·cul·pates
To clear of guilt or blame.
[Medieval Latin exculpāre, exculpāt- : Latin ex-, ex- + Latin culpa, guilt.]
ex·cul′pa·ble (ĭk-skŭl′pə-bəl) adj.
ex′cul·pa′tion n.
“The unblushing Macdonald, without even endeavouring to exculpate himself from the crime he was charged with, meanly endeavoured to reproach Sophia with ignobly defrauding him of his money.”—Love and Friendship by Austen, Jane
confectioner
One that makes or sells confections.
buttress
n.
- A structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or reinforcement.
- Something resembling a buttress, as:
a. The flared base of certain tree trunks.
b. A horny growth on the heel of a horse’s hoof. - Something that serves to support, prop, or reinforce: “The law is by its very nature a buttress of thestatus quo” (J. William Fulbright).
tr. v. but·tressed, but·tress·ing, but·tress·es
1. To support or reinforce with a buttress.
2. To sustain, prop, or bolster: “The author buttresses her analysis with lengthy dissections of several of Moore’s poems” (Warren Woessner).
gilding
(gĭl′dĭng)
n.
- The art or process of applying gilt to a surface.
- A thin layer of gold or a paint containing or simulating gold; gilt.
- Something used to give a superficially attractive appearance.
down
- Fine, soft, fluffy feathers forming the first plumage of a young bird and underlying the contour feathers in certain adult birds. 2. Botany A covering of soft, short hairs, as on some leaves or fruit. 3. A soft, silky, or feathery substance, such as the first growth of a human beard.
doublet
- A close-fitting jacket, with or without sleeves, worn by European men from the late 1300s to around 1650.
2.
a. A pair of similar or identical things.
b. A member of such a pair.
c. Physics A multiplet with two members. - Linguistics One of two words derived from the same historical source by different routes of transmission, such as skirt from Scandinavian and shirtfrom English.
- An imitation gem composed of two parts, as of an inferior stone layered beneath a precious gem.
- doublets Games A throw of two dice in which the same number of dots appears on the upper face of each.
croupier
An attendant at a gaming table who collects and pays bets.
duckweed
n. Any of various small, free-floating, stemless aquatic flowering plants of the genus Lemna and several related genera, growing in dense colonies on the surface of quiet water.
chandler
(chănd′lər)
n.
- One that makes or sells candles.
- A dealer in nautical supplies.
[Middle English chaundeler, from Old French chandelier, from Vulgar Latin *candēlārius, from Latin candēla, candle; see candle.]
chan′dler·y (chănd′lə-rē) n.
legerdemain
(lĕj′ər-də-mān′)
n. 1. Sleight of hand.
2. Deceitful cleverness; trickery: financial legerdemain.
[Middle English legerdemayn, from Old French leger de main : leger, light (from Vulgar Latin *leviārius, from Latin levis; see legwh- in Indo-European roots) + de, of (from Latin dē; see de-) + main, hand; see mortmain.]
jarl
(yärl)
n. A medieval Scandinavian chieftain or nobleman.
[Old Norse.]
alabaster
- A dense, translucent, white or tinted fine-grained gypsum.
- A variety of hard calcite, translucent and sometimes banded.
- A pale yellowish pink to yellowish gray.
stevedore
(stē′vĭ-dôr′)
n.
One who is employed in the loading or unloading of ships.
tr. & intr.v. ste·ve·dored, ste·ve·dor·ing, ste·ve·dores
To load or unload the cargo of (a ship) or to engage in the process of loading or unloading such a vessel.
Non-Euclidean geometry
Behavior of lines with a common perpendicular in each of the three types of geometry
In mathematics, non-Euclidean geometry consists of two geometries based on axioms closely related to those specifying Euclidean geometry. As Euclidean geometry lies at the intersection of metric geometry and affine geometry, non-Euclidean geometry arises when either the metric requirement is relaxed, or the parallel postulate is replaced with an alternative one. In the latter case one obtains hyperbolic geometry and elliptic geometry, the traditional non-Euclidean geometries. When the metric requirement is relaxed, then there are affine planes associated with the planar algebras which give rise to kinematic geometries that have also been called non-Euclidean geometry.
The essential difference between the metric geometries is the nature of parallel lines. Euclid’s fifth postulate, the parallel postulate, is equivalent to Playfair’s postulate, which states that, within a two-dimensional plane, for any given line ℓ and a point A, which is not on ℓ, there is exactly one line through A that does not intersect ℓ. In hyperbolic geometry, by contrast, there are infinitely many lines through A not intersecting ℓ, while in elliptic geometry, any line through A intersects ℓ.
Another way to describe the differences between these geometries is to consider two straight lines indefinitely extended in a two-dimensional plane that are both perpendicular to a third line:
In Euclidean geometry the lines remain at a constant distance from each other even if extended to infinity, and are known as parallels.
In hyperbolic geometry they “curve away” from each other, increasing in distance as one moves further from the points of intersection with the common perpendicular; these lines are often called ultraparallels.
In elliptic geometry the lines “curve toward” each other and intersect.
harlequin
n.
- Harlequin A conventional buffoon of the commedia dell’arte, traditionally presented in a mask and parti-colored tights.
- A clown; a buffoon.
adj.
Having a pattern of brightly colored diamond shapes.
[Obsolete French, from Old French Herlequin, Hellequin, a demon, perhaps from Middle English *Herleking, from Old English Herla cyning, King Herla, a mythical figure identified with Woden.]
fop
n. A man who is preoccupied with and often vain about his clothes and manners; a dandy.
[Middle English, fool; probably akin to Middle English fob, trickster, cheat; see fob.]
expectorate
(ĭk-spĕk′tə-rāt′)
v. ex·pec·to·rat·ed, ex·pec·to·rat·ing, ex·pec·to·rates
v. tr.
1. To eject from the mouth; spit.
2. To cough up and eject by spitting.
v. intr.
1. To spit.
2. To clear out the chest and lungs by coughing up and spitting out matter.
Aristophanes
Aristophanes (/ˌærɨˈstɒfəniːz/ or /ˌɛrɨˈstɒfəniːz/; c. 446 – c. 386 BC) was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his thirty plays survive virtually complete. These, together with fragments of some of his other plays, provide the only real examples of a genre of comic drama known as Old Comedy, and they are used to define the genre. Also known as the Father of Comedy and the Prince of Ancient Comedy, Aristophanes has been said to recreate the life of ancient Athens more convincingly than any other author. His powers of ridicule were feared and acknowledged by influential contemporaries; Plato singled out Aristophanes’ play The Clouds as slander that contributed to the trial and subsequent condemning to death of Socrates although other satirical playwrights had also caricatured the philosopher. His second play, The Babylonians (now lost), was denounced by the demagogue Cleon as a slander against the Athenian polis. It is possible that the case was argued in court but details of the trial are not recorded and Aristophanes caricatured Cleon mercilessly in his subsequent plays, especially The Knights, the first of many plays that he directed himself. “In my opinion,” he says through the Chorus in that play, “the author-director of comedies has the hardest job of all.”
mother-of-pearl
n. The pearly internal layer of certain mollusk shells, used to make decorative objects.
Also called nacre.
moth′er-of-pearl′ adj.
ingot
(ĭng′gət)
n.
- A mass of metal, such as a bar or block, that is cast in a standard shape for convenient storage or shipment.
- A casting mold for metal.
alienist
n. A physician who evaluates the competence of defendants to stand trial.
[Obsolete French aliéniste, psychiatrist : obsolete French aliéné, mentally ill (from past participle of aliéner, to estrange, make hostile, deprive of reason, from Old French, from Latin aliēnāre, to deprive of reason; see alienate) + French -iste, -ist (from Old French; see -ist).]
valence
(vā′ləns) also va·len·cy (-lən-sē)
n. pl. val·lenc·es also val·len·cies
1. Chemistry
a. The combining capacity of an atom or group of atoms as determined by the number of electrons it can lose, add, or share when it reacts with other atoms or groups. Also called oxidation state.
b. An integer used to represent this capacity, which may be given as positive or negative depending on whether electrons are lost or gained, respectively: The valences of copper are +1 and +2. 2. The number of binding sites of a molecule, such as an antibody or antigen.
3. The number of different antigens contained in a vaccine, corresponding to the number of pathogens that it is active against.
4. Psychology The degree of attraction or aversion that an individual feels toward a specific object or event.
5. Linguistics The number and type of arguments that a lexical item, especially a verb, can combine with to make a syntactically well-formed sentence, often along with a description of the categories of those constituents. Intransitive verbs (appear, arrive) have a valence of one—the subject; some transitive verbs (paint, touch), two—the subject and direct object; other transitive verbs (ask, give), three—the subject, direct object, and indirect object.
6. The capacity of something to unite, react, or interact with something else: “I do not claim to know much more about novels than the writing of them, but I cannot imagine one set in the breathing world which lacks any moral valence” (Robert Stone).
[Latin valentia, capacity, from valēns, valent-, present participle of valēre, to be strong; see wal- in Indo-European roots.]
Osiris
The ancient Egyptian god whose annual death and resurrection personified the self-renewing vitality and fertility of nature.
Osiris was usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He was classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh’s beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and holding a symbolic crook and flail.
Osiris was at times considered the oldest son of the earth god Geb, and the sky goddess Nut, as well as being brother and husband of Isis, with Horus being considered his posthumously begotten son. He was also associated with the epithet Khenti-Amentiu, which means “Foremost of the Westerners” — a reference to his kingship in the land of the dead. As ruler of the dead, Osiris was also sometimes called “king of the living”, since the Ancient Egyptians considered the blessed dead “the living ones”. Osiris was considered the brother of Isis, Set, Nephthys, Horus the Elder and father of Horus the younger.
Osiris was considered not only a merciful judge of the dead in the afterlife, but also the underworld agency that granted all life, including sprouting vegetation and the fertile flooding of the Nile River. He was described as the “Lord of love”, “He Who is Permanently Benign and Youthful” and the “Lord of Silence”. The Kings of Egypt were associated with Osiris in death — as Osiris rose from the dead they would, in union with him, inherit eternal life through a process of imitative magic. By the New Kingdom all people, not just pharaohs, were believed to be associated with Osiris at death, if they incurred the costs of the assimilation rituals.
Through the hope of new life after death, Osiris began to be associated with the cycles observed in nature, in particular vegetation and the annual flooding of the Nile, through his links with the heliacal rising of Orion and Sirius at the start of the new year. Osiris was widely worshipped as Lord of the Dead until the suppression of the Egyptian religion during the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire.
cod
(kŏd) or cod·fish (kŏd′fĭsh′)
n. pl. cod or cods or codfish or cod·fish·es
1. See Atlantic cod.
2. Any of various marine fishes of the family Gadidae, which includes the Atlantic cod and the haddock.
n.
- Archaic A husk or pod.
- Archaic The scrotum.
- Obsolete A bag.
forelock
n.
- the lock of hair that grows from the fore part of the head.
- (of a horse) a tuft of hair above or on the forehead.
agape
(ä-gä′pā, ä′gə-pā′)
n.
- Christianity
a. Love as revealed in Jesus, seen as spiritual and selfless and a model for humanity.
b. In the early Christian Church and some modern churches, the love feast accompanied by Eucharistic celebration. - Love that is spiritual, not sexual, in its nature.
[Greek agapē, love.]
till
tr.v. tilled, till·ing, tills To prepare (land) for the raising of crops, as by plowing and harrowing; cultivate.
[Middle English tillen, from Old English tilian.]
till′a·ble adj.
Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers
Samuel Liddell (or Liddel) MacGregor Mathers (1854 – 1918) was a British occultist. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a ceremonial magic order of which offshoots still exist today.
bulwark
n.
- A wall or embankment raised as a defensive fortification; a rampart.
- Something serving as a defense or safeguard: “We have seen the necessity of the Union, as our bulwark against foreign danger” (James Madison).
- A breakwater.
- often bulwarks The part of a ship’s side that is above the upper deck.
tr. v. bul·warked, bul·wark·ing, bul·warks
1. To fortify with a wall, embankment, or rampart.
2. To provide defense or protection for: “the wetland that bulwarked the pond” (Edward Hoagland).
[Middle English bulwerk, from Middle Dutch bolwerk, from Middle High German bolwerc : bole, plank; see bhel- in Indo-European roots + werc, work (from Old High German; see werg- in Indo-European roots).]
Synonyms: bulwark, barricade, breastwork, earthwork, rampart, bastion, parapet These nouns refer literally to structures used as a defense against attack. A bulwark is a strong defensive barrier, often an embankment or wall-like fortification, from which fire can be directed. A barricade is an improvised barrier meant to stop or slow an advancing threat. Breastwork denotes a low defensive wall, especially a temporary one hurriedly built. An earthwork is an embankment made of soil, and may include a trench or moat. A rampart, the main defensive structure around a guarded place, is permanent, high, and broad. A bastion is a projecting section of a fortification from which defenders have a wide range of view and fire. Parapet applies to any low fortification, typically a wall atop a rampart. Of these words bulwark, bastion, and rampart are the most frequently used to refer figuratively to something regarded as being a safeguard or a source of protection: “The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough … to maintain its sovereign control over its government” (Franklin D. Roosevelt). “the University of Virginia, a school founded by Jefferson to be a bastion of free thought” (Garry Wills). “The sense of being a couple … is the strongest rampart against the relentless threat of our divorce culture” (Judith S. Wallerstein).
joist
n.
Any of the wood, steel, or concrete beams set parallel from wall to wall or across or abutting girders to support a floor or ceiling.
tr.v. joist·ed, joist·ing, joists
To construct with joists.
[Middle English giste, joiste, from Old French giste, from feminine past participle of gesir, to lie, lie down, from Latin iacēre; see yē- in Indo-European roots.]
freshet
(frĕsh′ĭt)
n.
- A sudden overflow of a stream resulting from a heavy rain or a thaw.
- A stream of fresh water that empties into a body of salt water.
cirrus
n. pl. cir·ri& (sîr′ī′)
1. A high-altitude cloud composed of narrow bands or patches of thin, generally white, fleecy parts.
2. Biology
a. A tendril.
b. A slender flexible appendage, such as a tuft of fused cilia of certain protozoans or one of the feathery appendages of abarnacle.
Kali
(kä′lē)
n. Hinduism
One of the manifestations and cult titles of the wife of Shiva and mother goddess Devi, especially in her malevolent role as a goddess of death and destruction, depicted as black, red-eyed, blood-stained, and wearing a necklace of skulls.
firmament
The vault or expanse of the heavens; the sky.
unction
n.
- The act of anointing as part of a religious, ceremonial, or healing ritual.
- An ointment or oil; a salve.
- Something that serves to soothe; a balm.
- Affected or exaggerated earnestness, especially in choice and use of language.
[Middle English, from Latin ūnctiō, ūnctiōn-, from ūnctus, past participle of unguere, to anoint.]
lorry
n. pl. lor·ries Chiefly British
A motor truck.
bombazine
(bŏm′bə-zēn′)
n. A fine twilled fabric usually of silk and worsted or cotton, traditionally dyed black and used for mourning clothes.
[French bombasin, from Medieval Latin bambacīnum, cotton fabric, from bombax, bombac-, cotton, from Latin bombȳx, silk, silkworm, from Greek bombūx, silkworm.]
prow
prow (prou)
n.
- Nautical The forward part of a ship’s hull; the bow.
- A projecting forward part, such as the front end of a ski.
avarice
Immoderate desire for wealth; cupidity.
avaricious
thaumaturgy
(thô′mə-tûr′jē)
n. The working of miracles or magic feats.
thau′ma·tur′gic, thau′ma·tur′gi·cal adj.
crucible
- A vessel made of a refractory substance such as graphite or porcelain, used for melting and calcining materials at high temperatures.
2.
a. An extremely difficult experience or situation; a severe test or trial: “the emotional crucible of a wartimedeployment” (Kristin Henderson). See Synonyms at trial.
b. A place, time, or situation in which different social forces or intellectual influences come together and cause newdevelopments: “Macroeconomics … was cast in the crucible of the Depression” (Peter Passell).
John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (1806 – 1873) was a British philosopher, political economist and civil servant. He was an influential contributor to social theory, political theory and political economy. He has been called “the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century”. Mill’s conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control.
Mill expresses his view on freedom by illustrating how an individual’s amelioration of personal quality and self-improvement is the sole source of true freedom. Only when an individual is able to attain such a beneficial standard of one’s self, whilst in the absence of rendering external onerosity upon others, in their own journey to procure a higher calibre of self-worth, can true freedom prevail. Mill’s attitude toward freedom and individual accomplishment through self-improvement has inspired many. By establishing an appreciable level of worthiness concerned with one’s ability to fulfill personal standards of notability and merit, Mill was able to provide many with a principal example of how they should achieve such particular values.
He was a proponent of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by Jeremy Bentham. He worked on the theory of the scientific method. Mill was also a Member of Parliament and an important figure in liberal political philosophy.
tabouret
also tab·ou·ret (tăb′ə-rĕt′, -rā′)
n.
- A low stool.
- A low table or cabinet.
- An embroidery frame.
[French tabouret, from Old French taburet, diminutive of tabur, tabor; see tabor.]
cardinal
adj.
- Of foremost importance; paramount: a cardinal rule; cardinal sins.
- Dark to deep or vivid red.
n.
- Abbr. Card. Roman Catholic Church A high church official, ranking just below the pope, who has beenappointed by a pope to membership in the College of Cardinals.
- A dark to deep or vivid red.
- A North American bird (Cardinalis cardinalis) having a crested head, a short thick bill, and bright redplumage in the male.
- A short hooded cloak, originally of scarlet cloth, worn by women in the 1700s.
- A cardinal number.
debouch
(dĭ-bouch′, -bo͞osh′)
v. de·bouched, de·bouch·ing, de·bouch·es
v. intr.
1. To march from a narrow or confined area into the open.
2. To emerge; issue: “His companions still lay in the bed of the ravine, through which the smaller stream debouched” (James Fenimore Cooper).
v.tr.
To cause to emerge or issue.
quern
(kwûrn)
n. A primitive hand-turned grain mill.
accoutrement
or ac·cou·ter·ment (ə-ko͞o′trə-mənt, -tər-)
n.
- often accoutrements An accessory item of equipment or dress.
- often accoutrements Military equipment other than uniforms and weapons.
- accoutrements Outward forms of recognition; trappings: cathedral ceilings, heated swimming pools, and other accoutrements signaling great wealth.
- Archaic The act of accoutring.
fumarole
(fyo͞o′mə-rōl′)
n. A hole in a volcanic area from which hot smoke and gases escape.
[Italian fumarola, from Late Latin fūmāriolum, smoke hole, diminutive of Latin fūmārium, smoke chamber, from fūmus, smoke.]
fu′ma·rol′ic (-rŏl′ĭk) adj.
cataphract
(kăt´å`frăkt)
n.
- (Mil. Antiq.) Defensive armor used for the whole body and often for the horse, also, esp. the linked mail or scale armor of some eastern nations.
- A horseman covered with a cataphract. Archers and slingers, cataphracts, and spears. - Milton.
- (Zool.) The armor or plate covering some fishes.
palisade
n.
1.
a. A fence of pales forming a defense barrier or fortification.
b. One of the pales of such a fence.
2. palisades A line of lofty steep cliffs, usually along a river.
tr.v. pal·i·sad·ed, pal·i·sad·ing, pal·i·sades
To equip or fortify with palisades or a palisade.
[French palissade, from Old French, from Old Provençal palissada, from palissa, stake, from Vulgar Latin *pālīcea, from Latin pālus; see pag- in Indo-European roots.]
abbot
n.
- The superior of a monastery.
- Used as a title for such a person.
rivulet
n. A small brook or stream; a streamlet.
copse
(kŏps) n. A thicket of small trees or shrubs; a coppice. [Middle English copys, from Old French copeiz, thicket for cutting, from coper, couper, to cut; see cope1.]
transliterate
(trăns-lĭt′ə-rāt′, trănz-)
tr.v. trans·lit·er·at·ed, trans·lit·er·at·ing, trans·lit·er·ates To represent (letters or words) in the corresponding characters of another alphabet.
[trans- + Latin littera, lītera, letter + -ate.]
trans·lit′er·a′tion (-ə-rā′shən) n.
dryad
(drī′əd, -ăd′)
n. Greek Mythology A divinity presiding over forests and trees; a wood nymph.
grotto
n. pl. grot·toes or grot·tos
1. A small cave or cavern.
2. An artificial structure or excavation made to resemble a cave or cavern.
[Alteration of Italian grotta, from Vulgar Latin *grupta, from Latin crypta, vault; see crypt.]
windjammer
n. A large sailing ship.
wind′jam′ming n.
bifurcate
(bī′fər-kāt′, bī-fûr′-)
v. bi·fur·cat·ed, bi·fur·cat·ing, bi·fur·cates
v.tr.
To divide into two parts or branches.
v.intr.
To separate into two parts or branches; fork.
adj. (-kāt′, -kĭt)
Forked or divided into two parts or branches, as the Y-shaped styles of certain flowers.
[Medieval Latin bifurcāre, bifurcāt-, to divide, from Latin bifurcus, two-pronged : bi-, two; see bi-1 + furca, fork.]
bi′fur·cate′ly adv.
bi′fur·ca′tion n.
isthmus
(ĭs′məs)
n. pl. isth·mus·es or isth·mi (-mī′)
1. A narrow strip of land connecting two larger masses of land.
2. Anatomy
a. A narrow strip of tissue joining two larger organs or parts of an organ.
b. A narrow passage connecting two larger cavities.
[Latin, from Greek isthmos.]
repose
n.
- The act of resting or the state of being at rest.
- Freedom from worry; peace of mind.
- Calmness; tranquility.
v. re·posed, re·pos·ing, re·pos·es
v. tr.
1. To lay (oneself) down.
2. To rest or relax (oneself).
v. intr.
1. To lie at rest.
2. To lie dead: repose in a grave.
3. To lie while being supported by something.
[From Middle English reposen, to be at rest, from Old French reposer, from Late Latin repausāre, to cause to rest : Latin re-, re- + Latin pausāre, to rest (from pausa, rest; see pause).]
re·pos′al n.
re·pos′er n.
Adam Weishaupt
Johann Adam Weishaupt (1748 – 1830) was a German philosopher and founder of the Order of the Illuminati, a secret society.
On May day 1776 Johann Adam Weishaupt founded the “Illuminati” in the Electorate of Bavaria. He adopted the name of “Brother Spartacus” within the order. Even Encyclopedia references vary on the goal of the order, such as New Advent saying the Order was not egalitarian or democratic internally, and sought to promote the doctrines of equality and freedom throughout society; while others like Collier’s have said the aim was to combat religion and foster rationalism in its place.
The actual character of the society was an elaborate network of spies and counter-spies. Each isolated cell of initiates reported to a superior, whom they did not know: a party structure that was effectively adopted by some later groups.
Weishaupt was initiated into the Masonic Lodge “Theodor zum guten Rath”, at Munich in 1777. His project of “illumination, enlightening the understanding by the sun of reason, which will dispel the clouds of superstition and of prejudice” was an unwelcome reform. He used Freemasonry to recruit for his own quasi-masonic society, with the goal of “perfecting human nature” through re-education to achieve a communal state with nature, freed of government and organized religion. Presenting their own system as pure masonry, Weishaupt and Adolph Freiherr Knigge, who organised his ritual structure, greatly expanded the secret organisation.
Contrary to Immanuel Kant’s famous dictum that Enlightenment (and Weishaupt’s Order was in some respects an expression of the Enlightenment Movement) was the passage by man out of his ‘self-imposed immaturity’ through daring to ‘make use of his own reason, without the guidance of another,’ Weishaupt’s Order of Illuminati prescribed in great detail everything which the members had obediently to read and think, so that Dr. Wolfgang Riedel has commented that this approach to illumination or enlightenment constituted a degradation and twisting of the Kantian principle of Enlightenment. Riedel writes: ‘The independence of thought and judgement required by Kant … was specifically prevented by the Order of the Illuminati’s rules and regulations. Enlightenment takes place here, if it takes place at all, precisely under the direction of another, namely under that of the “Superiors” [of the Order].
Weishaupt’s radical rationalism and vocabulary was not likely to succeed. Writings that were intercepted in 1784 were interpreted as seditious, and the Society was banned by the government of Karl Theodor, Elector of Bavaria, in 1784. Weishaupt lost his position at the University of Ingolstadt and fled Bavaria.
walleye
(wôl′ī′)
n, pl -eyes or -eye
- (Pathology) a divergent squint
- (Pathology) opacity of the cornea
- (Physiology) an eye having a white or light-coloured iris
- (Zoology) (in some collies) an eye that is particoloured white and blue
- (Animals) Also called: walleyed pike a North American pikeperch, Stizostedion vitreum, valued as a food and game fish
- (Animals) any of various other fishes having large staring eyes
[back formation from earlier walleyed, from Old Norse vagleygr, from vage, perhaps: a film over the eye (compare Swedish vagel sty in the eye) + -eygr -eyed, from auga eye; modern form influenced by wall] ˈ
wallˌeyed adj
frond
(frŏnd)
n.
- A leaf of a fern.
- A large compound leaf of a palm.
- A leaflike thallus, as of a seaweed or lichen.
turbid
adj.
- Having sediment or foreign particles stirred up or suspended; muddy: turbid water.
- Heavy, dark, or dense, as smoke or fog.
- In a state of turmoil; muddled: turbid feelings.
[Latin turbidus, disordered, from turba, turmoil, probably from Greek turbē.]
tur′bid·ly adv.
tur′bid·ness,
tur·bid′i·ty n.
tincture
(tĭngk′chər)
n.
- A coloring or dyeing substance; a pigment.
- An imparted color; a tint.
- A quality that colors, pervades, or distinguishes.
- A trace or vestige: “a faint tincture of condescension” (Robert Craft).
- An alcohol solution of a nonvolatile medicine: tincture of iodine.
- Heraldry A metal, color, or fur.
tr. v. tinc·tured, tinc·tur·ing, tinc·tures
1. To stain or tint with a color.
2. To infuse, as with a quality; impregnate.
[Middle English, from Latin tīnctūra, a dyeing, from tīnctus, past participle of tingere, to dye.]
mandrake
n.
1.
a. A southern European plant (Mandragora officinarum) in the nightshade family, having greenish-yellow flowers and a branched root. This plant was once believed to have magical powers because its root resembles the human body.
b. The root of this plant, which contains the poisonous alkaloid hyoscyamine. In both senses also called mandragora.
2. See mayapple.
[Middle English, alteration (influenced by drake, dragon) of mandragora, from Old English, from Latin mandragorās, from Greek.]
Nantucket
An island of southeast Massachusetts south of Cape Cod, from which it is separated by Nantucket Sound, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. Settled in 1659, the island was part of New York until 1692, when it was ceded to Massachusetts. It was a whaling center until the mid-1850s and is now a popular resort.
Nan·tuck′et·er n.
gloaming
Twilight; dusk.
mutton
n. The flesh of fully grown sheep.
arabesque
(ăr′ə-bĕsk′)
n.
- A ballet position executed while standing on one straight leg with one arm extended forward and the other arm and leg extended backward.
- A complex, ornate design of intertwined floral, foliate, and geometric figures.
- Music An ornate, whimsical composition especially for piano.
- An intricate or elaborate pattern or design: “the complex arabesque of a camera movement” (Nigel Andrews).
adj.
In the fashion of or formed as an arabesque.
[French, from Italian arabesco, in Arabian fashion, from Arabo, an Arab, from Latin Arabus, from Arabs; see Arab.]
fjord
(fyôrd)
n. A long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between steep slopes, especially one shaped by glacial action.
viscount
(vī′kount′)
n.
- A nobleman ranking below an earl or count and above a baron.
- Used as a title for such a nobleman.
[Middle English, from Old French visconte, from Medieval Latin vicecomes, vicecomit- : Late Latin vice-, vice- + Late Latin comes, occupant of any state office; see count.]
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) was a German philosopher. He argued that fundamental concepts structure human experience, and that reason is the source of morality.
Kant’s major work, the Critique of Pure Reason aimed to explain the relationship between reason and human experience. With this project, he hoped to move beyond what he took to be failures of traditional philosophy and metaphysics. He attempted to put an end to what he considered an era of futile and speculative theories of human experience, while resisting the skepticism of thinkers such as David Hume.
Kant argued that our experiences are structured by necessary features of our minds. In his view, the mind shapes and structures experience so that, on an abstract level, all human experience shares certain essential structural features. Among other things, Kant believed that the concepts of space and time are integral to all human experience, as are our concepts of cause and effect. One important consequence of this view is that one never has direct experience of things, the so-called noumenal world, and that what we do experience is the phenomenal world as conveyed by our senses. These claims summarize Kant’s views upon the subject–object problem.
bodkin
(bŏd′kĭn)
n.
- A small, sharply pointed instrument for making holes in fabric or leather.
- A blunt needle for pulling tape or ribbon through a series of loops or a hem.
- A long hairpin, usually with an ornamental head.
- Printing An awl or pick for extracting letters from set type.
- A dagger or stiletto.
halter
n.
- A device made of rope or straps that fits around the head of an animal and is used to lead or secure the animal.
- Archaic
a. A rope with a noose used for execution by hanging.
b. Death or execution by hanging. - A garment having a front supported by a strap or straps running behind the neck, leaving the arms, shoulders, and back bare.
adj.
Of, relating to, or being a garment having a front that is supported by a strap or straps running behind the neck: a halter dress.
tr. v. hal·tered, hal·ter·ing, hal·ters
1. To put a halter on.
2. To control with or as if with a halter.
3. Archaic To hang (someone).
ithyphallic
(ĭth′ə-făl′ĭk)
adj.
- Of or relating to the phallus carried in the ancient festival of Bacchus.
- Having the penis erect. Used of graphic and sculptural representations.
- Lascivious; salacious.
[Late Latin īthyphallicus, from Greek īthuphallikos, from īthuphallos, erect phallus : īthus, straight + phallos, phallus; see bhel- in Indo-European roots.]
festoon
(fĕ-sto͞on′)
n.
- A string or garland, as of leaves or flowers, suspended in a loop or curve between two points.
- A representation of such a string or garland, as in painting or sculpture.
tr. v. fes·tooned, fes·toon·ing, fes·toons
1. To decorate with or as if with festoons; hang festoons on.
2. To form or make into festoons.
artifice
1.
a. Deception or trickery: The purchaser believed that the product was new only by artifice of the seller.
b. Something contrived or made up to achieve an end, especially by deceiving; a stratagem or ruse: “From the beginning, ‘compassionateconservatism’ was an artifice designed to mask Bush’s conservatism from an electorate that did not want a sharp rightward turn” (JonathanChait).
2.
a. Cleverness or ingenuity in making or doing something; art or skill: “Literary artifice is the only means that a writer has at his disposal. Howelse can he convey his impression of life?” (Harry Levin).
b. An artistic device or convention: artifices such as conceits and puns.
incredous
adj.
- Skeptical; disbelieving: incredulous of stories about flying saucers.
- Expressive of disbelief: an incredulous stare.
[From Latin incrēdulus : in-, not; see in-1 + crēdulus, believing; see credulous.]
in·cred′u·lous·ly adv.
in·cred′u·lous·ness n.
incredulity n.
hayrick
hay stack
paddock
(păd′ək)
n.
- A fenced area, usually near a stable, used chiefly for grazing horses.
- Sports
a. An enclosure at a racetrack where the horses are assembled, saddled, and paraded before each race.
b. An area of an automobile racetrack where cars are prepared before a race. - Australian A piece of fenced-in land.
tr.v. pad·docked, pad·dock·ing, pad·docks
To confine in a paddock.
ballast
n
- (Nautical Terms) any dense heavy material, such as lead or iron pigs, used to stabilize a vessel, esp one that is not carrying cargo
- (Civil Engineering) crushed rock, broken stone, etc, used for the foundation of a road or railway track
- (Building) coarse aggregate of sandy gravel, used in making concrete
- anything that provides stability or weight
- (Electronics) electronics a device for maintaining the current in a circuit vb (tr)
- to give stability or weight to
gossamer
(gŏs′ə-mər)
n.
- A fine film of cobwebs that is often seen floating in the air or is caught on bushes or grass.
- Something that is light, delicate, or sheer, such as fabric.
adj.
Sheer, light, or delicate: “An iron bedstead swathed in gossamer muslin stands out from all walls, adrift as a cloud” (Margo Miller). See Synonyms atairy.
troth
(trôth, trŏth, trōth)
n.
1.
a. Betrothal.
b. One’s pledged fidelity.
2. Good faith; fidelity.
tr.v. trothed, troth·ing, troths
To pledge or betroth.
[Middle English trouthe, trothe, variant of treuthe, from Old English trēowth, truth; see deru- in Indo-European roots.]
atoll
(ăt′ôl′, -ŏl′, ā′tôl′, ā′tŏl′)
n. An island or chain of islets connected by a coral reef that nearly or entirely encloses a lagoon.
[Dhivehi atholhu; probably akin to Sinhalese ätul, interior (from the interior lagoon), probably from Sanskrit *antala-, interior, variant of antara-; see en in Indo-European roots.]
Manichaeism
(măn′ĭ-kē′ĭz′əm) also Man·i·chae·an·ism (-kē′ə-nĭz′əm)
n.
- The syncretic, dualistic religious philosophy taught by the Persian prophet Mani, combining elements of Zoroastrian, Christian, and Gnostic thought and opposed by the imperial Roman government, Neo-Platonist philosophers, and orthodox Christians.
- A dualistic philosophy dividing the world between good and evil principles or regarding matter as intrinsically evil and mind as intrinsically good.
[From Late Latin Manichaeus, Manichaean, from Late Greek Manikhaios, from Manikhaios, Mani.]
Man·i·chae·an (măn′ĭ-kē′ən) n. & adj.
apoplexy
(ăp′ə-plĕk′sē)
n.
- Sudden impairment of neurological function, especially that resulting from a cerebral hemorrhage; a stroke.
- A sudden effusion of blood into an organ or tissue.
- A fit of extreme anger; rage: “The proud … members suffered collective apoplexy, and this year they are out for blood” (David Finch).
poop
n.
- An enclosed superstructure at the stern of a ship.
- A poop deck.
tr. v. pooped, poop·ing, poops
1. To break over the stern of (a ship). Used of a wave.
2. To take (a wave) over the stern.
In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or “aft”, part of the superstructure of a ship.
Lazarus of Bethany
Lazarus of Bethany, also known as Saint Lazarus or Lazarus of the Four Days, is the subject of a prominent miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus restores him to life four days after his death. The Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions offer varying accounts of the later events of his life.
In the context of the Gospel of John, the narrative of the Raising of Lazarus forms “the climactic sign… Each of Jesus’ seven signs illustrates some particular aspect of his divine authority, but this one exemplifies his power over the last and most irresistible enemy of humanity—death. For this reason it is given a prominent place in the gospel.”
A figure named “Lazarus” is also mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. The two Biblical characters named “Lazarus” have sometimes been conflated historically, but are generally understood to be two separate people.
The name “Lazarus” is frequently used in science and popular culture in reference to apparent restoration to life; for example, the scientific term “Lazarus taxon” denotes organisms that reappear in the fossil record after a period of apparent extinction. There are also numerous literary uses of the term.
pergola / arbor
arbor
n. A shady resting place in a garden or park, often made of latticework on which plants such as climbing shrubs or vines are grown.
* * *
pergola (pûr′gə-lə)
n. An arbor or a passageway of columns supporting a roof of trelliswork on which climbing plants are trained to grow.
genuflect
(jĕn′yə-flĕkt′)
intr. v. gen·u·flect·ed, gen·u·flect·ing, gen·u·flects
1. To bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor or ground, as in worship.
2. To be servilely respectful or deferential; grovel.
[Late Latin genūflectere : Latin genū, knee; see genu- in Indo-European roots + Latin flectere, to bend.]
gen′u·flec′tion (-flĕk′shən) n.
cravat
(krə-văt′)
n. A scarf or band of fabric worn around the neck as a tie.
cuisse
(kwĭs) also cuish (kwĭsh)
n. Plate armor worn to protect the front of the thigh.
fuscous
(fŭs′kəs)
adj. Dark brownish-gray in color.
vellum
(vĕl′əm)
n.
1.
a. A fine parchment made from calfskin, lambskin, or kidskin and used for the pages and binding of books.
b. A work written or printed on this parchment.
2. A heavy off-white fine-quality paper resembling this parchment.
[Middle English velim, from Old French velin, from veel, calf; see veal.]
bray
v.
brayed, bray·ing, brays
v. intr.
1. To utter the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.
2. To sound loudly and harshly: The foghorn brayed all night.
v.tr. To emit (an utterance or a sound) loudly and harshly.
n.
- The loud, harsh cry of a donkey.
- A sound resembling that of a donkey: “an endless bray of pointless jocosity” (Louis Auchincloss).
zircon
n. A brown to colorless mineral, ZrSiO4, which is heated, cut, and polished to form a brilliant blue-white gem.
ermine
(ûr′mĭn)
n.
- A weasel (Mustela erminea) native to northern regions, having a black-tipped tail and dark brown fur that in winter changes to white. Also called stoat.
- The commercially valuable white fur of this animal.
gravid
(grăv′ĭd)
adj. Carrying developing young or eggs: a gravid uterus; a gravid female.
raiment
(rā′mənt)
n. Clothing; garments.
[Middle English, short for araiment, from Old French areement, array, from areer, arrayer, to array; see array.]
carafe
(kə-răf′)
n.
1. A glass or metal bottle, often with a flared lip, used for serving water or wine.
2. A glass pot with a pouring spout, used in making coffee.
offing
n.
The part of the sea visible from shore that is very distant or beyond anchoring ground.
Idiom: in the offing
- In the near or immediate future; soon to come: with exams finished and graduation in the offing.
- Nearby; at hand.
abbey
n. pl. ab·beys
1. A monastery supervised by an abbot.
2. A convent supervised by an abbess.
3. A church that is or once was part of a monastery or convent.
nursemaid
n.
A woman employed to take care of infants or young children.
often shortened to nurse
pastoral
(păs′tər-əl, pă-stôr′-)
adj.
1.
a. Of or relating to shepherds or herders.
b. Of, relating to, or used for animal husbandry.
2.
a. Of or relating to the country or country life; rural.
b. Charmingly simple and serene; idyllic. See Synonyms at rural.
3. Of, relating to, or being a literary or other artistic work that portrays or evokes rural life, usually in an idealized way.
4. Of or relating to a pastor or the duties of a pastor: pastoral duties; a pastoral letter.
n.
- A literary or other artistic work that portrays or evokes rural life, usually in an idealized way.
- Music A pastorale.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pāstōrālis, from pāstor, shepherd; see pastor.]
pas′tor·al·ly adv.
assignation
1.
a. The act of assigning: assignation of blame.
b. Something assigned, especially an allotment.
2.
a. An appointment to meet in secret, especially between lovers. See Synonyms at engagement.
b. The meeting made by such an appointment.
cull
tr. v. culled, cull·ing, culls
1. To pick out from others; select.
2. To gather; collect.
3. To remove rejected members or parts from (a herd, for example).
n.
Something picked out from others, especially something rejected because of inferior quality.
[Middle English cullen, from Old French cuillir, from Latin colligere; see collect.]
cull′er n.
stamen
(stā′mən)
n. pl. sta·mens or sta·mi·na (stā′mə-nə, stăm′ə-)
The pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower, usually consisting of a filament and an anther.
[Latin stāmen, thread; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
sta′mi·nal (stā′mə-nəl, stăm′ə-) adj.
ventricle
n.
A small cavity or chamber within a body or organ, especially:
a. The chamber on the left side of the heart that receives arterial blood from the left atrium and contracts to force it into the aorta.
b. The chamber on the right side of the heart that receives venous blood from the right atrium and forces it into the pulmonary artery.
c. Any of the interconnecting cavities of the brain.
[Middle English, from Old French ventricule, from Latin ventriculus, diminutive of venter, belly.]
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) was a German philosopher who is widely considered to be a central figure of modern philosophy. He argued that fundamental concepts structure human experience, and that reason is the source of morality. His thought continues to have a major influence in contemporary thought, especially the fields of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, and aesthetics.
Kant’s major work, the Critique of Pure Reason (1781), aimed to explain the relationship between reason and human experience. With this project, he hoped to move beyond what he took to be failures of traditional philosophy and metaphysics. He attempted to put an end to what he considered an era of futile and speculative theories of human experience, while resisting the skepticism of thinkers such as David Hume.
Kant argued that our experiences are structured by necessary features of our minds. In his view, the mind shapes and structures experience so that, on an abstract level, all human experience shares certain essential structural features. Among other things, Kant believed that the concepts of space and time are integral to all human experience, as are our concepts of cause and effect. One important consequence of this view is that one never has direct experience of things, the so-called noumenal world, and that what we do experience is the phenomenal world as conveyed by our senses. These claims summarize Kant’s views upon the subject–object problem. Kant published other important works on ethics, religion, law, aesthetics, astronomy, and history. These included the Critique of Practical Reason (1788), the Metaphysics of Morals (1797), which dealt with ethics, and the Critique of Judgment (1790), which looks at aesthetics and teleology.
Kant aimed to resolve disputes between empirical and rationalist approaches. The former asserted that all knowledge comes through experience; the latter maintained that reason and innate ideas were prior. Kant argued that experience is purely subjective without first being processed by pure reason. He also said that using reason without applying it to experience only leads to theoretical illusions. The free and proper exercise of reason by the individual was a theme both of the Age of Enlightenment, and of Kant’s approaches to the various problems of philosophy. His ideas influenced many thinkers in Germany during his lifetime, and he moved philosophy beyond the debate between the rationalists and empiricists. Kant is seen as a major figure in the history and development of philosophy.
detritus
(dĭ-trī′təs)
n. pl. detritus
1. Loose fragments or grains that have been worn away from rock.
2. Disintegrated or eroded matter; debris: the detritus of past civilizations.
seraglio
(sə-răl′yō, -räl′-)
n. pl. se·ra·glios
1. A large harem.
2. A sultan’s palace.
Also called serai.
[Italian serraglio, enclosure, seraglio, probably partly from Vulgar Latin *serraculum, enclosure (from *serrāre, to lace up, from Latin serāre, from sera, door-bar) and partly from Turkish saray, palace (from Persian sarāy, inn; see terə- in Indo-European roots).]
thylacine
(thī′lə-sīn′)
- (Animals) an extinct or very rare doglike carnivorous marsupial, Thylacinus cynocephalus, of Tasmania, having greyish-brown fur with dark vertical stripes on the back: family Dasyuridae.
Also called: Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf
Cyrus the Great / Cyrus II of Persia / Cyrus the Elder
Cyrus II of Persia (c. 600 or 576 – 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great and also known as Cyrus the Elder, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. Under his successors, the empire eventually stretched from parts of the Balkans (Bulgaria-Pannonia) and Thrace-Macedonia in the west, to the Indus Valley in the east. His regal titles in full were The Great King, King of Persia, King of Anshan, King of Media, King of Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad, and King of the Four Corners of the World. In the 1970s, the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi identified his famous proclamation inscribed onto Cyrus Cylinder as the oldest known declaration of human rights, and the Cylinder has since been popularized as such. This view has been criticized by some historians as a misunderstanding of the Cylinder’s generic nature as a traditional statement that new monarchs make at the beginning of their reign.
torus
(tôr′əs)
n. pl. to·ri (tôr′ī)
1. Architecture A large convex molding, semicircular in cross section, located at the base of a classical column.
2. Anatomy A bulging or rounded projection or swelling.
3. Botany
a. The receptacle of a flower.
b. A thickened area in the middle of the membrane that connects the pits of tracheids in conifers and certain other gymnosperms.
4. Mathematics A toroid generated by a circle; a surface having the shape of a doughnut.
Also called tore.
[Latin, bulge, knot, torus.]
scarp
(skärp) n. An escarpment. tr.v. scarped, scarp·ing, scarps To cut or make into an escarpment. [Italian scarpa, slope, perhaps of Germanic origin; see sker- in Indo-European roots.]
virginal
adj.
- Relating to, characteristic of, or befitting a virgin.
- Untouched or unsullied; fresh: virginal morning snow.
- Inexperienced: “This publisher on the phone … knows you’re virginal in matters contractual” (Richard Curtis).
- Zoology Virgin.
vir′gin·al·ly adv. n. often virginals
A small, legless rectangular harpsichord popular in the 1500s and 1600s. Also called pair of virginals.
piton
(pē′tŏn′)
n. A metal spike fitted at one end with an eye for securing a rope and driven into rock or ice as a support in mountain climbing.
[French, from Old French, nail.]
lath
n. pl. laths (lăthz, lăths)
1.
a. A thin strip of wood or metal, usually nailed in rows to framing supports as a substructure for plaster, shingles, slates, or tiles.
b. A building material, such as a sheet of metal mesh, used for similar purposes.
2.
a. A quantity of laths; lathing.
b. Work made with or from lath.
tr.v. lathed, lath·ing, laths
To build, cover, or line with laths.
[Middle English latthe, probably alteration (influenced by Welsh llath, rod) of Old English lætt.]
edifice
(ĕd′ə-fĭs)
n.
1. A building, especially one of imposing appearance or size.
2. An elaborate conceptual structure: observations that provided the foundation for the edifice of evolutionary theory.
hamadryad
(hăm′ə-drī′əd)
n. pl. ham·a·dry·ads or ham·a·dry·a·des (-ə-dēz′)
1. Greek & Roman Mythology A wood nymph who lives only as long as the tree of which she is the spirit lives.
2. See king cobra.
[Middle English amadriad, from Latin Hamadryas, Hamadryad-, from Greek Hamadruas : hama, together with; see sem- in Indo-European roots + Druas, dryad (from drūs, oak; see deru- in Indo-European roots).]
funicular
(fyo͝o-nĭk′yə-lər, fə-)
adj.
- Of, relating to, or resembling a rope or cord.
- Operated or moved by a cable.
- Of, relating to, or constituting a funiculus.
n.
A cable railway on a steep incline, especially such a railway with simultaneously ascending and descending cars counterbalancing one another.
kestrel
(kĕs′trəl)
n.
- A small falcon (Falco sparverius) found throughout the Americas, having vertical black stripes under the eyes and characteristically hovering over fields to hunt. Also called sparrow hawk.
- A small falcon (Falco tinnunculus) of Europe, Asia, and Africa that hovers when hunting and has reddish-brown plumage and a gray head.
- Any of various similar falcons of the genus Falco that hover when hunting.
trice
n.
A very short period of time; an instant: came back in a trice.
tr.v. triced, tric·ing, tric·es
Nautical To hoist and secure with a rope: trice a sail.
[From Middle English (at a) trise, at one pull, from trisen, to hoist, from Middle Dutch trīsen, from trīse, pulley. V., from Middle English trisen.]
regicide
(rĕj′ĭ-sīd′)
n.
- The killing of a king.
- One who kills a king.
[Latin rēx, rēg-, king; see reg- in Indo-European roots + -cide.]
reg′i·cid′al (-sīd′l) adj.
girder
(gûr′dər)
n. A beam, as of steel, wood, or reinforced concrete, used as a main horizontal support in a building or bridge.
teak
n.
1.
a. A large deciduous tree (Tectona grandis) in the mint family, native to tropical South and Southeast Asia, having hard, heavy, durable yellowish-brown wood.
b. The wood of this tree, used especially for furniture and in shipbuilding.
2. A grayish yellowish brown or grayish to moderate brown.
teak adj.
frieze
(frēz)
n. Architecture
1. A plain or decorated horizontal part of an entablature between the architrave and cornice.
2. A decorative horizontal band, as along the upper part of a wall in a room.
Image:
A. cornice B. frieze C. architrave D. entablature
prestidigitation
(prĕs′tĭ-dĭj′ĭ-tā′shən)
n.
- Performance of or skill in performing magic or conjuring tricks with the hands; sleight of hand.
- Skill or cleverness, especially in deceiving others.
[French (influenced by prestigiateur, juggler, conjurer, from prestige, illusion), from prestidigitateur, conjurer : preste, nimble (from Italian presto; see presto) + Latin digitus, finger; see digit.]
pres′ti·dig′i·ta′tor n.
capstan
A capstan is a vertical-axled rotating machine developed for use on sailing ships to apply force to ropes, cables, and hawsers. The principle is similar to that of the windlass, which has a horizontal axle.
castanet
n. often castanets
A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of slightly concave shells of ivory or hardwood, held in the palm of the hand by a connecting cord over the thumb and clapped together with the fingers.
[Spanish castañeta, from castaña, chestnut, from Latin castanea; see chestnut.]
Chuang Tzu
(chwäng′ dzŭ′) also Zhuang·zi (jwäng′dzŭ′) c. 369-286 bc.
Chinese Taoist philosopher who advocated a skeptical approach to knowledge and a willing acceptance of change as a means of unifying oneself with the Tao.
Zhuang Zhou, more commonly known as Zhuangzi (or Master Zhuang), was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE during the Warring States period, a period corresponding to the summit of Chinese philosophy, the Hundred Schools of Thought. He is credited with writing—in part or in whole—a work known by his name, the Zhuangzi, which expresses a philosophy which is skeptical, arguing that life is limited and knowledge to be gained is unlimited. As a Daoist philosopher, some claim his writings reflect a form a western relativism, while others question revisionist interpretations.
strumpet
n. A woman prostitute.
truss
vb (tr)
- (sometimes foll by up) to tie, bind, or bundle: to truss up a prisoner.
- (Cookery) to fasten or bind the wings and legs of (a fowl) before cooking to keep them in place
- (Building) to support or stiffen (a roof, bridge, etc) with structural members
- (Clothing & Fashion) to confine (the body or a part of it) in tight clothes
- (Falconry) falconry (of falcons) to hold (the quarry) in the stoop without letting go
- (Medicine) med to supply or support with a truss
n
- (Building) a structural framework of wood or metal, esp one arranged in triangles, used to support a roof, bridge, etc
- (Medicine) med a device for holding a hernia in place, typically consisting of a pad held in position by a belt
- (Horticulture) horticulture a cluster of flowers or fruit growing at the end of a single stalk
- (Nautical Terms) nautical a metal fitting fixed to a yard at its centre for holding it to a mast while allowing movement
- (Architecture) architect another name for corbel
Heraclitus
Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 – c. 475 BCE) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, a native of the Greek city Ephesus, Ionia, on the coast of Asia Minor. He was of distinguished parentage. Little is known about his early life and education, but he regarded himself as self-taught and a pioneer of wisdom. From the lonely life he led, and still more from the riddling nature of his philosophy and his contempt for humankind in general, he was called “The Obscure” and the “Weeping Philosopher”.
Heraclitus is famous for his insistence on ever-present change in the universe, as stated in the famous saying, “No man ever steps in the same river twice”. He believed in the unity of opposites, stating that “the path up and down are one and the same”, all existing entities being characterized by pairs of contrary properties. His cryptic utterance that “all entities come to be in accordance with this Logos” (literally, “word”, “reason”, or “account”) has been the subject of numerous interpretations.
mantilla
(măn-tē′yə, -tĭl′ə)
n.
- A lightweight lace or silk scarf traditionally worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb, by women in Spain and Latin America.
- A short cloak or cape.
[Spanish, diminutive of manta, cape; see manta.]
Jerusalem syndrome
(Psychiatry) a delusive condition affecting some visitors to Jerusalem in which the sufferer identifies with a major figure from his or her religious background
bulkhead
n.
1.
a. One of the upright partitions dividing a ship into compartments and serving to add structural rigidity and to prevent the spread of leakage or fire.
b. A partition or wall serving a similar purpose in a vehicle, such as an aircraft or spacecraft.
2. A wall or an embankment, as in a mine or along a waterfront, that acts as a protective barrier.
3. Chiefly New England A horizontal or sloping structure providing access to a cellar stairway.
[bulk, stall, partition (perhaps of Scandinavian origin) + head.]
colophon
(kŏl′ə-fŏn′)
An ancient Greek city of Asia Minor northwest of Ephesus. It was famous for its cavalry.
n.
- An inscription placed usually at the end of a book, giving facts about its publication.
- A publisher’s emblem or trademark placed usually on the spine or the title page of a book.
[Late Latin colophōn, from Greek kolophōn, summit, finishing touch; see kel- in Indo-European roots.]
vestibule
(vĕs′tə-byo͞ol′)
n.
- A small entrance hall or passage between the outer door and the interior of a house or building.
- An enclosed area at the end of a passenger car on a railroad train.
- Anatomy A body cavity, chamber, or channel that leads to or is an entrance to another body cavity: the vestibule of the inner ear.
hypnagogic
also hyp·no·gog·ic (hĭp′nə-gŏj′ĭk, -gō′jĭk)
adj.
- Inducing sleep; soporific.
- Of, relating to, or occurring in the state of intermediate consciousness preceding sleep: hypnagogic hallucinations.
[French hypnagogique : Greek hupnos, sleep; see agōgos in Indo-European roots).]
Juno
n. Roman Mythology
The principal goddess of the pantheon and the wife of Jupiter, worshiped as the goddess of women, marriage, childbirth, and the moon, and as the protector of the state. She came to be identified with the Greek Hera.
[Latin Iūnō, from iuvenis, young (probably from her association with the new moon); see yeu- in Indo-European roots.]
also: a woman of stately bearing and regal beauty
Hermes Trismegistus
(trĭs′mə-jĭs′təs, trĭz′-)
Hermes Trismegistus (Ancient Greek: “thrice-greatest Hermes”) is the purported author of the Hermetic Corpus, a series of sacred texts that are the basis of Hermeticism.
Hermes Trismegistus may be a representation of the syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. In Hellenistic Egypt, the Greeks recognised the congruence of their god Hermes with Thoth. Subsequently the two gods were worshipped as one in what had been the Temple of Thoth in Khemnu, which the Greeks called Hermopolis.
Both Thoth and Hermes were gods of writing and of magic in their respective cultures. Thus, the Greek god of interpretive communication was combined with the Egyptian god of wisdom as a patron of astrology and alchemy. In addition, both gods were psychopomps, guiding souls to the afterlife. The Egyptian Priest and Polymath Imhotep had been deified long after his death and therefore assimilated to Thoth in the classical and Hellenistic period. The renowned scribe Amenhotep and a wise man named Teôs were equally deified as gods of wisdom, science and medicine and thus placed alongside Imhotep in shrines dedicated to Thoth-Hermes during the Ptolemaic period.
brigantine
n. A two-masted sailing ship, square-rigged on the foremast and having a fore-and-aft mainsail, often with square main topsails.
[French brigantin, from Old French brigandin, from Old Italian brigantino, skirmishing ship, from brigante, skirmisher; see brigand.]
Eturia
(ĭ-tro͝or′ē-ə)
An ancient country of west-central Italy in present-day Tuscany and parts of Umbria. It was the center of the Etruscan civilization, which spread throughout much of Italy before being supplanted by Rome in the third century bc. E·tru′ri·an adj. & n.
hummock
(hŭm′ək)
n.
- A low mound or ridge of earth; a knoll.
- also ham·mock (hăm′ək) A tract of forested land that rises above an adjacent marsh in the southern United States.
- A ridge or hill of ice in an ice field.
hum′mock·y adj.
coiffure
(kwä-fyo͝or′)
n.
A hairstyle.
tr.v. coif·fured, coif·fur·ing, coif·fures
To arrange or dress (hair).
sluice
(slo͞os)
n.
1.
a. An artificial channel for conducting water, with a valve or gate to regulate the flow: sluices connecting a reservoir with irrigated fields.
b. A valve or gate used in such a channel; a floodgate: open sluices to flood a dry dock. Also called sluice gate.
2. A body of water impounded behind a floodgate.
3. A sluiceway.
4. A long inclined trough, as for carrying logs or separating gold ore.
v. sluiced, sluic·ing, sluic·es
v. tr.
1. To flood or drench with or as if with a flow of released water.
2. To wash with water flowing in a sluice: sluicing sediment for gold.
3. To draw off or let out by a sluice: sluice floodwater.
4. To send (logs, for example) down a sluice.
v.intr.
To flow out from or as if from a sluice.
[Middle English scluse, from Old French escluse, from Late Latin exclūsa, from Latin, feminine past participle of exclūdere, to shut out; see exclude.]
spindle
n.
1.
a. A rod or pin, tapered at one end and usually weighted at the other, on which fibers are spun by hand into thread and then wound.
b. A similar rod or pin used for spinning on a spinning wheel.
c. A pin or rod holding a bobbin or spool on which thread is wound on an automated spinning machine.
2. Any of various mechanical parts that revolve or serve as axes for larger revolving parts, as in a lock, axle, phonograph turntable, or lathe.
3. Any of various long thin stationary rods, as:
a. A spike on which papers may be impaled.
b. A baluster.
4. Biology A cytoplasmic network composed of microtubules along which the chromosomes are distributed during mitosis and meiosis.
v. spin·dled, spin·dling, spin·dles v.tr.
1. To furnish or equip with a spindle or spindles.
2. To impale or perforate on a spindle: Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate this card.
v.intr.
To grow into a thin, elongated, or weak form.
fetlock
(fĕt′lŏk′)
n.
1.
a. A projection on the lower part of the leg of a horse or related animal, above and behind the hoof.
b. A tuft of hair on such a projection.
2. The joint marked by such a projection.
Laburnum
(lə-bûr′nəm)
n. Any of several poisonous trees or shrubs of the genus Laburnum of the pea family, especially L. anagyroides, which is cultivated for its drooping clusters of yellow flowers.
Pict
(pĭkt)
n. One of an ancient people of northern Britain. They remained undefeated by the Romans and in the ninth century joined with the Scots to form a kingdom later to become Scotland.
[From Middle English Pictes, Picts, from Late Latin Pictī, from Latin pictī, pl. of pictus, painted; see picture.]
ailurophile
(ī-lo͝or′ə-fīl′, ā-lo͝or′-)
n. One who loves cats.
[Greek ailouros, cat + -phile.]
ai·lu·ro·phil′i·a (-fĭl′ē-ə) n.
jibboom
a spar that extends the bowsprit
balustrade
A rail and the row of balusters or posts that support it, as along the front of a gallery.
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion; the archbishop, being suitably occupied with national and international matters, delegates the most of his functions as diocesan bishop to the Bishop suffragan of Dover. Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury.
Founded in 597, the cathedral was completely rebuilt from 1070 to 1077. The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the twelfth century, and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174, with significant eastward extensions to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170. The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late fourteenth century, when they were demolished to make way for the present structures.
menagerie
(mə-năj′ə-rē, -năzh′-)
n.
1.
a. A collection of live wild animals on exhibition.
b. The place where such animals are kept.
2. A diverse or miscellaneous group.
filigree
n.
1. Delicate and intricate ornamental work made from gold, silver, or other fine twisted wire.
2.
a. An intricate, delicate, or fanciful ornamentation.
b. A design resembling such ornamentation: filigrees of frosting on a cake.
tr.v. fil·i·greed, fil·i·gree·ing, fil·i·grees
To decorate with or as if with filigree.
[Alteration of French filigrane, from Italian filigrana : Latin fīlum, thread; see gwhī- in Indo-European roots + Latin grānum, grain; see gr̥ə-no- in Indo-European roots.]
terrapin
Chiefly British A turtle that lives in fresh or brackish water.
sere
(sîr)
adj. Withered; dry: sere vegetation at the edge of the desert.
[Middle English, from Old English sēar.]
pancreas
n. A long, irregularly shaped gland in vertebrates, lying behind the stomach, that secretes pancreatic juice into the duodenum and insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin into the bloodstream.
[Greek pankreas : pan-, pan- + kreas, flesh; see kreuə- in Indo-European roots.]
pan′cre·at′ic (păng′krē-ăt′ĭk, păn′-) adj.
seraph
(sĕr′əf)
n. pl. ser·a·phim (-ə-fĭm) or ser·aphs
1. Bible A celestial being having three pairs of wings.
2. seraphim Christianity The first of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology.
[Back-formation from pl. seraphim, from Middle English seraphin, from Old English, from Late Latin seraphīn, seraphīm, from Greek serapheim, from Hebrew śərāpîm, pl. of śārāp, fiery serpent, seraph, from śārap, to burn; see śrp in Semitic roots.]
se·raph′ic (sə-răf′ĭk), se·raph′i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj.
se·raph′i·cal·ly adv.
A seraph (/ˈsɛr.əf/; pl. seraphs or seraphim /ˈsɛr.ə.fɪm/, in the King James Version also seraphims (plural); Hebrew: שָׂרָף śārāf, plural שְׂרָפִים śərāfîm; Latin: seraphim and seraphin (plural), also seraphus (-i, m.);[1] Greek: σεραφείμ serapheím) is a type of celestial or heavenly being in Christianity and Judaism.
Tradition places seraphs in the highest rank in the Christian angelic hierarchy and in the fifth rank of ten in the Jewish angelic hierarchy. A seminal passage in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8) used the term to describe six-winged beings that fly around the Throne of God crying “holy, holy, holy”. This throne scene, with its triple invocation of holiness (a formula that came to be known as the Trisagion), profoundly influenced subsequent theology, literature and art. Its influence is frequently seen in works depicting angels, heaven and apotheosis. Seraphs are mentioned as celestial beings in an influential Hellenistic work, the Book of Enoch, and the Book of Revelation.
drover
(drō′vər)
n. One who drives cattle or sheep.
bibliomancy
n. pl. bib·li·o·man·cies
Divination by interpretation of a passage chosen at random from a book, especially the Bible.
rectilinear
(rĕk′tə-lĭn′ē-ər)
adj. Moving in, consisting of, bounded by, or characterized by a straight line or lines: following a rectilinear path; rectilinear patterns in wallpaper.
[From Late Latin rēctilīneus : Latin rēctus, right; see reg- in Indo-European roots + Latin līnea, line; see line.]
rec′ti·lin′e·ar·ly adv.
archimandrite
(är′kə-măn′drīt′)
n. Eastern Orthodox Church
1. A celibate priest ranking below a bishop.
2. The head of a monastery or a group of monasteries.
[Late Latin archimandrīta, from Late Greek arkhimandrītēs : Greek arkhi-, archi- + Late Greek mandra, monastery (from Greek, cattle pen).]
runnel
(rŭn′əl)
n.
- A rivulet; a brook.
- A narrow channel or course, as for water.
[Middle English rynel, from Old English, from rinnan, to run; see rei- in Indo-European roots.]
Thomas the Rhymer
Thomas of Erceldoune, sometimes styled Thomas Learmonth (c. 1220 – 1298), was a 13th-century Scottish laird and reputed prophet from Earlston (then called “Erceldoune”), and known by the sobriquets Thomas the Rhymer or True Thomas. In literature he appears as the protagonist in the tale about Thomas the Rhymer, who was carried off by the “Queen of Elfland” and returned having gained the gift of prophecy, as well as the inability to tell a lie. The tale survives in a medieval verse romance in five manuscripts, as well as in the popular ballad “Thomas the Rhymer”.
angling
n. The act, process, or art of fishing with a hook and line and usually a rod.
effluent
(ĕf′lo͞o-ənt)
adj.
Flowing out or forth.
n. Something that flows out or forth, especially:
a. A stream flowing out of a body of water.
b. An outflow from a sewer or sewage system.
c. A discharge of liquid waste, as from a factory or nuclear plant.
[Middle English, from Latin effluēns, effluent-, present participle of effluere, to flow out : ex-, ex- + fluere, to flow; see bhleu- in Indo-European roots.]
subaqueous
(sŭb-ā′kwē-əs, -ăk′wē-)
adj.
- Formed or adapted for underwater use or operation; submarine.
- Found or occurring underwater: subaqueous organisms; subaqueous rocks.
bannock
(băn′ək)
n.
- A flat, usually unleavened bread made of oatmeal or barley flour.
- Northern US, especially New England Thin cornbread baked on a griddle.
floe
n.
- An ice floe.
- A segment that has separated from such an ice mass.
[Probably from Norwegian flo, layer, from Old Norse flō; see plāk- in Indo-European roots.]
Augustus
First emperor of Rome (27 bc-ad 14) and grandnephew of Julius Caesar. Born Gaius Octavius, he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus—often referred to simply as Octavian in English texts—in 44 after Caesar’s assassination. He defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in 31 and subsequently gained control over Rome and its extensive territories. In 27 he was named emperor and given the honorary title Augustus.
insouciant
(ĭn-so͞o′sē-ənt, ăN′so͞o-syäN′)
adj. Marked by blithe unconcern; nonchalant.
astern
(ə-stûrn′)
adv, adj (postpositive)
- (Nautical Terms) at or towards the stern
- (Nautical Terms) with the stern first: full speed astern!.
- (Nautical Terms) aft of the stern of a vessel
propolis
(prŏp′ə-lĭs)
n. A resinous substance collected from the buds of certain trees by bees and used as a cement or sealant in the construction of their hives.
[Latin, from Greek, suburb, bee glue (from the fact that it was originally the name of a structure around the opening into the hive) : pro-, before; see polis in Indo-European roots.]
intercostal
(ĭn′tər-kŏs′təl)
adj.
Located or occurring between the ribs.
n.
A space, muscle, or part situated between the ribs.
dead-eye
(dĕd´ī`)
n.
1. (Naut.) A round, flattish, wooden block, encircled by a rope, or an iron band, and pierced with three holes to receive the lanyard; - used to extend the shrouds and stays, and for other purposes.
Called also deadman’s eye.
trammel
n.
- A shackle used to teach a horse to amble.
- Something that restricts activity, expression, or progress; a restraint.
- A vertically set fishing net of three layers, consisting of a finely meshed net between two nets of coarse mesh.
- An instrument for drawing ellipses.
- An instrument for gauging and adjusting parts of a machine; a tram.
- An arrangement of links and a hook in a fireplace for raising and lowering a kettle.
tr. v. tram·meled, tram·mel·ing, tram·mels or tram·melled or tram·mel·ling
1. To enmesh in a fishing net.
2. To hinder the activity or free movement of.
[Middle English tramale, a kind of net, from Old French tramail, from Late Latin trēmaculum : Latin trēs, three; see trei- in Indo-European roots + Latin macula, mesh.]
tram′mel·er n.
vesture
(vĕs′chər)
n. 1. Clothing; apparel.
2. Something that covers or cloaks: hills in a vesture of mist.
tr.v. ves·tured, ves·tur·ing, ves·tures
To cover with vesture; clothe.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *vestītūra, from Latin vestītus, past participle of vestīre, to clothe, from vestis, garment; see vest.]
plinth
n.
- A block or slab on which a pedestal, column, or statue is placed.
- The base block at the intersection of the baseboard and the vertical trim around an opening.
- A continuous course of stones supporting a wall. Also called plinth course.
- A square base, as for a vase.
presage
(prĕs′ĭj)
n.
- An indication or warning of a future occurrence; an omen.
- A feeling or intuition of what is going to occur; a presentiment.
- Prophetic significance or meaning.
- Archaic A prediction.
v. (prĭ-sāj′, prĕs′ĭj) pre·saged, pre·sag·ing, pre·sag·es
v. tr.
1. To indicate or warn of in advance; portend.
2. To have a presentiment of.
3. To foretell or predict.
v.intr.
To make or utter a prediction.
[Middle English, from Latin praesāgium, from praesāgīre, to perceive beforehand : prae-, pre- + sāgīre, to perceive; see sāg- in Indo-European roots.]
pre·sage′ful (prĭ-sāj′fəl) adj.
russet
n.
- A moderate to strong brown.
- A coarse gray, brown, or reddish-brown homespun cloth.
- A winter apple with a rough reddish-brown skin.
- Any of various varieties of potato having reddish-brown skin, especially a russet Burbank.
adj.
Moderate to strong brown.
[Middle English, from Old French rousset, from rous, red, from Latin russus; see reudh- in Indo-European roots.]
daffodil
n.
1.
a. Any of various bulbous plants of the genus Narcissus, especially one of the many cultivated varieties of N. pseudonarcissus, having showy, usually yellow flowers with a trumpet-shaped central corona.
b. The flower of any of these plants.
2. A brilliant to vivid yellow.
Isis
(ī′sĭs)
n. Mythology An ancient Egyptian goddess of fertility and magic who was the sister and wife of Osiris.
[Latin Īsis, from Greek, from Egyptian ‘st.]
Isis is still widely worshiped by many pagans today in diverse religious contexts; including a number of distinct pagan religions, the modern Goddess movement, and interfaith organizations such as the Fellowship of Isis.
Isis was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the patroness of nature and magic. She was the friend of slaves, sinners, artisans and the downtrodden, but she also listened to the prayers of the wealthy, maidens, aristocrats and rulers. Isis is often depicted as the mother of Horus, the falcon-headed deity associated with king and kingship (although in some traditions Horus’s mother was Hathor). Isis is also known as protector of the dead and goddess of children.
The name Isis means “Throne”. Her headdress is a throne. As the personification of the throne, she was an important representation of the pharaoh’s power. The pharaoh was depicted as her child, who sat on the throne she provided. Her cult was popular throughout Egypt, but her most important temples were at Behbeit El-Hagar in the Nile delta, and, beginning in the reign with Nectanebo I (380–362 BCE), on the island of Philae in Upper Egypt.
In the typical form of her myth, Isis was the first daughter of Geb, god of the Earth, and Nut, goddess of the Sky, and she was born on the fourth intercalary day. She married her brother, Osiris, and she conceived Horus with him. Isis was instrumental in the resurrection of Osiris when he was murdered by Set. Using her magical skills, she restored his body to life after having gathered the body parts that had been strewn about the earth by Set.
This myth became very important during the Greco-Roman period. For example it was believed that the Nile River flooded every year because of the tears of sorrow which Isis wept for Osiris. Osiris’s death and rebirth was relived each year through rituals. The worship of Isis eventually spread throughout the Greco-Roman world, continuing until the suppression of paganism in the Christian era. The popular motif of Isis suckling her son Horus, however, lived on in a Christianized context as the popular image of Mary suckling her infant son Jesus from the fifth century onward.[6]
pallid
adj.
- Having an abnormally pale or wan complexion: the pallid face of the invalid.
- Lacking intensity of color or luminousness.
- Lacking in radiance or vitality; dull: pallid prose.
[Latin pallidus, from pallēre, to be pale; see pel- in Indo-European roots.]
pal′lid·ly adv.
pal′lid·ness n.
carotid artery
(kə-rŏt′ĭd)
Either of the two large arteries in the neck that carry blood to the head.
quartermaster
(kwôr′tər-măs′tər)
n. Abbr. QM
1. An officer responsible for the food, clothing, and equipment of troops.
2. A petty officer responsible for the steering of a ship.
Yog-Sothoth
Yog-Sothoth is a cosmic entity in the fictional Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. Yog-Sothoth’s name was first mentioned in Lovecraft’s novella, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (written 1927, first published 1941). The being is said to take the form of a conglomeration of glowing spheres.
valise
(və-lēs′)
n. A small piece of hand luggage.
[French, from Italian valigia.]
bier
(bîr)
n.
- A stand on which a corpse or a coffin containing a corpse is placed before burial.
- A coffin along with its stand: followed the bier to the cemetery.
brine
n.
1. Water saturated with or containing large amounts of a salt, especially sodium chloride.
2.
a. The water of a sea or an ocean.
b. A large body of salt water.
3. Salt water used for preserving and pickling foods.
tr.v. brined, brin·ing, brines
To immerse, preserve, or pickle in salt water.
eider
(ī′dər)
n. Any of several large sea ducks, especially of the genus Somateria of northern regions, having soft, commercially valuable down and predominantly black and white plumage in the male.
[Back-formation from eiderdown.]
leer
(lîr)
intr.v. leered, leer·ing, leers
To look with a sidelong glance, indicative especially of sexual desire or sly and malicious intent.
n.
A desirous, sly, or knowing look.
leer′ing·ly adv.
Elysium / Elysian Fields
(ĭ-lĭz′ē-əm, ĭ-lĭzh′-)
n. 1. Greek Mythology The Elysian Fields.
2. A place or condition of ideal happiness.
[Latin Ēlysium, from Greek Ēlusion (pedion), Elysian (fields).]
Elysium or the Elysian Fields is a conception of the afterlife that developed over time and was maintained by certain Greek religious and philosophical sects and cults. Initially separate from the realm of Hades, admission was reserved for mortals related to the gods and other heroes. Later, it expanded to include those chosen by the gods, the righteous, and the heroic, where they would remain after death, to live a blessed and happy life, and indulging in whatever employment they had enjoyed in life.
The Elysian Fields were, according to Homer, located on the western edge of the Earth by the stream of Okeanos. In the time of the Greek oral poet Hesiod, Elysium would also be known as the Fortunate Isles or the Isles (or Islands) of the Blessed, located in the western ocean at the end of the earth. The Isles of the Blessed would be reduced to a single island by the Thebean poet Pindar, describing it as having shady parks, with residents indulging their athletic and musical pastimes.
The ruler of Elysium varies from author to author: Pindar and Hesiod name Cronus as the ruler, while the poet Homer in the Odyssey describes fair-haired Rhadamanthus dwelling there.
titter
intr.v. tit·tered, tit·ter·ing, tit·ters
To laugh in a restrained, nervous way; giggle.
n.
A nervous giggle. [Probably imitative.]
tit′ter·er n.
tit′ter·ing·ly adv.
Arcadia
(är-kā′dē-ə) also Ar·ca·dy (är′kə-dē)
A region of ancient Greece in the Peloponnesus. Its relatively isolated inhabitants proverbially lived a simple, pastoral life.
goad
n.
- A long stick with a pointed end used for prodding animals.
- An agent or means of prodding or urging; a stimulus.
tr.v. goad·ed, goad·ing, goads
To prod or urge with or as if with a long pointed stick.
cowling
(kou′lĭng)
n. A removable metal covering for an engine, especially an aircraft engine.
surcoat
(sûr′kōt′)
n.
- A loose outer coat or gown.
- A tunic worn in the Middle Ages by a knight over his armor.
[Middle English surcote, from Old French : sur-, sur- + cote, coat; see coat.]
pagoda
(pə-gō′də)
n.
1.
a. A religious building of East Asia and Southeast Asia, especially a multistory Buddhist tower with widely overhanging eaves separating each level, erected as a memorial or shrine.
b. A stupa.
2. A structure, such as a garden pavilion, built in imitation of a multistory Buddhist tower.
[Portuguese pagode, perhaps from Tamil pagavadi, from Sanskrit bhagavatī, goddess, from feminine of bhagavat-, blessed, from bhagaḥ, good fortune; see bhag- in Indo-European roots.]
whirligig
(wûr′lĭ-gĭg′, hwûr′-)
n.
- Any of various spinning toys.
- A carousel; a merry-go-round.
- Something that continuously whirls.
- A whirligig beetle.
[Middle English whirlegigge : whirlen, whirl; see whirl + -gigge, something that rotates (possibly of Scandinavian origin; akin to gig).]
inimical
(ĭ-nĭm′ĭ-kəl)
adj.
- Injurious or harmful in effect; adverse: habits inimical to good health.
- Unfriendly; hostile: a cold, inimical voice.
[Late Latin inimīcālis, from Latin inimīcus, enemy; see enemy.]
in·im′i·cal·ly adv.
aorta
(ā-ôr′tə)
n. pl. a·or·tas or a·or·tae (-tē)
The main trunk of the systemic arteries, carrying blood from the left side of the heart to the arteries of all limbs and organs except the lungs.
[New Latin, from Greek āortē, from āeirein, to lift; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]
a·or′tal, a·or′tic adj.
Image:
A. arch of aorta
B. abdominal aorta
philosopher’s stone
The philosophers’ stone or stone of the philosophers is a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals such as lead into gold or silver. It was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality; for many centuries, it was the most sought-after goal in alchemy. The philosophers’ stone was the central symbol of the mystical terminology of alchemy, symbolizing perfection at its finest, enlightenment, and heavenly bliss. Efforts to discover the philosophers’ stone were known as the Magnum Opus (“Great Work”).
Hellas
(hĕl′əs) The Greek name for Greece.
plumb
n.
- A weight on the end of a line, used to determine water depth.
- A weight on the end of a line, used especially by masons and carpenters to establish a true
vertical. adv.
1. In a vertical or perpendicular line.
2. Informal Directly; squarely: fell plumb in the middle of the puddle.
3. also plum Informal Utterly; completely: plumb worn out.
adj.
- Exactly vertical. See Synonyms at vertical.
- also plum Informal Utter; absolute; sheer: a plumb fool.
v. plumbed, plumb·ing, plumbs
v. tr.
1. To determine the depth of with a plumb; sound.
2. To test the verticality or alignment of with a plumb.
3. To straighten or make perpendicular: plumb up the wall.
4. To examine closely or deeply; probe: “Shallow ideas are plumbed and discarded” (Gilbert Highet).
5. To seal with lead.
v.intr. To work as a plumber. Idiom: off/out of plumb Not vertical.
plumb′a·ble adj.
plumb′ness n.
Thoth
(thōth, tōt)
n. Mythology The Egyptian god of the moon and of wisdom and learning, usually represented as having the head and neck of an ibis.
midge
n.
- Any of numerous small nonbiting flies of the family Chironomidae, having aquatic larvae and often forming large swarms near ponds and lakes. Also called chironomid.
- Any of various similar dipteran insects, such as the biting midges and the gall midges.
bucolic
[byoo-kol-ik]
adjective, Also, bucolical
- of or relating to shepherds; pastoral.
- of, relating to, or suggesting an idyllic rural life.
noun
- a pastoral poem.
- Archaic. a farmer; shepherd; rustic.
Dido
Dido (/ˈdaɪdoʊ/ dy-doh) was, according to ancient Greek and Roman sources, the founder and first queen of Carthage (in modern-day Tunisia). She is primarily known from the account given by the Roman poet Virgil in his Aeneid. In some sources she is also known as Elissa.
cordon
(kôr′dn)
n.
1. A line of people, military posts, or ships stationed around an area to enclose or guard it: a police cordon.
2. A rope, line, tape, or similar border stretched around an area, usually by the police, indicating that access is restricted.
3.
a. A cord or braid worn as a fastening or ornament.
b. A ribbon usually worn diagonally across the breast as a badge of honor or decoration.
4. Architecture A string course.
5. Botany A tree or shrub, especially a fruit tree such as an apple or pear, repeatedly pruned and trained to grow on a support as a single rope like stem.
tr.v. cor·doned, cor·don·ing, cor·dons
To form a cordon around (an area) so as to prevent movement in or out. Often used with off: Troops cordoned off the riot zone.
rushlight
(rŭsh′līt′)
n. A candle consisting of a rush wick in tallow. Also called rush candle.
shoal
n.
- A shallow place in a body of water.
- A sandy elevation of the bottom of a body of water, constituting a hazard to navigation; a sandbank or sandbar.
v. shoaled, shoal·ing, shoals
v.intr.
To become shallow: The river shoals suddenly here from eight to two fathoms.
v. tr.
1. To make shallow: The approach to the harbor was shoaled in the storm.
2. To come or sail into a shallower part of.
adj. Having little depth; shallow.
[Middle English shold, shallow, shallows, from Old English sceald, shallow.]
Imhotep
Imhotep (/ɪmˈhoʊtɛp/; fl. 27th century BC (c. 2650–2600 BC); meaning “the one who comes in peace, is with peace”) was an Egyptian polymath who served under the Third Dynasty king Djoser as chancellor to the pharaoh and high priest of the sun god Ra (or Re) at Heliopolis. He is considered by some to be the earliest known architect and engineer and physician in early history, though two other physicians, Hesy-Ra and Merit-Ptah, lived around the same time. The full list of his titles is:
Chancellor of the King of Egypt, Doctor, First in line after the King of Upper Egypt, Administrator of the Great Palace, Hereditary nobleman, High Priest of Heliopolis, Builder, Chief Carpenter, Chief Sculptor, and Maker of Vases in Chief. He was one of only a few commoners ever to be accorded divine status after death. The center of his cult was Memphis. From the First Intermediate Period onward Imhotep was also revered as a poet and philosopher. His sayings were famously referenced in poems: “I have heard the words of Imhotep and Hordedef with whose discourses men speak so much.”
The location of Imhotep’s self-constructed tomb was well hidden from the beginning and it remains unknown, despite efforts to find it. The consensus is that it is hidden somewhere at Saqqara. Imhotep’s historicity is confirmed by two contemporary inscriptions made during his lifetime on the base or pedestal of one of Djoser’s statues (Cairo JE 49889) and also by a graffito on the enclosure wall surrounding Sekhemkhet’s unfinished step-pyramid. The latter inscription suggests that Imhotep outlived Djoser by a few years and went on to serve in the construction of King Sekhemkhet’s pyramid, which was abandoned due to this ruler’s brief reign.
homunculus
(hō-mŭng′kyə-ləs, hə-)
n. pl. ho·mun·cu·li (-lī′)
1. A diminutive human.
2. A miniature, fully formed individual believed by adherents of the early biological theory of preformation to be present in the sperm cell.
hemlock
n.
1.
a. Any of various coniferous evergreen trees of the genus Tsuga of North America and eastern Asia, having small cones and short flat leaves with two white bands underneath.
b. The wood of such trees, used as a source of lumber, wood pulp, and tannic acid.
2.
a. Any of several poisonous plants of the genera Conium and Cicuta of the parsley family, such as the poison hemlock.
b. A poison obtained from the poison hemlock.
[Middle English hemlok, poisonous hemlock, from Old English hymlice, hemlic.]
Parmenides of Elea
Parmenides of Elea (/pɑrˈmɛnɨdiːz əv ˈɛliə/; fl. late sixth or early fifth century BCE) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Elea in Magna Graecia (Greater Greece, included Southern Italy). He was the founder of the Eleatic school of philosophy. The single known work of Parmenides is a poem, On Nature, which has survived only in fragmentary form. In this poem, Parmenides describes two views of reality. In “the way of truth” (a part of the poem), he explains how reality (coined as “what-is”) is one, change is impossible, and existence is timeless, uniform, necessary, and unchanging. In “the way of opinion,” he explains the world of appearances, in which one’s sensory faculties lead to conceptions which are false and deceitful. These ideas had a strong effect on Plato, and in turn, influenced the whole of Western philosophy.
tiller
n. A lever used to turn a rudder and steer a boat.
pons
(pŏnz)
n. pl. pon·tes (pŏn′tēz)
1. A slender tissue joining two parts of an organ.
2. A band of nerve fibers on the ventral surface of the brain stem that links the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum with upper portions of the brain. Also called pons Varolii.
[Latin pōns, bridge; see pent- in Indo-European roots.]
raffia
(răf′ē-ə)
n.
- A palm tree (Raphia farinifera) of East Africa and Madagascar, having large leaves that yield a useful fiber.
- The leaf fibers of this plant, used for mats, baskets, and other products.
triage
(trē-äzh′, trē′äzh′)
n.
- A process for sorting injured people into groups based on their need for or likely benefit from immediate medical treatment. Triage is used in hospital emergency rooms, on battlefields, and at disaster sites when limited medical resources must be allocated.
- A system used to allocate a scarce commodity, such as food, only to those capable of deriving the greatest benefit from it.
- A process in which things are ranked in terms of importance or priority: “For millions of Americans, each week becomes a stressful triage between work and home that leaves them feeling guilty, exhausted and angry” (Jill Smolowe).
tr.v. tri·aged, tri·ag·ing, tri·ag·es
To sort or allocate by triage: triaged the patients according to their symptoms.
[French, from trier, to sort, from Old French, to pick out; see try.]
embrocation
(ĕm′brə-kā′shən)
n.
- The act or process of moistening and rubbing a part of the body with a liniment or lotion.
- A liniment or lotion.
Golden Ratio
In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities.
salver
(săl′vər)
n. A tray, esp one of silver, on which food, letters, visiting cards, etc, are presented
[Alteration of French salve, from Spanish salva, tasting of food to detect poison, salver, from salvar, to save, taste food to detect poison, from Late Latin salvāre, to save; see salvage.]
divagate
(dī′və-gāt′, dĭv′ə-)
intr. v. di·va·gat·ed, di·va·gat·ing, di·va·gates
1. To wander or drift about.
2. To ramble; digress. [Late Latin dīvagārī, dīvagāt- : Latin dī-, dis-, apart; see dis- + Latin vagārī, to wander (from vagus, wandering).]
di′va·ga′tion n.
gourmand
(go͝or-mänd′, go͝or′mənd)
n.
- A lover of good food.
- A person who often eats too much.
spile
n.
- A post used as a foundation; a pile.
- A wooden plug; a bung.
- A spout used in taking sap from a tree.
tr. v. spiled, spil·ing, spiles
1. To support with a spile.
2. To plug or tap with a spile.
[Dutch spijl, wooden pin, from Middle Dutch spīle.]
Ernst Mach
Austrian physicist and philosopher who introduced the Mach number and who founded logical positivism (1838-1916)
topiary
(tō′pē-ĕr′ē)
adj.
Of or characterized by the clipping or trimming of live shrubs or trees into decorative shapes, as of animals.
n. pl. to·pi·ar·ies
1. Topiary work or art.
2. A topiary garden.
[Latin topiārius, from topia, ornamental gardening, from Greek topia, pl. of topion, field, diminutive of topos, place.]
succor
(sŭk′ər)
n.
- Assistance in time of distress; relief.
- One that affords assistance or relief: “There is a higher beauty still in … being a succor to the oppressed” (Charles Sumner).
tr.v. suc·cored, suc·cor·ing, suc·cors
To give assistance to in time of want, difficulty, or distress: succor the poor.
suc′cor·a·ble adj.
suc′cor·er n.
