GRE Vocab - Drabbles
I wrote these and posted them on tumblr back when I started studying for the GRE vocab section.
These drabbles are all unconnected and I have no plans to continue them. The last one is in the Strays verse because I couldn't resist.
***
Hoary - (adjective) showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair
Bruce grimaced at his reflection in the mirror. That was the third grey hair this month.
That night Batman was particularly active, seeming to be in multiple places at once and capturing a record number of criminals.
Both the Bat and the man ignored the knowing grins of his family.
***
Compunction - (noun) a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
The worst part about apologies from Dick was that he really meant them. The hugs, the promises, the ardent attempts to make up for past mistakes with present compassion. It was all very sincere.
So Tim accepted the hugs, the promises and the acts of repentance. But he never stopped expecting the other shoe to drop.
***
Recondite - (adjective) difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
Steph tilted her head to the side and hummed thoughtfully.
Tim ignored her and continued typing away at his computer.
Steph leaned closer until her face with less than an inch from Tim’s face.
“Steph…I’m trying to - ”
The blond vigilante poked his nose with her pointer finger.
The boy rolled his eyes and turned to look at her. “Fine. Fine. What’s up?”
Steph grinned. “Nothing, Boy Wonder. Just trying to figure out what goes on in the ginormous brain of yours, that’s all.”
***
Sartorial - (adjective) of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring
“I like it,” Dick said.
Tim sighed and shelved his plans for outfitting his costume with wings. After the Discowing fiasco he knew better than to trust Dick’s fashion sense.
***
Appurtenant - (adjective) furnishing added support
“I do not need your help, Todd,” Damian snapped.
“Sure, sure. Whatever,” Jason said dismissively as he continued to save the obnoxious brat’s ass.
“Then leave. I am perfectly capable of - ”
The boy’s tirade was cut off when Jason nimbly shot the mook that had been moments away from decapitating the kid.
“And I don’t doubt that for a second, kid. But the thing is, you’re family. So I’m here to help, whether you need it or not.”
***
Insouciant - (adj) marked by blithe unconcern
Brucie Wayne smiled a blindingly vacuous grin at his entourage of reporters.
“Mister Wayne, Mister Wayne!” cried the various members of the press, all clamoring to be heard over their fellows.
“Mister Wayne, tell us, what was it like to have your gala hijacked by the Joker?”
Brucie continued to grin. “Well, the party ended a bit sooner than I’d like, but on the whole I think we had a good time.”
“…A good time?” the reported repeated, dumb struck.
“Yes. We raised quite a lot of money for the orphanages of Gotham and I met this lovely lady. It’s a shame the police took her away.”
“But, ah. What about the Joker?”
“The Joker? Oh, that odd fellow with the face paint. Ha ha. He’s not as funny as he thinks he is, I think. I’m definitely not inviting him to my next party.”
***
Proscribe - (verb) to forbid
“No dating,” Bruce informed his children, “Only Justice.”
***
Spoonerism - (noun) a transposition of usually initial sounds of two or more words
Seventy two hours without sleep was enough to make anyone certifiably insane, but sometimes it could not be avoided. This occasionally led to ridiculous conversations after long nights of crime fighting.
“We sure crowed those shiminals.”
“What?”
“What? Anyway, the Joker should be tocked up light now.”
“Grayson, are you drunk?”
“Only lunk on drife, Little D.”
“Clearly.”
“Ted Bime!”
“Grayson. Grayson? You cannot sleep on the floor like that. Not that I care about your wellbeing. But. Grayson? Pennyworth!”
***
Pasquinade - (noun) a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody’s style, usually in a humorous way
“Kon, what the hell are you doing?” Red Robin asked skeptically.
“Who is this Kon of which you speak? I am the Batman, your mentor and shitty father figure,” said the figure hovering beside Red Robin’s perch.
Red Robin snorted. “I can’t believe you still have this thing,” he said, tugging at the improvised black cape tied around his friend’s neck.
“You mean my highly expensive and mysteriously funded magic crime fighting suit? Chum, I’m shocked you think I’d be so careless,” Kond harrumphed.
The Gotham vigilante rolled his eyes. “Hey Batman, I have a secret to tell you,” he said.
“Oh? Secret? I, the mysterious dark crusader will be happy to share a secret with my lil’ buddy.” Kon floated closer.
“Yeah,” Tm said and plucked the ridiculous brown paper bag mask off his friend’s head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Hey, that’s no secret.” Kon pouted
Red Robin chuckled and Kon grinned. He’d just wanted to hear his friend laugh again.
Tumid - (adjective) abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas [Strays Verse]
“Ugh. Shit. Fuck. Fuckity fuck fuck. Damn everything to hell. Urrrngh.”
Bruce faltered on his way past the second first floor television room. “Language,” he corrected automatically, only to be met with more curses. After a moment he stuck his head in the room and blinked at the sight of Stephanie curled up in the strangest position on the couch.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
Steph glared at him. “Does everything look okay?” she asked.
“Well, no. I - ”
“I am bleeding from my vagina,” Steph snarled. “I have cramps the likes of which you cannot even begin to imagine. And I’m gassy like nobody’s business and for some reason you think I should be okay? Fuck you. Fuck everything. It huuuurts.”
Bruce paled and backed away very slowly from the room. He most definitely did not sprint as far away from his newly adopted daughter as he could. He walked.
On his way he passed Tim, who seemed to be heading in the direction Bruce was wisely fleeing from. “Tim, Steph, she…”
The boy gave him an amused look and drew Bruce’s attention to the tray he was carrying. Bruce stared blankly at the array of ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol, and copious amounts of chocolate loaded onto the small tray.
“By the way, you might want to go find Jason. I think Steph scarred him for life. He was hiding out in the pantry,” Tim said helpfully and continued on his way.