gazunder: (v) Of a house-buyer: to reduce the price offered to (a seller) for a property, especially shortly before exchange of contracts, threatening to withdraw if the new offer is not accepted; also, to swindle in this way.

pandanus: (n) 1. A plant of the genus Pandanus (family Pandanaceae), comprising trees and shrubs native to Malaysia, ( Read more... )

orthogonal: (adj) 1. Designating a right angle; (also) having a right angle; right-angled; rectangular ( Read more... )

cope: (n) 1. A long cloak or cape worn as an outer garment, chiefly out of doors ( Read more... )

arquebus: (n) The early type of portable gun, varying in size from a small cannon to a musket, which on account of its weight was, when used in the field, supported upon a tripod, trestle, or other ‘carriage’, and afterwards upon a forked ‘rest’. The name in German and Flemish meant literally ‘hook-gun’, from the hook cast along with the piece, by ( Read more... )

The OED is baaack!!

So very happy we managed to get the OED Online back for a few years at least. So, here we go.

sardius: (n) A precious stone mentioned by ancient writers; a variety of cornelian, varying in colour from pale golden yellow to reddish orange.

balass: (n) A delicate rose-red variety of the spinel ruby.

spinel: (n) 1. A gem or ( Read more... )

sybaritic: (adj) 1. Of or pertaining to Sybaris or its inhabitants.
2. Characterized by or devoted to excessive luxury; effeminately luxurious.

moel: (n) An isolated hill or small mountain, of convex or dome-like form above, and with concave slopes around the base.

plaint: (n) 1. The action or an act of plaining; audible expression of sorrow; ( Read more... )

farouche: (adj) Sullen, shy, and repellent in nature.

catorthoseis: (n) A word used by Marcus Aurelius to mean "right acts".

farrago: (n) A confused group; a medley, mixture, hotchpotch.

riassa: (n)
In Ecclesiastics: An ankle-length garment, usually black, worn by priests and choristers.

lobscouse: (n) A sailor's dish consisting of meat stewed ( Read more... )

soupçon: (n) A suspicion, a suggestion, a very small quantity or slight trace of something.

shag :(n) A cormorant, especially the crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax graculus, which in the breeding season has a crest of long curly plumes.

curragh: (n) A small boat made of wickerwork covered with hides, used from ancient times in Scotland and Ireland ( Read more... )

*hefts heavy OED volumes*
*pant, pant*

Ok, here you go.

shofar: (n) An ancient Hebrew musical instrument usually made of a curved ram's horn, still used in Jewish religious services.

dashiki: (n) A West African type of shirt, sometimes worn symbolically by U.S. Negroes [AN: That's what it says, I swear! Published 1989, although I bet that ( Read more... )

I hope y'all appreciate the effort to which I am going to continue posting these :) Now that we have lost our subscription to the Oxford English Dictionary Online due to budget cuts, I am having to look up all these words in the print edition of 1989 and actually type out the definitions instead of copy/pasting. Hopefully I won't come across too ( Read more... )