arcadia: n. a
region or place offering rural simplicity, peace and contentment
autodidact: n. a self-taught person
bildungsroman: n. a novel about the spiritual,
moral, or psychological growth of the main character
bookcrossing:
n. the practice of leaving a book in a public
place to be picked up and read by others, who then do
likewise (WALDEN
goes bookcrossing - click here!)
catholicon: n. a universal remedy; panacea
cenobitic: n. a member of a religious order living
in a convent or community
columbine: a plant with varied colored flowers, native
to north temperate regions (from the Latin for dove, columba)
crapulence: n. sickness caused by excessive drinking
or eating
eutony: n. pleasantness of sound of word
galanty show: n. a shadow play performed by casting
shadows on a wall
gephyrophobia: n. morbid fear of crossing bridges
gormless: adj. lacking intelligence; dull;
stupid
hamartiology: n. study of the doctrine
of sin
high flanker: n. a
male horse with incompletely descended testes
ineffable: adj. incapable of being expressed
in words
irenic: adj. promoting
peace or reconciliation
kakistocracy:
n. government by the worst people
keck: v. to retch, hurl, heave, puke or be nauseated
mahout: n. the driver or keeper of an elephant
mephitis: n. a poisonous or foul-smelling gas
emitted from the earth
narcohypnia: n. numbness experienced upon waking
oikology: n.
the science of housekeeping
panmnesia:
n. continuance in memory of all mental impression
parturition: n. the process of giving birth
recreant: n. a coward, traitor, or renegade
sandman: n. a character in folklore or fairy
tales who makes children go to sleep by sprinkling sand
in their eyes
siskin: n.
any number of small birds in the finch family
skoal: interjection. used as a toast to someone's
good health
thaumaturge:
n. a performer of miracles
triskaidekaphobia: n. fear of the number 13
ululate: intr. v. to howl or wail
whorfian hypothesis:
n. a linguistic theory proposing that an individual's
language determines one's conception of the world
wingding: n. a noisy party
woolgather: v. to engage in idle daydreaming
yammer: v. to whine or complain
zoanthropy:
n. a mania in which a person believes himself
changed into an animal
