Favourite Words
Cathexis. (n.) A charge of mental energy attached to any particular idea or object.
Ultracrepidarian. One who criticises beyond the sphere of his own knowledge or experience. The prime example being a cobbler who criticised the depiction of a shoe in a famous painting, then went on to knock the portrayal of the leg and the trousers. Verb, to ultracrepidate.
Quincunx. An arrangement of five objects; one at each corner of a square, one in the middle. Hmmm. Rather too reminiscent of quims, etc, to see everyday use, I suspect. Except as the title of some trashy book.
Fungibles (n.pl.) (law) Movable effects which are consumed by use, and are estimated by weight, number and measure.
Eupepsy. Good digestion. Opp. to dyspepsia.
Megrim. (1) A species of flatfish. (2) Another name for migraine.
Epilimnion. The upper, warm, layer of water in a lake.
Firdwite. In Old English law, a fine for refusing to go into the army.
Hispid. Having strong hairs or bristles.
Obloquy. Reproachful language, censure, calumny, disgrace.
Copacetic. (Amer. sl.). Hunky-dory, cool, relaxed, laid-back.
Lamboys. Kilted flexible steel plates worn skirt-like from the waist (WHY???)
Meretricious. (adj.) Of the nature of harlotry, characteristic or worthy of a harlot; flashy, gaudy.
Ghazi. A veteran Muslim warrior.
Kibble. The bucket of a draw-well.
Beeves. This has to be my favourite word ever. N.pl. Cattle, oxen.
Animalcule. A small animal, one that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Horripilation. Contraction of the cutaneous muscles causing erection of the hairs and goose-flesh.
Homunculus. A tiny man capable of being produced artificially.
Haecceity. Duns Scotus's word for that element of existence on which individuality depends; hereness-and nowness. (Eh?)
Hebetate. To become dull or blunt.
Pundbrech. The illegal taking of cattle out of a pound by any means whatsoever.
Gressorial. (adj.) Adapted for walking.
Gribble. A small marine isopod (genus Limnoria), that bores into timber underwater. Mmmm, look; there's one here.
Poikilitik. (adj). Mottled.
Syzygy. (n.) Conjunction or opposition; the period of new or full moon.
Tenebrism. The naturalist school of painting of Caravaggio affecting dark colouring.
Frap. To secure by many turns of a lashing.
Collop. A slice of meat.
Gurjun. An East Indian tree yielding timber and a balsamic liquid used against leprosy.
Ichor (n. myth.) The ethereal juice in the veins of the gods.
Reliquae (n.pl). Remains, esp. fossil remains.
Gallinule (n). A water-hen.
The Worst Words Ever
Tomatoey. Used on the label of a bottle of ketchup, to indicate that the new version tastes more like tomatoes than the old one. Yuck.
Wristrests. From the Global Direct catalogue of computer & office supplies. Those little foam-rubbery things that fail to cure your RSI & carpal tunnel syndrome.
Super-thin mousing surface. It's a horrible connotation. But in fact it's just a small mouse-mat to you or I. Another gem from the copywriters at Global Direct.
Last updated February 16th 2004
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