tattle
Then let the ladies tattle what they please.
Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, ACT IV. SCENE II
Cause célèbre
A cause célèbre is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning and/or heated public debate. It is particularly used for famous long-running legal cases.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cause_célèbre
cob and pen
Swans usually mate for life, though “divorce” does sometimes occur, particularly following nesting failure ... An adult male is a “cob”, an adult female is a “pen”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan
licentiousness
This illustrious person had very usefully employed his studies, in finding out effectual remedies for all diseases and corruptions to which the several kinds of public administration are subject, by the vices or infirmities of those who govern, as well as by the licentiousness of those who are to obey.
absconded
Meanwhile, Akasha absconded with Lestat to remote places around the world, spreading her dictum that she is the “Queen of Heaven” with Lestat as her mute consort, and commanding women to rise up and kill every man and boy, save a few.
sirrah
TAMORA: Come, sirrah, you must be hang'd.
Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare)
mattock
'Tis you must dig with mattock and with spade
Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare, Act4 Scene 3
scrivener
The contemporary scriveners↗ and printers, who between them provided our only sources, may have botched lines.
online forum post, 2006, about Shakespeare's plays.
jasper
Accordingly, he rose up and the Slave carried him in the space of an eye-glance to the pavilion which, when Alaeddin looked upon it struck him with surprise at such building, all its stones being of jasper↗ and alabaster↗...
Aladdin (Sir Richard Burton)
synecdoche
The Acheron is a river located in the Epirus region of northwest Greece. Acheron translates as the “river of woe” and it was believed to be a branch of the underworld river Styx over which in ancient Greek mythology Charon ferried the newly dead souls across into Hades.
The word is also occasionally used as a synecdoche↗ for Hades itself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acheron.
saunter
And gradually she lost her fear, and he
Offered his breast for her virgin caresses,
His horns for her to wind with chains of flowers
Until the princess dared to mount his back
Her pet bull's back, unwitting whom she rode.
Then — slowly, slowly down the broad, dry beach —
First in the shallow waves the great god set
His spurious hooves, then sauntered further out
'til in the open sea he bore his prize
Fear filled her heart as, gazing back, she saw
The fast receding sands. Her right hand grasped
A horn, the other lent upon his back
Her fluttering tunic floated in the breeze.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_(mythical), of Ovid's poem Metamorphoses describing the story of Europa and the Bull.
lob
lobs his whiskey glass towards the fireplace
online chat forum
cortége
As soon as he came out he donned a dress more magnificent than the former and took horse with Emirs↗ and the soldier-officers riding before him and forming a grand cortége ...
Aladdin (Sir Richard Burton).
impute
To keep senators in the interest of the crown, it was proposed that the members should raffle for employment; every man first taking an oath, and giving security, that he would vote for the court, whether he won or not; after which, the losers had, in their turn, the liberty of raffling upon the next vacancy. Thus, hope and expectation would be kept alive; none would complain of broken promises, but impute their disappointments wholly to fortune, whose shoulders are broader and stronger than those of a ministry.
jalousie
Then Alaeddin preceded the Sultan till he conducted him to the upper Kiosque where he saw its skylights, windows and latticed casements and jalousies↗ wholly made of emeralds and rubies and other costly gems ...
Aladdin (Sir Richard Burton).
popish
AARON. What if I do not? as indeed I do not;
Yet, for I know thou art religious
And hast a thing within thee called conscience,
With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies
Which I have seen thee careful to observe,
Therefore I urge thy oath. For that I know
An idiot holds his bauble for a god,
And keeps the oath which by that god he swears,
To that I'll urge him. Therefore thou shalt vow
By that same god- what god soe'er it be
That thou adorest and hast in reverence-
To save my boy, to nourish and bring him up;
Or else I will discover nought to thee.
Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare, Act 5 Scene 1
vale
No vast obscurity or misty vale,
Where bloody murder or detested rape
Can couch for fear but I will find them out;
And in their ears tell them my dreadful name-
Revenge, which makes the foul offender quake.
Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare, Act 5 Scene 2
execrable
Give sentence on the execrable wretch
That hath been breeder of these dire events.
Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare, Act 5 Scene 3
conscription
He later commented that a part of reason he went to medical school was to avoid conscription↗ and that he actually did not like seeing blood.
moiety
Next morning Alaeddin arose to look at the jeweller's work and remarked that they had not finished a moiety of what was wanting to the Kiosque-window
Aladdin (Sir Richard Burton).
© 2004-2007 by Xah Lee.