Monday, March 26, 2007

Foundling - A deserted or abandoned child of unknown parentage
Outlying - Relatively distant or remote from a center or middle: outlying regions
Scourge - 1. A source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war. 2. A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment. 3. A whip used to inflict punishment.
Tholed - A thole pin
Kenning - A figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun, especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry; for example, storm of swords is a kenning for battle.
Leniage - the history of ones family
Renowned - Having renown; famous
Bade - a past tense of bid
Prow - 1. Nautical The forward part of a ship's hull; the bow. 2. A projecting forward part, such as the front end of a ski.
Amidships - Midway between the bow and the stern.
Adorn - 1. To lend beauty to: "the pale mimosas that adorned the favorite promenade" Ronald Firbank. 2. To enhance or decorate with or as if with ornaments: "[He] requires the presence of titles to legitimate and adorn . . . his imperfect status" Cynthia Ozick.
Wall stead -
Renege - 1. To fail to carry out a promise or commitment: reneged on the contract at the last minute. 2. Games To fail to follow suit in cards when able and required by the rules to do so.
Rempant -
Harrowed - A borough of Greater London in southeast England. It is the site of the public school Harrow, founded in 1571. Population: 206,632.
Girdled - 1. a. A belt or sash worn around the waist. b. Something that encircles like a belt. c. An elasticized, flexible undergarment worn over the waist and hips, especially by women, to give the body a more slender appearance. 2. A band made around the trunk of a tree by the removal of a strip of bark. 3. The edge of a cut gem held by the setting. 4. Anatomy The pelvic or pectoral girdle.
Marauding - To rove and raid in search of plunder.
Anathema - 1. A formal ecclesiastical ban, curse, or excommunication. 2. A vehement denunciation; a curse: "the sound of a witch's anathemas in some unknown tongue" Nathaniel Hawthorne. 3. One that is cursed or damned.
Blundering - Characterized by blunders.
Wassail - 1. a. A salutation or toast given in drinking someone's health or as an expression of good will at a festivity. b. The drink used in such toasting, commonly ale or wine spiced with roasted apples and sugar. 2. A festivity characterized by much drinking.
Respite - 1. A usually short interval of rest or relief. See Synonyms at pause. 2. Law Temporary suspension of a death sentence; a reprieve.
Malignant - 1. Showing great malevolence; disposed to do evil. 2. Highly injurious; pernicious. 3. Pathology a. Threatening to life; virulent: a malignant disease. b. Tending to metastasize; cancerous. Used of a tumor.
Bothies - a hut/small cottage
Beset - 1. To attack from all sides. 2. To trouble persistently; harass. See Synonyms at attack. 3. To hem in; surround: "the mountains which beset it round" Nathaniel Hawthorne. 4. To stud, as with jewels.
Parley - A discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of truce or other matters.
Reparation - 1. The act or process of repairing or the condition of being repaired. 2. The act or process of making amends; expiation. 3. Something done or paid to compensate or make amends. 4. reparations Compensation or remuneration required from a defeated nation as indemnity for damage or injury during a war.
Moors - 1. A member of a Muslim people of mixed Berber and Arab descent, now living chiefly in northwest Africa. 2. One of the Muslims who invaded Spain in the 8th century and established a civilization in Andalusia that lasted until the late 15th century.
Heathenish - 1. Of or having to do with heathens. 2. Uncouth; barbarous.
Affliction - 1. A condition of pain, suffering, or distress. See Synonyms at trial. 2. A cause of pain, suffering, or distress. See Synonyms at burden1.
Ply - 1. To join together, as by molding or twisting. 2. To double over (cloth, for example).
Canny - 1. Careful and shrewd, especially where one's own interests are concerned. 2. Cautious in spending money; frugal. 3. Scots a. Steady, restrained, and gentle. b. Snug and quiet.
Crags - A steep rugged mass of rock projecting upward or outward.
Undaunted - Not discouraged or disheartened; resolutely courageous. See Synonyms at brave.
Strand - thoroughfare in west-central London, England, running parallel to the northern bank of the Thames River and eastward from Trafalgar Square in the West End to the City of London. Among its well-known fixtures is the Savoy Hotel.
Hawser - A cable or rope used in mooring or towing a ship.
Stook - 1. (Agric.) A small collection of sheaves set up in the field; a shock; in England, twelve sheaves
Stoutness - 1. Having or marked by boldness, bravery, or determination; firm and resolute. 2. Strong in body; sturdy. 3. Strong in structure or substance; solid or substantial. 4. Bulky in figure; thickset or corpulent. See Synonyms at fat. 5. Powerful; forceful. 6. Stubborn or uncompromising: put up stout resistance to the proposal.
Resolute - Firm or determined; unwavering.
Formidable - 1. Arousing fear, dread, or alarm: the formidable prospect of major surgery. 2. Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder: "Though a true hero, he was also a thoroughgoing bureaucrat and politician, a formidable combination" Mario Puzo. 3. Difficult to undertake, surmount, or defeat: a formidable challenge; a formidable opponent.
Moreover - Beyond what has been stated; besides.
Renounce - 1. To give up (a title, for example), especially by formal announcement. See Synonyms at relinquish. 2. To reject; disown.
Harrowing - Extremely distressing; agonizing: a harrowing experience.
Stalwart - 1. Having or marked by imposing physical strength. 2. Firm and resolute; stout.
Courtesies - 1. a. Polite behavior. b. A polite gesture or remark. 2. a. Consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence: They call this pond a lake by courtesy only. b. Willingness or generosity in providing something needed: free advertising through the courtesy of the local newspaper.
Affliction - 1. A condition of pain, suffering, or distress. See Synonyms at trial. 2. A cause of pain, suffering, or distress. See Synonyms at burden1.
Mettle - 1. Courage and fortitude; spirit: troops who showed their mettle in combat. 2. Inherent quality of character and temperament.
Loping - To run or ride with a steady, easy gait.
Spurned - 1. To reject disdainfully or contemptuously; scorn. See Synonyms at refuse1. 2. To kick at or tread on disdainfully.
Baleful - 1. Portending evil; ominous. See Synonyms at sinister. 2. Harmful or malignant in intent or effect.
Ravening - Greedily predacious; voracious or rapacious.
Quailed - 1. Any of various Old World chickenlike birds of the genus Coturnix, especially C. coturnix, small in size and having mottled brown plumage and a short tail. 2. Any of various similar or related New World birds, such as the bobwhite.
Fens - A lowland district of eastern England west and south of the Wash. Early attempts by the Romans to drain the area were abandoned by Anglo-Saxon times. Modern-day reclamation of the Fens began in the 17th century.
Scud - 1. To run or skim along swiftly and easily: dark clouds scudding by. 2. Nautical To run before a gale with little or no sail set.
Surge - 1. To rise and move in a billowing or swelling manner. 2. To roll or be tossed about on waves, as a boat. 3. To move like advancing waves: The fans surged forward to see the movie star. 4. To increase suddenly: As favorable reviews came out, interest in the software surged. 5. To improve one's performance suddenly, especially in bettering one's standing in a competition. 6. Nautical To slip around a windlass. Used of a rope.
Coffers - 1. A strongbox. 2. often coffers a. Financial resources; funds. b. A treasury: stole money from the union coffers. 3. Architecture A decorative sunken panel in a ceiling, dome, soffit, or vault. 4. The chamber formed by a canal lock. 5. A cofferdam. 6. A floating dock.
Bulwark - 1. A wall or embankment raised as a defensive fortification; a rampart. 2. Something serving as a defense or safeguard: "We have seen the necessity of the Union, as our bulwark against foreign danger" James Madison. 3. A breakwater. 4. The part of a ship's side that is above the upper deck. Often used in the plural
Halter - 1. A device made of rope or leather straps that fits around the head or neck of an animal and is used to lead or secure the animal. 2. a. A rope with a noose used for execution by hanging. b. Death or execution by hanging. 3. A halter-top.
Undismayed - to keep calm
Dismayed - 1. To destroy the courage or resolution of by exciting dread or apprehension. 2. To cause to lose enthusiasm; disillusion: was dismayed to learn that her favorite dancer used drugs. 3. To upset or alarm.
Dismal - 1. Causing gloom or depression; dreary: dismal weather; took a dismal view of the economy. 2. Characterized by ineptitude, dullness, or a lack of merit: a dismal book; a dismal performance on the cello. 3. Obsolete Dreadful; disastrous.
Slouching - 1. To sit, stand, or walk with an awkward, drooping, excessively relaxed posture. 2. To droop or hang carelessly, as a hat.
Princely - 1. Of or relating to a prince; royal. 2. Befitting a prince, as: a. Noble: a princely bearing. b. Munificent; lavish: inherited a princely sum.
Brehon - . An ancient Irish or Scotch judge. Brehon laws the ancient Irish laws, - unwritten, like the common law of England. They were abolished by statute of Edward III.
Bequeath - 1. Law To leave or give (personal property) by will. 2. To pass (something) on to another; hand down: bequeathed to their children a respect for hard work.
Horde - 1. A large group or crowd; a swarm: a horde of mosquitoes. See Synonyms at crowd1. 2. a. A nomadic Mongol tribe. b. A nomadic tribe or group.
Hewed - Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Daunted - To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay.
Whetted - 1. To sharpen (a knife, for example); hone. 2. To make more keen; stimulate: The frying bacon whetted my appetite
Fetters - 1. A chain or shackle for the ankles or feet. 2. Something that serves to restrict; a restraint.
Fettle - 1. a. Proper or sound condition. b. Mental or emotional state; spirits: was in fine fettle. 2. Metallurgy Loose sand or ore used to line the hearth of a reverberatory furnace in preparation for pouring molten metal
Belch - 1. To expel gas noisily from the stomach through the mouth; burp. 2. To erupt or explode. 3. To gush forth.
Vile - 1. Loathsome; disgusting: vile language. 2. Unpleasant or objectionable: vile weather. See Synonyms at offensive. 3. a. Contemptibly low in worth or account; second-rate. b. Of mean or low condition. 4. Miserably poor and degrading; wretched: a vile existence. 5. Morally depraved; ignoble or wicked: a vile conspiracy.
Wake - a. To cease to sleep; become awake: overslept and woke late. b. To stay awake: Bears wake for spring, summer, and fall and hibernate for the winter. c. To be brought into a state of awareness or alertness: suddenly woke to the danger we were in. 2. To keep watch or guard, especially over a corpse.
Havoc - 1. Widespread destruction; devastation. 2. Disorder or chaos: a wild party that created havoc in the house
Virulent - 1. a. Extremely infectious, malignant, or poisonous. Used of a disease or toxin. b. Capable of causing disease by breaking down protective mechanisms of the host. Used of a pathogen. 2. Bitterly hostile or antagonistic; hateful: virulent criticism. See Synonyms at poisonous. 3. Intensely irritating, obnoxious, or harsh.
Hoard - A hidden fund or supply stored for future use; a cache.
Swinged - To punish with blows; thrash; beat.
Swathed - 1. To wrap or bind with or as if with bandages. 2. To enfold or constrict.
Vaults - 1. a. An arched structure, usually of masonry or concrete, serving to cover a space. b. An arched overhead covering, such as the sky, that resembles the architectural structure in form. 2. A room or space, such as a cellar or storeroom, with arched walls and ceiling, especially when underground. 3. A room or compartment, often built of steel, for the safekeeping of valuables: a bank vault. 4. A burial chamber, especially when underground. 5. Anatomy An arched part of the body, especially the top part of the skull.
Barrow - The northernmost point of Alaska, in the northwest on the Arctic Ocean. The nearby city of Barrow has research and government facilities. Population: 4,460.
Unavailing - Not availing; ineffectual or useless. See Synonyms at futile
Suppurating - To form or discharge pus.
Surges - 1. To rise and move in a billowing or swelling manner. 2. To roll or be tossed about on waves, as a boat. 3. To move like advancing waves: The fans surged forward to see the movie star. 4. To increase suddenly: As favorable reviews came out, interest in the software surged. 5. To improve one's performance suddenly, especially in bettering one's standing in a competition. 6. Nautical To slip around a windlass. Used of a rope
Rampart - 1. A fortification consisting of an embankment, often with a parapet built on top. 2. A means of protection or defense; a bulwark. See Synonyms at bulwark.
Heirloom - 1. A valued possession passed down in a family through succeeding generations. 2. An article of personal property included in an inherited estate
Kindled - 1. a. To build or fuel (a fire). b. To set fire to; ignite. 2. To cause to glow; light up: The sunset kindled the skies. 3. To arouse (an emotion, for example): "No spark had yet kindled in him an intellectual passion" George Eliot.
Grappled - 1. a. An iron shaft with claws at one end, usually thrown by a rope and used for grasping and holding, especially one for drawing and holding an enemy ship alongside. Also called grapnel, grappling, grappling hook, grappling iron. b. Nautical See grapnel. 2. The act of grappling. 3. a. A struggle or contest in which the participants attempt to clutch or grip each other. b. A struggle for superiority or dominance.
Rigged - 1. To provide with a harness or equipment; fit out. 2. Nautical a. To equip (a ship) with sails, shrouds, and yards. b. To fit (sails or shrouds, for example) to masts and yards. 3. Informal To dress, clothe, or adorn: The costumer rigged out the actors in peasant clothing. 4. To make or construct in haste or in a makeshift manner: rig up a tent for the night. 5. To manipulate dishonestly for personal gain: rig a prizefight; rig stock prices.
Mail - 1. a. Materials, such as letters and packages, handled in a postal system. b. Postal material for a specific person or organization. c. Material processed for distribution from a post office at a specified time: the morning mail. 2. A system by which letters, packages, and other postal materials are transported. Used in the plural with the. 3. A vehicle by which mail is transported. 4. Mail or messages sent electronically; e-mail.
Phantoms - 1. a. Something apparently seen, heard, or sensed, but having no physical reality; a ghost or an apparition. b. Something elusive or delusive. 2. An image that appears only in the mind; an illusion. 3. Something dreaded or despised.
Gallant - 1. Smartly or boldly stylish; dashing: a gallant feathered hat; cut a gallant figure at the coronation. 2. a. Unflinching in battle or action; valiant: put up a gallant resistance to the attackers. b. Nobly or selflessly resolute: made a gallant attempt to save his friend's reputation. 3. Stately; majestic.