Definitions
Nov. 15th, 2007 01:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwynhefargalingale: (n) 1. The aromatic root of certain East Indian plants of the genera Alpinia and Kæmpferia, formerly much used in medicine and cookery.
2. A dish seasoned with galingale.
3. Applied to an English species of sedge, Cyperus longus, sometimes distinguished as ‘English galingale’, the root of which has similar properties to those of the true galingale.
purpureal: (adj) Of purple colour; purple.
hierodule: (n) A slave (of either sex) dwelling in a temple, and dedicated to the service of a god.
agora: (n) An assembly; hence, the place of assembly, esp. the market-place.
mina: (n) 1. A monetary unit formerly used in Greece and the Middle East, equivalent to the weight of one mina in silver.
2. A unit of weight formerly used in the Middle East, esp. in Mesopotamia and Palestine, and in Egypt.
3. A unit of weight formerly used in ancient Greece, equal to 1/60th of a talent and 100 drachmas.
dithyramb: (n) 1. A Greek choric hymn, originally in honour of Dionysus or Bacchus, vehement and wild in character; a Bacchanalian song.
2. A metrical composition having characteristics similar to this.
3. A speech or writing in vehement or inflated style.
deme: (n) 1. A judge, arbiter, ruler.
2. A township or division of ancient Attica. In modern Greece: A commune.
3. In Biology: Any undifferentiated aggregate of cells, plastids, or monads.
4. In Ecology: A local population of closely related plants or animals; also used as the second element of more precise terms, as in ecodeme, gamodeme, topodeme, etc.
truculently: (adv) In a truculent manner; savagely.
truculent: (adj) 1. Characterized by or exhibiting ferocity or cruelty; fierce, cruel, savage, barbarous.
2. Of speech or writing: Violent; rude; scathing; savage; harsh.
3. Of a disease: Destructive; deadly
4. Mean, base, mercenary.
farrago: (n) A confused group; a medley, mixture, hotchpotch.
squill: (n) 1. A bulb or root of the sea-onion or other related plant
2. In the names of various preparations made from these bulbs.
3. In Pharmacy: Without article, as a substance.
4. In Botany: The bulbous-rooted sea-shore plant Scilla (or Urginea) maritima; the sea-onion; also, any other species of the genus Scilla.
5. A plant of the sea-onion or related species.
6. One or other of certain plants resembling the squill.
7. In Zoology: The mantis-shrimp, Squilla mantis.
Eleatic: (adj) 1. Pertaining to Elea or its inhabitants; spec. used of the philosophy of Xenophanes, Parmenides, and Zeno, who lived or were born there.
2. (n) An Eleatic philosopher.
ithyphallic: (adj) 1. Pertaining to or associated with the phallus carried in procession at the Bacchic festivals; spec. composed in the metre of the Bacchic hymns (the trochaic dimeter brachycatalectic).
2. Grossly indecent, obscene.
(n) 3. A poem in ithyphallic metre; also, a poem of licentious or indecent character.
brachycatalectic: (adj) In Prosody: wanting one foot or two syllables
ney: (n) A type of flute used in the Near and Middle East, consisting of an open-ended length of cane with finger-holes, sounded by blowing across the rim.
madder: (n) 1. A herbaceous scrambling plant, Rubia tinctorum (family Rubiaceae), having rough hairy stems, rough whorled leaves, and panicles of small yellowish-green flowers, which is native to western and central Asia and was formerly much cultivated, esp. in Holland and France, for the reddish-purple dye obtained from the root. Also with distinguishing word: any of various allied plants, esp. one with similar properties.
2. The root of the plant Rubia tinctorum, employed medicinally or as a source of colouring matter; the reddish-purple dyestuff or pigment prepared from this. Also: a similar pigment produced synthetically. In early use also used to denote other dyestuffs or pigments of a similar colour.
3. A reddish-purple colour, esp. one produced by madder dyes or pigments;
panicle: (n) An inflorescence consisting of a loosely branching cluster of flowers, as in oats and many other grasses; (now) spec. a racemose (or occasionally cymose) compound inflorescence having a primary axis bearing branched secondary axes.
cymose: (adj) Bearing cymes, cymiferous; of the nature of a cyme; arranged in a cyme. (Of an inflorescence = centrifugal or definite; opposed to racemose.)
epicene: (adj) 1. In Lat. and Gr. grammar, said of nouns which, without changing their grammatical gender, may denote either sex. Hence (improperly) epicene gender. In Eng. grammar the term has no proper application, but is loosely used as a synonym of common.
2. In humorous uses of the phrase epicene gender; also of persons, their employments, characters, etc.: Partaking of the characteristics of both sexes.
3. Adapted to both sexes; worn or inhabited by both sexes.
4. often in the sense of ‘effeminate’.
frow: (n) 1. A Dutchwoman.
2. A woman, a lady; a wife. Chiefly of Dutch or German women, or of others compared to them.
3. Applied to the Mænads or Bacchantes of classical paganism
4. an idle, dirty woman
litigious: (adj) 1. Fond of disputes, contentious; Fond of litigation; eager to go to law.
2. Engaged in litigation or contention; litigant.
3. Open to dispute or question; disputable, questionable; productive of litigation or contention.
4. Disputable at law; that is or is liable to become the subject of a lawsuit, esp. of a benefice. In Civil and Scots Law said esp. of property respecting which an action is pending, and which therefore may not be alienated.
5. Of or pertaining to lawsuits or litigation.
cantillate: (v) To chant; to recite with musical tones: spec. applied to the intoning in Jewish synagogues.
tibia: (n) An ancient (single or double) flute or flageolet.
cantilena: (n) The plain-song or canto-fermo in old church music; the melody or ‘air’ in any composition, now usually the highest part; a ballad.
smilax: (n) 1. A large genus of liliaceous plants typical of the order Smilaceæ, or a species of this genus, the tuberous rootstocks of which constitute the sarsaparilla of commerce.
2. A climbing species of asparagus, Myrsiphylium asparagoides, much used for decorative purposes.
sapin: (n) A kind of fir or pine.
savin: (n) 1. A small bushy evergreen shrub, Juniperus sabina, a native of Europe and Western Asia, with spreading branches completely covered with short imbricating leaves, and bearing a small, round, bluish-purple berry.
2. The dried tops of this shrub, used as a drug: Savin is strongly poisonous; it possesses emmenagogic properties, and hence was a common means of procuring abortion. It is also an anthelmintic, used chiefly in veterinary practice.
emmenagogic: (adj) Having the property of, or related to agents which increase or renew the menstrual discharge.
anthelminthic: (adj) Of use against intestinal worms.
agaric: (n) 1. A name given to various corky species of Polyporus, a genus of fungi growing upon trees; of which P. officinalis, chiefly found on the Larch, the ‘Female Agarick’ of old writers, was renowned as a cathartic, and with P. fomentarius, and P. igniarius, ‘Male Agarick’ used as a styptic, as tinder, and in dyeing.
2. A mushroom; properly one of the Linnæan genus Agaricus.
styptic: (adj) 1. Having the power of contracting organic tissue; having an austere or acid taste; harsh or raw to the palate; having a binding effect on the stomach or bowels.
2. Of a medicament, etc.: That arrests hæmorrhage.
balanus: (n) a multivalve Cirriped, called also Sea-acorn, allied to the Barnacles, but without a flexible stalk, several species of which live sessile upon rocks, piles, iron pillars, and shells of other marine animals, between high and low water-mark.
pergola: (n) 1. An elevated stand or balcony.
2. An arbour; a covered walk or shelter (usually in a garden), esp. one formed of growing plants trained over a (usually wooden or metal) framework; this framework itself. Also: a small open-sided shelter or sun-shade usually consisting of a roof supported on columns.
entasis: (n) 1. A delicate and almost imperceptible swelling of the shaft of a column
2. Old term for tonic spasm
spandrel: (n) 1. The triangular space between the outer curve of an arch and the rectangle formed by the mouldings enclosing it, frequently filled in with ornamental work; any similar space between an arch and a straight-sided figure bounding it; also, the space included between the shoulders of two contiguous arches and the moulding or string-course above them.
2. The support of a set of steps; the material with which the space between a stair and the floor is filled in.
3. On oriental patterned rugs or carpets: one of the spaces between the central field and the border, or between an arch motif and its frame.
4. An inner frame or border for a picture.
elecampane: (n) 1. A perennial composite plant, Horse-heal (Inula Helenium), with very large yellow radiate flowers and bitter aromatic leaves and root; formerly used as a tonic and stimulant.
2. A species of sweetmeat flavoured with a preparation from the root of this plant.
tussore: (n) A coarse brown silk (furnished by Antheræa mylitta and other species of silkworm) made in and imported from India. Also a dress made of this.
bourdon: (n) 1. The low undersong or accompaniment, which was sung while the leading voice sang a melody.
2. A bass stop in an organ, usually of 16ft. tone; a similar stop in a harmonium; also the drone of a bagpipe.
3. bell-ringing.
4. A pilgrim's staff.
5. A stout staff; a club, a cudgel; sometimes app. a spear or spear-shaft.
2. A dish seasoned with galingale.
3. Applied to an English species of sedge, Cyperus longus, sometimes distinguished as ‘English galingale’, the root of which has similar properties to those of the true galingale.
purpureal: (adj) Of purple colour; purple.
hierodule: (n) A slave (of either sex) dwelling in a temple, and dedicated to the service of a god.
agora: (n) An assembly; hence, the place of assembly, esp. the market-place.
mina: (n) 1. A monetary unit formerly used in Greece and the Middle East, equivalent to the weight of one mina in silver.
2. A unit of weight formerly used in the Middle East, esp. in Mesopotamia and Palestine, and in Egypt.
3. A unit of weight formerly used in ancient Greece, equal to 1/60th of a talent and 100 drachmas.
dithyramb: (n) 1. A Greek choric hymn, originally in honour of Dionysus or Bacchus, vehement and wild in character; a Bacchanalian song.
2. A metrical composition having characteristics similar to this.
3. A speech or writing in vehement or inflated style.
deme: (n) 1. A judge, arbiter, ruler.
2. A township or division of ancient Attica. In modern Greece: A commune.
3. In Biology: Any undifferentiated aggregate of cells, plastids, or monads.
4. In Ecology: A local population of closely related plants or animals; also used as the second element of more precise terms, as in ecodeme, gamodeme, topodeme, etc.
truculently: (adv) In a truculent manner; savagely.
truculent: (adj) 1. Characterized by or exhibiting ferocity or cruelty; fierce, cruel, savage, barbarous.
2. Of speech or writing: Violent; rude; scathing; savage; harsh.
3. Of a disease: Destructive; deadly
4. Mean, base, mercenary.
farrago: (n) A confused group; a medley, mixture, hotchpotch.
squill: (n) 1. A bulb or root of the sea-onion or other related plant
2. In the names of various preparations made from these bulbs.
3. In Pharmacy: Without article, as a substance.
4. In Botany: The bulbous-rooted sea-shore plant Scilla (or Urginea) maritima; the sea-onion; also, any other species of the genus Scilla.
5. A plant of the sea-onion or related species.
6. One or other of certain plants resembling the squill.
7. In Zoology: The mantis-shrimp, Squilla mantis.
Eleatic: (adj) 1. Pertaining to Elea or its inhabitants; spec. used of the philosophy of Xenophanes, Parmenides, and Zeno, who lived or were born there.
2. (n) An Eleatic philosopher.
ithyphallic: (adj) 1. Pertaining to or associated with the phallus carried in procession at the Bacchic festivals; spec. composed in the metre of the Bacchic hymns (the trochaic dimeter brachycatalectic).
2. Grossly indecent, obscene.
(n) 3. A poem in ithyphallic metre; also, a poem of licentious or indecent character.
brachycatalectic: (adj) In Prosody: wanting one foot or two syllables
ney: (n) A type of flute used in the Near and Middle East, consisting of an open-ended length of cane with finger-holes, sounded by blowing across the rim.
madder: (n) 1. A herbaceous scrambling plant, Rubia tinctorum (family Rubiaceae), having rough hairy stems, rough whorled leaves, and panicles of small yellowish-green flowers, which is native to western and central Asia and was formerly much cultivated, esp. in Holland and France, for the reddish-purple dye obtained from the root. Also with distinguishing word: any of various allied plants, esp. one with similar properties.
2. The root of the plant Rubia tinctorum, employed medicinally or as a source of colouring matter; the reddish-purple dyestuff or pigment prepared from this. Also: a similar pigment produced synthetically. In early use also used to denote other dyestuffs or pigments of a similar colour.
3. A reddish-purple colour, esp. one produced by madder dyes or pigments;
panicle: (n) An inflorescence consisting of a loosely branching cluster of flowers, as in oats and many other grasses; (now) spec. a racemose (or occasionally cymose) compound inflorescence having a primary axis bearing branched secondary axes.
cymose: (adj) Bearing cymes, cymiferous; of the nature of a cyme; arranged in a cyme. (Of an inflorescence = centrifugal or definite; opposed to racemose.)
epicene: (adj) 1. In Lat. and Gr. grammar, said of nouns which, without changing their grammatical gender, may denote either sex. Hence (improperly) epicene gender. In Eng. grammar the term has no proper application, but is loosely used as a synonym of common.
2. In humorous uses of the phrase epicene gender; also of persons, their employments, characters, etc.: Partaking of the characteristics of both sexes.
3. Adapted to both sexes; worn or inhabited by both sexes.
4. often in the sense of ‘effeminate’.
frow: (n) 1. A Dutchwoman.
2. A woman, a lady; a wife. Chiefly of Dutch or German women, or of others compared to them.
3. Applied to the Mænads or Bacchantes of classical paganism
4. an idle, dirty woman
litigious: (adj) 1. Fond of disputes, contentious; Fond of litigation; eager to go to law.
2. Engaged in litigation or contention; litigant.
3. Open to dispute or question; disputable, questionable; productive of litigation or contention.
4. Disputable at law; that is or is liable to become the subject of a lawsuit, esp. of a benefice. In Civil and Scots Law said esp. of property respecting which an action is pending, and which therefore may not be alienated.
5. Of or pertaining to lawsuits or litigation.
cantillate: (v) To chant; to recite with musical tones: spec. applied to the intoning in Jewish synagogues.
tibia: (n) An ancient (single or double) flute or flageolet.
cantilena: (n) The plain-song or canto-fermo in old church music; the melody or ‘air’ in any composition, now usually the highest part; a ballad.
smilax: (n) 1. A large genus of liliaceous plants typical of the order Smilaceæ, or a species of this genus, the tuberous rootstocks of which constitute the sarsaparilla of commerce.
2. A climbing species of asparagus, Myrsiphylium asparagoides, much used for decorative purposes.
sapin: (n) A kind of fir or pine.
savin: (n) 1. A small bushy evergreen shrub, Juniperus sabina, a native of Europe and Western Asia, with spreading branches completely covered with short imbricating leaves, and bearing a small, round, bluish-purple berry.
2. The dried tops of this shrub, used as a drug: Savin is strongly poisonous; it possesses emmenagogic properties, and hence was a common means of procuring abortion. It is also an anthelmintic, used chiefly in veterinary practice.
emmenagogic: (adj) Having the property of, or related to agents which increase or renew the menstrual discharge.
anthelminthic: (adj) Of use against intestinal worms.
agaric: (n) 1. A name given to various corky species of Polyporus, a genus of fungi growing upon trees; of which P. officinalis, chiefly found on the Larch, the ‘Female Agarick’ of old writers, was renowned as a cathartic, and with P. fomentarius, and P. igniarius, ‘Male Agarick’ used as a styptic, as tinder, and in dyeing.
2. A mushroom; properly one of the Linnæan genus Agaricus.
styptic: (adj) 1. Having the power of contracting organic tissue; having an austere or acid taste; harsh or raw to the palate; having a binding effect on the stomach or bowels.
2. Of a medicament, etc.: That arrests hæmorrhage.
balanus: (n) a multivalve Cirriped, called also Sea-acorn, allied to the Barnacles, but without a flexible stalk, several species of which live sessile upon rocks, piles, iron pillars, and shells of other marine animals, between high and low water-mark.
pergola: (n) 1. An elevated stand or balcony.
2. An arbour; a covered walk or shelter (usually in a garden), esp. one formed of growing plants trained over a (usually wooden or metal) framework; this framework itself. Also: a small open-sided shelter or sun-shade usually consisting of a roof supported on columns.
entasis: (n) 1. A delicate and almost imperceptible swelling of the shaft of a column
2. Old term for tonic spasm
spandrel: (n) 1. The triangular space between the outer curve of an arch and the rectangle formed by the mouldings enclosing it, frequently filled in with ornamental work; any similar space between an arch and a straight-sided figure bounding it; also, the space included between the shoulders of two contiguous arches and the moulding or string-course above them.
2. The support of a set of steps; the material with which the space between a stair and the floor is filled in.
3. On oriental patterned rugs or carpets: one of the spaces between the central field and the border, or between an arch motif and its frame.
4. An inner frame or border for a picture.
elecampane: (n) 1. A perennial composite plant, Horse-heal (Inula Helenium), with very large yellow radiate flowers and bitter aromatic leaves and root; formerly used as a tonic and stimulant.
2. A species of sweetmeat flavoured with a preparation from the root of this plant.
tussore: (n) A coarse brown silk (furnished by Antheræa mylitta and other species of silkworm) made in and imported from India. Also a dress made of this.
bourdon: (n) 1. The low undersong or accompaniment, which was sung while the leading voice sang a melody.
2. A bass stop in an organ, usually of 16ft. tone; a similar stop in a harmonium; also the drone of a bagpipe.
3. bell-ringing.
4. A pilgrim's staff.
5. A stout staff; a club, a cudgel; sometimes app. a spear or spear-shaft.
