July 2020 Vocabulary

+9 words

2020.08.10
Filed under Vocabulary


  • 86   verb
    To cross off a sold-off item off a restaurant menu, e.g., “86 the clam chowder.” When applied to people: to eject someone out of an establishment, especially for being unruly, e.g., “86 his ass!” Most likely from slang amongst soda jerks, who were using the term as early as 1933. Other soda fountain slang: 81—a glass of water; 13—one of the big bosses is drifting around; 89—a movie star is in the store; 55—root beer; 99—boss-man is here; 98—boss-man’s second in command, the “pest” is here.
  • anacrisis   noun
    An investigation in a civil case made by torture. Originally a stage of the Ancient Greek judicial process in which all of the evidence is produced prior to the trial; the preliminary hearing.
  • baignoire   noun
    A theatre box in the lowest tier of the theatre, with low partitions, reminiscent of a bathtub. French word for “bathtub”, from Ancient Greek balaneîon “bath” + French -oire “associated device or place”.
  • gaiters   noun
    Protective garments worn over the shoe and lower trouser leg to protect the ankles and lower leg during outdoor activities, such as horseback riding. Half chaps are a popular type of gaiter used by equestrians.
  • Hogarthian   adjective
    Relating to or characteristic of the moral, satirical paintings and engravings of 18th century British editorial cartoonist William Hogarth. His most famous work is the 1751 engraving Gin Lane, which depicts Victorian society literally crumbling, with its inhabitants digging up corpses, starving, pinching snuff as their children plummet to their deaths, dying of suicide, and hawking the tools of their livelihoods to pawnbrokers for gin money.
  • lorgnette   adjective
    A pair of eyeglasses held by a handle on the side. From Middle French lorgne “squinting”.
  • somnambulistic   adjective
    Sleep-walking. From Proto-Indo-European *swep- “to sleep” + PIE *ambhi- “around” + PIE *el- “to go”.
  • sybarite   noun
    A person addicted to or unduly devoted to sensual pleasure. From the Ancient Greek city of Sybaris, notorious for its opulence, excesses, and luxuries. Related adjective: sybaritic.
  • venery   noun
    The pursuit of flesh, either sexual or the hunting of game. May also refer to game that is hunted. Branching etymologies, the first sense from Latin venus “sexual desire, sexual intercourse”, and the second from Latin vēnārī “to hunt”. Both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wen- “to desire, strive for”.