Donaldson's Obscure Words - Official Thread

[Landwaster]

Add your submissions as post replies on this thread and I'll edit this initial post accordingly.

Format is : Word, Pronunciation, Reference, Definition, Context. When an entry is formatted, the actual word will be changed to bold font.

A:
adjure (ad-JURE) - ??? - to charge or command solemnly - ???
aegis (AE-jis) - ??? - protection, support - ???
ambergrised (AM-ber-grised) - ??? - (disputed) 1. ambergris is the ash-colored secretion of the sperm whale intestine (used in perfumery); 2. to go ashen- or grey-faced - ???
anadem (AN-a-dem) - ??? - a garland or fillet; a chaplet or wreath - ???
analystic ??? - ??? - ??? - ???
anile ??? - ??? - old-womanish; imbecile - ???
anodyne (AN-o-dyne) - ??? - something that relieves pain or stress - ???
anoxia (a-NOX-i-a) - TWL p.462 - 1. an abscence of oxygen. 2. a pathological deficiency of oxygen - ???
apotheosis (ap-o-the-O-sis) - ??? - 1. the perfect example; 2. The act of elevating a mortal to the rank of, and placing him among, ``the gods;'' deification - We're facing a total crisis here. An outright apotheosis./
architrave (AR-chi-trave) - ??? - the lower-most member of a classical entablature (the part of a classical temple above the columns between a capital and the roof) - ???
asperity (as-PER-i-ty) - ??? - harshness or sharpness of temper or manner asservation - ???

B:
barranca (ba-RRAN-ca) - ??? - a deep gully or arroyo - ???
bedizen ??? - TOT-??? - adjective : [now rare] to dress or decorate in a cheap, showy way - ???
benison (BEN-i-son) - ??? - blessing, benediction - ???
bonhomie (bä-nə-ˈmē) - ??? - good-natured easy friendliness
bourne ??? - TOT-??? - noun : 1. a brook or stream 2. [archaic] a limit; boundary 3. a destination; a goal 3. a domain (N.B. also spelled bourn) - ???
brunted ??? - ??? - ??? - ???
bryony (BRY-o-ny) - ??? - tendril-bearing vines of the gourd family with large leaves and red or black fruit - ???

C:
caducity (ca-DU-ci-ty) - TWL-485 - the quality of being transitory or perishable - ???
carcanet (CAR-ka-net) - ??? - an ornamental necklace or headband - ???
carious (CAR-i-ous) - ??? - ??? - affected with caries (progressive destruction of bone or tooth) - ???
catafalque (CAT-a-falque) - ??? - an ornamental structure sometimes used in solemn funerals for the lying in state of the body; a pall-covered coffin-shaped structure used at requiem masses celebrated after burial - ???
caterwaul ??? - WGW-224 - To cry or screech like a cat in heat; To make a shrill, discordant sound - The silent caterwaul and torment of the vegetation blocked the ground at every step; but the company found a way through it
censers (Cen"ser) - WGW-137 - a vessel for perfumes, esp. one in which incense is burned - ???
cerulean ??? - TWL-473 - azure or sky-blue - Soon they were out in the center of the Mithil, riding the current under a red-wreathed sun and a cerulean sky. The warmer air made the water almost pleasant; and the pace of the River had slowed during the night, easing the management of the raft. Yet the sun's aurora nagged at Covenant. Even to his superficial sight, it looked like a secret threat, mendacious and bloodthirsty. Because of it, the warm sunlight and clear sky seemed like concealment for an ambush.
cerements (CER-e-ments) - ??? - waxed winding-sheets - ???
chancre (shAN-ker) - TOT-22 - a primary sore or ulcer at the site of entry of a pathogen (as in tularemia); especially : the initial lesion of syphilis - ???
chancreous (chan-CRE-ous) - ??? - characterized by chancres (sore or ulcers) - ???
chary (CHAR-y) - ??? - treasured, dear; cautious, sparing; watchful - ???
chatoyant (sha-TOY-ant) - ??? - [to shine like a cat's eyes] having a changeable luster or color with an undulating narrow band of white light - ???
chiaroscuro (k-är-skr, -skyr) - ??? - The technique of using light and shade in pictorial representation
chrism ??? - TWL-427 - a consecrated oil - ???
coign (COIGN) - ??? - a corner, wedge; chiefly used in the phrase "coign of vantage", a position advantageous for action or observation - ???
condign (con-DIGN) - ??? - well-deserved, appropriate - ???
coquelicot (coque-LI-cot) wild poppy or the color of such (orange mixed with scarlet)
coruscate (verb) ??? - ??? - 1 : to give off or reflect light in bright beams or flashes : sparkle, 2 : to be brilliant or showy in technique or style - ???
crenellated ??? - WGW-225 - having repeated square indentations like those in a battlement; having turrets and battlements in the style of a castle - ???
crepitation (crep-i-TA-tion) - ??? - the act of crackling (the series of small, sharp, rapidly repeated explosions in a fire) or the grating sound of two bone fragments rubbing together - ???
crepuscular (cre-PUS-cu-lar) - ??? - resembling twilight - ???
cromlech (kro^m"le^k) - WGW-131 - bending or bent, concave + llech a flat stone - ???
crysoprase (from chrysoprase CHRIS-o-prase) - ??? - an apple-green chalcedony valued as a gem - ???
cymar (from simar si-MAR) - ??? - a loose robe for women - ???

D:
deflagration (def-la-GRA-tion) - ??? - a burning up; conflagration - ???
demesne (de-'mEn) - ??? - realm or domain - ???
depredation (de-pre-DA-tion) - ??? - the act of preying upon or plundering - ???
derogate (DER-o-gate) - ??? - to take away a part so as to impair; to act beneath one's position or character - ???
desuetude (DES-wi-tude) - ??? - the state of being no longer used or practiced - ???
desmesne ??? - ??? - apparent misspelling of demesne - ???
discomfit ??? - ??? - 1 a: to defeat in battle b: to frustrate the plans of. 2 to put in a state of perplexity and embarrassment - ???
discomfiture ??? - TOT-24 - the act of discomfiting; the state of being discomfited - ???
doggerel (ˈdȯ-g(ə-)rəl) - loosely styled and irregular in measure especially for burlesque or comic effect; also : marked by triviality or inferiority
dromond (DROH-mond) - ??? - n. In the Middle Ages, a large, fast-sailing galley, or cutter; a large, swift war vessel - ???

E:
effrontery ??? - QGQ-125 - insult - But the water and the current remained indifferent, too cold to notice such stark effrontery.
embrasure (em-BRA-sure) - ??? - an opening in a wall through which a cannon can be fired, a usually sloped enlargement of a door or window - ???
encyst (en-CIST) - WGW-155 - v. To enclose in or as if in a cyst. [cyst: pathology term for an abnormal membranous sac containing a gaseous, liquid, or semisolid substance] - ???
excoriate - (ek-ˈskȯr-ē-ˌāt) - ??? - to wear off the skin of, to censure scathingly
exigency (ek-sI-jen-sE) - ??? - the quality or state of being exigent : a state of affairs that makes urgent demands - ???
exigent ??? - ??? - 1. requiring immediate aid or action. 2 requiring or calling for much - ???
etiolate (E-ti-o-late) - ??? - to bleach and alter the natural development of (a green plant) by excluding sunlight; to make pale and sickly; to take away the natural vigor of - ???
exculpation (ex-cul-PA-tion) - ??? - to make free from guilt, to pardon or excuse - ???
excrudescence ??? - ??? - breaking out in sores or lesions - His beard seemed to bristle like an excrudescence of pain.
extirpate (EX-tir-pate) - ??? - to pull up by the root; to wipe out; to cut out by surgery - ???

F:
febrile (FEB-rile) - ??? - feverish - ???
formication (for-mi-CA-tion) - ??? - a sensation resembling that made by the creeping of ants on the skin - ???
fructify (FRUC-ti-fy) - ??? - to bear fruit - ???

G:
gavotte (ga-vät) - TWL-490 - a dance of French peasant origin marked by the raising rather than sliding of the feet - ???
gelid (jel-id) - TWL-429 - extremely cold - ???
guerdon (GAIR-dun) - TPTP-??? - n. a reward or payment; recompense. - "Thomas Covenant" -- the voice was gentle -- "my unwilling son, I wish to give you a gift-a guerdon to speak my wordless gratitude. Your world runs by Law, as does mine. And by any Law I am in your debt. You have retrieved my Earth from the brink of dissolution. I could give you precious gifts a dozen times over, and still not call the matter paid."

H:
habilments (ha-BIL-eh-ments) - TOT-21 - n. 1. clothing, especially the identifying clothing of an occasion or affiliation. 2. characteristic furnishings. - ???
hagridding ??? - ??? - hagride: harrass, torment - ???
hebetude (HEB-e-tude) - ??? - A deficiency in mental and physical alertness and activity, dullness, lethargy - ???
hieratic ??? - ??? - 1: Sacerdotal (of or relating to priests or priesthood). 2: highly stylized or formal - ???
hierophant (hi-ER-o-phant) - ??? - a priest in ancient Greece - ???

I:
immedicable ??? - WGW-127 - unhealable - ???
impercipience ??? - WGW-116 - state of not being able to perceive - ???
inanition (in-a-NI-tion) - ??? - emptiness; lack of vitality or vigor - ???
incarnadine (adj) ??? - ??? - 1 : having the pinkish color of flesh, 2 : red; especially bloodred - ???
inchoate (in-CHO-ate) - ??? - not yet fully developed, just begun, incipient - ???
incondign ??? - ??? - (see condign) - ???
ineluctable (in-e-LUC-ta-ble) - ??? - inevitable - ???
infrangible (in-FRAN-gi-ble) - ??? - not capable of being broken or separated into parts; not to be infringed or violated - ???
innominate (in-NOM-i-nate) - ??? - having no name, unnamed - ???
intaglio (in-TAL-yo) - ??? - incised carving - ???
intransigence (in-TRAN-si-jence) - ??? - refusing to agree or compromise - ???
invidious (in-VID-i-ous) - ??? - calculated to create ill will - ???
irenic ??? - TWL-495 - tending to promote peace or reconciliation - ???
irrefragable (ir-REF-ra-ga-ble) - TWL-419 - impossible to deny or refute, inviolable - ???

J:

K:
knur (NUR) - ??? - a hard excresence; gnarl - ???

L:
lambent (adj) ??? - TWL-426 - 1 : playing lightly on or over a surface : flickering, 2 : softly bright or radiant, 3 : marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression - ???
leal (LE-al) - ??? - faithful, loyal; true - ???
littoral ??? - TOT-22 - [1,adjective] - of, or relating to, or situated or growing on a shore. [2,noun] - a coastal region, esp. the shore zone between high and low water marks - ???

M:
macerate (MAS-e-rate) - ??? - to cause to waste away by excessive fasting; to cause to become separated into constituent elements by steeping in a fluid - ???
malefic (ma-LEF-ic) - ??? - productive of evil, malign - ???
malison (MAL-i-son) - ??? - malediction, curse - ???
mansuetude (noun) ??? - ??? - the quality or state of being gentle : meekness, tameness - ???
mendacity (men-DAS-i-ty) - ??? - untruthfulness, habitual lying - ???
menhir ??? - WGW-105 - upright stone-slab indicating a grave - ???
mephitic (me-PHIT-ic) - ??? - tending to destroy life, poisonous, noxious - ???
moire ??? - TOT-20 - 1 a : an irregular wavy finish on a fabric b : a ripple pattern on a stamp. 2 : a fabric having a wavy watered appearance. 3 : an independent usually shimmering pattern seen when two geometrically regular patterns (as two sets of parallel lines or two halftone screens) are superimposed especially at an acute angle - ???
multitudinous
monody (???) - ??? - 1. An ode for one voice or actor, as in Greek drama. 2. A poem in which the poet or speaker mourns another's death.
3. Music a. A style of composition dominated by a single melodic line. b. A style of composition having a single melodic line; monophony. c. A composition in either of these styles.

N:
nacreous (NAY-cre-ous) - ??? - like mother-of-pearl - ???
nystagmus (nys-TAG-mus) - ??? - a rapid involuntary oscillation of the eyeballs, as from dizziness - ???

O:
obduracy ??? - TOT-21 - Obdurate - 1 a: stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing b: hardened in feelings. 2 resistant to persuasion or softening influences - ???
obloquy (OB-lo-quy) - ??? - strongly condemnatory utterance or language - ???
ocher / ochre (O-kur) - LFB-4 - adj. 1. of a moderate orange-yellow color n 2. a moderate yellow-orange to orange color - ???.
oriflamme (OR-i-flamme) - ??? - banner, symbol, or ideal ispiring devotion or courage; something suggestive of a brightly colored banner - ???
orison (OR-i-son) - ??? - prayer or supplication - ???

P:
palanquin (pal-an-KEEN) - ??? - an enclosed litter carried by several men - ???
palliate (PAL-i-ate) - ??? - to relieve without curing; to try to mitigate the gravity of an offense by excuses, apologies, etc - ???
paroxysm ??? - WGW-220 - cramp, seizure - ???
percipience ??? - WGW-222 - perception - ???
periapt (PER-i-apt) - ??? - amulet - ???
perorations (per-ə-ˈrā-shən) - ??? - the concluding part of a discourse and especially an oration, a highly rhetorical speech
preterite PRET-e-rit - TWL-??? - bygone, former - A preterite fear of hidden pits and predators scraped at his nerves

Q:

R:
recidivist - (???) - ??? one who relapses; specifically : a habitual criminal
rectitude (REC-ti-tude) - ??? - moral virtue, righteousness; correctness - ???
rede ??? - ??? - to explain; to interpret - ???
refulgent (re-FUL-gent) - ??? - radiant or resplendent, brilliant - ???
roborant (rob-o-RANT) - ??? - strengthening, especially a medicine or tonic - ???
roil ??? - TOT-21 - to stir up (disturb, disorder). To move turbulently, to be in a state of turbulence or agitation - ???
roynish (ROYN-ish) - ??? - mangy, scabby, mean, paltry, troublesome. applied to people - ???
rue (ROO) - QGQ-108 - n., v. regret, remorse, or sorrow. - ???

S:
sabulous (SAB-yuh-lus) - TOT-19 - adj. gritty or sandy - ???
sapid (SAP-id) - ??? - possessing flavor; having a strong agreeable flavor - ???
sark ??? - TWl-440 - (before 12th century) Shirt - ???
scoria (SCO-ri-a) - ??? - the refuse from melting of metals, slag - ???
sempiternal (sem-pi-TERN-al) - ??? - of never-ending duration, everlasting, eternal - ???
sendaline (SEN-da-lin) - ??? - adj. having the characteristics of sendal: a thin silk fabric used in the middle ages, capable of holding most silk dyes. - ???
seriate (SER-i-ate) - ??? - arranged in a series or succession; pertaining to a series - ???
somnolence ??? - WGW-110 - medical term, sleepiness, a state of mind in the scale towards coma - ???
spavined (SPA-vined) - ??? - enlargement of the hock joint (in horses) - ???
stentorously (sten-TO-ri-an) - ??? - 'extremely loud' - ???
stertorously ??? - TWL-423 - Stertorous - characterised by a harsh snoring or gasping sound - ???
stridulation (STRID-u-la-tion) the act of making shrill sounds or musical notes by rubbing together certain hard parts, as done by the males of many insects, especially
suppurate (SUP-pu-rate) foul; to form or discharge pus
susurration (su-sur-RA-tion) whispering, murmur
susurrus-TWL-426

T:
tabid (TAB-id) affected by tabes (progressive emaciation of the body, accompanied with hectic fever, with no well-marked logical symptoms), tabetic
taffrail ??? - TOT-30 - 1: the upper part of the stern of a wooden ship. 2: a rail around the stern of a ship - ???
telic (TEL-ic) tending toward an end
telid
tersity ??? - TOT-22 - [My guess is that it is a shorter way of saying terseness, which means "brief and to the point; effectively concise."] - DukkaWaynhim - ???
thetic ??? - ??? - constituting or beginning with a poetic thesis - ???
tintinnuabulating ??? - TWL-464 - Tintinnuabulation - 1: the ringing or sounding of bells. 2: a jingling or tinkling sound as if of bells - ???
threnody (THREN-o-dy) song of lamentation for the dead
threnodies-TWL-480.
tor ??? - WGW-107 - A high rock or pile of rocks on the top of a hill; A rocky peak or hill - ???
travertine (TRAV-er-tine) a white concretionary form of calcium carbonate, usually hard and semicrystalline, deposited from the water of springs or streams holding lime in solution
trenchant (TREN-chant) incisive or keen; vigorous, effective

U:
unambergrised (un-AM-ber-grised) - (opposite of ambergrised) - ???
unhermeneuticable ??? - TOT-??? - uninterpretable - ???

V:
verdant (adj) ??? - ??? - 1 a : green in tint or color <verdant grass> b : green with growing plants, 2 : unripe in experience or judgment : green - ???
verdure (noun) ??? - ??? - 1 : the greenness of growing vegetation; also : such vegetation itself, 2 : a condition of health and vigor - ???
vermillion (adj) ??? - ??? - 1 : a bright red pigment consisting of mercuric sulfide; broadly : any of various red pigments, 2 : a vivid reddish orange - ???
vertiginous (vər-ˈti-jə-nəs) - ??? - characterized by or suffering from vertigo or dizziness, inclined to frequent and often pointless change
viga (VEE-guh) - ??? - n. [Southwestern architecture] A rafter or roofbeam, especially a trimmed and peeled tree trunk whose end projects from an outside adobe wall. - ???
vitiate (VISH-i-ate) - ??? - contaminate, pollute; debase, pervert; to make ineffective or weak, invalidate - ???
vlei ??? - TOT-??? - noun : a Dutch word for marsh or wetland - ???

W:

X:

Y:

Z:

Acknowledgments :
Kevins Watch forums - www.kevinswatch.com/ and those posting within
Kiri Wagstaff website - www.litech.org/~wkiri/ and www.cs.cornell.edu/home/wkiri/donaldson-words.html
Some definitions from - m-w.com
Encylopaedia Brittanica
W.B.s Stephen Donaldson Ate My Dictionary - www.naples.net/~dsaddison/srdamd/

[Roynish]

Landwaster you are a legend.

I will print this and cross reference my previous finds.

[duchess of malfi]

very well, done!
you are a gem of the Land!

[Landwaster]

Be welcome to this thread, Roynish and duchess, welcome and leal.

[danlo]

roynish (ROYN-ish) mangy, scabby, mean, paltry, troublesome. applied to people. That's me in a nutshell! (Don' touch me, dammit!!!!!! )

[Landwaster]

get out of it yer roynish mongrel

[danlo]

bite me, oh puthz!!! I LOVE it!

[Landwaster]

I maleson you, danlo, you malefic knur. May you suffer mephitically.

(plenty of anition there)

[Foamfollower1013]

Lambent (adj) 1 : playing lightly on or over a surface : FLICKERING
2 : softly bright or radiant
3 : marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression

Mansuetude (noun) the quality or state of being gentle : MEEKNESS, TAMENESS

Vermillion (adj) 1 : a bright red pigment consisting of mercuric sulfide; broadly : any of various red pigments
2 : a vivid reddish orange

Coruscate (verb) 1 : to give off or reflect light in bright beams or flashes : SPARKLE
2 : to be brilliant or showy in technique or style

Verdant (adj) 1 a : green in tint or color <verdant grass> b : green with growing plants <verdant fields>
2 : unripe in experience or judgment : GREEN

and in the same vein (Vain...hehe ),

Verdure (noun) 1 : the greenness of growing vegetation; also : such vegetation itself
2 : a condition of health and vigor

(That second one - now that's an ironic definition, considering where I found that word. It's used to describe the fertile-sun-induced vegetation.)

Incarnadine (adj) 1 : having the pinkish color of flesh
2 : RED; especially : BLOODRED

That'll do for a start. Credit to m-w.com for the definitions.

~Foamy~

[Roynish]

D: discomfiture- TOT-24

I: irrefragable -TWL -419

L: lambent-TWL-426; littoral-TOT-22

M: moire- TOT-20;

O: obduracy- TOT-21

R: roil: TOT-21

S: sark-TWl-440;

T: tersity-TOT-22; taffrail-TOT-30


This is a word page number list obviously. Now I go hunt for more and some definitions.

[Landwaster]

Alrighty I've updated up to roynish's last post. Slowly formatting the words as I go ... formatting each new entry and one existing entry for every new entry.

[Seafoam Understone]

Well if I recall when I first visited the site there was a Glossary... it was incomplete so will this list be added to it?? just wondering eh?

[Landwaster]

Which site was that?

[Seafoam Understone]

well go to www.kevinswatch.com then look under the main page where it says Covenant lists and then click on that... then it'll read something that says...ummm glossary.. ya that's it... there's no specific link that'll take you to it... at least none that I found anyway.. wait a tic... hold on..
wam.umd.edu/~resop/gloss.html
heh and I thought I was still computer illiterate... heh heh heh heh heh (Beavis and Butthead... btw did you know that Butthead has a brother... his name is Richard Head... wait for it... wait for it... )

[Nav]

chancre (shAN-ker) - a primary sore or ulcer at the site of entry of a pathogen (as in tularemia); especially : the initial lesion of syphilis.

demesne (de-'mEn) - Realm or domain.

exigency (ek-sI-jen-sE) - the quality or state of being exigent : a state of affairs that makes urgent demands.

gavotte (ga-vät) - a dance of French peasant origin marked by the raising rather than sliding of the feet

gelid (jel-id) - extremely cold

hagriding (hAG-ridding) - Imitating that guy from Harry Potter. Possibly.

[amanibhavam]

apotheosis (ap-o-the-O-sis) - ??? - the perfect example - ???

???

I always thought this means ascend to heaven, praise

[UrLord]

yeah, I think as used in The Gap series, apotheosis means:

The act of elevating a mortal to the rank of, and placing him among, ``the gods;'' deification.

Or simply:

The act of becoming a god.

It makes more sense that way...

[I'm Murrin]

Can someone tell me the context in which chrisum is used?

Here are some:

ambergrised - my opinion - if ambergris is an ashen colour, then ambergrised must be reference to going grey-faced.
apotheosis - the other meaning is 'elevation to divine status : DEIFICATION'.

brunted: brunt - the principal force, shock, or stress (as of an attack); the greater part

chancre - a primary sore or ulcer at the site of entry of a pathogen

demesne - can mean possession of land, manorial land owned by lord, land attached to a mansion (territory, domain, etc).
discomfiture: Discomfit - 1 a: to defeat in battle b: to frustrate the plans of. 2 to put in a state of perplexity and embarrassment. Discomfiture - the act of discomfiting; the state of being discomfited.

exigent - 1 requiring immediate aid or action. 2 requiring or calling for much.
exigency - 1 that which is required in a particular situation. 2 a: the quality or state of being exigent b: a state of affairs that makes urgent demands.

gavotte - a dance of French peasant origin marked by the raising rather than sliding of the feet.
gelid - extremely cold.

hagridding (spelling correction) - Hagride: harrass, torment.
hieratic (possible spelling correction) - 1: Sacerdotal (of or relating to priests or priesthood). 2: highly stylized or formal.

littoral [1,adjective] - of, or relating to, or situated or growing on a shore. [2,noun] - a coastal region, esp. the shore zone between high and low water marks.

moire 1 a : an irregular wavy finish on a fabric b : a ripple pattern on a stamp. 2 : a fabric having a wavy watered appearance. 3 : an independent usually shimmering pattern seen when two geometrically regular patterns (as two sets of parallel lines or two halftone screens) are superimposed especially at an acute angle

obduracy: Obdurate - 1 a: stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing b: hardened in feelings. 2 resistant to persuasion or softening influences.

roil - to stir up (disturb, disorder). To move turbulently, to be in a state of turbulence or agitation.

sark - (before 12th century) Shirt.
stertorously: Stertorous - characterised by a harsh snoring or gasping sound.

taffrail - 1: the upper part of the stern of a wooden ship. 2: a rail around the stern of a ship.
thetic - constituting or beginning with a poetic thesis.
tintinnuabulating: Tintinnuabulation - 1: the ringing or sounding of bells. 2: a jingling or tinkling sound as if of bells.


Thank you Britannica.

There is also my favourite from TOT (can't find the page) - Unhermeneuticable - Looked around the last time this stuff was discussed and worked out that this must mean uninterpretable.

[Guest]

Dromond is kind of obscure...it actually up in an online test of obscure words that I took.

[aTOMiC]

I have noted 2 words used by SRD that I cannot find in the dictionary. They are very obscure, possibly a derivitive of latin or german. Here they are as the appear in The One Tree on page 340 at the beginning of the 5th paragraph. (My source is the 1st edition hard back) The first word is "stoo" then following that is the word "dnear". Anyone have any ideas?