I started a habit a number of years ago. When reading, I try to keep a pencil handy to underline words I don’t know the definitions of. I then look up the words and expand my vocabulary. Normally, I don’t have to do this when reading fiction. For Christmas, my beloved children purchased C. S. Lewis’ space trilogy for me. Wisely, I grabbed a pencil before opening the cover today. Here are today’s words:
malediction: a magical word or phrase uttered with the intention of bringing about evil or destruction; a curse.
sanguine: (in context) (in medieval science and medicine) of or having the constitution associated with the predominance of blood among the bodily humors, supposedly marked by a ruddy complexion and an optimistic disposition.
philologist: someone who studies the structure, historical development, and relationships of a language or languages.
copse: a small group of trees.
Schrödinger: Schrödinger, Erwin (1887–1961), Austrian theoretical physicist, who founded the study of wave mechanics. His general works influenced scientists in many disciplines. Nobel Prize for Physics (1933).
Jespersen: (1860–1943), Danish philologist, grammarian, and educationist. He promoted the use of the “direct method” in language teaching. Notable works: How to Teach a Foreign Language (1904) and Modern English Grammar (1909–49).
Leicester fellowship: Leicester Fellowship For Psychical And Paranormal Studies
prise up: another term for pry: prizing open the door | he prized his left leg free. origin late 17th cent.: from dialect prise [lever,] from Old French prise ‘grasp, taking hold.’ Compare with pry.
Thingummy: British term for thingamajig.
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