Vacation

Oh my goodness, I haven't been on this blog in quite some time!
The reason is, I'm on vacation, and I couldn't very easily stuff my 2000+ page dictionary into my suitcase or carry-on while I was on my way here. It's just not the same to get your words and definitions from random places on the internet.
I'll be going back home in a while, and then I will start posting on this blog again.
Apologies for the lack of posts.
But anyway, happy July, and happy Canada Day (if you live in Canada).
Amat

Arboricoline

adjective; growing upon trees, such as certain parasitic plants, lichens, etc.

The arboricoline slime mold crept up the tree's trunk, threatening to turn the entire tree a sickly shade of yellow. 

Overzeal

noun; abundant ardor, unnecessary fervor.

The small child examined the video games with the same overzeal that a chef shows for food.
You might hear a different form of this word more commonly: overzealous. "Overzealous" is the adjective form of "overzeal."

 

Desultory

adjective, passing from one thing or subject to another without order or natural connection, disconnected, not methodical, random.

Although I could not figure out the complex dance number, I managed to throw together some desultory moves and make a convincing imitation of the dance.

Penultimate

adjective; next to the last.

As they walked, they came upon the penultimate sign before reaching the city.

Surreptitiously

adverb; in a surreptitious manner, by stealth, without authority, fraudulently.

The young boys surreptitiously stole candy from the teacher's desk.

Conflagration

noun, a great, destructive fire.

The conflagration, set by a group of villainous children, burned the entire city to the ground.

Miscreant

noun; an evil person, a criminal, a villain.

The miscreants who robbed the candy store were punished spectacularly.

Meritorious

adjective, deserving reward or notice; worthy of fame, happiness, or praise.

The young child's meritorious accomplishment of finishing his homework was rewarded with a trip to the ice cream shop.

Dankish

Adj. slightly dank (humid, disagreeably damp), moist.

The dankish basement was filled with old mold and mildew.

Quadrumanous

noun, having all four feet adapted to function as hands.

The quadrumanous monkey had handlike feet, allowing it to walk across branches without falling.

Regime

Noun, a political system, a social system, a social order.

The dictator's new regime opened a new era of doom.

Funambulation

noun, dancing or walking on a tightrope.

At the circus, one man performed the stunning art of funambulation by walking on a tightrope above a pool of piranhas.

Clandestinity

noun, privacy or secrecy.

The cat stalked its prey with intimidating clandestinity before silently, sneakily killing it.
Nervewracking!

Zoopsia

noun, a hallucination in which the person thinks he sees animals.

After stumbling around the deserted island for a week with no food or water, I began to suffer from zoopsia, and a zebra in a hula skirt danced into my field of vision.
Pronounce it zo-op-see-uh, not zoop-see-uh.

Firth

noun, a narrow inlet of arm of the sea; an estuary.

The firth of the Mediterranean Sea crept into the small town in Italy.
No, I do not have a lisp. 

Rumpus

noun, a disturbance; noise and confusion [Colloquial] 

 The heavy machinery in my backyard caused such a rumpus that I had to wear earplugs.
Does anyone else think that sounds a lot like "ruckus"?

The Dictionary

There's a dictionary in my basement. It has sat there, out of sight, forgotten, for years.

This dictionary has 2128 pages, plus its appendix.

It's very old, and it probably has about two hundred thousand words (and their definitions).
I hope to share these words with you. Maybe I'll share a few stories, too.
Please comment.
Amat