Broadcast.

Did you ever notice that “broadcast,” when broken down, essentially means to “throw in a wide pattern?” Neither did I. And yet it makes so much sense. Start looking closely at everything about you and you find this sort of thing everywhere.

Old timey vocabulary: Bleak House edition

From the first half of Bleak House:

ait – a small island, esp. in a river. In green aits and fields…
nosegay – a bouquet of flowers. I knew this one.
patten – a sort of clog worn to give height or keep one out of the mud. I would have guessed some sort of special mitten.
pattening – can’t find anything for this one. Possibly a misprint of “patterning?” It has to do with clothes.
purblind – partially or totally blind. I’m thinking it’s related to “par-boiled.”
weazen – like wizened, but with 100% more ea. Suffix optional.
tapis – a carpet or tapestry.
prolixity – of unnecessary or tedious length. Wordy.
prosing – to speak or write in prose, usually in a dull way. I thought so, just making sure.
paviour – a paving material or person who paves. Might as well just say “paver.”
emolument – profit or fees resulting from labor. Pay, essentially.
nankeen – some sort of yellowish clothing made from Chinese cotton. Makes sense.
desultory – haphazard, inconsistent, tangential (unrelated to sultry)

O Lord!

Words I never looked up from “The Three Musketeers”

  • casuist – apparently one whose reasoning is suspect or false
  • catafalque – no idea
  • sbirri – some sort of authority in France, possibly Huguenot-related
  • exordium – an introductory or explanatory passage?
  • caparison – part of a horse’s decoration
  • caracole – something horses do
  • fauteuil – has to do with fainting, but may be furniture as well
  • carbuncle – a jewel, if I remember correctly… also an esper
  • soubrette – a lady’s personal servant
  • quodlibet – your guess is as good as mine
  • laveer – ditto

I guess I could google these, but I’m busy. Little help?