Wieland Glossary

Glossary of Terms

aperture

opening

asperities

roughness of surface; unevenness

assiduously

diligently

auricular

understood or recognized by the sense of hearing; of, relating to, or using the ear or the sense of hearing

bilious

marked by or suffering from liver dysfunction and especially excessive secretion of bile

callous

feeling no emotion; feeling or showing no sympathy for others

calumniators

people spreading rumors

celerity

speediness

confute

to overwhelm in argument; refute conclusively

copses

thickets, groves, or growths of small trees

corruscations

glitter; sparkle

dissipated

dispersed; dissolved

ebullitions

sudden violent outbursts or displays

effulgence

radiant splendor; brilliance

equipoise

a state of equilibrium

expatiate

to speak or write at length or in detail

expiate

to extinguish the guilt incurred by

extenuate

to lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of by making partial excuses; mitigate

fane

temple; church

flatigious

criminal or villainous

goadings

urges or stimulants to action

imbibed

received into the mind and retained

immured

enclosed within or as if within walls

importunate

persistent

incumbent

imposed as a duty; obligatory

indefatigable

incapable of being fatigued; untiring

inexpiable

not capable of being atoned for

inscrutable

not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood; mysterious

laudable

worthy of praise; commendable

mellifluent

flowing sweetly

noxious

physically harmful or destructive to living beings

nugatory

of little or no consequence; trifling; inconsequential

obduracy

stubbornness

opprobrious

bringing disgrace; infamous

orisons

prayers

precipitate

headlong; without deliberation

prelusive

preconstituting or having the form of a prelude; introductory

propitious

favorably disposed; benevolent; being a good omen

purlieus

the area near or surrounding a place

railleries

good-natured ridicule; banter; jest

rectitude

moral integrity; righteousness

redound

to become transferred or added; accrue

refractory

resisting control or authority; stubborn; unmanageable

refulgence

a radiant or resplendent quality or state; brilliance

ruminate

to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly

sedulously

acting diligently in application or pursuit

supineness

a state of lying on the back or with the face upward

temerity

unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition; rashness; recklessness

tetter

a skin irritation, possibly ringworm or herpes

tinctured

infused or instilled with a property or entity; impregnated

torpor

apathy; dullness

umbrage

shade, shadow; or, shady branches; foliage

vacuity

an empty space

veneration

respect or awe inspired by the dignity, wisdom, dedication, or talent of a person

veracity

truthfulness

vicissitudes

fluctuations of state or condition