The Leash

The Leash Glossary

brute

unfeeling and unthinking, savage or violent

slate-metal

slate is a flat, grayish stone. Slate-metal is a bit of an oxymoron, since slate is stone, not metal, but evokes an even more heavy, grey image.

maw

jaws or throat, especially of a vicious animal or beast

unsayable

something that cannot be spoken aloud or described

plummets

drops steeply and suddenly

crepitating

making a creaking or grinding sound. Often used in medical contexts, especially arthritis, as "crepitation" to refer to the sensation of bones grinding on each other when they shouldn't be.

crater

a pit, such as that left by an asteroid or meteorite impact

breaknecking

moving at breakneck speed—that is, in a dangerously fast and reckless way. "Breakneck" has an additional, more literal connotation here, since it is used to refer to a dog tugging on a leash, which is usually attached at the neck.

starling

a small, energetic songbird

fevered

having a lot of chaotic, hectic energy

corpse

dead body

hurtling

moving or throwing in a fast and wild manner