Wondrous Words Wednesday 25/9/13

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a fabulous weekly meme hosted by Bermuda Onion, where we share new (to us) words that we've encountered in our weekly reading.

Todays words are the second selection to come from my recent reading of the Australian classic Picnic at Hanging Rock. The first post is here.


1. Sedulously (Adjective)

In actual fact, the very sight of the dazzling creature whose star-black eyes his own had sedulously avoided, had almost deprived him of the power of speech.

Persevering and constant in effort or application; assiduous.

2. Solar topee (Noun)

The bell brought a parlourmaid from a dark tiled passage where a sorrowful moose's head presided above a miscellany of hats, caps, coats, tennis racquets, umbrellas, fly veils, solar topees and walking sticks.

A lightweight hat worn in tropical countries for protection from the sun. Pith helmet.

Picture source

3. Scapegrace (Noun)

'We won't wait for that scapegrace of the fish will be ruined.'

Scoundrel. Rascal. An idle mischievous person.

4. Leghorn hat (Noun)

A few drops of rain plopped on the Leghorn hat.


i) The dried and bleached straw of an Italian variety of wheat.
ii) A plaited fabric made from this straw.
iii) A hat made from this fabric.

A stiff hat made of straw with a flat crown.

Picture source

5. Hogged (Verb)

Thus Albert, who always knew to the day precisely when Toby's mane was last hogged and when the mare was shod in Woodend, carefully placing the Leopold cheque in a jam tin under his bed, had no further need to refer to the letter, and after burning it over a stump of candle sat down to think things over.

i) Informal. To take more than one's share of.
ii) To cause (the back) to arch like that of a hog.
iii) To cut (a horse's mane) short and bristly.
iv) To shred (waste wood, for example) by machine.
v) Nautical. To arch upward in the middle. Used of a ship's keel.

Picture source