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.
A record breaking fourth post of Wondrous Words from The Wind in the Willows! The first is here. Then the second. And the third.
1. Caique (Noun)
And the talk, the wonderful talk flowed on- or was it speech entirely, or did it pass at times into song- chanty of the sailors weighting the dripping anchor, sonorous hum of the shrouds in a tearing North-Easter, ballad of the fisherman hauling his nets at sundown against an apricot sky, chords of guitar and mandoline from gondola or caique?
A traditional fishing boat usually found among the waters of the Ionian or Aegean Seas, and also a light skiff used on the Bosporus. It is traditionally a wooden trading vessel, brightly painted and rigged for sail. Wiki.
A traditional fishing boat usually found among the waters of the Ionian or Aegean Seas, and also a light skiff used on the Bosporus. It is traditionally a wooden trading vessel, brightly painted and rigged for sail. Wiki.
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2. Sea-mews (Noun)
All these sounds the spellbound listener seemed to hear, and with them the hungry complaint of the gulls and the sea-mews, the soft thunder of the breaking wave, the cry of the protesting shingle.
Common Gull.
Common Gull.
3. Bowsprit (Noun)
I shall take my time, I shall tarry and bide, till at last the right one lies waiting for me, warped out into midstream, loaded low, her bowsprit pointing down harbour.
4. Ricks (Noun)
Casually, then, and with seeming indifference, the Mole turned his talk to the harvest that was being gathered in, the towering wagons and their straining teams, the growing ricks, and the large moon rising over bare acres dotted with sheaves.
A large stack of hay, corn, peas etc, built in the open in a regular shaped pile, esp one with a thatched top. The Free Dictionary.
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5. Humbugged (Verb)
Humbugged everybody- made 'em all do exactly what I wanted!
To deceive or trick. The Free Dictionary.
To deceive or trick. The Free Dictionary.
6. Unction
He sang this very loud, with great unction and expression; and when he had done, he sang it all over again.
i) The act of anointing with oil in sacramental ceremonies, in the conferring of holy orders
ii) Excessive suavity or affected charmiii) An ointment or unguent.
iv) Anything soothing or comforting. The Free Dictionary
Those are all new to me and I'm kind of surprised at the definition of humbugged. When I saw it, I thought of Scrooge and "Bah, humbug!" and that's not what I thought it meant. Great words today. I'm kind of amazed that you found so many in a kid's book.
ReplyDeleteDidn't expect "humbugged" to mean what it means.:)
ReplyDeleteAh, the things you learn when translating: I new what a caique and a bowsprit are -- but I doubt I will ever be able to use any of the two in conversation!
ReplyDeleteHumbugged is definitely interesting.
I have read Wind in the Willows to the kids more than once and I must have glossed over these! So interesting these little treasures were buried in there! I love the ricks! Want one in the yard. :)
ReplyDeleteI just knew "caïque", because we use it in French. Thanks for the photos. They help me a lot !
ReplyDeleteI was also surprised at the meaning of humbugged, thanks for sharing these words.
ReplyDeletehttp://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/04/wondrous-words-wednesday_18.html
Congratulations on setting a record four WWW from one book. They've all been very interesting. We live about 30 minutes from Bodega Bay (Pacific Ocean) and last week we drove over for the day because there were two big caiques docked there. At the time I didn't know caique; we just called them big wooden sailing ships.
ReplyDeleteCrikey, I only knew 'humbugged' !
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by and visiting me. You are right about bruit - I had first found your definition.
ReplyDeleteYours are all new to me except unction. I am used to it being used as a Catholic sacrament Extreme Unction, a rite of anointing the sick or giving Last Rites.