Wondrous Words Wednesday 27/3/13

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.  

Today's words come from my recent reading of Howards End is on the Landing. A fabulous book, with a wonderful rich vocabulary- some of which I already knew- gloaming, liturgy and peripatetic, but many more that were new to me. So much so that they fill two Wondrous Words posts.

1. Trenchant (Adjective)

2. Mordant (Adjective)

What makes it of greater importance is her trenchant eye, her detached and sometimes mordant vision of these well-meaning, fumbling people at odds with so much of life. 

1. Trenchant

i) Forceful, effective and vigorous

ii) Caustic; cutting

iii) Distinct; clear-cut

2. Mordant

i) Biting sarcastic

ii) Incisive and trenchant

iii) Bitingly painful

iv) Serving to fix colors in dyeing. 

3. Dingle (Noun)

The sun went down in glory behind the dingle but still the work of love went on through the twilight and into the dusk until the moon rose full and splendid. 

A small wooded valley; a dell. 

A New Zealand dingle from our recent trip
Pupu Springs

4. Tyro (Noun)

I have no idea in whose house the smart drinks party was held or out of whose kindness I was invited as a tyro novelist cum undergraduate. 

A novice or beginner. 

To prove my lack of learning, I included this word in a WWW post less than two years ago. Perhaps I'll remember it now?

5. Ratiocinative (Adjective)

The very male, ratiocinative, intellectual atmosphere of Bloomsbury, and especially of the Apostles, is not attractive. 

Of, relating to, marked by, or skilled in methodical and logical reasoning. 

6. Bagatelle (Noun)

Yesterday I went to a drawer I open only a couple of times a year because it contains nothing but a pile of hooks for suspending Christmas tree baubles, the spare bagatelle balls, and a box of matches, which was what I came in search of.

i) An unimportant or insignificant thing; a trifle. 

ii) A short, light piece of verse or music.

iii) A game played on an oblong table with a cue and balls. 

Picture source

All definitions today from thefreedictionary.com