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I'm CJ Cooney, a writer on communication, ideas, culture and history. This blog is a chronicle of my adventures in lexicography.

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If reading were a sin, the average person today would be a saint.  And this dictionary in progress would be blasphemy. More...

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bibulous
gabions

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REFERENCEER
REF-ren-sear. Noun. 1. Anyone who enjoys reading or browsing dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, and other sundry reference materials. 2. A publisher of reference material. 3. CJ's book blog adventure.

bibulous
BI-byoo-luhs
adjective
a person who enjoys drinking; an alcoholic
1890Henrik IbsenHedda GablerWhen the play appeared, Holm recognised himself with glee in the character of the bibulous man of letters, and thereafter adopted 'Eilert Lovborg' as his pseudonym.1916John BuchanThe Power-HouseThis case was distinguished from the common ruck by the higher social standing of the accused. Generally the spy is a photographer or bagman who attempts to win the bibulous confidence of minor officials.1950C. S. ForesterMr. Midshipman Hornblower'To hell with care,' repeated the bibulous voice in the corner, and lifted itself in song.

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gabions
GAY-bee-uhns
noun
a component of a building foundation; a basket or wire cage filled with rocks or earth used to fortify a building
1862Baron Henri de JominiThe Art of WarThey required one million sand-bags and fifty thousand gabions.1914Ernest Alfred VizetellyMy Days of AdventureStone casements were being roofed with earth, platforms were being prepared for guns, gabions were being set in position at the embrasures, sandbags were being carried to the parapets, stakes were being pointed for the many pièges-à-loups, and smooth earthworks were being planted with an infinity of spikes.1945C. S. ForesterThe CommodoreFarther back, under cover of the line of filled gabions, the besiegers were revetting their breastwork with fascines, six-foot bundles of wood, and farther back still they were building the whole thing solid with earth dug from a trench behind the breastwork.

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