The Death of Fissiparous and Other Words: A Dictionary of Words & Phrases on the Verge of Extinction

mordant

MOR-dent

adjective

caustic and sarcastic; biting; incisive

1897E. W. HornungDead Men Tell No Tales'And now better lid 'im to the nirrest polissstation; or weel you go and tell the poliss yourself?' asked the Portuguese, in the same tone of mordant irony.1908E. M. ForsterA Room With A View'I quite agree,' said Miss Lavish, who had several times tried to interrupt his mordant wit. 'The narrowness and superficiality of the Anglo-Saxon tourist is nothing less than a menace.'1966Jack VanceThe Last CastleWhen aroused his wit was utterly mordant.

Labels: E. M. Forster, E. W. Hornung, Jack Vance

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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execrable

EK-si-kruh-bul

adjective

absolutely inferior; very bad; hateful

1789Jane AustenLove and FriendshipOh! consider that a few weeks will at once put an end to every flattering Hope that you may now entertain, by uniting the unfortunate Victim of her father's Cruelty to the execrable and detested Graham.1897E. W. HornungDead Men Tell No TalesThat, however, will surprise you the less when I pause to declare that I have paid as much as four shillings and sixpence for half a loaf of execrable bread; that my mate and I, between us, seldom took more than a few pennyweights of gold-dust in any one day; and never once struck pick into nugget, big or little, though we had the mortification of inspecting the 'mammoth masses' of which we found the papers full on landing, and which had brought the gold-fever to its height during our very voyage.1981James ClavellNoble House'Where ship now?' Four Finger Wu had asked in execrable pidgin English.

Labels: E. W. Hornung, James Clavell, Jane Austen

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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salver

SAL-vur

noun

a food or beverage tray

1883Sir Richard Francis BurtonTo the Gold Coast for GoldAfter the manner of Spanish churches, which love to concentrate dazzling colour at the upper end, the high altar is hung with crimson velvet curtains; and its massive silver lamps (one Italian, presented by Cardinal Ximenes), salvers, altar-facings, and other fixings are said to have cost over 24,000 francs.1905E. W. HornungA Thief in the NightAnd I could only think that he was inspired by the same impulse toward the bronzed salvers and the tarnished teapots with which I found him surrounded, until my eyes lit upon the enormous silver-chest into which he was fitting them one by one.1947Cornell WoolrichWaltz Into DarknessThere was no trace of the remnants of one, on the usual salvers she used.1985Jim AikinWalk the Moons RoadAnd only after messengers had come and gone bearing notes sealed with wax on silver salvers did Zhe-nuvnili find herself for the first time sitting demurely across from Qob Qobba and Ranga Strell as Li Ranii set out her position.

Labels: Cornell Woolrich, E. W. Hornung, Jim Aikin, Sir Richard Francis Burton

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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