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

captious

KAP-shuhs

adjective

a propensity to judge things or persons severely; hard to please

1928Virginia WoolfOrlandoThus did the spirit work upon her, for all her past pride, and as she came sloping down the scale of emotion to this lowly and unaccustomed lodging-place, those twangings and tinglings which had been so captious and so interrogative modulated into the sweetest melodies…1969Hermann HesseMagister Ludi, The Glass Bead GameThis instruction followed immediately after his own lessons in epigraphy and source work, the pupil becoming the teacher and the honored teacher an attentive listener and often a captious critic and questioner.1977Robin CookComaThe anesthesiology resident had had to weather one of the worst bombardments of foul words and captious epithets that had ever been hurled over an anesthesia screen.

Labels: Hermann Hesse, Robin Cook, Virginia Woolf

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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presentiment

pri-zen-tuh-muhnt

noun

a premonition; a foreboding that something, usually bad, is going to occur

1971Hermann HesseSiddharthaAlthough surprised, Govinda was compelled by a great love and presentiment to obey him…1997Bernard CornwellSharpe's TigerThe Tippoo had made his oath, and the oath meant that he would either sit on the tiger throne or else he would die, and the Tippoo's dreams had given him no presentiment of death.

Labels: Bernard Cornwell, Hermann Hesse

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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hortatory

HORT-uh-tor-ee

adjective

inciting or strong urging; characterized by exhortation; very strong encouragement

1969Hermann HesseMagister Ludi, The Glass Bead GameHe admired the man's passion and fighting spirit, his wit, his hortatory style, his good looks and fine speech.1996Harry HarrisonThe Stainless Steel Rat Goes To HellAll mouths mute as I raised the bottle and drank in dramatic silence. Then raised a hortatory finger.2001Stephen KingDreamcatcherHe didn't sing this but declaimed it in a loud, hortatory voice he hadn't realized was in his repertoire.

Labels: Harry Harrison, Hermann Hesse, Stephen King

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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samsara

sam-SAWR-uh

noun

life; the swirl of life; human existence

1919Jessie L Weston From Ritual To Romance In the Mahayana scriptures Buddha is referred to as the Fisherman who draws fish from the ocean of Samsara to the light of Salvation. 1971Hermann HesseSiddharthaThis game was called Samsara, a game for children, a game which was perhaps enjoyable played once, twice, ten times - but was it worth playing continually?

Labels: Hermann Hesse, Jessie L Weston

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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