Both Flesh and Not: Essays

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riparian—having to do with rivers rostrate (adj.) — having a beaklike part rowen—a second crop, as of hay, in a season ruck—a multitude of people mixed together; (v.) to crease or fold ruddled (adj.) — red-shot, bloody (ruddle is ferrous red dye) ruderal (adj.) — growing in garbage, waste, icky ground, especially w/r/t plants rue—fragrant weeds rufous—color: reddish, from pinkish to orangeish ruga—bio term for fold, wrinkle, or crease, as in lining of stomach; (adj.) rugate runnel—a creek or narrow channel for water ruth—compassion or pity for another; sorrow about one’s own misdeeds sacerdotal—of or relating to priests satyromaniac—male version of nymphomaniac scilicet—adverb, Latin for “that is to say,” “namely” (like “viz.”?); abbreviations are sc., scil., ss. sciolism—pretentious air of scholarship; superficial knowledgeability; scissile (adj.) — cut or split easily; “a scissile mineral,” “a scissile peptide bond” scored — scarred or marked in parallel lines scotopia — ability to see in dark scupper — opening for draining off water septage — waste found in septic tank septectomy — removal of all or part of septum sere (adj.) — withered, dry seriate — arranged or occurring in a series or in rows seriatim — Latin adverb: one after another, in a series sericeous—covered with soft silky hairs serrate — having or forming a row of sharp little teethy things serried—pressed or crowded together, especially in rows… used with troops sessile — in botany, leaf that’s stalkless and attached directly at base; in zoology, permanently attached, not free-moving, like a barnacle seta—a stiff hair or bristle; (pl.) setae settle (n.)—wood en bench with high back and storage space under the seat Shavian—characteristic of George Bernard Shaw Sheraton—1800s type of furniture, simple, straight lines, long legs; tall, narrow desks, etc. shirr (v.) — to gather cloth into decorative rows by parallel stitching shivaree — Midwestern: noisy mock serenade for newlyweds (cops in rain in It’s a Wonderful Life) shrive — to obtain absolution shriven — absolved sic passim—“thus everywhere”; used to show something recurs throughout text silent butler—box w/handle and hinged cover for collecting ashes and crumbs silesia — sturdy twill used for linings and pockets (white greebly pocket material) silex—silica or finely ground tripoli used as an inertpaint filler simony—buying or selling ecclesiastical pardons, offices, or emoluments sinistrorse—growing upward in a spiral that turns from right to left: “a sinistrorse vine” skell — homeless derelict skep—beehive made of straw skive (v.) — to cut thin layers off sloe-eyed—having slanted dark eyes soffit—underside of a structural component like a beam, arch, or staircase soigné (adj.) — sophisticated, elegant, fashionable: “a soigné little restaurant” soilure (adj.)—dirty,soiled somnifacient—sleep-inducing somniferous — sleep-inducing son et lumière— theater show at night in outdoor setting, usually a historical setting, and related to history of a place