Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Wondrous Words Wednesdays


Happy Wednesday! It's time for more wonderful words! I only managed to find a few words this week that I wasn't familiar with, although this week's book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was full of old-fashioned words and usages. Here's what I came up with:

1. Curricle - a smart, two-wheeled chaise, drawn by a pair of horses.

"...they saw a gentleman and lady in a curricle driving up the street."

2. Propinquity - nearness in place, proximity

"Mr. Gardiner expressed a wish of going around the whole park, but feared it might be too dangerous given the propinquity of the herd."

3. Coppice - a thicket or grove of small trees or shrubs, especially one maintained by periodic cutting or pruning.

"...and a narrow walk amidst the rought coppice-wood that bordered it."

And you cannot get through Pride and Prejudice and Zombies without knowing the word felicity and all its definitions:

1. A state of being happy; bliss
2. An instance of happiness
3. A source of happiness
4. A skillful faculty (as in felicity of expression)
5. An instance of skill (as in the many felicities of the poem)
6. Good fortune

So, what new words did YOU learn this week?

6 comments:

Carrie K. said...

I love the way felicity is used in Austen's works. :)

Margot said...

Your words make the book sound like a fun read. I knew coppice but I usually use the word orchard. I like propinquity and I think I can work that into a sentence to shock my husband.

bermudaonion said...

Propinquity was in the English Patient too. Who knew felicity had so many meanings? Thanks for participating!

LuAnn said...

As usual ... great word list! I haven't got mine up yet as I'm still at work.

Phyl said...

I really enjoy your lists each week. I don't remember ever seeing "curricle" before. And while I'd seen "coppice," I had the meaning totally wrong. :-)

I couldn't manage any words today, alas. Just too swamped. But I'm enjoying a quick catchup of other people's finds.

Mari - Escape In A Book said...

Felicity , beautiful word!

I have to read Pride and Prejudice before I read this one.