Post by Bruce Partington-Plans on Sept 12, 2023 17:05:30 GMT
Arriviste - A person who has recently attained success, wealth, or high status but not general acceptance or respect; an upstart. "Bingo Smythe in his expensive imported suit and British hand-lasted shoes is an arriviste and a poseur."
Bagatelle - Something of little value or significance.
Bounder - An aspiring member of society, but one beyond the bounds of it. A "rank outsider" as a snob might put it.
Bowdlerize - Edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate.
Cad - A coarse and ill-bred fellow incapable of the finer feelings.
Dégagé - relaxed or casual; "The gentlemans dégagé approach to work was highly praised."
Deipnosophy - Learned conversation conducted while dining.
Fabulist - Euphemism for a liar; "You sir, are a fabulist!"
Fizgig - 1. A frivolous, giddy, restless woman or girl. 2. A kind of firework that makes a loud hissing sound. 3. A kind of whirling toy that makes a whizzing noise.
Flapdoodle - Balderdash, poppycock.
Flibbertigibbet - An irresponsible, silly or gossipy woman.
Folderol - Trivia or nonsense; a showy but useless item.
Frills & furbelows - Showy ornaments or trimmings.
Hobbledehoy - A youth between boy and man. An awkward, gawky young fellow.
Louche - not reputable or decent, but often used in a way to convey style resulting from it; "Mr Blah looked very louche with a loosened tie."
Maunder - 1. To talk incoherently; to speak in a rambling manner. 2. To wander aimlessly or confusedly.
Nympholepsy - A species of demoniac enthusiasm or possession coming upon one who had accidentally looked upon a nymph; ecstasy. "The Viscount Rushen gazed about the club, and chanced to rest his nympholeptic eyes on the redolent [sic] Dolly de Luxe"
Oojah-cum-spiff - All right; all in order (as in, "Everything is oojah-cum-spiff.").
Parvenu - a person who has recently or suddenly acquired wealth, importance, position, or the like, but has not yet developed the conventionally appropriate manners, dress, surroundings, etc.
Phantasmagoria - A fascinating optical illusion.
Popinjay - A vain and talkative person; "No popinjay is in The Sheridan Club surely?"
Punctilious - Concerned with precise accordance with details of codes or conventions; "Mr. Swann's punctilious approach to alcohol was applaudable."
Purlieu - A neighbourhood or favourite haunt. "Hathersedge Twemlow's favourite purlieu was of course, The Sheridan Club"
Quotidian - Found in the ordinary course of events. "Archie Lytton's vocabulary was far from quotidian."
Rodomontade - Pretentious, bragging speech. "I see Rushen's having one of his rodomontades again."
Redolent - Having a strong distinctive fragrance; "The lady was positively redolent."
Supernacular - A wine so fine that the bottle is upturned on to one's fingernail in order to get the very last drop out of it.
Tatterdemalion - A person in rags or tattered clothing. An urchin; "No tatterdemalions permitted in The Sheridan Club."
Tergiversation - Evasion of proper thought, or solid thinking. "After another illuminating tergiversation with Viscount Rushen, Mr. Monfort Vinton was even more confused than when he begun."
Tiffin - Lunch, early supper, or any light meal.
Ultracrepidarian - Overstepping the mark; "He was an ultracrepidarian bounder!"