Word-Hoard

Vertiginous: adj. 1 a : Characterized by or suffering from vertigo or dizziness b : Inclined to frequent and often pointless change ; inconstant 2 : Causing or tending to cause dizziness  3 : Marked by turning ; rotary    When you’re poised atop a celestial skybridge or climbing the […]

Effulgence: n. A brilliant radiance; a shining forth. “Effulgence” strikes me as a great word for that flood of light when the door is opened between a dark chamber and a well-lit one. Maybe the effulgence of light contrasts sharply with the black silhouette of a sinister villain. Or of […]

Illusory: adj. 1. Causing illusion; deceptive; misleading. 2. Of the nature of an illusion; unreal. Phantasm and illusion spring up quite frequently in fantastical stories and weird tales. Often they wind up being real, and deadly. “Illusory” may not be that uncommon a word, but it’s one that can be […]

Balustrade: n. A railing or wall to prevent people from falling over the edge of stairs, a balcony, etc. If you’re anything like me, you’ve seen plenty of impressive or notable architectural features in your day without having the slightest clue what they’re called – like those latticed wooden structures […]

Thew: n. 1. (Usually thews) Muscle or sinew. 2. (Thews) physical strength.   “Thew” is one of those lean yet powerful words that fits so well into a good action-laden scifi/fantasy story. When muscle and sinew aren’t cutting it and you just need a little something extra, you can always […]

The eldest one answered him, leader of the troop, unlocked his word-hoard. [source] – Beowulf   If the pen be mightier than the sword, then an author’s lexicon is the blade by which he aims to cut to the core of a reader. Of course this doesn’t mean thumbing through […]