The Custom-House — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from The Custom-House

truculency (noun)

Fierce or savage aggressiveness; cruel harshness

emoluments (noun)

Salary, fees, or profits from employment or office

torpid (adjective)

Mentally or physically inactive; sluggish; dormant

lucubrations (noun)

Writings produced by laborious study, especially late-night intellectual work

chirography (noun)

Handwriting, especially as a formal or studied art

progenitor (noun)

A direct ancestor; a person from whom one is descended

vicissitude (noun)

A change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome

evanescent (adjective)

Soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading

incommodities (noun)

Inconvenient or troublesome goods; merchandise that is difficult to sell

gourmandism (noun)

The practice or quality of being excessively fond of eating and drinking

besom (noun)

A broom made of twigs tied around a stick; used figuratively to mean a sweeping force of reform

impalpable (adjective)

Unable to be felt by touch; not easily comprehended or grasped by the mind

anthracite (noun)

A hard, compact variety of coal that burns with little flame and smoke

enervating (adjective)

Causing one to feel drained of energy or vitality; weakening

eulogium (noun)

A speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly; a eulogy

patriarchal (adjective)

Relating to a patriarch; characteristic of an older, fatherly authority figure