hurricane - fig. A violent rush or commotion bringing with it destruction or confusion; a storm or tempest of words, noise, cheers, etc.
courtyard* - an open area surrounded by walls or buildings within the precincts of a large house, castle, homestead, etc.
yodel* - to sing or warble with interchange of the ordinary and falsetto voice, in the manner of Swiss and Tyrolese mountaineers; hence yodelling.
reconnoitre - to recollect, remember, recognize
bustle - a stuffed pad or cushion, or small wire framework, worn beneath the skirt of a woman's dress, for the purpose of expanding and supporting it behind; activity with excitement, noise, and commotion; stir, tumult, disturbance, fuss, ado.
shinner - one who 'shins round', an active person
latterday - belonging to 'the latter days', modern
paint - fig. Colour, colouring; adornment, esp. such as is put on or assumed merely for appearance.
full dress - the more elaborate apparel proper to a public ceremony, a dinner, or an evening party.
Toussaint - The feast of All Saints (1 November)
expedition; exhibition
Chamber of Horrors* -
the name given to a room in Madame Tussaud's waxwork exhibition, containing effigies of
noted criminals and the like; hence transf. a place full of horrors;
Horus - the name of an Egyptian deity, represented in art as having the head of a hawk.
saffron bun - a bun flavoured with saffron
sovran = sovereign - Of remedies, etc.: Efficacious or potent in a superlative degree.
bonham - a young pig
whichever - whether one or another (of a definite set); no matter which
to like it or lump it* - to be displeased at (something that must be endured); lump - to look sulky or disagreeable.
give it a name - what would you like to drink?
postmortem* - after death
jollification - the action of jollifying or making merry; merrymaking, jollity
crass - grossly dull or stupid
hairy - difficult; out-of-date, passé; frightening, hair-raising; crude, clumsy, rough, erratic.
bouncer - a boaster, bully, swaggering liar; one engaged to eject undesirable or unruly persons from a saloon, ballroom, etc.
stinker - one who stinks; Formerly often used as a term of abuse
stank - weary, faint, exhausted stand
sceptre - an ornamental rod or wand (often of gold and jewelled) borne in the hand as a symbol of regal or imperial authority.
hourglass - a contrivance for measuring time, consisting of a glass vessel with obconical ends connected by a constricted neck, through which a quantity of sand (or sometimes mercury) runs in exactly an hour.
touch and go - to touch for an instant and immediately go away or pass on; to deal with momentarily or slightly.
if - a condition, a supposition; Often in the tautological collocation ifs and ands.
predestined* - destined or appointed beforehand; fated, doomed
odds and ends* - a small often trifling things that are varied and unrelated; odds - miscellaneous articles or things.
flop - to move clumsily or heavily; to move with a sudden bump or thud. Of a bird: To flap the wings heavily.
doorstep - a thick slice of bread (slang.)
stopgap - something that temporarily supplies a need
sandbag - a bag filled with sand
prospector - one who prospects
sprout - Of a tree, plant, seed, etc.: To put forth, throw up or out, a sprout or sprouts.
woof - to arrange (threads) so as to form a woof; to weave
dead certain - absolutely certain
pleasantry - a pleasant and sprightly humour in conversation; an instance of pleasantness or enjoyment.
humpty - humped, hump-backed; humpty dumpty - short and fat; Also allusively referring to the Humpty-Dumpty of the nursery rime.
misery me! - an interjection expressing self-pity, distress, or general wretchedness.
gaiety - merrymaking, festivity, pleasure-seeking; a festive occasion, a lively entertainment; freq. in pl.
afterpiece - 'a farce or any smaller entertainment after the play'; Hence, any extra item following the main fare in a programme of entertainment; an epilogue. Also fig.
regally - in a regal manner
Pandemonium* - the abode of all the demons; a place represented by Milton as the capital of Hell, containing the council-chamber of the Evil Spirits; in common use, = hell or the infernal regions; pantheon - fig. 'Temple' or 'shrine of all the gods'.
give over - to surrender, hand over; Of a factory: To stop working.
harlequinade - a kind of pantomime; that part of a pantomime in which the harlequin and clown play the principal parts.
S.P.Q.R. - the Senate and People of Rome; also in joc. adaptations, esp. = small profits, quick returns speaking
allspice* - an aromatic spice, also called Jamaica Pepper or Pimento.
nutshell* - the hard exterior covering within which the kernel of a nut is enclosed.
veg - colloq. abbrev. of vegetable (a plant cultivated for food)
ribroast - a cut of meat containing a rib
jackknife - a large clasp-knife for the pocket
lickfingers* - one who licks his fingers
relish - enjoyment of the taste or flavour of something; the pleasure of tasting or enjoying something agreeable.
griddle - a circular iron plate upon which cakes are baked; also used for cooking grills, etc.
crisp - an overdone piece of anything cooked, fried, or roasted
crackling - the crisp skin or rind of roast pork
chaw - to chew; now esp. to chew roughly, to champ; or to chew without swallowing.
scald - 'to burn with hot liquor'