Words starting with:
  C  

Words Explainer

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cenotaph

noun

Plural:   cenotaphs

A monument or a grave with no body in it;  symbolic burial place;  memorial.


chastise

verb

Infinitive:   chastise
3rd person:   chastises
Present:   chastising
Gerund:   chastising
Past:   chastised
Perfect:   chastised 

To discipline;  criticise severely;  censor strictly;  punish;  castigate.

Examples:

—Mrs∙ Estelle, she...  Does she still work somewhere??
—Of course.  You didn't know?  She works part-time in the concrete prefab factory.—  Doctor Barton informed casually while he was spreading butter.  —But lifting prefabricated components for bridges doesn't do her knees any good.  From the new year, she wants to transfer to the border patrol. 
—Wouldn't that be too walking-intensive for her?—  Mam worried about Grandma's joints.  —Especially in the winter blizzards...?
—Will be sitting in the warmth all the time.  She just needs to pass the tank-driving test by mid-December at the latest.
—Youuuzzza...!—  the goggle-eyed Mam pressed both palms on her nose.  —There's nothing funny about that!—  she tapped Bruno on the arm.  —Dad and I, too, will have to find some smalltime jobs.  To make little extra money.  A growing youth has a wolf in his belly.  With two of you, we'll need...  What is it?—  she uncomprehendingly looked at her sternly chastised son.  (Context:  Dr∙ Barton is joking at breakfast.  Source:  J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.) 


cheapcake

noun

Plural:   cheapcakes

A piece meal made of inexpensive ingredients, especially if it is not possible to sell it for a commercially lucrative price.

Examples: 

You are probably not frequently offered Barton-tradition pancakes:  Not many pubs or restaurants are willing to fiddle with a sole cheapcake for an hour-ish or longer(Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


cohappenance

noun

Plural:   cohappenances

Something that occurs or happens at the same time or place, with or without seeming or factual causal connection;  concurrence;  coincidence.


cohappenstance

noun

Plural:   cohappenstances

Something that occurs or happens at the same time or place, with or without seeming or factual causal connection;  concurrence;  coincidence.


coilcord

noun

Plural:   coilcords

An expandable and self-retracting cord or wire resembling a helix or spring, typically used e.g. to connect classical telephone handsets.


colic

noun

Plural:   colics

Piercing pain in one or more internal organs of the human or animal body;  gripe;  gripes;  visceral spasms.


collectiviser

noun

British plural:   collectivisers
American:   collectivizer  /  pl∙ collectivizers

Somebody who changes or tries to change (voluntarily or forcingly) individual activities or ownership into shared or group doings or property;  collectivisator;  collectivizator;  collectivizer.


compendial

adjective

In the form of a compendium (a concise or condensed but complete and extensive collection or compilation of materials on a given topic or scientific field).


comrade

noun

Plural:   comrades

A colleague or friend;  buddy;  mate.  Specifically:  A fellow citizen or coworker in countries with enforced socialistic or communistic civic relations.  There, this word also replaces the discouraged forms of classical addressing (Mr⋅, Mrs⋅, Ms⋅, sir, madam, ...) with the state-promoted formalisms (C⋅ or Comr⋅, e.g. in common phrases such as Comr⋅ Brown instead of Mr⋅ Brown; c⋅ doctor instead of Mr⋅ doctor; etc⋅).


comraderial

adjective

Characteristic of, or prescribed for, a comrade or more comrades.  Specifically:  Being in accord with moral and civic values set forth by socialistic and communistic establishments.


comraderially

adverb

In a comraderial manner.


comradeship

noun

Plural:   comradeships

1.  The fact or formal status of being a comrade.

2.  A relationship between comrades;  camaraderie.

3.  A group of comrades or all comrades addressed or described as a collective body.


comradess

noun

Plural:   comradesses

A female comrade.


comralliance

noun

Plural:   comralliances

Comraderial alliance (contraction of two words).  A socialistic or communistic cooperative, firm, or other business or organisation.


conagreeingly

adverb

In a manner characterised by unanimous agreement or accord of many persons, situations or indicators.


concatenated

adjective  (or past tense verb)

Connected together by holding each other, or linked together, and forming a string or chain.


concertina

noun

Plural:   concertinas

1.  A musical instrument with a fan-folded zigzagged air bag characteristic of the accordion family.

2.  Figuratively, any object or shape resembling the unique appearance of accordions (for example, z-foldable doors, buses or trains with ruffled interconnecting segments, air-blowing devices, etc⋅).  Specifically:  An articulated bus comprising two or more rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint (articulation) enclosed by protective bellows inside and outside and a cover plate on the floor;  banana bus;  bendy bus;  tandem bus;  vestibule bus;  wiggle wagon;  stretch bus;  accordion bus.

Examples: 

As soon as the first autobus had successfully departed, the concertina bus returned.  Bending clumsily in the middle, it crawled towards the school building.  (Source:  J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.) 


conclosure

noun

Plural:   conclosures

The final result of multiple contributing opinions or events;  conclusion.


concomrade

noun

Plural:   concomrades

Fellow comrade;  coworker;  companion;  member or participant in the same group or in a bigger movement of comrades (local, regional, national, international).


conglue

verb

Infinitive:   conglue
3rd person:   conglues
Present:   conglueing (UK)  /  congluing (US)
Gerund:   conglueing (UK)  /  congluing (US)
Past:   conglued
Perfect:   conglued

To stick or cement together with or as if with glue;  cohere;  compact.

Examples: 

A large overdose of semolina can predispose the soup-cooked dough to discoherence (if the egg proportion decreases severely, there is nothing to hold the grains conglued)(Source: J∙ Okram - Semolina Dumplings for Soups  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


conk

noun

Plural:   conks

(informal)  Head (body part).


connexion

noun

Plural:   connexions

(pseudo-archaism)   Connection;  connecture;  connector;  plugging in;  access to (internet, landline, water, etc∙).

Examples:

The professorial room would deserve he, verily, there are all those connexions therein.  The transmitters and othersome eletrics.  (Context:  A visiting family will be spending a night unexpectedly on 5 Misty Road.  Grandma Estela prepares rooms for them, describing in her archaic language the amenities available.  Source:  J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.) 


conpotion

noun

Plural:   conpotions 

A liquid or semi-liquid substance prepared by cooking several ingredients together;  concoction;  potion;  soup;  mixed herbal tea.

Examples:

Grandma straightened up and took a deep breath.  With a hand pressed over her mouth, she coursed Bruno back into his guest bedroom and slung the tear-soaked nightgown on his bedfront.  At the sight of the empty enamel bowl, she caught a new fit.  It was only now that Bruno recognised that these, in fact, were uncontrollable waves of amused squeals and suppressed laughter: 
—That...  Eah...  That thing...—  she gasped.  —Before sleep!  Not drink up were you supposed to, that conpotion peonal!  The master should have rinsed in there that thingy of boys'...!  (Context:  A visiting family will be spending a night unexpectedly on 5 Misty Road.  Grandma Estela instructs their son Bruno how to prepare himself for bed in an old-fashion way.  By mistake, he gulps up a fragrant concoction meant for hygienic purposes, believing it was tea.  Source:  J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.) 

Translations:

Slovak / Slovenčina (SK):   odvar;  zápar;  lektvárec 


consiliary

adjective

Alternatives:  consilliary

Related to counsels or consultants and the advice they provide.  Specifically:  Expert consultations in clinical medicine, such as when hospital specialists examine visiting outpatients, or when departments give their opinions and recommendations about a patient hospitalised in another unrelated department (for example, Nephrology admits a hallucinating patient with acute renal failure, but they need auxiliary = consiliary diagnostic refinement from Psychiatry and Urology).

Examples:

I am gonna take your patient.  But to the state outpatient clinic, please.  Don't let them bother me in private, much less ramble anywhere in the neighbourhood.  And I can't promise more than a consiliary preconsultation.  Wait...  As soon as possible...  Mhm...  Put him on..., on next Friday.  Go again?  I said Friday.  Thank you.  (Context:  Dr∙ Barton changes his mind and decides to take in a highly problematic patient - with nobody knowing it's the first step in his elaborate plan to stop bullying and abuse in university dormitories.  Source:  J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.) 

Translations:

Slovak / Slovenčina (SK):  konziliárny 

Czech / Čeština (CZ):  konziliární;  konsiliární


consuetude

noun

Plural:   consuetudes 

A traditional custom or an established practice, especially if it bears legal significance or enforceability.

Examples:

—Ihihih, good evening, comradess Mommy!  I see you're preparing a repast.  What will it be when it will be, heheh, if I an permitted to delve into maternal dietological consuetudes?
—Potato stew with laurel leaves in a creamy sauce, sunny-side-ups.—  Mam replied calmly.  (Context:  A social custodian inspects a family's dining practices in their home.  Source:  J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.) 


cookability

noun

Plural:  cookabilities

Usability for kitchen processing using heat;  the quality of being suitable for cooking or other thermal processing when making food;  the property warranting to withstand boiling without disintegration or perceivable damage.

Examples:

Potatoes of purpose-matching cookability grades seldom trigger processibility problems(Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 

  

cookedness

noun

The quality of having been fully cooked, or the degree to which something was or will be partially cooked.


cookmanship

noun

Plural:   cookmanships

The art, skill, ability or profession of cooking;  cookery;  kitchening.

Examples: 

Many hopeful cookmanship adepts encounter a fatal misstep after the successfully managed ten-minute dough rest:  A so-called mason reflex kicks in(Source: J∙ Okram - Semolina Dumplings for Soups  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


cookplate

noun

Plural:   cookplates

A standalone electric hot plate cooker, or one of the two, four or more (usually round) heating areas of an electrical stove.

Examples: 

Assorted gas rings or electric cookplates will require specific power settings so that all meals crispen approximately simultaneously(Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


cookstove

noun

Plural:   cookstoves

A stove specifically designed for cooking or other thermal preparation of meals, or having at least a small part suitable for said purpose.


cooktime

noun

Plural:   cooktimes
Alternative:   cook-time  pl·   cook-times

The time interval when foods are thermally processed;  cooking time.

Examples: 

With a bit of luck, yes.  It can't be guaranteed or predicted since plentiful factors co-influence the repulsory add-on's potency (the underlying basal material, the chemical makeup of the fatfoods employed throughout the patination, cooktime temperature regime...)(Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


coolinger

noun

Plural:   coolingers

A person or device that decreases temperature;  cooler;  coolant.


corpsebag

noun

Plural:   corpsebags

1.  A bag designated or technically designed for storage or transport of one or more dead bodies.

2.  Any bag containing one or more dead bodies (corpses).


cowmilk

noun

Plural:   cowmilks

Milk obtained from a cow or cows.

Examples:

The egg-lack and zero cowmilk content are of interest for the respective allergy and dairy sugar (lactose) intolerance sufferers.  (Source:  J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


crispify

verb

Infinitive:   crispify
3rd person:   crispifies
Present:   crispifying
Gerund:   crispifying
Past:   crispified
Perfect:   crispified

To become or cause to be crispy, especially to make foods crunchy by frying or baking.  To undergo or perform crispening / crispification / toasting / crunchification.

Examples: 

However, neglecting a few seemingly tiny details can lead to a cookroom snafu:  Instead of chunky, crispified disks, we'll be handing out spoons to our diners beforehand.  Because they will be obliged to gulp a chow that, albeit tasty, can aptly be described in terms of consistency with the respectful word "porridge" (frankly: slop)(Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


crispish

adjective

Somewhat crispy, partly crispy, or similar to crispy;  crunchy.

Examples: 

When selecting the final thermal treatment, consider two gourmet aspects in particular:  (i) how crispish or well-done we wish the onion bits to be, and  (ii) how much we desire a melted runny cheese cap or a scorched cheese crust.  (Source: J∙ Okram - Mayonnaise Stew  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


crombach

noun

Plural:   crombachs

Curvy river or creek (derived from Germanic languages).  Nowadays, typically a part of geographic names, often in transformed forms:  Crombach, Krombach, Krumbach, Krompachy, Krepmpach, Grumbach, Korompa.


crunchcake

noun

Plural:   crunchcakes

Any flatbread, cake, cake-like, cake-shaped or similar meal that is crunchy, such as crispened pancakes, latkes, fritters, etc·.

Examples: 

This firmish puddingy speciality is likewisely a savourous potatoey mouthwaterer.  But in such a happenstance, let us not promise our invitees the twoside-crusted crunchcakes and definitely not make them crave "Bartoncakes":  Rather, we openly declare a harulla-lovers' nosh-up(Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


crunchen

noun

Infinitive:  crunchen
3rd personcrunchens
Presentcrunchening
Gerundcrunchening
Pastcrunchened
Perfectcrunchened


To make or become crunchy;  crisp;  crispen;  crispify;  crunchify;  crustify.

Examples: 

In most situations, we will likely succeed with only a slightish pregreasing.  Initial oiling with a feather or occasional oil-dripping along the crunchening circumference should do(Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


crunchify

verb

Infinitive:   crunchify
3rd person:   crunchifies
Present:   crunchifying
Gerund:   crunchifying
Past:   crunchified
Perfect:   crunchified

To become or cause to be crispy, especially making foods crunchy by frying or baking.  To undergo or perform crispening / crunchification.

Examples: 

Pancakes de-adhere in 15 to 30 minutes.  Flip them over.  The result:  Savoury pulp between two crunchified crusts(Source: J∙ Okram - Bartonian Potato Pancakes  ●  Cooking Recipe.) 


cur

noun

Plural:   curs 

A short-coated hunting and work dog, especially an unfriendly mongrel.

Examples:

The tall canines panted around the table, and Hubert opened the connecting door to the library.  Neither of the dogs crossed the threshold, though.  They dropped to their front paws and, with their muzzles near the floor, barked scaredly into the dark room.  One of them began to howl.  Dad stood up, motioned Mam to rise too, and dragged her and Bruno further away from the gloomy doorway with the strangely reacting curs.
—Armageddon!—  hissed Grandma Estela, and she, too, began to retrocede.
—And perish will the filthy dog that steps in here!—  came a grating, ominous voice from the darkness.
—All right, Hubert...—  intervened Doctor Barton, holding his forehead.  —That's enough.  Stand back.  Quickly.  Protect your eyes, all of you!  (Source:  J∙ Okram - The Mystery of the Rammed Key.) 


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Less  Usual  &  Rare  Words

Julion Okram's Word Explainer is a concise dictionary of uncommon, less standard and expert words appearing in mystery thrillers and science fiction adventures.  It contains little-known or fictional geographical names, scientific terms, slang, professional jargons, archaisms, dialects, neologisms, composite expressions, etc⋅.  Find word definitions, alternative meanings, occasional notes about etymology and stems, and story-related contextual remarks.  The entire vocabulary is searchable online.  Readers wishing to go offline or have a printed reference at hand can download this full glossary as a wordbook in PDF format.