NaNo2015: Word of the Day 7-12

[meltintall3]

Nov. 7  wordcount: 7,915
Merriam Webster word of the day: absolve

"I absolve you of all responsibility for my welfare."
Candace hooked her thumbs in her back pockets. "What are you planning now, Saul?"
"I'm going into the city again."
"Uh-huh. That's what I thought."
Saul pulled himself to his full height, very stiff and ill at ease. She met his gaze squarely, holding herself loose, confident as a lioness on the prowl.

Nov. 8  wordcount: 9,599
Merriam Webster word of the day: gadfly

Saul went around seeking out the debate, a heavyweight gadfly preferring to pulverize anyone foolish enough to challenge him.

Nov. 9  wordcount: 11,506
Merriam Webster word of the day: umami

"...So when I got a call, offering me a job lecturing... it's a perfect fit. I can have an audience and there doesn't even have to be someone arguing the other position. Everyone knows it anyway and can fill in the blanks for themselves."
"You took it."
"It was great. The hall was packed every night. They ate it up. I was asked to do the same at Lutherburg, Wesley, and Augustine."
"Ah," said Barnabas.
Saul clenched a fist. His skin was red against the white sheets, and he didn't seem to notice the pain. "I could taste success—it was on my tongue, like sweetness or umami, almost thick enough to take in my teeth and tear off a piece for myself. "

Nov. 10  wordcount: 13,506
Merriam Webster word of the day: kangaroo court

Barnabas took in the scene with a quick glance around the room. Saul sat at the table, hands tied together, strands of hair stuck to his forehead with dried blood. His captors were talking all at once.
"Silence!" shouted Barnabas. "What kind of a kangaroo court is this?"
Eyes turned to look at him. He stepped inside the room, looming over most of the occupants. He'd demanded obedience and he got it. There were only a few murmurs as he grabbed Saul by the scruff of the neck and hauled the other man to his feet. Barnabas scowled.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves."

Nov. 11  wordcount: 16,017
Merriam Webster word of the day: dewy

Esther went out early in the morning and stopped at the garden on her way to work. She found that she wasn't the only one up. The opinionated girl, Dorothy by name, was already there, crouched on her heels staring in wonder at the tiny green tendrils that had appeared in the dirt. Dirt was smudged with her freckles and she turned wide gray eyes with their flecks of emerald and gold upwards.
"It's true—it's growing!"
Esther nodded, balancing on her heels, careful not to overbalance and land on the dewy ground, but wanting a closer view of the tiny squash plants. "Isn't it marvelous?" she asked. Something fresh and new reaching for the dawn after lying dormant.
"And over here," said Dorothy, eager to share. "There's more!"
The entire garden was bursting with life. Esther thought it had never looked more beautiful.

Nov. 12  wordcount: 18,050
Merriam Webster word of the day: sinecure

"I think the Institute is not the be-all and end-all—"
"And yet you have a cozy sinecure there."
"It's not all tea and cakes," said Barnabas.
"Oh, there's paperwork too?"
"There's dealing with you."
Saul acknowledged the hit and allowed Barnabas time to gather his thoughts for a proper defense of his idea.

Comments

[meltintall3.livejournal.com]

(I wouldn't recommend it as a light and fluffy read... it requires some cross-referencing to see what the author is leaving out to tell his story. But it's pretty unusual.)

[valiantarcher.livejournal.com]

(Interesting... I'll keep that in mind, thanks. :) )