The Valley of the Ancients

by David Alric

  Glossary

  The explanations in this glossary give only the meanings of words as they are used in the book. Many of the words have other meanings as well, and if a full description of a word is required the interested reader should consult a dictionary.

  (abbrev. – abbreviation, adj. – adjective, adv. – adverb, conj. – conjunction, Idiom. – Idiomatic, interj. – interjection, n. – noun, pl.n. – plural noun, prep. – preposition, v. – verb)

  abate v. to diminish; to make or become less in intensity or degree

  abbreviation n. a shortened word or phrase

  abominable adj. horrible; loathsome; detestable

  abrupt adj. sudden; immediate; unexpected

  abundance n. plenty; large amount; copious supply

  access n. the right or ability to enter, use or approach something

  accomplish v. to achieve; to succeed; to complete

  accusation n. an allegation that someone is guilty of a crime, misdemeanour or offence; an imputation or charge

  acknowledge v. to recognize the truth of something; to admit a reality

  acronym n. a pronounceable word made up from some or all of the initial letters of a longer title; e.g. laser (qv)

  activate v. to set in motion; to start off; to make active

  ad nauseam adv. very boringly or tediously. Latin phrase meaning ‘to the point of sickness’

  adamant adj. determined; having an unshakeable opinion about something; impervious to pleas

  adapt v. to change or adjust to new conditions

  adaptation n. a modification that makes something better suited to its environment or situation

  address v. to deal with; to sort out; to get on with; to confront

  adjacent adj. next to; near; adjoining

  adjust v. to change; to adapt, especially to cope with some new circumstance or situation

  adjustment n. a change or modification

  admiration n. high regard; esteem; respect

  ado n. fuss; delay; bother

  adopt v. Chapter 2: to take responsibility for; to take into the family; Chapters 19, 23: to assume a different voice or expression

  adrenaline n. a hormone associated with excitement, stress or activity

  adroitly adv. dexterously; skilfully

  aeon n. an unimaginably long period of time

  aerial adj. to do with the air or aircraft; in or of the air

  aerobatic adj. able to perform complicated or spectacular aerial manoeuvres

  aeronautical adj. to do with aircraft or pilots

  agenda n. a list of things to be attended to; a schedule; a plan of action

  aggression n. hostility; offensive activity

  aggressive adj. hostile; quarrelsome; belligerent

  aghast adj. filled or overcome with horror; appalled

  agile adj. nimble; athletic

  agility n. speed and skill in movement; nimbleness

  agitated adj. excited; disturbed

  agog adj. very curious; intensely attentive

  ail v. an old-fashioned word meaning to feel unwell. An ailment is another word for an illness

  aimlessly adv. without purpose or direction; having no goal

  ajar adj. slightly open

  alacrity n. liveliness; speed; briskness

  alert adj. Chapter 11: attentive; vigilant; v. Chapters 13, 21: to warn; to put on guard

  alien adj. foreign; strange; unfamiliar; from another world

  alleged adj. described as such; presumed to be; not proved to be

  alliance n. an agreement or pact; a union to achieve a purpose

  allocate v. to give to; to assign; to allot

  Alsatian n. a large wolf-like breed of dog, often used as a guard dog. Also called a German Shepherd

  amateur n. a non-professional person; one who engages in an interest for enjoyment or sport, rather than for remuneration

  amber n. fossilized pine resin

  ambient adj. to do with the immediate surroundings or conditions

  amidst prep. amid; in among; in the middle of

  ammonia n. a very pungent gas. Chemical formula:NH3

  ample adj. more than enough; easily sufficient; abundant

  anaesthetic n. a substance capable of producing loss of consciousness (general anaesthesia), or loss of sensation in a specific area of the body (local anaesthesia)

  analyse v. to study in detail; to examine; to discover specific information, meaning or composition

  analysis n. the results obtained from examining something, or determining its composition

  anchor v. to fix; to fasten securely

  anguish n. severe pain; misery; intense grief

  annihilate v. to eradicate; to destroy completely; to extinguish

  anon adv. (poetic or archaic) soon; in a short time

  anonymity n. the state of being unknown or unidentified

  anonymous adj. from or by an unknown person

  antenna n. one of two (or more) mobile tentacles or appendages on the head of an insect, mollusc, etc. They are usually sensory organs

  anthology n. a collection of literary pieces or articles on a specific subject

  anticipate v. to expect or foresee

  antiquity n. the distant past; the quality of being ancient

  apologetically adv. in a contrite manner

  appal v. to horrify; to shock; to dismay

  apparent adj. easily seen; obvious; evident

  apparently adv. seemingly

  apparition n. something that appears, such as a ghost or spectre

  appellation n. name; title

  apprehensive adj. anxious; fearful

  appropriate adj. Chapters 2, 5, 8, 23: suitable; fitting; v. Chapter 4: to take; to acquire

  aptitude n. ability; skill

  archaic adj. out of date; ancient; antiquated

  archaeology n. the study of the past by the examination of materials, buildings and artefacts from ancient cultures

  arduous adj. strenuous; difficult; requiring great effort

  Argentinosaurus see Animal Anthology

  aroused adj. awoken; stimulated

  arrogant adj. conceited; boastful; proud

  artefact n. a man-made article

  arthritis n. inflammation of the joints

  artistic licence n. a deviation from conventional rules to achieve a desired effect

  asap abbrev. ‘as soon as possible’

  ascent n. climb

  ascertain v. to discover; to determine; to establish

  assailant n. an attacker

  assess v. to judge; to evaluate

  assets pl.n. possessions; property

  assiduously adv. conscientiously; perseveringly

  associate n. a colleague; a partner in an enterprise; a companion; a friend

  association n. a friendship or companionship

  astounding adj. amazing; impressive; bewildering

  atmosphere n. the layer of gases surrounding the Earth or other celestial body

  audible adj. loud enough to be heard

  authoritative adj. having a commanding or assertive manner; wielding authority

  avert v. to prevent something happening; to ward off

  avidly adv. greedily; eagerly; with great desire

  avow v. to admit openly; to affirm; to declare or assert

  awe n. wonder; respect; admiration

  awesome adj. very impressive; amazing; outstanding

  awestruck adj. filled with awe

  babble n. chatter; incoherent or meaningless speech

  backlit adj. lit from behind

  back-up n. a support; a contingency plan or arrangement

  bade v. (archaic) a past tense of the verb to bid, meaning to instruct or command

  bafflement n. bewilderment; perplexity; puzzlement

  balaclava (helmet) n. a close-fitting hood covering the ears and neck, used to provide warmth or anonymity

  baleful adj. menacing; hostile; vindictive

  ballast n. heavy
material providing stability or weight

  balmy adj. pleasant; mild; soothing

  bank v. (of an aircraft) to tilt to one side while making a turn in the air

  bastard n. a person born of unmarried parents. In this story it is used in its informal sense as a swearword, meaning an unpleasant or obnoxious person

  bay n. an assigned parking space; a marked-out area

  batter v. to beat heavily and repeatedly

  beacon n. a signal; a light or fire to attract attention

  bead n. Chapter 10: beads of sweat means small drops of sweat

  beckon v. to summon with a gesture

  befall v. to happen to; to take place

  behemoth n. a monstrous beast

  behest n. an order; a serious request

  belligerent adj. aggressive; truculent

  bellow n. a roar; a loud deep sound, usually emitted in pain or rage

  bemused adj. confused; bewildered; baffled; confounded

  benefit v. to be the recipient of something good; n. an improvement or advantage; something that does good

  bequeath v. (archaic) pass on; hand down

  bereft adv. parted from; deprived (of)

  berserk adj. in a violent rage or frenzy

  bestow v. to confer a privilege or honour

  betrayal n. treachery; deceit; disloyalty

  bewildered adj. confused; puzzled

  bidding n. order; command; summons

  bide v. (archaic) to stay in a place

  bifurcation n. division or fork into two branches

  Bigfoot see Animal Anthology

  billiards n. various games played on a material-covered table with pockets into which hard balls are struck with a long cue

  bind v. to tie; to secure

  biomass n. vegetable material containing, or used as, a source of energy or fuel

  bipedal adj. having two feet; walking on two feet

  bird n. (slang) an informal term for a girl or young woman

  bitch n. a female dog or other canine animal. The word is also used (as in Chapter 19) as a slang term of abuse for a female person meaning she is spiteful or malicious

  black panther n. a melanistic (black) variant of a big cat such as a leopard or jaguar

  blackmail n. the use of threats (usually of disclosure) to obtain money or, as in Chapters 4, 23, to influence the actions of another

  blind eye phrase to ‘turn a blind eye’ to something means to pretend not to notice it

  bloody adj. (slang; swearword) a strong imprecation used to lend particular emphasis to a phrase or statement

  blotchy adj. having irregular patches of discoloration

  blunder v. to stumble in a clumsy fashion

  BMW abbrev. Bayerische Motoren Werke: Bavarian Motor Works – a famous German car company

  bog n. spongy wet ground; marsh; quagmire

  boisterous adj. lively; unruly; unrestrained

  bonhomie n. (from French) jovial friendliness; cheerfulness; goodnaturedness

  boon n. a favour

  booze n. (slang) any kind of alcoholic drink

  botanist n. one who studies plants

  boundless adj. limitless; endless; vast

  bounty n. reward; generous gift

  bowels of the earth phrase very deep underground; down in the depths

  braided adj. interwoven; plaited

  brainwave n. a sudden good idea; an inspiration

  brash adj. showy; tasteless

  bravado n. a show of courage (sometimes unfounded); a display of great self-confidence

  brawl n. a noisy fight

  break n. a brief holiday. To take a break means to have a short period of leave or vacation. In the title of Chapter 7 this meaning is punned with another meaning, that of breaking out of prison.

  breakaway adj. describing a group or faction that has separated from a main body or organization

  breaker n. a large white-crested wave breaking on to the rocks or shore

  breakthrough n. a significant discovery; a groundbreaking development

  breathtaking adj. exciting; awesome; very impressive

  brew v. to prepare a drink by boiling or infusing

  bribe n. a gift of money or goods in exchange for a favour

  brisk adj. quick; lively; energetic

  brood n. the young in a family; offspring

  brow n. the forehead

  browse v. to feed (usually on vegetation) in a calm and leisurely manner

  budge v. to move; to shift

  buffet n. a meal at which guests help themselves from a variety of dishes

  buffoon n. a fool; a stupid or ridiculous person

  bugging device n. concealed electronic spying equipment for recording or acquiring information

  bulk n. size or volume (especially when large or massive)

  bung v. (slang) to throw; to chuck; to sling; to push in

  burden n. a load or cargo, especially one that is heavy or onerous. A ‘beast of burden’ is an animal carrying such a load

  burdensome adj. difficult to put up with; hard to bear; onerous

  bush meat n. the flesh of wild animals killed for food (often illegally)

  cache n. a hidden store

  caecilian n. a tropical limbless amphibian resembling an earthworm

  calculus n. a branch of mathematics

  camouflage n. colouring, appearance or shape designed to hide or conceal

  cancer n. a malignant growth; a tumour

  canine n. a member of the dog family; a canid

  cannibalism n. eating the flesh of one’s own kind

  canopy n. the highest general level of foliage in a forest, formed by the crowns of trees and penetrated by only the tallest species

  canyon n. a ravine; a gorge

  capacity n. ability; power

  capricious adj. unpredictable; fickle; impulsive

  captor n. one who captures and holds another captive

  carapace n. shell or shield, made of bone or chitin

  carbon offsetting n. the averaging out of carbon (dioxide) production and consumption

  carcass n. a dead body

  caress v. to touch or stroke affectionately

  carnivore n. meat eater

  Carnotaurus see Animal Anthology

  cartel n. an association of separate groups having a common aim or purpose

  cause a stir phrase attract attention; get things moving

  cautiously adv. with great care; warily

  cave racer n. scientific name: Elaphe taeniura. A cave-dwelling snake that lives mainly on bats and swiftlets in the wild. Length up to 2.5 metres. Similar snakes would have lived in the Valley of the Mighty Ones

  cavern n. a cave, usually large and often underground

  cayman n. an American species of crocodile, similar to an alligator

  CCTV abbrev. closed-circuit television

  ceratopsian see Animal Anthology

  ceremony n. ritual; formal service

  cf. abbrev. compare; see (Latin: confer). Used to guide the reader to another source of information, in this glossary to another word

  challenging adj. demanding; difficult; hard in a stimulating way

  chameleon n. a type of lizard having the ability to change colour so as to blend in with its surroundings

  channel n. groove; furrow; ditch; a specific path or course

  charade n. a pretence; a travesty

  charisma n. a personal quality giving its owner the power to inspire or influence others

  charred adj. burnt; scorched; blackened by fire

  charter business n. a company providing transport for lease or hire

  chased adj. decorated or ornamented by engraving or etching

  chasm n. a very deep split or cleft in the ground

  cheroot n. a type of cigar with both ends cut off

  chimera n. a creature made up from parts of different animals

  chock n. a block or wedge used to prevent movement

  chore n. a boring, routin
e job; an unpleasant task

  chorus n. the sound of a group of voices

  circumvent v. to go around; to bypass

  cistern n. tank in which water is stored for a WC

  claw-hammer n. a hammer with a cleft on one side of the head, used as a lever to extract nails

  clearing n. an area within a wood that is free of trees or large shrubs

  cleft n. a split; a fissure; a crevice; a crack

  clench v. to grip tightly; to squeeze together

  clog v. to block; to impede or obstruct

  close a deal v. to complete a transaction successfully

  close quarters (at) pl.n. very near; in close proximity

  cluster v. to gather round in a close group

  clutch n. a hatch or cluster of eggs

  clutches pl.n. hands; paws; claws; talons; things that take a grip

  coatimundi n. an omnivorous mammal from Central and South America, related to the raccoon family

  cockpit n. the pilot’s compartment in an aircraft

  cockup n. (slang) a mess-up; a mistake

  cocoon n. a protective covering or wrap, usually made from a silky substance

  coin v. to make up a new word; to invent or fabricate a neologism

  coincidence n. the simultaneous chance occurrence of events that are apparently connected

  cold blood (in) adj. or adv. phrase without remorse; ruthlessly; deliberately

  collide v. to bump into violently; to crash

  collision n. the impact between two crashing objects

  colloquial adj. informal; conversational; idiomatic

  collusion n. secret agreement, often to do something wrong; conspiracy; connivance

  colonize v. to take over or settle; to inhabit; to establish a colony

  colony n. Chapters 12, 19, 20: a group of animals inhabiting a particular place

  colossal adj. huge; gigantic; immense

  combustible adj. capable of being burnt

  commercial adj. to do with buying and selling; connected with business

  committee n. a group of people chosen to make decisions about a particular subject