Thanks for stopping by to check on the new words I found this week. I finished another Agatha Christie book (Death On the Nile) which almost always contains a few new-to-me words. Here’s what I found:
1. fulsome: M. Blondin, however, was positively fulsome in his attentions.
Fulsome is an adjective meaning complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree.
2. empressement: M. Blondin conducted the client to it with every appearance of empressement.
Empressement means animated eagerness or friendliness.
3. noisome: The young man was now smoking a somewhat noisome pipe.
Noisome means having an extremely offensive smell. It also means disagreeable, unpleasant, harmful, and noxious.
4. dahabiyeh: ”After all, with you, Madame, money is no object. Why did you not engage in your own private dahabiyeh?” (said Poirot)
I could not find the word dahabiyeh in the dictionary, but I did find dahabeah. I believe the second word’s definition is the one that fits the story/context. It means a passenger boat used on the Nile.
Thank you Ms. Christie for teaching me these new 1930s words. And, thanks to Kathy at Bermuda Onion for sponsoring our weekly tribute to new words.
Those are some great words this week, Margot. Thanks for sharing.
We have very different takes on Agatha Christie’s vocabulary. Which is what keeps the world interesting.
Having recently finished reading all of Christie’s novel length books, at this state in my life I find myself underwhelmed with Christie’s showy vocabulary. Christie manages to use “vouchesafed” in about 1/3 of her works, but never more than once per work.
To date Christie is the only writer I have ever encountered to use that word. I remembered that word from her books when I read them as a teen. I looked it up and kept in reserve it for later use. There never came a time to use it without coming off as pompous.
Steinbeck and Twain would not have used “vouchesafed” when “confided” or “whispered” would have sufficed. Not that I am comparing myself to either of those giants, just saying.
And with all of that said, I can see how “folsom” would be an effective word to use. Well effective that is if anyone else also knew what it meant.
Agatha Christie seems to be a great source for new words!
I agree with Kathy, I find many new words reading Agatha Christie ( and I love Death on the Nile). I do like noisome. It’s such a nice way to say something a little mean.
#2 and 3 are new to me as well.
I only know #4 because we did a Nile cruise!! One of the other passengers brought along his copy of Death on the Nile to get a photo of him with it on the cruise!
Thanks for dropping by my blog and commenting, much appreciated!
Fulsome is a word I though I knew but didn’t really. Thanks for correcting my faulty assumption! Great words!
For some reason, I can never remember the word “fulsome”–maybe this time the definition will stick with me! Great words this week, Margot.
I love those words. i always think i will use one of them the next day but alas, i forget
I would have guessed noisome was related to noisy, but it obviously not. I think I can use noisome!
I do love fulsome. I enjoy the vocabulary in older books very much, it does hark back to another time. I’m a bit surprised that there was only one Egyptian word. You’re doing so well with your Agatha Christie challenge- I’m impressed.
After reading your review of Death on the Nile, I checked out the audiobook version at the library. It’s my current listen!
I only know #4 because we did a Nile cruise!! One of the other passengers brought along his copy of Death on the Nile to get a photo of him with it on the cruise!