Glossary
by Eunice Shanahan
| Word | Definition : based on Concise Oxford English Dictionary |
| Pelisse | A woman's mantle with armholes or sleeves, reaching to ankles. |
| Hatchment | Tablet with deceased person's armorial bearings affixed to front of his house.Coat of Arms |
| Coroner's Inquest | Inquiry held by Coroner's court as to cause of death |
| Curricle | Light two-wheeled carriage usually for two horses abreast |
| carriage boot | luggage receptacle in coach under guard's and coachman's seat |
| Holland covers | a linen fabric designed to cover and protect furniture while not in use |
| Hartshorn | substance,formerly chief source of ammonia, used in smelling salts |
| Bleeding | drawing blood surgically, to relieve various disorders |
| paregoric draught | camphorated tincture of opium flavoured with aniseed & benzoic acid - (prescribed to soothe and calm Francis Cheviot!) |
| merino | soft wool or wool-&-cotton material like French Cashmere |
| wainscot | wooden panelling or boarding on room-wall |
| "Sapristi!" | A French exclamation - "Good Heavens!" |
| Swordstick | a hollow walking stick enclosing a swordblade |
| Bag-Wig | a wig, the back-hair of which was enclosed in an ornamental bag. Possibly worn by the senior Oxford University Academics? |
| knocking-in money | possibly a deposit paid on arrival at a college as a bond for good behaviour. |
| 'Nob' | 'a person of some wealth or social distinction'. |
| Rusticate | 'to dismiss or 'send down' from a university for a specified time, as a punishment'. |
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