This list is from
The Horse and His Boy, published in paperback by Collins in 1980, (Grafton imprint). I haven't put in Calormene terms like Tisroc or Tarkaan since they are already explained quite well. Also, I didn't want to duplicate all of
W4J's efforts with LWW.
Indigence p. 11. Hopeless poverty, or extreme lack of money. I agree the context in HHB already does imply poverty, but indigence is often confused with highly similar sounding words like ‘indigenous’ which apply to those native to a particular locality, rather than those poverty stricken people who are ‘destitute’ (HHB. p.15).
scimitar p. 11 . A type of curved sword used in the old pre-1918 Turkish Ottoman Empire military, which is distinctly different from the piratical cutlass, beloved of Hollywood. Called by various names in South-West Asia, Northern Africa or the Indian Subcontinent, the scimitar style of sword has also been influential in USA formalities. This type of sword was particularly favoured by cavalry troops.
thatched. p. 13. Roofed with tied bundles of straw, rather than tiles, corrugated iron, pan-tiles or slate. There are still thatched houses in UK, where they are a tourist attraction. Even in UK thatching is an art which is dying out.
heed. p. 17. To take notice of, to pay attention to. Also, to ‘hear and to obey’.
downs. P. 26. Undulating country, useful for farming, neither too hilly nor too flat. Apart from real estate agents and housing developments, virtually unknown term outside of South Western England, where we have Watership Down, the Cotswold Downs and much else.
blood mare. p. 27. Thoroughbred mare, used for racing, breeding and for light riding rather than for riding into battle.
base-birth. p. 36. No particular pretensions to be anybody. Usually applied to commoners or lower classes by those with pretensions to a better lineage.
peasant. p. 49. A term for poorly paid, badly educated rural workers and tenant farmers who traditionally work the land to supply produce and service to overlords like Anradin, instead of rent.
barbarian. p. 51 and subsequently. Anyone who does not fit into the ruling culture, in this case, the Calormene culture.
hangdog. p. 53. Sullen, sheepish or ashamed.
a touch of the sun. p. 55. Sunstroke, a condition better known fifty years ago, which is due to anyone being too long in the Sun without protective hats and other gear thus getting sunburned, dehydrated, feverish and really quite ill.
sherbet. p. 55. Effervescent drink or a
fizzy powder dessert in UK or else an American iced dessert.
to treat. p. 57. to negotiate or haggle. Hopefully in this case the participants might come up with a treaty, a similar word.
hastilude. p. 57. A sort of medieval competition involving martial arts and
lances in particular. Hasta, hastae is the Latin word for spears.
jests. p. 58. Another word for jokes.
suffer. p. 59. To put up with, or to tolerate.
blot them out, gobble them up. p. 59. ie, to eradicate, destroy or swallow them up.
oasis. p.59. A place in the middle of a desert where there is water and some vegetation.
furlong. p. 60. An old imperial measurement of distance mostly used in horse-racing. A furlong is equal to 660 feet or 220 yards, and eight furlongs are equal to an international mile. A furlong is equal to a fifth of a kilometre, or 200 metres for us Aussies who converted to metric measurements in the 1960's and 1970's.
dozen. p. 60. Another old imperial measurement of quantity, equal to 12 items.
repulses. p.60. Setbacks, defeats.
galleon. p. 61. A large, multi-decked, multi-masted and well-armed
sailing ship used by European seafarers in the 16th to 18th centuries.
contrive. p. 61. To make or invent
pledge. p. 61. A commitment, promise or vow.
counsel. p. 61. Advice.
bazaars. p. 61. Marketplaces. The term is derived from Persian or Turkish (pasar), but has caught on world-wide. These days in the Middle East and elsewhere, marketplaces are generally called souks rather than bazaars.
minim. p. 61 A small coin, even in the real world. Also a rather short note in music scores.
sweetmeat sellers. p. 61. Confectioners, or sellers of lollies, toffees or candies etc. In UK, candies are called sweeties.
galley. p. 62. A pre-16th century Mediterranean predecessor to the galleon, a
galley is a ship propelled by oarsmen, used for either trade or for war. As distinct from a ship's galley which is another name for the ship's kitchen.
close-fisted. p. 63. Means tight-fisted, mean, stingy, careful with money. In Arsheesh's case I'd imagined he was a bit too quick with his fists anyway.
snipe. p. 64. A game bird related to the woodcock.
Snipe are wading birds like egrets, herons or ibis, but appear to be smaller waterbirds, like ducks. Thus they are to be found in wetlands and near waterways like the river surrounding Tashbaan. However worldwide they might be, they are not native to Australia.
fool p. 64. In this context, a sort of
dessert which combines fruit, berries in particular, with whipped cream, sugar and possibly rose water, also used to make Turkish delight.
looking-glass. p. 66. Mirror. See also LWW.
frightful. p.67. Horrible, terrible.
But elsewhere in HHB 'frightfully' is used as a synonym for very, somewhat, rather or exceedingly.
beastly. p. 67. Crude and rude and probably nasty. Only humans could think of
beastly jokes.
verandah. p. 68. An open-air, usually ground-floor, roofed
gallery or porch which surrounds a central building, which often has railings, and which is particularly popular in Australia and New Zealand. The term is derived from Sanskrit.
true as steel. p. 71. An idiomatic metaphoric expression meaning very loyal and dependable.
mangy. p. 75. Means shabby, worn out, filthy and contemptible. The term also refers to mange, a contagious skin disease in uncared-for cats and dogs, which is spread by mites.
pretty handsomely dressed. p.77. Meaning fairly, reasonably, somewhat or rather handsomely dressed. Pretty has been a synonym for fair.
Grand Vizier. p.83. Ottoman Turkish term for the greatest minister of the Sultan or Tisroc in this case. The Grand Vizier would have absolute power of attorney and would only be dismissible by the Sultan or Tisroc, himself.
queer. p. 83. Odd, unusual or weird. See also LWW.
tittered. p. 83. Something like sniggered. Both suggest laughing in a half-suppressed, nervous, restrained and somewhat furtive sort of way.
colonnade. p. 86. A form of architecture, involving a long line of columns, often paired, joined together at roof level. Such
colonnades can be part of a portico or entrance, can enclose a courtyard or peristyle, or can be free-standing.
false jade. p. 89. A description of a woman (er Susan) which strongly implies she is an unscrupulous, unfaithful and unreliable choice for someone like Rabadash to get emotionally involved with.
desist. p.90 & elsewhere. Meaning to stop, cease, halt what one is doing or to restrain oneself.
loquacious. p. 91. Talks quite a lot. Maybe too much.
circumspection. p. 92. Discretion or caution.
irrefutable. p. 92. Can't be contradicted or argued with.
sapient. p. 94. Wise and all-knowing.
apophthegms. p.95. Another word for maxim, adage, proverb or saying. A short, cryptic remark containing some generally accepted truth.
babbler. p.95. A much less polite term for loquacious (p. 91)
interminable. p.95. Something that not only is never-ending, it also feels uncomfortably like it. Like the Tisroc's reign.
inexorable. p. 96. Relentless, ruthless, merciless.
impeccable. p.97. Faultless, and without imperfections.
scullion. p.100. Male equivalent of scullery maid. Both were terms for servants who did the washing-up and the cleaning in large Medieval kitchens.
prim. p. 104. Excessively decorous, precise or proper to the point of affectation.
hot mash. p. 116.
Warm bran mash seems to be quite a comfort food for a picky horse. According to the link, it is a great way to feed the horse medicines and food supplements it might need.
pretty fast. p.124. Fairly, rather or somewhat fast.
champed. p. 126. To bite or chew on noisily. To champ at the bit is to be impatient.
terrible. p. 133. Very, rather, or extremely.
morsel. p.139. A snack. A bite to eat.
commonly p. 140. Routinely.
precipice. p.144. A particularly dangerous and sheer sort of cliff.
funk. p. 146. Especially in WW2, a colloquial term to avoid, to shrink from, especially military service. Funk can also mean a bad smell. Nowadays funk is a term in music.
sortie. p. 150. Sudden issuing of a body of troops by the defenders from a strongpoint or defensive position.
hauberk. p.152. Another name for a chain mail shirt. This sort of shirt has long sleeves and reaches to mid-thigh.
estres. p. 174. the indoor layout or plan of a castle. Including its defenses.
)
"Rugger" does not generally refer to Rugby League where the terminology is slightly different, even though both forms have 'rucks', 'tackles' and 'tries'. I don't remember if Rugby Union has scrums or field goals, let alone 'hacks', which I took to be a Rugby term rather than the bad bruise or contusion it gave to Edmund.
More haste less speed, I fear. I deleted a whole lot of words I should have merged with the others. Yes, I am back at work and also have to share pc facilities. 
