Flat 13

pelf \PELF\ , noun

Money; riches; gain; — generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten.

Example:

…a master manipulator who will twist and dodge around the clock to keep the privileges of power and pelf. — Nick Cohen, “Without prejudice”, The Observer, February 20, 2000
Origin: Pelf comes from Old French pelfre, “booty, stolen goods.” It is related to pilfer.

bloviate \BLOH-vee-ayt\ verb:

To speak or write at length in a pompous or boastful manner.

Example:

After five years as president and thirty years as a political figure, this colossal oaf is still unable to discipline his urge to … bloviate. — R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr., American Spectator, December 19, 1997

Origin: Bloviate is from blow + a mock-Latinate suffix -viate. Compare blowhard, “a boaster or braggart.” Bloviation is the noun form; a bloviator is one who bloviates.

daft [daft, dahft]: –adjective,-er, -est.

1. senseless, stupid, or foolish.

2. insane; crazy.

3. Scot. merry; playful; frolicsome.

Origin: bef. 1000; ME dafte uncouth, awkward; earlier, gentle, meek, OE dæfte; cf. deft

Example: L, don’t be so daft! Of course you are welcome to come with me!

Hauter \haw-TUR; (h)oh-\ noun:

1. Haughty manner, spirit, or bearing; haughtiness; arrogance.

Example:

That self-deprecation and lack of hauteur are typical of the earthy style that enables Powell to get close to his troops in a way that many top brass never do.

—“Colin Powell: The master planner of Desert Shield is ready for its ultimate test”, People, December 31, 1990

Origin: Hauteur is from the French, from haut, “high,” from Latin altus, “high.” It is thus related to altitude.

Numinous \NOO-min-us; NYOO-\ , adjective;

1. Of or pertaining to a numen; supernatural.

2. Filled with or characterized by a sense of a supernatural presence.

3. Inspiring awe and reverence; spiritual.

Quotes:

All Quests are concerned with some numinous Object, the Waters of Life, the Grail, buried treasure etc.

— W. H. Auden, “Secular Hobbitism” review of The Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien, New York Times

Origin: Numinous is from Latin numen: literally a “nod of the head,” as in giving a command, hence “divine power.”

bon⋅ho⋅mie –noun:

frank and simple good-heartedness; a good-natured manner; friendliness; geniality

Origin:
1795–1805; < F, equiv. to bonhomme good-natured man (see boon, Homo ) 

Example:

I would carefully study the exploits of positive role models like Peter Gabriel, Jimmy Carter, and Alec Baldwin [Ed note: Alec Baldwin?? Seriously???], and attempt to emulate their radiant bonhomie.

— Joe Queenan, My Goodness: A Cynic’s Short-Lived Search for Sainthood

This sounds like good (as in the French word (bon)) and boy (homo)…. good boy! Or…  good homie! Wat up, homie! It’s all good.

Fatuous \FACH-oo-uhs\ , adjective;

1. Inanely foolish and unintelligent; stupid.

2. Illusory; delusive.

Ex:  Publishers persist in the fatuous belief that a little hocus-pocus in the front flap blurb will so dazzle readers that they’ll be too dazed to notice the quality of what’s on the pages inside.

— ” A night in the city”, Irish Times, October 7, 1997 [Ed. Note: not much has changed…]

Origin: Fatuous comes from Latin fatuus, “foolish, idiotic, silly.”

rac⋅on⋅teur [rak-uhn-tur; Fr. RA-kawN-tœr]

n.  One who tells stories and anecdotes with skill and wit.

n. a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

Origin:

[French, from raconter, to relate, from Old French : re-, re- + aconter, to count up, reckon; see account.]

1828, from Fr. raconter “to recount,” from re- + O.Fr. aconter, from a- “to” + conter “to tell” (see recount).

It would be tremendous to relay anecdotes in such a mesmerizing way as my dear cousin, Leta. Or Dorothy Parker. Or Wilson Mizner…