African Pursuit (22 page)

hot-wire
v. (slang)
to start an engine without a key by bypassing the ignition switch

huddle
v.
to nestle closely together

hue
n.
a colour or a shade of colour

hue and cry
n.
the public pursuit of a suspected criminal

huffily
adv.
resentfully; angrily

hulk
n.
the abandoned body or frame of a vessel or vehicle.

hunch
v.
Chapter 18: to crouch or bend;
n.
Chapter 21: an intuition; a guess

hypnotism
n.
the process of inducing sleep or an altered state of mind

immemorial
adj.
very ancient; from a time too long ago to be remembered

impart
v.
to give to; to bestow upon

impassive
adj.
not revealing any emotion

impenetrable
adj.
not possible to get through

imperial units
pl.n.
standards or definitions legally established in Great Britain for distances, weights, measures, etc.

implicate
v.
to show to be involved

implications
pl.n.
effects or results that might not at first be obvious

import
n.
significance

impregnable
adj.
unable to be broken into

impunity
n.
immunity from unpleasant consequences

inaccessible
adj.
not reachable; unapproachable

inaudible
adj.
unable to be heard

incessant
adj.
never stopping; continual

incinerate
v.
to burn; to reduce to ashes

inconspicuous
adj.
not easily seen

incorporate
v.
to include

incriminating
adj.
suggestive of guilt

indigenous
adj.
belonging to a particular region or country; native to that part

indisposed
adj.
sick, but usually not seriously so. In Chapter 7 the word is used in a slightly ironic sense

initiate
v.
to start; to begin

inexplicable
adj.
not possible to explain

infamous
adj.
notorious

inferiority complex
n.
a disorder in which a desire to be noticed conflicts with a fear of humiliation

ingestion
n.
eating or drinking

innocuous
adj.
harmless

insurance policy
n.
a protection against a possible contingency

insurgency
n.
uprising; rebellion

insurrection
n.
insurgency; uprising

intently
adv.
very attentively

interminable
adj.
endless

intervening
adj.
between

interwoven
adj.
interlaced; entwined

intravenous
adj.
into a vein; within the venous system

intrepid
adj.
fearless; bold; daring

intrusive
adj.
encroaching in an unpleasant manner

intuitively
adv.
instinctively

irksome
adj.
annoying; bothersome

ironic
adj.
surprising or incongruous in a slightly amusing or sarcastic way

IT
abbrev.
information technology

ivory
n.
the hard, creamy dentine in the tusks of elephants, rhinos, walruses etc. Its value makes it highly sought after by poachers

jail-bird
n.
one who has spent time in prison, especially repeatedly

jeopardy
n.
danger; peril; risk

jet lag
n.
the fatigue experienced after rapidly crossing several time zones

kaleidoscope
n.
an optical toy which produces complex symmetrical patterns of frequently changing shapes and colours

kidnap
v.
to abduct someone and keep them captive

kimberlite
n.
an igneous rock often containing diamonds

kin
n.
relatives; kindred; a group related by blood ties

landline
n.
a wire or cable for telecommunications. It is usually more reliable than a mobile network

lavish
adj.
extravagant; luxurious; prodigal

league
n.
an old unit of distance equal to 3 miles (4.8 kilometres)

legacy
n.
money, property or possessions, handed down as an inheritance from a deceased relative or predecessor

legend
n.
a traditional story from long ago that may or may not be true

lest
conj.
in case; for fear that

liana
n.
a tropical climbing plant; a woody vine

liberation
n.
freedom

Lingala
n.
the common vernacular (qv) language of Kinshasa and much of the Congo

locality
n.
an area or neighbourhood

location
n.
situation; position; site

Loch Ness Monster
see notes on the names in the book

lode
n.
a vein of ore in a rock stratum

lope
v.
to walk or run with a long, easy movement

lore
n.
accumulated knowledge on a specialised subject or topic

lucidity
n.
clarity; normality

lumber
v.
to move in an awkward or ungainly fashion

lurch
v.
to pitch suddenly forwards or to one side

mahogany
n.
a hard, reddish-brown wood

maiden name
n.
a woman’s surname before marriage

makeshift
adj.
something found or put together to use when a proper tool is unavailable

malevolent
adj.
wishing evil on others, or appearing to do so

malignant
adj.
causing harm or evil

manipulate
v.
to handle or control, often skilfully

manoeuvre
v.
to move into a suitable position

maraud
v.
to roam or wander in search of spoils; to raid; to harry

maroon
v.
Chapters 5,7,8: to abandon; to leave isolated;
adj.
Chapter 22: a dark, purplish-red colour

masquerade
n.
disguise; pretence

massacre
n.
the indiscriminate killing of a large number of people

melanistic
adj.
black

Memsahib
n.
a term of respect for a married woman, especially one who is an employer.

metamaterial
n.
a material with properties that depend upon its structure rather than on its composition. The term is used particularly to describe artificial materials with properties not found in naturally occurring substances

metric units
n.
the decimal units used in measurement systems based upon the metre

midwife
n.
a person who assists in the delivery of a baby

militia
n.
a group of citizen soldiers (not a professional army)

millennium
n.
a period of one thousand years (plural:
millennia
)

mobilize
v.
to organize and marshal in preparation for war

modest
adj.
self-disparaging; unpretentious; understating one’s achievements or ability. The word is used in its true sense in Chapters 18 & 20, and in an ironic sense in Chapter 17; Chapter 22: small; not large

momentous
adj.
of great significance

monotonous
adj.
boring; tedious; dull

morsel
n.
a small piece; a little bit (usually of food)

motley
adj.
made up of disparate elements; mixed

mph
abbrev.
miles per hour

mucus
n.
the slimy secretion from a mucous membrane

muse
v.
to think; to ponder

musings
pl.n.
contemplative thoughts

muslin
n.
a finely-woven cotton fabric

mya
abbrev.
m
illion years
a
go

myriad
adj.
very many; innumerable

myth
n.
someone or thing whose existence is unproven

naïve
adj.
innocent; credulous; ingenuous

naught
n. (archaic)
nothing

navigate
v.
to plot the position and direct the path taken, during a journey

neologism
n.
a new word

nick
v. (slang)
to steal

nigh
adv. (archaic)
near

nihil nisi bonum de mortuis
phrase (Latin)
speak nothing but good of the dead

nil desperandum
phrase (Latin)
don’t despair!

Nobel prize
n.
a famous international prize named after the Swedish scientist and philanthropist, Alfred Nobel. It is awarded for outstanding contributions in a number of fields, including physics – Lucinda’s subject

nonchalant
adj.
casual; unconcerned

notwithstanding
prep.
despite; in spite of

nudge
n.
to give a gentle poke or push to attract attention; to jog someone

nuzzle
v.
to rub or push gently with the snout

obstetric
adj.
to do with childbirth

opt
v.
to choose; to show preference (for)

optical
adj.
to do with light or the eye

optics
n.
the study of light and vision

optimistic
adj.
hopeful; confident; expecting a good outcome

option
n.
choice; decision

orb
n.
something spherical; in Chapter 11 this means the hawk’s eyeball

ore
n.
a mineral or mixture of minerals from which useful materials such as metals, gems, salts, etc. can be extracted

oresome
adj.
there is no such word in the English language! It is a neologism (qv) used as a pun in the title of Chapter 7. The chapter is about ore and the developments are
awesome

ostensibly
adv.
to all outward appearances; apparently; seemingly

outcrop
n.
a protruding section of rock

PA
n.
abbreviation for
p
ersonal
a
ssistant

pact
n.
an agreement, usually bringing mutual benefit to the parties making it

palpable
adj.
capable of being touched; tangible

pang
n.
a sudden, sharp, brief sensation, usually unpleasant (such as of pain or hunger)

paracetamol
n.
a pain-relieving drug; an analgesic

patio
n.
a paved area adjoining a house

pendant
n.
an ornament hanging from a necklace

pensive
adj.
deeply thoughtful, often with an element of sadness

perfidious
adj.
treacherous; deceitful; faithless

perilous
adj.
very dangerous; extremely hazardous

perplex
v.
to puzzle; to confuse; to bewilder

peruse
v.
to study; to read carefully; to scrutinize

pestilential
adj.
troublesome; annoying; harmful

peter out
v.
to diminish and finally cease; to gradually die out

photogyraspar
see notes on the names in the book

pick-up
n.
a truck with an open rear body and low sides

pillage
v.
to rob, especially during a war

placate
v.
to pacify; to calm; to appease

plesiosaur
n.
an extinct marine reptile

plod
n. (slang)
a disparaging term for a policeman

plumage
n.
a bird’s feathers

plummet
v.
to descend rapidly; to drop down; to plunge

poacher
n.
one who hunts illegally

pockmark
n.
a pitted scar; a small depression in a surface

ponder
v.
to think thoroughly and deeply about something; to give careful consideration to something

pot
v.
to shoot

potentate
n.
a ruler; one with power

potential
n.
unrealised capacity; latent possibility

potentially
adv.
possibly

pothole
n.
a deep hole in a road

precambrian
adj.
relating to the earliest geological period, which lasted for 4 billion years, ending roughly 600 million years ago

preceding
adj.
foregoing; former; coming before

precipice
n.
a sheer, steep cliff face

predator
n.
a carnivorous (meat-eating) animal; a hunter–killer

predominant
adj.
principal; prevailing; most important or obvious

preface
n.
foreword; introductory statement

preoccupied
adj.
absorbed in one’s thoughts; engrossed

preserve
v.
to save; to protect

prestigious
adj.
having status or importance; impressive