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August – grand, magnificent, majestic, inspiring awe or reverence
“He had discovered a secret underground passage between Poshe Hall and the library of Bodkin Castle, and it had given him the idea of playing upon the nerves of his august relative.”
“That Ghostly Xmas Knight”, The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1921
During the short railway journey to Swapshire, Herlock Sholmes plied Baron Battledore with questions.
“Have you any enemies of whom you are aware, your lordship?”
The baron looked surprised.
“Scores,” he replied; “the income-tax officials, the whole Labour Party in the House of Commons, a butler named Spivet, whom I dismissed recently for possessing a whistle — “
“A whistle!” I cried.
“A whistle!” repeated the baron. “He was always whetting it – with my rare old wines!”
“That Ghostly Xmas Knight”, The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1021
Perspicacity – acuteness of sight; keenness of sight; keenness of judgment or understanding
“Plainly our client was perturbed at Sholmes’ perspicacity.”
“The Schwottem Ray”, The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1924
Prosaic – dull, uninteresting, ordinary, commonplace
“The tin whistle lent a necessary touch of romance to what would otherwise have been a prosaic case, my dear Jotson,” [Sholmes] said light-heartedly.
“The Lost Persian”, The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1922
Gauntlets – a glove; specifically in medieval armor, the defensive covering of the hand
“We had not long to wait. There was a clanking of chains and deep groans. Then out of the library stepped an old-time knight, a short length of chain tracing behind one foot. His hands were encased in chain gloves, with gauntlets attached. His face was pale and luminous.”
“That Ghostly Xmas Knight”, The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1921
Attenuated – to make thin or slender; to become thin or slender; to diminish or weaken
“As I turned into Shaker Street, in which my famous detective friend, Herlock Sholmes, and I had our apartments, I saw a long, attenuated figure a little way ahead.”
The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1921
Jocular – jocose (given to jokes and jesting); waggish; merry; given to jesting; joking; humorous; full of fun; said as a joke
She stopped short as a violent peal sounded on the front-door bell.
“An impatient patient, I expect,” I murmured jocularly.
“I’m afraid not, my dear Jotson,” replied Sholmes.
The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1921
Proboscis – an elephant’s trunk, or a long, flexible snout; a person’s nose, humorously so called
“Even my illustrious friend, Herlock Sholmes, evinced a modicum of surprise. I distinctly saw his ears give a slight flap as he paused in the act of conveying a pinch of the best cocaine to his aquiline proboscis.”
The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1924
Evince – to show in a clear manner; to indicate; to manifest; to make evident; to conquer; to overcome
“Herlock Sholmes was silent and pre-occupied as he led the way up from the basement to our apartments. Once in his armchair with his ornate cocaine cask at his elbow, however, he evinced the greatest interest in my scientific discovery.”
The Complete Casebook of Herlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1921
Cognisant – having cognisance (awareness, perception, knowledge); informed (spelled with Zs in American – Cognizant and cognizance)
“So you are astonished to find me so cognisant of your affairs, my dear Jotson?” [Sholmes] said.
The Complete Casebook of HErlock Sholmes, Charles Hamilton, 1921
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