Haha! What fun! Question: can one be a pedant sans their own copy of the OED? Anudder query: anyone have an older copy they want to sell *for cheap*? **bg** Crikey! I priced their online access! Phew, bit proud at $350 per year!

Another good place for book prices is www.bookfinder.com.

I've been re-reading Scott's Quentin Durward and was going to start a thread called "Great Scott! What a vocabulary!" but have decided the comments would fit in here. Talk about an archaic expansion of one's wordy arsenal! Of course, many are French or related. Some I knew, some I didn't. I've looked up most of these, but here's just a smattering through about page 200 with simple definitions as best I've found with ltd. resources:

syndie - burgher
guerdon - reward
raillery - banter
murrain - pestilence
spreagh
stoups - debase, bend, swoop
romaunts - a verse, romance
partizan - weapon
carman
malapert - saucy, impudent
condign - deserved, adequate
contumacy - contempt, defiance
gage - gauntlet, glove
astucious - astute
halidome (shades of Star Trek?**bg**)
gambade - horse's leap, caper
rencontre
durst - old past tense of dare
stanch hounds - to stop, allay, or check (in the hunt)
veneril - related to venery - hunting, game, sexual intercourse
curiass - armor, defense, protection
orisons - prayers(?)
scrupling - qualms, 1.3 grams, scruple
tirewoman - I think this must be "attirewoman" as it is used in a context of a maid helping a lady to dress

fain
wert
santon
cockered
devoir - duty
canaille - mob, rabble
fosse
callant
vulnerary
palfrey - which I thought was just a type of saddle, but was a horse, most generally for a lady

There are some other references which I might post later, of proper names and such. Sorry I didn't alphabetise them!

kat