Hiatus

hiatus \hī-ˈā-təs\ noun: 1 a. a break in or as if in a material object; gap {the hiatus between the theory and the practice of the party — J. G. Colton}, b. a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ,
2 a. an interruption in time or continuity; break (especially a period when something, as a program or activity, is suspended or interrupted) {after a 5-year hiatus from writing}, 3. the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound

Etymology: Latin, from hiare to yawn

You may have noticed a hiatus in the entries here. After nearly a year and a half of daily postings, I suddenly and unexpectedly found myself unable to continue. Perhaps one day I’ll have the strength to resume, but in the meantime Sklonklish will remain online as an archive of words and images. If your perusal of these pages gave you even a small fraction of the pleasure I received in presenting these surreal pictures and wonderful words, then Sklonklish was a success.

Flexure

flexure \ˈflek-shər\ noun: 1. the state or quality of being flexed, 2. the act of flexing or bending, 3. a turn, bend or fold, 4. a curve or bend in a tubular organ

Etymology: Latin flexus, past participle of flectere to bend

What’s your flexure?

Métier

métier \ˈme-ˌtyā\ noun: 1. vocation, trade, 2. an area of activity in which one excels; forte

Etymology: French, from Old French mestier, from Vulgar Latin misterium, alteration of Latin ministerium work, ministry

What is your métier?

Blet

blet \ˈblet\ intransitive verb: to decay internally when overripe (said of fruit)

Etymology: neologism of 19th-century botanist John Lindley, from French blette bletted (said of the bruised appearance of overripe fruits)

Some fruits can only be eaten raw after they have undergone some bletting, such as quinces and persimmons.

Shibboleth

shibboleth \ˈshi-bə-ləth\ noun: 1 a. a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning {the old shibboleths come rolling off their lips — Joseph Epstein}, b. a widely held belief {today this book publishing shibboleth is a myth — L. A. Wood}, c. truism, platitude {some truth in the shibboleth that crime does not pay — Lee Rogow},
2 a. a use of language regarded as distinctive of a particular group {accent was a shibboleth of social class — Vivian Ducat}, b. a custom or usage regarded as distinguishing one group from others {for most of the well-to-do in the town, dinner was a shibboleth, its hour dividing mankind — Osbert Sitwell}

Etymology: Hebrew shibbōleth stream, part of a plant containing grains (from the use of this word in Judges 12:5-6 as a test to distinguish Gileadites from Ephraimites)

Wikipedia fleshes out the etymology:

In an account from the Hebrew Bible the pronunciation of the word shibboleth was used to distinguish Ephraimites, whose dialect lacked a sh sound (as the sh in shoe), from Gileadites, whose dialect did include such a sound.

After the inhabitants of Gilead inflicted a military defeat upon the tribe of Ephraim (circa 1370–1070 BC), the surviving Ephraimites tried to cross the Jordan River back into their home territory, but the Gileadites secured the river’s fords to stop them. In order to identify and kill these refugees, the Gileadites put each refugee to a simple test:

“Gilead then cut Ephraim off from the fords of the Jordan, and whenever Ephraimite fugitives said, ‘Let me cross,’ the men of Gilead would ask, ‘Are you an Ephraimite?’ If he said, ‘No,’ they then said, ‘Very well, say shibboleth.’ If anyone said, sibboleth, because he could not pronounce it, then they would seize him and kill him by the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell on this occasion.” — Judges 12:5-6

Vernal

vernal \ˈvər-nəl\ adjective: 1. of, relating to, or occurring in the spring {vernal equinox} {vernal sunshine},
2. fresh or new like the spring, 3. youthful

Etymology: Latin vernalis, alteration of vernus, from ver spring

Vernal venality = corrupt youth.

Venal

venal \ˈvē-nəl\ adjective: 1. capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration; purchasable, 2. open to corrupt influence and especially bribery; mercenary, {a venal legislator},
3. originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery {a venal arrangement with the police}

Etymology: Latin venalis, from venum sale (accusative)

Venal leads to penal.

Tattoo

tattoo \ta-ˈtü\ noun: 1. a rapid rhythmic rapping,
2. a call sounded shortly before taps as notice to go to quarters, 3. outdoor military exercise given by troops as evening entertainment
transitive verb: to beat or rap rhythmically on; drum on
intransitive verb: to give a series of rhythmic taps

Etymology: alteration of earlier taptoo, from Dutch taptoe, from the phrase tap toe! taps shut!

tattoo \ta-ˈtü\ noun: 1. an indelible mark or figure fixed upon the body by insertion of pigment under the skin, 2. the act of marking thusly or the fact of being thusly marked
transitive verb: to mark or color the skin with a tattoo

Etymology: Tahitian tatau tattoo (noun)

Homonyms are two or more words that are spelled and pronounced alike but that differ in meaning. Tattoo in its wildy divergent meanings and etymologies is a striking example of a homonym.

Oxter

oxter \ˈäk-stər\ noun: (chiefly Scottish & Irish) 1. armpit, 2. arm

Etymology: Middle English (Scots), alteration of Old English ōxta; akin to Old English eax axis, axle

Huh? What? Armpit? Really? Hey, Scotland, what’s up with that?

Wing Nut

wing nut \ˈwiŋ-ˌnət\ noun: 1. a nut with wings that provide a grip for the thumb and finger,
2. (slang) a mentally deranged person,
3. (slang) one who advocates extreme measures or changes; radical

First written usage: circa 1900

What is the etymology behind the slang definitions of wing nut? Is it related to the use of the word nut to refer to a crazy or eccentric person?

Profligate

profligate \ˈprä-fli-gət\ adjective: 1. completely given up to dissipation and licentiousness,
2. wildly extravagant; prodigal
noun: a person given to wildly extravagant and usually grossly self-indulgent expenditure

Etymology: Latin profligatus, from past participle of profligare to strike down, from pro- forward, down + -fligare, akin to Greek phlibein to squeeze

This is a word one would rarely wish applied to oneself.

Trenchant

trenchant \ˈtrent-chənt\ adjective: 1. keen; sharp, 2. vigorously effective and articulate {a trenchant analysis}; caustic {trenchant remarks}, 3 a. sharply perceptive; penetrating {a trenchant view of current conditions}, b. clear-cut; distinct {the trenchant divisions between right and wrong — Edith Wharton}

Etymology: Middle English trenchaunt, from Anglo-French

A lot of usage examples for you with this one.

Sclera

sclera \ˈskler-ə\ noun: the dense fibrous opaque white outer coat enclosing the eyeball except the part covered by the cornea

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek sklēros hard

I ate a hard-boiled egg the other day; it wasn’t hard like a sclera, but it looked like an eyeball.