Томас Майн Рид: Лучшие романы Томаса Майна Рида / The Best of Thomas Mayne Reid

sylva – forest

canoe – a light boat, usually with one paddle

phrenological – here: related to a skull; phrenology is a way of judging of a person’s abilities and character from the shape of the skull

oracle – in ancient Greece, a person who asked the gods the questions about the future and gave the answers

myalizm – a kind of local witchcraft

en perdu– frenzy, fury ( French )

neophyte – a person recently converted to some cult or religion

Mohammedans – the followers of Islam

quinteroon – in America, a person who has an African ancestor in the fourth generation

litterateur(s)– writer(s) ( French )

Hecate – in ancient Greek religion, the chief goddess of magic and spell; she is also the goddess responsible for wealth and happiness of daily life

pharmacopoeia – here: substances used for preparing some drug; usually: an official list of medicines and descriptions how to use them

crescendo – a piece of music or voice with gradually increasing of the intensity of sound

exorcism – here: calling out some deity; usually: practice of driving out an evil spirit by prayers or magic

en rapport– in connection with; here: together ( French )

trialogue– a conversation of three persons ( French )

reconnoissance– survey, reconnaissance ( French )

embouchure– entrance, point ( French )

dénouement – here: end (of the affair), outcome ( French )

nicotian – tobacco

shibboleth – speech characteristics, typical for a certain group of people

balustrade – a row of stone or wooden joined balusters round a balcony or terrace

couchant– lying ( French )

sobriquet – a nickname

sans cérémonie– without ceremony ( French )

in propria persona– in person ( Italian )

Niobe – in Greek mythology, a symbol of a bereaved mother; Niobe had twelve children and was too proud of the fact; as punishment for her pride the gods killed her children

Dione – in Greek mythology, a cult partner of Zeus; some authors mention her as the mother of Aphrodite

apostrophe – a passage in a speech or a poem addressed to some definite person; here: a passage

à pied– on foot ( French )

contra-tiempo– incongruous, improper ( Spanish )

felo-de-se – suicide (a legal term)

Lovel – Samuel Lovel (1797–1868), an Irish novelist and painter; he also wrote songs and plays

assize town – a town in which sessions, or sittings, of a court of justice are held

banquette – an upholstered bench standing along the wall

caçadores de cimmarones – here: villains, scoundrels ( Spanish )

ingeniero – here: man ( Spanish )

ingenio – here: estate ( Spanish )

compadre– old chap ( a form of address) ( Spanish )

alcalde(s) – city judge(s) in South America and Spain

dueño– master, owner ( Spanish )

vomito prieto– vomit(ing) ( Spanish )

hombre– man ( Spanish )

Mira – here: Listen! ( Spanish )

un cavallo– a horse ( Spanish )

alforjas – here: trunks, suitcases ( Spanish )

fanfaron– boaster, braggart; here: bragging ( French )

détour– a roundabout way ( French )

Orion – the major and one of the brightest constellations in the sky

penchant– love or inclination for smth/smb ( French )

trousseau– dowry ( French )

couleur de rose– rose colour ( French )

feu-de joie– fire of joy ( French )

syncope – loss of consciousness, fainting

compagnon du voyage– voyage companion ( French )

charybdis – in Greek mythology, the personification of a whirlpool, fatal for shipping

phoenix – in mythology, a bird which burned itself and then rose young from the ashes

Hymen – in Greek mythology, the god of marriage