Saturday, April 21, 2007

Today's English

Atramentous: Inky. Black. Raven. Black as coal. Pitchy.

''His helmet was of old rusty iron, but the vizard was brass, which tainted by his breath corrupted into copperas, nor wanted gall by the same fountain; so that whenever provoked by anger or labor an atramentous quality of most malignant labor was seen to distill from his lips.''
-Jonathan Swift, The Battle of the Books

Thanks to Somaieh for the suggestion.

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