Words

Have meaning

In masonry, we come across a cornucopia of words that are old, obscure and otherwise long forgotten in modern speech. Some you can sort of get their meaning through inference or context, but may miss the more accurate definition and get the benefit of what it is saying.

I’ve sat down and tried to compile a short list of words that you’ve heard many times before in lodge, and looked up the definitions to give proper clarity to what is said.

Cavilling: To raise irritating, trivial objections, to quibble, or to find fault with something unnecessarily. It describes the act of making petty, captious complaints or picking apart minor details to argue a point.

Imbue: A verb that means to inspire, permeate, or fill deeply with a certain feeling, quality, or idea. It often describes something that becomes thoroughly saturated or soaked with an emotion or characteristic.

Vouchsafe: A formal, somewhat old-fashioned verb that means to give, grant, or reveal something to someone, often in a gracious, condescending, or privileged manner. It typically implies that the person bestowing the item or information is doing so from a position of superiority or favor.

Impious: Showing a lack of respect, reverence, or devotion, particularly toward a god, religion, or something sacred.

Equivocation: The deliberate use of ambiguous, vague, or evasive language to conceal the truth or avoid committing to a specific stance.

Pilaster: An architectural element that resembles a flattened column built directly into a wall. It features a base, a vertical shaft (often plain or fluted), and a decorative capital. While primarily ornamental, they can add structural visual weight and are commonly used to frame entryways and fireplaces.

Vicissitudes: Refers to the unexpected changes, fluctuations, or "ups and downs" in life or fortune. While it technically encompasses all unpredictable alterations, the term is most frequently used to describe unwelcome hardships, challenges, or difficulties that are generally beyond our control

I could spend an entire hour on the 2nd degree alone, with its triglyphs, capitals and metopes.

Any words that’s you’ve encountered that you later discovered it’s true meaning?