Definition:

1
accolade

• History
• In Medieval England, the accolade was the embrace
  about the neck or the tapping of a sword on the
  shoulders to confer knighthood.

• Definition
• an expression of praise, approval, esteem, or
  honor
• From the common Latin accollare the Italian
  accolata to hug or embrace around the neck

2
conclave

• Definition
• A private gathering of a select group of people
  where discussion is kept secret
• From Latin conclave, a room which may be
  locked com together clavis key

• History
• In church history, dignitaries would meet in
  secret for the purpose of selecting the next
  pope the gathering was surrounded with secrecy
  and known as a papal conclave

3
dirge

• History
• Dirige was the first word of a Roman Catholic
  service called The Office of the Dead. The
  Latin phrase, dirige, dominus meus, in conspectu
  tuo viam meam, comes from Psalm 58, Direct, O
  Lord my God, my way in Thy sight.

• Definition
• A somber song expressing mourning or grief,
  especially at a funeral
• Contraction of the Latin word dirige, meaning
  direct

4
draconian

• Definition
• Extremely harsh or severe, especially in regards
  to rules or punishment
• From the name of the Greek statesman Draco whose
  name meant sharp-sighted and from which we also
  get the word dragon.

• History
• Draco, the Greek statesman, laid down a code of
  laws for Athens around 621 B.C. His laws
  mandated death as punishment for minor crimes.
  They were known as the Draconian Laws.

5
epicurean

• Definition
• Devoted to sensual pleasure and luxury, good food
  especially the philosophy of eat, drink, and be
  merry
• Named for the Greek philosopher Epicurus

• History
• Ironically, the Greek philosopher Epicurus taught
  moderation in all things. He taught that
  pleasure was the highest good but at the cost of
  some pain and, therefore, moderation was the key.
  When the English began to use the word, they
  focused on the single idea of pleasure.

6
gossamer

• Definition
• Fine cobwebs often seen floating in the air or
  covered with dew on the ground
• any delicate gauze-like fabric
• From Old English gos, meaning goose and sumer,
  summer

• History
• In the early days of England the season starting
  in November was called gossamer, or goose
  summer. This was the time when the geese were
  plucked and eaten. This time of the year is when
  silver cobwebs are often found floating in the
  air or in the grass.

7
immolate

• Definition
• To kill an animal or person in ritual sacrifice
  or to commit suicide as an act of protest,
  usually by fire
• From the Latin immolatus, sprinkled with meal

• History
• In ancient days, lambs were often led to
  slaughter as animal sacrifices for the sins of
  the people. Just before making the sacrifice,
  the Romans would sprinkle mola, meal on the
  lamb. The original meaning was often used in
  reference to the sacrifice of Christ.

8
juggernaut

• History
• In Hinduism, Krishna was the chief Hindu deity
  and lord of the world (Jagannath). Each year,
  when the idol of Krishna was dragged through the
  streets of Puri, India, worshippers threw
  themselves beneath the wheels of the cart and
  were crushed in frenzies of devotion.

• Definition
• A relentless, crushing force that is destructive
  and insensitive
• Anything to which someone is blindly enslaved
• From Hindi Jagannath, meaning "lord of the world

9
junket

• History
• In early France, custard was often made and taken
  to market in a basket of rushes, causing the
  custard to eventually take on the name of the
  basket. These baskets suggested a picnic, which
  is probably why the word became associated with
  the hoity-toity excursions of congressmen.

• Definitions
• An expense-paid trip, or excursion, especially
  one made by a politician
• A dessert made with milk and rennet (curds
  whey)
• From the Latin juncus, meaning rush, Middle
  Latin juncata, and later French jonquette,
  meaning rush basket

10
ostracism

• Definition
• Banishment exclusion from society by general
  consent
• From Greek ostrakon, meaning tile or potsherd

• History
• When the ancient Athenians felt a public figure
  was dangerous, the citizens would assemble in the
  market place and vote whether he should be
  banished. They cast their votes on ostrakon if
  6000 were cast, the victim was kept out of state
  for 5-10 years.

11
proletariat

• Definition
• The working class those who earn their living by
  manual labor.
• From the Latin proletarius citizen of the
  lowest class and the Latin proles, offspring,
  progeny.

• History
• In ancient Rome, those who owned no property were
  exempt from taxes and military service. They
  served the state by having children. Marxism
  popularized this term.

12
rigmarole

• History
• The English king Edward I wanted Scotland as a
  vassal kingdom. Since the Scottish kings and
  nobles were in no position to argue the matter,
  they agreed and presented Edward with documents
  of allegiance called ragman roll (1291). The
  documents were composed of mixed and various
  papers and signatures thus the transference of
  meaning to confusion.

• Definition
• A ridiculously complicated procedure an
  irritating, tedious, or confusing sequence of
  tasks a task or statement that seems unnecessary
  or absurd.
• From Old English ragman roll, a long list or
  catalog

13
rubric

• Definition
• A printed title or heading
• A set of printed rules or instructions
• From Old French rubrique, and from Latin rubrica,
  red ochre, red coloring matter.

• History
• In medieval religious services, directions for
  the order of service were often written in red
  writing and found as headings in the book of
  prayer or liturgy.

14
Socratic

• Definition
• Of or relating to Socrates, his philosophy, or
  his method of arriving at the truth.
• From the name of the Greek philosopher Sokrates,
  having safe might.

• History
• The Greek philosopher Socrates (469-399 B.C.)
  used a method of eliciting truth by question and
  answer, inquiry and debate. His teaching methods
  are still used today and often referred to as
  Socratic seminars.

15
sycophant

• Definition
• One who flatters someone in power for personal
  gain a self-seeking flatterer
• From from Latin s?cophanta, informer,
  talebearer and Greek sukophantes, the person
  showing a fig.

• History
• Showing the fig in ancient Greece was a vulgar
  gesture made by sticking the thumb between two
  fingers, a display which vaguely resembles a fig.
  Prominent politicians in ancient Greece
  refrained from such vulgar gestures, but
  privately urged their followers to taunt their
  opponents. The idea of a mean, servile
  flatterer was first recorded in Medieval
  England.