Let's Read it in English: Dictionary

  Standard Abbreviations / Standardabkürzungen

 abbr.   abbreviation / Abkürzung
 adj.     adjective / Eigenschaftswort
 adv.     adverb / Umstandswort
 conj.   conjungation / Konjugation
 coll.    colloquial / Umgangssprachlich
 n.        noun / Hauptwort
 v.         verb / Tätigkeitswort
 v.t.       transitive verb
 e.g.      exempli gratia / zum Beispiel
 et al.    et alibri, et alii / und anderswo, und andere
 i.e.       id est / es ist, das heißt
 sb.       somebody / jemand
 sth.      something / etwas

  Terms / Begriffe

ameliorate:  v. bessern, lindern.
"I felt the greatest eagerness to hear the promised narrative, partly from curiosity and partly from a strong desire to ameliorate his fate if it were in my power."
(Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - Classic)

arable:  adj. urbar.
"As new arable land opened up in the 1820s in Georgia and Alabama, he was able to purchase land and begin his dream."
(They met at Shiloh by Phillip Bryant - Historical)

askance:  adv. misstrauisch, von der Seite.
"I looked askance at him."
(open minds by Susan Kaye Quinn - SF)

augury:  n. Zeichen oder Omen deuten; oder auch die daraus gewonnene Deutung.
"The magistrate observed me with a keen eye and of course drew an unfavourable augury from my manner."
(Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - Classic)

bemused:  adj. 1. verwirrt; 2. abgelenkt; 3. duldsam amüsiert.
"Bemused, Alice turned back to the door, where her grandfather was making his own more sedate way up the porch steps."
(Broken Paper Hearts by Seanan McGuire - Kurzgeschichte / Urban Fantasy)

blithering:  adv. schwafeln, unsinn reden.
"It was very easy to assume that someone who was talking about green-eyed monsters with scythes was also blithering when he talked about potatoes."
(The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams - Humoristisch)

bloodcurdling:  adj. das Blut gefrierend (wörtlich: Blutgerinnend).
"Chewbacca bared his teeth with a bloodcurdling howl, but Baasen's aim didn'waver so much as a millimeter."
(Honor among Thieves by James S. A. Corey - Star Wars Roman)

Brahmin:  n. (coll.) American  mitglied einer intellektuell oder sozial höherstehende Klasse, im Besonderen der Oststaaten.
"None of it made much sense to Nell, but she’d long ago stopped trying to understand Brahmin customs."
(Still life with murder by P. B. Ryan - Historical Mystery)

braggadocio:  n. großmäulig, jemand der Stolz oder Mut vorspiegeln will.
"Even nineteen-year old Lauren Bacall sensed fear beneath his braggadocio."
(Round up the usual suspects by Aljean Harmetz - Sachbuch)

brook:  1. n. Bach; 2. v. (nicht) dulden;
"Alex, here," I said, my tone brooking no argument.
(Priceless by Shannon Mayer - Urban Fantasy)

cajoling:  adj. einschmeichelnd, überredend.
"Rylie’s tone became gently cajoling."
(Beta by SM Reine - Urban Fantasy)

clemency:  n. milde.
"You begged me for clemency once," he called over the dead reaches of the Fold, over the hungry shrieks of the horrors he had made. "Is this your idea of mercy?"
(Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - Fantasy)

compulsory:  adj. vorgeschrieben durch Gesetz oder Reglement.
"As a frontier state where most men served compulsory militia duties in the presence of an outlaw breed spawned by open spaces and anonymity, most families took it for granted that conflict was always a step away."
(They met at Shiloh by Phillip Bryant - Historical)

conjecture:  n. annahme, mutmaßung, spekulation; ehemals: deutung von Vorzeichen.
"I know that some of your people got aced then, and several more just got aired out now. Everything else is conjecture."
(Striper Assassin by Nyx Smith - SF)

copacetic:  adj. sehr zufriedenstellend, in Ordnung.
"Anyone looking in at us from the outside would think things are copacetic. A mother making breakfast for her two sons."
(The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon - YA)

crumpet:  n. 1. Britische Pfannkuchenart; 2. sexuell begehrenswerte Frau.
"Even Beryl was bitter. A week ago the youngest of the builders in a clumsy attempt to chat up Anna had said, 'Is this all the crumpet? Just you and that bossy-boots secretary?' "
(Under Contract by Liza Cody - Krimi)

curry:  n. gewürzpulver, würzen mit -; vt. 1. striegeln (bei Pferden); 2. leder behandeln (mit öl); 3. mit aufmerksamkeiten oder komplimenten jemandes gunst gewinnen wollen.
"We must curry favor among the masses."
(Beta by SM Reine - Urban Fantasy)

dalliance:  n. 1. romantisches-, erotisches intermezzo; 2. eine bedeutungslose beschäftigung mit einer sache.
"They were good only for dalliances and affairs."
(Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn - Steampunk Fantasy)

destitute:  adj. 1. extreme armut; 2. etwas benötigtes oder wünschenswertes missen.
The title Henreid wanted was Naked in Four Countries, "because I was destitute every time I moved from one country to another," he said.
(Round up the usual suspects by Aljean Harmetz - Sachbuch)

detritus:  n. müll,  überbleibsel.
"Copyediting is necessary because it chisels away the detritus from your masterpiece."
(Don't fear the reaper by Blake Atwood - Sachbuch)

doldrums:  n. 1. niedergeschlagen, depressiv; 2. windstill; 3.gewöhnlich windstille Gegend im Ozean.
"What he needed was some music, someting upbeat to drive home to and shake away the doldrums."
(Summer on Lovers' Island by Donna Alward - Contemporary Romance)

doting:  adj. 1. über die maßen aufmerksam, fürsorglich, und unkritisch; 2. Senil.
"Paula was a doting mother. She chose to raise her own children despite being a woman of means and preferred to spend hours with them rather than enjoying a life of limited luxury."
(They met at Shiloh by Phillip Bryant - Historical)

dudgeon:  n. 1. holz mit welchem früher ein Dolchheft versehen wurde bzw, ein Dolch mit eben solchem Heft; 2. (mit high) groll, empörung.
"Trust you for that! Well, hang those dresses carefully up in your closet, and then sit down and learn the Sunday school lesson. I got a quarterly from Mr. Bell for you and you'll go to Sunday school tomorrow," said Marilla, disappearing downstairs in high dudgeon.
(Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery - Jugendbuch)

effervescence:  n. überschäumend, lebhaft.
"She laughed at my sudden Irish effervescence."
(The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle - Abenteuerroman)

ephebic:  adj. jugendlich; von "Ephebus" bezeichnung für einen jungen Erwachsenen Athener im Training oder in vollem Bürgerrecht. Wertham verwendet den Begriff vermutlich im Sinne von "Athletisch".
"Robin is a handsome ephebic boy, usually shown in his uniform with bare legs. He is buoyant with energy and devoted to nothing on earth or in interplanetary space as much as to Bruce Wayne."
(Seduction of the Innocent by Fredric Wertham, MD. - Sachbuch)

flouting:  adj. bewusste missachtung.
"And if we’re caught before my birthday, the Queen will throw you out of the embassy simply to spite me for flouting her rules."
(Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn - Steampunk Fantasy)

frizz:  v. sich kräuseln.
"Sophie's hair frizzed."
(Howl's moving castle by Diana Wynne Jones - Fantasy)

gadding:  adj. sich herumtreiben.
"She thought of herself making making hats for Fanny while Fanny went gadding."
(Howl's moving castle by Diana Wynne Jones - Fantasy)

gainsay:  v. etwas bestreiten, dagegen reden.
"Away, I shall be conscious that these friends love me, and none can then gainsay the pure attachment which chiefly clings to them because they knew and loved you—because I knew them when with you, and I cannot think of them without feeling your spirit beside me."
(The Life and Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley by Florence A. Thomas Marshall - Biography)

gamine:  n. 1. mädchen dass sich auf der Straße herumtreibt; 2. junges, neckisches Mädchen; 3. von knabenhafter Gestalt (attraktiv).
"She was a curly-haired gamine, ghosting through the hawthorn hedge that bordered the main path."
(The very best of Charles de Lint by Charles de Lint - Urban Fantasy)

glissading:  v. auf Beinen oder Hintern einen Hang hinabschlittern/rutschen (Tomb Raider Style).
"As a kid, glissading down steep, snow-covered mountain slopes had been an upgrade in difficulty and fun to simply sledding."
(Night Broken by Patricia Briggs - Urban Fantasy)

gormless:  adj. (coll.) British  einfältig, närrisch.
"Moon had a sweet smile. But if this were a story, you’d describe it as “gormless”, she thought."
(Sweet Disorder by Rose Lerner - Historical Romance)

heath:  n. 1. offene, wenig bewachsene Landfläche; 2. Heidekraut.
"At least there weren’t too many trees in this part of St. Leonard’s Forest: despite the name, it was more of a blackened heath."
(Poor child of death and doubt, Sweet Disorder Bonus Story by Rose Lerner - Paranormal Romance)

hamstrung:  v.t. beinträchtigt, gelähmt.
"It sounds like you're even more hamstrung than I thought you were."
(On Basilisk Station by David Weber - SF)

inculcate:  v. etwas durch wiederholung einprägen.
"I guess it doesn't matter what a person's name is as long as he behaves himself," said Marilla, feeling herself called upon to inculcate a good and useful moral.
(Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery - Jugendbuch)

incumbent:  adj. 1. obliegend; 2. amtierend.
"He held the door as the servant pushed the incumbent Tory MP’s daughter through in her wheelchair and then lifted her out of it so Jack could carry the chair down the short flight of stairs."
(Poor child of death and doubt, Sweet Disorder Bonus Story by Rose Lerner - Paranormal Romance)

intestate:  adj. ohne Testament.
"More interestingly, that they were the inheritance of Claudia Leonardo, Guzzardi's granddaughter, stabbed to death and dead intestate."
(Wilful Behaviour by Donna Leon - Crime)

inure:  v.t. an etwas (negatives) gewöhnen.
"War is a very boring enterprise. I’m inured."
(Poor child of death and doubt, Sweet Disorder Bonus Story by Rose Lerner - Paranormal Romance)

irascible:  adj. erregbar, reizbar.
Hal Wallis told his biographer that Curtiz was the most cantankerous of the Warner Bros. directors, that he fought with everyone, and that a day on a Curtiz set seemed to be nothing but quarrels and irascibility.
(Round up the usual suspects by Aljean Harmetz - Sachbuch)

lenient:  adj. nachsichtig.
"He paused, for indeed it had crossed his mind that not confining her to this room could be unwise. But as he kept little in the house of military importance, he had decided to be lenient."
(Shades of Gray  by Jessica James - Historical Romance)

lest:  conj. in etwa dem deutschen "nicht dass" gleich.
"That night they cut up and removed the bodies, not to eat—for the poison was still active—but lest they should breed a pestilence."
(The Lost World  by Arthur Conan Doyle - Abenteuerroman)

mac:  abbr. (coll.) British  Mackintosh / Britischer Regenmantel, benannt nach seinem Erfinder.
"I was foolish enough to ask if I could have a new mac."
(Oranges are not the only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson - Autobiographischer Roman)

malfeasance:  n. vergehen, speziell dienstvergehen.
"Security droids wandered the park day and night, looking for malfeasance."
(Honor among Thieves by James S. A. Corey - Star Wars Roman)

moiety:  n. gleiche Hälfte.
"Against the which a, moiety competent was gaged by our king;"
(Hamlet by William Shakespeare - Drama)

nascent:  adj. aufkeimend, entstehend.
"Simon seemed to think the library was the perfect spot to practice my nascent mind control skills."
(open minds by Susan Kaye Quinn - SF)

né / née:  adj. geborener, geborene.
"It was, in short, a dump, and was likely to remain so for as long as it remained in the custody of Mr Svlad, or "Dirk", Gently, né Cjelli."
(The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams - Humoristisch)

ornery:  adj. (coll.) American störrisch, widerspenstig.
"Or maybe he was simply taking on the characteristics of an ornery Rebel."
(Shades of Gray  by Jessica James - Historical Romance)

paean:  n. Lobgesang.
"This epic story of money, power and a man's struggle to succeed on his own terms is a paean to individualism and humanity's creative potential."
(zu Ayn Rands The Fountainhead - Classic)

peccadillo:  n. kleines Vergehen.
"So if I keep your secret, Master Tressilian, you may look sweet on me at last; and were I to want a little backing or countenance, being caught, as you see the best of us may be, in a sort of pecadillo--."
(Kenilworth by Sir Walter Scott - Classic)

phlebotomist:  n. Phlebologe (auch Venenspezialist), auf die Entnahme und Untersuchung von Blut spezialisiert.
"People were moving inside even though it was far too late for humans to be at work. These wouldn’t be phlebotomists or nurses, but guards."
(Pas by SM Reine - Urban Fantasy)

pleather:  n. Leder nachempfundener Überzug aus Polyurethan.
"Leaning back into the pleather seats I stared up at the battered ceiling of the cruiser."
(Priceless by Shannon Mayer - Urban Fantasy)

proclivity:  adj. neigung, hang.
"I have found the enemy’s proclivity for gallantry makes them most accommodating in that fashion."
(Shades of Gray  by Jessica James - Historical Romance)

punctilious:  adj. pedantisch, peinlich genau.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Captain Merker," the lieutenant replied with punctilious courtesy.
(On Basilisk Station by David Weber - SF)

quick:  adj. 1. lebendig, lebend; 2. schnell.
"'tis for the dead, not for the quick; therefore thou liest."
"'tis a quick lie, sir; 'twill away again, from me to you."
(Hamlet by William Shakespeare - Drama)

quip:  n. Scherz, geistreiche Bemerkung.
"He must have been Greek. That’s so very melodramatic, and very Greek," Zoe quipped, making Elena smile. "It is. Greeks are like that."
(No good deed by Mary D. Brooks - Romance)

rapprochement:  n. (wieder-) annäherung, aufnehmen freundschaftlicher Beziehungen zwischen ehemaligen Gegnern.
"Perhaps a rapprochement with his ex?"
(Striper Assassin by Nyx Smith - SF)

rote:  n. 1. menge, meute; 2. aus dem Gedächtnis, auswendig.
"Details like that, the names of junior staff members, are what he pays Enoshi to know and to know by rote, as if written into his soul."
(Striper Assassin by Nyx Smith - SF)

salient:  adj. wichtig oder auffällig; wörtlich: herausspringend.
"The forensic chaps glanced at it, took in its salient points and liked them."
(The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams - Humoristisch)

segue:  n. überleitung.
"Do segues need to be written?"
(Don't fear the reaper by Blake Atwood - Sachbuch)

sequestered:  adj. isoliert, versteckt.
"This was where mementos of her father were sequestered away."
(Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn - Steampunk Fantasy)

slovenly:  adj. nachlässig, schludrig.
"I asked that slovenly fellow's name, and you only told me his profession."
(Kenilworth by Sir Walter Scott - Classic)

spavined:  adj. krank, (allgemein) altersschwach.
"Gunther snapped the reins and the spavined farm horse started off."
(The Wolf's Hour by Robert R. McCammon - Horror)
 
spruce:  n. 1. fichte; 2. schmuck, adrett.
"He was all spruce and dashing, scented gently with apple blossom."
(Howl's moving castle by Diana Wynne Jones - Fantasy)
 
stoked:  v. 1. geschürt; 2. begeistert.
"Yeah, looks great," Deirdre said without really looking at it. "You must be stoked."
(Omega by SM Reine - Urban Fantasy)

sublime:  adj. erhaben, ehrfurchtgebietend (in der Kunst auch für "das Göttliche" stehend).
"They materialized out of the darkness, these sublime apparitions, only to dissolve back into it as the coachman’s lantern swung past."
(Still life with murder by P. B. Ryan - Historical Mystery)

truant:  adj. 1. unentschuldigte Abwesenheit; 2. untätigkeit, müßiggang.
"A truant disposition, good my lord."
(Hamlet by William Shakespeare - Drama)

veracity:  n. wahrheit/faktische richtigkeit.
"The veracity of that extraneous bit of trivia gave her small comfort, for it did nothing to lessen the impact of the night’s bitter weather."
(The very best of Charles de Lint by Charles de Lint - Urban Fantasy)

vernacular:  adj. Sprache oder Sprachgebrauch spezifisch für Ort, Region oder Klasse.
"So, I didn't know such vernacular was in your vocabulary."
(Summer on Lovers' Island by Donna Alward - Contemporary Romance)

vetting:  v. (jemandes hintergrund) überprüfen.
"Rumor has it that Stark’s vetting a Beta to replace Sancho," Niamh said.
(Omega by SM Reine - Urban Fantasy)

vintner:  n. weinhändler.
"Colbert sounded a lot more like a TV newscaster than the eighteenth-century vintner he had once been.
(Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs - Urban Fantasy)

wainscoting:  n. Täfelung im unteren Wanddrittel/Sockelleiste oder andere Farbausführung im unteren Wanddrittel.
"The wainscoting was white, the wallpaper gold, the carpet a lush blue."
(Omega by SM Reine - Urban Fantasy)

woolgathering:  n. Tagträumen.
“Lily?” 
Jen’s voice pulled her out of her woolgathering and she forced a smile. “Sorry?”
(Her lone cowboy by Donna Alward - Romance)

 

   Sayings & Expressions / Sprüche & Redewendungen

 

besetting sin: besondere Schwäche. (Wörtlich: belagernde Sünde)
"Curiosity is truly my besetting sin."
(Night Calls by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel - Fantasy)

by the bye: Übrigens. (Wörtlich: Bei / Nahe dem Abschied - Wird häufig als Ein- / Überleitung zu einem vom Thema abweichendend Schlusswort verwendet)
"By the bye, I heard that you are keeping your promise to Trelawny, and that in due time he will be blessed with a namesake."
(The Life and Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley by Florence A. Thomas Marshall - Biography)

to eat carp-pie: Nörgelei/Kritik über sich ergehen lassen. (Wörtlich: Karpfen Pastete essen)
"The maid watched Phoebe curiously to see if she’d make her sister eat carp-pie."
(Sweet Disorder by Rose Lerner - Historical Romance)

Job's comfort: Etwas das tröstlich gemeint sein kann aber entmutigt. (Im Deutschen etwa: Eine Hiobsbotschaft / Job = Hiob)
This Job's comforting seemed neither to offend nor to alarm Marilla.
(Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery - Jugendbuch)

to keep an weather eye (on sth/sb): Jemand oder etwas im Auge behalten, auf Veränderungen achten. (Wörtlich: Ein Wetter Auge auf jemand/etwas halten)
Mace can in hand, she kept a weather eye on the woman screaming on the floor, but most of her attention was on the battle her father was losing.
(Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs - Urban Fantasy)

to kiss your teeth: Ärger oder Unwillen zum Ausdruck bringen in dem zwischen leicht geöffneten Lippen Luft durch die geschlossenen Zähne gezogen wird. (Wörtlich: Seine Zähne küssen) - Full explanation
"Back soon," I say to my mom.
She kisses her teeth and turns away.
(The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon - YA)

long shot: 1. Ungewiss, von geringer Wahrscheinlichkeit; 2. bei weitem nicht, lange nicht. (Wörtlich: Ein Fernschuss)
"Does it help?" she asked.
"It's not enough, by a long shot."
(Still life with murder by P. B. Ryan - Historical Mystery)

on the wagon/off the wagon: Vom Alkohol lassen/(wieder) an der Flasche hängen. (Wörtlich: auf dem Wagen/vom Wagen)
"Some of us we try to climb up the side of the wagon but we keep falling off."
(The very best of Charles de Lint by Charles de Lint - Urban Fantasy)

to raze (sth.) to the ground:  Etwas dem Erdboden gleich machen.
"You may start seeing unnecessary trees within your forest of words, but you don’t want to raze to the ground what you’ve toiled so hard to grow."
(Don't fear the reaper by Blake Atwood - Sachbuch)

to run the gauntlet:  Spießrutenlauf. (Wörtlich etwa: gegen/durch den Fehdehandschuh rennen)
"Maria made arrangements for them to leave by hydrocopter from the roof, so they didn’t have to run the gauntlet with the changelings in tow."
(open minds by Susan Kaye Quinn - SF)

sleight of hand: Taschenspielertrick/Fingerfertigkeit. (Wörtlich: Schläue/Geschicklichkeit der Hand)
"His magic wasn’t sleight of hand, it was real."
(Queen of Hearts by Kristen Painter - Paranormal Romance)

playing possum: Sich tot stellen. (Wörtlich: Opossum spielen)
"You’re welcome to try it,” he said. “I won’t let you play possum this time."
(Omega by SM Reine - Urban Fantasy)
 
you can not have your cake and eat it: Man kann nicht beides haben. (Wörtlich: Du kannst deinen Kuchen nicht Essen und behalten)
"Conrad Veidt's files manage to have their cake and eat it too. Veidt is accused of having pro-Axis leanings and of being associated with fervent anti-Fascists."
(Round up the usual suspects by Aljean Harmetz - Sachbuch)

the works: Alles was dazu gehört. (Wörtlich: Die Arbeiten)
"Red, white, and blue decorations appeared all week: flags, bunting, flowers, the works."
(Summer on Lovers' Island by Donna Alward - Contemporary Romance)