Archaic Words II

When people write obituaries, or letters to The Times, they come over all archaic. When did you last fight in a joust or meet a thrall?

abuzz
aflutter
alas!
aloft
amiss
apace
aplenty
boon companion
burgeoning (it means “flowering”, not “expanding”)
clamour for reform (call)
come to heel
erstwhile
for (because)
garlanded for awarded honours
girding (preparing) It's short for "gird up your loins", from the Bible
harbour (v)
ill-gotten gains
imbibe
in thrall to (enslaved by)
joust
lest lot (fate, situation - bewailing her lot)
nigh-on oft
pay heed
penchant
pique the curiosity
plaudits (applause)
plight
pocket handkerchief sized (When did you last hear someone say "pocket handkerchief" – or see anyone using a handkerchief?)
rollicking, rambunctious, rumbustious, ruckus, romp (Why use these antique pseudo-rural words, and why do they all begin with R?)
save the day (jousting? medieval war?)
scion
smacks of
take X to task
very (heat was in the very sod. Try the same, the actual, actually etc)
well-nigh
youngster

More here.