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: drinking buddy

burgeoning: it means “flowering”, not “expanding”

clamour for reform: call
come to heel

erstwhile: former

for: because
garlanded for awarded honours
girding: preparing (It's short for "gird up your loins", from the Bible.)

harbour (v): plays host to
ill-gotten gains: illegal profits

imbibe: drink


in thrall to: enslaved by
joust: duel (a few centuries nearer our own time)
lest: in case
lot: fate, situation ( bewailing her lot)

nigh-on: near
oft: often


pay heed: pay attention
penchant: yen
pique the curiosity: arouse
plaudits: applause
plight: condition


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: offspring

smacks of: sounds like 

take X to task
very: the same, the actual, actually etc
well-nigh: nearly
youngster: youth

More here.