truckle (en)

(verb) to act in a subservient manner; submit / (noun) trundle bed

tsitsith (en)

any of the four tassels or fringes on garments worn by the Jews in remembrance of the commandments

tule fog (en)

Tule fog, named for a sedge grass that populates California's wetlands, is a thick ground fog that periodically blankets the Central Valley during the winter months

tumbrel (en)

(noun) a farm tipcart / (noun) a vehicle carrying condemned persons (as political prisoners during the French Revolution) to a place of execution

tympana (en)

(plural for tympanum) the recessed, usually triangular space enclosed between the horizontal and sloping cornices of a pediment, often decorated with sculpture

typology (en)

a classification according to general type, especially in archaeology, psychology, or the social sciences

ukase (en)

an edict of the Russian government OR an arbitrary command

undulating (en)

(verb) to form or move in waves; fluctuate / (verb) to rise and fall in volume, pitch, or cadence / (verb) to present a wavy appearance / (verb) to cause to move in a wavy, sinuous, or flowing manner

unicameral (en)

(adjective) having or consisting of a single legislative chamber

urubus (en)

black vulture

Uruguay Round (en)

the 8th round of multilateral trade negotiations (MTN) conducted within the framework of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), spanning from 1986 to 1994 and embracing 123 countries as "contracting parties"; led to the formation of the WTO (starting Jan 1 1995) from the ashes of the GATT

vacillate (en)

alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; differs from oscillate in that the rhythm is irregular

valedictory (en)

(adj) serving as a farewell OR (noun) a farewell address

vamps (en)

(in jazz and popular music) a short, simple introductory passage, usually repeated several times

vergers (en)

a person, usually a layperson, who assists in the ordering of religious services, particularly in Anglican churches

verisimilar (en)

having the appearance of truth; likely; probable

versts (en)

(noun) a Russian unit of distance equal to 0.6629 mile (1.067 kilometers)

via dolorosa (en)

the way of grief

viaticum (en)

(noun) the Christian Eucharist given to a person in danger of death / (noun) an allowance (as of transportation or supplies and money) for traveling expenses / (noun) provisions for a journey

vide (en)

(verb imperative) see, consult, refer to

villanelle (en)

(noun) a chiefly French verse form running on two rhymes and consisting typically of five tercets and a quatrain in which the first and third lines of the opening tercet recur alternately at the end of the other tercets and together as the last two lines of the quatrain / (noun) a 16th century Italian part-song in an intentionally unsophisticated style / (noun) an instrumental piece in the style of a rustic dance

virtuosic (en)

from Italian virtuoso; requiring a high level of technical skill

vis a tergo (la)

a force acting from behind (used in cardiology)

viscid (en)

(adjective) having an adhesive quality; sticky / (adjective) having a glutinous consistency; viscous / (adjective) covered with a sticky layer

Visigothic (en)

(noun) a member of the western division of the Goths (nomadic tribes of Germanic peoples known for invading various parts of Europe)