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Monday 12 November 2012

Entry: verminal (adj.)


In context: "Demapping rats became Lenz's way of resolving internal-type issues for the first couple weeks of it, walking home in the verminal dark." 

Definition: I'm a little surprised this isn't an adjective/inflection of vermin. 


Other: The definitions of vermin (n.) are too good to pass up: 

a. Orig. applied to reptiles, stealthy or slinking animals, and various wild beasts; now, except in U.S. and Austral. (see sense 1b), almost entirely restricted to those animals or birds which prey upon preserved game, crops, etc. †Also in phr. beast of vermin.

Applied to creeping or wingless insects (and other minute animals) of a loathsome or offensive appearance or character, esp. those which infest or are parasitic on living beings and plants; also occas. applied to winged insects of a troublesome nature

SNOOT score: 1
 
Page: 541

Source: Oxford English Dictionary

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