Lost for words

Dictionary.com is a web site with (at least) two nifty features for word-lovers. First, they have a "word of the day" which you can have emailed, and is light-years ahead of a similar service provided by Google. (Today's word from Google is "deadpan". I ask you...) Secondly, you can save words to your account. Currently, I have forty delightful and exotic (to me) words on my "favourites" list.

However, it's been a long time since I perused my collection, and I have an uneasy feeling that my subconscious is telling me something:

dil·a·to·ry [dil-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]
adjective
1.
tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy.
2.
intended to cause delay, gain time, or defer decision: a dilatory strategy.

lucubrate (ˈluːkjʊˌbreɪt) —vb (intr)
to write or study, esp at night
[C17: from Latin lūcubrāre to work by lamplight]
'lucubrator —n

pro·lix  [proh-liks, proh-liks] adjective
1.
extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy.
2.
(of a person) given to speaking or writing at great or tedious length.

cacoethes (ˌkækəʊˈiːθiːz) —n
an uncontrollable urge or desire, esp for something harmful; mania: a cacoethes for smoking
[C16: from Latin cacoēthes malignant disease, from Greek kakoēthēs of an evil disposition, from kakoscaco- + ēthos character]
cacoethic
—adj

am·bi·sin·is·ter [am-bi-sin-uh-ster] adjective
clumsy or unskillful with both hands.

mump·si·mus  [muhmp-suh-muhs]
noun, plural -mus·es for 2.
1.
adherence to or persistence in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc., out of habit or obstinacy (opposed to sumpsimus).
2.
a person who persists in a mistaken expression or practice (opposed to sumpsimus).

Oh dear.

Not only that, while writing the past few posts, I have missed the opportunity of using such words as "chatoyant" and "caliginous".

All is not lost. With Hallowe'en coming up, I may be able to use "horripilate"....