Cataract: At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam´
disease that involves the clouding of the lens of the eye
15
omnibus: ´´On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city, between nine in the morning ...´´
a vehicle carrying many passengers
15
scamper:´´On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city, between nine in the morning and long past midnight, while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains.´´
run or move about quickly or lightly
15
ravage:´´And on Mondays eight servants including an extra gardener toiled all day with mops and scrubbing-brushes and hammers and garden-shears, repairing the ravages of the night before.´´
cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
15
corps:´´At least once a fortnight a corps of caterers came down with several hundred feet of canvas and enough colored lights to make a Christmas tree of Gatsby's enormous garden.´´
an army unit usually consisting of two or more divisions
15
hors d'oeuvre:´´On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors-d'oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys bewitched to a dark gold.´´
a dish served as an appetizer before the main meal
15
harlequin:´´On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors-d'oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys bewitched to a dark gold.´´
a clown or buffoon
15
bewitch:´´On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors-d'oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys bewitched to a dark gold.´´
cast a spell over someone or something
15
cordial:´´In the main hall a bar with a real brass rail was set up, and stocked with gins and liquors and with cordials so long forgotten that most of his female guests were too young to know one from another.´´
strong highly flavored sweet liquor often drunk after a meal
15
piccolo: By seven o'clock the orchestra has arrived--no thin five-piece affair but a whole pitful of oboespiccolo:´´ and trombones and saxophones and viols and cornets and piccolos and low and high drums.´´
a small flute; pitched an octave above the standard flute
15
gaudy:´´the cars from New York are parked five deep in the drive, and already the halls and salons and verandas are gaudy with primary colors and hair shorn in strange new ways and shawls beyond the dreams of Castile.´´
tastelessly showy
15
permeate:´´The bar is in full swing and floating rounds of cocktails permeate the garden outside until the air is alive with chatter and laughter...´´
spread or diffuse through
15
innuendo:´´air is alive with chatter and laughter and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each other's names.´´
an indirect and usually malicious implication
15
erroneous:´´A momentary hush; the orchestra leader varies his rhythm obligingly for her and there is a burst of chatter as the erroneous news goes around that she is Gilda Gray's understudy from the "Follies."´´
containing or characterized by mistakes
15
saunter:´´With Jordan's slender golden arm resting in mine we descended the steps and sauntered about the garden.´´
walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
15
testimony:´´It was testimony to the romantic speculation he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who found little that it was necessary to whisper about in this world.´´
