Scrough

a person working on the sidewalk

Scrough

v. intr.
to mindlessly perform a tedious task that nobody will ever notice, required by a bureaucracy that nobody fully owns, in pursuit of outcomes that nobody really wants.

From scrow, to work hard + scroff, useless bits of leftover material + cog, a tiny forgettable element in a complicated machine. Pronounced “skrawg.”

Gaudia Civis

a close-up of a gear

Monachopsis

Cover image for the Monachopsis word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Pâro

Cover image for the Pâro word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Aftergloom

Cover image for the Aftergloom word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Mal De Coucou

a blurry image of several men

Anechosis

Cover image for the Anechosis word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Hemeisis

Cover image for the Hemeisis word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Wenbane

a person standing on a ledge looking at a city skyline

Mimeomia

a person wearing an animal onesie garment

Anthrodynia

Cover image for the Anthrodynia word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Hobsmacked

Cover image for the Hobsmacked word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Anaphasia

Cover image for the Anaphasia word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

The Unsharp Mask

a mirror with a reflection of a person

Innity

a neatly made bed with diffused light glowing

Nyctous

a person walking in the middle of a street

Wytai

Cover image for the Wytai word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Routwash

Cover image for the Routwash word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Latigo

aerial view of a city at night

Future-Tense

a person looking at their reflection

Apolytus

Cover image for the Apolytus word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Moriturism

a person resting in the back seat of a car

Aoyaoia

a person holding a guitar

Midding

Cover image for the Midding word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Heartmoor

a campfire with a kettle many small logs

Heartspur

Cover image for the Heartspur word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Ochisia

Cover image for the Ochisia word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Trueholding

Cover image for the Trueholding word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows