When love flourished in M for medical textbooks – lexis

flourish vb – to grow or develop successfully
M for medical textbooks – a phrase alluding to the indexing system in libraries
manger – an animals’ eating trough
to land a part – to obtain a part (in a play)
the Virgin Mary – ie the main part in the nativity play
nativity play – play re-enacting the birth of Jesus Christ, according to the Christian faith
convent school – a girls’ school run by nuns
bedraggled – the opposite of elegant, indicating that people have been too upset to be able to dress smartly
party – group
fey adj – (literary often disapproving) mysterious and strange, or trying to appear so
irascible formal – easily made angry
dilapidated – in a ruinous state
seedy – rather sordid, rather squalid, shabby,
run-down – in a poor or neglected state (of property)
impoverished – become poor
muddled – confused
come across – discover by chance
to join – to become a member of
poor – bad
unsurpassed – unequalled
the regulars – frequent visitors (eg at a club)
tramp – vagrant
drive someone insane – to make someone very exasperated (literally mad)
eminent – well-known, distinguished
obstetrics – branch of medical science dealing with childbirth
resit an exam – take an exam again
to wander from …. to – to move between
to sigh – to breathe out deeply, denoting weariness
to wipe one’s eyes – to dry one’s tears
hopelessness– impossibility of realising
task – job of work
to exchange glances – to look at each other meaningfully
poky – unpleasantly small and uncomfortable
afford – have the money
There were other crosses for him to bear – he suffered other burdens, too
Aryan – adj – relating to white people from northern Europe (especially those with pale hair and blue eyes, who were believed by the Nazis to be better than members of all other races)
uncomplainingly – stoically
in an alien tongue – in a foreign language
a Burma veteran – an ex-soldier from the Second World War Burma campaign
discharged – released
I was admitted – I was taken in
a stroke of luck – a piece of good fortune
formidable – impressive
stirring – movement
ward – hospital room
expectation – anticipation
bedclothes – bedlinen
to pat vb – to touch gently with a flat hand
tidiness – orderliness, neatness
the morning round – the morning walk around the ward visiting patients
went on – happened
spotless – immaculately clean
flanked by his registrar and his houseman – with his registrar and his houseman on either side
registrar – a doctor of lower rank than a consultant
houseman – a junior doctor who is still training, and who works in a hospital
eager for his every word – keen to hear everything he says
I couldn’t help – I couldn’t prevent myself from
puzzled – unable to understand
retinue – the people who travel with an important person (eg a monarch)