Jansy sent me the difinitions of "lunette" given by COD. When I translated TT, I was
satisfied with the 3rd definition in Webster 2 (as Jansy cited, "the hole in a guillotine for the victim's neck") and did not think about its meaning any more. I confess I did not know the other dictionaries did not give that meaning. I have just found Webster 3 does not have it either! Why did VN choose such rare terms--anide, lunette, kix? Another definition of lunette in Webster 2, "a watch crystal flattened in the center" reminds me of "The entire solar system is but a reflection in the crystal of my (or your) wrist watch" in the last letter from Mr. R. It sounds close to the kix too. But I have no idea about the meaning of the crystal connection.

Akiko

> Concise Oxford Dictionary:
> 1. an arched aperture in a domed ceiling to admit light;
> 2. a crescent-shaped (meniscus? JM ) or semicircular space or alcove which
> contains a painting, statue ( not a Pauline Anide, I $B!- (Bm sure...);
> 3. a watch-glass of flattened shape;
> 4. a ring through which a hook is placed to attach a vehicle to the
vehicle
> towing it;
> 5. a temporary fortification with two faces forming a salient angle, and
two
> flanks;
> 6. RC Church a holder for the consecrated host in a monstrance.
> French diminutive of lune.
> In the Oxford Dic. there is no entry for the "guillotine", as in the
former
> mailing with:  " the hole in the guillotine for the victim $B!- (Bs neck"  by
James
> L. Taylor in the Websters!  ( I wonder why )
>
>