damage to the pile a pile is a long, heavy timber driven into the ground to support a structure; here, meaning that Gulliver did not want to damage the structural support of the Emperor's palace by stepping in the wrong place.
debauched led astray morally; corrupt; depraved.
declivity a downward slope or sloping, as of a hill.
demesnes lands or estates belonging chiefly to a lord and not rented or let but kept in his hands.
diuretic increasing the excretion of urine.
domestic spectres ghostly servants.
draymen persons whose work involves hauling loads in a dray (a cart).
dugs a female animal's nipples, teats, or udder.
durst dared.
East and West Indies East: Malay Archipelago; especially, the islands of Indonesia; West: the large group of islands between North America and South America; it includes the Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, and the Bahamas.
encomiums formal expressions of high praise.
equipage furnishings; accessories.
espalier a lattice or trellis on which trees and shrubs are trained to grow flat.
expostulate to reason with a person earnestly, objecting to that person's actions or intentions.
express a special messenger; courier.
fortnight a period of two weeks.
fortnight a period of two weeks.
four hundred pounds for a portion The part of a man's money or property contributed by his bride; here, meaning Gulliver's dowry.
frog of the foot a triangular, horny pad in the posterior half of the sole of a horse's hoof.
