Scarlet Letter Ch. 1-8 Vocab Flashcards
(131 cards)
1
Q
beetle-browed
A
frowning; scowling
[used to describe the upper floor of the jail, which jutted out over the lower floor]
2
Q
ponderous
A
very heavy, massive
3
Q
pertains
A
concerns; has to do with
4
Q
edifice
A
building, especially an important one
5
Q
Ann (or Anne) Hutchinson
A
American religious leader
6
Q
inauspicious
A
not favorable; unlucky
7
Q
physiognomies
A
facial features (especially as in clues to character)
8
Q
indubitably
A
unquestionably
9
Q
Antinomian
A
A member of a Christian sect whose believers hold that faith alone, not obedience to the moral law, is necessary for salvation
10
Q
heterodox
A
departing from the usual beliefs; unorthodox
11
Q
venerable
A
impressive because of age or historic or religious associations
12
Q
farthingale
A
a hoop skirt
13
Q
purport
A
meaning; intention
14
Q
behoof
A
interest; benefit
15
Q
gossips
A
good friends; people who repeat rumors about the private affairs of others
16
Q
trow
A
to believe; to think
17
Q
brave
A
bold; courageous; defiant
18
Q
town beadle
A
a minor official of the court
19
Q
sumptuary
A
intended to regulate extravagance on religious or moral grounds
20
Q
iniquity
A
wickedness; an unjust or unrighteous act
21
Q
ignominous
A
shameful; humiliating
22
Q
haughty
A
proud in a scornful way; arrogant
23
Q
perchance
A
possibly
24
Q
rankles
A
causes anger or resentment
25
serene
calm; peaceful
26
pillory
a device in which a prisoner is locked and exposed to public humiliation
27
gripe
a hold; a grip
28
Papist
a Roman Catholic (often a derogatory term)
29
personages
people of importance or distinction
30
inferred
drawn as a conclusion
31
contumely
insulting rudeness; scorn
32
disdainful
proudly aloof; scornful
33
preturnaturally
beyond what is normally found in nature; supernaturally
34
phantasmagoric
of a rapidly changing series of images
35
remonstrance
an objection; a complaint
36
cloister
a monastery or convent
37
visage
face; facial features
38
manifest
evident; obvious
39
heterogeneous
of different origins; not of the same kind
40
intervolutions
twistings together
41
imperceptible
not easily noticeable
42
wherefore
why; for what reason
43
methinks
it seems to me
44
agone
ago
45
marry
exclamation for emphasis
46
misguidance
poor judgement leading to misconduct
47
conceive
to understand
48
peradventure
possibly; perhaps
49
behooves
is necessary for; is appropriate for
50
sagacity
wisdom; sound judgemenr
51
eminent
distinguished; high in rank or position
52
mien
a person's manner or way of carrying himself/herself
53
withal
besides; in addition
54
tremulous
trembling; quivering
55
effectual
likely to produce a desired result
56
insensibility
unawareness; indifference
57
pervaded
spread throughout
58
type
a perfect example
59
sagamores
chiefs; tribal leaders
60
pirthee
please
61
amenable
responsive; cooperative
62
demeanor
outward behavior
63
intimated
hinted at
64
peremptory
absolute; undeniable; final
65
simples
medicinal herbs
66
repelled
refused to accept
67
misbegotten
of wrongful origin
68
efficacy
effectiveness
69
leech
a physician
70
Lethe nor Nepenthe
according to an ancient Greek myth, drinking water of Lethe, a river in Hades, induced forget fullness. Nepenthe was a drug supposed by the ancient Greeks to cause forgetfulness of sorrow
71
requital
something given in return
72
Paracelsus
Swiss physician and alchemist (1493-1541)
73
expostulation
strong objection
74
bale-fire
bonfire; beacon fire
75
feigned
pretended
76
interpret
to reveal or explain the meaning of
77
ligaments
ties; bonds
78
wottest
know
79
lurid
vivid in a shocking way; sensational
80
annihilate
to destroy completely
81
vivify
to give life to; animate
82
inscrutable
mysterious; not easily understood
83
fain
gladly
84
inquisitorial
harshly prying or questioning
85
repungnance
extreme distaste
86
exhortation
an earnest warning; a strong urging
87
contumaciously
disobediently
88
talisman
an object with magic power; a charm
89
apprehension
anxious feeling about the future
90
mutability
changeability
91
prolific of
likely to bring forth
92
caprice
whim; sudden change of mind
93
inexplicable
that which cannot be explained or understood
94
perverse
different from what is considered right; contrary
95
malicious
spiteful; intentionally harmful
96
intangibility
without physical substance
97
constrained
forced
98
evoked
called forth
99
inviolable
sacred; not to be injured
100
anathemas
strong curses; condemnations
101
reviled
used abusive language toward
102
gesticulation
energetic gesturing
103
freak
an odd or unexpected idea; a whim
104
labrynth
a maze
105
impelled
drove; forced; compelled
106
cabalistic
Secret; mysterious; having to do with a mystical interpretation of scriptures developed in the middle ages
107
imperatively
in a demanding way
108
bond-servants
persons who serve a master without pay; usually in return for passage or other consideration
109
ruffs
high, stiff collars worn by both men and women in the 16th and 17th centuries
110
panopoly
a complete suit of armor
111
Pequod (Pequot) war
the war that took place between the Pequots (an Algonquian people who controlled eastern Connecticut) and the British
112
Bacon, Coke, Noye, and Finch
famous british legal experts
113
eldritch
weird; eerie
114
endue
to put on; to dress in
115
expatiating
explaining in great detail
116
charger
a plate or platter
117
behest
bidding; command
118
reproof
disapproval; censure
119
transgressions
sins; acts that are against the law
120
Lord of Misrule
Master of revels in medieval Christmas celebration, often assisted by young pranksters
121
bedizen
to dress or decorate in s showy way
122
albeit
even though
123
warily
cautiosly
124
nurture
training; upbringing
125
imbibes
drinks in; absorbs
126
indefeasible
cannot be taken away
127
mountebank
one who entertains with jokes or tricks
128
adduced
stated as reasons
129
tithing-men
church officials who collected money to support the church and generally saw to the observance of community rules
130
unobtrusive
inconspicuous; modest
131
averred
declared to be true
