Middlemarch Vocabulary (157 terms)

assizes: a judicial inquest

anodyne: soothes, comforts

anomaly: deviation from the common rule; irregularity

anachronism: political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary, undesirable, and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association

augury: omen; portent

adroit: clever

Apocrypha: 14 books of the Septuagent rejected in Judaism and Protestantism: 11 are from the Roman Catholic Bible

aver: to declare to be true; affirm; assert

almshouse: poor house

aquinas: as in St. Thomas- a thedogian and Philosopher in 1225-1274

abstemious: moderate in eating and drinking

athwart: across

antithesis: a contrast or opposition; as of ideas

acquiesced: to consent without protest

acquiescent: to consent without protest

asceticism: leading a strict life of self denial, especially for religious purposes

aeoliant: of or relating to Aeolus (Greek god of the wind); giving forth or marked by a moaning or sighing sound

bashaw: man of high rank or office

badinage: playful talk, banter

belauded: to praise in excess

benignat: kindly or gracious

bilious: having or appearing to have some ailment of the bile or liver

bijoux: a small dainty, usually an ornamental piece of delicate workmanship and jewel

baronet: a man holding the lowest hereditary British title, below a baron

brusquerie: abrupt and rough manner or speech

coadjutor: an assistant, especially to a bishop

cant: insincere talk, especially when pious

colloquy: a conversation or conference

coruscation: to sparkle or glitter

calyx: the outer of protective leaves or sepals of a flower

conchology: the study of sea mollusks

circumlocution: around about way of saying something

copious: plentiful; abundant

cravats: neck ties

coquetry: to flirt

conviviatity: fond of eating, drinking, and good company; sociable

chicanery: trickery

chiffonier: to make something fluffy using chiffon

calamitous: a great misfortune or disaster

codicil: an addiction to a will

calumny: a false and malicious statement; slander

caste: any exclusive group

catarrh: inflammation of a mucuous membrane, especially one chthat is chronically affecting the human nose and air passages

circuitous: roundabout; indirect

dearth: scarcity or lack of

demisne: to transfer an estate by lease

desultoriness: random

desultory: aimless; disconnected

diastole: the usual rhythmic expansion of the heart

dilettante: one who dabbles in art, literature, in a superficial way

diorama: a scenic display as of 3 dimensional figures against a painted background

dithyramb: a usually short poem in an inspired wild irregular strain

dolorously: sad; sorrowful

duodecimo: twelvemo (the size of a plea of paper cut 12 from a sheet)

dyspeptic: disgruntlement; indigestion

dyspepsia: indigestion; ill humor

guimp: a chemisette or yoke of lace, net or like for fitting the neckline of a low cut dress

galligaskins: very loose trousers

geognosis:

harpagon:

hauteur: showing great pride in oneself and contempt for others

hoyden: a bold boisterous girl; a tomboy

hypochondriacal: having abnormal anxiety over one's health, often imaginary illness

jackanapes: monkey, ape; an imprudent or conceited fellow; saucy child

jejune: lacking nutritive value; not interesting or satisfying

jocose: joking or playful

loobies: an awkward clumsy fellow

lunette: something that has the shape of a half moon

litany: a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by a leader with alternate responses by a congregation

libellous: to make libel against

laboriousness: hard working; doing difficult work

languidly: drooping or flagging down from or as if from exhaustion, weak, sluggish, slow

lymphatic: of or containing lymph; sluggish

legatee: one to whom a legacy is bequeathed

lord: a ruler or master

laggard: a slow person especially one who falls behind

impenitent: without regret, shame or remorse

ignominy: loss of reputation; shame; disgrace

itinerant: a person who travels place to place

irascible: easily angered; hot tempered

impious: not pious, especially lacking regard for God

infelicity: unsuitable; not apt

kapellmeister: a director of choir or orchestra

maceration: to waste away; wear away; to soften or separate

magistrate: an evil officer empowered to administer the law

malediction: a curse

mammon: material wealth or possessions, especially as having influence

martyrdom: to kill or persecute for a belief

melancholy: sadness and depression of spirits

mercurial: having qualities associate with mercury; clever and shrewd

metamorphosed: to change in form

neophyte: a new convert; proselyte; novice

opprobrious: expressing opprobrium or abuse; infamous

odious: disgusting or offensive

obloquy: widespread censure or abuse

opprobrium: the disgrace associated, to shameful contact

phlebotomy: the letting of blood for transfusion, testing, and experimenting; inflammation of a vain

pocket-boroughs: a small town or area - a small group of people

portmanteau: a stiff suitcase that opens into 2 compartments

parochial: of or pertaining to a parish

puerile: childish or silly

palavering: to talk idly or profusely

paroxysm: a sudden attack of disease

propitiate: to win the good will of; appease

pique: resentment at being slighted

plutocracy: government by the wealthy

papist: Roman Catholic

parterre: an ornamental garden with paths between the beds; part of the main floor in the theatre behind the orchestra

pirouetting: a rapid whirling about the body

piqued: arouse anger; irritate

postilion: coachman; one who rides as a guide

pithy: consisting of pith; concise

pelisse: a large cloak or coat made of fur

phials: a small glass bottle; vial

parergon:

piety: the quality or state of being pious as fidelity to natural obligations (as to parents); devoutness

protuberant: thrusting out from a surrounding or adjacent surface; prominent

physiognomies: facial features and expression

prig: one who smugly affects great propriety or morality

primogeniture: the condition of being 1st born to the same parents

phaeton: a light four-wheeled carriage

peelite:

quixotic: foolishly impractical, especially in the pursuit of ideals

rectitude: strict honesty; uprightness of character

reticule: a purse

tic-douloureux: an intense paroxysm neuralgia involving one or more branches of the trigeminal nerves

tete-a-tete: a private conversation between two persons, face to face

salubrity: being healthy

sciolism: a superficial show of learning

somnambulist: a sleepwalker

systole: the usual rhythmic contraction of the heart

scapegrace: one who bears blame for the mistakes at others

suppostions: supposing something

sylph: of a class of imaginary beings supposed to be inhabiting the air

slovenliness: untidy in appearance

subauditum: reading between the lines

superficies: concerned with only the obvious

sallow: a sickly pail yellowish condition

"Sir…": a gentleman

unfathomableness: not capable of being fathomed; immeasurable

vassal: person under protection of a feudal lord to whom he has vowed homage; a feudal tenant

vexations: act of harassing or vexing; troubling

venal: purchasable mercenary

viscera: plural of viscus- internal organ of the body

verdure: greenness of growing vegetables; condition of health or vigor

votary: enthusiast, devotee; devoted admirer

volatility: transitory; difficult to capture and hold permanently; rapidly vaporize

virulent: marked by a rapid, severe, and malignity course (infection)

vitriolic: virulence of feeling or speech; glassy hydrate of sulfur

viscount: below an earl, above a baron

vaudois: waldenses; A Christian sect arising in France in the 12th century

vacillate: hesitate; sway through lack of equilibrium

vicissitudes: being able to change; succession; mutability

whig: political group who wants to increase royal and parliamentary power

wig: head covering; to scold severely

whist: to be silent; card game