Essay, Research Paper: Middlemarch Vocabulary

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