The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne English III Glossary and Vocabulary

Chapter I beetle-browed (adj): frowning; scowling *ponderous (adj): very heavy; massive *pertains (v): concerns; has to do with *edifice (n): a building, esp. a large imposing one Ann (or Anne) Hutchinson: American religious leader ( ) *inauspicious (adj): not favorable; unlucky

Chapter II physiognomies (n): facial features, esp. as clues to character *indubitably (adj): unquestionably Antinomian (n): a member of a Christian sect whose believers hold that faith alone, not obedience to the moral law, is necessary for salvation

Chapter II heterodox (adj): departing from the usual beliefs; unorthodox *venerable (adj): impressive because of age or historic or religious associations farthingale (n): a hoop skirt purport (n): meaning; intention behoof (arch. n): interest; benefit

Chapter II gossips (n): good friends (arch.); people who repeat rumors about the private affairs of others trow (arch. v): to believe; to think brave (adj): bold; courageous; defiant Town beadle (n): a minor official of the court sumptuary (adj): intended to regulate extravagance on religious or moral grounds

Chapter II *iniquity (n): wickedness; an unjust or unrighteous act *ignominious (adj): shameful; humiliating *haughty (adj): proud in a scornful way; arrogant perchance (arch. adv): possibly rankles (v): causes anger or resentment serene (adj): calm; peaceful

Chapter II pillory (n): a device in which a prisoner is locked and exposed to public humiliation gripe (n): a hold; a grip Papist (n): a Roman Catholic (often a derogatory term) personages (n): people of importance or distinction *inferred (v): drawn as a conclusion

Chapter II contumely (n): insulting rudeness; scorn *disdainful (adj): proudly aloof; scornful preternaturally (adv): beyond what is normally found in nature; supernaturally phantasmagoric (adj): of a rapidly changing series of images *remonstrance (n): an objection; a complaint cloister (n): a monastery or convent

Chapter III *visage (n): face; facial features *manifest (adj): evident; obvious heterogeneous (adj): of different origins; not of the same kind intervolutions (n): twistings together *imperceptible (adj): not easily noticeable wherefore (arch. conj.): why; for what reason insensibility (n): unawareness; indifference

Chapter III methinks (arch. v): it seems to me agone (arch. adj): ago marry (arch. itj.): exclamation for emphasis misguidance (n): poor judgment leading to misconduct conceive (v): to understand peradventure (arch. adv): possibly; perhaps behooves (v): is necessary for; is appropriate for

Chapter III *sagacity (n): wisdom; sound judgment *eminent (adj): distinguished; high in rank or position mien (n): a person’s manner or way of carrying himself or herself withal (adj): besides; in addition *tremulous (adj): quivering; trembling *effectual (adj): likely to produce a desired result

Chapter IV *pervaded (v): spread throughout type (n): a perfect example sagamores (n): chiefs; tribal leaders prithee (arch. Itj): please *amenable (adj): responsive; cooperative *demeanor (n): outward behavior *intimated (v): hinted at wottest (arch. v): know

Chapter IV *peremptory (adj): absolute; undeniable; final simples (arch. n): medicinal herbs repelled (v): refusal to accept misbegotten (adj): of wrongful origin *efficacy (n): effectiveness leech (arch. n): physician Lethe nor Nepenthe: According to an ancient Greek myth, drinking the water of Lethe, a river in Hades, induced forgetfulness. Nepenthe was a drug supposed by the ancient Greeks to cause forgetfulness of sorrow.

Chapter IV requital (n): something given in return Paracelsus: Swiss physician and alchemist ( ) expostulation (n): strong objection bale-fire (n): bonfire; beacon fire *feigned (v): pretended interpret (v): to reveal or explain the meaning of ligaments (n): ties; bonds

Chapter V *lurid (adj): vivid in a shocking way; sensational *annihilate (v): to destroy completely vivify (v): to give life to; animate *inscrutable (adj): mysterious; not easily understood fain (arch. adv): gladly inquisitorial (adj): harshly prying or questioning

Chapter V *repugnance (n): extreme distaste *exhortation (n): an earnest warning; a strong urging contumaciously (adv): disobediently *talisman (n): an object with magic power; a charm

Chapter VI *apprehension (n): anxious feeling about the future *mutability (n): changeability prolific of (adv): likely to bring forth *caprice (n): whim; sudden change of mind *inexplicable (adj): that which cannot be explained or understood *perverse (adj): different from what is considered right; contrary

Chapter VI *malicious (adj): spiteful; intentionally harmful intangibility (n): without physical substance *constrained (v): forced *evoked (v): called forth *inviolable (adj): sacred; not to be injured anathemas (n): strong curses; condemnations

Chapter VI *reviled (v): used abusive language toward gesticulation (n): energetic gesturing freak (n): an odd or unexpected idea; a whim labyrinth (n): maze

Chapter VII *impelled (v): drove; forced; compelled cabalistic (adj): secret; mysterious; having to do with a mystical interpretation of scriptures developed in the Middle Ages *imperatively (adv): in a demanding way bond servants (n): persons who serve a master without pay, usually in return for passage or other consideration

Chapter VII ruffs (n): high, stiff collars worn by both men and women in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries panoply (n): a complete suit of armor Pequod (Pequot) War: a war that took place between the Pequots, an Algonquian people who controlled eastern Connecticut, and the British

Chapter VII Bacon, Coke, Noye, and Finch: famous British legal experts eldritch (adj): weird; eerie

Chapter VIII endue (arch. v): to put on; to dress in expatiating (v): explaining in great detail charger (arch. n): a plate or platter [In the Bible, Salome demands and gets the head of John the Baptist on a charger—Mark 6:21-28.] possible Biblical allusion? *behest (n): bidding; command reproof (n): disapproval; censure

Chapter VIII *transgressions (n): sins; acts that are against the law Lord of Misrule: master of revels in medieval Christmas celebrations, often assisted by young pranksters bedizen (arch. V): to dress or decorate in a showy way albeit (conj): even though

Chapter VIII warily (adv): cautiously nurture (n): training; upbringing *imbibes (v): drinks in; absorbs indefeasible (adj): that cannot be taken away mountebank (n): one who entertains with jokes or tricks *adduced (v): stated as reasons

Chapter VIII tithing-man (n): church officials who collected money to support the church and generally saw to the observance of community rules unobtrusive (adj): inconspicuous; modest averred (n): declared to be true

Chapter IX appellation (n): a name vindicate (v): to lay claim to; to establish possession of consigned (v): sent, esp. to an undesirable place or position chirurgical (arch. adj): surgical physic (arch. n): medical science Elixir of Life: substance supposedly able to cure all diseases

Chapter IX pharmacopoeia (arch. n): stock of medicines *exemplary (adj): 1. serving as a model; worth imitating 2. serving as a warning parochial (adj): having to do with affairs of the parish; local *emaciated (adj): abnormally lean, as from starvation or illness

Chapter IX *imminent (adj): likely to happen very soon providential (adj): showing the guidance of God despondent (adj): lacking in hope; pessimistic *importunate (adj): annoyingly persistent; insistent

Chapter IX *celibacy (n): the state of being unmarried, esp. that of a person under a vow not to marry *emissary (n): a person sent on a special mission; an agent

Chapter X Bunyan’s awful doorway: the gates of Hell in John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress *premeditated (adj): planned beforehand *inimical (adj): hostile; in opposition *potency (n): effectiveness; strength forebode (v): to predict; to foretell perforce (adv): necessarily propagate (v): to breed

Chapter X penitential (adj): expressing sorrow at having sinned Providence (n): the guidance or direction of God child’s play (n): usually, an easy task; text, foolish or childish behavior imbued (v): saturated; filled *palliate (v): to make seem less serious or offensive somniferous (adj): sleep inducing

Chapter XI forlorn (adj): abandoned; miserable machinations (n): schemes of evil intent abstruse (adj): hard to understand unamiable (adj): usually, unfriendly; text, cold or stiff *veneration (n): profound respect *abomination (n): something hateful and disgusting

Chapter XI *hypocrite (n): one who pretends to be what he/she is not put a cheat upon (v): deceive *introspection (n): examination of one’s own thoughts and feelings ethereal (adj): not earthly; heavenly deluded (v): deceived; fooled *impalpable (adj): not perceptible to the touch; too subtle to be grasped by the mind

Chapter XII somnambulism (n): sleepwalking obscure (adj): dark and murky catarrh (n): inflammation of the nose or throat *expiation (n): atonement luminary (n): something that gives off light; a person who enlightens mankind

Chapter XII defunct (adj): no longer alive torpid (adj): without sensation; sluggish *scurrilous (adj): coarse; vulgar

Chapter XIII *pristine (adj): pure; unspoiled; of an earlier condition morbid (adj): usually, gruesome; text, unwholesome, resulting from a diseased state of mind; resulting from disease *pestilence (n): infectious disease *calamity (n): a disaster; an extreme misfortune

Chapter XIII *despotic (adj): like an absolute ruler or tyrant auspicious (adj): favorable; promising well for the future

Chapter XIV accosted (v): approached and spoke to *extort (v): to get by force or threats propinquity (n): nearness casual (adj): not planned; incidental

Chapter XV sedulous (adj): hardworking; diligent *deleterious (adj): harmful to health or well- being malignant (adj): very dangerous nightshade, dogwood, and henbane: types of plants (nightshade and henbane are poisonous; all three were supposedly used in witches’ potions)

Chapter XV nuptial (adj): marital wrought upon (v): prevailed upon wrought out (v): produced horseshoe (n): horseshoe crab five-fingers (n): a starfish hornbook (n): a tablet used for teaching spelling capricious (adj): changeable; flighty

Chapter XV unwonted (adj): unusual; unaccustomed *enigma (n): something or someone that is puzzling or seems impossible to explain *propensity (n): inclination beneficence (n): doing good; kindness *asperity (n): sharpness; harshness of temper

Chapter XVI Apostle Eliot: John Eliot ( ) came to Boston in 1630 and preached to the American Indians in their own languages scrofula (n): usually, a noncontagious form of tuberculosis; text, symbolizing “troubles” children inherit from parents and ancestors wanted (v): lacked; had need of

Chapter XVI *loquacity (n): excessive talkativeness *lamentation (n): an outward expression of grief repining (adj): unhappy; complaining vivacious (arch. adj): hard to kill; long-lived

Chapter XVII wonted (arch. adj): accustomed contiguity (n): nearness *misanthropy (n): dislike or distrust of people *transfiguration (n): a radical change in form or appearance *consecration (n): holiness; sacredness cumber (v): to interfere with; to hamper

Chapter XVIII colloquy (n): serious conversation; a formal discussion earnest (n): a pledge; a token *solace (n): consolation; comfort *stigma (n): a mark or sign of disgrace effluence (n): a flowing forth familiar (adj): easy and informal choleric (adj): quick-tempered

Chapter XIX *inured (adj): accustomed to something painful or difficult mollified (v): soothed; pacified *inevitable (adj): certain to happen

Chapter XX *vicissitude (n): unforeseeable change Spanish Main (n): the Caribbean and its coastal areas irrefragable (adj): indisputable comport (v): to behave obeisance (n): a respectful attitude; deference instilment (n): putting in drop by drop buckrammed (arch. adj): very stiff and formal

Chapter XXI betimes (arch. adv): early; promptly plebian (adj): of the ordinary people wormwood and aloes: bitter herbs effervescence (n): high-spiritedness *affliction (n): something causing pain and distress; a misfortune countenanced (v): indulged; permitted gleeman (arch. n): a medieval minstrel

Chapter XXI Merry Andrew (n): clown quarterstaff (n): a stout, iron-tipped staff, used as a weapon aqua-vitae (n): brandy depredations (n): acts of robbery or plundering *probity (n): integrity unbenignantly (adv): unkindly animadversion (n): unfavorable comment; criticism galliard (arch. adj): lively

Chapter XXII morions (n): crested helmets necromancy (n): black magic; sorcery *indefatigable (adj): untiring *audacity (n): bold daring; courage

Chapter XXIII oracles (n): person believed to be speaking for a deity *transitory (adj): temporary; not enduring eminence (n): a high point symphonious (arch. adj): harmonious apotheosized (adj): glorified; idealized *appalled (adj): filled with dismay; shocked

Chapter XXIV *conjectural (adj): based on guesswork or incomplete evidence nugatory (adj): worthless; trivial escutcheon (n): a shield on which a coat of arms is displayed gules (adj): in heraldry, the color red