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Full Glossary for Ethan Frome
adjured entreated solemnly; appealed to earnestly
afore before
Aldebaran a galactic cluster
antipathy strong or deep-rooted dislike; aversion
audacity bold courage; daring
aver to declare to be true; state positively; affirm
avowal open acknowledgment or declaration
bandbox a light, round box to hold hats, collars, etc.
beleaguered beset, as with difficulties; harassed
boles tree trunks
cessation a ceasing, or stopping, either forever or for some time
chafed annoyed; irritated
chronicle a narrative; history
colonnade a series of columns set at regular intervals, usually supporting a roof or series of arches
compunction a sharp feeling of uneasiness brought on by a sense of guilt; remorse
conjoined joined together; united; combined
consecrated caused to be revered or honored
convivial fond of eating, drinking, and good company; sociable; jovial
crape streamer a piece of black crepe as a sign of mourning, often worn as a band around the arm
declivity a downward slope or sloping, as of a hill
deigned condescended to do something thought to be slightly beneath one's dignity
Dipper the Big Dipper; a dipper-shaped group of stars in the constellation Ursa Major
discursively in a manner characterized by wandering from one topic to another or skimming over many apparently unconnected subjects; in a rambling, desultory, or digressive manner
draughts deep breaths
effrontery unashamed boldness; impudence; audacity; presumption
evocation an evoking, or calling forth
exanimate without animation; spiritless; inert
extry extra
facetious joking or trying to be jocular, especially at an inappropriate time
fatuity stupidity, especially complacent stupidity; smug foolishness
felicitous used or expressed in a way suitable to the occasion; aptly chosen; appropriate; apt
flagged made of flagstone, as a walkway or path
flux to flow or stream out
foist to get (a thing) accepted, sold, etc. by fraud, deception, etc.; palm off
fust first
got a kick was kicked in the head
grit stubborn courage; brave perseverance; pluck
grudged felt a strong, continued sense of hostility or ill will against someone over a real or fancied grievance
ha' have
imperceptible not plain or distinct to the senses or the mind; especially, so slight, gradual, subtle, etc.; as not to be easily perceived
incarnation any person or thing serving as the type or embodiment of a quality or concept (the incarnation of courage)
indolent disliking or avoiding work; idle; lazy
inexorable that cannot be moved or influenced by persuasion or entreaty; unrelenting
ingratiatingly so as to make acceptable; especially, so as to bring (oneself) into another's favor or good graces by conscious effort
injunction an enjoining; bidding; command
innocuous that which does not injure or harm
inter into
kindled caused to light up; made bright
lineaments features of the body, usually of the face, especially with regard to its outline
lumbago rheumatic pain in the lumbar region; backache, especially in the lower part of the back
marrow the innermost, essential, or choicest part; pith
merino fine wool, originally from Spain
mien a way of carrying and conducting oneself; manner
milden to make or become mild
mottlings blotches, streaks, and spots of different colors or shades
oracle a person of great knowledge or wisdom
Orion an equatorial constellation between Taurus and Lepus, containing the bright stars Rigel and Betelgeuse
peristyle a row of columns forming an enclosure or supporting a roof
Pleiades a galactic cluster in the constellation Taurus
portico a porch or covered walk, consisting of a roof supported by columns, often at the entrance or across the front of a building; colonnade
precedent that precedes; preceding
protuberances parts or things that protrude; projections; bulges; swellings
provocation something that provokes; especially, a cause of resentment or irritation; incitement
pulled me up sharp caused a person to take notice
querulously in a manner inclined to find fault; complainingly
rejoined joined together again; reunited
rent a hole or gap made by rending or tearing, as a torn place in cloth, a fissure in the earth, etc.
repining a feeling or expression of unhappiness or discontent; complaint; fretting
repugnant contradictory; inconsistent; offering resistance; opposed; antagonistic
reticent habitually silent or uncommunicative; disinclined to speak readily; reserved; taciturn
revelry reveling; noisy merrymaking; boisterous festivity
rills little brooks; rivulets
roan of a solid color, as reddish-brown, brown, black, etc., with a thick sprinkling of white hairs; said chiefly of horses
scintillating sparkling intellectually; brilliant and witty
self-effacement the practice of keeping oneself in the background and minimizing one's own actions; modest, retiring behavior
sentient of, having, or capable of feeling or perception; conscious
shan't meddle won't interfere
Sirius a binary star in the constellation Canis Major, the brightest star in the sky
slatternly having the habits of a slattern; dirty; slovenly; untidy
sledge a sled or sleigh for carrying loads over ice, snow, etc.
smote defeated, punished, destroyed, or killed
snowed under forgotten
spectral of, having the nature of, or like a specter; phantom; ghostly
spruce dress in a neat and trim in a smart, dapper way
taciturnity the fact or condition of being almost always silent or uncommunicative, or not inclined to talk
taciturnity the fact or condition of being almost always silent, uncommunicative, or not inclined to talk
to'rd toward
touch a hundred turn one hundred years old
uncouth uncultured; crude; boorish
undulations wavy, curving forms or outlines, especially in a series
unseal his lips encourage to talk
vexed to give trouble to, esp. in a petty or nagging way; disturb, annoy, irritate, etc.
wainscot a wood lining or paneling on the walls of a room; sometimes, specifically, such paneling on the lower part of the walls only
wust worst