Class 12 NCERT English (Elective) Kaleidoscope Book Chapter Wise difficult word meanings
Here, the difficult words and their meanings of all the Chapters of CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Kaleidoscope Book have been compiled for the convenience of the students. This is an exhaustive list of the difficult words and meanings of all the Chapters from the NCERT Class 12 English (Elective) Kaleidoscope Book. The difficult words’ meanings have been explained in an easy language so that every student can understand them easily.
Short Stories
- Chapter 1 – I Sell my Dreams
- Chapter 2 – Eveline
- Chapter 3 – A Wedding in Brownsville
- Chapter 4 – Tomorrow
- Chapter 5 – One Centimetre
Poetry
- Poem 1 – A Lecture Upon the Shadow
- Poem 2 – Poems by Milton
- Poem 3 – Poems by Blake
- Poem 4 – Kubla Khan Or A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment
- Poem 5 – Trees
- Poem 6 – The Wild Swans at Coole
- Poem 7 – Time and Time Again
- Poem 8 – Blood
Non-Fiction
- Chapter 1 – Freedom
- Chapter 2 – The Mark on the Wall
- Chapter 3 – Film-making
- Chapter 4 – Why the Novel Matters
- Chapter 5 – The Argumentative Indian
- Chapter 6 – On Science Fiction
Drama
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Kaleidoscope Book – Short Stories
- Avenue: broad road in a town
- Pavement: a path with a hard surface on one or both sides of a road that people walk on.
- Embedded: fixed firmly and deeply in a surrounding mass
- Dynamite: a high-explosive
- Hailstorm: sudden heavy fall of hail
- Debris: waste
- Serpent: large snake
- Crane: lifting machine
- Encrusted: covered or decorated with a hard surface layer.
- Emerald: bright green precious stone
- Languid: unhurried
- Tavern: a pub
- Sausage: food in cylindrical form
- Espionage: spying
- Impertinence: rudeness
- Cliffs: steep
- Fugitive: escapee
- Compatriot: fellow countrymen
- Ravine: narrow steep-sided valley
- Oracular: prophetic
- Enforced: caused by necessity
- Infamy: disrepute
- Decipher: perceive
- Archaic: old-fashioned
- Sinister: threatening
- Straitened: poverty
- Fiestas: religious festival
- Euphoria: joy
- Fortuitous: Unexpected
- Consulate: office of a consul
- Gluttonous: excessively greedy
- Prehistoric: period before written records.
- Dissecting: cut up
- Bib: a piece of cloth around the child’s neck
- Presided: be in the position of authority
- Intrepid: Fearless
- Clairvoyant: forecaster of the future
- Astound: shock or greatly surprise
- Prophetic: accurately predicting what will happen in the future.
- Stratagem: a plan or scheme
- Ineffable: too great or extreme to be expressed
- Patrons: a person who gives financial or other support to a person
- Lagged: showing a delayed effect.
- Stroll: walk in a leisurely way.
- Inevitable: certain to happen
- Slang: informal language
- Impudent: not showing due respect for another person
- Monogram: a motif of two or more interwoven letters
- Labyrinths: a maze.
- Disconcerted: confused
- Boarded: to get onto
- Verses: writing arranged with a metrical rhythm
- Siesta: an afternoon rest or nap
- Deck: a floor of a ship
- Disenchantment: a feeling of disappointment about someone or something you previously respected
- Diplomatic: acting in a way that does not cause offence
- Temptation: the desire to do something
- Concrete: existing in a material or physical form
- Obliged: make someone bound to do something.
Related:
- I Sell My Dreams Summary, Explanation
- I Sell My Dreams Question Answers
- I Sell My Dreams Character Sketch
- Odour: smell
- Cretonne: a heavy cotton fabric, typically with a floral pattern printed on one or both sides, used for upholstery.
- Concrete: a mixture of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement, and water, used as a building material
- Pavement: a raised path for pedestrians at the side of a road.
- Cinder: a small piece of partly burned coal or wood
- Invade: capture, occupy
- Belfast: the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland
- Avenue: a street
- Cripple: a person with disability
- Blackthorn: name of a variety of bush or small tree
- Nix: an old slang word, originally used by thieves, to refer to the member of a gang who kept watch
- Familiar: someone or something that is known
- Yellowing photograph: as paper gets old, it starts turning yellow to brown in colour. Yellowing photograph means that it was old and the paper was turning yellow in colour.
- Consented: agreed to
- Weigh each side of the question: to think over the pros and cons of something
- Had an edge on her: had advantage over her
- Palpitations: strong, irregular heartbeat
- Never gone for her: didn’t like her
- Invariable: never changing
- Squabble: noisy quarrel
- Weary: tired
- Squander: to waste money
- Elbow her way: to push away people in a crowded place with the elbow, to make way
- Peaked: rising to a point
- Tumbled: to fall without control
- Face of bronze: bronze signifies strength and stability
- Elated: happy
- Unaccustomed: Not used to something
- Courting: be involved with someone with the intention of marrying
- Lass: girl
- Affair: relationship
- Forbidden: not allowed
- Bonnet: a woman’s or child’s hat tied under the chin and with a brim framing the face.
- Melancholy: sad
- Strutting: a particular way of walking similar to a soldier’s march past
- Mused: thought
- Foolish: mindless
- Insistence: command
- Derevaun…. Seraun: possibly corrupt Gaelic for ‘the end of pleasure is pain’
- Impulse: a sudden desire to act
- Swaying: moving to and fro
- Glimpse: slight view
- Quay: a platform in the water used for loading and unloading boats and ships
- Illumined: brighten
- Porthole: a small window on the outside of a ship or aircraft.
- Maze: puzzle
- Distress: trouble
- Nausea: feeling of sickness
- Fervent: having a passionate intensity
- Clanged: rang
- Seize: grabbed
- Tumbled: fell and rolled
- Frenzy: madness
- Anguish: sadness
- Passive: not giving any response
Related:
Chapter 3 – A Wedding in Brownsville
- Zionists: a supporter of Zionism; a person who believes in the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel
- Scholastic: of or concerning schools and education
- Agnostic: a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God.
- Atheist: a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods
- Seders: a Jewish home or community service including a ceremonial dinner
- Landsman: a countryman who knows nothing of the seas
- Rabbis: a Jewish scholar or teacher, especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law.
- Carted off: Transport or remove in an unceremonious way
- Gorge: eat a large amount greedily; fill oneself with food
- Prerogative: a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class
- Anglicised: to make or become English in sound, appearance, or character
- Yiddish: a language used by Jewish people in central and eastern Europe before the Holocaust.
- Unruly:disorderly and disruptive and not amenable to discipline or control
- Distorted: changed
- Skullcaps: a small, round hat that fits closely on the top of the head, worn especially by religious Jewish men or Roman Catholic priests of high rank
- Reverend: respected
- Cantor: an official of a Jewish synagogue (religious building) who sings and leads prayers
- Aped: copied
- Bar Mitzvah: the initiation ceremony of a Jewish boy who has reached the age of 13 and is regarded as ready to observe religious precepts and eligible to take part in public worship
- Palisades: cliffs that line the western side of the Hudson River, in New Jersey and in New York, beginning across from New York City in New Jersey and extending north to Newburgh in New York.
- Tereshpoler: Inhabitant of Terespol, a border town in eastern Poland on the border with Belarus
- Pester: disturb
- Reproach: express to (someone) one’s disapproval of or disappointment in their actions
- Aloof: not friendly
- Snob: a person who respects and likes only people who are of a high social class
- Dreary: dull, uninteresting
- Temples: part of the head where 4 bones meet
- Bags under his eyes: under eye area is puffy
- Exhaustion: tiredness
- Skimpy: short and revealing
- Calves: lower leg
- Vegetated: to live in a way that has no physical and mental activity
- Hadassah: American religious organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Jewish social and religious values in the United States and to strengthening ties between U.S. and Israeli Jewish communities.
- Lamented: feeling sad that someone or something has gone
- Catastrophe: a disaster
- Acclaimed: celebrated, praised
- Talmud: The Talmud is a collection of writings that covers the full gamut of Jewish law and tradition
- Prodigy: a young person with exceptional qualities or abilities
- Responsum: a written reply by a rabbi or Talmudic scholar to an inquiry on some matter of Jewish law.
- Spinoza’s Ethics: Baruch Spinoza wrote Ethics, Demonstrated in Geometrical Order, a Philosophical treatise. Written in Latin, it puts forward definitions and assumptions to reach logical conclusions and deductions. Like – “When the Mind imagines its own lack of power, it is saddened by it”
- Squandered: wasted
- Plagued: to caste trouble or annoyance
- Hypochondria: abnormal chronic anxiety about one’s health.
- Carnage: the killing of a large number of people
- Despise: to feel a strong dislike for someone or something because you think that that person or thing is bad or has no value
- Matron: a woman in charge of domestic and medical arrangements at a boarding school or other institution
- Devising: planning
- To put on: to wear
- Mania: mental abnormality
- Scoured: cleaned by rubbing hard
- Lugged: carried or dragged with great effort
- Sized each other up: To make an estimate, opinion, or judgment of someone or something
- Wryly: in a way that expresses dry, especially mocking, humour
- Blurted: say (something) suddenly and without careful consideration
- Illusions: a wrong interpretation
- Junker: a drug addict
- Anglo-Saxon: the people who lived in England from about AD 600 and their language and customs
- Stooped: bent forward
- Monocle: a single eyeglass, kept in position by the muscles around the eye
- Pretentious: attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed
- Dubious: hesitating or doubting
- Smacked: a sharp slap or blow, typically one given with the palm of the hand
- Worth a pinch of dust: had no value
- Sagged: decline to a lower level
- Suffused: gradually spread over
- Jagged: with rough sharp points coming out
- Hauling: to transport heavy goods
- Barges: a long flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight on canals and rivers
- Grimaced: an ugly, twisted expression of face
- Chalky pallor: white colour
- Glazed: coated with a shiny surface
- Lumber: wood
- Scrap: discarded for reprocessing
- Tavern: inn or pub
- Incarnation: a lifetime of an individual
- Synagogue: place of worship for Jews
- Star of David: a six-pointed figure consisting of two interlaced equilateral triangles, used as a Jewish and Israeli symbol.
- Intimacy: closeness
- Engulfed: surround or cover
- Checkroom: a cloakroom in a hotel or theatre
- Hors d’oeuvres: small dish served before the meal in Europe
- Schnapps: a strong alcoholic drink
- Retinue: a group of assistants accompanying an important person
- Bridesmaid: a girl or woman, usually one of several, who accompanies a bride on her wedding day
- Amalgam: mix
- Sauerkraut: a German dish of chopped pickled cabbage.
- Snout: the protruding portion of an animal’s face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw.
- Reeking: unpleasant smell
- Convulsed: recovered
- Trampled: walk over
- Delicatessen: a shop selling cooked meats, cheeses, and unusual or foreign-prepared foods
- Lechayim: an expression traditionally used by Jewish people before they drink an alcoholic drink together
- Tractate: a treatise
- Gleichgeschaltet!: (Gleichschaltung) A Nazi term which means “synchronization” or “bringing into line”. The process of Nazification.
- Exterminated: completely destroyed
- Cantor: an official who leads the prayer in a synagogue
- Scowl: frown in an angry or bad-tempered way
- Wrangling: Engage in complicated dispute or argument
- Fiddle: a violin
- Stamped: to bring the foot down heavily on the floor
- Romped around: a lively, merry play
- Commotion: a state of confused and noisy disturbance
- Warts: a small, hard, benign growth on the skin, caused by a virus
- Tumult: a loud, confused noise, especially one caused by a large mass of people
- Perished: here, no longer alive
- Swindler: a person who uses deception to deprive someone of money or possessions
- Amassed: gathered together
- abide by the rules: follow the rules
- Blotches: a large irregular patch or unsightly mark on the skin or another surface
- Husky: slightly hoarse
- Lying side by side: when they die, they will be placed in graves next to each other, thus, they will be lying side by side
- Intoxicated: drunk
- Foggy: unclear
- Carousel: Merry-go-round at a fair
- Contemplated: look thoughtfully for a long time
- Frantic: distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion
- Whirl: move or cause to move rapidly round and round
- Beckoned: to encourage or instruct someone to approach or follow
- Baffled: confused
- Braids: a plait
- Wreath: an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring and used for decoration or for laying on a grave
- Adorned: decorated
- Incredible: unbelievable
- Deceived: cheated
- Messiah: God
- Steered: to control the movement of someone or something
- Chapel: a small building or room used for Christian worship in a school, prison, hospital, or large private house
- Goblet: a drinking glass with a foot and a stem
- Pew: a long bench with a back, placed in rows in the main part of some churches to seat the congregation
- Threshold: doorstep
- Canopy: a cover meant for shelter or decoration
- Part: here, separate
- Suppressed: forcibly put an end to
- Import: the deeper significance beyond literal meanings
- Falteringly: hesitant manner
- Bewildered: confused
- Discrepancy: difference between two things that should be the same
- Profound: deep
- Narcotic: a drug that affects the mood or behaviour and is consumed for non-medical purposes
- Trance: a half-conscious state characterized by an absence of response to external stimuli
- Eerie: strange and frightening
- Blurted: say suddenly without careful thought
- Perplexed: confused
- Ponder: think
- Hovering: moving around
- Astral body: a person’s energy and presence, sometimes called the aura
- Clinging: to hold together, adhere, or remain close.
- Illusion: an idea or belief that is not true
- Vanities: excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievements
- Oblivion: the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening around one
- Stupor: a state of near-unconsciousness or insensibility
- Hallucination: an experience involving the apparent perception of something not present
- Cantor: an official who sings liturgical music and leads prayer in a synagogue
- Benedictions: the utterance of a blessing, especially at the end of a religious service
- Aisle: a passage between rows of seats in a building such as a church or theatre, an aircraft, or train
Related:
- A Wedding in Brownsville Summary, Explanation
- A Wedding in Brownsville Question Answers
- A Wedding in Brownsville Character Sketch
- Morbid: diseased
- Tyrant: oppressive ruler
- Fence: a barrier
- Unthrifty: not using money
- Granite: rock
- Uncouth: lacking good manners
- Clime: a region known for its weather
- Insolently: rude
- Chaffing: tease
- Put to rest in Davy Jones’s locker: [Davy Jone’s Locker is a metaphor for the bottomless ocean]. It means that the sailor or ship has been consigned to the depth of the ocean or has drowned
- Perseverance: Determination
- Slunk off: leave silently
- Sardonic: mocking
- Ditches: gutter
- Gusto: Enjoyment
- Skipper: Captain of a ship
- Inducement: persuade
- Taproom: a bar in a hotel
- Majestic: great
- Evasive: avoiding
- Tarred: covered with tar
- Twine: strong thread
- Mourning of broadcloth: broadcloth is the cloth used for mourning
- Dailiness: routine life
- Skinflint: miser
- Quaint: Attractive
- Furtively: guilty nervousness
- Yore: yesteryear
- Diffident: lacking confidence
- Incredulous: unbelievable
- Intimacy: closeness
- Dogmatically: unquestionable beliefs
- Hale: strong and healthy
- Discomposed: disturbed
- Arbitrariness: a lack of restrain in authority
- Expounded: explained
- Fathoms: measure the depth of water
- To be out of soundings: to be completely detached from the environment and things around
- Animosity: strong hostility
- East-coast collier: a ship especially designed to transport coal from the eastern coast of the country.
- Explicitly: clear, making something easy to understand
- Salve: soothe
- Ravings: to say very good things
- Burlap: coarse cloth made of jute
- Firmament: sky
- Complacent: self-satisfied
- Incredulity: lack of belief
- Opulence: wealth
- Queer: strange
- Vaunted: praised
- Full figure: round body shape
- Surly: unfriendly
- Gross: excessively fat
- Unwieldy: difficult to move or carry because of heavy weight
- Profound: feel strongly
- Confined: very small
- Bestial roaring: a sound that imitates the roar of a beast
- Rig: to control an event in an unfair way in order to get result you want
- Fiendish tone: extremely cruel and wicked
- Incurable: something that can’t be cured
- Bellow: to shout in the loud deep voice
- Father neptune: an allusion to Roman mythological God of sea called Neptune who held a spade in his hand.
- Infirm: weak
- Imperceptibly: subtly
- Promenade: a wide oath where people walk beside the sea in a town on the coast pottering: to spend your time doing small jobs that you enjoy
- Gait: the way somebody walks
- Toilful: demanding
- Bulk: heavy
- Half-crown: former British coin equal to two shillings and sixpence
- Cast him down: to make someone feel downhearted or depressed
- lucidity: easy to understand
- Derangement: mental disturbance
- Delusion: a false belief
- Wicked: evil or morally wrong
- Irritate him into flings: intentionally annoy someone that eventually leads to fleeting connections
- Side- glance: showing disapproval
- Intimacy: closeness
- Endurance: tolerance
- Drudgery: menial work
- Splendours: grandeur
- Queerness: strange
- Quagmire: a soft boggy area of the land that gives way underfoot
- Disconsolate: unhappy
- Affliction: Suffering
- Atrocious: brutal
- Pace: speed
- Lingered: stay
- Equilibrium: balance
- Gesticulated: gesture
- Resentful: irritated for being treated unfairly
- Fancy: liking for
- Timidly: lacking confidence
- Self-esteem: self-worth
- Notions: a belief
- Grins: broad smile
- Outraged: angry
- Crestfallen: sad
- Silhouette: shadow
- Flitted out: to leave a place quickly
- Industry: the digging he was doing on his fence
- Rig: equipment
- Gravely: serious
- Utter: voice out
- Squelch: sound made by walking on the mud
- Insurmountable: unconquerable
- Rabbit-hutches: cage
- Care a hang: to show no interest
- Serenity: calmness
- Appalled: disgusted
- Swindle: fraud
- Echo: sound repetition
- Gurgling: hollow bubbling sound
- Scornfully: hateful
- Daunted: intimated
- Slamming: forcefully shut
- Insurmountable: too great to overcome
- Contiguity: closeness
- Caress: stroke
- Chum: close friend
- Perplexed: confused
- Pondering over: thinking about something
- Loaf about the gate: to be idle
- Towered: taller than the person near
- Fancied: liking for
- Baffled: puzzled
- Scornful: contempt
- Mute: silent
- Notion: belief
- Contradicted: refute
- Squared his shoulder: stand errect
- Broad brimmed: hat with a wide brim
- Cavalierly: proudly
- Walloped: trike hard
- Frisky: lively
- Quid: one pound sterlings
- Come off: meetup with
- Lark: business
- Cleave: split
- Brusquely: blunt
- Hutch: a cupboard
- Whaling cruise: a voyage on a whaling ship, which is a large ship that used to hunt whales.
- The spit of his: to look extremely similar to someone
- Defiantly: not willing to accept criticism
- Years and a tail: tail coverage, which is an optional extension of insurance coverage that can last for three years or more.
- Chokey: imprisonment
- Ragged: torn
- Halo: ring of light
- Mused: pondered
- Given the go-by: to disregard
- Sombre: dull
- Nape of her neck: the back of her neck, where the neck meets the head
- Keeps it up: to encourage someone
- By George: a type of swearing
- Confounded: anger
- Flinted: move quickly
- Capstan’s songs: songs about guilt, depression, and the human experience.
- Repressing a shudder: to stop the involuntary shaking movement that is a shudder.
- Reckless: careless
- Breaking on: smashing
- Rampart: defensive wall
- Chattered: clicking together sound
- Jolly good spree: a very enjoyable period
- Snatch: grab
- The swell of yesterday’s gale: the waves created by the gale winds.
- Worth my salt: competent at the job
- Chump: foolish
- Devil of a lark: a particularly mischievous or exciting bit of fun, essentially a hell of a good time
- Scraped: injury
- Egged him on: to encourage someone to do something
- Cleared out: to leave
- Hard heart: cold-hearted
- Black and blue: bruises
- Outlandish: unfamiliar
- Rigged: set up
- Rigged ships: process of setting up and arranging various components on a sailing vessel.
- Sheared: cut the wool off
- Humped my swag: an informal expression that means to carry one’s belongings on one’s back, especially when referring to a tramp.
- Sheared sheep: a sheep that has had its wool cut off
- Harpooning a whale: the act of killing a whale with a barbed spear or projectile.
- Boulder: rock
- Spree: unrestrained activity
- On the edge of: very close to something, often implying a precarious or critical situation
- Handy: useful
- Spire: a tall, pointed structure that sits on top of a building or tower.
- Chum: a close friend
- Gallantly: heroic
- Brazen: bold
- Scraped: injury
- Devil of a fix: a seafaring saga
- Jestingly: jokingly
- Scathing: scornful
- Hutch: cage
- Contempt: disrespect
- Dash my soul: a dramatic expression meaning destroy my soul or completely upset me
- Fretting: anxious
- Rattled: sharp noises
- Swell: waves
- Soughing: rushing sound
- Babbled: talk rapidly
- Dogmatically: unyielding
- Grinning: smile broadly
- Ebbing: flow back
- Poise: balance
- Tread: walk
- Ardour: passion
- Staggered: walk unsteady
- Buy out: to pay someone to give ownership
- Beat of the swell: the rhythmic pattern of larger wave
- Swaggered: walked confidently
- Scrapes: scratches
- Inscription: writings
- Inferno: hell
- Surf: breaking waves of ocean
- Fiendish: cruel
- Chuckle: laugh inwardly
- Totter: move feebly
Related:
- Astute: smart
- Wrenching: twisting
- Ballooning up: increase rapidly or swell out
- Aperture: opening
- Skimpy: stingy
- Slit: cut
- Overwhelmed: overcome
- Lustre: gloss
- Flawless: perfect
- Brushing away: to remove something from a surface with your hand
- Half-open blossom: a flower that is partially open
- Stamping on the floor: to forcefully bring your foot down onto the floor, usually making a loud noise, often expressing anger or frustration
- Aristocrat: rich
- Scoffed at: mocked
- Bellow: a deep roaring sound
- Beady eyes: keenly observant, typically in a sinister or hostile way
- Self-esteem: self-respect
- Poised: graceful
- Alight: get off
- Lose face: humiliated
- Interwoven: woven together
- Shrinks: get smaller
- Resist: avoid
- Beneficial: advantageous
- Nonchalantly: a casually calm and relaxed manner.
- Blue-collar workers: people who perform manual labor or skilled trades, often in physically demanding jobs.
- Stubs: ticket
- Rind: the tough outer skin of certain fruit
- Gnaw: to bite or chew something repeatedly
- Defiant: resistant
- Imitators: copier
- Shooting down aeroplanes with a small gun: attempting to do something seemingly impossible or trying to defeat a powerful opponent with inadequate means
- Indiscriminate: done at random or without careful judgement
- Famine: extreme scarcity of food
- Admiration: respect
- Speculation: opinions
- Gratitude: thankfulness
- Battered: damaged by age and repeated use.
- Kow-tow: kneel and touch the ground with the forehead in worship or submission as part of Chinese custom.
- Quench: extinguish
- Patch: spot
- Banishes: exile
- Snatch: grab
- Envelopes: wraps
- Unwinding: ease up
- Glided: covered in golden colors
- Tilt: lean
- Fracas: disturbance or quarrel.
- Spitting out: to say something quickly and angrily
- Pithy voice: a brief, forceful, and meaningful way of speaking
- Exempt: not allowed
- Swarming: moving in dense group
- Sarcasm: to make fun of someone or something
- Smug: self-satisfied
- Awful: unpleasant
- Titters: giggle
- Agitated: upset
- Courtesy: politeness
- Pretence: make-believe
- Towering: extremely tall
- Flummoxed: confused
- Sneer: a contemptuous or mocking smile
- Preserve: protect
- Way of putting it: to the manner in which something is expressed.
- Jeering: making rude and mocking remarks
- Edict: order
- Complimentary: free
- To have the nerve: have the daring to do something bold
- Pei Pa: the Chinese musical instrument called the “pipa,” which has four strings, and symbolically represent the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter
- Swallow her pride: to do something even though it might make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed
- Bewilderment: confused
- Sullen: gloomy
- Frightens: scare
- Encountered: meet
- Silhouette: shadow
- Incomprehensible: not able to be understood
- Glance: look quickly
- Glisten: shine
- Vanishing: disappear
- Viper: snake
- Flattering: praiseworthy
- Baffled: puzzled
- Convoluted: extremely complex and difficult to follow
- Cunning: crafty
- Shoot up: grow taller rapidly
- Camouflage uniforms: special clothes that help soldiers and police blend in with their surroundings.
- Conscientious: diligent
- Tiny terrapins: turtles that live in fresh or brackish water.
- Queuing: line up
- Nicotine-stained fingers: a type of skin discoloration caused by long-term exposure to tobacco smoke
- Traces: uncover
- News rag: newspaper
- Melt the ice in her son’s eyes: to gradually ease someone’s discomfort or shock by gently introducing them to a new idea or situation
- An apple in a mound of potatoes: to be different in a group and thus, be easily spotted
- Touch his heart: something that has profound emotional impact
- Fawned someone: to praise someone too much and give them a lot of attention that is not sincere, in order to get a positive reaction
- Grieving soldiers always win: sorrow becomes a powerful motivator.
- Threshold: doorstep
- Shrinks: to become smaller
- Voucher: coupon
- Token: sign
- Sombre: dull
- Misdeed: wrongdoings
- Classified advertisements: small ad in a newspaper
- Depressed: sad
- Comrade: friend
- Immersed: soaked
- Glistens: shines
- Recesses of his mind: thoughts or feelings they have which are hidden or difficult to describe.
- Fantasies: imagination
- Stirred up: to cause an emotion or event to happen
- Demeanor: manner
- Refute: disapprove
- Poke out: to extend outward or to cause something to appear from behind or through something else
- Tempting: appealing
- Proposition: proposal
- Associated: linked
- Unison: together
- Nudges: pushes with elbow
- Shoves: push
Related:
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Kaleidoscope Book – Poetry
Poem 1 – A Lecture Upon the Shadow
- Thee: you
- Philosophy: the study of ideas and issues, and the pursuit of wisdom and understanding.
- Houres: hours
- Shadowes: shadows
- Sunne: sun
- Along with us, which we our selves produc’d: the shadows of the poet and his beloved walking behind them
- Our selves: ourselves
- Doe: do
- Tread: walk in a specific way
- Brave clearnesse: sunshine
- Reduc’d: reduced
- Whilst: while
- Disguises: give a different appearance to conceal one’s identity.
- Hath: have
- Lest: for the fear that
- Flow: the shadows are changing their position
- Noone: noon
- Blinde: blind
- Faint: barely perceptible or unclear
- Thine: yours
- Worke: work
- Thou: you
- Behinde: behind
Related:
- Envious: jealous
- Call on: make use of
- Leaden-stepping: moving slowly and heavily, like lead.
- Thou: you
- Thy: your
- Merely: only
- Mortal: perishable
- Plummet pace: to fall or drop very quickly and suddenly
- Leaden: dull, heavy, or slow
- Dross: worthless
- Glut: an excessively abundant supply of something.
- Devour: eat hungrily
- Vain: useless
- Mortal dross: things that are temporal, base, or vain, and therefore not worth much
- Entomb’d: bury
- Individual kiss: every individual will be blessed with happiness
- Sincerely: genuinely
- Supreme Throne: God
- Long Eternity: humans living with positive aspects on Earth
- Divine: connection with god
- Heav’nly guided soul: humans with positive aspects
- T’whose: that
- Overtake: go past something
- Eternity: unending time
- Hast: have
- Clime: climate
- Grossnes: offensive and disgusting
- Attir’d: dressed
- Triumphing: winning
- Honour’d: public praise
- Labour of an age: lifetime of work by labourers
- Piled: placed one on top of the other.
- Hallow’d reliques: holy remains
- Star-ypointing: Pointing towards heaven
- Pyramid: monumental structure with a square or triangular base and sloping sides that meet in a point at the top, especially one built of stone as a royal tomb in ancient Egypt.
- Son of memory: Shakespeare’s work
- Heir of Fame: Shakespeare’s work
- Need’st: need
- Thou: you
- Weak witness: tomb
- Wonder: admiration
- Astonishment: surprise
- Hast: have
- Thy self: yourself
- Live-long Monument: Shakespeare’s work
- Endeavouring: try
- Whilst: while
- Thy: your
- Thou: you
- Th’shame: the shame
- Hath: have
- Slow endeavouring art: slow, uninspiring and forceful imitations by the poets of Shakespeare’s era
- Easie numbers flow: Poetic meter
- Delphic lines: an allusion to the God of Poetry, Apollo. Shakespeare’s work has been compared to the Delphic oracle by the god of poetry, Apollo. It is a prediction which gives a glimpse of truth from the god, leaving a deep impression on the reader’s mind and heart.
- Marble: readers
- Fancy: imagination
- Unvalu’d: invaluable
- Pomp: splendours
- Self-bereaving: process of acknowledging and mourning the pain of past hurts or losses.
- Conceaving: forming an idea in the mind
- Dost: do
- Sepulcher’d: tomb or a place of burial
Related:
- Distress: suffering
- Virtues: moral qualities
- Mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.
- Pity: feel sorrow for the misfortunes of.
- Clime: of different region
- Dwell: living in a specific place
- Heathen: a person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially one who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim) as regarded by those who do.
- Pity: feel sorrow for the misfortunes of.
- Mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.
- Snare: trap
- Baits: food placed on a trap
- Underneath: situated below
- Knit: made by interlocking loops
- Dismal: sadness
- Mystery: leaves
- Dismal: sadness
- Deceit: fraud
- Ruddy: damned fruit
- Humility: the quality of having a modest or low view of one’s importance.
- Sought: search for
- Thro’: through
- Vain: producing no result or useless.
Related:
Poem 4 – Kubla Khan Or A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment
- Xanadu: an idyllic, exotic, or luxurious place
- Kubla Khan founded the Mongol dynasty in China in the thirteenth century.
- Stately: impressive or grand in size, appearance, or manner.
- Dome: a rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure, typically with a circular base.
- Decree: official order
- Alph: river in Antarctica
- Sacred: holy
- Caverns: large caves
- Measureless: unlimited
- Girdle: surround
- Sinuous: many curves and turns
- Rills: a small stream
- Blossom: bloom
- Incense-bearing tree: a tropical tree that produces a fragrant gum or resin burned as incense.
- Ancient: of long ago
- Enfolding: surrounding
- Chasm: a deep narrow opening in the earth’s surface
- Slanted down: moving towards
- Athwart: from side to side of
- Cedarn: made from or resembling the wood of a cedar tree.
- Savage: fierce, violent, and uncontrolled.
- Enchanted: placed under a spell
- Beneath: below
- Waning: diminishing
- Haunted: frequented by a ghost
- Wailing: crying with pain, grief, or anger.
- Ceaseless: constant and unending
- Turmoil: chaos or violent disturbance
- Seething: boil or be turbulent as if boiling.
- Fast thick pants: the forceful, rapid expulsion of water from a chasm, likened to the heavy breaths of a person exerting, creating a sense of intense, almost violent energy in the natural landscape; essentially, it means a powerful, rushing flow that sounds like heavy, quick breathing
- Mighty: possessing great and impressive power or strength, especially because of size
- Swift: happen quickly
- Half-intermitted: to stop or pause at intervals, or to be in a state of partial interruption.
- Burst: break open or apart suddenly and violently, especially as a result of an impact or internal pressure.
- Vaulted like rebounding hail: something is leaping or bouncing upwards in a similar way to how hailstones bounce off the ground after falling from the sky, creating a powerful and dynamic image of forceful movement upwards.
- Vaulted: sudden, arched upward movement
- Rebounding hail: the way hailstones bounce back up after hitting the ground, emphasising the energetic, repeated motion.
- Chaffy: seed coverings and other debris that is separated from the seed when grain is threshed
- Thresher’s flail: a hand tool used to separate grains from their husks
- Flung up: to throw off
- Momently: continually
- Meandering: moving slowly
- Mazy: like a maze
- Dale: valley
- Tumult: a state of confusion or disorder.
- Prophesying: forecast
- Floated: rest or move on or near the surface of a liquid without sinking.
- Midway: towards the middle of something
- Mingle: mix or cause to mix.
- Damsel: a young unmarried woman.
- Dulcimer: a musical instrument; dulcimer comes from the Latin and Greek words dulce and melos, which combine to mean “sweet tune”.
- Vision: the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.
- Abyssinian: ancient region in the Horn of Africa, modern-day Ethiopia
- Mount Abora: a mythical mountain. Coleridge was inspired by Mount Amara, a paradise-like mythical mountain in John Milton’s Paradise Lost.
- Revive: restore to life
- Symphony: musical composition
- Delight: happiness
- ’Twould: it would
- Flashing: shining brightly for a brief period
- Holy dread: a feeling of great fear or awe in the presence of something sacred or holy, or to a fear of God.
Related:
- Kubla Khan Or A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment Summary, Explanation
- Kubla Khan Or A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment Question Answers
- Tassels: a group of short threads or ropes held together at one end, used as a hanging decoration on hats, curtains, furniture, etc.
- Swung: move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side while suspended or on an axis.
- Miniature: very small of its kind.
- Accompanying: provided or occurring at the same time as something else.
- Psalteries: an ancient and medieval musical instrument like a dulcimer but played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum.
- Enamoring: be filled with love for.
- Remotest: distant
- Utter: completely
- Optional: voluntarily or free
- Estates: ownership or belonging; an extensive area of land in the country, usually with a large house
- Enfold: surround
- Eternally: lasts forever
- Whim: a sudden desire or change of mind, especially unusual or unexplained.
- Orchard: a piece of enclosed land planted with fruit trees.
- Fence: a barrier, railing,
- Lane: a narrow path
- Winding round: twist or wrap something around another thing, or follow a course that forms a loop
- Slit: a long, narrow cut or opening.
- Calyx: the outer part of a flower formed by the sepals
- Soared: to fly or rise high in the air.
- Hindered: obstruct
- Hoisted: raise (something) using ropes and pulleys
- Spices: dry petals
- Hem: the edge of a piece of cloth
- ’Twas: it was
- Delineation: the action of describing or portraying something precisely.
- Vandyke: a famous painter who painted landscapes
Related:
Poem 6 – The Wild Swans at Coole
- Woodland: land covered with trees.
- Twilight: evening
- Stillness: silence and quietness
- Brimming: be full to the point of overflowing.
- Mount: climb up
- Scatter: throw in various random directions.
- Wheeling: fly in a wide circle or curve.
- Clamorous: making a loud and confused noise.
- Looked upon: to consider or think of someone or something in a particular way
- Twilight: evening
- Shore: the land along the edge of a sea, lake, or other large body of water.
- Trod: walk in a specified way.
- Tread: walk in a specified way.
- Unwearied: not tired or becoming tired.
- Paddle: a short pole with a broad blade at one or both ends, used without a rowlock to move a small boat or canoe through the water.
- Companionable: friendly and sociable.
- Streams: a small, narrow river.
- Conquest: victory over something
- Wander: walk or move in a leisurely or aimless way.
- Attend upon still: be devoted to something, even if it changes or moves away.
- Drift: be carried slowly by a current of air or water.
- Rushes: nest
- Edge: the outside limit of an object, area, or surface.
- Delight: happiness
- Flown away: to move or go away gradually or suddenly.
Related:
- Clocktowers: a tower, typically forming part of a church or civic building, with a large clock at the top
- Beating their gongs round the clock: the clocks in a city are constantly striking their bells, signifying the continuous passage of time, happening all day and night, without interruption; essentially, it’s a poetic way of saying that time is always moving forward.
- Gongs: metal bells on a clock tower that chime to mark the time.
- Round the clock: the bells are ringing throughout the entire 24-hour day.
- Slightly off: something is a little different or strange, or not quite right.
- Out of the accidents: caused by an unexpected event
- Mutual distances: physical and emotional separation between individuals or groups.
- Commemorating: recall and show respect for (someone or something).
- Commemorating a donor’s whim: these distances are perhaps arbitrary and based on the whims of a giver or the arbitrary nature of certain choices.
- Whim: a sudden desire or change of mind, especially one that is unusual or unexplained.
- Perennial: everlasting
- Feuds: argument
- Seasonal: relating to or characteristic of a particular season of the year.
- Alliance: a relationship based on similarity of interests, nature, or qualities.
- Cut off: to stop or interrupt something suddenly, or to stop someone from speaking
- Change of wind: unforeseen circumstances
- Change of mind: individual decisions
- Siren: warning sound
- Zigzag: a line or course having abrupt alternate right and left turns.
- Knocked out: means to be rendered unconscious, usually due to a blow or some other cause
Related:
- Cracked: damaged and showing lines on the surface from having split without coming apart.
- Whine: a long, high-pitched complaining cry.
- Groan: make a deep inarticulate sound conveying pain
- Scamper: run with quick light steps in fear or excitement.
- Snake-shrine: representations of Naga or snake deities, hold significance in various cultures, particularly in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, symbolizing rebirth, transformation, and protection, with snakes seen as divine or semi-divine beings.
- Weeds: any wild plant that grows in an unwanted place, especially in a garden or field where it prevents the cultivated plants from growing freely.
- Lichen: a plantlike organism that typically forms a low crusty, leaflike, or branching growth on rocks, walls, and trees.
- Hoods: a covering for the head and neck with an opening for the face
- She was really simple: suggests a lack of worldly distractions or complexities.
- Fed on God for years: a metaphor for the person’s spiritual sustenance, where their primary nourishment comes from their relationship or connection with God.
- Feast: a large meal, typically a celebratory one.
- Monotonous: dull
- All her feasts were monotonous: a lack of variety in her spiritual experiences, as the only dish ‘focus’ was always God.
- Condiments: a substance such as salt, mustard, or pickle that is used to add flavour to food.
- Brocade: a rich fabric woven with a raised pattern, typically with gold or silver thread.
- New-rich men: individuals who have recently acquired wealth, often through means that are not necessarily traditional or ethical.
- A blood thick as gruel: This is a metaphor. Gruel is a thick, often unappealing porridge, symbolising that the emotions and values of the new rich are heavy, unrefined, and lacking in purity.
- Gruel: something that lacks substance or significance
- Muddy as a ditch: the lack of purity. A ditch is a channel for dirty water, suggesting that the lives and actions of the new rich are tainted and morally questionable.
- Wearied: cause to become tired.
- Grieve: feel intense sorrow.
- Feat: an achievement that requires great courage, skill, or strength.
- Crouching: adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down, typically to avoid detection or to defend oneself.
- Pallid: pale
- Grotesque: repulsively ugly or distorted.
- Groan: make a deep inarticulate sound conveying pain
- Set forth: begin a journey.
- Shrine: holy place
- Shrubs: woody plants
- Rabid: extremely violent
- Totems: a natural object or animal that is believed by a particular society to have spiritual significance and that is adopted by it as an emblem.
- Rattle: a rapid succession of short, sharp, sounds.
- Creaking: making a harsh, high-pitched sound when being moved or when pressure or weight is applied.
- Whine: a long, high-pitched complaining cry.
- Let you down: fail to support or help someone as they had hoped or expected.
- Mother’s mother’s mother: The repetition and alliteration serve to emphasize the concept of lineage and the extended family, making the phrase more memorable and impactful.
- Plucked your soul: to have your core essence or spirit forcibly removed or taken away, often in a way that leaves you feeling empty or lost.
- Pip: a small hard seed in a fruit.
- Pyre: a combustible heap for burning a dead body as a funeral rite
- Callous: showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others.
- Stately: impressive or grand in size, appearance, or manner.
Related:
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Kaleidoscope Book – Non-fiction
- Necessities: an indispensable thing
- Shirk: avoid or neglect (a duty or responsibility).
- Peopled: fill (a place) with inhabitants.
- Shirked: avoid or neglect (a duty or responsibility).
- Bedding: bedclothes
- Trickery: the practice of deception.
- Beware: be cautious and alert to risks or dangers.
- Have the upper hand: have the advantage over someone or something.
- Regulate: control (something, especially a business activity) by means of rules and regulations.
- Chattel slavery of the negro: the historical practice of treating enslaved people, particularly those of African descent, as property, with owners having complete control over their lives, labor, and offspring.
- Wage slavery: a situation where individuals are dependent on wages or salaries for their livelihood, often with limited opportunities for advancement, and where their wages barely cover their basic needs, leaving them feeling trapped and unable to escape their financial circumstances.
- Triumph: victory
- Spite: to offend someone
- Constitute: be (a part) of a whole.
- Democratic: a system of government in which power is held by elected representatives who are freely voted for by the people, or held directly by the people themselves.
- Building societies: a business that lends you money if you want to buy a house, or pays you interest on money you invest there
- Resenting: dislike
- Supper: dinner
- Prophet: a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
- Trade Unions: an organized association of workers in a trade, group of trades, or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests.
- Employers’ Federations: a collective organization of employers, often from the same sector, that aims to represent and promote the interests of its member companies, including negotiating with trade unions and advocating for their interests with government bodies.
- Canonized: (in the Roman Catholic Church) officially declare (a dead person) to be a saint.
- Abolition: the act of ending an activity or custom officially
- Compulsion: obligation
- Republic: a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.
- Grumble: complain about something in a bad-tempered way.
- Dole: benefit paid by the state to the unemployed.
- Imposture: an instance of pretending to be someone else in order to deceive others
- Atheists: a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.
- Libertine: a person, especially a man, who freely indulges in sensual pleasures without regard to moral
- Scoundrel: a dishonest or unscrupulous person; a rogue.
- Mourning: sorrow for someone’s death
- Calumnies: the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander.
- Firstrate: of the best or highest quality, excellent, or superior.
- Denounce: publicly declare to be wrong or evil.
- Abominable: loathsome
- Tyrant: a cruel and oppressive ruler.
- Prodigious: remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree.
- Humbug: deceptive
- Delude: mislead
- Cast-off-on-the-dole: those who were made satisfied by being unemployed and reliant on government assistance.
- Gangsterism: the behavior, methods, and activities characteristic of gangsters, encompassing the use of tactics like intimidation or violence to achieve goals, often associated with organized criminal groups.
- Ballot paper: a slip of paper used to register a vote.
- Controversy: heated discussion
- Obligation: a debt of gratitude for a service or favour.
- Accent: a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one associated with a particular country, area, or social class.
- Idolaters: a person who worships an idol or idols.
- Enfranchised: given the right to vote.
- Fascinating: extremely interesting.
- Idolatry: extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone.
- Arrogance: self-importance
- Propaganda: information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.
- Prejudice: preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
- At the bottom of it: to be the real reason for or the cause of something
- Plough: a large farming implement with one or more blades fixed in a frame, drawn over soil to turn it over and cut furrows in preparation for the planting of seeds.
- Drawing from: to obtain or take something from a particular source, like inspiration, knowledge, or resources.
- Having tricks up your sleeve: to have secret plans, ideas, or advantages that you are keeping hidden and can use later when needed.
- Wipe out: eliminate something completely.
- Enforced: caused by necessity or force; compulsory.
- Obliged: make (someone) legally or morally bound to do something.
- Administered: manage and be responsible for the running of (a business, organization, etc.).
- Assault: make a physical attack on.
- Intimate: closely acquainted
- Chapel: a small building or room used for Christian worship in a school, prison, hospital, or large private house.
- Nominee: a person who has been officially suggested for a position, an honor, or election
- Osteopathy: a form of complementary medicine involving the treatment of medical disorders through the manipulation and massage of the skeleton and musculature.
- Melancholy: sad
- Benighted: in a state of pitiful or contemptible intellectual or moral ignorance.
- Fancy: feel a desire or liking for.
- Lago: the villainous character in William Shakespeare’s play Othello, known for his manipulative and deceitful nature.
- In the lump: considered or dealt with as a whole or in total, rather than individually or separately.
- Clamouring: shout loudly and insistently.
- Gassing: talk excessively about trivial matters
- Rule, Britannia: British patriotic song
- Anarchist: a person who rebels against any authority, established order, or ruling power
- Accustomed: be used to.
- Satan: the chief spirit of evil and the adversary of God, often portrayed as a fallen angel who tempts humanity towards sin and opposes God’s will.
- Leisure: use of free time for enjoyment.
- Conundrum: a confusing and difficult problem or question.
- Enclosed: surrounded or closed off on all sides.
- Tradition: the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.
- Enclosure: an area that is surrounded by a barrier.
- Conform: comply with rules, standards, or laws.
- Imitate: take or follow as a model.
- Impose: force (an unwelcome decision or ruling) on someone.
- Perception: the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.
- Inclination: a person’s natural tendency or urge to act or feel in a particular way; a disposition.
- Tenderest age: a very young age, often implying a lack of experience
- Entity: a thing with distinct and independent existence.
- Prestige: widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something on the basis of a perception of their achievements or quality.
- Frightened: afraid
- Conform: comply with rules, standards, or laws.
- Initiative: ability to assess and initiate things independently.
- Dulled: less intense
- Conscious: aware
- Trodden: walk in a specified way.
- Sensitivity: feelings liable to be offended or hurt; sensibilities.
- Enclosed: closed off
- Imitation: copy something or someone
- Awaken: rouse from sleep; cause to stop sleeping.
- Tackle: take care of
Related:
Chapter 2 – The Mark on the Wall
- Chrysanthemums: a plant of the daisy family with brightly coloured ornamental flowers, existing in many cultivated varieties.
- Mantelpiece: a structure of wood, marble, or stone above and around a fireplace.
- My eye lodged for a moment: a brief, temporary feeling of something being stuck or caught in my eye, like a foreign object or a sensation of irritation.
- Flapping: move up and down when flying or preparing to fly.
- Cavalcade: a formal procession of people walking, on horseback, or riding in vehicles.
- Automatic: instinctive
- Swarm upon: to move or gather in a large, often overwhelming, group or crowd, often with a sense of speed or urgency.
- A little way: a short distance
- Feverishly: in an energetic manner.
- Miniature: the thing that is much smaller than normal, especially a small replica or model.
- Carnations: a double-flowered cultivated variety of clove pink, with grey-green leaves and showy pink, white, or red flowers.
- Queer: strange; odd.
- Torn asunder: to be forcefully separated or ripped into pieces, either literally or figuratively, signifying a violent or destructive splitting apart.
- Pour out: cause a liquid to flow from a container into a cup or other vessel.
- Inaccuracy: incorrectness
- Civilization: the stage of human social and cultural development and organization that is considered most advanced.
- Gnaw: chew
- Nibble: take small bites out of.
- Hoops: circlets
- Scutles: a metal container with a handle, used to fetch and store coal for a domestic fire.
- Bagatelle: a game in which small balls are hit and then allowed to roll down a sloping board on which there are holes, each numbered with the score achieved if a ball goes into it, with pins acting as obstructions.
- Opals and emeralds: gemstones
- Turnips: a round root with white or cream flesh which is eaten as a vegetable and also has edible leaves.
- Scraping: the act of removing the surface from something using a sharp edge or something rough
- Pairing: cut off (the outer skin) of something.
- Clothes on their back: a person having nothing but the clothes they are wearing, implying poverty or minimal possessions
- Tube: a long, hollow cylinder of metal, plastic, glass, etc. for holding or transporting something, chiefly liquids or gases.
- Asphodel: an everlasting flower said to grow in the Elysian fields
- Stalks: the slender attachment or support of a leaf, flower, or fruit.
- Deluge: a severe flood
- Groping: search blindly or uncertainty by feeling with the hands.
- Helpless, speechless, unable to focus one’s eyesight: the narrator’s feeling of being small and insignificant in the face of this vast world.
- Groping at the roots of the grass: the feeling of being lost and trying to find a foothold in a world that seems vast and unknowable
- Toes of the giant: overwhelming and seemingly incomprehensible nature of the world and the human experience.
- Blot: a dark mark or stain made by ink, paint, dirt, etc
- Vigilant: keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
- Annihilation: destruction
- Pane: glass sheet of window
- Hostility: unfriendly
- Steady: support
- Perpetually: constantly
- Modest: humble
- Botany: the scientific study of the physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, classification, and economic importance of plants.
- Heap: an untidy collection of objects placed haphazardly on top of each other.
- Tassels: a tuft of loosely hanging threads or cords knotted at one end and attached for decoration to soft furnishings, clothing, or other items.
- Stealthily: cautiously and surreptitiously, so as not to be seen or heard.
- Idolatry: extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone.
- Gleam: shine brightly, especially with reflected light.
- Phantoms: illusions
- Damnation: condemnation to eternal punishment in hell.
- Luncheons: a formal lunch, or a formal word for lunch.
- Tapestry: a piece of thick textile fabric with pictures or designs formed by weaving coloured weft threads or by embroidering on canvas, used as a wall hanging or soft furnishing.
- Disbeliever: a person who refuses to believe something or who lacks religious faith.
- Whitaker’s Table of Precedency: The Table of Precedency in Whitaker’s Almanac laid out the castes of English society in a hierarchical relationship to each other.
- Landseer: a black-and-white variety of the Newfoundland dog
- Intoxicating: exciting
- Perceptible: able to be seen or noticed.
- Tumulus: an ancient burial mound; a barrow.
- Melancholy: sad
- Turf: grass and the surface layer of earth held together by its roots.
- Antiquary: a person who studies or collects antiques or antiquities; an antiquarian.
- Perpetual: never ending or changing.
- Suspension: the system of springs and shock absorbers by which a vehicle is supported on its wheels.
- Indites: write; compose.
- Gigantic: huge
- Attrition: wearing away
- Descendants: successors
- Hermits: a person living in solitude as a religious discipline
- Crouched: squat down
- Brewing: the activity or business of producing beer.
- Shrew-mice: a small, mouse-like mammal with a long snout
- Superstitions: myths
- Gleams: shine
- Table of Precedency: a formal protocol list that determines the order of rank and importance for dignitaries, functionaries, and officials on ceremonial or state occasions, but it has no bearing on the day-to-day business of government.
- Self-preservation: the protection of oneself from harm or death, especially regarded as a basic instinct in human beings and animals.
- Threatening: causing someone to feel vulnerable or at risk.
- Collision: an instance of one moving object or person striking violently against another.
- Archbishop: the chief bishop responsible for a large district.
- Quiescent: inactive
- Solidity: the quality or state of being firm or strong in structure.
- Moorhen: a small, black bird that lives near water
- Blown out: extinguished
- Ooze of sap: the slow, often sticky fluid (tree sap) leaking or flowing out of a tree, typically through wounds or cracks, which can indicate damage, disease, or insect infestation.
- Tumbling: fall suddenly
- Awning: sunshade
- Asphodel: an everlasting flower said to grow in the Elysian fields.
- Upheaval: a violent or sudden change or disruption to something.
Related:
- Province: a large administrative division of a country, similar to a state, that has its own local government and is a unit within a larger political entity.
- Rugged: having a broken, rocky, and uneven surface.
- Rain-dimmed sky: a sky that appears dull or less bright due to the presence of rain clouds or the dampness of the atmosphere, which scatters and absorbs sunlight.
- Oil slickers: a waterproof coat, often made from oil-treated cotton, worn in wet weather, also known as a mackintosh or rain slicker.
- Coachmen’s coats, medieval robes: a specific scene or stylistic choice within a film, possibly a scene with diverse or unusual costumes
- Dolly the camera on: to move the camera smoothly forward or backward (dolly in/out) or sideways (truck) while filming, using a wheeled platform or track, creating dynamic and engaging shots.
- Robes: a long, loose outer garment reaching to the ankles
- Rusty: corroded
- Crane: birds refers to any of the 15 species of tall, wading birds belonging to the family Gruidae, known for their long legs, necks, and bills
- Association: a connection or cooperative link between people or organizations.
- Gigantic: huge or enormous
- Cathedral: a large and important church, esp. one that is the center of a large area
- Waltzes: dance music in triple meter, often written in 34 times. A waltz typically sounds one chord per measure
- Gesticulated: use gestures, especially dramatic ones, instead of speaking or to emphasize one’s words.
- Vicarage: the residence of a vicar.
- Baptisms: the Christian religious rite of sprinkling water on to a person’s forehead or of immersing them in water, symbolizing purification or regeneration and admission to the Christian Church. In many denominations, baptism is performed on young children and is accompanied by name-giving.
- Sermons: a talk on a religious or moral subject, especially one given during a church service and based on a passage from the Bible.
- Wickedness: the quality of being evil or morally wrong.
- Temptation: the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise.
- Film: the first film he made using his film projector
- Rattling: making a series of knocking sounds.
- Projector: a device that is used to project rays of light, especially an apparatus with a system of lenses for projecting slides or film on to a screen.
- Mystifying: utterly bewildering or perplexing.
- Rascinating: extremely interesting.
- Mended: repair
- Rickety: poorly made and likely to collapse.
- Conjurer: a person who performs magic to entertain people
- Deception: act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid
- Apparatus: the technical equipment or machinery needed for a particular activity or purpose.
- Indignant: feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.
- Impostor: a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain.
- Vague: not clear
- Shaft: a ray of light or bolt of lightning.
- Envisioned: imagine as a future possibility; visualize.
- Abounding: very plentiful; abundant
- Unconscious: not awake and aware of and responding to one’s environment.
- Wind up: arrive or end up in a specified state, situation, or place.
- Primitive nucleus: filmmaker’s creative vision
- Strives: make great efforts to achieve or obtain something.
- Stimulus: a thing or event that evokes a specific functional reaction in an organ or tissue.
- Embryonic: in a rudimentary stage with potential for development
- Knack: an acquired or natural skill at doing something.
- Tempo: the rate or speed of motion or activity; pace.
- Between lines: look for or discover a meaning that is implied rather than explicitly stated.
- Perceptiveness: the ability to quickly notice and understand things, especially those that are not obvious, showcasing keen observation and insight.
- Montage: the technique of selecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections of film to form a continuous whole.
- Pulsate: expand and contract with strong regular movements
- Explicit: stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt.
- Absolute: not qualified or diminished in any way; total.
- Assimilate: take in and understand fully (information or ideas)
- Alliance: a relationship based on similarity of interests, nature, or qualities.
- Recreation: activity done for enjoyment when one is not working.
- Stimulation: encouragement of something to make it develop or become more active.
- Untranslatable: not able to have its sense expressed in another language.
- Expended: spend or use up
- Proportion: a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation to a whole.
- Compels: force or oblige (someone) to do something
- Transmit: cause (something) to pass on from one person or place to another.
- Imperative: of vital importance; crucial.
- Sensitivity: feelings liable to be offended or hurt
- Unconventional: not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed.
- Marching orders: instructions from someone in authority about what you should do
- Repelled: drive or force (an attack or attacker) back or away
- Indifferent: having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.
- Fundamental: forming a necessary base or core; of central importance.
- Wholesomeness: the quality of being healthy, beneficial, and morally good, encompassing both physical and moral well-being.
- Scorned: feel or express contempt or disdain for.
- Rebelled: rise in opposition or armed resistance to an established government or leader.
- Bourgeois: belonging to or characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.
- Conscientious: wishing to do one’s work or duty well and thoroughly.
- From scratch: from the very beginning, especially without making use of or relying on any previous work for assistance.
- Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
- Ambitious: having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed.
- Tightrope: a rope or wire stretched tightly high above the ground, on which acrobats perform feats of balancing.
- Conjurer: a performer of conjuring tricks
- Sausage: an item of food in the form of a cylindrical length of minced pork or other meat encased in a skin, typically sold raw to be grilled or fried before eating.
- Undisguised: not concealed
- Clergyman: a male priest, minister, or religious leader, especially a Christian one.
- Intellectual: relating to your ability to think and understand things, especially complicated ideas
- Intuition: the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.
- Tower of Babel: a story from Genesis 11, explains the origin of different languages and cultures, portraying God confusing the language of humanity to prevent them from building a tower reaching heaven and making a name for themselves.
- Thesis: a long essay or dissertation involving personal research, written by a candidate for a university degree.
- Shattering: very shocking or upsetting.
- Evasive: tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly.
- Cathedral of Chartres: a popular pilgrimage destination in medieval France because it houses a piece of silk said to be part of the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary when she gave birth to Jesus Christ.
- Anonymous: (of a person) not identified by name; of unknown name.
- Umbilical cord: a vital, tube-like structure that connects a developing fetus to the placenta, acting as a lifeline for the transfer of nutrients and oxygen, and removal of waste products during pregnancy.
- Sterile: not able to produce children or young.
- Flourish: grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly congenial environment.
- Assurance: a positive declaration intended to give confidence; a promise.
- Bane: a cause of great distress or annoyance.
- Bleat: make a characteristic weak, wavering cry.
- Whim: a sudden desire or change of mind, especially one that is unusual or unexplained.
- Yarn: spun thread used for knitting, weaving, or sewing.
- Metaphysics: the branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, identity, time, and space.
- Theology: the study of the nature of God and religious belief.
- Medieval history: between the Roman empire and the Renaissance
- Starring: denoting a principal role or performer in a film, play, or other show.
- Lettuce: edible leaves that are eaten in salads.
- Jambon: meat from the top of a pig’s back leg.
- Remuneration: money paid for work or a service.
- Enviable: arouse envy
- Foucault’s Pendulum: a novel by Umberto Eco
Related:
Chapter 4 – Why the Novel Matters
- Mens sana in corpore sano: a Latin phrase meaning “a healthy mind in a healthy body”
- Flickers: shine unsteadily; vary rapidly in brightness.
- Gaily: in a cheerful or light-hearted way.
- Rudiments: fundamentals
- Freckles: a small patch of light brown colour on the skin, often becoming more pronounced through exposure to the sun.
- Rubicon: a bounding or limiting line
- Bunk: complete nonsense
- Parson: a benefic member of the clergy; a rector or a vicar.
- Paradise: heaven as the ultimate abode of the just.
- Infinity: a number greater than any assignable quantity or countable number
- Emphatic: expressing something forcibly and clearly
- Nirvana: a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. It represents the final goal of Buddhism.
- Conjecture: an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.
- Accumulation: the acquisition or gradual gathering of something.
- Damned: condemned by God to suffer eternal punishment in hell.
- Creeping: growing along the ground or other surface by means of extending stems or branches.
- Tremulations: a slight trembling or vibration, suggesting a subtle, fleeting, or incomplete effect.
- Eether: the intangible realm of communication or ideas, where things are transmitted or exist in a diffused state.
- Tremulations on the ether: way other forms of writing, like philosophy or poetry, merely touch the surface of life, like faint echoes
- Sustenance: the maintenance of someone or something in life or existence.
- Myriad: countless or extremely great in number.
- Subsidiary: less important than but related or supplementary to something.
- C’est la vie!: From French, meaning “that’s life
- Renegades: a person who deserts and betrays an organization, country, or set of principles
- Multitude: a large number of people or things.
- Frances of Assisi: an Italian friar who lived in Italy in the 13th century. He lived a life of ascetic poverty and was dedicated to Christian charity.
- Angel-cake: a light, airy, and sweet cake, implying something desirable and easily shared.
- Flatly: in a firm and unequivocal manner; absolutely.
- Hog: to take or use more than necessary of something
- The Sermon on the Mount: a collection of sayings spoken by Jesus of Nazareth found in the Gospel of Matthew that emphasizes his moral teachings.
- The Ten Commandments: also known as the Decalogue, are a set of religious and ethical directives, believed to be divinely revealed to Moses by God, and are foundational to Judaism and Christianity, outlining basic moral and religious principles.
- Trembling: shaking or quivering, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty.
- Stimulate: levels of physiological or nervous activity in (the body or any biological system).
- Cul-de-sac: a street or passage that is closed at one end.
- Dazzling: extremely bright, especially so as to blind the eyes temporarily.
- Fadeth: fade
- Ceases: stops
- Withered: dry and shrivelled
- Absolute: a rule or principle that is believed to be true, right, or relevant in all situations.
- Imperialism: a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means.
- Apparently: as far as one knows or can see.
- Incongruous: not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something.
- Inertia: a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged.
- Staggered: walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall
- Pepper-pot: a container with a perforated top for sprinkling pepper.
- Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
- Woe betide me: used humorously to warn (someone) that they will be in trouble if they do a specified thing.
- Put my figure on it: to say exactly how much something is or costs
- Cut out: remove or make something by separating it from something larger with a sharp implement.
- Corsets: a woman’s tightly fitting undergarment extending from below the chest to the hips, worn to shape the figure.
- Volatile: liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse.
- Political reform: reform consists of changes and improvements to a law, social system, or institution
- Hideous: extremely ugly
- Foundlings Home: orphanage for children
- Co-respondent: a person cited in a divorce case as having committed adultery with the respondent.
- Wild welter: a state of unrestrained chaos, turmoil, or a confused jumble of things
- Thou Shalt Nots!: a prohibition or a command to refrain from certain actions or behaviors, often used in a religious or moral context, particularly in the context of the Ten Commandments.
- Masticating: chew (food).
- Ghastly: causing great horror or fear.
- Simulacrum: an image or representation of someone or something.
- Carcass: dead body
- Pianoforte with half the notes mute: only half of the piano’s strings are vibrating when a note is played, resulting in a softer, more muffled sound, often achieved by using the soft pedal or a similar mechanism.
- Inert: lacking the ability or strength to move.
- Wickedness: the quality of being evil or morally wrong.
Related:
Chapter 5 – The Argumentative Indian
- Prolixity: the state of being unnecessarily wordy or long-winded, often to the point of being boring or tedious.
- Delegation: the act of empowering to act for another; the delegation of responsibilities
- Loquaciousness: the quality or state of being very talkative or chatty.
- Colossally: extremely or very much, often implying a degree of greatness, size, or importance that is awe-inspiring.
- Modest: unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities or achievements.
- Enriched: to make rich or richer especially by the addition or increase of some desirable quality, attribute, or ingredient.
- Stimulation: encouragement of something to make it develop or become more active.
- Dilemmas: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable.
- Counter arguments: an argument or set of reasons put forward to oppose an idea or theory developed in another argument.
- Incessant: continuing without pause or interruption.
- Disputations: debate or argument.
- Substantive: having a firm basis in reality and so important, meaningful, or considerable.
- Tussle: a vigorous struggle or scuffle, typically in order to obtain or achieve something.
- Profound: very great or intense.
- Invincible: too powerful to be defeated or overcome.
- Usurpers: a person who takes a position of power or importance illegally or by force.
- Slaughter: kill (animals) for food.
- Incarnation: a person who embodies in the flesh a deity, spirit, or quality.
- Articulating: pronounce (something) clearly and distinctly.
- Waver: become weaker; falter.
- Obligations: an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment.
- Hallowing: honour as holy.
- Treatise: a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject.
- Theological: relating to the study of the nature of God and religious belief.
- Eloquently: in a fluent or persuasive manner.
- Endorsed: declare one’s public approval or support of.
- Philosophical: relating or devoted to the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence.
- Spectacularly: in an impressive, dramatic, or eye-catching way.
- Quartets: a set of four people or things.
- Admonishment: a firm warning or reprimand.
- Voyagers: travelers who undertake long journeys, particularly by sea or into space, often to unknown or distant lands or regions.
- Sequentially: by forming or following a logical order or sequence.
- Desolation: a state of complete emptiness or destruction.
- Postcombat: happening or situated after a period of combat.
- Post-carnage: the aftermath or period following an event characterized by violence and widespread destruction, especially involving the killing of large numbers of people
- Vindication: the action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion.
- Vanquished: defeat thoroughly.
- Compulsion: the action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint.
- Contemporary: living or occurring at the same time.
- Indifferent: having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.
- Manifest: clear or obvious to the eye or mind.
- Epidemics: a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
- Gruelling: extremely tiring and demanding.
- Consequential: following as a result or effect.
- Univocal: having only one possible meaning; unambiguous.
- Supplementation: the addition of an extra element or amount to something.
- Argumentative: given to arguing.
- Wisdom: the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement; the quality of being wise.
- Disputations: debate or argument.
- Generalisation: a general statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases.
- Rule the roost: be in complete control.
- Interlocutors: a person who takes part in a dialogue or conversation.
- Pedagogue: a teacher, especially a strict or pedantic one.
- Valiantly: with courage or determination.
- Mutineers: a person, especially a soldier or sailor, who rebels or refuses to obey the orders of a person in authority.
- Strikingly: in a way that attracts attention by reason of being unusual, extreme, or prominent.
- Militant: favouring confrontational or violent methods in support of a political or social cause.
- Penetrating: able to make a way through or into something.
- Theological: relating to the study of the nature of God and religious belief.
- Substantive: having a firm basis in reality and so important, meaningful, or considerable.
- Modesty: the quality or state of being unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities.
- Venerable: accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character.
- Expounding: present and explain (a theory or idea) in detail.
- Rhetorical: (of a question) asked in order to produce an effect or to make a statement rather than to elicit information.
- Predicament: a difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation.
- Immortality: the ability to live forever; eternal life.
- Transcendental: relating to a spiritual realm.
- Opulence: great wealth or luxuriousness.
- Usurpers: a person who takes a position of power or importance illegally or by force.
- Compel: force or oblige (someone) to do something.
- Rutting elephant tearing off his garland with his trunk: act reflecting the elephant’s heightened sexual and aggressive activity during the rutting period.
- Heroic: grand or grandiose in scale or intention.
- Forbearance: patient self-control; restraint and tolerance.
- Hair matted in knots: hair that is densely tangled and knotted together, forming clumps or mats that are difficult to separate with normal brushing or combing
- Sequence: a particular order in which related things follow each other.
- Hermit: a person living in solitude as a religious discipline.
- Derision: contemptuous ridicule or mockery.
- Orthodoxy: authorized or generally accepted theory, doctrine, or practice.
- Undermining: the action or process of lessening the effectiveness, power, or ability of someone or something, especially gradually or insidiously.
- Levelling: give a flat and even surface to.
- Exalted: at a high or powerful level.
- Sceptical: not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.
- Exposition: a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.
- Prominent: important; famous
- Anti-inequality: measures and approaches aimed at reducing or eliminating disparities and differences in status, rights, and opportunities between people or groups.
- Profound: very great or intense.
- Genealogical: relating to the study or tracing of lines of family descent.
- Scepticism: a sceptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something.
- Obliterated: destroy utterly; wipe out.
- Mystical: inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery, awe, and fascination.
- Exponents: a person who supports an idea or theory and tries to persuade people of its truth or benefits.
- Egalitarianism: the doctrine that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.
- Disparate: essentially different in kind; not able to be compared.
- Heretical: believing in or practising religious heresy.
- Dispossessed: deprive (someone) of land, property, or other possessions.
- Substantive: having a firm basis in reality and so important, meaningful, or considerable.
- Dialectics: the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions.
- Heterodoxy: deviation from accepted or orthodox standards or beliefs.
- Persistent: continuing firmly or obstinately in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.
- Emergence: the process of becoming visible after being concealed.
- Secular: not connected with religious or spiritual matters.
- Temptation: the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise.
- Pitfalls: a likely mistake or problem in a situation
Related:
Chapter 6 – On Science Fiction
- Prehistoric: the time in human history before the existence of written records or documentation
- Lingers: be slow to disappear or die.
- Ice Age: the geological epoch known as the Ice Age is called the Pleistocene. It lasted from approximately 2.6 million years ago to 11,700 years ago.
- Sophisticated: having, revealing, or involving a great deal of worldly experience and knowledge of fashion and culture.
- Accomplished: achieve or complete successfully.
- Hangs a tale: used to indicate that there is more to say about something.
- Industrial Revolution: the period of significant technological and societal change, starting in the 18th century, that transformed economies from agrarian and handicraft-based to those dominated by industry and machine manufacturing.
- Transcending: be or go beyond the range or limits of
- Manipulate:
- Steadily: in a regular and even manner.
- Thwart: prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.
- Ridden to glory: victorious or triumphant manner, leading to a position of honor and praise
- Analogous: comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared.
- Resembling: have a similar appearance to or qualities in common with (someone or something); look or seem like.
- Beings who controlled natural phenomena: deities or supernatural entities responsible for natural events like storms, earthquakes, or the flow of rivers, according to various mythological systems.
- Phenomena: a fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, especially one whose cause or explanation is in question.
- Whimsical: unusual and strange in a way that might be funny or annoying
- Placating: intended to make someone less angry or hostile.
- Disproven: having been proven false or incorrect.
- Offend: cause to feel upset, annoyed, or resentful
- Wavered: become weaker; falter.
- Sneer: a contemptuous or mocking smile, remark, or tone
- Economists: an expert in economics.
- Sociologists: an expert in or student of the development, structure, and functioning of human society
- Meteorologists: an expert in or student of meteorology; a weather forecaster.
- Erratically: in a manner that is not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictably.
- Shaman: a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of good and evil spirits, especially among some peoples of northern Asia and North America.
- Supernormal: exceeding or beyond the normal; exceptional.
- Aeronavigation: the process of guiding an aircraft from one point to another while maintaining its position and direction
- Partake: join in (an activity).
- Open sesame: the magical command used by Ali Baba to open the door of the robbers’ den in the story Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
- Travesties: a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something.
- Centaur: a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something.
- Satyr: one of a class of lustful, drunken woodland gods. In Greek art they were represented as a man with a horse’s ears and tail, but in Roman representations as a man with a goat’s ears, tail, legs, and horns.
- Sphinx: a winged monster having a woman’s head and a lion’s body. It propounded a riddle about the three ages of man, killing those who failed to solve it, until Oedipus was successful, whereupon the Sphinx committed suicide.
- Harpy: a rapacious monster described as having a woman’s head and body and a bird’s wings and claws or depicted as a bird of prey with a woman’s face.
- Gryphon: a mythical creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion, typically depicted with pointed ears and with the eagle’s legs taking the place of the forelegs.
- Gorgon: each of three sisters, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa, with snakes for hair, who had the power to turn anyone who looked at them to stone. Medusa was killed by Perseus.
- Extraterrestrials: a hypothetical or fictional being from outer space.
- Enchantments: a feeling of great pleasure; delight.
- Coerce: persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats
- Cajole: persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery.
- Impersonal: not influenced by, showing, or involving personal feelings.
- Unswervable: not changing or becoming weaker; unswerving.
- Dictates: state or order authoritatively.
- Mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.
- Haughty: arrogantly superior and disdainful.
- Tickled: lightly touch or prod (a person or a part of the body) in a way that causes mild discomfort or itching and often laughter.
- Accord: give or grant someone (power, status, or recognition).
- Duel: a contest with deadly weapons arranged between two people in order to settle a point of honour.
- Naval battles of the War of 1812: they demonstrated that the young American navy could compete with the Royal Navy, a force that had been dominant on the seas for decades.
- Napoleonic Wars: a series of major European conflicts from 1803 to 1815, primarily between France, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, and various coalitions of European powers.
- Analogous: comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared.
- Stick-in-the-muddish: a person who is dull and unadventurous and who resists change.
- Wrenched out: to forcibly pull or twist something away from its position, typically with a sudden or violent movement
- Pseudoscientific: falsely or mistakenly claimed or regarded as being based on scientific method
- Gloss: shine or lustre on a smooth surface.
- Senescence: the condition or process of deterioration with age.
- Turgid: swollen and distended or congested
- Bookkeeping: the activity or occupation of keeping records of the financial affairs of a business
- Anthology: a published collection of poems or other pieces of writing.
- Nomadic: living the life of a nomad; wandering.
- Implicit: suggested though not directly expressed.
- Wilderness: an uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region.
- Clash: a violent confrontation.
- Nomadic: living the life of a nomad; wandering.
- Herding: (with reference to a group of people or animals) move in a group.
- Mackerel: a predatory marine fish with a greenish-blue back, important as a food fish.
- Cod: a large marine fish with a small barbel on the chin.
- Amply: enough or more than enough; plentifully.
- Plumbs: measure (the depth of a body of water).
- Illuminates: make (something) visible or bright by shining light on it; light up.
- Interplanetary: situated or relating to travel between planets.
- Mainstream fiction: fiction that is widely popular and accessible to a broad audience
- Inconsiderable: of small size, amount, or extent
- Scoundrel: a dishonest or unscrupulous person; a rogue.
- Pocket-frannistan: This is a made-up scientific device, perhaps a type of advanced imaging technology, that Holmes uses. It’s meant to be a futuristic tool.
- Pocket-frannistan Container: This implies the device is portable and likely housed in a case for protection
- Q-rays: This is a hypothetical form of radiation or energy that Holmes claims to have discovered. The name “Q-rays” suggests a mysterious and advanced nature.
- Lead lining: Caskets are often lined with lead for protection, making it difficult to see what’s inside. Holmes’ device, with its Q-rays, allows him to penetrate this barrier.
- Bloopers: an embarrassing error.
- Antimony: the chemical element of atomic number 51, a brittle silvery-white metalloid.
- Antimony potassium tartrate: a crystalline salt used as a mordant in textiles and leather processing, as well as a pesticide.
- Pitfalls: a hidden or unsuspected danger or difficulty.
- Extrapolate: to predict by projecting past experience or known data.
- Telepathy: the supposed communication of thoughts or ideas by means other than the known senses.
- Retrieval: the process of getting something back from somewhere.
- Herrings: a fairly small silvery fish which is most abundant in coastal waters and is of widespread commercial importance.
- Obscure: not discovered or known about; uncertain.
- Outré: unusual and typically rather shocking.
- Modest: unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities or achievements.
Related:
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Kaleidoscope Book – Drama
- Legend: folklore, myth
- Chandalika: low caste girl, untouchable
- Spell:enchantment,
- Will: Determination
- Monk: ascetic
- Remorse: repentance
- Psychic: mental, spiritual
- Devotee: follower Lust: desire
- Transformed: changed
- Psychological: mental
- Spiritual: religious
- Condemned: doomed
- Despised: hated
- Awakened: roused
- Consciousness: awareness
- Humanity: compassion
- Revelation: disclosure
- Degradation: humiliation
- Redeemed: saved
- Yearns: longs
- Detached: aloof
- Humiliated: embarrassed
- Sensibility: sensitivity
- Renunciation: abandonment
- Abjectness: misery
- Scruple: hesitation
- Creed: belief
- Gags: silences
- Conform: comply
- Spell: charm
- Primeval: ancient
- Potent: powerful
- Agony: pain
- Resplendent: splendid
- Transformed: changed
- Blinded: unable to see
- Remorse: regret
- Curses: denounces
- Forgiveness: pardon
- Revokes: cancels
- Redeemed: saved
- Purged: cleansed
- Egoism: selfimportance
- Possession: ownership
- Tragedy: disaster
- Dignity: respect
- Rights: entitlements
- Obligations: duties
- Slavery: bondage
- Vanity: conceit
- Pride: arrogance
- Trespasses: intrudes
- Eagerness: keenness
- Devotion: dedication
- Consciousness: awareness
- Suppression: oppression
- Restraint: control
- Suffering: pain, distress (पीड़ा)
- Willingly: voluntarily
- Chastened: disciplined
- Wisdom: knowledge
- Renunciation: abandonment
- Fulfilment: satisfaction
- Ails: troubles
- Blistering: extremely hot
- Pots: containers
- Gasping: struggling for breath
- Penance: self-punishment
- Purana: ancient Hindu texts, scriptures
- Dubbed: named, labeled
- Humiliate: embarrass
- Sin: wrongdoing
- Self-murder: suicide
- Former: previous
- Blazing: burning
- Calf: young cow
- Robes: clothing
- Leaped: jumped
- Trembling: shaking
- Radiant: glowing
- Dawn: sunrise
- Cupped: shaped
- Reckless: careless
- Fathomless: very deep
- Boundless: limitless
- Drowned: submerged
- Washed: cleansed
- Spell: magic
- Quenching: satisfying
- Merit: virtue
- Vow: promise
- Sacred: holy
- Stream: river
- Exile: banishment
- Changeling: transformed being
- Wayfarer: wanderer
- Waste: barren land
- Heathaze: mirage
- Quivers: shakes
- Intoxicated: drunk
- Marvellous: wonderful
- Poisonplant: a toxic herb
- Bosom: heart
- Warned: cautioned
- Filth: dirt
- Trespass: intrude
- Tainting: contaminating
- Spade: shovel
- Stray: wander
- Narrow: limited
- Unlooked: unexpected
- Roast: bake
- Radiant: shining
- Redemption: salvation
- Surrender: give up
- Yearned: longed
- Renunciation: giving up
- Lowliness: humility
- Heavenly: divine
- Queenliness: regality
- Handmaid: servant
- Defile: pollute
- Marvel: wonder
- Daring: boldness, courage (साहस),
- Glory: pride
- Delude: deceive
- Humiliation: shame
- Chandals: outcasts
- Cling: hold tightly
- Mingle: mix
- Longings: desires
- Drought: dryness
- Wither: dry up
- Clasp: grip
- Recklessness: carelessness
- Impaled: pierced
- Heritage: legacy
- Fulfilled: completed
- Blinds: obscured
- Gags: silences
- Honour: respect
- Lord Buddha: spiritual leader, enlightened one
- Conform: comply
- Wayfarer: traveler
- Churn: stir
- Cleansed: purified
- Exalted: esteemed
- Offend: insult
- Dishonour: disgrace
- Obesance: respect
- Longing: desire
- Code: rules
- Comfort: ease
- Mighty: powerful
- Illusion: delusion
- Begged: pleaded
- Alms: charity
- Burning ground: cremation site
- Wretch: unfortunate
- Overflowing: spilling over
- Inexhaustible: never-ending
- Sangha: Buddhist community
- Homage: respect
- Creation: formation
- Flings: throws
- Rampled: stepped on
- Momentary: brief
- Prisoned: confined
- Fibres: thread
- Grip: hold
- Awake: conscious
- Ancient: old
- Penance: repentance
- Fasting: abstaining from food
- Coils: loops
- Meditations: contemplations
- Fluttering: flapping
- Courtyard: open area, yard
- Whirled: spun
- Lightning flash: bright electrical discharge
- Shore: coastline
- Undo: reverse
- Ashes: burnt remains
- Doom: destruction
- Breaking of worlds: collapse
- Agony: pain
- Glory: magnificence
- Cords: ties
- Kindling: igniting, lighting
- Nectar: sweet liquid, ambrosia
- Anoint: bless, apply oil
- Weary: tired
- Wounded: injured
- Ashad: a month in the Hindu calendar
- Fast: abstain from food
- Monastery: religious residence, abbey
- Pitiless: merciless
- Meditation: contemplation
- Thunderbolt: lightning
- Pale: faded
- Weary: exhausted
- Demons: evil spirits
- Rifts: gaps
- Festering: rotting
- Sores: wounds
- Lightning: flash
- Fenced: enclosed, surrounded
- Copper: a metal, bronze-like element
- Fused: combined
- Creation: formation
- Detachment: disconnection
- Elemental: basic
- Sparks: small flames
- Twilight: dusk
- Spear: lance, weapon
- Amazed: astonished, stunned
- Turmoil: chaos, unrest
- Ferried: transported, carried
- Mazed: confused, bewildered
- Slack: loose
- Compulsion: force, coercion
- Turbulent: rough, agitated
- Ghat: river bank steps
- Lichened: covered with lichens
- Altar: shrine
- Wasted: squandered
- Uttermost: extreme
- Mockery: ridicule, scorn
- Beseech: implore, beg
- Complacent: self-satisfied
- Waxing moon: growing, expanding moon
- Courtyard: yard, enclosed area
- Vermilion: bright red pigment
- Sandalpaste: fragrant paste
- Garlands: flower chains, wreaths
- Invocation: calling upon, summoning
- Altar: sacred table, shrine
- Inmost: innermost
- Quivers: shakes, trembles
- Throbs: beats, pulsates
- Shattered: broken, destroyed
- Liongates: symbolic gates, entrance
- Tremors: vibrations
- Enrapture: delight
- Enthrone: place on a throne
- Dishonour: disgrace
- Faded: dimmed
- Paraphernalia: equipment, accessories
- Heroic: brave
- Deliverance: salvation
- Spurn: reject
- Reproach: criticism
- Soiled: dirtied
- Veil: cover
- Illusion: delusion
- Haven: sanctuary
- Homage: respect
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