CBSE Class 10 English Communicative (Literature Reader) word meaning

by Jatinder Kaur | Jun 26, 2023 | General | 0 comments

CBSE Class 10 Communicative Book Meaning of Difficult Words from All Chapters

CBSE Class 10 Communicative Word Meaning of All Chapters. Here, the difficult words and their meanings of all the chapters of CBSE Class 10 English Literature Reader (Communicative) Book have been compiled for the convenience of the students. This is an exhaustive list of the words and meanings of all the fiction, poem and drama from the Communicative book for CBSE Class 10 English . The difficult words’ meanings have been explained lucidly so that every student can understand them.

Fiction

Chapter 1 – Two Gentlemen of Verona

Verona : a city in Italy. Romeo and Juliet are believed to have lived there
Shrugged: To raise and lower your shoulder in order to show disapproval.
Shabby: Poor condition especially dressed in old and worn clothes.
worn : old and damaged
tunic : a loose outer garment that does not have sleeves
Earnest: A serious mental state.
Brisk: Quick, fast.
Slackened: Slowed down or less active.
Juliet’s tomb – The place where Juliet, the woman Romeo loved, was buried. Romeo and Juliet is a play written by Shakespeare.
demeanour: A person’s appearance or behavior.
artless : guileless; innocent
Hawked: To offer for sale by calling out in the street.
Errands: Short work or business trip.
Deserted: Empty or sparsely occupied.
Emigrate: Leave one’s own country in order to settle permanently in another.
Vexation: Annoyed state.
put out : offended; annoyed
Humble Dwellings: A simple living space
Steel-rimmed: The upper or outer edge of an object, especially when curved or circular.
Vestibule: An entrance hall inside a building.
Intrude: To interrupt someone’s privacy.
Rubble: Waste or rough fragments of stone, brick, concrete, etc., especially as the debris from the demolition of buildings.
Scarce: Very small in amount.

Chapter 2 – Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger

Descended: Develop suddenly.
Wholesome: “Better than before”, in general
Inhabitants: A person or animal that lives in a particular place.
Compelling motive: Aim backed by force and power.
Deviation: An action, behavior, or condition that is different from what is usual or expected.
Nimrod : Biblical character (great granson of Noah); a mighty hunter
Algerian: A native or inhabitant of Algeria.
Aviator: A pilot.
Procured: To get something by some effort.
Harvest: Collect or obtain for future use.
Ostensibly: Supposedly
Foreground: The part of a scene or picture that is nearest to and in front of the viewer.
Swayed: Influence
Propitious: Likely to have or produce good results.
Boast: Possess.
Rendezvous: A place or point where a group meets.
Antecedents: Predecessor.
Infirmities: The state of being weak or ill because of age.
Prospect: Hope or likelihood.
Stimulated: Encourage or arouse interest.
Herd-robber: refers to a tiger that hunts and preys on other animals.
Crouched: Adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down, typically in order to avoid detection or to defend oneself.
Persistent: Continuing beyond the usual or expected time.
Bleat: The loud cry of sheep or goat.
tethered: fastened
thumb- nail pack of patience cards : small sized playing cards to play solitaire
Quarry: Prey, victim
Morbid: Unpleasant.
Intervention: To become involved in something in order to have an influence.
Instinctively: Feelings based on instincts.
Speculations: Ideas or guesses about something that is not known.
Depreciation: Decrease in value.
Commenced: To begin.
Ambling: To walk slowly in a free and relaxed way.
Senile: Showing a loss of mental ability in old age.
Succumbed: To die.
Tiger-claw brooch: A small piece of jewellery in the shape of a tiger’s claw with a pin at the back that is fastened to a woman’s clothes.
Book of patterns : Book showing the colour patterns of racing, stables, with colours worn by jockeys.
Post-time: The start of horse race and deadline for placing a bet
Les Fauves: French for ‘ The Wild Animals’
Incidental : secondary.

Chapter 3 – The Letter

Dawn: the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise.
Tattered: Old and torn.
Shield: a protection, guard
Screech: A loud and very high sound.
Inhabitants: A person or animal that lives in a particular place.
Profound: Having great knowledge or understanding.
Lulls: put to sleep.
Victim: A person who is attacked/ robbed/ cheated by someone else.
Caressing: To touch in a gentle way.
Plodded: To walk slowly and usually heavily.
Staff: Group of people who work for an organization.
Crevices: A narrow opening or crack in a hard surface.
Beholding : taking a look at; seeing
Diwan Sahib : a senior government official
Midst: The middle area or part of something.
Crouching: To lower your body to the ground by bending your legs.
Bewildered: confused.
Bereft: sad and lonely, especially through someone’s death or departure.
Devout: Deeply religious.
Serenity: Calmness.
Persevered: continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no indication of success.
Scandals: An occurrence where people are shocked and upset because of wrong behavior.
Customary: Usually done in particular way, in particular place or time.
Relic: Something that is from the past time, culture.
Pitiable: Deserving pity or sympathy.
Precinct: the area within the walls or perceived boundaries of a particular building or place.
Chimed: Added to it.
Lunacy: Extreme mental illness.
Verse: Writing in which words are arranged in a rhythmic pattern.
Hastily: Hurriedly
Exhausted: State where all the mental or physical energy is completely used up.
Guineas: An old British currency (coin).
Suspense: Feeling or state of nervousness or excitement caused by wondering what will happen.
Meek: Having or showing gentle nature.
Perplexed: puzzled
Deceived: made to believe something that is not true.
Anxiety: Feeling of nervousness about what might happen.
Remorse: Feeling of guilt.

Chapter 4 – A Shady Plot

Live propositions: suggest or indicate a real life occurrence
shade of an idea: slightest clue or idea
mysterious: strange
chased: ran after
inspiration: idea
vain: unsuccessful
Healthy: here, suitable or favourable
uncanny: mysterious, strange
pestering: troubling
dunned: persistently ask for something that is overdue, pressurized
dig one up: to find something
cocky: overconfident
Wander: move away slowly
material things: here, refers to living things which are part of the world and are different from ghosts.
tendency: an inclination towards a particular behaviour
fad: fashion or trend
work it to death: to use till it gets finished due to overuse
never get me any place: he realized that by merely thinking of it, he could do nothing to cure it.
staring: look intently
ceiling: the upper interior surface of the room
Sarcastically: someone or something that mocks the other
Imbecility: lack of intelligence
Twilight: half light, dusk
shirtwaist : a woman’s blouse shaped like a man’s shirt
plaid: long piece of cloth
Angular: sharp corners
Enormous: huge
Wad: rolled up
laid eyes on the woman before: never seen her before.
Gaping: staring with the mouth wide open
Sections: parts
Parts: here, body parts
Crisped: spoke angrily
spine got cold: the backbone could not move due to intense fear
Stenographer: someone who types what people say
drivelling: speak nonsense
Assistance: help
Yell: scream
draped: covered loosely in fold of cloth
reminiscent: with one’s mind full of memories, tending to remind
long eagle nose: the shape of her nose
purgatory: a place or state of suffering
paradise: heaven
made up my mind: decided
Scout around: go to look in various places for something you want
The case: here, a particular matter
Groaned: a deep long sound showing unhappiness or pain
Scarecrow: an object made to resemble a human figure
Beds: here, graves
Patronizingly: to speak or behave with someone as if they are not important.
Ouija board: a device used to communicate with ghosts, a board on which are marked the letters of the alphabet. Answers to questions are spelt out by a pointer or glass held by the fingertips of the participants, and are supposedly formed by spiritual forces
Fanatics: person who is extremely passionate about something
Haunt: scare
to exert: to put effort to do something
acquaintances: a person whom you have met but do not know well
Demobilize: step back from action, discharge
Evaporate: disappear gradually
brogans: a heavy ankle-high work boot with laces
misty: unclear
affection: (here) condition; state of being affected
vestige: trace
Idiotic grin: smile broadly like a fool
Twitch: tremble, shiver
Conceal: hide
affliction: disorder
premonitory chill: prior warning, foreboding
crept up the back of my neck: approached slowly and gave a shock
Horrible: bad dreaded
I felt things slipping: feeling that the situation is getting out of control
Lingered: to stay in a place for longer than expected
Hysterics: uncontrolled behaviour due to extreme fear or sadness.
Napoleon: refers to Napolean Bonaparte, a historical figure who was a French military leader.
William the Conqueror: refers to William I, a historical figure who was the king of England.
Helen of Troy: A greek mythological character, considered the most beautiful woman in the world.
wear your eyes out: damage them due to prolonged use
musty: full of dust
local colour: here, the finer details of the person
speck: tiny particle
premonitory: a foreboding.
Darn: used to express disappointment
Devilish: evil
Propose: suggest or offer a plan
slid down: to pass smoothly
Huffily: angry or annoyed
cloud up: gather up in the sky, here the formation of the ghost which appeared in parts
let it go: leave it, keep it aside for later
Bookkeeper: a person who records day to day financial transactions in business, accountant.
Lumber: dealing in wood and timber
Vanished: disappeared
Churning: to move with great force
Illuminated: lit up
argify: (here) argue
Parlour: a room
Mournful: sad
Squeak: sound made by the table
Flirtatious: behaviour as if being attracted to someone.
Coyly: flirtatious but pretending to be shy
Cooed: spoke softly
Hovered: moved around something
Traitor: a person who betrays someone
Dreadful: causing suffering
Corrugated: bent into curves
light of the huntress in her pale blue eyes: Her light blue coloured eyes were shining with excitement like those of a huntress.
groaned: cried in pain
inexorable: unstoppable, impossible to prevent
simpered: smile in a silly, often coy manner
Manipulators: a person who controls or influences others in a clever way
Report: appear
Peculiar: strange
Squeak: high pitched sound
Spasm: shiver
Wretched: sad
Semblance: outward appearance
sly: dishonest
Crawled: move slowly on hands and knees
Gurgled: make a hollow bubbling sound
Elapsed: passed
turned the whites of her eyes up to the ceiling: prayed to God.
Prickle: short slender, sharp pointed outgrowth
Majestically: highest dignity
Dreadful: terrible
Fascination: interest
Gait: walk
Protruding: sticking out
Exasperated: irritate intensely
Faculties: inherent powers of body and mind
Materialize: to appear
hoodoos: placing curses and charms to bring bad luck on someone
Abused: use something to bad effect
leered: stared
Brassily: rudely, insolently
Agility: quickly and easily
conceal: hide
awful: horrible
phantom: ghost
wrest: pull out with force
staccatoed: spoke in an abrupt, detached manner
Skeered: scared
Coon: the one doing a menial job
Waspishly: in an irritated manner
Elaborately: detailed
Dratted: annoying
concealed: hidden
Denial: say no
gurgled: bubbled
hussy: an immoral woman
lithely: flexibly
gaze: stare or look
Thrust: pushed
Apparition: ghost
Skewed: twisted
Powder: make up
Swoon: faint
Telescoped: slid outwards in parts
briskly: quickly
Fervently: great warmth
Shoved: pushed
bulliest: best, excellent
plot: idea

Chapter 5 – Patol Babu Film Star

Lane: a narrow road
Genial: friendly, warm
Bald: having no or little hair on the head.
Pharmacy: a shop or hospital dispensary where medicinal drugs are prepared or sold.
Nonentity: an unimportant person or thing
beyond his wildest dreams: something which is next to impossible for a person
A strapping young fellow: a person who is strong, tall and looks to be active and healthy.
Aubergines: brinjals, a vegetable
Verged: to be very close to
Obsession: a state in which he could not think of anything else
Amateur: non-professional
Jatra: is a Bengali word. The original word is Yatra (Sanskrit) which means a journey. Jatras is a popular folk-theatre form of Bengali theatre.
Theatricals: play performed in a theatre.
Handbill: a small printed sheet for advertisement.
smooth sailing: having no problems
toying with the idea: considering an idea
retrenchment: cutting down
struggled to make a living: had a difficult time earning enough money
scrap: a small piece or amount of something
Twang: a strong ringing sound
Mighty: powerful
Gory: violent
Whizzing: move quickly
Dragged: pull roughly
Diffidence: modesty or shyness resulting from a lack of self-confidence
appraising look: to consider or examine somebody or something and form an opinion about that person or thing
Storey: floor
Anxiously: eagerly
pedestrian: person travelling on foot
Crucial: decisive or critical
rise to fame and fortune: becoming famous and wealthy
Equipment: the necessary tools or machines
pavement: footpath
Oblong: a rectangular object or flat figure with unequal adjacent sides
beehive: a dome shape structure where bees are kept
Tremor: tremble, shake
Perspiration: the process of sweating
Gesturing: sign or signal
Punctual: doing something at the agreed or proper time
Bump: crash
Muffed: handle badly
Stout: fat
Telescope: an optical instrument designed to make distant objects appear nearer
Hubbub: noise
smash hits: very successful
Glanced: to take a brief look
Throbbing: to beat
Gigantic: huge size
hoax: joke
meek: quiet
Executive: senior official
Embezzlement: theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one’s trust or belonging to one’s employer.
pavement: footpath
preoccupation: concentration
crucial: important
Crumpled: crushed
Stifling: Suffocating
Pompous: too serious and full of importance
Trivial: of little value
Dignity: the state of being of respect
Vanity: pride
Edification: the moral or intellectual improvement of someone
Obeisance: respect
Devoid: lacking
Inflection: change in tone of the sound
Uttered: spoke
Astonishing: amazing
Provoked: to give rise
Thesis: argument
Monosyllabic: a word having a single vowel sound
Syllable: a unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound
Tiptoe: to walk quietly and quickly
Rehearsals: a practice
Enunciating: to pronounce clearly
Crouch: bend forward after the collision
Fling: throw forcefully
Apathy: lack of interest
anticipation: expectation
suppressed: forcibly put an end to
Cue: a thing said or done that serves as a signal to an actor
dash: to run in a great hurry
collision: hit
strides: walk
resume: to begin after a pause
Bystander: a person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part
Moustache: a strip of hair left to grow above the upper lip
snappy: quick
commended: praised
Perspicacity: ability to understand somebody or something quickly and accurately
Spectators: a person who watches at a show
saw stars before his eyes: an idiom which means to take a blow to the head that is hard enough that you see specks of light that resemble stars
excruciating: very painful
Heaved: produced a sound
blunted his sensibility: reduced his acting talent
Intense: extreme

Chapter 6 – Virtually True

wheezy breath: to breathe with an audible whistling sound, with difficulty
Coma: a prolonged state of deep unconsciousness
motorway accident: car accident
Critical: very serious
Miracle: a very lucky event that is surprising and unexpected
Muttered: speak in a low voice due to confusion
Stared: looked carefully
Nutty: crazy about, has a passion for
Mhz: megahertz – one million hertz, the unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second
RAM: Random-Access Memory
CD ROM: Compact Disk with Read-Only Memory
Fantastic: far away from reality, very good and attractive
Gizmos: gadgets, especially mechanical or electrical devices
virtual reality: computer generated realistic images and sounds which enable the user to interact with this space
visor: helmet
interactive: influencing each other
psycho-drive: driven by mental power
terrific: very good
more futuristic: having or involving very modern technology or design
converted: change the form
loft: an upper storey or attic
sheriff’s: an official
Saloon: a public room or building used for a specific purpose
Sarsaparilla: a carbonated drink flavoured with sarsaparilla root
Fizzy: sparkling
Spun: turned
Silhouette: someone or something shown as a dark shape and outline against a brighter background
Drawled: spoke slowly
Grinning: smiling broadly
Slammed: to shut with force
Bar: the counter or table
Notching: achieving
Complicated: tough
Characters: persons in the game
Dived: jumped
Posse: group
Echoed: a sound which keeps on repeating after the original sound has stopped
Groaned: moan
Slumped: to fall heavily
Visor: a helmet
retrieve: bring back
Sweatshirt: a loose, warm sweater
lights out: time in the evening when the lights are switched off in the room where people sleep
Dragon: a mythical monster like a giant reptile
Lair: a secret hiding place
Wicked: evil
plaits: a hairstyle formed by taking three portions of hair and interlacing one over the other to form a braid.
Squealed: to scream with delight
Roaring: to make a long deep sound
Wardrobe: a large, tall cupboard
gasped: missed a breath due to astonishment
Leapt: jumped to a great height
Fiery: consisting of fire
Battlements: a broad path on the top of a castle’s outer wall.
Spiral: curve
tapestry: used as a wall hanging or soft furnishing
close pursuit: to chase
Dungeons: a strong underground prison cell, especially in a castle
Sword: a weapon with a long metal blade
Rescue: save
swipe-card: a plastic card on which data has been stored magnetically and that can be read by an electronic reading device
howled: cried
tramping: walking heavily
steel-barred: locked
dodged: avoid
pounded: strike or hit heavily
Vicious: violent
Dripping: very wet
Jowls: the lower cheeks or jaw
Tumbling: fall suddenly
Riddled: making many small holes in something
Dodging: avoiding
sniper fire: gunshots fired by somebody in a concealed position
Scuttling: run hurriedly
Revved: to press the accelerator when the clutch is disengaged
Skidding: turning too quickly
Tumbled: fall suddenly
Thud: heavy sound
Hatch: a door in an aircraft
Soared: fly or rise high in the air
Jackpot: a large cash prize in a game or lottery, especially one that accumulates until it is won.
Furiously: very fast
Retrieve: bring back from somewhere

Poetry

Chapter 7 – The Frog and the Nightingale

Bingle: name of the bog
bog: an area of land that is very wet and muddy
awn: ‘on’ misspelt and mispronounced as ‘awn’ so that it rhymes with ‘dawn’
loathed: hated
crass: Rude and insensitive
cacophony: a very loud and unpleasant noise
minstrelled: sang
elation: great pride and joy
Casting forth: to emit or to send out
Dumbstruck: so shocked or surprised as to be unable to speak
Rapt: totally interested, so that you cannot think of anything else
Heron: A water bird
Serenaded: sang beautifully
Solitary: alone, single
loon: a large water bird
teal: a small duck
tiddlers: small fishes
enraptured: filled with fascination and delight
encore: ‘sing some more’
Applause: Praise, appreciation
Twitched: A short, sudden jerk or movement
Startled: Taken aback, surprised and shocked
baritone: a male singing voice, fairly deep
wield: hold and use
technique: a method of doing something
Flattered: Happy and pleased
Impressed: influenced
Critic: A person who judges the merits of artistic works.
art: Here, singing talent
Boast: Praise oneself
Mozart: Name of a very talented musician
disguise: Cannot be recognized
Modest: small
flushed: full of, very excited and pleased
adoration: Strong admiration
sensation: Widespread reaction of interest and excitement
Precision: exact and accurate
Sash: a long piece of cloth that you wear round the waist or over the shoulder, usually as a badge of honour.
Scale: a sequence of musical notes that go up and down, one after the another
hoarse: rough and unclear
quivering: shaking, trembling
Subdued: quiet, with little energy
deprived: Not getting enough of something
revived: improved
Tiaras: a semi – circular metal band decorated with jewels and worn by wealthy women on formal occasions.
twittering: chatting
Mid – flight: In the middle of the song
Trills: singing two musical notes one after the other, repeatedly and very quickly
Billings: publicity for a concert, show, etc.
Zipped: sang quickly
Morose: miserable, bad tempered
Rage: anger
Wits: intelligence
Puff: take a very deep breath
Passion: show strong emotions
Stupid: unintelligent
Prone: likely to suffer from
panache: a very confident, elegant style
foghorn: a very loud, unpleasant noise
unrivalled: unopposed

Chapter 8 – Not Marble nor the Gilded Monuments

gilded: covered with gold; gold-plated
these contents: refers to this poetry
unswept stone: a stone monument left uncared for
besmear’d: tarnished
sluttish: of unclean habits and behaviour
broils: tumult, fighting, disturbances, esp. in war
work of masonry: refers to monuments built by masons
Mars: the god of war
Sword: a weapon with a long metal blade
quick: lively, fast moving, searching out
living record: this written memory of your life which continues after you are dead
Gainst: against
oblivious enmity: enmity which is forgetful of everything and so seeks to destroy everything
pace forth: stride forwards
posterity: future generations
doom: doomsday; the day on which the Last Judgment will occur
judgement: the day of the last judgement
Dwell: live

Chapter 9 – Ozymandias

Antique: old
trunkless: without the upper body (the main part of the body of a human being or an animal, excluding the head, neck, and limbs)
sunk: to descend below the surface of something
shattered: broken into pieces
visage: face
frown: expression of anger or displeasure
wrinkled: marks of lines or folds
sneer: facial expression of scorn or hostility in which the upper lip may be raised
cold: without feelings for others
command: domination or control
sculptor: an artist who makes sculptures
passions: refers to the expressions on the king’s face
read: interpreted
survive: continue to exist after his death
stamped: sculpted, printed or engraved
mocked: to copy something
Pedestal: the base of a statue
Mighty: the powerful kings of the world
Despair: without hope
beside: else
decay: broken pieces of the statue
colossal: extremely large or great
wreck: ruins
boundless: without limits
bare: without the great statue of Ozymandias
lone: the only survivor

Chapter 10 – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Ancient: belonging to the olden times
Mariner: sailor
Stoppeth: stopped
Thy: your Glittering: shining brightly, with flashing points of light
wherefore: why
stopp’st: stopping
thou: you
Bridegroom: the boy who is getting married
kin : members of your family
may’st: may
din: sound of the wedding songs
Skinny: thin
quoth : said
loon : a mad person
Eftsoons : at once
Dropt: dropped his hand
holds him: captivates, hypnotizes
hath: had
hath his will: he succeeded in doing what he wanted to do
Spake: archaic word for ‘spoke’
kirk : church
He: refers to the Sun
bassoon : a musical instrument
Hath: had
Paced: walked into
minstrelsy : singers and musicians
tyrannous : cruel, severe, harsh
chased: dragged along
Sloping: slanting
Mast: a tall pole on a ship or boat which supports the sails
prow : the front part of a ship
pursued : chased
treads: walks
foe : enemy
aye: yes
fled: to move swiftly
emerald : a precious stone, which is clear and bright green
drifts: floating ice
clifts : steep sides of the ice-bergs
dismal : gloomy, sad
Sheen : a smooth and gentle brightness on the surface of something
ken : see
Swound: a fainting fit, the act of fainting
Hailed it: welcomed it
Split: broke into two parts
Helmsman: the person steering the ship
hollo : shout, call
shroud : sail
perched : sat on the edge of something
vespers nine : a fixed time every day (the evening church service)
Fiends: evil spirit, devil
plague : to bother, trouble
crossbow : a very powerful bow and arrow, with a trigger
Hollo: call
‘em: them
Woe: great unhappiness and sorrow
Averred: said firmly
Slay: kill
Purist: rose up
Slay: to kill
Foam: the bubbles formed on the surface of the sea
Furrow: the track formed behind the ship as it sailed ahead
Deep: ocean
Slimy: with slippery bodies
reel and rout: types of dances
Spirit: soul of the dead albatross
Fathom: a measurement of depth
Drought: a condition of intense heat and lack of water
Withered: lifeless and dry
Soot: solid smoke

Chapter 11 – Snake

Water trough – a vessel which holds water
Carob tree – a red flowered tree originally in the Mediterranean area
Pitcher – tall, round container with an open top and a large handle
Fissure – crack
Gloom – darkness
yellow-brown slackness – The yellow – brown coloured body of the snake moved slowly
soft-bellied down – The snake’s belly is soft and slimy and is turned upside down.
Slack – loose, lazy
Vaguely – not clear, passing glance
Flickered – moved
Mused – think about
Stooped – bent forward
Bowels – bottom of the Earth
Sicilian July – Reference to the intense hot month of July on the island of Sicily
Etna smoking – reference to Mount Etna located in Sicily is an active volcano and emits smoke.
Venomous – poisonous
Confess – admit his guilt
Glad – happy
Depart – leave
Pacified – to be at peace
burning bowels of this earth – Reference to the hot bottom of Mount Etna which is a volcano.
Cowardice – lack of bravery
perversity – the quality of being unreasonable, illogical
Hospitality – friendly welcome
dark door of the secret earth – Referring to the hole from where the snake has crawled out of the Earth.
Wall–face – face of the wall of the poet’s garden
Dreadful – terrible
Horrid – causing horror
Clatter: sound produced
Convulsed: a violent movement
Haste: hurry
Writhed – twisted and turned
Paltry – worthless
Despised – hated
Accursed – under a curse
Albatross– an allusion to Coleridge’s “Rime of the ancient mariner“. He wishes for its return.
Expiate – make amends
Pettiness – feeling small
exile – Sent away from his territory
Clearness: puddle of clear water.

Drama

Chapter 12 – The Dear Departed

Provincial town – a town considered to be old fashioned, narrow – minded and boring.
Shabby – in poor condition through long use or lack of care.
Chest of drawers – a piece of furniture used for storage, consisting of an upright frame into which drawers are fitted.
Sideboard – a flat-topped piece of furniture with cupboards and drawers, used for storing crockery, glasses, and table linen
Mantlepiece – a structure of wood, marble, or stone above and around a fireplace
Hearth – the floor of a fireplace.
Gaudy – very bright and showy.
Carpet slippers – a soft slipper whose upper part is made of wool or thick cloth
TIT – BITS – A British weekly magazine founded by George Newnes in 1881, which was in mass circulation in England.
PEARSON’s WEEKLY – A British weekly magazine founded by Sir Cyril Pearson (1866-1921) in 1890.
Hat stand – a tall free-standing post fitted with large hooks for hanging hats on
Vigorous –strong, healthy, and full of energy
Vulgar – indecent
straight talking – frank
Mourning – the expression of sorrow for someone’s death.
precocious – a person whose mental attitude is developed beyond his/ her age
colours – wearing gay dress
gallivanting – go about seeking pleasure
tailcoat – a man’s black coat worn for formal daytime occasions and having a long rounded and split tail
Sash – a long piece of ribbon, silk, etc. worn around the waist like a belt or over one shoulder, as a symbol of rank
till our new black’s ready– till a new dress of mourning is ready
Prying – excessively interested in a person’s private affairs
You don’t seem to realize what it’s costing me to bear up like I am doing – the other person cannot realize what the speaker is going through to put up with the given situation
Trifles – a thing of little value or importance
Bureau – a writing desk with drawers
drive a hard bargain: to argue in an aggressive manner and force somebody to agree on the best possible arrangement.
low money grubbing spirit – an expression which means a dishonest tendency to be mean and greedy about money
Daft – silly, foolish
Shabby – in poor condition through long use or lack of care.
Pinching – steal or take without permission.
Lift your end – here, to stand up
Not to breathe a word – to speak nothing
stagger – walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall.
That was a near thing – a situation in which you just managed to avoid danger.
Ostentatiously – showily
Furtively – secretively
Plumes – feathers
piqued – experienced indignation
as merry as a sandboy – extremely happy and carefree
Poetic license – freedom to change facts or normal rules of language
‘Ring-o’-Bells’- the name of a restaurant
public-house – a pub, a place that is licensed to sell alcoholic beverages
Swindling – cheating
Timidly – in a manner that shows a lack of courage or confidence
Disparagingly – criticizing someone, in a way that shows you do not respect or value them
Gingerly – in a careful or cautious manner
tomfoolery – foolish behaviour
Cemetery – a burial ground
dickens – informal way of saying that you are annoyed or surprised
Vindictive – ill-natured
Disconcerted – disturbed
Retires – here, to sit back to indicate that he was no longer a part of the conversation.
Appetite – hunger
Fancy – imagination
press him – force or pressurize
what the devil did you mean – an expression used in questions to express anger or surprise.
Drat – a fairly mild expression of anger or annoyance
Hanged – being suspended by a rope around the neck until dead
Double-faced – tending to say one thing and do another; deceitful
Working herself up – to get upset or angry about something
Sneaked – to enter quietly to avoid getting noticed
Will – a legal document containing instructions as to what should be done with one’s money and property after one’s death.
Lump – piece
Consternation – shock

Chapter 13 – Julius Caesar

Hath – has
Hath – has
Forth – ahead
Stir – move
stood on ceremonies – paid much attention to omens and forecasts
whelped – give birth to
right form of war – correct battle order
hurtled – clashed
beyond all use – most unnatural
Comets – a heavenly object with a tail of fire
Blaze – set on fire
Coward – a person who lacks courage
Valiant – the brave
necessary – inevitable
Augurers – soothsayers, foretellers
Entrails – inner organs of a person or animal.
Litter’d – to be born
Hail – a greeting
in very happy time– at the right moment
graybeards– old men (contemptuously dismissing the senators)
Spout – nozzle
lusty– strong; vigorous
blood– In Decius’ explanation the use of the term “blood” is metaphoric. It symbolizes Caesar’s spirit or influence
great men shall press… cognizance – great men shall gather around Caesar and stain their handkerchiefs in his blood which will serve as colours added to a coat of arms, an object of reverence, mementos and a badge of service
yield to – give in to
robe – a long, loose outer garment
That every like is … think upon– Brutus’s heart grieves when he thinks that being like a friend is not the same as being a friend
Amiss – missing
Redress – rectify, to correct
Thy – your
Puissant – powerful
Thee – you
couchings and these lowly courtesies – bowing and bending
pre-ordinance – order that has existed from earlier times
first decree – law passed earlier
thy – your
banished– punished
thou – you
dost – do
fawn – praise to get a favour
spurn – remove from the way
cur – dog
doth – does
Repealing – cancelling, reversing
Flattery – false praise
Enfranchisement – freedom from prison
I could pray to move – pray to others to change their minds.
resting – permanent
firmament – heavens or sky
Stab – to injure someone with a sharp pointed object such as a knife
Et tu, Brute – even you, Brutus
Tyranny – dictatorship, rule of terror
Proclaim – to announce officially
Pulpits – raised platform, stage
Antony re – entered the senate.
spoils – trophies of war
shrunk – reduced in size
little measure – small piece of ground on which your body lies
beseech – beg
bear me hard – bear a grudge against me
purpled hands – the colour of the hands turned purple as they were soaked in Caesar’s blood which had dried and turned purple in colour
reek – stench
master – powerful
Hath – has
Leaden points – here, blunt edges
in strength of malice – which may appear to be hostile
reverence – respect
dignities – honours
conceit – consider
foes – enemies
corse – corpse
modesty – understatement
compact – agreement
good regard – serious consideration
Suitor – a person who makes a petition or request
order– ceremony
Pardon – to excuse
will– will go
protest- announce
devise of– think of
Prophesy – predict the future
Dumb mouths – refers to the wounds which cannot speak
Ope – open
Ruby lips – refers to the wounds smeared in blood. They look like lips which are Ruby – red in colour.
light – fall
cumber – burden
in use – common
quarter’d with the hands of war – cut into pieces in the war
custom of fell deeds – terrible deeds shall become so familiar
Ate– Greek goddess of revenge
carrion men – decaying flesh of animals
my cause– the cause that I represent
believe me for mine honour– believe me because you know I am honourable
censure– judge, criticize me harshly
senses– understanding
rude– uncivilized
vile – wicked
do to Brutus– you may assassinate me if I become ambitious
question– reasons for
capitol – a government building
enrolled– recorded
extenuated – lessened, diminished
enforced– exaggerated; emphasized
the commonwealth – the free republic
lover– friend
parts– qualities
Tyrant – a cruel ruler
Lupercal– the feast of the god Lupercus. Lupercus was the protector of flocks and herds, the god of fertility
disprove- contradict
stood against – overcome the opposition of
poor– humble
wrong the dead- be unjust to Caesar, who has been assassinated, by calling him ambitious
to wrong myself- by not speaking what I know
you- by allowing you to be deceived by Brutus
napkins– handkerchiefs
meet– fitting, proper
mantle– cloak
Nervii- the most war-like of the Gallic tribes, defeated by Caesar in 57 B.C.
envious– malicious
Ingratitude– the blow struck by Brutus’ ingratitude
Which all the while ran blood– which was covered with Caesar’s blood
flourish’d– triumphed
flood of mutiny– wave of violence
wit– intelligence
worth– authority
Action- gestures
utterance– eloquence
right on– directly
Wherein- in what way
drachmas– silver coins
royal- generous
afoot– started
Expounded – explained

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