saw-horses

"The younger boys had to rig up the saw-horses with boards..."

Page 45.

Harper Perennial Modern Classics.

Saw-horses are work horses used to do labor around a farm or a town.

shot wid tacks

"...Ah'd rathur be shot wid tacks..."

Page 24.

Harper Perennial Modern Classics.

"Shot wid tacks" is an expression that was used to mean that she would rather be tortured or hurt than to do something she didn't want to do.

pone

"...pies and cakes and sweet p'tater pones."

Page 44.

Harper Perennial Modern Classics.

A pone is an oval-shaped cake made out of potatoes or cornmeal.

ponderous

"...he took off with ponderous flight..."

Page 61.

Harper Perennial Modern Classics.

I think that ponderous means wondering or curious.

temerity

"...none of them had the temerity to challenge him."

Page 50.

Harper Perennial Modern Classics.

I believe that temerity is a noun meaning courage or nerve.

stand up wid him

"Wait till you see de new blue satin Tea Cake done picked out for me tuh stand up wid him in."

p. 115 Their Eyes Were Watching God
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

Stand up wid him means to stand up with him.

jook

"Better than the jook and the pool-room unless some special band was playing for a dance."

p. 131 Their Eyes Were Watching God
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

A jook is a place where a band would play

hint: a jukebox plays music.

oblique

"He saw a cow swimming slowly towards the fill in an oblique line."

p. 165 Their Eyes Were Watching God
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

Oblique means not straight or direct, as a course (or mathematically neither parallel nor perpendicular) .

hint: cows swimming would be in a zig-zagged way.

inaudible

"She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her."

p. 11 Their Eyes Were Watching God
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

Inaudible means not audible; incapable of being heard.

hint: in Jack Johnson's song, Inaudible Melodies, the phrase "silent films are full of sound, inaudibly free."

clamor

"All night now the jooks clanged and clamored."

p. 131 Their Eyes Were Watching God
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

A clamor is a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people.

hint: two clam shells hitting together makes a "clank!" noise.

Chasten

" It happened over one of those dinners that chasten all women sometimes."

Pg 71
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

Chasten means to correct by punishment

Hyperbole

"It was a contest in hyperbole and carried on for no other reason."

Pg 63
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

I think this means an exaggerated statement.

ribbon cane syrup

Us got plenty syrup in de barn. Ribbon-cane syrup.

Modern Classics
Page 28

Ribbon cane syrup is a type of sweetener made from ribbon cane and used in desserts.

rounder

You figger Ah'm uh rounder and uh pimp and you done wasted too much time talkin' wid me.

Modern Classics
Page 104

A rounder is a drunkard or wastrel.

box

Thought y'all might lak uh lil music this evenin' so Ah brought long mah box.

Modern Classics
Page 100

I think box is another word for an instrument.

swagger

He cautioned her about about the catches on the windows and doors and swaggered off to Winter Park.

Modern Classics
Page 94

Swagger means to walk or strut with a defiant or insolent air.

usurper

She almost apologized to the tenants the first time she collected the rents. Felt like a usurper.

Modern Classics
Page 92

Usurper means to seize and hold a position or power by force.

hint: use power

Ostentatiously

"They came to the store and ostentatiously looked over whatever things like"Mr. Starks need somebody tuh sorta look out for 'im till he kin git on his feet again and look for hisself."

Modern Classic
Pg. 83
Ostentatiously means excessive display

Diasticutis

"Just g'wan back home and set down on you' royal diasticutis and say nothin."

Modern Classic
Pg. 82

Diasticutis means ones buttocks

Commiserate

"Ah ruther be shot with tacks that tuh hear dat 'bout mahself," Lig Moss commiserated."

Modern Classic
Pg. 79

Commiserate just means to express pity

Varmint

"Aw 'tain't no sich a varmint nowhere dat kin eat no house!"

Modern Classic
Pg. 66

Varmint- is just an animal

Hint: some people call rats varmints; they'reanimals.

Coon-can

"Tea Cake and Janie playing checkers; playing coon-can; playingFlorida flip on the store porch all afternoon as if nobody else was there."

Modern Classics
Pg. 110

Coon- can is just a game that was played in the south back then.

Hint: raccoon in a can.

comparatively

" The minister grew comparatively calm".

Bantam Classic
Pg.136

i think comparison is the root word but im not quite sure how it fitsin twith the quote.

askance

"where, asked he, with a look askance at them".

Bantam Classic
Pg.119

i have no idea what this word means.

scrutinized

" Thus Roger Chillingworth scrutinized his patient carefully".

Bantam Classic
Pg.112

from the context i think it means to examine.

garb

" But it was a remarkable attribute of this garb, and indeed of the childs whole
appearance".

Bantam Classic
Pg.93

im pretty sure it means garment.

striven

" I have striven with my young brother here, under whose preaching of the word
you have been privelaged to sit".

Bantam Classic
Pg.61

i think striven is taken from the word strive. putting effort into something.

bade

Hester bade little Pearl run down to the margin of
the water.

Bantam Classic
Pg. 152

i beleive this means to ask or suggest.

blighted

"Hester gazed after him a little while, looking with a half-fantastic curiosity
to see whether the tender grass of early spring would not be blighted beneath
him and show the wavering track of his footsteps..."

Bantam Classic
pg.170

I think this means destroyed or crushed.

hillock

"The leaves might bestrew him, and the soil gradually accumulate and form a little hillock over his frame, no matter whether there were life in it or no."

Bantam Classic

pg.170

I am assuming that because it sounds like "hill" this word is similar to it.
Maybe it is a mound of dirt or some kind of formation like that

.

deletorious

"Or might it suffice him that every wholesome growth should be converted into something deletorious and malignant at his touch?"

Bantam Classic
pg. 158

I believe that this means destroyed or ruined.

vicissitude

"So great a vicissitude in his life could not at once be received as
real."

Bantam Classic

pg.192

I believe this is a vision or something to hope for, a goal.

bedizen

"Prithee, young one, who art thou, and what has ailed thy mother to bedizen thee
in this strange fashion?"

Bantam Classic
Ch. 8 Pg. 100

I think this word means to dress because the context before this quote describes Pearl's dress.

appelation

"Under the appelation of Roger Chillingworth, the reader will remember, was
hidden another name, which its former wearer had resolved should never more be
spoken."

Bantam Classic
Ch. 9 Pg. 107

I believe appelation is another word for pseudonym or pen name.

edifice

"Before this ugly edifice, and between it and the wheel-track of the street, was
a grassy plot..."

Bantam Classic
Ch. 1 Pg. 45

I think edifice means a building, or maybe prison because the first chapter was describing the prison.

Austerity

"it might be partly owing to the studied austerity of her dress, and partly to
the lack of demonstration in her manners."

Bantam Classic
Pg. 148

i think that it means to stand out

Sagacious

".. it truly seemed that this sagacious, experienced, benevolent old physician,
with his concord of paternal and reverntial love for the young pastor, was the
very man of all mankind to be constantly within reach of his voice."

Bantam Classic
Pg. 114

Im thinking this has something to do with years of practice.

Placidity

" her only really comfort was when the child lay in the placidity of sleep."

Bantam Classic
Pg. 85

Im gonna guess that placidity has to do with a peacful state of mind perhaps.

Convulsion

"it now writhed in convulsions of pain, and was a frocible type, in its little
frame.."

Bantam Classic
P67

im not really sure but im gonna guess that it has to do with some kind of serious pain.

adduced

"Indeed hath he, answered the magistrate, and hath adduced such arguments that we will even leave the matter as it now stands."

Bantam Classic
ch. 8 p. 105

I think this word means to bring up in a conversation. Dictionary.com says it means to cite as an example or means of proof in an argument.

conjectured

"As the light drew nearer, he beheld, within its illuminated circle, his brother clergyman, the Reverend Mr. Wilson; who as Mr. Dimmesdale now conjectured, had been praying at the bedside of some dying man. "

Bantam Classic
ch. 12 pg 136

I think this word means come up with an answer. Dictionary.com said it is the formation or expression of an opinion or theory without evidence for proof.

placidity

"Her only real comfort was when the child lay in the placidity of sleep."

Bantam Classic
ch 6 pg 85

Dictionary.com said it means to be calm or peaceful. It can also mean quiet or undisturbed.

impalpable

"To the untrue man, the whole universe is false,- it is impalpable,- it shrinks to nothing within his grasp."

Bantam Books

Chapter 11 pg 133

I think impalpable means to be untouchable.

writhing

"A writhing horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them, and making one little pause with all its wreathed intervolutions in open sight."

Bantam Books

Chapter 3 pg 57

I think this word means strong and overbearing or in a great deal of pain. I've heard it used both ways.

apparition

"It would have been impossible to guess that this bright and sunny apparition owed its existence to the shape of gloomy gray..."

Bantam Books

Chapter 21 pg 204

I think I've heard this word used in Macbeth before when the apparitions came to him and foretold what would happen so I think this means some sort of assumption that will happen.

tumultuous

"The moment that he did so there came what seemed a tumultuous rush of new life, other life than his own, pouring like a torrent into his heart and hurrying through all his veins..."

Bantam Books

Chapter 12 pg 139

This word means highly agitated, a raising of clatter and commotion or to mean disorderly and noisy according to Dictionary. com.

infirmities

"As a physician, with the minister's physical and spiritual infirmities,that
theses bad opportunities had been turned to a cruel puspose."

Bantman Classic

Chp 15 Page 174

Infirmities has to to with being sick. A synonym for illness or sickness. I have heard this word used in other books, and also a infirmiry is a place you go when you are sick.

foreboded

"In allowing the minister to be thrown into a position where so much evil was to
be foreboded, and nothing auspicious to be hoped."

Bantman Classic

Chp 13 page 151


I am not to sure what foreboded actually means, but Websters dictionary says it means to have a inward conviction.

intangibility

"with a strange remoteness and intangibility; it was as if she were hovering
in the air and might vanish."

Batman Classic

chp5 page 84

I think intangibility may mean something that really cant be grasped or preceived. At Dictionary.com it is an adjective that could mean incapable of being perceived by the senses.

crimson

"Save by a flush of crimson that rose irrepressibly over her pale cheek, and
again subsided into the depths of her bosom."

Bantman Classic

Chp 4 page 78


I think crimson means, a terror or horror. It can be used as a adjective to describe a persons expression or feelings.

Plumage

"What little bird of scarlet plummage may this be"?

Bantam Classic
Ch8 pg 100
I honestly have no idea what this means.

Interposed

"Ah, but, interposed, more softly, a young wife, holding a child by the hand, let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart."

Bantam Classic
Ch 2 pg 49
I think this word means said.

Malice

"Calm, gentle, passionless, as he appeared, there was yet, we fear, a quiet
depth of malice, hitherto latent, but active now, in this unfortunate old
man,
which led him to imagine a more intimate revenge than any mortal
had
ever
wreaked upon an enemy."

Bantam Classic
Ch11 pg 127
I think malice means harmful.

perpetuated

"Mother and daughter stood together in the same circle of seclusion from human society; and in the nature of the child seemed to be perpetuated those unquiet elements that had distracted Hester Prynne before Pearls birth."

Ch 3 Page 86
Scarlet Letter Bantam Classic

I have no idea what this word means. Dictionary.com says to preserve from extinction or oblivion.

ignominy

"Heaven hath granted thee an open ignominy"

Ch 2 Page 63
Scarlet Letter- Bantam Classic

I have heard ignominy be used towards describing a disgrace or public contempt.

iniquity

"to find yourself, at length, in a land where iniquity is searched out"

Ch 2 Page 58
Scarlet Letter Bantam Classic

Iniquity means a gross injustice or wickedness. I have never heard this word before this book.

Indubitably

"But, in that early severity of the Puritan character, an inference of this
kind could not so indubitably be drawn."

Bantam Classic

Ch 2 pg 47

I think this word means unquestionable.

emolument

"Baby-linen- for babies then wore robes of state- afforded still another
possibility of toil and emolument."

Bantam Classic

ch.5 p.76

I think this word means profit or income.

insubordination

"As night approached, it proving impossible to quell her insubordination by
rebuke or threats of punishment, Master Brackett, the jailor, thought fit to
introduce a physician."

Bantam Classic

ch.4 p.65

I think this word means not submitting to or obeying authority.

ignominious

"Thus she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter
be engraved upon her
tombstone."

Bantam Classic

ch.3 p.59

I think this word means shameful or disgraceful because the scarlet letter was given as Hester's punishment.

iniquity

"It irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not, at
least, stand on the scaffold by her side."

Bantam Classic

ch.3 p.59

I think this word means a sin or injustice because they seem to be describing Hester's sin of adultery.

lodgment

"Neither anger nor fury shall find lodgment in their minds..."

pg. 110
Elements in Literature

I believe lodgment is a sort of shelter or a certain place in which something belongs.

calamities

"...who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities
of war..."

pg. 90
Elements of Literature

I believe this means troubles or duties. I think it is a negative word expressing troublesome duties.

inundated

"Quickly clambering in and grabbing our oars, we had rowed two crossbow shots from shore when a wave inundated us."

page 117

Elements of Literature

I think this means to be covered or washed over maybe engulfed.

tarry

" They told us to tarry a little while, then they would do as we wished."

page 118

Elements of Literature

This word must mean to wait or stall maybe.

bondage

"nothing more bondage than to liberty"

page 76

elements of literature

i feel like bondage means together like bonding or maybe even band aid because they bond to your skin.

progenitor

"Women shall be considered the progenitors of the Nation."

page 110

Elements of Literature

I think this means procreator or creator

grubbed

" As the sun rose next morning, the Indians appeared as they promised,bringing an abundance of fish and of certain roots which taste like nuts,some bigger than walnuts, some smaller,mostly grubbed from the water with great labor."

page 117

Elements of Literature

I think it means dug from or taken out of

coarsest

"fondly expecting thier coarsest utensils in that happy place would be of massy silver."

page 131

elements of literature

the only definition i could think of was like coarse meaning something has a rough texture.

frugality

"like most other undertakerswho have no assistance from the public, they starved the designby too much frugality."

page 131

elements of literature

honestly i have no idea what this means

brutes

"it was amazing to see these wild, untaught savages howling like brutes in compassion for us."

page 118

elements of literature

i think brute means savage.

lamenting

"for i was going up and down mourning and lamenting my loss."

element of literature

page38

i think lamenting means felling down but im not quite sure.

abdicated

"He has abdicated government here withdrawing his governors, and declaring us out of his allegiance and protection."

p. 102
Elements of Literature

Abdicated means given up responsibility for.

ardor

"Quitting this class of men, I turn with the warm ardor of a friend to
those who have nobly stood, and yet determined to stand the matter out."

p. 91
Elements of Literature

The book states that ardor means emotional warmth or passion.

decrepit

"Some carried their old decrepit mothers, some carried one, and some
another."

Page 39 Elements in Literature

I have heard decrepit used in everyday talk, as well as in movies and tv. Decrepit means to be old, worn down, often used to describe a old person.

sagamore

"By my master in this writitng, must be understood Quanopin, who was a
sagamore, and married to King Phillip's wife sister."

page 38 Elements In Literature

In our english text books sagamore is defined as a secondary chief in the hierarchy of several American Indian peoples.

evinces

"But when a long train of abuses and unsurpations, began at a distinguished
period and pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce
them
under absolute despotism."

page 100 Elements In Literature

At Dictionary.com evinces means demonstrate clearly, or also to vanquish.

disaffected

"America could carry on a two years' war by the confiscation of the property
of disaffected persons; and be made happy by their expulsion."

page 91 Elements of Literature

Disaffected means the opposite of affected. Means you are not affected by something, not bothered by.

tyranny

"Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with
us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

page 89. Elements of Literature

Tyranny can be used to describe a goverment. A unrestrained use or exercise of power.

vengeance

"The floods of God's vengeance have been withheld."

page 47 Elements of Literature

I think vengeance has to do with revenge or harm.

arbitrary

"...all that preserves them of every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God."

Page 47 Elements of Literature

I think arbitrary means having an unlimited amount of something.

reproach

"Nor would the shade of the skin have been any reproach at this day, for if a Moor may be washed white in three generations, surely an Indian might have been blanched in two."

page 133 Elements of Literature

I think reproach means to find fault with something or to blame.

beseeched

"But death being surer and nearer if we stayed where we were, I went ahead and beseeched the Indians."

page 118 Elements of Literature

The book says this word means to beg.

deliberation

"Neither anger nor fury shall find lodgment in their minds and all their words and acions shall be marked by calm deliberarion."

Page 110 Elements of Literature

Dictionary.com says it means careful consideration

Despotism

"...a design to reduce them under absolute depotism,.."

Pg. 100 Elements of Literature

the book said that despotismis is ruled by a tyrant or king with unlimited power.

Celestial

"heaven knows how to put a proper price upn its goods; and it would be stange
indeed, if so celestial and article as freedom.."

Pg. 89 Elements of Liturature

the book sayd that celestial ment divine or perfect

Tyrannical

"That your Sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established..."

Pg. 111 Elements of Liturature

I've heard of a person being a tyrant so im guessing this has to do with someone being very harsh and mean.

Foment

"If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are
determined to foment a Rebellion.."

Pg. 111 Elements of Literature

the book said that foment meant to stir up.

contrivance

"... and your healthy constitution and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you, ..."

p.47 Elements of Literature

A contrivance is a scheme or a plan.

incensed

"In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of; all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God."

P. 47 Elements of Literature

Incensed means to be angered or enraged.

forbearance

"In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of; all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God."

P.47 Elements of Literature

Forbearance is having tolerance or restraint.

plunder

"One of the Indians that came from Medfield fight, had brought some plunder, came to me, and asked me, if I would have a Bible, he had got one in his basket."

P.39 Elements of Literature

The book said plunder means goods seized, especially during wartime. I don't understand what that means but I think it means to rob or take someone else's possession by force.

succorless

"I, starting up, the light did spy
And to my God my heart did cry
To strengthen me in my distress
And not to leave me succorless."

P.29 Elements of Literature

Succorless means without aid or assistance; to be helpless.

modish

Elements of Literature

p.131

"This modish frenzy, being still more inflamed by the charming account
given of Virginia by the first adventurers, made many found of removing such a
Paradise."

I think that modish means in the current style or popular.

plight

Elements of Literature

p.118

"The Indians, understanding our full plight, sat down and lamented for half
an hour so loudly they could have been heard a long way off."

I think that plight means and unfortunate or unfavorable situation.

thistle

Elements of Literature

p.109

"Under the shade of this Tree of Great Peace we spread soft white feathery
down of the globe thistle as seats for you, Adodarhoh, and your cousin
Lords."

I think thistle is any of the various prickly plants or things that they shed.

provision

Elements of Literature

p.41

"Where they fell to boiling of groundnuts, and parching of corn (as many as
had it) for their provision."

I think that provision is supplies or food (especially for a long journey).

bier

"Four of them carried a great Indian upon a bier; but going through a thick wood with him, they were hindered."

Elements of Literature


p.39

I think that bier is a stand on which to put a corpse or coffin before burial.

wigwam

Elements of Literature

p.38

"In the morning, when they understood that my child was dead they sent
for me home to my master's wigwam."

I think that wigwam is an Indiam dwelling of some sort; maybe like a tepee.

longhouse

"The old chief of that land lived with his wife whose name was Aataentsic, meaning "Ancient Woman," in there longhouse near the great tree."

Elements of Literature

p. 24
I think that longhouse is a long, communal house especially in native American culture based on the context and what I have learned in past history classes.