chapters 14-24 Flashcards
propinquity
property of being close together
“but it was the constant shadow of my presence, the closest propinquity of the man whom he had most volley wronged”
bane
something causing misery or death
“but this long debt of confidence, due from me to him, whose bane and ruin I have been”
blighted
affected by something that prevents growth or prosperity
“half fantastic curiosity to see whether the tender grass of early spring would not be blighted beneath him”
verdure
green foliage
“beneath him and show the wavering track of his footsteps, sere and brown, across its cheerful verdure “
sedulous
marked by care and persistent effort
“she wondered what sort of herbs they were which the old man was so sedulous to gather”
deleterious
harmful to living things
“or might it suffice him that every wholesome growth should be converted into something deleterious and malignant at his touch”
upbraid
express criticism towards
“she upbraided herself for the sentiment, but could not overcome or lessen it”
reproach
express criticism towards
“when some mightier touch than their own may have awakened all her sensibilities to be reproached even for the calm content”
petulant
easily irritated or annoyed
“and is petulant in its best of moods, and chills oftener than caresses you”
precocity
intelligence achieved far ahead of normal development
“but now the idea came strongly into Hester’s mind, that pearl, with her remarkable precocity and acuteness, might already have approached the age when she could have been made a friend”
asperity
harshness of manner
“hold thy tongue, naughty child!’ answered her mother, with an asperity that she had never permitted to herself before”
derisive
expressing contempt or ridicule
“flickered over his visage so derisively that the spectator could see his blackness all the better for it”
primeval
having existed from the beginning
“it straggled onward into the mystery of the primeval forest”
scintillating
marked by high spirits or excitement
“all brightened by its splendour, and scintillating with the vivacity excited by rapid motion”
cadence
a recurrent rhythmical series
“and striving to mingle a more light some cadence with its melancholy voice”
vivacious
vigorous and animated
“to Hester’s eye dimmesdale exhibited no symptom or positive and vivacious suffering”
contiguity
the attribute of being so neat as to be touching
“the very contiguity of his enemy, beneath whatever mask the latter might conceal himself”
consecration
sanctification of something by dedicating it to God
“what we did had a consecration of its own”
satiate
fill to satisfaction
“he will doubtless seek other means of satiating his dark passion”
vestige
an indication that something has been present
“until some few miles hence the yellow leaves will show no vestige of the white mans tread”
extenuation
partial excuse to mitigate censure
“what plea could be urged in extenuation of his crime?”
subjugate
make subservient; force to submit of subdue
“heathen Nature of the forest never subjugated by human law”
inure
cause to accept or become hardened to
“cried Hester Prynne who however inured to such behavior on the elf-child’s part at other season”
mollify
make less rigid or softer
“but pearl, not a whit startled at her mothers threats any more than mollified by her entreaties”
pallor
unnatural lack of color in the skin
“pearl with a crimson blush upon her cheek, a conscious glance aside at her clergyman…..even before she had time to speak, the blush yielded to a deathly pallor”
duplicity
acting in bad faith
