The Handmaid's Tale 3 Flashcards
drape
curtain.
bureau
a chest of drawers, often with a mirror at the top.
jolt
to knock sharply so as to dislodge:
jauntiness
easy and sprightly in manner or bearing:
superintendent
a person who oversees or directs some work, enterprise, establishment, organization, district, etc.; supervisor.
tawdry
showy and cheap.
travesty
a literary or artistic composition so inferior in quality as to be merely a grotesque imitation of its model.
deter
to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding:
aversion
a strong feeling of dislike, opposition, repugnance, or antipathy
dismay
to break down the courage of completely, as by sudden danger or trouble; dishearten thoroughly; daunt:
inert
having no inherent power of action, motion, or resistance (opposed to active ):
futility
ineffectiveness; uselessness.
bathos
a ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax.
bestir
to stir up; rouse to action
obverse
the side of a coin, medal, flag, etc., that bears the principal design (opposed to reverse ).
adroit
cleverly skillful, resourceful, or ingenious:
surliness
churlishly rude or bad-tempered:
spangle
a small, thin, often circular piece of glittering metal or other material, used especially for decorating garments.
decorous
characterized by dignified propriety in conduct, manners, appearance, character, etc.
matronly
maturely dignified; stately.
somnambulate
to walk during sleep; sleepwalk.
munificent
very generous.
sardonic
mocking; cynical; sneering:
recede
to go or move away; retreat; go to or toward a more distant point; withdraw.
delude
to mislead the mind or judgment of; deceive:
dunce
a dull-witted, stupid, or ignorant person; dolt.
toll
to cause (a large bell) to sound with single strokes slowly and regularly repeated, as for summoning a congregation to church, or especially for announcing a death.
contingent
a quota of troops furnished.
pallor
unusual or extreme paleness, as from fear, ill health, or death; wanness.
platitude
the quality or state of being flat, dull, or trite:
prerogative
a right, privilege, etc., limited to a specific person or to persons of a particular category:
undue
unwarranted; excessive:
obscene
causing uncontrolled sexual desire.
stifle
to quell, crush, or end by force:
revulsion
a strong feeling of repugnance, distaste, or dislike:
gouge
to dig or force out with or as if with a gouge:
rend
to separate into parts with force or violence:
diminutive
small; little; tiny:
placid
pleasantly calm or peaceful; unruffled; tranquil; serenely quiet or undisturbed:
infinitesimal
indefinitely or exceedingly small; minute:
probe
to search into or examine thoroughly; question closely:
fervent
having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; ardent
abdicate
to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in a formal manner:
abject
utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched:
impudent
rude
talisman
a stone, ring, or other object, engraved with figures or characters supposed to possess occult powers and worn as an amulet or charm.
infallible
absolutely trustworthy or sure:
pristine
having its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied.
antiquarian
of, dealing in, or interested in old or rare books.
laboriously
requiring much work, exertion, or perseverance:
superimposition
o impose, place, or set over, above, or on something else.
adulterous
illicit:
echelon
a level of command, authority, or rank
progeny
a descendant or offspring, as a child, plant, or animal.
surrogate
involving or indicating the use of a surrogate mother to conceive or carry an embryo:
patronymic
of family names) derived from the name of a father or ancestor, especially by the addition of a suffix or prefix indicating descent.
subvert
to overthrow (something established or existing).
