Vocabulary Group 9 and 10 Flashcards
accolade
Tribute; honor; praise
Both the Montagues and Capulets believed that marriage between their two families would not be a source of any accolade.
bolster
Support; prop up
Mattie always tried to bolster Ethan’s feelings whenever he was down.
cryptic
Puzzling; enigmatic
Ethan Frome desired for his letter to Zeena to remain cryptic, keeping it away from everyone.
ephemeral
Short lived
Romeo and Juliet experienced quite the ephemeral love, starting at the time they met until their deaths.
hedonist
A pleasure seeker
Holden Caulfield was a hedonist, living in the moment and going to different places in order to entertain himself.
lamentation
Expression of regret or sorrow
With news of Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s banishment, Juliet expressed a lamentation seemingly for Tybalt, yet it was actually for Romeo.
obliterate
Destroy; demolish; eradicate
Shylock’s reputation was obliterated by Antonio, and he lost everything.
plummet
Fall suddenly and steeply
Mattie Silver and Ethan Frome attempted suicide by plummeting into the elm tree by way of sled, yet they lived.
resolution
Determination
Holden’s resolution to not grow up and be “phony” was often challenged and tested by mature situations.
tentative
Not certain
Ethan Frome was very tentative in his internal conflict between his conscience and his passion, always changing mindsets.
curtail
Cut short
Romeo and Juliet’s love was curtailed by their own families, due to their hatred of each other.
acquiesce
To agree to; give in to
Ethan acquiesced to Mattie’s desire for them to commit suicide together, allowing his personal desires to overcome his judgement.
bombast
Arrogant, pompous language
Bombast is something that Holden always used, being a man of many words and profane speech.
heed
Listen to
The Capulets would never heed to their rivals, the Montagues.
epicure
Someone who appreciates good food and drink
Holden is not an epicure, for he does not partake in neither gourmet foods nor lavish dishes.
