prose - poetry glossary

7/31/2019 Prose - Poetry Glossary

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1. lovers : close friends2. censure : judge3. senses : reason4. valiant : very brave and determined5. slew : killed6. base : depraved; mean7. vile : morally base, disgusting8. oft : often9. interred : buried,10.grievous fault : serious mistake11.under leave : under permission1512.captives : prisoners13.ransoms : payment for the release of prisoners14.coffers : state treasury15.cause : reason16.mark him : listen to him17.mutiny : revolt18.parchment : animal skin used as writing surface19.napkins : handkerchiefs20.bequeathing : leave to a person by a will21.legacy : gift left in a will22.issue : children23.mantle : cloak.24.rent : tear; cut25.resolved : informed26.vanquished : defeated27.wit : intelligence28.worth : reputation.29.ruffle : disturb, upset30.crusader : one who fights for a cause with determination31.frailty: weakness of character or behaviour32.entourage: people who surround and follow33.advent: arrival34.patronising: supporting35.complement: that which completes another


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36.seer: visionary37.adherence: sticking to38.subjugation: suppression39.subservient: being slavish40.pertinent: relevant7141.libel: a printed or written statement in bad taste about persons42.dormant : inactive43.preponderance: the state of being more in number44.nectar : a sweet liquid produced by flowers45.armament: weapon46.unadulterated : not spoilt, pure47.conviction : belief or fixed opinion48.chauvinistic feeling strongly and unreasonably in favour of something49.personification : perfect example50.pursuit : act of trying to achieve something in a determined way51.entrepot : warehouse, commercial centre where goods are received

fordistribution,

52.trail: rough path53.mosey : walk somewhere in a slow relaxed way54.gorge : a deep narrow valley with steep sides11455.recourse : some thing that is used to help in a difficult situation56.truant : one who stays away from school without permission /57.obeisance: an act of showing respect andobedience58.detour: a round about course, different from the direct or intended route59.glacier: a huge mass of ice60.fissure: deep crack61.rubble: small pieces of stone62.surreal: strange63.transfix: impress or frighten or fascinate64.menacing: threatening65.hearten: to make someone feel happier or more confident66.icicle : a tapering mass of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water67.bizarre : very unusual or strange68.ensconce : put oneself in a comfortable and safe place69.intrepid : resolutely fearless


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70.mtier : a field of work, occupation, trade or profession71.crevasse : deep open crack, in glacial ice, earths surface, etc.72.etch : reproduce a picture by engraving; make a strong impression by using a

sharp object

73.visage : face74.stark : harsh or unpleasant75.ensure : - strong criticism, blame76.doomed : - condemned77.miscarriage : failure of a plan, hope etc.,16278.drudge : - a person who has a long hard boring job79.lexicographer : - who compiles dictionaries80.negative compense : - a compensation that does not provide improvement81.wild exuberance : -strong, uncontrolled excitement82.caprices : - sudden change in attitude or behaviour with no cause.83.innovation : - introduction of new ideas and techniques84.copious : - plentiful, abundant85.perplexity : - complication, bewilderment,confusion86.disentangled : - simplified, unravelled87.suffrages : - rights to vote88.perusal : - reading carefully or thoroughly89.analogy : - process of reasoning based on partial similarity90.obscure : - not clearly seen or understood91.longevity : - long life92.philology : - study of the development of a language93.trifled away : - spent worthlessly94.propagators : - one who widely spreads knowledge95.repositories : - book or person that stores information96.animated : - inspired, motivated97.risible : - ridiculous, laughable16398.absurdities : - something unreasonable or foolish99.syntax : - rules for arrangement of words, phrases, sentences100.etymology : - study of the origin and history of words and meanings101.inadvertency : - unintentional actions102.avocation : - distraction103.seduce : - tempt


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104.solicitous : - concerned, anxious105.gratify : - satisfy106.patronage : - support and encouragement given by persons, things107.obscurities : - things not clearly understood108.repress : - restrain, suppress, check109.delusive : - misleading110.embodied : - given expression or form to ideas, feeling, etc111.economy : - organization112.protracted : - prolonged113.frigid : - unfeeling, cold, unfriendly,indifferent114.tranquility : - quiet, calm, undisturbed condition115.contempt : total lack of respect116.patronage : support or encouragement217117.forceps: pincers or tongs used for gripping things118.battered: hit hard and often119.udders: bag-like organs of a cow or female goat which produce milk120.basking: sitting or lying enjoying warmth121.squashed: silenced or subdued122.belittling: making one seem unimportant or worthless123.new-fangled : newly introduced into fashion124.sanctity : holiness125.vile: evil126.parched: very dry and hot127.teem: be present in great numbers128.littered: scattered129.slithered: slided unsteadily130.squishy-squashy: squeezed and smashed131.spattered: splashed, scattered or sprinkled in drips132.sullen: silent, bad-tempered218133.suspicious: showing doubt or mistrust134.clambered: climbed with difficulty135.banded: striped136.embers: small pieces of burning or glowing wood or coal in a dying fire137.petrified: motionless with fear138.hysterically: with uncontrollable emotion


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139.surveyed: looked carefully from a distance140.plop: sound of a smooth object dropping onto the floor141.unleash: let loose142.postulate: put something forward as a fact or accept as true143.sanguine: hopeful, optimistic144.eminence: state of being famous or distinguished145.catastrophe: sudden great disaster or misfortune146.proliferate: produce new growth rapidly, multiply147.dilemma: situation in which one has to choose between two undesirable

things or courses of action

148.protraction: extending; making something last longer149.bestial: brutish; of or like a beast150.protagonist: leader or advocate of a cause151.facile: easily stated but superficial or of poor quality152.embodiment: a person or thing that gives a visible form to a thought or

feeling

153.enigma: mystery154.serenely: calmly155.ironically :sarcastically futility a state of achieving nothing156.disseminating : spreading157.incandescent : shining when heated158.infinitesimal : extremely small159.ominous : suggesting that something bad is about to happen160.poignant : affecting ones feelings deeply161.sloughing : falling off162.suppurating : forming pus due to infection163.atrocity : great wickedness or cruelty

Psalm: song or poem

numbers: poetic metres, rhythms

slumbers: sleeps

dust: Refer to Genesis (The Bible)3:19. Dust thou art, and untodust shalt thou return.

destined end : goal


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fleeting: passing/brief

14 stout /staOt/ : strong

15 muffled /'mVfld/ : not easy to hear

18 the bivouac of life : simple temporary camp made by

/QE 'bIvOGk Ev laIf/ : soldiers. Here it refers to the

temporary stay (sojourn) in this

world.

31 forlorn /fE'lC:n/ : lonely and sad54

cherish /'tLerIL/ : love, hold dear

portray /pC:'treI/ : be a representation of

seclusion /sI'klu:Zn/ : being away from others

strife /straIf/ : conflict

jarring /'dZA:rIN/ : unpleasant

aloof /E'lu:f/ : distant in feeling or interest

inane /I'neIn/ : meaningless or stupid

abstraction /Gb'strGkLn/ : being absent-minded; state of

not noticing what is

happening

hedgerows /'hedZrEOz/ : rows of bushes or low trees

along the side of a road

unobtrusive /VnEb'tru:sIv/ : not easily seen

promontory /'prBmEntrI/ : high point of land standing out

from the coastline

launchd / ' l C : n t L t / : sent out

ceaselessly / ' s i : s l E s l I / : endlessly


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musing /'mju:zIN/ : contemplating

venturing /'ventLErIN/ : entering

fling / f l I N / : throw

leech craft : ancient medical remedy of

using leeches to remove the

impure blood

bleached : made white, (here) cleaned

tempestuous : violent

drearier : gloomier

devouring : consuming large quantities

enmesh : to catch, as if, in a net

furrowed : deep and wavy

nestle : settle comfortably205

nascent /'n{snt/ : beginning to develop

homing /'h@UmIN/ : of the ability to find ones way

home

aeons /'i:@ns/ : ages, infinitely long periods

burthen /'b@: Dn/ : burden

gospel /'gQspl/ : good news

waneless /'weInlIs/ : not growing smaller

fathomless /'f{D@mlIs/ : too deep to be measured or

understood

Indo-Aryan /Ind@U 'e@rI@n/ : referring to the branch of the

Aryans who came to India

through Iran (English belongs


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to Germanic, an Indo-Aryan

language)

pitcher /'pItLE/ : large earthenware container for liquids

trough /trBf/ : long narrow open container for animals

to feed or drink from

fissure / 'fILE/ : a long deep crack in rock or in the earth

Etna /'etnE/ : a volcanic mountain in Sicily

perversity /pE'vE:sEtI/ : unacceptable behaviour

convulsed /kEn'vVlst/ : caused sudden violent, uncontrollable

movements

paltry /'pC:ltrI/ : unimportant

expiate /'ekspIeIt/ : accept punishment for a wrong and do

something to show one is sorry; make

amends for, atone for258

albatross /'GlbEtrBs/: a sea-bird common in the Pacific and

Southern Oceans. Here, the reference

is to Samuel T Coleridges The Rime

of the Ancient Mariner. The mariner

shoots the albatross, a traditional

symbol of good luck.

nipperkin /'nIpEkIn/ : a small glass for beer or wine

list /lIst/ : enlist

traps /trGps/ : two-wheeled horse carriage

(reference to this is to indicate

that there is perhaps no


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justifiable reason for joining the

army)

quaint /kweInt/ : strange

half-a-crown /hA:fE'kraOn/ : former British coin. A crown

was worth five shillings (twenty

five pence)

I. Answer the following questions briefly in about 50

prose - poetry glossary

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