Chapter 1 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Chapter 1

smattering (noun)

A slight or superficial knowledge of a subject or language.

foreknowledge (noun)

Awareness or knowledge of something before it happens or exists.

reticent (adjective)

Unwilling to speak freely; reserved or restrained in communication.

imperative (adjective)

Of vital importance; absolutely necessary or urgent.

idolatrous (adjective)

Relating to or practicing the worship of idols or physical objects as gods.

diligence (noun)

A public stagecoach, especially one formerly used in France and other parts of continental Europe.

polyglot (adjective)

Containing or written in several languages; here, a dictionary covering multiple languages.

prepossessing (adjective)

Attractive or appealing in appearance; creating a favorable first impression.

brigands (noun)

Members of a gang of bandits who rob travelers, especially in wild or isolated areas.

caleche (noun)

A light, low-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a folding top, used especially in the 18th and 19th centuries.

alacrity (noun)

Eager willingness or brisk, cheerful readiness to do something.

prodigious (adjective)

Remarkably great in size, extent, or degree; enormous.

salient (adjective)

Most noticeable or important; standing out prominently.

beetling (adjective)

Projecting or overhanging threateningly; jutting out.

impalpable (adjective)

Unable to be felt by touch; not easily understood or grasped.

uncanny (adjective)

Strange or mysterious in an unsettling way; seemingly supernatural.

interminable (adjective)

Seeming to last forever; endless or tediously long.

battlements (noun)

The parapet of a castle wall with alternating raised sections and gaps, originally designed for defense.