Book II - Chapter IV. Congratulatory — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Book II - Chapter IV. Congratulatory

sediment (noun)

Matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid; here used figuratively for the last remaining people draining out of the courthouse.

cadence (noun)

The rise and fall of the voice in speaking; the rhythm or modulation of sound.

abstraction (noun)

A state of being lost in thought; preoccupation so deep that one loses awareness of surroundings.

bluff (adjective)

Direct and good-natured in manner, but rough or abrupt; hearty but lacking refinement.

incumbent (adjective)

Necessary as a duty or obligation; required or expected of someone.

disinterestedly (adverb)

Without selfish motive; impartially. (Here used with intentional irony, since Lorry has a personal motive.)

nettled (adjective)

Irritated or annoyed; provoked to mild anger.

hackney-coach (noun)

A horse-drawn carriage available for public hire in 18th- and 19th-century London; the predecessor to the modern taxi.

fervently (adverb)

With intense feeling or passionate warmth; ardently.

laconic (adjective)

Using very few words; brief and concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious.

counterpart (noun)

A person or thing that closely resembles another; a duplicate or double.

recruiting (verb)

(Archaic) Restoring or replenishing one's strength, health, or spirits.

deportment (noun)

A person's behavior, manner, or bearing; the way someone conducts themselves.

reckoning (noun)

The bill or account at a tavern or inn; the total sum owed for food and drink.

winding-sheet (noun)

A sheet or cloth in which a corpse is wrapped for burial; also, a large drip of wax running down a candle, traditionally considered an omen of death.