Part V - Chapter IV — Vocabulary
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky — key words and definitions
Vocabulary Words from Part V - Chapter IV
- impotence
- A state of helplessness or inability to act; lack of power or strength.
- peevishly
- In a manner that is irritable, querulous, or easily annoyed.
- casuistry
- The use of clever but unsound reasoning to justify morally questionable actions; specious argumentation.
- expiate
- To make amends or atone for wrongdoing, especially through suffering or punishment.
- vouchsafed
- Granted or bestowed, often as a privilege or favor from a higher power.
- morosely
- In a sullen, gloomy, or ill-tempered manner.
- vindictive
- Having or showing a strong desire for revenge; deeply spiteful.
- chamois
- A soft, pliable leather originally made from the skin of the chamois (a European mountain goat), used for pouches and garments.
- blasphemer
- One who speaks irreverently or contemptuously about God or sacred things.
- ecstasy
- An overwhelming feeling of intense emotion or rapture, sometimes bordering on frenzy.
- supplication
- The act of humbly and earnestly asking or begging for something.
- enigmatically
- In a mysterious, puzzling, or difficult-to-interpret manner.
- farthing
- A former British coin worth one quarter of a penny; used figuratively to mean an extremely small amount of money.
- garret
- A small, cramped room at the top of a house, typically under the roof; an attic room.
- sulkiness
- A state of being silently resentful, moody, and uncooperative.