Chapter 110 - Queequeg in His Coffin — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Chapter 110 - Queequeg in His Coffin

puncheons (noun)

Large casks, typically holding 72 to 120 gallons, used for storing liquids on ships.

sinecures (noun)

Positions requiring little or no work but providing payment or benefits.

subterraneous (adjective)

Underground; beneath the surface. An archaic form of "subterranean."

lustre (noun)

A gentle sheen or glow; radiance, especially of the eyes.

congenial (adjective)

Agreeable or suited to one's nature, temperament, or tastes.

apprised (verb (past tense))

Informed or made aware of something.

promptitude (noun)

The quality of being prompt; readiness and quickness to act.

consternation (noun)

Feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.

tyrannical (adjective)

Exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way; despotic.

convalescence (noun)

The gradual recovery of health and strength after illness.

averred (verb (past tense))

Stated or asserted to be the case; declared with confidence.

conceit (noun)

An imaginative or fanciful notion; a personal opinion or belief (archaic usage).

grotesque (adjective)

Comically or repulsively ugly or distorted; fantastically strange.

hieroglyphic (adjective)

Relating to a system of writing using pictures or symbols; difficult to decipher.

proleptic (adjective)

Anticipating or foreshadowing a future event or development.