Chapter 31 - Queen Mab — Vocabulary
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville — key words and definitions
Vocabulary Words from Chapter 31 - Queen Mab
- accosted
- Approached and addressed someone, often boldly or aggressively.
- cudgelling
- Beating with a short, thick stick or club; a thrashing.
- presto
- Suddenly; used to indicate something happening quickly or as if by magic.
- marlinspikes
- Pointed metal tools used in seamanship for splicing rope and untying knots.
- phiz
- Slang for face or physiognomy; a person's facial appearance.
- clout
- A piece of cloth or rag; here used to describe a makeshift garment.
- confoundedly
- In a manner that causes confusion or bewilderment; extremely or damnably.
- slews
- Turns or swings around forcefully or abruptly.
- chimney hag
- An old woman associated with fireside; here describes the merman's muttering, gum-chewing manner.
- ivory
- A hard, white material from whale teeth or elephant tusks; here refers to the whalebone material of Ahab's prosthetic leg.
- stern
- The rear part of a ship; here used colloquially to mean the backside or rear of the merman.
- merman
- A mythological male sea creature, the counterpart of a mermaid, having a human upper body and fish tail.