Chapter 39 - First Night-Watch — Vocabulary
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville — key words and definitions
Vocabulary Words from Chapter 39 - First Night-Watch
- solus
- Alone; a stage direction indicating a character is by themselves on stage.
- predestinated
- Predetermined or decided in advance by fate or divine will; destined to happen.
- brace
- A nautical rope attached to a ship’s yard, used to rotate the sails and adjust their angle to the wind.
- Mogul
- A reference to the Mughal emperors of India; used here to describe a powerful, imperious ruler.
- twigged
- Noticed, perceived, or understood something quickly.
- carcase
- An archaic spelling of "carcass"; here used colloquially to refer to one’s own body.
- waggish
- Playfully humorous or mischievous in a teasing way.
- leering
- Looking or gazing in a sly, malicious, or knowing way.
- stave
- A verse or stanza of a poem or song.
- frigate
- A type of warship; here used in the simile "gay as a frigate’s pennant" to suggest liveliness.
- pennant
- A long, narrow flag flown from a ship’s mast, often tapering to a point.
- beaker
- A large drinking cup or goblet, often with a wide mouth.