Chapter 84 - Pitchpoling — Vocabulary
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville — key words and definitions
Vocabulary Words from Chapter 84 - Pitchpoling
- Unctuousness
- The quality of being oily or greasy; a smooth, slippery substance.
- Presentiment
- An intuitive feeling about the future, especially one of foreboding or anticipation.
- Precipitancy
- Rash or hasty action; extreme urgency or speed in movement.
- Inveterate
- Having a particular habit, activity, or quality that is long-established and unlikely to change; deep-rooted.
- Dexterities
- Skills in performing tasks, especially with the hands; cleverness or adroitness.
- Sleights
- Cunning tricks or stratagems; skillful, dexterous movements, especially of the hands.
- Pitchpoling
- A whaling technique of throwing a long, lightweight lance from a distance at a fast-moving whale.
- Warp
- In whaling, a small rope attached to a lance or harpoon, used to retrieve it after throwing.
- Equanimity
- Mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in difficult situations.
- Gamesome
- Playful, merry, or frolicsome; inclined to fun and amusement.
- Flurry
- In whaling, the final violent convulsions of a dying whale; its death throes.
- Canakin
- A small drinking cup or can.
- Spigot
- A peg or plug used to stop the vent hole in a barrel or cask; a tap or faucet.
- Sounding
- In whaling, when a whale dives deep beneath the surface of the water.