Book XVII — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Book XVII

hecatombs (noun)

Large-scale sacrificial offerings to the gods, traditionally consisting of one hundred oxen or cattle.

comeliness (noun)

Physical attractiveness or pleasing appearance, especially of a graceful or dignified kind.

reviled (verb)

Criticized or abused in an angry and contemptuous manner.

reconnoitre (verb)

To make a military observation of an area to gather information about enemy positions or terrain.

importunity (noun)

Persistent and annoying solicitation or demanding behavior.

case-hardened (adjective)

Made tough or callous through prolonged exposure to difficulty or hardship.

insatiable (adjective)

Impossible to satisfy; having a desire or appetite that cannot be fulfilled.

vouchsafe (verb)

To give or grant something in a gracious or condescending manner.

brooding (adjective/verb)

Thinking deeply and at length about something troubling, often with dark or vengeful intent.

pestilence (noun)

A fatal epidemic disease; used figuratively to describe a person or thing regarded as harmful or destructive.

cloister (noun)

A covered walkway or colonnade surrounding an open courtyard, often part of a large residence or religious building.

victuals (noun)

Food or provisions, especially as prepared for consumption.

buffeted (verb)

Struck repeatedly and violently; battered by forces or circumstances.

prevaricate (verb)

To speak or act in an evasive or misleading way; to avoid giving a direct answer.

shamefaced (adjective)

Showing embarrassment or timidity; bashfully reluctant to assert oneself.