I - Stave IV — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from I - Stave IV

rapacity

Extreme greed; the aggressive desire to acquire wealth or possessions by force or manipulation.

prevaricator

A person who speaks or acts in an evasive or misleading way; one who lies or equivocates.

assegais

Slender iron-tipped spears used by southern African peoples, especially the Zulu.

superciliousness

An attitude of haughty disdain or contemptuous superiority toward others.

listlessly

In a manner showing no energy, interest, or enthusiasm; languidly.

conflagrations

Large, destructive fires that spread over a wide area.

lamentable

Deserving of grief, regret, or pity; pitifully bad or deplorable.

precipitately

In a hasty, reckless, or impulsive manner; with undue haste.

primeval

Of or relating to the earliest ages of the world; ancient, primitive, and untouched.

crestfallen

Sad, disappointed, or humiliated, especially after a setback; dejected.

sepulchral

Relating to a tomb or burial; gloomy, dismal, or suggestive of death. Here used to describe Brussels.

calico

Plain white or printed cotton cloth, originally from India; here, a cheap trade good used in colonial exchange.

beguiled

Charmed, entertained, or distracted in order to pass time; also, to deceive.

spectrally

In a ghostlike or phantom-like manner; with an eerie, insubstantial quality.

indefatigable

Tireless; persisting without showing signs of fatigue or weariness.