This site is 100% ad supported. Please add an exception to adblock for this site.

vocab terms

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
lockjaw
tetanus; an often fatal disease that ordinarily enters the body through a wound
genteel
refined; demonstrating good taste
davenport
large sofa that sometimes converts into a bed
milliner
person who designs or makes women's hats
swanny
swear (usually used by persons who because of religious beliefs, are prohibited from swearing an oath)
heresy
rejection of any part of the beliefs of a particular religion or denomination
has swapped her religious birthright for a mess of matrimonial pottage
a reference to genesis 25;29-34, in which Esau trades his rights as the firstborn son to hes brother Jacb for a bowl of soup
chifforobe
a tall cabinet for holding clothes, with drawers or shelves
sharecropper
someone who farms on another person's land and pays rent sometimes as a share of the crop
privies
outdoor toilets without plumbing, usually with a seat over a deep hole
spittin' image
a shortened form of spit and image, used to mean that someone looks exactly like another person
prohibition
period when the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages was forbidden by an amendment to the United States Constitution enacted in 1920 and repealed in 1993
tannery
place where animal hides are made into leather
gin
cotton gin, machine used to seperate cotton fibers from the plant's seeds
finishing school
a school for young women, usually one that emphasizes proper behavior and social graces rather than academics
suffragette
woman who strongly advocates the extension of suffrage, or the right to vote, to women; in the United States, women did not gain the right to vote unil 1920, when the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution was enacted
crony
an old and close friend
preordained
determined or ordered beforehand
take a pretty
a shortened form of take a pretty penny, meaning "accept a considerable sum of money"
obliged
indebted, as for a favor or an act of kindness
croker sack
a sack made of burlap or a similar coarse fabric
conniption fit
a tantrum; a fit of anger
demosthenes
a greek orator a statesman
carpetbaggers
derogatory term for politicians and adventurers from the Northern United States who went to the South after the Civil War and took advantage of unstable social, economic, and political conditions;named for a type of old-fashioned traveling bag
foundry
a business where raw metal is shaped a forged into metal is shaped and forged into useful or decorative objects
livery stable
business that houses and feed horses for a fee; rents out horses and carriages
shotgun houses
long, narrow houses with rooms in a straight line, usually one behind another
sullen
gloomy and resentful
TB
tuberculosis; an infectious lung disease often fatal in the early twentieth century
polecat
a skunk
commenced
began; started
doddery
shaky especially due to advanced age
barker
person who stands in front of an event or business and tries to attract customers by talking in a loud, energetic voice
Prodigal Son
a refernce to the parable of Luke 15:11-32, in which a son who has abandoned his father and squandered his money returns home and is forgiven
"Raw Head and Bloody Bones"
name for a hobgoblin, a monster from nursery stories
"aught-one or aught-two"
1901 or 1902
stringer
part-time local reperter for a newspaper or other publication
blasphemous
not reverent or respectful toward God
"the lilies of the fiel"
a reference to Luke 12:27-28, in which Jesus tells his followers that, although the lilies do not labor or spin, they are clothed in glory by God
catechism
book of questions and answers for teaching the fundamental beliefs and principles of a religion
kowtow
to show respect in a submissive way; to bow down
contrite
remorseful; showing regret or sorrow, especially for having sinned
cabaret
a restaurantor cafe that provides music, dancing, or comedy for the entertainment of its customers
Graphophone
trade name for a particular brand of early record player
got her dander up
made her lose her temper; made her angry
jaunty
perky; carefree, light-hearted; stylish
oppressor
one who keeps others down by the cruel use of power
tithin'
shortened pronunciation of tithing, the act of paying or levying a portion of one's income to support a church
trousseau
brides collection of clothing and linens
tack room
room near a stable in which saddles, bridles, and other equipment for horses is stored
philanderer
man who engages insincerely in love affairs
groveled
degraded oneself; behaved extremely humbly or crawled, as a servant before an authority figure
disretion
quality of taking care about what one says and does
valor
courage; bravery
grip
a small suitcase
annulled
invalidated; canceled or made no longer binding under law
juned
drove briskly; here, used to mean "worked quickly"
mortified
extremelyembarrassed, ashamed, or humiliated; made to lose one's pride
speculate
to guess or inferespecially from incomplete evidence or information
repentant
showing regret for something one has done or failed to do
hasty puddin'
shortened from hasty pudding, a kind of cornmeal mush that can be prepared quickly; here, the phrase refers to Grandpa Blakeslee's quick wedding
pleurisy
inflammation of tehe membrane that covers the lungs and lines the ches cavity, characterized by difficult, painfulbreathing
cottonmouth
water moccasin, a poisonous snake found in and around rivers and swamps
gristmill
a mill for grinding grain
lien
claim on one's property for the payment of a debt; here, a loan or credit secured by such a claim on a farmers future crops
guano
natural fertilizer made of manure, especially that of sea birds or bats
sacrilegious
showing disrespect toward a sacred person, place, thing, or idea
katydids
large, green, cricket-like insects; male katydids make a shrill sound by rubbing their forewings together
tirade
a long, angry speech, especially one of accusation or blame
"tarred and feathered"
smeared with tar and covered with feathers as a punishment or humiliation
transgression
the act of going beyond a limit, as in the breaking of a rule or commandment
desecrated
treated as not sacred; defiled; corrupted
piece goods
fabrics made in standard widths and sold by the yard
brazen
extremely bold; showing no shame
impudent
boldly disrespectful; insolent

Deck Info

75

permalink