Glossary of Terms
acedia: spiritual inactivity or boredom
aggrandizement: elevation; increase of scope of power or wealth
aldermanic: seeming to be of high rank or political authority
annulment: legal invalidation of a marriage
arcana: specialized knowledge of something generally considered a mystery or a secret
armory: a storage building for arms and military equipment
assignation: allocation or apportionment according to a design or plan
astrakhan: the wavy wool of young lambs from the city of Astrakhan in southwest Russia
bestial: like a beast; brute; subhuman
burro: a small donkey used to carry supplies
cadet: a student training at a military academy to become an officer
Caligula: A.D. 12-41; Emperor of Rome A.D. 37-41; noted for his cruelty and megalomania
capitulate: to surrender or yield; to acquiesce
cistern: a storage tank holding rainwater
clement: mild; lenient
coif: to dress or arrange one's hair
columnar: in the shape of a column
conjugality: having to do with a marriage or spouses
consummation: fulfillment of a goal; fruition
copious: ample; abundant
degenerate: in a state of decline or corruption
derby: a round, black, hard hat; a bowler hat
discord: conflict; tension
dispensary: a public institution that distributes medical aid and treatments
ecclesiastical: associated with a church
effigy: a statue; a likeness (usually of a person)
effrontery: bold and presumptuous behavior
endive: crisp salad green with irregular, curled, frilly leaves
excelsior: thin, curling wood shavings used in packing boxes
fantail: fan-like overhang of the deck at the stern of a ship
feint: deceptive action intended to divert attention away from the real purpose or target
flophouse: a cheap boarding house
foulard: a lightweight silk or silk-like scarf or necktie, usually printed with a small pattern
galliard: lively; a popular French dance from the 16th and 17th centuries
galluses: suspenders
geode: a hollow cavity in rock lined with crystals along the inside wall
gypsy: nomadic, unconventional
hash-houses: slang for inexpensive restaurants
homage: public honor; ceremonial show of respect or deference
impresario: a promoter, manager, or director of public entertainment
involutional: entangled in or involved
jocular: humorous; joking
kinesis: motion induced in response to a stimulus
kinkajou: fruit-eating mammal in Central and South America with brown fur and a long tail
lateen: a triangular sail, usually used in the Mediterranean Sea
lepidopterous: of or seeming like a butterfly or moth, with membranous wings
loam: rich soil mixture of clay and sand and decaying matter, often used to make bricks
Machiavelli: 1469-1527; Italian political thinker who theorized that power and position could be maintained by excluding moral considerations
margrave: German military governor
mesmeric: hypnotic; fascinating
millenarian: believing in a coming age or millenium of peace, great prosperity, and happiness
mobcap: a woman's cap adorned with frill and puffery, worn indoors during the eighteenth and nineteenth century
palaver: charming or flattering talk
parapet: low, fortifying wall on the edge of a balcony or roof, usually for added protection
pedantry: inappropriate display of learning
pellucid: transluscent or clear; admitting the shine of light
pinochle: card game involving a 48-card deck and two or four persons
pontiffs: popes; bishops
precipitating: occurring unexpectedly from a hasty act
pulque: a thick, alcoholic beverage made from the Mexican agave plant
racketeers: persons involved in illegal business activities
rambunctious: boisterous; ill-disciplined
rancor: deep bitterness and anger; a feeling of ill will
rickshaw: two-wheeled cart pulled by a human being, carrying one passenger
rout: to dig out and expose
rudiments: basic elements, principles, or facts
sepulcher: burial chamber; altar
spittoons: metal bowls with covers for the spit of tobacco-chewers
stalwart: resolute; hardy
temerarious: rashly daring
Trotsky: a Russian revolutionary and communist theoretician who opposed Stalin's rise to authoritarianism; banished and killed in Mexico while in exile
trundled: pushed on wheels; rolled along
tubercular: relating to the lesions associated with the infectious disease tuberculosis
turpitude: corrupt or depraved activity; baseness
ulterior: concealed, with the intent to deceive
utopia: a perfected, idealistic, and often impractical scheme of political and social reform
waywardness: marked by acting willfully, contrary to others' advice or wishes
ClassicNote on The Adventures of Augie March
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