Glossary of Terms
'cuteness: acuteness; intelligence
ale: a heavy beer
artisan: skilled laborer who makes unique pieces
bailiff: an overseer of an estate; a steward
bilious: resembling bile in color (green); looking sickly, as if one suffers from an excess in bile
bucolic: idyllic
buxom: large-breasted
carte blanche: the freedom to do whatever one pleases
chap: man
churning: the activity by which one makes butter
cloister: a quiet, secluded place; part of a nunnery or monastery
coquettish: flirtatious
crinoline: a stiff cotton fabric used to make the bodices of dresses
currants: raisins
deferential: showing respect
dock-leaves: leaves usually used for wrapping newly-made cheese
gander: male goose
gell: dialect for "girl"
gentry: noblemen; aristocrats
gimcrack: doo-dad
greenfinch: a common bird with green and yellow plumage
kettle-cake: a loaf of bread baked at the bottom of a kettle
kin: family
lad: young man
languor: laziness or listlessness
lass: young woman
making love: making love-related speeches (not having sex)
mensuration: the art of measuring
Methody: slang for Methodist
oat-cake: the rough food that the poor British ate in the place of bread
porridge: oatmeal, usually eaten for breakfast
portly: slightly fat; stout
pudding: British word for a sausage-like food made with boiled minced meat
smelling-salts: chemicals thrust under the nose to revive a lady when she is feeling faint
stoat: an ermine (short-tailed weasel) with its brown summer coat, before it turns white for winter
tarpaulin: material used to cover and protect things from wetness
ClassicNote on Adam Bede
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