Glossary of Terms
artisan: craftsperson
Baptist: a member of a church who practices the particular doctrines of an evangelical form of Christianity
Black Panther: a member of the militant African-American political party
Black Power: a movement amongst African-Americans to consolidate power and build their own political and cultural institutions
bowlegged: having legs that curve out at the knees
brimstone: sulphur
callous: toughened; unfeeling
civic: relating or belonging to the citizens of a city
clairvoyance: the power to perceive objects or events without the use of the "ordinary" senses
denizen: a resident or frequenter of a place
derision: ridicule; contempt
diabetes: metabolic disorder often resulting in extreme thirst and urination
dialogue: conversation between two people
disrepair: state of being in need of repair
dowry: property given to the husband by the bride's family
gentiles: persons not of the Jewish faith; Christians
gentrification: the restoration of run-down urban properties, often resulting in the displacement of low-income residents
ghetto: the area of a city in which a particular minority group is compelled to live
henpecked: dominated by persistent nagging
housing project: a development for low-income families erected and managed by public funds
immaculate: spotless; impeccable
indignity: degrading treatment; an affront
infallible: incapable of error or failure
kaddish: Jewish prayer given by mourners at the death of a relative
kosher: ritually pure, conforming with Jewish dietary laws
Ku Klux Klan: a white, Southern secret society that employed terrorist tactics to suppress African-Americans
leavened: made light with baking powder or yeast
maul: to injure, usually by beating roughly
modicum: a small amount
motley: variegated; of many colors; heterogeneous
oblivion: complete forgetfulness
Orthodox: traditional or established aspect of Judaism
pep: high energy
polio: viral disease that damages the spinal cord
populous: with many people
privileged: having a special advantage
rabbi: leader, scholar, and teacher of the Jewish congregation, trained in Jewish laws and rituals
racism: discrimination on the basis of race
reefer: slang for marijuana
reveille: military bugle call used to wake soldiers up in the morning
salvation: redemption; being saved from evil
scavenge: to search for or collect useful material from refuse
shiva: seven-day Jewish mourning period after the death of a relative
synagogue: the Jewish place of meeting and worship
tableau: an arranged scene
tallis: a prayer shawl with fringed edges worn by Jewish males
torrid: scorching; passionate
wharf: a pier or platform on a shoreline where ships are moored
yarmulke: skullcap worn by Jewish men and boys
ClassicNote on The Color of Water
| 
