Gulliver's Travels Study Guide

Glossary of Terms

abhorrence

a feeling of repugnance or loathing

adamantine

hard, impervious

ague

a fit of shivering or shaking

august

impressive; eminent

avarice

greed

calenture

a tropical fever

caprice

an impulsive change of mind

chimaera

an imaginary monster

circumspection

being prudent

clemency

a merciful, kind, or lenient act

commodious

spacious, roomy

coquetry

flirtation

declivity

a downward slope or bend

dexterity

skill in using hands or body

disapprobation

disapproval; condemnation

disconsolate

heartbroken, dejected

diuretic

a substance used to increase excretion of urine (also used as an adjective)

dram

a small measurement

ebullient

bubbly, happy

edict

decree or proclamation

edifice

a large building

effluvia

a small exhalation

encomiums

formal tributes

envoy

a diplomatic agent

equipage

a carriage

espalier

a plant trained to grow in a pattern

etymology

the derivation of a word

extenuation

a partial excuse

faction

a dissenting clique

hectoring

bullying

hermetically

completely sealed

hobgoblin

a source of fear

importunate

troublesome, annoying

impute

to attribute or ascribe

ingenuous

artless, innocent

laudable

commendable

lucid

clear

magnanimous

kind, benevolent

maliciously

cruelly, meanly

mercurial

inconstant, indecisive

misanthrope

a hater of humankind (Swift and Pope were both consindered misanthropes)

noxious

toxic, harmful to living things

odious

bad smelling

palisades

a line of cliffs

peccant

sinful, guilty

pecuniary

pertaining to money

perfidiousness

deceitfulness or general evilness

pernicious

causing insidious harm or ruin

prelate

a high-ranking member of the clergy

puissant

powerful; mighty

rapine

plunder

recompense

to award compensation for

retinue

attendants to a high-ranking person

rudiments

fundamental facts or elements

sagacity

mental discernment, wisdom

satire

a literary mode in which human shortcomings are held up to scorn and ridicule

scabbard

a sheath for a sword or dagger

scimitar

a curved sword

scrofulous

morally tainted

tincture

a dye or pigment

Tory

a member of the conservative political party in Great Britain (1679-1832)

usurper

a person who takes over a position

varlet

an attendant or servant

vernal

of or pertaining to spring

victuals

food supplies

virtuoso (pl. virtuosi)

a person who is a master of his or her field

Whig

a member of the liberal political party in Great Britain (1679-1832)