All That is Solid Melts Into Air Glossary

All That is Solid Melts Into Air Glossary

capitalism

an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state

derisive

expressing contempt or ridicule

equivocal

open to more than one interpretation

fallible

capable of making mistakes or being erroneous

farce

a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations

fatal

causing death

feudalism

the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labor, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection

futility

pointlessness

hysteria

exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, esp. among a group of people

ingenious

clever, original, and inventive

nihilism

the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless

nonconformist

a person whose behavior or views do not conform to prevailing ideas or practices

reminisce

indulge in enjoyable recollection of past events

resonance

the quality in a sound of being deep, full, and reverberating

sensuous

relating to or affecting the senses rather than the intellect

socialism

a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole

transcend

be or go beyond the range or limits

tremendous

very great in amount, scale, or intensity

upheaval

a violent or sudden change or disruption to something

volatile

easily evaporated at normal temperatures

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