Farenheit 451 Vocabulary List

abyss

abyss

a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm

ballistics

science of the propulsion, flight, and impact of projectiles

cacophony

a harsh discordant mixture of sounds

cartographer

a person who draws or produces maps

centrifuge

a machine with a rapidly rotating container that applies centrifugal force to its contents, typically to separate fluids of different densities or liquids from solids

conjure

call upon (a spirit or ghost) to appear, by means of a magic ritual

cower

crouch down in fear

distilled

(of a liquid) having been purified by undergoing heating and condensation

feigning

pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury)

luminescent

emitting light not caused by heat

mausoleum

a building, especially a large and stately one, housing a tomb or tombs

nomadic

someone who lives by traveling from place to place

noncombustible

not flammable

olfactory

relating to the sense of smell

pagan

a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized religions

pratfall

a fall on to one's buttocks/humiliating action

proboscis

the nose of a mammal, especially when it is long and mobile such as the trunk of an elephant or the snout of a tapir

rationalize

attempt to explain or justify (one's own or another's behavior or attitude) with logical, plausible reasons, even if these are not true or appropriate

ravenous

extremely hungry

stratum

a layer or a series of layers of rock in the ground or a level or class to which people are assigned according to their social status, education, or income

tactile

of or connected with the sense of touch

tallow

a hard fatty substance made from rendered animal fat (cattle and sheep), used in making candles and soap

tamped

pack (a blast hole) full of clay or sand to concentrate the force of the explosion

titillation

the arousal of interest or excitement, especially through sexually suggestive images or words

trajectory

the path followed by a projectile flying or an object moving under the action of given forces

propaganda

information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view

totalitarianism

a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state

dystopian

relating to or denoting an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice

utopian

modeled on or aiming for a state in which everything is perfect; idealistic

censorship

the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security

euphemism

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing

character arc

the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story

foil

a character that contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist, to highlight the protagonist's qualities

antagonist

a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary

nihilism

a philosophical viewpoint that rejects fundamental aspects of human existence, such as knowledge, morality, or meaning

existentialism

a philosophical movement that explores human existence and the meaning, purpose, and value of life