Scarlet Letter Vocabulary

sepulcher

(n) a tomb, grave, or burial place

inauspicious

(adj) suggesting bad luck for the future

physiognomies

(n) facial features

heterodox

(adj) disagreeing with established opinions

infamy

(n) evil deed; shameful conduct

whit

(n) smallest amount

ignominy

(n) disgrace and dishonor

rankle

(v) to cause bitter feelings

pillory

(n.) a device for publicly punishing offenders

amenable

(adj) willing to cooperate

abate

(v) to become less, reduced, or end

lurid

(adj) horrifying, unattractively bright

evanescent

(adj) fleeting

behest

(n) an authoritative command or request

bedizen

(v) to dress up garishly and tastelessly

mountebank

(n) a flamboyant deceiver

appellation

(n) a title or name

vindicate

(v) to clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting proof

consigned

(n) entrusted; put in the care of

pharmacopoeia

(n) a collection or stock of drugs

emaciated

(adj) very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold

despondent

(adj) without or almost without hope

celibacy

(n) abstaining from sexual relations (as because of religious vows)

inimical

(adj) not friendly

cogitate

(v) to think hard; ponder

sacrilegious

(adj) blasphemous; disrespectful of the sacred

encumbrance

(n) burden

expiate

(v) to atone or make amends for

obstinacy

(n) stubbornness

prate

(v) to talk excessively and pointlessly

disinclined

(adj) unwilling

eulogium

(n) praise, especially for the deceased

decrepit

(adj) old and feeble; worn out

brazen

(adj) bold and without shame

scaffold

(n) a platform from which criminals are punished or executed

bodice

(n) part of a dress above the waist

impropriety

(n) a failure to observe standards or show honesty or modesty;

wreak

(v) to bring about or inflict

deportment

(n) a person's behavior or manners

spurn

(v) to reject with contempt