"The Cone" Vocabulary

peevishly

showing annoyance, irritation, or bad mood

sententiously

given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner; self-righteous

discontented

unhappy

quivered

shook, trembled

tender

referring to a car attached to a locomotive for carrying fuel or water

tumult

Noisy excitement; an uproar or disturbance.

oblong

Having an elongated shape, as a rectangle or an oval.

embankment

a mound of earth or stone built to hold back water or support a roadway

extinguish

to put out a fire; to bring to an end

abrupt

sudden or unexpected

Gehenna

a biblical term that has become associated with a miserable or wicked place

interminable

endless, so long as to seem endless

pallid

pale or white

indistinctness

vagueness, lack of clarity

treble

high-pitched voice or sound

oppressive

weighing heavily on the senses or spirit

colliery

a coal mine and its connected buildings

iridescent

having or causing a shining, rainbowlike display of light and color

shunted

to shove or turn (someone or something) aside or out of the way.

intermittent

(adj.) stopping and beginning again, sporadic

edifice

a large or massive structure

incessant

Continuing without interruption

turmoil

great commotion and confusion; disorder

apprehensive

anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

vestige

a trace or remnant

loquacity

talkative, usually to excess

benumbing

To make inactive; dull; to numb

refinement

fineness or elegance of feeling, taste, manners, etc.

stile

refers to a step or set of steps for passing over a fence or wall

melodious

pleasant sounding

equipoise

a counterbalance

palpitating

Beating or throbbing strongly and quickly

philandering

engaging in many casual love affairs

labyrinth

a maze

tuyere

a vessel through which an air blast is delivered to a forge or blast furnace

affluent

(of water) flowing freely or in great quantity

undulating

to move in a wavelike motion, rising and falling

infintesimal

(adj.) so small as to be almost immeasurable; minute

assailed

to attack violently

gesticulating

making gestures while speaking