Scarlet Letter Vocab

ignominy

public shame or disgrace

iniquity

immoral or grossly unfair behavior

visage

a person’s face or facial expresssion

penance

voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done something wrong

abate

(of something perceived as hostile, threatening, or negative) become less intense or widespread

mien

a person’s look or manner, especially one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood

phantasmagoric

like seen in a dream; featuring wild and shifting images

remonstrate

to present and urge reasons in opposition; to say or plead in protest, reproof, or opposition

efficacy

the power to produce and result or effect

infantile

of or relating to infants or infancy

impetuous

impulsive; describing sudden rash action or emotion

vehemence

vigorous impetuosity; fury

choleric

extremely irritable or easily angered

somniferous

bringing or inducing sleep, as drugs or influences

erudition

knowledge acquired by study, research; learning; scholarship

austerity

harsh economic policies; the quality of being severe in appearance, self-discipline, morals; or without luxury

expiation

the means by which atonement or reparation is made, the act of atoning

scurrilous

grossly or obscenely abusive; vulgar

odious

highly offensive; deserving hatred

machination

the act of contriving a plot or scheme

Apostle

loyal supporter or follower; pioneer of any new system or cause, especially an early leader in a reform movement

acrid

sharply stinging or bitter, pungent

propensity

natural inclination or tendency; favorable disposition or partiality

despondent

feeling or showing profound hopelessness, dejection, discouragement, or gloom

impute

to attribute or ascribe

vestige

visible evidence of something that is no longer present

scintillating

witty; animated, vivacious, effervescent

contiguity

the state if being touching, in contact, or adjacent in time

malevolence

ill will; malice; hatred

cadence

rhythmic flow of a sequence of things

Harrowed

looking as if you have suffered

probity

complete honesty

gesticulation

movements with your hands or arms intended to express something or to emphasize what you are saying

audacity

courage or confidence of a kind that other people find shocking or rude

depredation

damage or destruction, or an act that causes this

tumult

a loud noise, especially that produced by an excited crowd, or a state of confusion, change or uncertainty

impotence

lack of power to change or improve a situation

pathos

the power of a person, situation, piece of writing, or work of art to cause feelings of sadness, especially because people feel sympathy

requital

noun form of to give or do something in return for something given to you or done for you

vicissitude

change that happens at different times during the life or development of something or someone, especially those that result in conditions being worse