Vocabulary from Excerpt on Books and Grandfather's Study

A collection of vocabulary flashcards defining key French terms and expressions from the reading passage into English.

Épousseter

To dust or remove dust; in the excerpt, this action was forbidden in the grandfather's study except once a year before October.

Révérer

To revere or hold in awe; describes the narrator's deep respect for books even before learning how to read.

En cachette

In secret or secretly; describes how the narrator touched the books without permission to get dust on his hands.

Dextérité

Dexterity or physical skill; used to describe the skill with which the grandfather handled books.

Officiant

An officiant or person conducting a ceremony; used as a comparison for how solemnly and skillfully the grandfather handled books.

Enjambée

A stride or long step; in the text, the grandfather crossed the room in two strides.

Feuilleter

To flip through or leaf through pages; describes how the grandfather skimmed through a book while walking back to his armchair.

Coup sec

A sharp or quick motion; describes how the grandfather opened a book briskly to the right page.

Rentrée d'octobre

The October back-to-school period, which was the only time dusting the books in the study was permitted.