Short Story Vocab

bier

a stand on which a corpse or a coffin containing a corpse is placed prior to burial

beer/bir

bier

cabal

a conspiratorial group of plotters or intriguers. a secret scheme or plot. to form a conspiratorial group/scheme

kuh-bal / ke’bal

cabal

coquettish

characteristically flirtatious, especially in a teasing, lighthearted, manner

koh-ket-ish

coquettish

cuckold

a man whose wife has committed adultery, to make a cuckold of

kuhk-uhld

cuckold

deprecatory

disapproving; expressing belittlement

dep-ri-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

deprecatory

deputation

the act or state of being appointed or authorized as an agent or representative; a person or group appointed to represent another or others; delegation.

dep-yuh-tey-shuhn

deputation

diffident

hesitant to assert oneself from a lack of self-confidence; timid

dif-i-duhnt

diffident

dispensation

an exemption or release from an obligation or rule, granted by an authority

dis-puhn-sey-shuhn

dispensation

dyspepsia

indigestion

dis-pep-shuh -see-uh

dyspepsia

hangdog

shamefaced or guilty; downcast, intimidated; a sneaky or despicable person

hang-dawg, -dog

hangdog

jalousie

a blind or shutter having adjustable horizontal slats for regulating the passage of air and light

jal-uh-see

jalousie

livery

the costume or insignia worn by the retainers of a feudal lord; the boarding and care of horses for a fee

liv-uh-ree

livery

macabre

suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome; comprising or including a representation of death

muh-kah-bruh

macabre

parquet

the part of the main floor of a theater between the orchestra pit and the parquet circle; a wooden floor often using contrasting colors worked into oa pattern; to furnish a room with a floor

pahr-kay

parquet

perpetuity

the quality, state, or condition of being perpetual, time w/o end, eternity

pur-pi-too-i-tee

perpetuity

petticoat

a skirt; a woman/girl; of or by women

pet-ee-koht

petticoat

severance

the act or process of dividing or separating into parts; separation/partition

sev-er-uhns

severance

svelte

slender or graceful in figure or outline; slim

svelt

svelte

vermillion

bright red mercuric sulfide used as a pigment; a vivid red-orange; of vivid red-orange; to dye red-orange

ver-mil-yuhn

vermillion

vestige

a visible trace, evidence, something has once existed but is gone

ves-tij

vestige