A Christmas Carol Vocabulary

Benson English 9H(4)

Covetous

having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else

Stave

Another term for staff

Beguiled

charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way

Caustic

sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way

Incredulous

unwilling or unable to believe something

Apparition

a ghost or ghostlike image of a person

Melancholy

a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.

Opaque

not able to be seen through; not transparent

Capacious

having a lot of space inside; roomy

Repentance

sincere regret or remorse

Jovial

cheerful and friendly

Negus

a hot drink of port, sugar, lemon, and spices

Incessant

(of something regarded as unpleasant) continuing without pause or interruption

Hob

a flat metal shelf at the side or back of a fireplace, having its surface level with the top of the grate and used especially for heating pans

Compulsion

the action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint

Tremulous

shaking or quivering slightly

Odious

extremely unpleasant; repulsive

Menagerie

a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition

Plaintive

sounding sad and mournful

Rampant

flourishing or spreading unchecked

Livid

furiously angry

Persevere

continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.

Precepts

a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought

Propitiation

the action of propitiating or appeasing a god, spirit, or person

Recompense

make amends to (someone) for loss or harm suffered; compensate

Array

an impressive display or range of a particular type of thing

Feign

pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury)

Munificence

the quality or action of being lavishly generous; great generosity