Lit Handmaids Tale Vocab

palimpsest

A manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain.

insatiable

Always wanting more; voracious; greedy.

debase

To degrade or lower the moral character of someone; to demean.

surly

Bad tempered; unfriendly; rude.

decorum

Behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety.

fraternize

To associate or form a friendship with someone, especially when one is not supposed to.

pedantic

Too concerned with correct rules in language; nit-picking; finicky.

reproach

Criticism; reprimand; censure.

genteel

Refined; proper; courteous.

servile

Too obedient; relating to slavery.

wheedle

To coax somebody; to obtain by guile, flattery or other indirect means.

surreptitiously

Done in a concealed or underhand way to escape notice; sneakily.

diminutive

Small; tiny; miniscule.

truss

To bind; tie up; tether.

anachronism

A chronological error; something that seems to belong to another era.

disconsolate

Extremely sad; melancholy.

cassock

A priest’s robe.

quagmire

A swamp; an awkward, complicated or difficult situation.

ingratiate

To seek to please somebody; to try and win somebody’s favor.

irreverent

Disrespectful; mocking; cheeky.

lugubrious

Gloomy; extremely mournful.

loll

To lounge in a relaxed way; lounge; recline.

waif

An abandoned child; a thin person; an unclaimed item; a stray.

amulet

A lucky object; charm; talisman.

innocuous

Harmless; not intended to offend or to provoke a strong reaction.

incendiary

Likely to catch fire; causing civil unrest; inflammatory.

shoddy

Poorly made; inferior; trashy.

superfluous

More than necessary; excessive.

punitive

Relating to, done as, or imposed as a punishment; retaliatory.

effigy

A dummy, often intentionally insulting, representing something disliked.

litany

A long repetitious list.

sedition

Actions or words intended to provoke rebellion or incitement.

pathos

Quality in something that evokes pity, sadness, or grief.

indignation

Anger at unfairness; outrage; fury.

languid

Without energy; sluggish.

taboo

Socially or culturally prohibited; unacceptable; banned.

banal

Dull and unoriginal; boring; ordinary.

indecorous

Impolite; rude.

perfunctory

Done out of duty or custom, without thought; hasty; automatic.

filch

To steal; rob.