Unit 9 (The Joy Luck Club)

Arpeggio

A chord whose notes are played in rapid succession rather than simultaneously

Avant-garde

Radically new or original; any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques (especially in the arts)

Barb

A point facing opposite from the main point that makes an arrowhead hard to remove; an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect

Betrothed

Pledged to be married

Docile

Easily handled or managed; ready and willing to be taught

Dowry

Money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage

Guileless

Free of deceit

Haggle

Wrangle, negotiate (over a price, terms of an agreement, etc)

Innuendo

An indirect (and usually malicious or inappropriate) implication

Inviolable

Incapable of being transgressed or dishonored; treated as if holy and kept free from violation or criticism

Kowtow

Bend the knees and bow in a servile manner; try to gain favor by cringing or flatters (based on a former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission called “k’o-thou”)

Lilting

Characterized by a buoyant rhythm; happy, sweet-sounding cadence

Listless

Lacking zest of viacity

Longevity

The property of being long-lived

Lustrous

Reflecting light; made smooth and bright by or as if by rubbing; reflecting a sheen or glow

Malignant

Dangerous to health; characterized by progressive and uncontrolled growth (especially a tumor); showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite

Penance

Voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for some wrongdoing

Pretext

something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that is concocted in order to conceal the real reason

Verbatim

Using exactly the same words

Yin

The dark, negative feminine principle in Chinese dualistic cosmology (yang is opposite, the bright, positive masculine principle associated with heaven)