Lit Handmaids Tale Vocab

  1. palimpsest (3) (n) - 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


  1. Insatiable (adj) – always wanting more; voracious; greedy

  • Insatiability (n) (4)


  1. Debase (10) (v) – degrade, lower the moral character of (someone), demean


  1. Surly (10) (adj) – bad tempered; unfriendly; rude


  1. Decorum (11) (n) - behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety


  1. Fraternize (11) (v) - associate or form a friendship with someone, especially when one is not supposed to


  1. Pedantic (adj) – too concerned with correct rules in language; nit-picking; finicky


  1.  Reproach (13) (n) – criticism; reprimand; censure


  1. Genteel (adj) -  refined; proper; courteous 


  1. Servile (adj) – too obedient; relating to slavery


  1. Wheedle (v) – coax somebody; obtain by guile, flattery or other indirect means


  1. Surreptitiously (adv) – sneakily; done in a concealed or underhand way to escape notice


  1. Diminutive (adj) – small; tiny; miniscule


  1. Truss (v) – bind; tie up; tether


  1. Anachronism (n) – chronological error; something that seems to belong to another era


  1. Disconsolate (adj) – extremely sad; melancholy


  1. Cassock (n) – priest’s robe


  1. Quagmire (n) – swamp; awkward, complicated or difficult situation; 


  1. Ingratiate (v) – seek to please somebody; to try and win somebody’s favor 


  1. Irreverent (adj) – disrespectful; mocking; cheeky


  1. Lugubrious (adj) – gloomy; extremely mournful


  1. Loll (v) – lounge in a relaxed way; lounge; recline


  1. Waif (n) – abandoned child; thin person; unclaimed item; stray


  1. Amulet (n) – lucky object; charm; talisman


  1. Innocuous (adj) – harmless; not intended to offend or to provoke a strong reaction


  1. Incendiary (adj) – likely to catch fire; causing civil unrest; inflammatory


  1. Shoddy (adj) – poorly made; inferior; trashy


  1. Superfluous (adj) – more than necessary; excessive


  1. Punitive (adj) – relating to, done as, or imposed as a punishment; retaliatory


  1. Effigy (n) – dummy, often intentionally insulting, representing something disliked


  1. Litany (n) – long repetitious list


  1. Sedition (n) – actions or words intended to provoke rebellion or incitement


  1. Pathos (n) – quality in something that evokes pity, sadness, or grief


  1. Indignation (n) – anger at unfairness; outrage; fury


  1. Languid (adj) – without energy; sluggish


  1. Taboo (adj) – socially or culturally prohibited; unacceptable; banned; prohibited


  1. Banal (adj) – dull and unoriginal; boring; ordinary


  1. Indecorous (adj) – impolite; rude


  1. Perfunctory (adj) – done out of duty or custom, without thought; hasty; automatic


Filch (v) – steal; rob