The Inquisitor's Tale: Prologue–Chapter 5

by Adam Gidwitz
In the thirteenth century, travelers at an inn tell tales about the adventures of three children attempting to escape religious persecution.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 5, Chapters 6–10, Chapters 11–15, Chapters 16–21, Chapters 22–27
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. indignant
    angered at something unjust or wrong
    "Did you know her? Before she became famous?"
    "Know her?" Marie says, indignant. "I practically raised her! Well, I didn't raise her, but I know her real well."
  2. venerate
    regard with feelings of respect and reverence
    As the years went by, we started to venerate that dog proper, like the saint she is.
  3. heresy
    a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion
    He had Theresa by the arm, and he was bellowing some nonsense about new laws about rooting out heresy and pagan sorcery and some other fancy phrases he had just learned that week, I reckoned.
  4. quaff
    a hearty draft
    I'm in the midst of taking a quaff of my ale and I nearly spit it all over the table.
  5. pommel
    an ornament in the shape of a ball on the hilt of a sword
    Sir Fabian’s thin hand drifted to the pommel of his sword.
  6. retinue
    the group following and attending to some important person
    And now Jeanne could see the rest of the retinue.
  7. affront
    treat, mention, or speak to rudely
    “How dare you affront his lordship?! His worshipful lordship?!”
  8. gentry
    the most powerful members of a society
    “Oh, stow it! These men are knights and lords! We can’t lie to the gentle! We, but lowly peasants!"
    The knights looked gratified. “She’s right, you know,” the bald one nodded. “Best not lie to the gentry. We can tell, can’t we?”
  9. fetid
    offensively malodorous
    After a few minutes’ walk, the group arrived at the small river and, beside it, a hill—brown, fly infested, half solid and half liquid—reeking with the fetid smell of feces.
  10. earnest
    characterized by a firm, sincere belief in one's opinions
    Jeanne’s mother looked at him, so earnest and helpful.
  11. callus
    cause a thick or hard area of skin to form on
    Jeanne tried to scream, but a strong, calloused hand was clamped over her mouth.
  12. interpose
    be or come between
    His knights pushed past the villagers. “Stay back!” they cried. “Avaunt!” They interposed themselves between the peasants and their leader.
  13. blasphemy
    the act of depriving something of its sacred character
    A dog can’t be a saint. That’s blasphemy.
  14. brandish
    exhibit aggressively
    The bald knight, following his leader's cue, drew his and brandished it in the faces of the villagers.
  15. fathom
    come to understand
    "That's just how it happened," she murmurs. "Though I can't fathom how you know all that."
  16. abbey
    a church or building associated with a monastery or convent
    But the father cannot be as big as the son—for now that William is eleven years old, the tallest monk in the abbey barely reaches his collarbone.
  17. perpetually
    without interruption
    We do not make conversation. But William is perpetually bursting with opinions, with questions, with ideas. To be blunt about it, he will not shut up.
  18. cloister
    residence that is a place of religious seclusion
    It was just after breakfast, and the frost was still visible on the grass at the center of the cloister.
  19. zeal
    excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end
    He claims that the abbot assigned him his role because of his zeal for eradicating sinful thoughts from children’s heads.
  20. harangue
    address forcefully
    Bartholomew would harangue them until the bell tolled for sext, the midday prayers.
  21. impassive
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
    The boy stared up at Brother Bartholomew impassively.
  22. oblivion
    the state of being disregarded or forgotten
    “What of the great Muslim scholars, who saved Aristotle from oblivion?”
  23. ruddy
    inclined to a healthy reddish color
    William’s attention was jerked back to the abbot’s gaunt face and long, ruddy nose.
  24. pious
    having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity
    He’s a good man. The best. As pious as any in France, save perhaps the king.
  25. tempestuous
    characterized by violent emotions or behavior
    Hubert will find the proper pasture for your tempestuous soul.
  26. penance
    voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for something
    “Besides, you must do some penance. So you won’t go straight to Saint-Denis. Instead, you’ll take the long route. Through the forest of Malesherbes."
  27. coddle
    treat with excessive indulgence
    “Indeed I am, Brother Jerome. I have often warned you that you coddle the boy.”
  28. cabal
    a clique that seeks power usually through intrigue
    “Every and any evil you can imagine. Theft, deceit, betrayal. And eventually, murder, too. A cabal of criminals, living without any laws or codes at all. Anything they felt like doing, anything against God, they did.”
  29. impunity
    exemption from punishment or loss
    “With impunity,” the abbot added.
    “What’s impunity?” William asked.
    “You should know that, William,” the abbot scolded. “It means ‘without consequences.’”
  30. tonsure
    shave the head of a newly inducted monk
    I pulled at my beard, and the abbot said, “William, you have taken the vows. You wear the robe. You will soon be tonsured. You may not fight. Anyone. For any reason.”
  31. illuminate
    add embellishments and paintings to a manuscript
    He began thumbing through a few of the titles: Isidore of Seville, an illuminated copy of The Rule of Saint Benedict, Saint Augustine’s Confessions.
  32. hovel
    small crude shelter used as a dwelling
    William passed peasants working the abbey’s fields, and their little dark hovels, lining the road.
  33. plangent
    loud and resounding, often in a mournful way
    As the forest’s warning became louder, more plangent and strident, William’s buoyant mood shivered, quailed, and fled like a routed army from the field.
  34. strident
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
    As the forest’s warning became louder, more plangent and strident, William’s buoyant mood shivered, quailed, and fled like a routed army from the field.
  35. buoyant
    characterized by liveliness and lightheartedness
    As the forest’s warning became louder, more plangent and strident, William’s buoyant mood shivered, quailed, and fled like a routed army from the field.
  36. satchel
    luggage consisting of a small case with a flat bottom
    He unfastened the two leather satchels from the donkey’s back and tossed them into the dirt.
  37. sinewy
    consisting of tendons or resembling a tendon
    He grabbed another by its long, sinewy neck and began swinging it around, knocking others to the earth.
  38. placidly
    in a quiet and tranquil manner
    The donkey hobbled away placidly on three legs, to crop the ferns at the edge of the road.
  39. careen
    move sideways or in an unsteady way
    He smashed it across the right-most archer and sent him careening into the other two.
  40. nonchalant
    marked by casual unconcern or indifference
    I try to sound nonchalant when I turn to the old monk. "Jerome, you're a man of God. Do you consider what William did—a miracle?"
Created on Fri Jul 20 14:47:03 EDT 2018 (updated Wed Jul 25 11:49:56 EDT 2018)

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