1984: Part Three

by George Orwell
Published in 1949, this dystopian classic imagines a future of perpetual war, militaristic propaganda, and total government surveillance.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Part One: Chapters 1–4, Part One: Chapters 5–8, Part Two: Chapters 1–5, Part Two: Chapters 6–10, Part Three, Appendix–Afterword

Here are links to our lists for other works by George Orwell: Politics and the English Language, Shooting an Elephant, Animal Farm
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. truncheon
    a short stout club used primarily by police officers
    He felt the smash of truncheons on his elbows and iron-shod boots on his shins; he saw himself groveling on the floor, screaming for mercy through broken teeth.
  2. sanctimonious
    excessively or hypocritically pious
    His froglike face grew calmer, and even took on a slightly sanctimonious expression. “Thought-crime is a dreadful thing, old man,” he said sententiously.
    "Sanctimonious" and "sententious" are nearly synonymous adjectives. Their Latin roots show their slight difference: "sanctus" means "holy" and "sententiosus" means "full of meaning"--Parsons puts on an expression that looks holy (because he is in the presence of a telescreen) to make a brief statement that's excessively filled with pompous morality.
  3. seditious
    in opposition to a civil authority or government
    He confessed to the assassination of eminent Party members, the distribution of seditious pamphlets, embezzlement of public funds, sale of military secrets, sabotage of every kind.
  4. sabotage
    a deliberate act of destruction or disruption
    He confessed to the assassination of eminent Party members, the distribution of seditious pamphlets, embezzlement of public funds, sale of military secrets, sabotage of every kind.
  5. respite
    an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
    It was he who decided when Winston should scream with pain, when he should have a respite, when he should be fed, when he should sleep, when the drugs should be pumped into his arm.
  6. prevaricate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
    If you tell me any lies, or attempt to prevaricate in any way, or even fall below your usual level of intelligence, you will cry out with pain, instantly.
  7. abject
    showing humiliation or submissiveness
    We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it must be of your own free will.
    "Abject" also means "most unfortunate or miserable" and "showing utter resignation or hopelessness"--all three definitions fit the example sentence. The second sentence, with its focus on free will, emphasizes that the Party wants subjects that are not abject. However, it uses the most abject ("of the most contemptible kind") methods of torture to make rebellious members surrender.
  8. solipsism
    the philosophical theory that the self is all that exists
    I told you, Winston,” he said, “that metaphysics is not your strong point. The word you are trying to think of is solipsism. But you are mistaken. This is not solipsism. Collective solipsism, if you like. But that is a different thing; in fact, the opposite thing.
  9. penitent
    feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds
    Always we shall have the heretic here at our mercy, screaming with pain, broken up, contemptible — and in the end utterly penitent, saved from himself, crawling to our feet of his own accord.
  10. malleable
    capable of being shaped or bent
    But we create human nature. Men are infinitely malleable.
    "Malleable" also means "easily influenced"--this should be the chosen definition when describing human nature. But O'Brien's point about creating human nature connects to its Latin root ("malleus" means "hammer"), which emphasizes the physical and emotional torture that Winston is undergoing.
  11. torpid
    in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation
    Even when he was awake he was completely torpid.
    "Torpid" also means "slow and apathetic"--both definitions fit, but the chosen definition gives a stronger image of Winston's mood, which is the same whether he is awake or asleep. Compare with "lassitude" in the list for Part 1: Chapters 5-8--there, Winston panics at the lassitude that came with the possibility that his life might be over because he had been seen where he shouldn't have been; here, Winston knows his life is over and he cannot hide or fight.
  12. capitulate
    surrender under agreed conditions
    He had capitulated; that was agreed. In reality, as he saw now, he had been ready to capitulate long before he had taken the decision.
  13. interpose
    insert between other elements
    He must interpose another human being, the body of another human being, between himself and the rats.
  14. cauterize
    burn, sear, or freeze using a hot iron or electric current
    Something was killed in your breast; burnt out, cauterized out.
  15. admonish
    counsel in terms of someone's behavior
    No one cared what he did any longer, no whistle woke him, no telescreen admonished him.
Created on Mon Mar 03 11:36:33 EST 2014 (updated Tue Jul 01 15:39:24 EDT 2025)

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