Crime and Punishment Part 4, Pevear and Volokhonsky trans.

MJKubus (United States of America)
Note word meanings, of course, and pay attention to the word origins. Sometimes, they're interesting and helpful.Click a word for explanation, usage notes, etc. When I don't like vocabulary.com's definition, I use the Oxford Dictionary: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/The page number listed for each word is probably the page number I take the Crime and Punishment sentences from. (Note the word probably.)
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. reckoning
    problem solving that involves numbers or quantities
    Reckoning with war as he did that fall led Reagan to dramatically alter course, toning down his “evil empire” rhetoric about the Soviet Union.
    Also know this definition:

    The avenging or punishing of past mistakes or misdeeds.
  2. functionary
    a worker who holds or is invested with an office
    Today, the youngest suspects are 90 years old, and most were low-level Nazi functionaries: guards, cooks, medics, telephone operators and the like.
    285
  3. loll
    be lazy or idle
    A hockey player, lolling about the dorm with other families during move-in week, used the n-word to refer to him.
    285
  4. improvident
    not supplying something useful for the future
    It dramatizes the consequences of our improvident modern economy in the way George Orwell’s novel awakened people to the “Big Brother” mentality of Soviet communism.
    290
  5. depraved
    deviating from what is considered moral or right or proper
    It revealed that “atheists are broadly perceived as potentially morally depraved and dangerous.”
    291, Svidrigailov

    word origin: Late Middle English (in the sense ‘pervert the meaning or intention of something’): from Old French depraver or Latin depravare, from de- ‘down, thoroughly’ + pravus ‘crooked, perverse’.
  6. convivial
    occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
    But he added, “there was a convivial spirit and sense of camaraderie.”
    297

    word origin: Mid 17th century (in the sense ‘fit for a feast, festive’): from Latin convivialis, from convivium ‘a feast’, from con- ‘with’ + vivere ‘live’.
  7. affable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
    In truth, they are some of the most personable, affable spirits you will encounter.
    297

    word origin: Late Middle English: via Old French from Latin affabilis, from the verb affari, from ad- ‘to’ + fari ‘speak’.
  8. portentous
    of momentous or ominous significance
    But above them all looms one legendary beast: the great white whale, Moby-Dick, freighted with portentous doom.
    299

    word origin: Late 16th century: from Latin portentum ‘omen, token’, from the verb portendere (see portend).
  9. ephemeral
    anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
    Victories, like those in the fight to secure voting rights for all citizens, prove to be dangerously ephemeral.
    299

    word origin: Late 16th century: plural of ephemeron, from Greek, neuter of ephēmeros ‘lasting only a day’. As a singular noun the word originally denoted a plant said by ancient writers to last only one day, or an insect with a short lifespan, and hence was applied (late 18th century) to a person or thing of short-lived interest. Current use has been influenced by plurals such as trivia and memorabilia.
  10. sententious
    concise and full of meaning
    We live in a time when people feel pressured to make sententious, pompous and completely false statements about the arts.
    302, Luzhin. Forming that pattern of words?

    word origin: Late Middle English: from Latin sententiosus, from sententia ‘opinion’ (see sentence). The original sense was ‘full of meaning or wisdom’, later becoming depreciatory.
  11. malicious
    having the nature of threatening evil
    And in Illinois, Russian hackers inserted a malicious program into the Illinois State Board of Elections’ database.
    302
  12. forbearance
    a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges
    Addressing an emergency meeting of the U.N.’s Security Council the following day, Haley said Washington did not want war, but its forbearance was "not unlimited."
    304

    word origin: Old English forberan (see for-, bear). The original senses were ‘endure, bear with’, hence ‘endure the absence of, do without’, also ‘control oneself’, hence ‘refrain from’ ( Middle English).
  13. renounce
    turn away from; give up
    After the end of World War II, Japan adopted a constitutional provision renouncing war and prohibiting the deployment of military forces outside the country’s borders.
    305
  14. retribution
    a justly deserved penalty
    “He’s just wrong to paint so wildly with such a broad brush, and, worse, putting reporters at real risk of retribution or violence.”
    306

    word origin: Late Middle English (also in the sense ‘recompense for merit or a service’): from late Latin retributio(n-), from retribut- ‘assigned again’, from the verb retribuere, from re- ‘back’ + tribuere ‘assign’.
  15. reprisal
    a retaliatory action against an enemy
    The attack last October triggered months of brutal military reprisals against civilians and the flight of some 87,000 Rohingyas.
    306
  16. remediable
    capable of being corrected or redressed
    In civilized countries, the evil is partially remediable by a legal separation, but in Hindoostan the legislature makes no provision whatever for its suppression.
    306

    word origin: Early 19th century: from Latin remediatio(n-), from remediare ‘heal, cure’ (see remedy).
  17. mettle
    the courage to carry on
    As if to prove his mettle, he brandishes his arm bearing his wounds of war.
    306
  18. cower
    crouch or curl up
    Other residents fled into a field of okra and cowered there until the police left.
    307
  19. delectable
    extremely pleasing to the sense of taste
    The blooms open from dusk, usually around 4 p.m., until dawn, while dispersing a delectable spicy-vanilla scent.
    307

    word origin: Late Middle English: via Old French from Latin delectabilis, from delectare ‘to charm’ (see delight).
  20. presumptuous
    going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous
    “Deduction? “ ‘. . . accretion was this slight “personality” quotation marks, comma, the mere slim shade of an intelligent but presumptuous .
    308

    word origin: Middle English: from Old French presumptueux, from late Latin praesumptuosus, variant of praesumptiosus ‘full of boldness’, from praesumptio (see presumption).
  21. timorous
    shy and fearful by nature
    Fighters, most of them naturally timorous but encouraged to be professionally aggressive, do not have to “play the game”.
    308

    word origin: Late Middle English (in the sense ‘feeling fear’): from Old French temoreus, from medieval Latin timorosus, from Latin timor ‘fear’, from timere ‘to fear’.
  22. superfluous
    more than is needed, desired, or required
    There are a number of jobs in the golf industry that are superfluous.
    309

    word origin: Late Middle English: from Latin superfluus, from super- ‘over’ + fluere ‘to flow’.
  23. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
    When the naive solider beams about being sent off to Turkey, the old man seems confused, almost incredulous.
    312

    word origin: 16th century: from Latin incredulus (from in- ‘not’ + credulus ‘believing, trusting’, from credere ‘believe’) + -ous.
  24. murmur
    a low continuous indistinct sound
    The comment, apparently meant to dispel stereotypes, prompted groans, murmurs and, later, shouting.
    313
  25. contort
    twist and press out of shape
    My father’s face contorted when he saw Sam’s bandaged leg.
    314

    word origin: Late Middle English: from Latin contort- ‘twisted round, brandished’, from the verb contorquere, from con- ‘together’ + torquere ‘twist’.
  26. perplex
    be a mystery or bewildering to
    The woman looked perplexed — people don’t normally memorialize death by doing cartwheels in a wading pool.
    314

    word origin: Late 15th century (as the adjective perplexed): from the obsolete adjective perplex ‘bewildered’, from Latin perplexus ‘entangled’, based on plexus ‘interwoven’, from the verb plectere.
  27. acute
    ending in a sharp point
    Chang and his team also are integrating art, music and touch therapies into treating acute pain.
    315

    word origin: Late Middle English (describing a disease or its symptoms): from Latin acutus, past participle of acuere ‘sharpen’, from acus ‘needle’.
  28. stammer
    speak haltingly
    “I don’t think of her like that. She’s a—she’s—” Grandfather lifts a silver eyebrow as I stammer like a fool.
    317

    word origin: Late Old English stamerian, of West Germanic origin; related to stumble. The noun dates from the late 18th century.
  29. insatiable
    impossible to fulfill, appease, or gratify
    But the insatiable itch to hike, and the sheer beauty of the Sierra peaks — from glassy lakes to snow-covered canyons — left her pining.
    318

    word origin: Late Middle English: from Old French insaciable or Latin insatiabilis, from in- ‘not’ + satiare ‘fill, satisfy’ (see satiate).
  30. supplicate
    ask for humbly or earnestly, as in prayer
    He threw himself at the feet of my Judge, and supplicated for mercy.
    320

    word origin: Late Middle English: from Latin supplicat- ‘implored’, from the verb supplicare, from sub- ‘from below’ + placere ‘propitiate’.
  31. bedlam
    a state of extreme confusion and disorder
    The classroom became bedlam when Ms. Faraci dismissed us for lunch.
    325

    word origin: Late Middle English: early form of Bethlehem, referring to the hospital of St Mary of Bethlehem in London, used as an institution for the insane.
  32. bemused
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    The Travelers Aid representative at Reagan National Airport seemed surprised and bemused by my question.
    331
  33. cloddish
    heavy and dull and stupid
    Not unlike its title character, the movie can be cloddish and clumsy, but it is also a thing of wily cleverness and lithe, surprising grace.
    337
  34. lumpish
    mentally sluggish
    This is just what writing is: gathering your lumpish thoughts, putting them in the proper order, and honing them until they take definite shape.
    339
  35. exasperate
    make furious
    She became exasperated when reporters pressed her recently on reports of likely job and program cuts.
    341
  36. perspicacious
    mentally acute or penetratingly discerning
    The most perspicacious among us have been saying just that for some time.
    342

    word origin: Early 17th century: from Latin perspicax, perspicac- ‘seeing clearly’ + -acious.
  37. perfidy
    an act of deliberate betrayal
    But what of the legions of mercenary employees who implement the ghastly policies, perfectly aware of the appalling perfidy?
    342

    word origin: Late 16th century: via French from Latin perfidia, from perfidus ‘treacherous’, based on per- ‘to ill effect’ + fides ‘faith’.
  38. untenable
    incapable of being defended or justified
    Likewise, the risks involved in nuclear power generation and nuclear waste storage might border on untenable.
    348
  39. pallor
    an unnatural lack of color in the skin
    Kennedy’s tanned skin and vigorous performance contrasted vividly with the pallor of Nixon, who was recuperating from a staph infection.
    351
  40. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    Pictures of gaunt children, listless babies and starving mothers recall the worst of Africa’s famines – but this disaster is entirely human-made.
    351
Created on Fri Sep 29 13:41:56 EDT 2017

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