Pride and Prejudice Vocabulary

Leigha (United States of America)
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. circumspect
    careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
    I honour your circumspection. A fortnight's acquaintances is certainly very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight.
    Chapter 2, page 8
  2. caprice
    a sudden desire
    Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.
    Chapter 1, page 5
  3. rapture
    a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion
    ...and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife.
    Chapter 2, page 9
  4. barefaced
    not held back by conventional ideas of behavior
    They attacked him in various ways-- with barefaced questions, ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises-- but he eluded the skill of them all...
    Chapter 3, page 10
  5. surmise
    a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
    They attacked him in various ways-- with barefaced questions, ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises-- but he eluded the skill of them all...
    Chapter 3, page 10
  6. ascertain
    learn or determine by making an inquiry or other effort
    The ladies were somewhat more fortunate, for they had the advantage of ascertaining from an upper window that he wore a blue coat and rode a black horse.
    Chapter 3, page 10
  7. defer
    hold back to a later time
    An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched; and already had Mrs. Bennet planned the courses that were to do credit to her housekeeping, when an answer arrived which deferred it all.
    Chapter 3, page 11
  8. censure
    harsh criticism or disapproval
    "I would wish not to be hasty in censuring any one; but I always speak what I think."
    Chapter 4, page 16; Chapter 8, page 42
  9. candor
    the quality of being honest and straightforward
    Affection of candor is common enough; one meets it everywhere.
    Chapter 4, page 17
  10. candid
    openly straightforward and direct without secretiveness
    But to be candid without ostentation or design-- to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad-- belongs to you alone.
    Chapter 4, page 17
  11. endear
    make attractive or lovable
    Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied.
    Chapter 4, page 18
  12. ductile
    easily influenced
    Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied.
    Chapter 4, page 18
  13. deficient
    inadequate in amount or degree
    Bingley was by no means deficient, but Darcy was clever.
    Chapter 4, page 18
  14. mayoralty
    the position of mayor
    Sir William Lucas had been formerly in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune and risen to the honor of knighthood by an address to the King, during his mayoralty.
    Chapter 5, page 20
  15. supercilious
    expressive of contempt
    For though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody.
    Chapter 5, page 20; Chapter 6, page 24
  16. hack
    an old or over-worked horse
    ...and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to the ball in a hack chaise.
    Chapter 5, page 22
  17. chaise
    a carriage consisting of two wheels and a calash top
    ...and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to the ball in a hack chaise.
    Chapter 5, page 22
  18. mortified
    made to feel uncomfortable because of shame or wounded pride
    ...and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.
    Chapter 5, page 22
  19. complacency
    the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself
    ...and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary.
    Chapter 5, page 22
  20. ascertain
    learn or discover with confidence
    Yes; these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like vingt-et-un better than commerce...
    Chapter 6, page 26
  21. satirical
    exposing human folly to ridicule
    He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.
    Chapter 6, page 27
  22. impertinent
    improperly forward or bold
    He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.
    Chapter 6, page 27
  23. defy
    challenge
    On his approaching them soon afterwards, though without seeming to have any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas defied her friend to mention such a subject to him, which immediately provoking Elizabeth to do it, she turned to him and said...
    Chapter 6, page 27
  24. solidity
    the quality of being solid and reliable financially or factually or morally
    "Pride," observed Mary, who piqued herself upon the solidity of her reflections...
    Chapter 5, page 22
  25. entreat
    ask for or request earnestly
    I entreat you not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner.
    Chapter 6, page 30
  26. inducement
    a positive motivational influence
    He is indeed-- but considering the inducement, my dear Miss Eliza, we cannot wonder at his complaisance; for who would object to such a partner?
    Chapter 6, page 30
  27. complaisance
    a tendency to try to please or yield to the will of others
    He is indeed-- but considering the inducement, my dear Miss Eliza, we cannot wonder at his complaisance; for who would object to such a partner?
    Chapter 6, page 30
  28. archly
    with playful slyness or roguishness
    Elizabeth looked archly, and turned away.
    Chapter 6, page 30
  29. insipidity
    extreme dullness; a lack of spirit or interest
    The insipidity and yet the noise; the nothingness and yet the self-importance of all these people!
    Chapter 6, page 31
  30. stricture
    severe criticism
    What would I give to hear your strictures on them!
    Chapter 6, page 31
  31. intrepidity
    resolute courageousness
    ..and desired he would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity.
    Chapter 6, page 31
  32. entail
    limit the inheritance of property to specific heirs
    Mr. Bennet's property consisted almost entirely in an estate of two thousand a year, which, unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed in the default of heirs male, on a distant relation...
    Chapter 7, page 32
  33. milliner
    someone who makes and sells hats
    ..who were usually tempted thither three or four times a week to pay their duty to their aunt and to a millliner's shop just over the way.
    Chapter 7, page 32
  34. contrive
    make or work out a plan for; devise
    ...and however bare of news the country in general might be, they always contrived to learn some from their aunt.
  35. felicity
    state of well-being characterized by contentment
    Mr. Philips visited them all, and this opened to his nieces a source of felicity unknown before.
    Chapter 7, page 33
  36. effusion
    an unrestrained expression of emotion
    After listening one morning to their effusions on this subject, Mr. Bennet coolly observed...
    Chapter 7, page 33
  37. disconcerted
    having self-possession upset; thrown into confusion
    Catherine was disconcerted, and made no answer...
    Chapter 7, page 33
  38. tete-a-tete
    a private conversation between two people
    ..for a whole day's tete-a-tete between two women can never end without a quarrel.
    Chapter 7, page 34
  39. extort
    obtain by coercion or intimidation
    She did at last extort from her father an acknowledgment that the horses were engaged.
    Chapter 7, page 35
  40. contrivance
    any improvised arrangement for temporary use
    Till the next morning, however, she was not aware of all the felicity of her contrivance.
    Chapter 7, page 36
  41. prognostic
    relating to prediction
    ...and her mother attended her to the door with many cheerful prognostics of a bad day.
    Chpater 7, page 35
  42. impute
    attribute to a cause or source
    I find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose is to be imputed to my getting wet through yesterday.
    Chapter 7, page 36
  43. repair
    move, travel, or proceed toward some place
    ...the two youngest repaired to the lodgings of one of the officers' wives...
    Chapter 7, page 37; Chapter 8, pate 41
  44. solicitude
    a feeling of excessive concern
    ...and Elizabeth began to like them herself, when she saw how much affection and solicitude they showed for Jane.
    Chapter 7, page 38; Chapter 8, page 39
  45. indolent
    disinclined to work or exertion
    ...and as for Mr. Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards, who when he found her prefer a plain dish to a ragout had nothing to say to her.
    Chapter 8, page 39
  46. ragout
    well-seasoned stew of meat and vegetables
    ...and as for Mr. Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards, who when he found her prefer a plain dish to a ragout had nothing to say to her.
    Chapter 8, page 39
  47. capital
    of primary importance
    "Yes; and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside." "That is capital," added her sister, and they both laughed heartily.
    Chapter 8, page 41
    It seems to me that they are using this sarcastically, but I'm not sure.
  48. esteem
    look on as or consider
    ...no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with.
    Chapter 8, page 41
  49. paltry
    not worth considering
    ...is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.
    Chapter 8, page 45
  50. condescend
    act in an undignified, unworthy, or dishonorable way
    ...there is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation.
    Chapter 8, page 45
  51. efficacy
    capacity or power to produce a desired result
    I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love.
    Chapter 9, page 50
  52. piquet
    a card game for two players using a reduced pack of 32 cards
    Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley were at piquet, and Mrs. Hurst was observing their game.
    Chapter 10, page 52
  53. contrive
    put or send forth
    How can you contrive to write so even?
    Chapter 10, page 53
  54. reproof
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
    "Your humility, Mr. Bingley," said Elizabeth, "must disarm reproof."
    Chapter 10, page 53
  55. estimable
    deserving of honor and respect
    ...you are really proud of your defects in writing, because you consider them as proceeding from a rapidity of thought and carelessness of execution, which if not estimable, you think at least highly interesting.
    Chapter 10, page 54
  56. panegyric
    a formal expression of praise
    When you told Mrs. Bennet this morning that if you ever resolved on quitting Netherfield you should be gone in five minutes, you meant it to be a sort of panegyric, of compliment to yourself...
    Chapter 10, page 54
  57. precipitance
    the quality of happening with headlong haste or without warning
    When you told Mrs. Bennet this morning that if you ever resolved on quitting Netherfield you should be gone in five minutes, you meant it to be a sort of panegyric, of compliment to yourself-- and yet what is there so very laudable in a precipitance which must leave very necessary business undone, and can be of no real advantage to yourself or any one else?
  58. celerity
    a rate that is rapid
    ...but I am by no means convinced that you would be gone with such celerity.
    Chapter 10, page 54
  59. propriety
    correct behavior
    ...the friend who is supposed to desire his return to the house, and the delay of his plan, has merely desired it, asked it without offering one argument in favor of its propriety.
    Lots of uses, this sentence from Chapter 10, page 55
  60. discretion
    freedom to act or judge on one's own
    We may as well wait, perhaps, till the circumstance occurs, before we discuss the discretion of his behavior thereupon.
    Chapter 10, page 55
  61. appertain
    be a part or attribute of
    Will it not be advisable before we proceed on this subject to arrange with rather more precision the degree of importance which is to appertain to this request...
    Chapter 10, page 56
  62. expostulation
    an exclamation of protest, opposition, or criticism
    Miss Bingley warmly resented the indignity he had received, in an expostulation with her brother for talking such nonsense.
    Chapter 10, page 56
  63. alacrity
    liveliness and eagerness
    Miss Bingley moved with alacrity to the pianoforte...
    Chapter 10, page 57
  64. approbation
    official acceptance or agreement
    She liked him too little to care for his approbation.
    Chapter 10, page 57
  65. affront
    treat, mention, or speak to rudely
    Elizabeth, having rather expected to affront him, was amazed at his gallantry...
    Chapter 10, page 58
  66. compass
    bring about; accomplish
    ...and if you can compass it, do cure the younger girls of running after the officers.
    Chapter 10, page 58
Created on Thu Jan 10 19:41:27 EST 2013 (updated Fri Mar 01 19:20:20 EST 2013)

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