Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: Chapters 6–9

by Harriet Jacobs
After escaping to New York, Harriet Jacobs wrote this account of the horrors of slavery, focusing particularly on the suffering of enslaved women.

Here are links to our lists for the autobiography: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–9, Chapters 10–14, Chapters 15–28, Chapters 29–41
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. interpose
    get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action
    A kind Providence interposed in my favor.
  2. perfidy
    an act of deliberate betrayal
    She felt that her marriage vows were desecrated, her dignity insulted; but she had no compassion for the poor victim of her husband's perfidy.
  3. miscreant
    a person without moral scruples
    She was a second wife, many years the junior of her husband; and the hoary-headed miscreant was enough to try the patience of a wiser and better woman.
  4. exhort
    spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts
    I have myself known two southern wives who exhorted their husbands to free those slaves towards whom they stood in a "parental relation;" and their request was granted.
  5. loquacious
    full of trivial conversation
    But though his lips disdained to address me, his eyes were very loquacious.
  6. imprecation
    a slanderous accusation
    A shower of oaths and imprecations followed.
  7. defray
    bear the expenses of
    My movements were very closely watched, and we had no means of getting any money to defray our expenses.
  8. veracity
    unwillingness to tell lies
    Slaveholders pride themselves upon being honorable men; but if you were to hear the enormous lies they tell their slaves, you would have small respect for their veracity.
  9. deplorable
    of very poor quality or condition
    When they visit the north, and return home, they tell their slaves of the runaways they have seen, and describe them to be in the most deplorable condition.
  10. subservience
    abject or cringing submissiveness
    The masters are not pleased, unless they obtain a greater degree of subservience than that; and they are generally accommodated.
  11. imbibe
    take in, also metaphorically
    They soon imbibe the sentiments and disposition of their neighbors, and generally go beyond their teachers.
  12. abolitionist
    a reformer who favors putting an end to slavery
    Some believe that the abolitionists have already made them free, and that it is established by law, but that their masters prevent the law from going into effect.
  13. depredation
    a destructive action
    But depredations on the neighbors were allowable, provided the culprit managed to evade detection or suspicion.
  14. browbeat
    discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner
    If a neighbor brought a charge of theft against any of his slaves, he was browbeaten by the master, who assured him that his slaves had enough of every thing at home, and had no inducement to steal.
  15. manumit
    free from slavery or servitude
    She offered to manumit her slaves—telling them that her marriage might make unexpected changes in their destiny, and she wished to insure their happiness.
Created on Thu Aug 02 14:50:44 EDT 2018 (updated Thu Aug 07 09:56:47 EDT 2025)

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