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Rebecca: Chapters 21–27

The young and naive narrator of this novel marries a wealthy widower and moves to his stately mansion, where she uncovers dark secrets about his first wife.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–10, Chapters 11–15, Chapters 16–20, Chapters 21–27
15 words 264 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. perjure
    make oneself guilty of telling untruths in a court of law
    I would lie and perjure and swear, I would blaspheme and pray.
  2. presuppose
    take for granted or as a given
    “I think the mistake was very natural under the circumstances,” said Frank quickly. “The authorities wrote to Maxim, asking him to go up to Edgecoombe, presupposing before he arrived there that the body was hers. And Maxim was not well at the time. I wanted to go with him, but he insisted on going alone. He was not in a fit state to undertake anything of the sort.”
  3. inquest
    an investigation into the cause of an unexpected death
    “I wish you could be spared the formality and the publicity of an inquest,” said Colonel Julyan, “but I’m afraid that’s quite impossible.”
  4. coroner
    an official who investigates death not due to natural causes
    “Of course you do, but don’t forget old Horridge is the coroner. He’s a sticky sort of chap, goes into details that are quite irrelevant, just to show the jury how thorough he is at his job. You must not let him rattle you.”
  5. irrelevant
    having no bearing on or connection with the subject at issue
    “Of course you do, but don’t forget old Horridge is the coroner. He’s a sticky sort of chap, goes into details that are quite irrelevant, just to show the jury how thorough he is at his job. You must not let him rattle you.”
  6. pince-nez
    spectacles clipped to the nose by a spring
    The coroner was a thin, elderly man in pince-nez.
  7. doddering
    mentally or physically infirm with age
    “Suicide....God Almighty, that doddering old fool of a coroner got the jury to say suicide. You and I know it wasn't suicide, don’t we?”
  8. florid
    inclined to a healthy reddish color
    I noticed how his neck bulged over the back of his collar, and how low his ears were set on his head. Those florid good looks would not last him very long. Already he was out of condition, puffy.
  9. discordant
    lacking in harmony
    The telephone began ringing in the little room. It struck a shrill, discordant note.
  10. clandestine
    conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods
    You say you were Mrs. de Winter's prospective husband, and that you held clandestine meetings with her in that cottage on the beach.
  11. wizened
    lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
    Perhaps it was because I had generally seen her alone, and beside me she had seemed tall and gaunt, but she looked shrunken now in size, more wizened, and I noticed she had to look up to Favell and to Frank and Maxim.
  12. veracity
    unwillingness to tell lies
    I'm not disputing the truth or veracity of that note of yours. It’s plain for us to see.
  13. incongruous
    lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness
    We walked up the drive to the front door, a strange incongruous little party.
  14. unorthodox
    breaking with tradition or typical norms
    "You must think this a very unorthodox invasion, Doctor Baker,” said Colonel Julyan, “and I apologise very humbly for disturbing you like this..."
  15. pallor
    an unnatural lack of color in the skin
    His eyes looked large and they were ringed with shadows. They seemed very dark against the pallor of his face.
Created on Sun Mar 24 16:20:59 EDT 2019 (updated Mon Aug 04 11:30:56 EDT 2025)

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