Edger Allen Poe's "The Raven"

Claire W. (United States of America)
98 vocabulary words from Edger Allen Poe's "The Raven."
98 words 14 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. countenance
    the appearance conveyed by a person's face
    By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
  2. saintly
    marked by utter kindness, virtue, or holiness
  3. mien
    a person's appearance, manner, or demeanor
    But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
  4. obeisance
    bending the head or body in reverence or submission
  5. lattice
    an arrangement of points in a regular periodic pattern
  6. decorum
    propriety in manners and conduct
    By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
  7. placid
    not easily irritated
    But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
  8. dirge
    a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person
    Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
  9. quaint
    very strange or unusual
    Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
  10. dreary
    lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
    Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
  11. bleak
    unpleasantly cold and damp
    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
  12. sought
    being searched for
  13. surcease
    a stopping
    From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
  14. nevermore
    at no time hereafter
    Quoth the raven nevermore,"Nevermore."
  15. implore
    beg or request earnestly and urgently
    `Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
  16. undaunted
    resolutely courageous
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
  17. entreatingly
    in a beseeching manner
  18. dreary
    lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
    Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
  19. ponder
    reflect deeply on a subject
    Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
  20. weary
    physically and mentally fatigued
    Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
  21. quaint
    attractively old-fashioned
    Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
  22. curious
    eager to investigate and learn or learn more
    Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
  23. volume
    the property of something that is great in magnitude
    Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
  24. lore
    knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote
    Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
  25. chamber
    a natural or artificial enclosed space
    As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
  26. mutter
    talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
    `'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
  27. bleak
    unpleasantly cold and damp
    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
  28. separate
    standing apart; not attached to or supported by anything
    And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
  29. ember
    a hot, smoldering fragment of wood left from a fire
    And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
  30. wrought
    shaped to fit by altering the contours of a pliable mass
    And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
  31. surcease
    a stopping
    From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
  32. sorrow
    an emotion of great sadness associated with loss
    From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
  33. radiant
    emanating or as if emanating light
    For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
  34. uncertain
    lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
    And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
  35. thrill
    something that causes a sudden intense feeling
    Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
  36. fantastic
    extravagantly fanciful in design, construction, appearance
    Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
  37. terror
    an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
    Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
  38. repeat
    say or state again
    So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
  39. entreat
    ask for or request earnestly
    `'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
  40. entrance
    something that provides access to get in
    `'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
  41. soul
    the immaterial part of a person
    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
  42. hesitate
    pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
  43. forgiveness
    the act of excusing a mistake or offense
    `Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
  44. implore
    beg or request earnestly and urgently
    `Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
  45. scarce
    deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
    That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
  46. peer
    look searchingly
    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
  47. mortal
    subject to death
    Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
  48. merely
    and nothing more
    Merely this and nothing more.
  49. fling
    throw with force or recklessness
    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
  50. flirt
    talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions
    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
  51. flutter
    flap the wings rapidly or fly with flapping movements
    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
  52. stately
    impressive in appearance
    In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
  53. yore
    time long past
    In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
  54. mien
    a person's appearance, manner, or demeanor
    But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
  55. bust
    a sculpture of the head and shoulders of a person
    Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
  56. beguiling
    highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire
    Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
  57. grave
    a place for the burial of a corpse
    By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
  58. decorum
    propriety in manners and conduct
    By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
  59. countenance
    the appearance conveyed by a person's face
    By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
  60. crest
    the top or extreme point of something
    `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
  61. craven
    lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
    `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
  62. ghastly
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
    Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
  63. grim
    harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance
    Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
  64. ungainly
    lacking grace in movement or posture
    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
  65. fowl
    a domesticated bird
    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
  66. discourse
    an extended communication dealing with some particular topic
    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
  67. meaning
    the message that is intended or expressed or signified
    Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
  68. bore
    make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool
    Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
  69. sculpture
    a three-dimensional work of art
    Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
  70. placid
    calm and free from disturbance
    But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
  71. utter
    without qualification
    Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
  72. scarcely
    only a very short time before
    Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
  73. aptly
    in a competent capable manner
    Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
  74. burden
    weight to be carried or borne
    Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
  75. dirge
    a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person
    Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
  76. melancholy
    a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed
    Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
  77. straight
    having no deviations
    Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
  78. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
  79. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
  80. gloat
    dwell on with satisfaction
    On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
  81. seraph
    an angel of the first order
    Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
  82. wretch
    someone you feel sorry for
    `Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
  83. respite
    a pause from doing something
    Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
  84. quaff
    swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
    Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
  85. prophet
    someone who speaks by divine inspiration
    `Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
  86. desolate
    providing no shelter or sustenance
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
  87. undaunted
    resolutely courageous
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
  88. desert
    leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
  89. enchanted
    influenced as by charms or incantations
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
  90. haunt
    follow stealthily or pursue like a ghost
    On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
  91. balm
    preparation applied externally as a remedy or for soothing
    Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
  92. laden
    filled with a great quantity
    Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
  93. clasp
    hold firmly and tightly
    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
  94. fiend
    an evil supernatural being
    `Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!'
  95. loneliness
    sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned
    Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
  96. beak
    horny projecting mouth of a bird
    Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
  97. flit
    move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
    And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
  98. pallid
    pale, as of a person's complexion
    On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
Created on Sun Sep 15 14:26:26 EDT 2013 (updated Fri Sep 27 12:05:28 EDT 2013)

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