Gone with the Wind: Chapters 48–63

by Margaret Mitchell
Published in 1936, this historical novel traces the life of Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara before, during, and after the American Civil War.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–7, Chapters 8–16, Chapters 17–30, Chapters 31–47, Chapters 48–63
15 words 9 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. tortuous
    highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious
    That, in itself, was strange, for in Atlanta every respectable newcomer hastened to present his credentials, to tell proudly of his home and family, to trace the tortuous mazes of relationship that stretched over the entire South.
  2. ribald
    humorously vulgar
    He could tell, with apparent sincerity and approval, stories of courage and honor and virtue and love in the odd places he had been, and follow them with ribald stories of coldest cynicism.
  3. sagacity
    the trait of having wisdom and good judgment
    Sometimes he listened with dignified interest to details of her businesses, nodding approval at her sagacity, and at other times he called her somewhat dubious tradings scavenging, highway robbery and extortion.
  4. redoubtable
    inspiring fear
    He told it with relish for he was delighted that someone had the courage to face down his redoubtable daughter-in-law.
  5. unequivocal
    clearly defined or formulated
    She quarreled; Rhett did not. He only stated his unequivocal opinion of herself, her actions, her house and her new friends. And some of his opinions were of such a nature that she could no longer ignore them and treat them as jokes.
  6. expedient
    serving to promote your interest
    Surely they must know that she didn't like Governor Bullock any more than they did but that it was expedient to be nice to him.
  7. vagary
    an unexpected and inexplicable change in something
    She had never been one to worry long over the vagaries of human conduct or to be cast down for long if one line of action failed.
  8. ostentation
    pretentious or showy or vulgar display
    With the Republicans in the political saddle the town entered into an era of waste and ostentation, with the trappings of refinement thinly veneering the vice and vulgarity beneath.
  9. conciliate
    gain the good will of or cause to be more favorably inclined
    New Atlanta liked Rhett no better than old Atlanta had done and he made as little attempt to conciliate the one as he had the other.
  10. impervious
    not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
    He went his way, amused, contemptuous, impervious to the opinions of those about him, so courteous that his courtesy was an affront in itself.
  11. bombast
    pompous or pretentious talk or writing
    Sometimes, he was a very comfortable person to live with, for all his unfortunate habit of not permitting anyone in his presence to act a lie, palm off a pretense or indulge in bombast.
  12. regale
    occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
    He had untiring energy for the dancing and parties she loved and an unending supply of coarse stories with which he regaled her on their infrequent evenings alone when the table was cleared and brandy and coffee before them.
  13. parvenu
    a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status
    Do you think I'd let her marry any of this runagate gang you spend your time with? Irishmen on the make, Yankees, white trash, Carpetbag parvenus...
  14. espouse
    take up the cause of someone and use it as one's own
    Those who espoused Melanie's side pointed triumphantly to the fact that Melanie was constantly with Scarlett these days.
  15. phalanx
    a body of troops in close array
    They had always been a clannish tribe, presenting an unbroken phalanx of overlapping shields to the world in time of stress, no matter what their private opinions of the conduct of individual kinsmen might be.
Created on Thu Dec 31 13:39:24 EST 2020 (updated Wed Jul 30 17:04:04 EDT 2025)

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