The Great Gatsby: Chapter 1

by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Nick Carraway rents a summer house in Long Island where he befriends his mysterious neighbor Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire who hides behind an extravagant and decadent lifestyle. Read the full text here.

Here are links to all our word lists for the novel: Chapter 1, Chapters 2–3, Chapters 4–5, Chapters 6–7, Chapters 8–9
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. reserved
    marked by self-restraint and reticence
    He didn't say any more but we've always been unusually communicative in a reserved way, and I understood that he meant a great deal more than that.
  2. privy
    informed about something secret or not generally known
    The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality when it appears in a normal person, and so it came about that in college I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men.
  3. epigram
    a witty saying
    This isn't just an epigram — life is much more successfully looked at from a single window, after all.
  4. proximity
    the property of being close together
    My own house was an eyesore, but it was a small eyesore, and it had been overlooked, so I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbour’s lawn, and the consoling proximity of millionaires — all for eighty dollars a month.
  5. turbulence
    a state of violent disturbance and disorder
    This was a permanent move, said Daisy over the telephone, but I didn’t believe it —I had no sight into Daisy’s heart, but I felt that Tom would drift on forever seeking, a little wistfully, for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game.
  6. supercilious
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    Now he was a sturdy, straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner.
  7. conscientious
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
    The other girl, Daisy, made an attempt to rise — she leaned slightly forward with a conscientious expression — then she laughed, an absurd, charming little laugh, and I laughed too and came forward into the room.
  8. imperceptibly
    in a manner that is difficult to discern
    At any rate, Miss Baker’s lips fluttered, she nodded at me almost imperceptibly, and then quickly tipped her head back again — the object she was balancing had obviously tottered a little and given her something of a fright.
  9. languidly
    in a lethargic manner
    Slenderly, languidly, their hands set lightly on their hips, the two young women preceded us out on to a rosy-coloured porch, open toward the sunset, where four candles flickered on the table in the diminished wind.
  10. complacency
    the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself
    There was something pathetic in his concentration as if his complacency, more acute than of old, was not enough to him any more.
  11. extemporize
    perform or speak without preparation
    She was only extemporizing but a stirring warmth flowed from her as if her heart was trying to come out to you concealed in one of those breathless, thrilling words.
  12. sedative
    tending to soothe or tranquilize
    I saw that turbulent emotions possessed her, so I asked what I thought would be some sedative questions about her little girl.
  13. cynical
    believing the worst of human nature and motives
    “Well, I’ve had a very bad time, Nick, and I’m pretty cynical about everything.”
  14. sophisticated
    having worldly knowledge and refinement
    “Everybody thinks so — the most advanced people. And I know. I’ve been everywhere and seen everything and done everything.” Her eyes flashed around her in a defiant way, rather like Tom’s, and she laughed with thrilling scorn. “Sophisticated — God, I’m sophisticated!”
  15. intimation
    a slight suggestion or vague understanding
    But I didn't call to him for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone — he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as I was from him I could have sworn he was trembling.
Created on Wed Apr 10 14:06:06 EDT 2013 (updated Thu Jul 03 00:29:52 EDT 2025)

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