adjective
having little or no money
source: dictionary.com
found in chapter 13 “Quicksand”
”with that sensation of lavish contentment and well-being enjoyed only by impecunious sybarites waking in the houses of the rich”
This was perhaps describing Helga her self as the one who is not quite affluent  but still Indulges in luxuries of the rich.
Verb
use gestures, especially dramatic ones, instead of speaking or to emphasize one’s words.
word is seen chapter 12 of Quicksand
“Helga crane stood looking intently into the gesticulating crowd”
here Helga has arrived in Denmark and was now looking for her aunt out of the frenzy of people  before her.
Noun
stubborn refusal to obey or comply with authority, especially a court order or summons.
source: google dictionary
word is found in chapter 9 of “Quicksand”
”some imp of contumacy”
Here Helga overtly refused to be in the presence of Dr. Anderson.
noun
1. a large imposing building.
2. A complex system of beliefs.
Source: dictionary.com
This word is found in chapter 9 of “Quicksand.”
Word was used when Helga was relaying Anne’s remark about the drains she was thinking there were other parts of the building to consider .
Noun
enthusiasm or passion
source: dictionary.com
This word is found in chapter 9 of  “Quicksand.”
The narrartor used this word in the context to express Anne’s racial enthusiasm and how Helga was initially entertained by it until she grew tired as “these things now irked her with a great irksomeness.”
Flaunting (verb) – to display or obtrude oneself to public notice: a great flaunting crow – Charles Dickens.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaunt
Quicksand: chapter 13, page 99
“Left alone, Helga began to wonder. She was dubious, too, and not a little resentful. Certainly, she loved the color with a passion that perhaps only Negroes and Gypsies know. But she had a deep in the perfection of her own taste, and no mind to be bedecked in flaunting flashy things. Still- she had to admit that Fru Dahl was right about the dressing down. It did suit her. Perhaps an evening dress. And she knew that she had lovely shoulders, and her feet were nice.”
Helga has her own taste and she knows what suits her better, however, Fru Dahl recommended to were the dress as a “display” he picked for her for the evening at first, she was kind of upset but later she began to realize that Fru was right about how a dress looks good on her and her body was perfect for a dress.
Lulled (verb) – to put to sleep or rest by soothing means: to lull a child by singing.
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/lulled
Quicksand chapter 8, page 75.
“Again she had had that strange transforming experience, this time not so fleetingly, that magic sense of having come home. Harlem, teeming black Harlem, had welcomed her and lulled her into something that was she was certain peace and contentment.”
As we know Helga can’t stay in one place for a long time. And this place she moved to was better and she felt comfortable as a child who gets lulled by his/her sleep.
Platitudinous: noun:Â (of a remark or statement) used too often to be interesting or thoughtful; hackneyed.
Source:Â https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/platitudinous
From:Â “Quicksand” by Nella Larsen, Chapter 23 – Page 151
“Her husband was still, as he had always been, deferentially kind and incredulously proud of her-and verbally encouraging. Helga tried not to see that he had rather lost any personal interest in her, except for the short spaces between the times when she was preparing for or recovering from childbirth. She shut her eyes to the fact that his encouragement had become a little platitudinous, limited mostly to “The Lord will look out for you,”…”
The word platitudinous is used to describe Helga Crane’s feeling towards her husband’s words. Her husband has repeated his words so much that she is growing somewhat tired of them.
Tonic, noun:Â one that invigorates, restores, refreshes, or stimulates; medicinal
Source:Â https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tonic
We read this word in chapter 9 of Quicksand. Helga uses it in the context of needing something to cure her malaise with New York and how she begins to hate it.
“As the days multiplied, her need of something, something vaguely familiar, but which she could not put a name to and hold for definite examination, became almost intolerable. She went through moments of overwhelming anguish. She felt shut in, trapped. “Perhaps I’m tired, need a tonic or something,” she reflected. So she consulted a physician, who, after a long, solemn examination, said that there was nothing wrong, nothing at all. “A change of scene, perhaps for a week or so, or a few days away from work,” would put her straight most likely.”
Adroit, adjective: having or showing skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations.
Source:Â https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adroit
We saw the adverb form of this word (adroitly) about halfway through chapter 7 of Quicksand. It was used to describe how Ms. Hayes-Rore changed subjects during a conversation in a smooth way during their train ride from Chicago to New York.
“The girl wished to hide her turbulent feeling and to appear indifferent to Mrs. Hayes-Rore’s opinion of her story. The woman felt that the story, dealing as it did with race intermingling and possibly adultery, was beyond definite discussion. For among black people, as among white people, it is tacitly understood that these things are not mentioned—and therefore they do not exist. Sliding adroitly out from under the precarious subject to a safer, more decent one, Mrs. Hayes-Rore asked Helga what she was thinking of doing when she got back to Chicago.”
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