Category Archives: Glossary

Glossary, Week 4

Espy

Leave a comment

espy

verb es·py \is-ˈpī\

: to see or notice (someone or something)

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espy
Young Goodman Brown by Jack Lynch
“At least, there were high dames well known to her, and wives of honored husbands, and widows, a great multitude, and ancient maidens, all of excellent repute, and fair young girls, who trembled lest their mothers should espy them.”

When young Goodman Brown lost his faith after seeing his Faith there, he continued after the light and the noise. He saw people who he would normally see at the council board. In this passage, it is trying to say that these young girls will tremble if their mothers notice them in this kind of gathering.

0
Glossary

Timorous

Leave a comment

Timorous (adjective): easily frightened (Merriam-Webster)

Found on Page II, paragraph 4 of The Metamorphosis–>“Once during that long evening, the door on one side of the room was opened very slightly and hurriedly closed again; later on the door on the other side did the same; it seemed that someone needed to enter the room but thought better of it. Gregor went and waited immediately by the door, resolved either to bring the timorous visitor into the room in some way or at least to find out who it was; but the door was opened no more that night and Gregor waited in vain.”

I believe this word in the quote means that Gregor wanted to see the person that kept opening the door slightly and hurriedly. Although he waited all night to come face to face with the person, his wait was to no avail because that unknown person was too frightened to go inside Gregor’s room to witness his horrid condition.

0
Glossary

RIOTUS

Leave a comment

Riotus (The Yellow Wallpaper/Page 60/Paragraph 4)
adjective
Pronunciation: Rye-Eh-Tus

-Of a group of people: behaving in a violent and uncontrolled way.
-Marked by or involving public disorder.
-Having a vivid, varied appearance.

Context: “Out of one window I can see the garden, those mysterious deepshaded arbors, the riotous old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees.

Source(s): -http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riotous
-https://www.google.com/#q=riotous+definition

0
Glossary, Week 5

Arabesque

Leave a comment

Arabesque is a noun

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary arabesque means:  An ornamental design consisting of intertwined flowing lines.

The word arabesque is used by the author Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the class handout entitled, “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

On page 64 Gilman wrote, “The outside pattern is a florid arabesque, reminding one of fungus.”

I understand that the narrator means that the outside pattern of the yellow wallpaper had an intricate  design of many overlapping lines.

0
Glossary

SKULKING

Leave a comment

SKULKING
verb
skulked, skulking, skulks
to move about stealthily
Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/scrabble/finder/skulk
The word SKULK came up twice in the story;
1- “I find it hovering in the dining-room, skulking in the parlor, hiding in the hall, lying in wait for me on the stairs.” P.66
2- “That seems to skulk about behind that silly and conspicuous front design.” P.61
In both contexts the word refers to moving or changing place secretly.

0
Glossary, Week 4

Marvel

Leave a comment

Marvel (verb)

” Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

page 3 line 19

” I marvel they never spoke of these matters”

Definition

spoke with great feeling, highly believe

Merriam-Webster Definition

Transitive Verb

to feel astonishment or perplexity at or about marveled that they had escaped

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marvel

I marvel that occured in a time of depression.

I strongly believe that happened in a time of great depression.

 

0
Glossary

Atrocious

Leave a comment

Atrocious (adj) – very bad, of very poor quality, horrifying

Source: Merriam-Webster

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atrocious

Found in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. page 59, paragraph 7

I am sitting by the window now, up in this atrocious nursery, and there is nothing to hinder my writing as much as I please, save lack of strength.

She (the narrator) came to this new house for cure of her depression with her husband, but since the beginning of the story, her description of this house is very unpleasant and negative. And she is not getting better at all although she is staying in the house for her nursery.  So the nursery she is having right now is not really good or effective. Also she feels like the house is haunted and she doesn’t like the house where she has to stay for the summer for nursery. She might feel like she is in horrifying or cruel nursery.

0
Glossary

Ravages

Leave a comment

Ravage (verb) – cause severe and extensive damage to

This was written in the “The Yellow Wall-Paper”. P61

“The furniture in this room is no worse than inharmonious, however, for we had to bring all from downstairs. I suppose when this was used as a playroom they has to take the nursery things out, and no wonder! I never saw such ravages as the children have made here.”

The narrator is describing how the furniture in the room does not look pleasant, to be in used. She assumes that the children who were her before is the reason why the furniture may look this way. Due to the major damage, she thought it may be a playroom which can mean there was a lot ramping and action going on in the room.

(3)Source: www.google.com – Search engine “Ravage definition”

0