Vocabulary for
"Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street"
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Links to On-Line Dictionaries (bottom of page)
Vocabulary(words are in the order they appear in the text)
(**): indicates that the word is important for understanding the story
**avocations(3)
**scriveners(3)
Imprimis(3)
orbicular(4)
Chancery(4)
arduous(4)
remunerative(4)
abrogation(4)
**wall(4):(note: I know you know what a wall is, but it is sometimes interesting to read the definition of a familiar word to gain new insight, particularly when the word is a prominent one a story such as "Bartleby." If you look this word up take a look at all of its meanings.)
pursy(4)
meridian(4)
John Jacob Astor(5): (1763-1848), a German immigrant, arrived in New York penniless and became fabulously wealthy as a result of his fur trade monopoly.
piratical(6)
**Tombs(7): maximum-security prison in New York City. Melville gives us the definition of page 31: "I went to the Tombs, or, to speak more properly, the Halls of Justice."
dun(7)
execrable(7)
obstreperousness(7)
pernicious(7)
vintner(7)
potations(7)
paroxysms(8)
alacrity(8)
Byron(9): English Romantic poet and satirist
**prefer(10)
**Cicero(10, 19): Roman statesmen, orator and author.
**hermitage(11)
ignominiously(11, 14)
dyspeptic(12)
**reveries(12)
mulish(13)
vagary(13)
pugilistic(13)
inveteracy(14)
wight(14)
dissipation(15)
inadvertence(15)
deshabille(16)
decorous(16)
Marius(17): a Roman general(157-86 B.C.)
Carthage(17)
chimeras(17)
pigeonholes(17)
refectory(17)
pallid(18)
efficacy(20)
ascendancy(24)
cadaverous(24)
**Edwards(26): Jonathan Edwards(1703-1758), American theologian
**Priestley(26): Joseph Priestley(1733-1804), English clergyman and chemist who discovered oxygen.
incubus(27)
**particular(29)
omnibus(30)
quiescent(30)
rockaway(30)
**forgers(32)
On-Line Dictionaries
The Free Dictionary: This is now my favorite on-line dictionary (the box above links to this dictionary). Not only does it provide you with audios to pronounce the word, but it also gives you examples of the word used in context. They also have a "References in classic literature" section which provides entire sentences from classic literature in which the word is used. Also includes a thesaurus, encyclopedia and more.
Answers.com: This is not just a dictionary, but it has a dictionary and the reason I list it is because the dictionary has an audio pronunciation feature which is very helpful when one comes across words that are difficult to pronounce or have never been seen before. Access is free.
The Dictionary of Difficult Words: Good resource for those words that your dictionary doesn't have or that other on-line dictionaries do not have.
A Latin Dictionary: This is great resource for Latin. There is even a downloadable version for your computer that will do both Latin/English and English/Latin.
Dictionary.com Free Access. You can purchase additional features.
Merriam-Webster Free Access.
WordSmyth A children's dictionary is also available. This dictionary requires registration. Free Access.
Oxford English Dictionary The best English dictionary in the world! This dictionary requires paid subscription. $29.95 per month or $295.00 per year.
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