Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy                           Vocabulary List 6

1.       Vacuity [123] – emptiness

2.       Rumination  [124]– meditation or musing [also means “chewing the cud;” do you see the relationship?]

3.       Stratum  [126]– layer

4.       Profligate [127] – utterly and shamelessly immoral; dissolute

5.       Mendacity [131] – falsehood; lie

6.       Parterre 132] – an ornamental arrangement of flower beds of different shapes and sizes

7.       Casque [133] – helmet

8.       Perfervid [134] – very fervid; very excited and enthusiastic

9.       Attenuate [134] – weaken in force, value, intensity, effect, or quality

10.       Circumambulate [134] – walk around [circum = around; ambulate = walk]

11.    Ennui [135] – a feeling of weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom

12.    Habiliments [139] – clothes, attire

13.    Hauteur [142] – haughtiness

14.    Antediluvian [155] – before the flood [as in Noah’s flood]; antiquated; primitive

15.    Peruse – [156] look at carefully; study

16.    Ignominiously [156] – shamefully; humiliatingly

17.    Palpable [156] – readily or plainly seen, heard, or perceived; obvious

18.    Phlegmatic [157] – sluggish or apathetic

19.    Accoutrements [159] – [American spelling = accouterments] Trappings; the equipment of a soldier except arms and clothing

20.    Contrivance [161] – act or manner of contriving or figuring out how to get something done your way

English IV