The Picture of Health: "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe

In an attempt to hide from a horrific plague, Prince Prospero locks himself in a castle with a thousand guests—but Death finds a way in. Read the full text here.

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. pestilence
    any epidemic disease with a high death rate
    No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous.
  2. dauntless
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
    But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious.
  3. ingress
    the act of entering
    They resolved to leave means neither of ingress or egress to the sudden impulses of despair or of frenzy from within.
  4. egress
    the act or means of going out
    They resolved to leave means neither of ingress or egress to the sudden impulses of despair or of frenzy from within.
  5. contagion
    any disease easily transmitted by contact
    With such precautions the courtiers might bid defiance to contagion.
  6. impede
    be a hindrance or obstacle to
    In many palaces, however, such suites form a long and straight vista, while the folding doors slide back nearly to the walls on either hand, so that the view of the whole extent is scarcely impeded.
  7. profusion
    the property of being extremely abundant
    Now in no one of the seven apartments was there any lamp or candelabrum, amid the profusion of golden ornaments that lay scattered to and fro or depended from the roof.
  8. pervade
    spread or diffuse through
    But when the echoes had fully ceased, a light laughter at once pervaded the assembly;
  9. cessation
    a stopping
    And then the music ceased, as I have told; and the evolutions of the waltzers were quieted; and there was an uneasy cessation of all things as before.
  10. disapprobation
    an expression of strong disapproval
    And the rumor of this new presence having spread itself whisperingly around, there arose at length from the whole company a buzz, or murmur, expressive of disapprobation and surprise — then, finally, of terror, of horror, and of disgust.
  11. decorum
    propriety in manners and conduct
    In truth the masquerade license of the night was nearly unlimited; but the figure in question had out-Heroded Herod, and gone beyond the bounds of even the prince's indefinite decorum.
  12. propriety
    correct behavior
    The whole company, indeed, seemed now deeply to feel that in the costume and bearing of the stranger neither wit nor propriety existed.
  13. visage
    the human face
    The mask which concealed the visage was made so nearly to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse that the closest scrutiny must have had difficulty in detecting the cheat.
  14. blasphemous
    grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred
    "Who dares?" he demanded hoarsely of the courtiers who stood near him — "who dares insult us with this blasphemous mockery?
  15. illimitable
    without restrictions in extent or size or quantity
    And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.
Created on Mon Mar 25 17:16:32 EDT 2013 (updated Mon Aug 04 17:52:57 EDT 2025)

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