Great Expectations: Chapters 1–7

by Charles Dickens
Pip's life is changed when an anonymous benefactor pays for an expensive education in London, but he quickly discovers that you can't escape who you really are. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–15, Chapters 16–25, Chapters 26–35, Chapters 36–47, Chapters 48–59
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. connubial
    relating to marriage or the relationship between spouses
    She concluded by throwing me — I often served as a connubial missile — at Joe, who, glad to get hold of me on any terms, passed me on into the chimney and quietly fenced me up there with his great leg.
  2. consternation
    sudden shock or dismay that causes confusion
    The wonder and consternation with which Joe stopped on the threshold of his bite and stared at me, were too evident to escape my sister’s observation.
  3. remonstrance
    the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest
    “I say, you know!” muttered Joe, shaking his head at me in very serious remonstrance. “Pip, old chap! You’ll do yourself a mischief. It’ll stick somewhere. You can’t have chawed it, Pip.”
  4. vicariously
    indirectly, as, by, or through a substitute
    My sister having so much to do, was going to church vicariously; that is to say, Joe and I were going.
  5. blithe
    carefree and happy and lighthearted
    On the present festive occasion he emerged from his room, when the blithe bells were going, the picture of misery, in a full suit of Sunday penitentials.
  6. homily
    a sermon on a moral or religious topic
    After favouring them with some heads of that discourse, he remarked that he considered the subject of the day’s homily, ill chosen; which was the less excusable, he added, when there were so many subjects “going about.”
  7. imperiously
    in a manner showing arrogant superiority
    But, Uncle Pumblechook, who was omnipotent in that kitchen, wouldn’t hear the word, wouldn’t hear of the subject, imperiously waved it all away with his hand, and asked for hot gin and water.
  8. fervor
    feelings of great warmth and intensity
    I still held on to the leg of the table, but clutched it now with the fervor of gratitude.
  9. stipulate
    make an express demand or provision in an agreement
    As it was, she merely stipulated, “If you bring the boy back with his head blown to bits by a musket, don’t look to me to put it together again.”
  10. execrate
    curse or declare to be evil or anathema
    Both were bleeding and panting and execrating and struggling; but of course I knew them both directly.
  11. exonerate
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
    My state of mind regarding the pilfering from which I had been so unexpectedly exonerated, did not impel me to frank disclosure; but I hope it had some dregs of good at the bottom of it.
  12. erudition
    profound scholarly knowledge
    But, I delivered this written communication (slate and all) with my own hand, and Joe received it as a miracle of erudition.
  13. manifest
    clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
    Joe recited this couplet with such manifest pride and careful perspicuity, that I asked him if he had made it himself.
  14. sagaciously
    in a wise or thoughtful manner
    I sagaciously observed, if it didn’t signify to him, to whom did it signify?
  15. ablution
    the act of washing oneself, as for ritual purposes
    When my ablutions were completed, I was put into clean linen of the stiffest character, like a young penitent into sackcloth, and was trussed up in my tightest and fearfullest suit.
Created on Fri Jul 12 23:04:02 EDT 2013 (updated Wed Jul 30 17:20:09 EDT 2025)

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