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Unit 2: Vocabulary from Readings 3

This list covers "The Cask of Amontillado" and "A Poison Tree."
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Full list of words from this list:

  1. avenge
    take action in return for a perceived wrong
    At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled—but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk.
  2. redress
    make reparations or amends for
    A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.
  3. retribution
    the act of taking revenge
    A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser.
  4. immolation
    killing or offering as a sacrifice
    I continued as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.
  5. connoisseurship
    love of or expert taste for something, especially fine art
    He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.
  6. imposture
    pretending to be another person
    For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires.
  7. abscond
    run away, often taking something or somebody along
    There were no attendants at home; they had absconded to make merry in honour of the time.
  8. draught
    a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg
    A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps.
  9. repose
    lie when dead
    “I drink,” he said, “to the buried that repose around us.”
  10. arms
    the official symbols of a family, state, etc.
    “The Montresors,” I replied, “were a great and numerous family.”
    “I forget your arms.”
  11. gesticulation
    a deliberate and vigorous motion of the hands or body
    He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not understand.
  12. trowel
    a small hand tool with a handle and metal blade
    “It is this,” I answered, producing from beneath the folds of my roquelaire a trowel.
  13. interval
    the distance between things
    It seemed to have been constructed for no special use in itself, but formed merely the interval between two of the colossal supports of the roof of the catacombs, and was backed by one of their circumscribing walls of solid granite.
  14. fetter
    restrain with shackles
    A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite.
  15. implore
    beg or request earnestly and urgently
    Once more let me implore you to return.
  16. render
    give or supply
    But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power.
  17. aperture
    a usually small man-made opening
    I thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and let it fall within.
  18. rampart
    an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
    Against the new masonry I reerected the old rampart of bones.
  19. wrath
    intense anger
    I was angry with my friend:
    I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
  20. wile
    the use of tricks to deceive someone
    And I sunned it with smiles,
    And with soft deceitful wiles.
Created on Tue Jan 12 08:47:12 EST 2021 (updated Tue Jan 12 12:55:16 EST 2021)

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