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Harriet Tubman: List 3

This biography, published in the late 19th century, recounts the life of the famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the book: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5
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Full list of words from this list:

  1. impend
    be imminent or about to happen
    There came a time when Harriet, who had already brought away as many of her family as she could reach, besides all others who would trust themselves to her care, became much troubled in "spirit" about three of her brothers, having had an intimation of some kind that danger was impending over them.
  2. indifferent
    lacking importance; not mattering one way or the other
    Therefore, after speaking of indifferent matters, the letter went on: "Read my letter to the old folks, and give my love to them, and tell my brothers to be always watching unto prayer, and when the good old ship of Zion comes along, to be ready to step on board."
  3. perusal
    the act of examining or reading carefully
    Jacob was not allowed to have his letters in those days, until the self-elected inspectors of correspondence had had the perusal of them, and consulted over their secret meaning.
  4. fodder
    coarse food composed of plants or leaves and stalks
    He had many miles to walk to his old father's cabin, where he knew the others would be waiting for him, and at daybreak he overtook them in the "fodder house," not far from the home of the old people.
  5. nigh
    slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
    In the night when Harriet with two of her brothers, and two other fugitives who had joined them arrived at the "fodder house," they were exhausted and well- nigh famished.
  6. engender
    call forth
    The close espionage under which these poor creatures dwelt, engendered in them a cunning and artifice, which to them seemed only a fair and right attempt on their part, to cope with power and cruelty constantly in force against them.
  7. artifice
    the use of deception or trickery
    The close espionage under which these poor creatures dwelt, engendered in them a cunning and artifice, which to them seemed only a fair and right attempt on their part, to cope with power and cruelty constantly in force against them.
  8. torrent
    a violently fast stream of water or other liquid
    It rained in torrents all that Sunday, and there they lay among the corn, for they could not start till night.
  9. anomaly
    a person who is unusual
    I am quite willing to acknowledge that she was almost an anomaly among her people, but I have known many of her family, and so far as I can judge they all seem to be peculiarly intelligent, upright and religious people, and to have a strong feeling of family affection.
  10. befall
    happen or be the case in the course of events or by chance
    Through the little window of the cabin they saw her sitting by the fire, her head on her hand, rocking back and forth, as was her way when she was in great trouble; praying, no doubt, and wondering what had become of her children, and what new evil had befallen them.
  11. exigency
    a pressing or urgent situation
    These poor fugitives, hunted like partridges upon the mountains, or like the timid fox by the eager sportsman, were obliged in self-defense to meet cunning with cunning, and to borrow from the birds and animals their mode of eluding their pursuers by any device which in the exigency of the case might present itself to them.
  12. creed
    any system of principles or beliefs
    They had a creed of their own, and a code of morals which we dare not criticise till we find our own lives and those of our dear ones similarly imperiled.
  13. sable
    of a dark somewhat brownish black
    I hardly know how to approach the subject of the spiritual experiences of my sable heroine.
  14. countenance
    the appearance conveyed by a person's face
    Ridicule has been cast upon the whole tale of her adventures by the advocates of human slavery; and perhaps by those who would tell with awe-struck countenance some tale of ghostly visitation, or spiritual manifestation, at a dimly lighted "seance."
  15. manifestation
    an appearance in bodily form
    Ridicule has been cast upon the whole tale of her adventures by the advocates of human slavery; and perhaps by those who would tell with awe-struck countenance some tale of ghostly visitation, or spiritual manifestation, at a dimly lighted "seance."
  16. conscientious
    guided by or in accordance with a sense of right and wrong
    Had I not known so well her deeply religious character, and her conscientious veracity, and had I not since the war, and when she was an inmate of my own house, seen such remarkable instances of what seemed to be her direct intercourse with heaven, I should not dare to risk my own character for veracity by making these things public in this manner.
  17. veracity
    unwillingness to tell lies
    Had I not known so well her deeply religious character, and her conscientious veracity, and had I not since the war, and when she was an inmate of my own house, seen such remarkable instances of what seemed to be her direct intercourse with heaven, I should not dare to risk my own character for veracity by making these things public in this manner.
  18. testimonial
    praise of a person or thing as worthy or desirable
    But when I add that I have the strongest testimonials to her character for integrity from William H. Seward, Gerritt Smith, Wendell Phillips, Fred. Douglass, and my brother, Prof. S.M. Hopkins, who has known her for many years, I do not fear to brave the incredulity of any reader.
  19. incredulity
    doubt about the truth of something
    But when I add that I have the strongest testimonials to her character for integrity from William H. Seward, Gerritt Smith, Wendell Phillips, Fred. Douglass, and my brother, Prof. S.M. Hopkins, who has known her for many years, I do not fear to brave the incredulity of any reader.
  20. distinguished
    standing above others in character or attainment
    Gerritt Smith, the distinguished philanthropist, was so kind as to write me expressing his gratification that I had undertaken this work...
  21. discernment
    the trait of judging wisely and objectively
    "I have often listened to Harriet with delight on her visits to my family, and I am convinced that she is not only truthful, but that she has a rare discernment, and a deep and sublime philanthropy."
  22. sublime
    of high moral or intellectual value
    "I have often listened to Harriet with delight on her visits to my family, and I am convinced that she is not only truthful, but that she has a rare discernment, and a deep and sublime philanthropy."
  23. philanthropy
    the act of donating money or time to promote human welfare
    "I have often listened to Harriet with delight on her visits to my family, and I am convinced that she is not only truthful, but that she has a rare discernment, and a deep and sublime philanthropy."
  24. accord
    be harmonious or consistent with
    For the story of her heroic deeds had gone before her, and the testimony of all who knew her accorded with the words of Mr. Seward...
  25. quixotic
    not sensible about practical matters
    Mr. Seward's efforts, seconded by other distinguished men, to get a pension for her, were sneered at in Congress as absurd and quixotic, and the effort failed.
  26. foreclose
    take away the right of mortgagors to redeem their mortgage
    The place had been mortgaged when this noble woman left her home, and threw herself into the work needed for the Union cause; the mortgage was to be foreclosed.
  27. benevolent
    showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
    The old parents, then nearly approaching their centennial year, were to be turned out to die in a poor-house, when the sudden determination was taken to send out a little sketch of her life to the benevolent public, in the hope of redeeming the little home.
  28. bearing
    the direction or path along which something moves or lies
    Whether Harriet's ideas of the geographical bearings of the gates of the Celestial City as seen in the apocalyptic vision, were correct or not, we cannot doubt that she was right in the deduction her faith drew from them; and that somewhere, whether North, East, South, or West, to our dim vision, there is a gate that will be opened for our good Harriet, where the welcome will be given, "Come in, thou blessed of my Father."
  29. scruple
    uneasiness about the fitness of an action
    It is a peculiarity of Harriet, that she had seldom been known to intimate a wish that anything should be given to herself; but when her people are in need, no scruples of delicacy stand in the way of her petitions, nay, almost her demands for help.
  30. delicacy
    subtly skillful handling of a situation
    It is a peculiarity of Harriet, that she had seldom been known to intimate a wish that anything should be given to herself; but when her people are in need, no scruples of delicacy stand in the way of her petitions, nay, almost her demands for help.
Created on Mon Jun 28 12:59:06 EDT 2021 (updated Mon Jul 12 13:11:53 EDT 2021)

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