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Harriet Tubman: List 5

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
25 words 33 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. stupor
    a state of being half-awake
    It was long before she recovered from this, and it has left her subject to a sort of stupor or lethargy at times; coming upon her in the midst of conversation, or whatever she may be doing, and throwing her into a deep slumber, from which she will presently rouse herself, and go on with her conversation or work.
  2. lethargy
    inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
    It was long before she recovered from this, and it has left her subject to a sort of stupor or lethargy at times; coming upon her in the midst of conversation, or whatever she may be doing, and throwing her into a deep slumber, from which she will presently rouse herself, and go on with her conversation or work.
  3. exact
    claim as due or just
    The amount exacted of a woman for her time was fifty or sixty dollars—of a man, one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars.
  4. stint
    an individual's prescribed share of work
    While engaged with her father, she would cut wood, haul logs, etc. Her usual 'stint' was half a cord of wood in a day.
  5. quaint
    strange in an interesting or pleasing way
    With these she journeyed to Canada, and there spent the winter, for this was after the enforcement of Mason's Fugitive Slave Bill in Philadelphia and Boston, and there was no safety except 'under the paw of the British Lion,' as she quaintly said.
  6. oppress
    come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority
    By reason of her frequent visits there, always carrying away some of the oppressed, she got among her people the name of 'Moses,' which it seems she still retains.
  7. shrewd
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
    She is the most shrewd and practical person in the world, yet she is a firm believer in omens, dreams, and warnings.
  8. ascribe
    attribute or credit to
    She is very firm on this point, and ascribes to this her great impunity, in spite of the lethargy before mentioned, which would seem likely to throw her into the hands of her enemies.
  9. impunity
    exemption from punishment or loss
    She is very firm on this point, and ascribes to this her great impunity, in spite of the lethargy before mentioned, which would seem likely to throw her into the hands of her enemies.
  10. likeness
    picture consisting of a graphic image of a person or thing
    One of her means of security was to carry with her the daguerreotypes of her friends, and show them to each new person. If they recognized the likeness, then it was all right.
  11. veneration
    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
    Her own veneration for Captain Brown has always been profound, and since his murder, has taken the form of a religion.
  12. profound
    of the greatest intensity; complete
    Her own veneration for Captain Brown has always been profound, and since his murder, has taken the form of a religion.
  13. perplexity
    trouble or confusion resulting from complexity
    She had often risked her own life for her people, and she thought nothing of that; but that a white man, and a man so noble and strong, should so take upon himself the burden of a despised race, she could not understand, and she took refuge from her perplexity in the mysteries of her fervid religion.
  14. fervid
    characterized by intense emotion
    She had often risked her own life for her people, and she thought nothing of that; but that a white man, and a man so noble and strong, should so take upon himself the burden of a despised race, she could not understand, and she took refuge from her perplexity in the mysteries of her fervid religion.
  15. manacle
    confine or restrain with or as if with handcuffs
    The lane was opened, and the man was brought out—a tall, handsome, intelligent white man, with his wrists manacled together, walking between the U.S. Marshal and another officer, and behind him his brother and his master, so like him that one could hardly be told from the other.
  16. relinquish
    release, as from one's grip
    Harriet's outer clothes were torn from her, and even her stout shoes were pulled from her feet, yet she never relinquished her hold of the man, till she had dragged him to the river, where he was tumbled into a boat, Harriet following in a ferry-boat to the other side.
  17. corroborate
    establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
    By some persons it seemed too wonderful for belief, and an attempt was made to corroborate it.
  18. ascertain
    learn or discover with confidence
    Rev. Henry Fowler, who was at the time at Saratoga, kindly volunteered to go to Troy and ascertain the facts.
  19. debar
    prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
    But before he was to begin his generous labor, and while engaged in some kind efforts for the prisoners at Auburn, he was stricken down by the heat of the sun, and was for a long time debarred from labor.
  20. manumit
    free from slavery or servitude
    The old man died, leaving a will, whereby he manumitted his daughters and their children, and provided for the purchase of the freedom of their husbands.
  21. refined
    cultivated and genteel
    Nalle and his family are persons of refined manners, and of the highest respectability.
  22. foremost
    preceding all others in spatial position
    When Nalle was brought from Commissioner Beach's office into the street, Harriet Tubman, who had been standing with the excited crowd, rushed amongst the foremost to Nalle, and running one of her arms around his manacled arm, held on to him without ever loosening her hold through the more than half-hour's struggle to Judge Gould's office, and from Judge Gould's office to the dock, where Nalle's liberation was accomplished.
  23. melee
    a noisy riotous fight
    In the mêlée she was repeatedly beaten over the head with policemen's clubs, but she never for a moment released her hold, but cheered Nalle and his friends with her voice, and struggled with the officers until they were literally worn out with their exertions, and Nalle was separated from them.
  24. disperse
    move away from each other
    Harriet also disappeared, and the crowd dispersed.
  25. modest
    humble in spirit or manner
    And as she stands in her modest way just within the celestial gate, I seem to see a kind hand laid upon her dark head, and to hear a gentle voice saying in her ear, "Friend, come up higher!"
Created on Mon Jun 28 13:01:32 EDT 2021 (updated Mon Jul 12 13:14:36 EDT 2021)

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