Transcript The Crucible - Youngstown State University

The Crucible
Vocabulary
Part 2
Quail
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Verb
To cringe from; to pull back in fear
My puppy quails at the sight of costumed
trick-or-treaters.
Gingerly
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Adverb
With delicate care; cautiously
We stepped gingerly through the broken glass
so that we wouldn’t cut our bare feet.
Abomination
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Noun
Something that causes horror or disgust
The extermination of six million Jews during
the Holocaust is one of the worst abominations
in the history of mankind.
Blasphemy
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Noun
A sinful act or remark
Andrew spoke blasphemy when he declared
that the United States deserved the attack on
9/11.
CONTENTIOUS
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Adjective
Argumentative
The contentious student challenged every point
the teacher made about the situation in Iraq.
DEPOSITION
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Noun
The testimony of a witness made under oath,
but not in open court
The four-year-old’s deposition was convincing
to the jury even though the child was not in
court.
IMPERCEPTIBLE
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Adjective
Barely noticeable
An imperceptible breeze caused the filmy
curtain to billow slightly.
ANONYMITY
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Noun
The condition of being unknown or
unacknowledged
The CIA agent’s anonymity allowed him to
infiltrate the terrorist cell without causing
suspicion.
PRODIGIOUS
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Adjective
Of great size or power
The prodigious hail storm caused many
insurance claims throughout the city.
EFFRONTERY
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Noun
Shameless boldness
I was astonished at the student’s effrontery
when I saw him going through my desk
drawers without permission.