Ms. Thoreson
Vocabulary from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Man of Adamant”
Directions:
1. For each word, write a synonym and/or simplify the definition into one or two
words that make sense to you.
2. Sort these words into a minimum of three different groups (could be more) based
on the meaning of the words. Label the different categories and explain why you
chose this way to sort them.
1. Adamant: Noun. legendary stone: a legendary, extremely hard stone, sometimes
identified as diamond or lodestone ( archaic )
(you probably know adamant in its modern, adjective form: set in opinion
SYNONYM: ________________________
2. Anathemas: Noun, plural
1. A formal ecclesiastical ban, curse, or excommunication.
2. A vehement denunciation; a curse
SYNONYM: ________________________
3. Abominable: Adjective
1: worthy of or causing disgust or hatred : detestable <the abominable treatment of the
poor>
2: quite disagreeable or unpleasant <abominable weather> — abom·i·na·bly
SYNONYM: ________________________
4. Tabernacle: Noun
1. The portable sanctuary in which the Jews carried the Ark of the Covenant through the
desert.
2. A case or box on a church altar containing the consecrated host and wine of the
Eucharist.
3. A place of worship.
SYNONYM: ________________________
5. Hallowed: adjective
1. sanctified: holy or kept for religious use (e.g. “buried in hallowed ground”)
2. respected: regarded with great respect or reverence
SYNONYM: ________________________
6. Idolatry: noun
1. the religious worship of idols.
2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc.
SYNONYM: ________________________
7. Sepulchral: adjective
1. Of or relating to a burial vault or a receptacle for sacred relics.
2. Suggestive of the grave; funereal
SYNONYM: ________________________
8. Supplications: Noun
an act or instance of supplicating; humble prayer, entreaty, or petition
SYNONYM: ________________________
9. Celestial: adjective
1. Of or relating to the sky or the heavens: Planets are celestial bodies.
2. Of or relating to heaven; divine: celestial beings.
3. Supremely good; sublime: celestial happiness
SYNONYM: ________________________
10. Sanctified: verb
1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate.
2. To make holy; purify.
SYNONYM: ________________________
11. Ethereal: –adjective
1. light, airy, or tenuous: an ethereal world created through the poetic imagination.
2. extremely delicate or refined: ethereal beauty.
3. heavenly or celestial: gone to his ethereal home.
SYNONYM: ________________________
WORD BANK (for sorting into at least 3 categories)
adamant
anathemas
abominable tabernacle
Idolatry
sepulchral
celestial
sanctified
abhorrence
.
hallowed
ethereal