The Crucible Vocabulary Words and Definitions
Abrogate
To abolish; to do away with
Abyss
bottomless hole; a vast expanse or depth
Adamant
inflexible; immovable; obstinate
Ameliorate to make better; to relieve; to improve
Apparition ghost
Augury
an omen or prophecy
Autocrat
a person with unlimited influence and authority (usually a negative word)
Baseness
the quality of lacking higher values
Begrudge
to give reluctantly; to envy a possession or one’s enjoyment
Beguile
to deceive; to mislead; to persuade with charm
Bemuse
to confuse or to bewilder
Blasphemous irreverent; profane
Calamity
a serious event causing distress or misfortune
Conciliate
to reconcile; to pacify; to renew a friendship
Confound
to cause one to become confused
Conspiracy the act of plotting together
Contempt
scorn; extreme dislike or disdain
Contentious quarrelsome; stirring controversy
Corroboration confirmation
Credulous
believing on slight evidence; gullible
Defamation act of harming or ruining another’s reputation
Deference
courteous going along with the opinions or wishes of another
Deposition written statement by a witness
Dissemble
to disguise; to pretend
Dogmatic
strongly opinionated in an unwarranted manner
Ecstasy
extreme happiness
Effrontery extreme boldness; audacity
Exalt
to glorify; to praise; to raise in rank
Fiend
the devil; demon
Formidable menacing; causing fear or awe
Gaunt
very thin; emaciated; angular
Guile
deceitful cunning; duplicity
Heretical
contrary to church doctrine or accepted beliefs or standards
Hypocrite
one who is insincere or deceitful
Indictment an accusation
Indigenous native to a certain area
Indignation anger as a result of something unjust
Ineptness
lack of competence or judgment
Inert
unable to move or to act; sluggish
Ingratiate
to make an effort to gain good favor with someone
Iniquity
wickedness; immorality
Innate
existing from birth; inborn
Junta
a group of people who join in running a government (after a revolution)
Licentious
lacking in moral or sexual restraint; wanton
Malevolence ill will or evil intentions
Malign
to utter injuriously misleading reports about
Methodical proceeding in a regular or systematic order
Orthodox
conforming to established standards; conventional
Pallor
extreme paleness usually relating to the face
Paradoxical something that appears false or contradictory but is actually correct
Parochial
limited in range or scope; narrow; provincial
Partisan
one who exhibits extreme or possibly blind allegiance to a group or cause
Penitence
regret or sorrow for sins or faults
Pious
religious
Placid
peaceful; calm
Predilection preference
Prodigious extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree; great in size; enormous
Propriety
correct conduct
Providence sign of good fortune; God’s will; God’s intervention in human affairs
Prudent
wise and careful about practical matters
Quake
to shake from shock or instability
Reprieve
to delay punishment
Reproach
to blame for something; a disgrace
Rescind
to cancel
Resurge
to rise again
Savory
appetizing
Sectarian
a member of a sect that is a faction with extreme beliefs
Sublime
exalted; noble; uplifting
Theocracy
governed by religion
Trafficked had dealings with
Trepidation fear; trembling; agitation
Vestry room in a church used for nonreligious meetings or church business
Vindictive
revengeful; spiteful
Wily
cunning; crafty; sneaky