Vocabulary from Things Fall Apart (List #2)
Directions: For each word, study the definition and example sentence, then write your own sentence that relates to the story.
Word
Page
Definition
Example Sentence
1. Impudent
p.
bold, shameless, disrespectful
And so excitement mounted in the village as the seventh
(adj)
150
Other forms: impudence (n)
week approached since the impudent missionaries built
ch17
their church in the Evil Forest.
2. Miscreant
p.
evil, immoral
A sudden fury rose within him and he felt a strong desire
(adj, n)
152
An evildoer; a villain
to take up his machete, go to the church and wipe out the
ch17
entire vile and miscreant gang.
3. Degenerate p.
Having fallen to an inferior or undesirable
How then could he have begotten a son like Nwoye,
(adj,v,n)
153
state; A depraved, corrupt, or vicious
degenerate and effeminate.
ch17 person; To fall below a normal or desirable
state, especially functionally or morally
4. Effeminate
p.
having feminine qualities untypical of a
How then could he have begotten a son like Nwoye,
(adj)
153
man: not manly in appearance or manner;
degenerate and effeminate.
ch17 marked by an unbecoming delicacy or over
refinement
5. Abominable p.
detestable; loathsome; unpleasant or
Okonkwo, who had begun to play a part in the affairs of
(adj)
158
disagreeable. Other forms: abomination (n) his motherland, said that until the abominable gang was
ch18 An object of extreme dislike; an action
chased out of the village with whips there would be no
which offends the religious sensibilities of a peace.
people
6. Blaspheme
p.
To speak of (God or a sacred entity) in an
When a man blasphemes, what do we do? Do we go and
(v)
158
irreverent, impious manner; To use profane
stop his mouth? No. We put our fingers into our ears to
ch18 or obscene language. Other forms:
stop us hearing. That is a wise action.
blasphemy (n), blasphemous (adj)
7. Defecate
p.
To void feces from the bowels
If a man comes into my hut and defecates on the floor,
(v)
158
what do I do? Do I shut my eyes?
ch18
8. Ostracize
p.
To exclude from a group
Everybody in the assembly spoke, and in the end it was
(v)
159
decided to ostracize the Christians.
ch18
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Vocabulary from Things Fall Apart (List #2)
Word
Page
Definition
Dispensation p.
A religious system or code of commands
(n)
178 considered to have been divinely revealed or
ch21 appointed. A general state or ordering of
things.
10. Expedient
p.
suitable for achieving a particular end in a
(adj, n)
178 given circumstance; characterized by
ch21 concern with what is opportune; especially :
governed by self-interest
11. Idolatrous
p.
Of or relating to the worship of a physical
(adj)
184 object as a god
ch22
Example Sentence
There were many men and women in Umuofia who did
not feel as strongly as Okonkwo about the new
dispensation.
12. Bereaved
(adj, n)
p.
185
ch22
Suffering the loss of a loved one, or
someone who is suffering a loss
Enoch’s devotion to the new faith had seemed so much
greater than Mr. Brown’s that the villagers called him the
outsider who wept louder than the bereaved.
13. Desecrate
(v)
p.
186
ch22
To violate the sacredness of; profane
The other egwugwu immediately surrounded their
desecrated companion, to shield him from the profane
gaze of women and children, and led him away.
14. Imminent
(adj)
p.
188
ch22
About to occur; impending
Enoch himself was greatly disappointed when he heard
this, for he had hoped that a holy war was imminent; and
there were a few other Christians who thought like him.
15. Palaver
(v, n)
p.
193
ch23
Idle chatter ; have a lengthy discussion,
usually between people of different
backgrounds
He often asked them to hold such palavers, as he called
them.
16. Misogyny
(n)
n/a
Hatred of women.
Other forms: misogynist (n), misogynistic
(adj)
Okonkwo could be considered a misogynist because he
has no respect for women.
9.
Page 2 of 2
Everything was possible, he told his energetic flock, but
everything was not expedient.
To fill the Lord’s holy temple with an idolatrous crowd
clamoring for signs was a folly of everlasting
consequence.