The Crucible- Act One Vocabulary
Instructions: Please define each of the following words. You will be expected to provide the part of
speech and definition for each. Some vocabulary words will have the page number next to them, so that
you may see where they are used in the play.
1. Abominations (page 11): (noun) anything greatly disliked or abhorred.
2. Afflict (page 33): (verb) to distress with mental or bodily pain; to trouble greatly or grievously
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Begrudge (page 12): (verb) to envy or resent the pleasure or good fortune of
Clamor (page 20): (noun) a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people
Conjure (page 10): (verb) to affect or influence by or as if by invocation or spell
Contempt (page 15): (noun) the feeling with which a person regards anything
considered mean, vile, or worthless
Contention (page 17): (noun) a struggling together in opposition
Defamation (page 31): (noun) the act of defaming; false or unjustified injury of
the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel
Dissemble (page 9) (verb) to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal
the truth or real nature of
Enthralled (used throughout the book): (adjective) to be captivated or charmed
Faction (page 10): (noun) a group or clique within a larger group, party,
government, organization
Heathen (page 5): (noun) an individual of a people that do not acknowledge the
God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; a
pagan
Innate (page 5): (adjective) existing in one from birth; inborn
Iniquity (page 26): (noun) gross injustice or wickedness
Manifest (used throughout the book): (verb) to make clear or evident to the eye or
the understanding
Paradox (page 7): (noun) a self-contradictory and false proposition
Potent (used throughout the book): (adjective) powerful; mighty
Predilection (page 5): (noun) a tendency to think favorably of something in
particular
Providence (page 13): (noun) the foreseeing care and guidance of God or nature
over the creatures of the earth
Subordinate (page 18): (adjective) placed in or belonging to a lower order or rank
Somber (page 4): (adjective) extremely serious; grave
Trepidation (page 40): (noun) tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation
Vindictive (page 14): (adjective) disposed or inclined to revenge; vengeful
After finishing your definitions, please choose 5 words to use in sentences. You may only use one
word per sentence, and you must include context clues to show the reader that you know what the word
means. Please underline your vocabulary word
Ex: At the hospital, doctors tended to the patient who was afflicted with several broken bones.
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In this sample sentence, I can tell that “afflicted” means “to be stricken with great
physical pain or mental suffering” by the context clues. Broken bones are quite painful,
so it is evident that the writer knew what the word “afflicted” meant.