Jane Eyre Vocab List #4

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Privations (as discussed in Jane Eyre, Chapter 9):

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Hardships or lack of basic necessities.

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What does 'ameliorate' mean? "The frosts of winter had ceased; its snows were melted, its cutting winds ameliorated."

Back

to make better or improve

Front

What does 'genial' mean in the sentence: "sometimes on a sunny day it began even to be pleasant and genial..."?

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friendly and cheerful

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As April turns to May at Lowood, Jane describes the sunshine as "placid." What does 'placid' mean?

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Calm and peaceful.

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What does 'predisposed' mean in the context: "Jane shares how so many children at Lowood had been 'predisposed' to their illness due to 'semi-starvation and neglected colds.'"

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Made susceptible or vulnerable to illness.

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What does 'contagion' mean in the context of Jane describing Lowood as 'the seat of the contagion'?

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Contagion means the spread of disease.

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What does 'malady' mean? "Jane explains how their burials need to be quick due 'to the nature of the malady.'"

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disease or illness

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What does 'sumptuously' mean in the context of Jane dining in the woods on nice spring days?

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Luxuriously or lavishly.

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What does 'repose' mean in the context: "The other girls were all wrapt in profound repose."?

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Rest or tranquility.

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What does 'pervaded' mean in the sentence: "a profound stillness pervaded the vicinity"?

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to spread throughout