Pride and Prejudice Vocabulary

To irritate or annoy; to cause distress

• Demean

• Appease

• Vex

• Deride

Answer explanation

Mr. Bennet seems to enjoy vexing his wife.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

An inference made without proof (noun); to guess (verb)

• conjecture

• caprice

• deference

• circumspection

Answer explanation

"Surmise," another one of your vocabulary words, is a synonym for "conjecture."

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

comfort; alleviation from grief or anxiety

• felicity

• affectation

• Insolence

• solace

Answer explanation

"Solace" is most often a noun, but can also be a verb meaning to soothe, comfort, or make cheerful.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

"Mr. Hurst was an indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards..." (35). The best synonym for "indolent" is _____.

• habitually lazy

• reckless

• irresponsible

• clever

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Befitting a low position; submissive.

• taciturn

• tumultuous

• servile

• insolent

Answer explanation

Mr. Collins is described as "a mixture of servility and self importance" (63). "Servile" comes from the Latin word "servus" meaning "slave."

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

"We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room..." (90).

In this sentence, "taciturn" means ____.

• shy and awkward

• unwilling to speak

• arrogant

• insecure

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Rude; not restrained by the boundaries of good taste

• assiduous

• Obsequious

• indolent

• impertinent

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

"[Elizabeth] looked at his two sisters, and saw them making signs of derision at each other..." (98).

"Derision" means _____.

• amusement

• concern or worry

• boredom

• ridicule or scorn

Answer explanation

This sentence refers to the Bingley sisters' response to Mrs. Bennet.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Skeptical or unbelieving

• Assiduous

• incredulous

• veracity

• supercilious

Answer explanation

The prefix "in" means not-- so incredulous means "not credulous."

"Credulous" comes from the Latin verb "credere" (to believe or trust). Related words are credible (believable) and creed (a statement of belief).

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

An insulting way of describing someone who likes to show off their expertise in a (usually boring) subject.

• indolent

• pedantic

• insolent

• obsequious

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4