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.

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."

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.

"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

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."

"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

Rude; not restrained by the boundaries of good taste

• assiduous

• Obsequious

• indolent

• impertinent

"[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.

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).

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

• indolent

• pedantic

• insolent

• obsequious