The Visit Glossary of Terms

“The Visit” Glossary of Terms amicably with friendliness; cooperatively amnestied pardoned

angler a person who schemes to get something

apostle an early leader of a new reform movement

arbitrate to settle; to mediate

assiduous persistent; diligent

bankrupt in a state of financial ruin; destitute

bawd a prostitute

benefactrice a woman who gives monetary aid as a gift Brahms

German classical composer (1833-1897)

brandy an alcoholic drink made from distilled fruit juice

brazen self-assured; insolent

bribe a benefit given in exchange for certain conduct

cask a barrel containing liquids

clangor a loud clanging noise

coffers funds; a treasury

Cognac a high quality brandy

commandeered taken by force; appropriated communism a political system where an authoritarian state controls the economy and divides goods equally amongst the citizens toward a collective vision of social order

commuter a train transporting individuals back and forth from home to work (usually from the countryside or suburbs to a larger city)

compatriots fellow citizens

condone to excuse and allow

connive to scheme; to plan an illegal action

conscience one's sense of right and wrong

consternation a state of terror

corpse a dead body

Court of Appeal a court to which appeals are made with regard to the judgment of a lower court crockery pots, jars, and dishes

denunciation a public denouncement

distrain to seize goods or property to force the payment of a debt

emigrated to migrate to another country

emphatically forcefully expressed

endowment a gift of funds or property to a group

eunuch a man whose testes have been removed and traditionally guards a woman's bedchamber

exorbitant outrageously high

foundry a factory where metal is melted and cast

Goethe famous German poet, writer, and scientist (1749-1832)

grotesquerie the state of being distorted and unnatural

homely plain; unattractive

homicidal capable of murder

humanitarian one who advances the general human welfare; one who helps alleviate suffering

impassively without emotion or expression

indignation anger at an injustice

infernal demonic; hellish; cruel

ironmongery a hardware store

laymen ordinary men without expert knowledge (not a part of the professional class or of the clergy)

liturgy a form or rite of public worship

lorgnette opera glasses

marrow the tender innermost part of the bone

metamorphose to transform

misdemeanors petty crimes

morale state of confidence

nihilistic extremely skeptical of moral values oath a promise to tell the truth

on credit or account to make purchases with the promise to pay later

opera-recitative a passage sung in the rhythm of natural speech

opium a highly addictive narcotic derived from poppy flowers

outmoded no longer fashionable; no longer useful

pallid lacking color; wan

paternity fatherhood

pawned to give some thing as a pledge on a loan

periphery the outer boundary; perimeter perjury the deliberate breach of an oath to tell the truth by giving false testimony

perseverance persistence; tenacity; determination

piteous arousing compassion

poacher someone who illegally hunts or catches fish

portals entryways

portentous overbearing pompousness

prodigal lavish; extravagent; generous

ramrod to watch over and force

ramshackle ill-kept; broken-down; disintegrating redeem to make free of debt; to restore honor

sedan-chair a covered chair for one person, usually lifted by two men

serviette a napkin

soughing murmuring; sighing

soutane a long garment worn by the clergy with buttons down the front

spectre an apparition or ghost

spires steeples; the top part of a structure that tapers into a point

spurn to reject with scorn

starlet a young actress predicted to become a great film star stethoscope a medical instrument used to listen to the body

tatterdemalion ragged; shabby

threadbare old and frayed

toil to work under difficult conditions

trysting-place a meeting place; a designated place for a secret rendezvous

tuberculosis an infectious disease where bacteria collects in the lungs