College Vocabulary · Grade 10 · Week 13
20 words for the week · pairs with Composition lesson 4.1.
Reading: Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Gray Champion," in Twice-Told Tales (1837) (Project Gutenberg #13707). This is the lesson's model passage; Lesson 4.4 returns to it.
Theme of the week: Courage and composure under unjust power. An aged Puritan stands alone before a royal governor in Boston, 1689. "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32).
Rhythm: 4 words a day, Monday to Friday; Friday adds the 20-word quiz. Every context sentence below is quoted from the story unless marked ✝ (KJV, 1769 text).
Teacher note: Hawthorne writes as a New Englander proud of his Puritan forebears, and a few sentences are sharp toward the Church of England and Rome. The quotations below avoid those lines; if students meet them in the full story, treat them as Hawthorne's point of view in 1837, which is part of reading a historical story well.
Part of speech: noun (despot, despotic)
Definition: rule by one person with absolute power, usually used cruelly.
From the reading: "Aware of their danger, the rulers resolved to avert it by an imposing display of strength, and perhaps to confirm their despotism by yet harsher measures."
Root:Greek despotes, "master, lord" (of a household or of slaves).
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: without moral principles; willing to act dishonestly or unjustly.
From the reading: "...sent a harsh and unprincipled soldier to take away our liberties and endanger our religion."
Root:un- + principle, from Latin principium, "beginning, foundation."
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to declare invalid; to cancel officially (a law, contract or charter).
From the reading: "James II... had annulled the charters of all the colonies."
Root:Latin ad- (to) + nullus (none): to bring to nothing.
Part of speech: noun (a hired soldier) and adjective (motivated only by money)
Definition: a soldier who fights for pay in a foreign army; (adj.) acting chiefly for gain.
From the reading: "...and finally, disaffection overawed by the first band of mercenary troops that ever marched on our free soil."
Root:Latin mercenarius, from merces, "wages."
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: worthy of deep respect because of age, wisdom or character.
From the reading: "His predecessor under the old charter, Bradstreet, a venerable companion of the first settlers, was known to be in town."
✝ link: "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness" (Proverbs 16:31).
Root:Latin venerari, "to revere, worship."
Part of speech: noun (adjective: decrepit)
Definition: the state of being worn out and weak, especially from old age.
From the reading: "...the decrepitude of age seemed to fall from his shoulders, leaving him in gray but unbroken dignity."
Root:Latin decrepitus, "very old," perhaps "no longer creaking" (de- + crepare, "to creak").
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: shaking or quivering slightly; timid.
From the reading: "...with a heavy sword upon his thigh, but a staff in his hand to assist the tremulous gait of age."
Root:Latin tremulus, from tremere, "to tremble."
Part of speech: noun
Definition: holiness; the quality of being sacred or inviolable.
From the reading: "...regarded them with such reverence as if there were sanctity in their very garments."
Root:Latin sanctitas, from sanctus, "holy."
Part of speech: noun (adjective: despondent)
Definition: low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
From the reading: "...as if the slightest signal would rouse the whole land from its sluggish despondency."
✝ link: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God" (Psalm 42:5).
Root:Latin despondere, "to give up, lose heart" (de- "away" + spondere "to promise").
Part of speech: noun (adjective: disaffected)
Definition: discontent with and disloyalty toward those in authority.
From the reading: "...the voice of complaint stifled by restrictions on the press; and finally, disaffection overawed by the first band of mercenary troops that ever marched on our free soil."
Root:dis- (apart) + affection: love turned away.
Part of speech: adjective (noun: indignation)
Definition: angry at something unjust or unworthy.
From the reading: "Dudley came behind with a downcast look, dreading, as well he might, to meet the indignant gaze of the people."
Root:Latin indignari, "to regard as unworthy" (in- "not" + dignus "worthy").
Part of speech: noun (verb: exult)
Definition: great joy, especially in triumph.
From the reading: "They raised a shout of awe and exultation, and looked for the deliverance of New England."
Root:Latin exsultare, "to leap up" (ex- + saltare, "to leap").
Part of speech: noun (adjective: composed)
Definition: calmness and self-control, especially under pressure.
From the reading: "...replied the gray figure, with stern composure."
✝ link: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32).
Root:Latin componere, "to put together, settle."
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: not discouraged or alarmed in the face of danger.
From the reading: "...the gloomy but undismayed expression... which would have marked a band of the original Puritans when threatened by some peril of the wilderness."
Root:un- + dismay, from Old French desmaiier, "to deprive of strength."
Part of speech: verb
Definition: To clear of blame or suspicion; to justify or prove right; to defend a right or cause.
From the reading: "...his shadowy march on the eve of danger must ever be the pledge that New England's sons will vindicate their ancestry."
Root:Latin vindicare, "to claim, avenge, set free," from vindex, "protector, avenger."
Part of speech: noun (verb: submit)
Definition: the act of yielding to the will or authority of another.
From the reading: "For two years our ancestors were kept in sullen submission by that filial love which had invariably secured their allegiance to the mother-country."
✝ link: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
Root:Latin submittere, "to put under."
Part of speech: noun and verb
Definition: a guess or opinion formed without full proof; to form such a guess.
From the reading: "There were grounds for conjecturing that Sir Edmund Andros intended at once to strike terror by a parade of military force."
Root:Latin conicere, "to throw together" (facts thrown together to reach a guess).
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to grant or give graciously, as a favor from a superior.
From the reading: "...beseeching this favor earnestly of the Lord, it was vouchsafed me to appear once again on earth."
Root:Middle English vouchen sauf, "to warrant as safe": to guarantee, then to grant.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: loyalty owed to a ruler, nation or cause.
From the reading: "...that filial love which had invariably secured their allegiance to the mother-country."
Root:Old French ligeance, from liege, "a lord to whom service is owed."
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a ghostlike figure; a sudden, startling appearance.
From the reading: "...as if they would have pressed their snorting and affrighted horses right against the hoary apparition."
Root:Latin apparere, "to appear."
Part A. Words in context (2 points each). Choose the meaning of the word as used in the sentence.
1. "New England's sons will vindicate their ancestry." Here vindicate most nearly means
A) take revenge on B) prove worthy of C) set free D) clear of a crime
2. "...in sullen submission." The phrase most nearly suggests the people
A) gladly obeyed B) openly rebelled C) obeyed while resenting it D) did not know they were ruled
3. "...the tremulous gait of age." Tremulous most nearly means
A) fearful B) shaky C) noisy D) proud
4. "...it was vouchsafed me to appear." Vouchsafed most nearly means
A) proven B) promised safely C) graciously granted D) required
Part B. Sentence completion (1 point each). Word bank: despotism, annulled, venerable, decrepitude, sanctity, despondency, exultation, composure, conjecture, unprincipled
5. When the court ______ the contract, neither side owed the other anything.
6. The old pastor's ______ face drew the respect of the whole congregation.
7. Without the letter itself, the historian could offer only a ______ about the general's plan.
8. Daniel kept his ______; though the decree was signed, "he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed" (Daniel 6:10).
9. After weeks of ______, the news of rescue turned the town's mood to ______.
10. A ruler who answers to no law and no people practices ______.
11. An ______ merchant will cheat a widow if he thinks no one is watching.
Part C. Analogies and antonyms (1 point each).
12. ALLEGIANCE : DISAFFECTION :: composure : ______ (agitation / poise / dignity)
13. Antonym of undismayed: (resolute / daunted / venerable)
14. Antonym of indignant: (incensed / content / despondent)
15. Synonym of apparition: (specter / allegiance / decrepitude)
Part D. Analytical sentence (6 points). In two or three sentences, explain how Hawthorne uses the contrast between decrepitude and composure to show the Gray Champion's courage. Quote the story once, and use at least three of this week's words correctly.
1. B 2. C 3. B 4. C
5. annulled 6. venerable 7. conjecture 8. composure 9. despondency, exultation (1 point per blank) 10. despotism 11. unprincipled
12. agitation 13. daunted 14. content 15. specter
Part D sample: "Hawthorne first shows the old man's decrepitude, with 'a staff in his hand to assist the tremulous gait of age,' but when he faces the soldiers, 'the decrepitude of age seemed to fall from his shoulders.' His stern composure before the unprincipled governor proves that courage comes from conviction, not from strength of body." Scoring: 2 for a clear claim about the contrast, 2 for an accurate quotation, 2 for three week words used correctly. (Distractors in Part B: decrepitude, sanctity.)