Gone With the Wind Vocab, Lesson 5

Lesson 5

When I read Gone with the Wind, I noted words that I wanted to know better

Lesson 1 started here.

suttee, p 182— “just as barbarous as the Hindu suttee”
—the act or custom of a Hindu widow willingly being cremated on the funeral pyre of her husband as an indication of her devotion to him,

dolorously p 199—“Pa is coming tomorrow and he’s going to land on me like a duck on a June bug,” answered Scarlett dolorously.
—causing, marked by, or expressing misery or grief

dishabille, p 204—when Scarlett answers the door and finds Rhett and her father: He took in her dishabille in one glance.
—the state of being dressed in a casual or careless style; negligee

attenuate, p 208—the thought either did not occur at all or was so attenuated by the delay it was not very troublesome.
to lessen the amount, force, magnitude, or value of; weaken

tilts, p 218—After tilts with him from which she seldom emerged the victor
—a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement

fusty, 219—his masculinity . . . made . . . the seem small, pale and a trifle fusty.
—rigidly old-fashioned or reactionary

furbelows, p 225—Rhett’s memory for furbelows was an excellent substitute for Godey’s Lady’s Book.
—a pleated or gathered piece of material ; especially : a flounce on women's clothing

passementerie, p 230—beneath its glittering passementerie trimmings.
—an ornamental edging or trimming (as tassels) made of braid, cord, gimp, beading, or metallic thread