A Christmas Carol Vocabulary Staves 1-2
condescension
A feeling of superiority
countenance
A person's face or facial expression
vestige
A trace or evidence of something that once existed
carol
Christmas song, hymn
preposterous
Contrary to nature, reason, or common sense; absurd; ridiculous, bizarre; completely devoid of wisdom or good sense; senseless as to be laughable
despondent
Depressed
destitute
Deprived of the necessities of life; lacking in
dread
Great fear; uneasiness
justified
Having legitimate reason
homage
Honor or respect shown publicly
appalling
Shocking; causing dismay
amends
Something done to make up for a wrong, an injury, or a mistake; compensation
inquire
To ask
agitate
To disturb or upset
oblige
To do in order to help or please
recede
To move back or away from
derive
To receive from a source; get
apparition
a ghost or ghostly figure; an unexplained or unusual appearance
avarice
a greedy desire, particularly for wealth
aspirations
a hope or ambition of achieving something
penance
an act of devotion performed voluntarily to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing
adversary
an enemy, opponent
strife
bitter disagreement; fighting, struggle
resolution
finding a solution to a problem
obscuring
hiding from view; concealing
substantial
large, important; major, significant; prosperous; not imaginary, material
unhallowed
not hallowed or consecrated; not regarded as holy or sacred
caustic
sarcastically biting; burning
corroborate
to confirm, make more certain, bolster, substantiate, verify
toil
to work hard