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