Edgar Allan Poe Word List

8/6/2019 Edgar Allan Poe Word List

1/36

Edgar Allan Poe Word List

a pipe of

The Portuguese word for barrel is pipa. A pipe is, in fact, a large, lengthy barrel or cask with tapered

ends. It's used for aging and shipping wine.a priori

Found by deduction. Derived by reasoning from self-evident propositions.abase

To lower or be lowered in rank, prestige, or esteem. To be made to feel guilty.abductor muscle

Any muscle used to pull a body part away from the midline of the body. For example, the abductormuscles of the legs spread the legs away from the midline and away from one another.

Abernethy

John Abernethy was a British surgeon known for being very blunt or even rude to his patients.Read More >

abeyanceSuspension, temporary inactivity.

about a league

Originally, a league was the distance a person could walk in 1 hour, usually about 3 miles. InEnglish units, during the 19th century, it was most often 3 nautical miles, or 3.45 miles. While thenautical mile is still used today, the league is no longer used to measure distance.

Most people know the term "league" from the title of the book by Jules Verne, "20,000 LeaguesUnder the Sea". The number in this story refers to the distance travelled by the fictional submarine,not how deep it went. The deepest part of any ocean on earth is just over 7 miles.

abstruse

Difficult to understand.accede

To express approval or give consent; give in to a request or demand.accoutred

dressed, clothed, outfitted.Achilles' Heel

A fatal weakness in spite of overall strength. Achilles was a character in mythology who wasinvincible everywhere except his heel.Read More >

acrid

Sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor.acumen

Keenness and depth of perception. Power to see what is not evident to the average mind.acute

1. An angle less than 90 degrees, like the angles of a triangle.2. Characterized by sharpness or severity, such as acute pain.3. Sensitive physical or intellectual perception, like an acute sense of smell or an acute thinker.

ad libitum

In accordance with desire.addling


2/36

Confusion. A spoiling or rotting condition.admonition

cautionary advice about something imminent, especially imminent danger.AEgipans

Centaurs with the bodies of goats instead of horses. AEgipan was a woodland god similar to Pan(though with four legs), the son of Zeus who aided the gods in the battle of the Titans.

Aeolus

The Greek god of the winds.Afrasiab

Afrasiab is a character from Firdowsi's great Persian epic, "Shahnama" (The Epic of Kings), writtenaround 1000 AD. It is a remarkable work, containing 62 stories, 990 chapters, and 60,000 rhymingcouplets, making it more than seven times the length of Homer's Iliad.Read More >

aghast

Terrified, struck with amazement, showing signs of terror or horror.Aidenn

Arabic word for paradise or heaven.

aigretteA feather-shaped piece of jewelry worn in the hair or on a hat. From the French word "egret", awhite heron prized for its plumage.

alarum

An old spelling of "alarm". This is the way Shakespeare spelled it. Here, it provides 3 syllablesinstead of 2 for the rhythm of the verse.

amatory

Of, relating to, or expressing sexual love.aneurism

An aneurysm (or aneurism) is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by disease or weakening of thevessel wall. Aneurysms most commonly occur in the brain and in the main artery coming out of the

heart. The bulge in the blood vessel can burst and lead to death at any time.anomalous

deviating from the normal; aberrant or abnormal.Antares

Antares (Alpha Scorpii) is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius and one of the brighteststars in the nighttime sky.

antechamber

Hall, lobby, reception room.Antediluvians

People living before the great flood described in the Bible.aperture

An opening or hole. Today, this word usually refers to the size of the opening in a lens that lets lightinto a camera.apothegm

A short, pithy, and instructive saying.Appennines

Now spelled "Apennines", a mountain system, running the entire length of the Italian peninsula.appetency

Appetite, having a fixed and strong desire.


3/36

Apuleius

Lucius Apuleius, a first century Roman, wrote a latin story called "The Golden Ass". It is an amusingwork that relates the ludicrous adventures of one Lucius, a virile young man who is obsessed withmagic. His enthusiasm leads to his accidental transformation into an ass.Read More >

aqua regia

Aqua Regia is a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. It can dissolve gold, which single acidsalone cannot do.

aquiline

Curving like an eagle's beak, or resembling an eagle.Arabian Nights

A collection of stories within a story. The character Shahrazad narrates a set of fairy tales to theKing Shahriyar, leaving him in suspense each night to prevent him from executing her. Some of thetales Shahrazad spins were later translated into familiar stories like, "Aladdin's Lamp", "Sinbad theSailor", and "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves".Read More >

archipelago

A group of islands.ardor

Extreme energy or vigor. Sexual excitement.Artesian wells

Wells in which the water is under pressure and flows to the surface naturally. Artesian wells arenamed after the former province of Artois in France, where the first one was drilled by Carthusianmonks in 1126.

arts of the toilet

Originally, "toilet" was the act of dressing and grooming oneself. Arts of the toilet referred to theskills used to apply makeup and groom the hair. From the French toilette cloth on which items usedfor grooming are placed.

Ashtophet

Most likely refers to "Ashtoreth, the Phoenician and Egyptian goddess of love and fertility and"Tophet", a version of hell associated in the Old Testament with the Egyptian worship of Moloch.

asphaltum

A dark bituminous substance that is found in natural beds and is also obtained as a residue inpetroleum refining and that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons. Tar that has hardened.

Asphodel

Various Old World usually perennial herbs of the lily family with flowers in usually long erectracemes.

asphytic

having asphyxia, a lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body that is usually caused byinterruption of breathing and that causes unconsciousness.

asseverationA strong and earnest statement or affirmation.

athwart

Across. In opposition to.au troisieme

French for "on the third," but the meaning is the fourth floor, because the count starts after theground floor.

austere


4/36


5/36

bedight

To dress or decorate especially in splendid or impressive attire.beetling

Projecting, jutting out.beguiling

Leading by deceptionbehemoth

Something of monstrous size or power. A mighty animal described in Job 40:15-24 as an exampleof the power of God.

beldame

An old woman.Bellini

Born in Sicily, Vincenzo Bellini was an Italian opera composer. A child prodigy, legend has it hecould sing an air of Firoavanti at eighteen months, began studying music theory at two, the piano atthree, and by the age of five could play well.

Belphegor of Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) wrote Belphegor, a satire on marriage in which a demon comes to

earth to prove that women damn men to hell.benighted

lacking enlightenment or knowledge or culture; overtaken by the night.Beresina

A river in Belarus, once part of the Soviet Union. Napoleon Bonaparte's army suffered significantlosses when crossing the Berezina in November 1812 during his retreat from Russia. Since then"Berezina" is used in French as a synonym of catastrophe.

besotted

Very drunkbillet

A chunky piece of wood (as for firewood). A bar of metal. A piece of semifinished iron or steel nearly

square in section made by rolling an ingot.bivalve

Having a shell composed of two valves. Clams, oysters, and scallops are examples of bivalves.Black Hole at Calcutta

Calcutta was renamed to Kolkata in 2001. It was the capital of British India until 1912. The BlackHole of Calcutta was a small dungeon where Indian troops held British prisoners of war in 1756.According to a disputed account, 123 of 146 prisoners died of heat exhaustion in the confinedconditions, though historians now believe the number to be at most 43.Read More >

Blue Distance of Tieck

Ludwig Tieck (1773-1853) was a German writer who was part of the Romantic movement of the18th and early 19th centuries.Read More >

bon ton

Fashionable manner or style. High society.Borneo

Borneo (including the Kalimantan provinces of Indonesia, Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia, andBrunei) is the third largest island in the world. It has an area of 743,330 sq km (287,00 sq mi), andis located at the center of the Malay archipelago and Indonesia. Borneo is considered part of thegeographic region of Southeast Asia.


6/36

boudoir

A woman's dressing room, bedroom, or private sitting room.brocade

A rich silk fabric with raised patterns in gold and silver.brusquerie

Abruptness of manner.buffoons

Clowns, ludicrous figures.bugaboo

An imaginary object of fear. Something that causes fear or distress out of proportion to itsimportance.

cadaverously

Like a cadaver or a corpse.Calculus

A central branch of mathematics dating back to the ancient greeks.caloric

Heat; A supposed form of matter formerly held responsible for the phenomena of heat andcombustion. While it is no longer believed that some invisible particle causes heat and fire, themodern word "calorie" is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of onegram of water one degree Celsius.

cameos

Gems carved in relief. A small piece of sculpture on a stone or shell cut in relief in one layer withanother contrasting layer serving as background.

Campanella

Tommaso Campanella (1568-1639), a Dominican theologian, philosopher and poet.candelabrum

A candlestick with multiple branches allowing it to hold a number of candles. Also spelled"candelabra".

caoutchoucRubber, something made of or resembling rubber.

Carathis

A character in "The History of the Caliph Vathek", a Gothic novel written by William ThomasBeckford. It was composed in French in 1782.

caricature

A drawing or other figure or description in which the peculiarities of a person or thing are soexaggerated as to appear ridiculous; a parody.

carpetbag

a traveler's bag made of carpet and widely used in the U.S. in the 19th century.cartilaginous

Composed of, relating to, or resembling cartilage.Caryatid

A sculpted female figure serving as an architectural element such as a column or a pillar. The malecounterpart of a caryatid is referred to as a telemon or Atlas (plural, atlantes). A caryatid supportinga basket on her head is called a canephora.

cassock

A garment resembling a long frock coat worn by the clergy of certain churches when officiating, andby others as the usually outer garment.


7/36

castellated

Having battlements and high walls like a castle.Catalani

Angelica Catalani (17801849), a famous Italian singer.Read More >

catalepsy

A condition of suspended animation and loss of voluntary motion in which the limbs remain inwhatever position they are placed.

cattymount

Now spelled "catamount", short for cat-a-mountain, any of various wild cats, like a cougar or a lynx.censer

A covered incense burner, usually swung from a chain at funerals or other religious ceremonies.chagrin

A gnawing, corroding grief. To be vexed or annoyed.chaise longue

A long chair used for reclining.Chamfort

Nicolas Chamfort (1741-1794), was a French writer who was famous for his sarcasm.chanticleer

Rooster or Cock.charlatanerie

One making usually showy pretenses to knowledge or ability. A "charlatan" is a person whopretends to have knowledge or ability for fraudulent purposes.

Charles Green

Charles Green (1785-1870), was Britain's most famous balloonist of the 19th century.charnel

A building or chamber in which bodies or bones are deposited.Chiromancy

The art of Palm Reading.Chirurgical Journal

"Chirurgeon" is an old word for surgeon. The journal may or may not have existed but there was aMedico-Chirurgical Society of Dresden in 1817.

chrysalis

A pupa of a butterfly. A protecting covering. A sheltered state or stage of being or growth.Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC43 BC) was a statesman of Ancient Rome, and is generallyconsidered the greatest Latin prose stylist.

circumlocution

The use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea.

clairvoyanceThe power or faculty of discerning objects not present to the senses; for example the ability to seeghosts or spirits, to read minds, or predict the future.

clandestinely

Marked, held, or conducted secretly.Cleomenes

Cleomenes III lived from about 260 to 219 BC He was king of Sparta from 235 to 222 BCRead More >


8/36

Cleomenes is also a secondary character in "A Winter's Tale", a play by Shakespeare.Read More >

cloister

A place or state of seclusion. An area within a monastery or convent to which the religious arenormally restricted.

coadjutorsAssistants; Those who work together with one another.

coal gas

A mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, produced by burning coal. Like hydrogen, this mixtureis combustible.

cocaigne

London was referred to by the Normans as the "Land of Sugar Cake" (Old French: pais decocaigne), an imaginary land of idleness and luxury. A humorous appellation, the word 'Cocaigne'referred to all of London and its suburbs, and over time had a number of spellings: Cocagne,Cockayne, and in Middle English, Cocknay and Cockney.

coir

A stiff coarse fiber from the outer husk of a coconut. The coir fibre is relatively water-proof and isthe only natural fibre resistant to damage by salt water. The major use of white coir is in ropemanufacture.

colloquy

Conversation, dialogue, a high-level serious discussion.conflagration

A large disastrous fire.consequently crank

The condition of a ship that has not been loaded properly and leans to one side or can be tippedover easily.

contretemps

An inopportune or embarrassing occurrence or situation.conundrums

Intricate and difficult problems. Riddles whose answers involves puns.coppice

A thicket, grove, or growth of small trees.coquetries

Flirtations.corpulent

Having a large bulky body. Obese.cosmogony

A theory of the origin of the universe.Cotopaxi

A volcano in Ecuador, at 5,897 meters (19,347 feet), the second highest in the country, and one ofthe highest active volcanoes in the world. There have been more than 50 eruptions of Cotopaxisince 1738.

cravat

A necktie. A band or scarf worn around the neck.Crebillon

Prosper Jolyot de Crbillon (1674-1762), was a French poet. The quote at the end of "The PurloinedLetter" is from "Atree et Thyeste", written in 1707.


9/36

It can be translated as, "So grievous a plan, if not worthy of Atree, is dignified by Thyeste."

In Greek mythology, Atreus and Thyestes were brothers who were rivals and committed terriblecrimes against each other.

crotchet

A highly individual and usually eccentric opinion or preferencecupola

A dome-shaped ornamental structure located on top of a larger roof or dome, often used as alookout or to admit light and remove stale air.

daughters of Delos

The three daughters of king Anius of Delos, Oeno (wine), Spermo (wheat) and Elais (oliveoil). Theirgrandfather was Dionysus, and he gave them the powers to change water into wine, grass intowheat and berries into olives. When the Greek fleet set out to make war in Troy, it was thedaughters who stocked their ships. Agamemnon was so impressed with this that he kidnappedthem. Dionysus saved them by turning them into white doves.

De Beranger

"His heart is a lute strung tight; As soon as one touches it, it resounds."from "Le Refus" (1831) by Pierre-Jean de Beranger, a French poet and song writer.

De mortuis nil nisi bonum

"Concerning the dead, people should say nothing except good."death watches

Deathwatch beetles. Any of various small beetles (family Anobiidae) that are common in old houseswhere they bore in woodwork and furniture and make a tapping noise as a mating call.

decamped

Departed suddenly or secretly.decorum

Propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance.decrepitude

Wear from old age.deigning

Condescending reluctantly and with a strong sense of the affront to one's superiority that isinvolved.

demur

Hesitation, (as in doing or accepting) usually based on doubt of the acceptability of somethingoffered or proposed.

demur

Hesitation (as in doing or accepting) usually based on doubt of the acceptability of somethingoffered or proposed.

denouement

The final outcome of a complex sequence of events.derision

The use of ridicule or scorn to show contempt.

"...By pouring their derision upon anything we did And exposing every weakness however carefullyhidden by the kids." -Pink Floyd

despotism

A system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power.


10/36

dint

By force of; because ofDiodorus Siculus

Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian. The earliest date Diodorus mentions is his visit to Egypt inthe 180th Olympiad (between 60 and 56 BC). This visit was marked by his witnessing an angry mobdemand the death of a Roman citizen who had accidentally killed a cat, an animal sacred to the

ancient Egyptians.Directorium Inquisitorum

A manual on how to torture Catholic heretics, published in Barcelona in 1503.Read More >

disapprobation

Condemnation. The act or state of d isapproving.discomfited

Put into a state of perplexity and embarrassment. Disconcerted.disconsolate

Downcast, dejected, cheerless.discordantly

In disagreement with, conflicted.disinter

To take a body out of its grave or tomb.dissemble

Hide under a false appearance.dissimulation

Hiding under a false appearance.Dodona

At Dodona in Epirus, northwestern Greece, was a prehistoric oracle devoted to the Greek god, Zeusand the Mother Goddess identified as Dione. The shrine of Dodona was the oldest Hellenic oracle,according to the fifth-century historian Herodotus and in fact dates to pre-Hellenic times. Priests

and priestesses in the sacred grove interpreted the rustling of the oak (or beech) leaves todetermine the correct actions to be taken.

doffed

To remove an article of clothing from the body. To take off (the hat) in greeting or as a sign ofrespect.

doggerel

Loosely styled and irregular in measure especially for burlesque or comic effect. Applies to eitherclothing or poetry. The original Middle English term was "Dogge Dog". Hmmm, sound familiar?

dogma

Something held as an established opinion. A point of view put forth as authoritative withoutadequate grounds. A doctrine concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritativelyproclaimed by a church.

domiciliary

Provided or taking place in the home. Providing shelter and living space.donjon-keep

Dungeondotage

A condition of decay marked by decline of mental poise and alertness, usually attributed to old age.double-reefed


11/36

To reef is to reduce the size of a sail by using ropes running through eyelets in the sail. This isusually done in high winds to protect the sails.

draughts

British name for the game of checkers.Druidical

Like one of an ancient Celtic priesthood appearing as a magician or wizard.ducal

Of or relating to a Duke.dyspeptic

indigestion or ill humor.Earthquake at Lisbon

In 1755, the Lisbon earthquake took place on November 1, at 9:20am. It was one of the mostdestructive and deadly earthquakes in history, killing between 60,000 and 100,000 people. Thequake was followed by a tsunami and fire, resulting in the near total destruction of the city.Read More >

eclat

Ostentatious display. Dazzling effect. Brilliance.

educedBrought out. Extracted. Evoked.

effulgence

Brilliance, radiant splendor.egregious

Obviously bad. Flagrant.Eidolon

An eidolon is the astral double of a living being; a phantom-double of the human form; a shade orperispirit; the kamarupa after death, before its disintegration. The phantom can appear undercertain conditions to survivors of the deceased.

Elah-Gabalus

Usually spelled Elagabulus, emperor of Rome from 218-222, who indulged in the wildestdebaucheries. He was one of the most reviled Roman emperors to early historians. Finally, hisgrandmother had him assassinated.Read More >

Eldorado

A place used as a metaphor to represent an ultimate prize that one might spend their life seeking. Itcould represent true love, heaven, happiness, or success.Read More >

emaciation

in a very thin state, wasted away.ennui

Boredom, a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction.ennuye

Bored, weary in spirits, emotionally exhausted.entrails

Internal parts, usually the organs of a human body.ephemeron

Something short-lived or of no lasting significance.Epicurus


12/36

Epicurus was a philosopher from 300 B.C. He thought the highest pleasure (tranquility and freedomfrom fear) was obtained by knowledge, friendship, and living a virtuous and temperate life. Helauded the enjoyment of simple pleasures, by which he meant abstaining from bodily desires, suchas sex and appetites.

epigram

A terse, sage, or witty and often paradoxical saying. A concise poem dealing pointedly and often

satirically with a single thought or event.epithet

Expression. A characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of aperson or thing.

equivocal

Uncertain. Undecided. Subject to two or more interpretations and usually used to mislead orconfuse.

Erebus

In Greek mythology, Erebus, or rebos was a primordial god, personification of darkness, offspringof Chaos. He was brother of Nyx and father of Aether.

Eros

Greek god of love, where the word "erotic" comes from. Also, love conceived in the philosophy ofPlato as a fundamental creative impulse having a sensual element.erudition

Learning; extensive knowledge acquired chiefly from books.eschew

To avoid or shun, especially on moral or practical grounds.escritoire

A writing table or desk.escutcheon

A defined area on which armorial bearings are displayed and which usually consists of a shield. Aprotective or ornamental plate or flange. The part of a ship's stern on which the name is displayed.

ethereal

Heavenly. Of or relating to the regions beyond the earth.Eupatrids

One of the hereditary aristocrats of ancient Athens.euphony

Pleasing or sweet sound. The acoustic effect produced by words so formed or combined as to pleasethe ear.

evanescent

Something that vanishes like vapor, passing especially quickly into and out of existence.evinced

Displayed clearly; revealed.exacerbate

To make more violent, bitter, or severe.excoriations

Abrasions of the skin. Places where the skin is worn off.expectorate

To spit; to eject from the throat or lungs by coughing or hawking and spitting.expedient

Suitable for achieving a particular purpose in a given circumstance.


13/36

expostulation

reasoning earnestly with a person for purposes of talking them out of something.facilis descensus Averni

"The descent into Hell is easy", a quote from Virgil's "Aeneid", written around 20 BC. "Averni"translates to "Hell" because Lake Avernus was believed to be the entrance to the underworld.

fag end

A poor or worn-out end. The last part or coarser end of a web of cloth. The untwisted end of a rope.Falstaffian

Falstaff was a fat, convivial, roguish character in Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor and HenryIV.

fandango

Most important of the modern Spanish dances, for couples. The dance begins slowly and tenderly,the rhythm marked by the clack of castanets, snapping of fingers, and stomping of feet.

farthingale

A series of hoops worn especially in the 16th century beneath a skirt to expand it at the hipline.fastidious

Possessing or displaying careful, meticulous attention to detail; difficult to please; exacting.fathom

As a unit of measurement, a fathom is six feet.

15 fathoms = 90 feet40 fathoms = 240 feet

It also means, "to understand".fauces

The narrow passage from the mouth to the pharynx, situated between the soft palate and the baseof the tongue; -- called also the isthmus of the fauces. On either side of the passage twomembranous folds, called the pillars of the fauces, inclose the tonsils.

felicity

Happiness. The quality or state of being happy.fete

A lavish often outdoor entertainment, a large elaborate party.fetid

Having a heavy offensive smell.filigreed

Ornamental work especially of fine wire of gold, silver, or copper applied chiefly to gold and silversurfaces.

filliping

Flicking, striking or tapping with a quick motion.fiorituri

Taken from "fior" which means "flower" in Italian, fioratura refers to the actual flowery, embellishedvocal line within an aria.

flambeau

A flaming torch.flax

Flax fibres are amongst the oldest fibre crops in the world. The use of flax fibre to make cloth datesback to pre-Roman times. Coarser grades are used for the manufacturing of twine and rope.

flush deck


14/36

A continuous deck of a ship laid from stem to stern without any break.foolscap

A size of paper formerly standard in Great Britain, measuring 17.2 cm x 21.6 cm, or simply a pieceof writing paper.

footpads

Thieves who rob pedestrians. Muggers.forecastle

That part of the upper deck forward of the fore mast. Also, the forward part of the vessel, under thedeck, where the sailors live, in merchant vessels.

foredoomed

A fancy way to say "doomed".fortnight

Two weeks.fouled our anchor

The anchor became entangled in the chain or rope that it was connected to.francs

French dollars.Freemasons

A worldwide fraternal organization where members are joined together by shared ideals of both amoral and metaphysical nature. Certain aspects of Freemasonry are not generally revealed to thepublic. Its members have "secret handshakes" and other ways to recognize each other.Read More >

frieze

A sculptured or richly ornamented band (as on a building or piece of furniture).Fuseli

A well known British painter (1741-1825). He favored the supernatural, and pitched everything onan ideal scale, believing a certain amount of exaggeration necessary. He took this idea to extremes;and the violent and intemperate action which he often displays destroys the grand effect of many of

his pieces.Full Text >fustian

Excessively embellished or affected writing or speech.G--, the Prefect

The chief officer or chief magistrate.gainsayed

contradicted, opposed, declared to be untrue or invalid.gaiters

Cloth or leather leg coverings reaching from the instep to above the ankle or to mid-calf or knee.galvanic

Relating to, or producing a direct current of electricity.gaze aerienne

Airy gauzegelatinous

Resembling gelatin or jelly.gemmary

Pertaining to gems or jewels.gendarme


15/36

A police officer. A member of a body of soldiers especially in France serving as an armed policeforce for the maintenance of public order.

genii

A magic spirit believed to take human form and serve the person who calls it. Can also refer toangels. More commonly spelled "genie".

gesticulations

Expressive gestures made in showing strong feeling or in enforcing an argument.gesticulation

A motion of the body or limbs in speaking, or in representing action or passion, and enforcingarguments and sentiments.

ghee

A clarified butter without any solid milk particles or water. Ghee is used in India and throughoutSouth Asia in daily cooking.

gimlet

A small tool with a screw point, grooved shank, and cross handle for boring holes.gingham

A clothing fabric usually of yarn-dyed cotton in plain weave.

girtingSurrounding, encircling. More commonly spelled "girding".

glutinous

Having the quality of glue; gummyGorgias

An ancient Greek philosopher, and rhetorician. In his work, he argued that:1) Nothing exists2) Even if something exists, nothing can be known about it.3) Even if something could be known about it, knowledge about it can't be communicated to others.

Gorgias is credited with having invented the philosophy of nihilism, the view that the world, andespecially human existence, is without meaning, purpose, comprehensible truth, or essential value.Movements such as Dada, Deconstructionism, and Punk have been described by various observersas "nihilist".

gossamer

Something light, delicate, or insubstantial. A cobweb, for example.grandiloquent

A lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially inlanguage.

gunwale

Upper edge or topmost planking of the side of a ship or boat. Was also called gunnel.habiliment

Clothing. The dress characteristic of an occupation or occasion.

HalcyonHalcyon was a bird, now believed to have been the kingfisher. It was supposed to have a calminginfluence on the sea at the time of winter solstice. Folklore held that during the "halcyon days",from seven days before the solstice until seven days after it, storms would not occur at sea. Byextension, halcyon has come to mean the best period of one's life or career, or a period of greathappiness.

harangue

A ranting speech or writing. A lecture.


16/36


17/36

Those who practice Homeopathy. ("Homoeopathy" is an alternative spelling). Homeopathy isalternative methods of medical treatment, pioneered by German scientist Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in1796. The remedies are prepared from natural substances to precise standards and work bystimulating the body's own healing power.

horticulturist

A person who specializes in the art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants.

HouriOne of the beautiful maidens that in Muslim belief live with the blessed in paradise. In general, avoluptuously beautiful young woman.

Huguenot

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the ProtestantReformed Church of France. Above all, Huguenots became known for their fiery criticisms of worshipas performed in the Roman Catholic Church, in particular the focus on ritual and what seemed anobsession with death and the dead.

hyacinthine

Of the color of a hyacinth, either the gem or the flower.

In the Odyssey, Homer wrote, "... she also made the hair grow thick on the top of his head, andflow down in curls like hyacinth blossoms..."

hyperobtrusive

Especially obvious. Excessively vivid. Garish.

Poe made this word up and it was later added to the Oxford English Dictionary.hyperquizzitistical

It appears that Poe made this word up.hypocritical

Being a hypocrite. Saying one thing but acting or thinking in a contradictory manner.ichor

A thin watery or blood-tinged discharge.idiom

An expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either grammatically or in having ameaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements.

idiosyncrasy

A peculiarity of temperament. An individual hyper-sensitiveness, as to a drug or food.ignes fatui

"Foolish Light". An old term for the light sometimes seen in marshes and swamps, when seepingmethane gas self-ignites, creating flickering lights. To travellers, these lights (seemingly the lightsfrom distant lanterns) could act as a dangerous lure, tricking them off the safe path and ontotreacherous ground.

imbibed

Received into the mind and retained. Absorbed.imbued

Infused. Permeated, as if with dye.immolation

to be killed as a sacrificial victim.improvisatori

Those that improvise, like actors or poets.impunity


18/36

Freedom from any punishment, loss, or consequences.in articulo mortis

The moment of deathIn pace requiescat

"Rest in Peace".in sooth

In truth; In realityinanition

Loss of vitality that results from lack of food and water. The absence or loss of social, moral, orintellectual vitality or vigor.

incipient

Beginning. Becoming apparent.incubus

A nightmare. An oppressive thought like a nightmare. An evil spirit that has sexual intercourse withwomen while they are sleeping.

ineffable

Indescribable. Incapable of being expressed in words.inhumed

buried, as in a grave.inimitable

Not capable of being imitated. Matchless.Inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition. An institution by which people in Spain were converted to Christianity byforce. It was considered a "cleansing" of the people. A court, operated by Church authorities, woulddetermine if a person was a "heretic". A heretic could be a Jew, a Muslim, or anyone who didn'tclaim to be a christian or follow the Catholic Church. Heretics were tortured, burned at the stake, orexecuted. The Inquisition finally ended in 1834, during Poe's lifetime.Read More >

intemperanceHabitual or excessive consumption of alcohol. In general, a lack of moderation.

Poe had a problem with alcohol himself.invention of Hero

Hero (or Heron) of Alexandria (c.10c.70) was a Greek engineer and geometer. His most famousinvention was the first documented steam engine, the aeolipile.

Irene

Poe wrote a poem called "Irene" in 1831. It was later published as "The Sleeper".jaggeree

Now spelled "jaggery", it is an unrefined brown sugar made from palm sap. Jaggery is a nutritivesugar, high in vitamins and mineral salts. It is also very rich in iron, which helps prevents anemia.

Java

The island of Java is located in South Asia, next to the island of Sumatra, and below Borneo,Cambodia, and Vietnam. While Java is only the 13th largest island in the world, it is the mostpopulous island in the world, with a larger population than Australia.Read More >

Joseph Glanvill

Joseph Glanvill (1636-1680) was an English writer, philosopher, and clergyman. He wroteSadducismus Triumphatus, which contained a valuable collection of seventeenth century folklore


19/36

about witches.Read More >

Jove

In Roman mythology, Jupiter (sometimes shortened to Jove) held the same role as Zeus in theGreek pantheon. He was called Jupiter Optimus Maximus (Jupiter Best and Greatest) as the patrondeity of the Roman state, in charge of laws and social order.

juxtapositionThe act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side.

Kabbala

An interpretation of the Torah (Hebrew Bible), or the religious mystical system of Judaism claimingan insight into divine nature. A unique, universal and secret knowledge of God, the laws of natureand of the universe.Read More >

kirschenwasser

A cherry brandy manufactured chiefly in the Black Forest in Germany.Kraken

Probably no legendary sea monster was as horrifying as the Kraken. According to stories, this huge

creature, resembling a giant squid, could reach as high as the top of a sailing ship's main mast. TheKraken would attack a ship, wrap its arms around the hull and capsize it. The crew would drown orbe eaten by the monster.

Lachadive islands

Now spelled "Laccadive", a group of islands and coral reefs in the Arabian Sea off the southwestcoast of India.

laconic

Using or involving the use of a minimum of words; concise to the point of seeming rude ormysterious.

Lady Rowena Trevanion

"Lady Rowena" was also a character in the book, Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott in 1820.

Poe writes, "Lady Rowena Trevanion, of Tremaine." In Disney's version of "Cinderella", LadyTremaine is Cinderella's wicked stepmother. In the original version of Cinderella, written by Jacoband Wilhelm Grimm in 1812, the stepmother does not have a name.

lambent

Flickering. Playing lightly on or over a surface.larboard

The old name for the left hand side of a ship. It was officially changed to 'port' in 1844, to avoidconfusion with starboard.

Leibnitz

Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716). Along with Newton, jointly credited for the development of themodern calculus.

Read More >lethargic

sluggish, indifferentLethe

Forgetfulness. In Greek mythology, the Lethe is one of the rivers that flow through the realm ofHades. Called the River of Oblivion, the shades of the dead had to drink from this river to forgetabout their past lives on earth.

Liriodendron Tulipiferum


20/36

Family: Magnoliaceae (magnolia family)Common Names: tulip poplar, tulip tree, yellow poplar.

This large, stately deciduous tree is fairly common in the eastern United States. The tulip poplar cangrow to heights of over 100 ft (30.5m) with trunk diameters of 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m) not uncommon.

litterateur

A professional writer.locution

A word or expression characteristic of a region, group, or cultural level.Lord Verulam

One of the titles of Francis Bacon, born in London, 1561. He was a brilliant writer and philospher. Heoriginated the saying, "Knowledge is Power".

Bacon's actual quote, paraphrased by Poe in "Ligeia" is, "There is no excellent beauty that hath notsome strangeness in the proportion."Read More >

luminiferous ether

In ancient times, "luminiferous ether" was the substance which was thought to fill the upper regionsof space, beyond the clouds. In the 19th century, it was the term used to describe a medium for thepropagation of light.

Einstein's theories seem to disprove the existence of an ether, but even to this day, not all scientistsagree.Read More >

lustrum

A period of five years. A purification of the whole Roman people made in ancient times after thecensus every five years.

Luxor

The temple of Luxor was built in the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes by King Amenhotep III, 1390

BC.

Today, the Luxor is a hotel and casino in Las Vegas that is shaped like a pyramid. The original Luxortemple in Egypt was not a pyramid.Read More >

Machiavelli

Niccol Machiavelli (14691527) was a Florentine statesman and political philosopher.Mad Trist

A "story within a story", apparently created by Poe in "The Fall of the House of Usher". The narratoris reading the story and at the same time hears sounds that seem to coincide with what he isreading.

Madonna

Madonna is a medieval Italian term for a noble or otherwise important woman. In Western Christianart tradition this word is used for the works depicting the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.

magnetoesthetics

Poe made up this word. In context it probably means the study of attraction or "Animal Magnetism"between men and women.

Maison

French for House or building.Malays


21/36


22/36

A person with monomania, the excessive concentration on a single object or idea.morass

Marsh, swamp.Something that is difficult to deal with.

morceau

Morsel. Also a short literary or musical piece.Moresque

Having the characteristics of Moorish art or architecture.Moultrie

William Moultrie was an American general in the Revolution. He repulsed British attack on Sullivan'sIsland in Charleston Harbor in 1776, and defended Charleston again in 1779.

mummer

Actor, one who goes merrymaking in disguise during festivals.Mussulmans

MuslimsNaiad

In Greek mythology, the Naiads were a type of nymph who presided over fountains, wells, springs,

streams, and brooks.naphthaline

The modern spelling is naphthalene. A white solid with a strong smell; is also called mothballs,moth flakes, white tar, and tar camphor. Naphthalene is a natural component of fossil fuels such aspetroleum and coal.

In humans, exposure to large amounts of naphthalene may damage or destroy red blood cells.Some of the symptoms of this condition are fatigue, lack of appetite, restlessness, and pale skin.

Napoleons

French 20-franc gold coins.Nassau balloon

In 1837, Charles Green, Robert Holland, and Thomas Monck Mason really did take a balloon tripfrom London, England to Weilburg, Germany. Poe used this well known event to add credibility tohis story.

Neapolitans

Natives or inhabitants of Naples, Italy.necromancy

sorcery: the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnaturaleffects in the world; conjuring up the dead, especially for prophesying.

Nemo me impune lacessit

"No one provokes me with impunity". This motto appears on the royal arms of Scotland.nepenthe

A potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow; Something capable ofcausing oblivion of grief or suffering.

neufchatelish

Refers to Neufchtel-en-Bray (town of Normandy - France). Town famed for its cheese-making.Newfoundland

Any of a breed of very large heavy highly intelligent black, black and white, or bronze dogsdeveloped in Newfoundland.

Nicholas Klimm

Baron Ludwig Holberg (1684-1754) wrote a story about a voyage to the land of death and back.


23/36

Night Thoughts

A poem about life, death, and immortality, written by British author Edward Young in 1742.Read More >

nihility

Nonexistence; nothingnessnitre

Also spelled "niter". Nitre is a clear or white mineral crystal of potassium nitrate. It usually is foundas massive encrustations and effervescent growths on cavern walls and ceilings where solutionscontaining alkali potassium and nitrate seep into the openings. Niter has been known since ancienttimes. The name is from Hebrew nter, for salt derived ashes. It is also known as Saltpetre.

nom de plume

A "Pen Name", or a pseudonym adopted by an author for various reasons.non distributio medii

Fallacy of the undistributed middle. A seemingly logical reasoning that is not always true.

Example:1. All students carry backpacks.

2. My father carries a backpack.3. Therefore, my father is a student.

This logic sounds good at first but there are obviously problems with it. Even if the first twostatements are true, it doesn't mean my father is a student.Read More >

non-plussed

Perplexed. To cause to be at a loss as to what to say, think, or do.Norman

A native or inhabitant of Normandy. One of the Scandinavian conquerors of Normandy in the 10thcentury.

Nourjahad

A reference to "The History of Nourjahad", written in 1767 by Frances Sheridan.Nouvelle Heloise

A romantic novel by Jean-Jacques Rousseau written in 1761. It was banned in France at the time itwas written.

obeisance

A gesture of respect, like kneeling or bowing before a king.obstreperous

Marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness; Stubbornly resistant to control.obtuse

1. An angle greater than 90 degrees. For example, the angles of a stop sign are obtuse.2. Dull, blunt, not pointed.

3. A stupid person.occiput

The back part of the head or skull.ocular

Having something to do with the eyes.Oedipus

The son of Laius and Jocasta who in fulfillment of an oracle unknowingly kills his father and marrieshis mother.


24/36

The "Oedipus complex" is a concept developed by Sigmund Freud in the early 20th century, and isdisputed by psychologists today.Read More >

ossification

The natural process of bone formation; the hardening (as of muscular tissue) into a bony

substance; a mass or particle of ossified tissue.Ourang-Outang

The modern spelling is orangutan. A largely herbivorous arboreal ape of Borneo and Sumatra thatis about two thirds as large as the gorilla and has brown skin, long sparse reddish brown hair, andvery long arms.

outre

Bizarre; Violating convention or propriety.Pagan

A follower of a polytheistic religion, as in ancient Rome. One who has little or no religion and whodelights in sensual pleasures and material goods.

pall

A heavy cloth draped over a coffin; an overspreading element that produces an effect of gloomPallas

Pallas is probably Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. Poe himself writes,

"...the bust of Pallas being chosen, first, as most in keeping with the scholarship of the lover, and,

secondly, for the sonorousness of the word, Pallas, itself."palliative

Reducing the violence of a disease; easing symptoms without curing the underlying disease.pallid

Pale, lacking color.palpably

Easily perceptible by the mind. Capable of being touched.pantaloons

Close-fitting trousers usually having straps passing under the instep and worn especially in the 19thcentury.

pantheistical

Doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe. The worship of all gods ofdifferent creeds, cults, or peoples indifferently.

paradox

A statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true.An argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by valid deduction fromacceptable premises. A person that possesses seemingly contradictory qualities or phases.

paradoxical

A paradox is a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet isperhaps true.

parallelogram

A geometric figure with sides that are parallel and equal. A square and a rectangle are bothparallelograms. A diamond (as in playing cards) is also a parallelogram.

Parian

Of or relating to the island of Paros noted for its marble used extensively for sculpture in ancienttimes.


25/36

Parisian

Of or relating to Paris, France.paroxysms

Convulsions or fits. Sudden violent emotions or actions.partisan

A firm adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person; especially one exhibiting blind, prejudiced,and unreasoning allegiance.pasquinaded

Publicly made fun of, lampooned. Pasquino was the name given to a statue in Rome on whichlampoons were posted.

passes for Amontillado

A dry sherry noted for its delicate bouquet, resembling the wine of Montilla, Spain, from which itderives its name. A blend of pale, dry sherries of the palma type, it assumes in aging a darker color.

patrician

Aristocrat. A person of breeding and cultivation. A member of one of the original citizen families ofancient Rome.

pectoral muscles

Any of the muscles which connect the ventral walls of the chest with the bones of the upper armand shoulder.

pendulous

Poised without visible support.penuriousness

Stinginess, given to or marked by extreme frugality.peregrinations

Travels on foot, long walks.perforations

Openings or holes.pernicious

Highly injurious or destructive; wicked.Persepolis

The ancient capital of the Persian empire. It was plundered and burned by Alexander the Great.pertinacity

Adhering resolutely to an opinion, purpose, or design. Perversely persistent.petulantly

Rudely or insolently. Characterized by temporary or capricious ill humor.phantasm

Illusion, ghost, a product of fantasy, a mental representation of a real object.phantasmagoric

A constantly shifting complex succession of things seen or imagined. An exhibition or display of

optical effects and illusions.phrenologist

A person who studies the conformation of the skull based on the belief that it is indicative of mentalfaculties and character.

phthisis

A progressively wasting or consumptive condition; especially pulmonary tuberculosis.physiognomy


26/36

Inner character or quality revealed outwardly. The art of discovering temperament and characterfrom outward appearance.

pine

As a verb, to yearn intensely and persistently especially for something unattainable.placid

Tranquil, gentle, quiet, or undisturbed.plebeian

One of the common people; a member of the Roman plebsPlutarch

Mestrius Plutarch (c.45-c.120) was a Greek historian, biographer and moralist. He was best knownfor his character studies of famous Greeks and Romans. He was a senior priest at the Oracle ofDelphi. His works greatly influenced Shakespeare, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Milton, and SirFrancis Bacon.Read More >

Pluto

The Roman god of the underworld.Plutonian

Relating to Pluto, the god of the underworld in Roman mythology.poop

A deck raised over the after part of the spar deck. A vessel is pooped when the sea breaks over herstern.

Porphyrogene

Poe may have created the form of the word for his poem.

porphyrogeniteA Byzantine emperor's son born in the purple or porphyry room assigned to empresses, hence aprince born after his father's accession; a person born into the nobility.

posteriori

Reasoning from observed facts.praeternatural

Supernatural, or inexplicable by ordinary means.precocity

having mature qualities at an unusually early age.prevarication

To deviate from the truth.prima donna

Italian for "first lady." the female star of an opera. In modern usage, it has come to mean a a vainand temperamental person.

Procrustean

Marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard of individual differences or special circumstances.prodigious

Enormous, unusually large, causing amazement or wonder.promulgate

To make known by open declaration.propitious

Benevolent, being of good omen.provincialists


27/36

A native or inhabitant of a province.Psyche

The tale of Eros and Psyche first appeared as a digressionary story told by an old woman in LuciusApuleius' novel, The Golden Ass, written in the second century. Apuleius probably used an earlierfolk-tale as the basis for his story. Read on its own, it is for the most part a mixture ofstraightforward fairy tale and parody.

Read More >Ptolemy

Claudius Ptolemaeus (c.100c.178), was an ancient geographer, astronomer, and astrologer wholived and worked in Egypt.Read More >

Ptolemy Hephestion

Apparently this person does not exist.

"... In brief, Poe invented a geographer from a desert region who mapped a non-existent oceanwhich swept men into darkness, in a work conceived as the illumination of man's understanding ofthe order of the universe and dedicated to the most distinguished explorer and geographer of hisown day."

- from Harriet R. Holman's article discussing Poe's work, "Eureka".puncheon

A large cask of varying capacity.punctilious

Concerned about precise accordance with the details of codes or conventions.purloined

To take something wrongfully and often by a breach of trust. It is about the same as stealing butnot exactly. In Poe's story, the Queen sees the Minister take the letter but cannot say anything tostop him due to the nature of the letter itself.

purloiner

Thief, burglar.Pyrrhonism

The doctrines of a school of ancient extreme skeptics who suspended judgment on everyproposition.

pan

A joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph.quaff

to drink deeplyquiescence

Inactivity, repose, tranquility.Rabelais

Franois Rabelais (1493-1553) was a Renaissance writer, born in France. In his first book of the"Gargantua" series, Rabelais sang the praises of the wines from his hometown through vividdescriptions of the "eat, drink and be merry" lifestyle. Despite the great popularity of his books,they were condemned by academics and the Roman Catholic Church.Read More >

raconteur

A person who excels in telling anecdotes.Radcliffe


28/36

Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823). English novelist, a most original and distinguished writer of Gothicromances, fond of vivid description, startling events and horrors.Read More >

rapture

Ecstasy. A state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion. A mysticalexperience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things.

rara avis in terrisLatin for "A rare bird upon the earth".

recherche

Exquisite, pretentious, overblown.recusant

One who refuses to accept or obey established authority. An English Roman Catholic of the timefrom about 1570 to 1791 who refused to attend services of the Church of England and therebycommitted a statutory offense.

reduplication

An act or instance of doubling or reiterating.regulus of cobalt

Pure Cobalt was regulus of cobalt (CoAsS). Named by the copper miners of the Hartz Mountainsafter the evil spirits the "kobolds" which gave a false copper ore.

rencontre

A violent meeting. Can also be a contest between forces or individuals, like combat.revel

A wild party or celebration.reverie

The condition of being lost in thought; daydreaming.rheum

A watery discharge from the mucous membranes especially of the eyes or nose.rheumatism

Any of various conditions characterized by inflammation or pain in muscles, joints, or fibrous tissue;rheumatoid arthritis.

Rhine

A river in Europe, flowing from Switzerland to the Netherlands, bordering Austria and Germany.ribands

Ribbons used as decorations.Rochefoucauld

La Rochefoucauld, le Prince de Marcillac (1613-1680), was the greatest maxim writer of France.Read More >

roquelaire

A knee-length cloak worn especially in the 18th and 19th centuries. Also spelled "roquelaure".

rubicundRuddy, having a healthy reddish color.

Rue

The french word for "Street". "Rue Morgue" would then be translated as "Morgue Street".ruminating

To go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly. To chew repeatedly for an extendedperiod.

runic


29/36

Runes were characters of several alphabets used by the Germanic peoples until the 13th century.They were first used over 1500 years ago by the East Goths, and later appeared throughoutEngland and Scandinavia. The word "rune" itself comes from an early Anglo-Saxon word meaning"secret" or "mystery", and they remain an enigma to the modern world.

sagacious

Having or showing keen discernment, sound judgment, and farsightedness. Shrewd.

sagacityShrewdness. Having keen perception of the senses.

sallied

Leaped, burst forth.sanctimonious

having a "holier-than-thou" attitude; excessively or hypocritically pious.sanguine

Confident and optimistic.

It also means "bloodred" or consisting of or relating to blood. Another interesting word choice byPoe.

SaracenicA member of a nomadic people of the deserts between Syria and Arabia. Arab.

sarcophagus

Coffin, particularly ones from ancient Egypt.sate

An old spelling of "sat", past tense of "sit". "Sate" also means to indulge past the point of beingmerely satisfied. It implies losing interest in something because of doing it too much.

Satyrs

Deities in Greek mythology having the torso of a man and the body of a horse or goat (2 legs). Panwas a Satyr who lived in the woods, played a flute, and was fond of unrestrained revelry.

Scarabaeus

Any of a family (Scarabaeidae) of stout-bodied beetles with lamellate or flabellate antennae. A stoneor earthenware glazed beetle used in ancient Egypt as a talisman, ornament, and a symbol ofresurrection.

Scholiasts

Commentators, annotators. People who write marginal remarks.schooner-rigged smack

An English Fishing Smack was a wooden sailing vessel with two masts, and usually around 60 feetin length. The Smack brought home the fish to Market for most of the 19th Century and even insmall numbers up to the Second World War.

scimitar

A saber having a curved blade with the edge on the convex side and used chiefly by Arabs andTurks.

scruplesMental reservation; an ethical consideration or principle that inhibits action.

scythe

A farming implement composed of a long curving blade fastened at an angle to a long handle.

The Grim Reaper, the personification of death, is usually pictured as a cloaked skeleton holding ascythe.

sedge


30/36

Any of a family of usually tufted marsh plants.sedition

Incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority.Seneca

Around 50 AD, Lucius Annaeus Seneca wrote, "Nil sapientiae odiosius acumine nimio" (Nothing ismore hateful to wisdom than excessive cleverness). Seneca wrote this about his student, Nero.

Later, when Nero was Emperor of Rome, he ordered Seneca to commit suicide.Read More >

sepulchre

A place of burial, usually a tomb.seraphim

An order of angels;The 6-winged angels standing in the presence of God.

seraphs

An order of angels;The 6-winged angels standing in the presence of God.

sharpersSwindlers, cheating gamblers.

Simonides

A greek poet from the 7th century B.C.simoom

A hot dry violent dust-laden wind from Asian and African deserts. The name comes from the Arabicfor poison, since nomads have a lot of trouble with these quick sandstorms.

It is unclear why Poe used this word in "Manuscript Found in a Bottle". He probably meant typhoon.sinciput

The forehead, or the upper half of the skull.Sir George Cayley

An English inventor who built various flying machines. In 1853, 4 years after Poe's death, Cayleydesigned and built a working, piloted glider, nearly fifty years before the Wright Brothers. He alsoinvented self-righting life-boats, tension-spoke wheels, automatic signals for railway crossings, andseat-belts.Read More >

snuff-box

A small container for holding snuff, a preparation of pulverized tobacco to be inhaled through thenostrils, chewed, or placed against the gums.

sodden

Dull or expressionless especially from continued indulgence in alcoholic beverages.soiree

(swa-ray) A party or reception held in the evening.sojourn

A temporary stay.soliloquy

The act of talking to oneself. A dramatic monologue that gives the illusion of being a series ofunspoken reflection.

Solomon de Caus


31/36

Little is known about the life of Salomon de Caus (1576-1626). He invented a steam poweredfountain that used a round container of water that was heated by a flame. He described solar-powered steam engines, but it is unclear whether or not he ever attempted to build one.

Somnambula

La sonnambula (The Sleepwalker) is an opera semiseria in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini to an Italianlibretto by Felice Romani.

Read More >spurious

False. Forged. Outwardly similar or corresponding to something without having its genuine qualities.Spurzheimites

Followers of Spurzheim. Johann Gaspar Spurzheim (1776-1823) appears to have first popularizedthe word "phrenology," meaning "the study of the mind." According to Spurzheim's system, thecerebral faculties were either affective (pertaining to emotions and tendencies, such ascombativeness, cautioness, and hope) or intellectual (perceptive and reflective, such as size,weight, calculation, time, and comparison).

Stamboul

Istanbul, historically Byzantium and later Constantinople, is Turkey's most populous city, and itscultural and financial center. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia)side of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world which is situated on twocontinents.

stereotomy

Stonecutting. The science or art of cutting stones into certain figures or sections, as arches, and thelike.

stertorous

characterized by a harsh snoring or gasping soundstockinet

A soft elastic usually cotton fabric used especially for bandages and infants' wear.studding-sail

Light sails set outside the square sails, on booms rigged out for that purpose. They are only carried

with a fair wind and in moderate weather.suavity

Being smooth though often superficially gracious and sophisticated.Sullivan's Island

Sullivan's Island is located at 3245'48" North, 7950'16" West (32.763456, -79.837911)

Edgar Allen Poe was stationed there in Fort Moultrie from 1827 to 1828. As of the year 2000, thereare 1911 people residing in the town.

Sully

Thomas Sully (June 19, 1783 - November 5, 1872) was a well-known U.S. (English-born) painter,mostly of portraits.

Read More >sulphureous

An older spelling of "sulfurous". Relating to, or containing sulphur. Also relating to, or dealing withthe fires of hell.

Sunda islands

The Lesser Sunda Islands are a number of smaller islands between 800 and 1200 miles east ofJakarta (formerly Batavia), Indonesia.

sunder


32/36

To sever. To separate by or as if by violence.supercilious

Proud, coolly and patronizingly haughty.supererogation

The act of performing more than is required by duty, obligation, or need.superinduced

To introduce as an addition over or above something already existing.surcease

To put an end to; discontinue.surcingle

A belt, band, or girth passing around the body of a horse to bind a saddle or pack fast to the horse'sback.

Swammerdamm

Johann Jacob Swammerdamm, wrote "Historia Insectorum generalis" (1669), which was latertranslated into English as "The Book of Nature" or, "The History of Insects" (1758).

Swedenborg

Emmanual Swedenborg was Swedish mystic and philosopher. He published works the mystery of

soul-body interaction during the early 1740s.sybils

Women regarded as oracles or prophets by the ancient Greeks and Romans.syllabification

The act, process, or method of forming or dividing words into syllables. Also "syllabication".Sylph

An immortal yet soulless (elemental) being that inhabits the air. They are mentioned by themedieval physician Paracelsus.

symposium

A social gathering at which there is free interchange of ideas. A formal meeting at which severalspecialists deliver short addresses on a topic or on related topics.

syncopeLoss of consciousness resulting from insufficient blood flow to the brain.

Tadmor

An ancient desert city mentioned in the Bible as being fortified by Solomon.taffrail

The railing around a ship's stern.tapers

As a noun, a taperis a slender candle.tarn

A bog or marsh. Can also be a mountain lake.teetotum

A small spinning top usually inscribed with letters.tenor

The drift of something spoken or written. The concept, object, or person meant in a metaphor.

The voice part next to the lowest in a 4-part chorus. Also, the melodic line usually forming thecantus firmus in medieval music.

Tertullian


33/36

Tertullian is a controversial figure in the history of Christianity. On one hand, he was the theologianwho introduced the term trinity (L. trinitas) to the Christian vocabulary. On the other hand, he leftthe orthodox Catholic Church late in his life and joined a cult, and was thus never declared a saintby the Church.

Thebes

The capital of Egypt during part of the Eleventh Dynasty. Its archaeological remains offer a striking

testimony to Egyptian civilization at its height.Thule

Thule, pronounced "thoo-lee", was the northernmost part of the ancient world, usually an island,and often Iceland.

Ultima Thule in medieval geographies may also denote any distant place located beyond the"borders of the known world."

thunderstricken

Astonished. Overwhelmed, as if struck by lightning.tinctured

Affected. Infused or instilled with an idea or property. Also to tint or stain with a color.tintinnabulation

The ringing or sounding of bells. A jingling or tinkling sound as if of bells.

[This word is frequently misspelled as "tintinabulation". In an 1849 printing of Poe's poem, it wasspelled correctly. In an 1850 printing, it was misspelled. Poe was dead before either printing.]

Toledo

A city in Spain where many of the Inquisitorial trials of the Spanish Inquisition were held.tons burthen

The cargo capacity of the ship.torpid

Numb. Having lost motion or the power of exertion or feeling. Sluggish in functioning or acting.tournure

A woman's shape or figure; Any device used by women to expand the skirt of a dress below thewaist; French bustle used to replace petticoats.

transcendentalism

Philosophy that advocates that there is an ideal spiritual state that 'transcends' the physical andempirical and is only realized through a knowledgeable intuitive awareness that is conditional uponthe individual. The concept emerged in New England in the early-to mid-nineteenth century (duringPoe's lifetime).

trebled

As a verb, treble means to grow to three t imes the size, amount, or number.Trepanning

A form of surgery in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the skull, while leaving the membrane

around the brain intact. It was performed to reduce abnormal intracranial pressure. Trepanation isgenerally no longer practiced and is now illegal in most parts of the world.

trepidation

Fear, apprehension.trumpery

A trivial or worthless article. A piece of junk. Complete nonsense.trysail


34/36

A small fore-and-aft sail hoisted abaft the foremast and mainmast in a storm to keep a ship's bowto the wind.

tubercles

small, abnormal discrete lumps in the substance of an organ or in the skin; especially the specificlesions of tuberculosis.

tunica albuginea

The tough fibrous covering of the testicles or the dense, white fibrous tissue of the eye.typhus

A name given to several similar diseases caused by Rickettsiae bacteria. Symptoms are headache,fever, chills, exhaustion, and rash. Also known as "prison fever" and as "ship fever", because itbecomes prevalent in crowded conditions in prisons and aboard ships.

Typhoid fever is a completely different disease caused by various strains of Salmonella, and shouldnot be confused with typhus.

Ultima Thule

The farthest and northernmost part of the habitable ancient world. The extreme limits of humansurvival.

unequivocal

Unquestionable. Leaving no doubt.unfeigned

Sincere, honest.unruffled

Poised and serene especially in the face of setbacks or confusion. Smooth.vacillating

Hesitating. Going back and forth between two opinions or courses of action.vaudeville

A light often comic theatrical piece frequently combining pantomime, dialogue, dancing, and song.Stage entertainment consisting of various acts (as performing animals, acrobats, comedians,dancers, or singers).

veloute

A white sauce made of chicken, veal, or fish stock and cream and thickened with butter and flour.venerable

Calling forth respect through age, character, and attainments. Made sacred especially by religious orhistorical association.

verdant

Green in tint or color. Also, unripe in experience or judgment.veriest

A typical example. Properly entitled to the name or designation.Ververt et Chartreuse

Two poems by Jean Baptiste Gresset (1709-1777), best known for "Ververt" or "Vert-Vert". Thepoem is about a parrot, owned by a convent of nuns, that mistakenly learns swear words.

vestige

A trace, mark, or visible sign left by something. A bodily part or organ that is small and degenerateor imperfectly developed.

viand

An item of food.vicissitudes


35/36

Natural changes or mutations visible in nature or in human affairs. Favorable or unfavorable eventsor situations that occurs by chance.

vielle cour

"Old Yard"vignette

A picture where the image fades off gradually into the surrounding paper, a short descriptive

literary sketch, a brief incident or scene.virtuoso

One skilled in the fine arts, in antiquities, and the like; a collector or ardent admirer of curiosities,etc. In music, a virtuoso is a performer on some instrument who excels in the technical part of hisart.

vis inertiae

The force of inertia. Newton's first law is the law of inertia: When no force acts on an object (orwhen the forces acting on it cancel), it moves in a straight line at constant speed.Read More >

vituperate

Berate, scold, to use harsh condemnatory language.

vociferatedTo cry out loudly, shout.

volition

The act of making a choice. The capability of conscious choice and decision and intention.Voltaire

Franois-Marie Arouet (16941778), better known by the pen name Voltaire, was a FrenchEnlightenment writer, deist and philosopher. One of Voltaire's stories is about a character namedZadig.

voluminously

Having or marked by great volume or bulk. Consisting of many folds, coils, or convolutions.vouchsafed

To grant or furnish often in a gracious or condescending manner. To grant as a privilege or specialfavor.waistcoat

Another name for a vest. Once a virtually mandatory piece of men's clothing, it is rarely seen intoday's world of casual dress. It is still worn as part of a formal, three piece suit.

wan

Dim, faint, pallid, suggesting poor health.waylaid

Ambushed. Attacked by surprise.well of Democritus

According to legend, the well of Democritus was bottomless. It should also be noted thatDemocritus, a contemporary of Socrates and Plato, is known for laying the foundation for themodern atomic theory, declaring that matter cannot be destroyed but merely changes from oneform to another.

Welsh rabbit

Melted and often seasoned cheese poured over toast or crackers.William Henson

William Samuel Henson was an engineer and inventor who was familiar with the aeronautical workof George Cayley. In 1843, he received a patent on his design for a steam engine powered airplane.None of his attempts to build it were successful.


36/36

wont

As a noun, a wontis a habitual way of doing something. Pronounced like "want".wore motley

To wear the costume of a "motley fool" or a court jester. This was a multi-colored outfit and funnyhat with bells hanging from it. On most decks of playing cards, the Joker is p ictured in this outfit.

Xerxes

The king of Persia (486-465), invaded Greece by bridging Hellespont. The invasion ultimately failed,signaling beginning of decline of Achaemenid Empire.

yawl

A ship's small boat.Zaffre

Zaffre is a crude oxide of cobalt obtained by heating cobalt ore in a current of air. It was used toprepare smalt and to stain glass blue during Victorian times.

zeal

Enthusiasm for a person, cause, or object.

Documents

Edgar Allan Poe Word List