The Crucible Vocabulary
Acts I-IV
inert• adjective
• Having no power of action, motion or resistance; inactive or unable to react
• She was lying inert in her bed when her mother tried to wake her for school.
somber• adjective
• Gloomily dark; depressing or dismal; serious
• The mood at her grandmother’s funeral was somber.
theocracy
• noun
• A form of government in which God is recognized as the supreme civil ruler
• The Puritans lived under a theocracy; therefore, worshipping Satan was against the law.
hearty• adjective
• vigorous and healthy; warm-hearted and affectionate
• Our mother cooked us a hearty meal consisting of meat, potatoes, and vegetables.
dissemble• verb
• To give a false or misleading appearance; to conceal the truth
• Abigail Williams has an endless capacity for dissembling because she is living a lie.
faction• noun
• A group or clique within a larger group; strife or trouble within a group
• There was a faction against Thomas Putnam in Salem.
abomination• noun
• A vile, shameful, horrible, detestable action; anything disliked as evil or hated
• Dancing in the forest was considered an abomination to the Puritans.
vindictive• adjective
• Inclined or likely to get revenge; showing a vengeful spirit
• Many vindictive Puritans of Salem used witchcraft accusations to get back at those with whom they had a conflict
corroborate• verb
• To make certain; to confirm, authenticate or validate
• The two scientists corroborated their hypothesis about global warming
intimation• noun
• A hint or suggestion
• Her father had a slight intimation about the party she had the night before.
formidable• adjective
• Causing fear, apprehension, or dread; of awesome strength or size
• The undefeated football team was a formidable opponent.
• Cleaning her room as a formidable task.
trepidation• noun
• Tremulous fear, alarm; trembling or quivering
• Her trepidation about giving the speech increased as she took the stage.
prodigious• adjective
• Extraordinary in size, amount, or extent; wonderful or marvelous; monstrous
• The prodigious Rocky Mountains are a well-known natural beauty.
inquisitive• adjective
• Given to asking questions;; eager for knowledge; intellectually curious; prying
• Her inquisitive nature came in handy when she became a reporter.
arbitrate• verb
• To determine or settle an argument or dispute
• Since she was skilled at arbitration, she decided to become a counselor.
squabble• Verb and noun
• To engage in a petty quarrel or fight
• The family’s squabble over money lasted for years.
iniquity• Noun
• An injustice or wickedness; a violation; sin
• Because of her numerous iniquities, she was known as a sinner and thought to be worshipping the devil.
defamation• Noun
• The act of injuring the good reputation of another, as by slander (using language/insult)
• When she made up the rumor about her friend, it was undoubtedly a cruel act of defamation.
anarchy• Noun
• A state of society without government or law; lack of obedience to an authority
• When her parents were gone, the home was in a complete state of anarchy.
licentious• Adjective
• Sexually unrestrained; immoral or going beyond proper bounds or limits; disregarding rules
• Her promiscuously immoral habits caused her to be known as a licentious trouble maker.
Act II
condemnation• Noun
• An expression of disapproval; a judgment; an accusation
• He expressed his condemnation after he witnessed her horrible behavior.
scoff• Verb
• To mock or speak badly about; to belittle
• When her daughter asked for a new car, the mother scoffed at the idea.
conviction• Noun
• A fixed or firm belief
• Her convictions allowed her to live an honest life.
ameliorate• Verb
• To make or become better or more bearable; to improve
• He hoped to ameliorate the situation by lending a helping hand.
compact• Noun
• A formal agreement between two or more parties or states; a contract
• Tituba claimed to have made a compact with the Devil.
base• Adjective
• Morally low; immoral; dishonorable
• John Proctor asked his wife if she thought he was base for his indiscretions.
pious• Adjective
• Showing a reverence for God; extremely religious
• Rebecca Nurse was known as a pious woman who went to church and prayed regularly.
wily• adjective
• Full of tricks; tricky or sly; deceitful
• Abigail Williams is a wily girl who tells lies to get power.
trifle• noun
• A matter or thing of little value or importance; a small thing
• When they went for coffee, they talked of trifles.
covet• verb
• To desire wrongfully; to want to wish for eagerly
• Thomas Putnam coveted the land of others, so he accused them of witchcraft.
quail• verb
• To shrink in fear; to cower
• When she saw a spirit, she quailed in fear.
evasively
• adverb
• Avoiding ; not answering straightforwardly
• She evasively answered his difficult questions.
gingerly• adverb
• Done with great care; carefully
• She gingerly placed the eggs into her basket so as not to break them.
calamity• noun
• A great disaster or catastrophe; a misfortune
• Many people’s homes were left in ruins after the calamity of Hurricane Sandy.
vengeance• noun
• Infliction of harm; violent revenge; desire for revenge
• Thomas Putnam sought vengeance and began accusing innocent people of witchcraft.
menacingly
• adverb
• Harmfully, dangerously; done in a way that causes harm; threateningly
• Government soldiers in armored vehicles menacingly drove through the streets firing into crowds.
blasphemy• noun
• Cursing or disrespecting God or sacred things
• Blasphemy is a serious crime in Puritan society and could cause one to be accused of witchcraft.
lechery• noun
• Unrestrained sexual desire; excessive indulgence; lust
• John Proctor committed an act of lechery when he had the affair with Abigail Williams.
pretense• noun
• Pretending; make believe
• The girls in Salem were never punished for excessive pretense
providence• noun
• Luck or divine intervention; fate; The care and guidance of God or nature over the creatures of the earth
• The Puritans believed there was providence in Salem, so they behaved according to the laws of God
Act III
abundant• adjective
• Present in great quantity; well supplied; plentiful
• She had such an abundant supply of clothes that she gave things away to her friends.
scorn• noun
• Disrespect or despisal of something
• Religious people expressed their scorn for the Devil.
remorseless
• adjective
• Without guilt in spite of wrongdoing; inhuman
• When Abigail Williams seemed remorseless when she accused Tituba of making her conjure.
daft• adjective
• Senseless; stupid or foolish; insane or crazy
• Elizabeth thought her husband John had gone daft when he cheated
contentious
• adjective
• Tending to argue; causing conflict or arguments
• The relationship between the Putnams and most other people in Salem is contentious because the Putnams always have conflict with others.
affidavit• noun
• A written declaration upon oath used for evidence in court; testimony; a sworn statement
• Giles Corey was asked by the judges to submit his affidavit that his wife is not a witch.
contempt• noun
• Antipathy (not caring); aversion; disrespect; hatred of something
• Many people in Salem were arrested on charges of contempt, which is disrespect of the court.
baffle• verb
• To confuse or bewilder; to frustrate or perplex
• Judge Danforth appears baffled when he hears that the girls were pretending
deferentially• adverb
• Respectfully following judgment or opinion of others; respectful or courteous regard.
• The people of Salem have to approach the judges deferentially, or they might otherwise be arrested.
summon• verb
• To call into action; to command or gather
• Many people in Salem were summoned to the court on charges of witchcraft.
effrontery• noun
• Shameless boldness; audacity
• Judge Danforth exclaims that he will not have any effrontery in his court, so most people kept to themselves.
incredulously• adverb
• Skeptically; done in a way that shows disbelief
• Many watched incredulously as Elizabeth Proctor, a good woman, was taken away on charges of witchcraft.
solemn• adjective
• Grave or serious as a person in speech, tone, or mood
• His manner was solemn at his grandmother’s funeral while he read the elegy.
pretense• noun
• Pretending; make believe
John Proctor tries to tell Reverend Hale that everything the girls do is pretense and that no one should believe them.
apprehensively• adverb
• Uneasy or fearful about something that might happen
• Elizabeth Proctor apprehensively opened the door for Reverend Hale to come in and question her about her religious nature.
vengeance
• noun
• Infliction of injury or harm to another; the desire for revenge
• The Putnams are famously known for seeking vengeance on many of those in Salem by accusing them of witchcraft.
deception• noun
• Misleading by a false appearance; unfaithfulness
• Abigail Williams is an expert at deception because she is able to trick many of those around her.
allegiance• noun
• Loyalty or devotion to something or someone
• Tituba is pressured into admitting that she has an allegiance to the Devil.
befoul• verb
• To make dirty or filthy; defile; to soil
• The judges agree that witchcraft has befouled many people in Salem.
denounce• verb
• To condemn or disapprove of something publicly; to make a formal accusation against
• At the end of act three, Reverend Hale denounces the proceedings and quits the court.
Act IV
gaunt• adjective
• Extremely thin and bony, as from great hunger, weariness, or torture; emaciated
• After he had been in jail for months, John Proctor wasn’t eating and became very gaunt.
excommunication• noun
• To sentence a member of the church to exclusion from the church or community
• John Proctor was excommunicated from the church in Salem because of the accusations against him.
beguile• verb
• To influence by trickery or flattery; to mislead, charm, or divert
• The judges don’t want to admit they’ve been beguiled by the girls.
retaliate• verb
• To take action against, especially by returning some injury or wrong
• John Proctor was the only one willing to retaliate against the judges.
adamant• adjective
• Unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of urgings; not willing to change
• Reverend Hale was adamant about trying to get people to confess to save their lives.
indictment
• noun
• A formal accusation or charge
• Many people in Salem faced false indictments.
spite• noun
• Malicious (negative) desire to harm, frustrate, or annoy another
• John Proctor would not confess out of spite.
penitence
• noun
• Regret for one’s wrongdoing or sinning
• The judges seemed to have no penitence for what they had done and only cared about themselves.
salvation
• noun
• The act of saving or protecting from harm, risk, loss, or destruction
• John Proctor would rather die than gain salvation from the corrupt church.
incredulous• adjective
• Skeptical or unsure; showing disbelief
• The judges were incredulous when it came to hearing testimonies.