68 words to know before reading Ethan Frome

1. Relating to plants or plant life.
2. Pertaining to the scientific study of plants (botany).

I had had an uneasy sense that the New England of fiction bore little—except a vague botanical and dialectical—resemblance to the harsh and beautiful land as I had seen it. Even the abundant

1. Relating to the logical discussion of ideas and opinions.
2. Pertaining to dialectics, a method of reasoning through contradictions.

uneasy sense that the New England of fiction bore little—except a vague botanical and dialectical—resemblance to the harsh and beautiful land as I had seen it. Even the abundant enumeration of

1. The state of being similar or alike in appearance or nature.
2. A similarity or comparison between two things.

that the New England of fiction bore little—except a vague botanical and dialectical—resemblance to the harsh and beautiful land as I had seen it. Even the abundant enumeration of sweet-fern,

1. Existing in large quantities; plentiful.
2. More than enough; ample.

and dialectical—resemblance to the harsh and beautiful land as I had seen it. Even the abundant enumeration of sweet-fern, asters and mountain-laurel, and the conscientious reproduction of the

1. A non-flowering plant with feathery leaves, reproducing via spores.
2. A symbol of sincerity or new beginnings in various cultures.

or whom he could hold entranced before a ledge of granite thrusting up through the fern while he unrolled the huge panorama of the ice age, and the long dim stretches of succeeding

1. Flowering plants in the daisy family, known for their star-shaped blooms.
2. A suffix meaning "stars" in Latin, used in astronomy (e.g., "disasters" originally meant "ill-starred events").

the harsh and beautiful land as I had seen it. Even the abundant enumeration of sweet-fern, asters and mountain-laurel, and the conscientious reproduction of the vernacular, left me with the

1. A shrub or small tree with dark green glossy leaves, often used in wreaths.
2. A symbol of honor or achievement, like a crown of laurel leaves.

land as I had seen it. Even the abundant enumeration of sweet-fern, asters and mountain-laurel, and the conscientious reproduction of the vernacular, left me with the feeling that the

1. Diligent and careful in one's work or duties.
2. Governed by or done according to conscience.

it. Even the abundant enumeration of sweet-fern, asters and mountain-laurel, and the conscientious reproduction of the vernacular, left me with the feeling that the outcropping granite had in both

1. The biological process of producing offspring.
2. The act of making copies or duplicates.

abundant enumeration of sweet-fern, asters and mountain-laurel, and the conscientious reproduction of the vernacular, left me with the feeling that the outcropping granite had in both cases been

1. The everyday language spoken by ordinary people in a particular region or country.
2. A style of architecture using local materials and traditional methods.

of sweet-fern, asters and mountain-laurel, and the conscientious reproduction of the vernacular, left me with the feeling that the outcropping granite had in both cases been overlooked. I give

1. A hard, coarse-grained igneous rock composed mainly of quartz, feldspar, and mica.
2. Used metaphorically to describe something extremely durable or unyielding.

would necessarily have falsified the whole. They were, in truth, these figures, my granite outcroppings; but half-emerged from the soil, and scarcely more articulate. This incompatibility

1. Highly developed, complex, or refined.
2. Having worldly knowledge and experience.

to me, indeed, that, while an air of artificiality is lent to a tale of complex and sophisticated people which the novelist causes to be guessed at and interpreted by any mere looker-on, there

1. Straps used to control a horse while riding.
2. Symbolic control or guidance over something.

If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and

1. A wheeled cart or vehicle for transporting goods or passengers.
2. A streetcar or tram powered by overhead electric wires.

I had this from Harmon Gow, who had driven the stage from Bettsbridge to Starkfield in pre-trolley days and knew the chronicle of all the families on his line. “He’s looked that way ever since he

1. A factual written account of events in order of time.
2. To record events in a detailed and continuous manner.

who had driven the stage from Bettsbridge to Starkfield in pre-trolley days and knew the chronicle of all the families on his line. “He’s looked that way ever since he had his smash-up; and that’s

1. A covered entrance to a building, typically at the front, often with a roof and open sides.
2. A veranda or similar outdoor space attached to a house, used for relaxation.

us in all its plaintive ugliness. The black wraith of a deciduous creeper flapped from the porch, and the thin wooden walls, under their worn coat of paint, seemed to shiver in the wind that had

1. Free from disease or infirmity; healthy and robust.
2. To compel someone to go somewhere, often forcefully.

by letting their case be seen through eyes as different as those of Harmon Gow and Mrs. Ned Hale. Each of my chroniclers contributes to the narrative just so much as he or she is capable of

1. A vehicle on runners for traveling over snow, typically pulled by horses or reindeer.
2. To ride or travel in a sleigh.

be turned from his business by any commotion of the elements; and at the appointed hour his sleigh glided up through the snow like a stage-apparition behind thickening veils of gauze. I was

1. A portable light source with a protective case, often with a handle.
2. A decorative or architectural structure with openings to emit light.

to be the winter night itself descending on us layer by layer. The small ray of Frome’s lantern was soon lost in this smothering medium, in which even his sense of direction, and the bay’s

1. Coniferous trees of the genus Picea, known for their needle-like leaves and conical shape.
2. To make something neat or smart in appearance (verb).

The next morning, when I looked out, I saw the hollow-backed bay between the Varnum spruces, and Ethan Frome, throwing back his worn bearskin, made room for me in the sleigh at his side.

1. Mixed or blended together (e.g., emotions, sounds, or substances).
2. Socially interacted or joined in a group.

Silver was the daughter of a cousin of Zenobia Frome’s, who had inflamed his clan with mingled sentiments of envy and admiration by descending from the hills to Connecticut, where he had

1. A quick or brief look at something.
2. A faint or partial view.

tune of a Virginia reel. Frome’s heart was beating fast. He had been straining for a glimpse of the dark head under the cherry-coloured scarf and it vexed him that another eye should have

1. The evening meal, typically lighter than dinner.
2. A social gathering where a light evening meal is served.

Mattie Silver had lived under his roof for a year, and from early morning till they met at supper he had frequent chances of seeing her; but no moments in her company were comparable to those

1. A large, densely packed crowd of people or animals.
2. To gather or fill a place in large numbers.

as he stood outside the church, and saw Mattie spinning down the floor with Denis Eady, a throng of disregarded hints and menaces wove their cloud about his brain …

1. A cylinder or spool for winding thread, film, or other flexible materials.
2. A lively dance or piece of music, often of Scottish or Irish origin.

lashing their mounts on the homestretch; yet it seemed to the young man at the window that the reel would never end. Now and then he turned his eyes from the girl’s face to that of her partner,

1. A piece of fabric worn around the neck or head for warmth or fashion.
2. To eat or drink something quickly or hungrily.

the line, her light figure swinging from hand to hand in circles of increasing swiftness, the scarf flew off her head and stood out behind her shoulders, and Frome, at each turn, caught sight of

1. A variant of the name "Dennis," of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysus."
2. Short for "Denisovan," an extinct human species related to Neanderthals.

which, in the exhilaration of the dance, had taken on a look of almost impudent ownership. Denis Eady was the son of Michael Eady, the ambitious Irish grocer, whose suppleness and effrontery had

1. A diminutive or affectionate form of the name Matthew or Matilda.
2. A given name, often used as a nickname.

when the girl came to live with them, that such opportunities should be put in her way. Mattie Silver came from Stamford, and when she entered the Fromes’ household to act as her cousin

1. A young male horse, typically under four years old.
2. A novice or inexperienced person in a particular field.

your father’s cutter doin’ down there?” “Why, waiting for me to take a ride. I got the roan colt too. I kinder knew I’d want to take a ride tonight,” Eady, in his triumph, tried to put a

1. To bend the body forward and downward.
2. A small porch or set of steps at the entrance of a building.

he adjured her. She was silent for a moment; then she said, in such a low tone that he had to stoop his head to hear her: “I used to think of it sometimes, summer nights, when the moon was so

1. A type of deciduous tree with serrated leaves.
2. The wood from an elm tree, used in furniture.

you are!” “Well, I’d be scared, then; I wouldn’t do it. That’s an ugly corner down by the big elm. If a fellow didn’t keep his eyes open he’d go plumb into it.” He luxuriated in the sense of

1. A slight trembling or shaking of the body, often due to cold or fear.
2. To break or split into small fragments.

flapped from the porch, and the thin wooden walls, under their worn coat of paint, seemed to shiver in the wind that had risen with the ceasing of the snow. “The house was bigger in my father’s

1. Sparkling or shining brightly.
2. Brilliantly clever, animated, or witty.

sky, the shadows on the rim of the wood-lot were darkly blue, and beyond the white and scintillating fields patches of far-off forest hung like smoke. It was in the early morning stillness, when his

1. A board game for two players, also known as checkers.
2. A current of cool air in a room or other confined space.

when his muscles were swinging to their familiar task and his lungs expanding with long draughts of mountain air, that Ethan did his clearest thinking. He and Zeena had not exchanged a word

1. A soft, lightweight fabric, often made of wool or cotton, used for clothing like shirts and pajamas.
2. A washcloth or small towel, typically used for washing the face and body.

on a chair by the bed and, after swallowing them, and wrapping her head in a piece of yellow flannel, had lain down with her face turned away. Ethan undressed hurriedly and blew out the light so

1. A cylinder of wax with a central wick that is lit to produce light.
2. A unit of luminous intensity.

got the time now; I’m late as it is,” he returned, holding his old silver turnip-watch to the candle. Zeena, apparently accepting this as final, lay watching him in silence while he pulled his

1. Wood that has been processed into beams or planks for construction.
2. To move in a slow, heavy, or awkward manner.

manlike, he sought to postpone certainty. The hauling was not over till midday, and as the lumber was to be delivered to Andrew Hale, the Starkfield builder, it was really easier for Ethan to

1. A small traveling bag or suitcase, typically used for carrying clothes and personal items.
2. A portable case for holding documents or other small objects.

he not leave with Mattie the next day, instead of letting her go alone? He would hide his valise under the seat of the sleigh, and Zeena would suspect nothing till she went upstairs for her

1. Brief or curt in manner.
2. Steep or sharp in slope.

her to be asleep, and the sound of her voice had startled him, though she was given to abrupt explosions of speech after long intervals of secretive silence. He turned and looked at her where

1. A reddish-brown color, often used to describe horses.
2. A sour-tasting herb used in cooking and salads.

into the obscurity, half-fearing to discover Denis Eady’s roan colt in the stall beside the sorrel. But the old horse was there alone, mumbling his crib with toothless jaws, and Ethan whistled

1. A poetic or archaic term for the letter 'A'.
2. A unit of measurement in chemistry representing one quintillionth (10^-18) of a given unit.

load. When Ethan drove into Hale’s yard the builder was just getting out of his sleigh. “Hello, Ethe!” he said. “This comes handy.” Andrew Hale was a ruddy man with a big gray moustache and a

1. Vegetables, especially cucumbers, preserved in vinegar or brine.
2. A difficult or troublesome situation (informal).

as she pushed the empty bottle toward Mattie: “If you can get the taste out it’ll do for pickles.”

1. Wrapped or covered to reduce sound (e.g., muffled voices).
2. Made less clear or distinct (e.g., muffled emotions).

them. “Oh, Puss, you’re too greedy!” Mattie cried. The cat, unnoticed, had crept up on muffled paws from Zeena’s seat to the table, and was stealthily elongating its body in the direction of

1. A heavy, dull sound or impact (e.g., footsteps).
2. Exceptionally large or impressive (informal).

under a muffled sky and the air was so still that now and then he heard a lump of snow come thumping down from a tree far off on the edge of the wood-lot. When he returned to the kitchen Mattie had

1. The craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread.
2. The act or process of working with fabric to create or repair garments or other items.

it “funny” that he had not settled beforehand who was to have his mother’s clothes and the sewing-machine. After the funeral, when he saw her preparing to go away, he was seized with an

1. A limitation or restriction that controls actions or behavior.
2. A condition that must be satisfied in a problem or system.

about the lamp and to hang its greyish cobwebs in the shadowy corners of the room. All constraint had vanished between the two, and they began to talk easily and simply. They spoke of everyday

1. Lacking strength or clarity; barely perceptible.
2. A sudden loss of consciousness.

He was still kneeling when his eyes, on a level with the lower panel of the door, caught a faint ray beneath it. Who could be stirring in that silent house? He heard a step on the stairs, and

1. Flowering plants of the genus *Pelargonium*, known for their colorful blooms and aromatic leaves.
2. Common name for plants in the genus *Geranium*, also called cranesbills, with delicate flowers and lobed leaves.

the south window on the girl’s moving figure, on the cat dozing in a chair, and on the geraniums brought in from the doorway, where Ethan had planted them in the summer to “make a garden” for

1. The hairs growing on the edge of an eyelid.
2. Strikes with a whip or similar object.

ankles. “Why, Puss! I nearly tripped over you,” she cried, the laughter sparkling through her lashes. Again Ethan felt a sudden twinge of jealousy. Could it be his coming that gave her such a

1. A holder for one or more candles, typically made of metal, wood, or ceramic.
2. In finance, a graphical representation of price movements in trading, resembling a candlestick shape.

these nightly duties were performed there was nothing left to do but to bring in the tin candlestick from the passage, light the candle and blow out the lamp. Ethan put the candlestick in Mattie’s

1. A vehicle on runners for traveling over snow or ice, typically pulled by animals or a motor.
2. A heavy hammer used in blacksmithing or demolition work.

and make the going safer. Ethan therefore proposed to his assistant that they should load the sledge at the wood-lot, as they had done on the previous morning, and put off the “teaming” to

1. A large farm building for storing grain, hay, or housing livestock.
2. A unit of area measurement equal to 10⁻²⁸ square meters, used in nuclear physics.

as he threw to Jotham the unexpected order to unhitch the team and lead them back to the barn. It was a slow trudge home through the heavy fields, and when the two men entered the kitchen

1. A single sheet of glass in a window or door.
2. A flat section or division of a surface, such as a wall or screen.

by the window, bolt upright, and knew by the rigidity of the outline projected against the pane that she had not taken off her travelling dress. “Well, Zeena,” he ventured from the threshold.

1. To look steadily and intently, often with curiosity or admiration.
2. A fixed or intent look.

Suddenly she rose to her feet and said: “We mustn’t stay here any longer.” He continued to gaze at her vaguely, only half-roused from his dream. “There’s plenty of time,” he answered. They

1. Taken by force or legal authority.
2. Grasped suddenly and firmly.

and the sewing-machine. After the funeral, when he saw her preparing to go away, he was seized with an unreasoning dread of being left alone on the farm; and before he knew what he was doing

1. Spoke with involuntary pauses or repetitions due to nervousness or speech difficulty.
2. Expressed something haltingly or with hesitation.

felt her lashes beat his cheek like netted butterflies. “What is it—what is it?” she stammered; but he had found her lips at last and was drinking unconsciousness of everything but the joy

1. A preserved food item, typically a cucumber, soaked in brine or vinegar.
2. A difficult or troublesome situation.

to send Jotham back to the farm and hurry on foot into the village to buy the glue for the pickle-dish. With ordinary luck he should have had time to carry out this plan; but everything went

1. A room for receiving guests or customers, often in a home or business.
2. A shop or business offering specific services, like a beauty parlour or ice cream parlour.

illness his mother gave him, for his own use, a small room behind the untenanted “best parlour.” Here he had nailed up shelves for his books, built himself a box-sofa out of boards and a

1. A long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or more people.
2. A piece of furniture designed for comfort and relaxation in living spaces.

for life, and now his one ray of light was to be extinguished. He crept back heavily to the sofa, stretching himself out with limbs so leaden that he felt as if they would never move again.

1. Lacking in quantity or quality; scanty or inadequate.
2. Thin or lean in appearance.

of Abraham Lincoln and a calendar with “Thoughts from the Poets,” and tried, with these meagre properties, to produce some likeness to the study of a “minister” who had been kind to him and

1. A vehicle on runners for traveling over snow or ice.
2. A small, light vehicle used for sliding downhill on snow.

hanging a meditative head. Then he caught Mattie’s hand and drew her after him toward the sled. She seated herself obediently and he took his place behind her, so close that her hair brushed

1. Complaining in a petulant or whining manner.
2. Habitually expressing dissatisfaction or annoyance.

The querulous drone ceased as I entered Frome’s kitchen, and of the two women sitting there I could not tell

1. Untidy or dirty in appearance or habits.
2. Characteristic of a slattern (a messy, slovenly woman).

surprise—but simply to set about preparing the meal which Frome’s absence had delayed. A slatternly calico wrapper hung from her shoulders and the wisps of her thin grey hair were drawn away from a

1. A plain-woven cotton fabric, typically printed with a small floral design.
2. A domestic cat with a coat of white, black, and orange patches.

silence. He turned and looked at her where she lay indistinctly outlined under the dark calico quilt, her high-boned face taking a grayish tinge from the whiteness of the pillow. “Nobody to do

1. Small, thin strands or pieces of something light, like hair or smoke.
2. A faint trace or hint of something.

which Frome’s absence had delayed. A slatternly calico wrapper hung from her shoulders and the wisps of her thin grey hair were drawn away from a high forehead and fastened at the back by a broken

1. The part of the face above the eyebrows and below the hairline.
2. The front or forward part of something.

anything to you?” He shook his head. “No, not a word.” She tossed the hair back from her forehead with a laugh. “I guess I’m just nervous, then. I’m not going to think about it any more.” “Oh,

1. A toothed tool for grooming hair or arranging fibers.
2. A device for separating or cleaning materials (e.g., honeycomb).

of her thin grey hair were drawn away from a high forehead and fastened at the back by a broken comb. She had pale opaque eyes which revealed nothing and reflected nothing, and her narrow lips were

1. Not transparent or translucent; not allowing light to pass through.
2. Hard or impossible to understand; unclear or obscure.

were drawn away from a high forehead and fastened at the back by a broken comb. She had pale opaque eyes which revealed nothing and reflected nothing, and her narrow lips were of the same sallow