84 words to know before reading The Man Who Was Thursday

1. A humorous, four-line biographical poem with an AABB rhyme scheme.
2. Invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley.

To Edmund Clerihew Bentley A cloud was on the mind of men, and wailing went the weather, Yea, a sick cloud upon the

1. Crying loudly in grief or pain.
2. Making a prolonged, high-pitched sound of distress.

To Edmund Clerihew Bentley A cloud was on the mind of men, and wailing went the weather, Yea, a sick cloud upon the soul when we were boys together. Science announced

1. A humorous or exaggerated imitation of a style, genre, or person.
2. A poor or mocking copy of something.

and art admired decay; The world was old and ended: but you and I were gay; Round us in antic order their crippled vices came— Lust that had lost its laughter, fear that had lost its shame.

1. Severely damaged or impaired, often referring to limbs or physical abilities.
2. Significantly weakened or hindered in function or efficiency.

decay; The world was old and ended: but you and I were gay; Round us in antic order their crippled vices came— Lust that had lost its laughter, fear that had lost its shame. Like the white lock

1. Intense sexual desire or craving.
2. Strong passion or eagerness for something.

was old and ended: but you and I were gay; Round us in antic order their crippled vices came— Lust that had lost its laughter, fear that had lost its shame. Like the white lock of Whistler, that

1. Partial or total darkness; dimness.
2. A state of melancholy or depression.

a heavy voice. And in some strange way, though there was not the shadow of a shape in the gloom, Syme knew two things: first, that it came from a man of massive stature; and second, that the

1. A lightweight, flat structure forming the plumage of birds.
2. To rotate the blades of a propeller to reduce drag in flight.

Like the white lock of Whistler, that lit our aimless gloom, Men showed their own white feather as proudly as a plume. Life was a fly that faded, and death a drone that stung; The world was

1. A feather, especially a large or showy one.
2. A cloud of smoke, dust, or vapor resembling a feather.

of Whistler, that lit our aimless gloom, Men showed their own white feather as proudly as a plume. Life was a fly that faded, and death a drone that stung; The world was very old indeed when you

1. Having lost brightness or color over time.
2. Weakened or diminished in strength or intensity.

aimless gloom, Men showed their own white feather as proudly as a plume. Life was a fly that faded, and death a drone that stung; The world was very old indeed when you and I were young. They

1. Past tense of "sting," meaning to pierce or wound with a sharp-pointed structure.
2. Feeling hurt or upset, often emotionally.

to him, and said “Good evening.” Syme, at a crisis of his morbid fears for humanity, seemed stung by the mere stolidity of the automatic official, a mere bulk of blue in the twilight. “A good

1. Used to emphasize a statement or response.
2. Truly or certainly (often expressing agreement).

You did something to me that no man born of woman has ever succeeded in doing before.” “Indeed!” “Now I remember,” resumed Gregory reflectively, “one other person succeeded in doing it. The

1. A title meaning "lord" or "owner" in Semitic languages.
2. A Canaanite deity worshipped in ancient times.

we were not ashamed. Weak if we were and foolish, not thus we failed, not thus; When that black Baal blocked the heavens he had no hymns from us. Children we were—our forts of sand were even as

1. A valuable spice from the crocus flower, used for flavoring and coloring food.
2. A deep yellow-orange color resembling the spice.

I The Two Poets of Saffron Park The suburb of Saffron Park lay on the sunset side of London, as red and ragged as a cloud of

1. A person who writes poetry.
2. Someone skilled in the art of verse.

young man with the long, auburn hair and the impudent face—that young man was not really a poet; but surely he was a poem. That old gentleman with the wild, white beard and the wild, white

1. A person who advocates for the abolition of government and hierarchical systems.
2. Someone who believes in or promotes chaos and disorder to achieve political change.

is identical with an anarchist,” he cried. “You might transpose the words anywhere. An anarchist is an artist. The man who throws a bomb is an artist, because he prefers a great moment to

1. Relating to poetry or poets.
2. Having the qualities of poetry; imaginative or expressive.

word, but Syme was too hot to heed her. “It is things going right,” he cried, “that is poetical! Our digestions, for instance, going sacredly and silently right, that is the foundation of all

1. A political philosophy advocating self-governed societies without hierarchical authority.
2. Opposition to centralized government and coercive institutions.

am serious about my anarchism?” “I beg your pardon?” said Syme. “Am I not serious about my anarchism?” cried Gregory, with knotted fists. “My dear fellow!” said Syme, and strolled away. With

1. Used as a reflexive pronoun to refer to a group previously mentioned.
2. Used for emphasis to refer to a group previously mentioned.

distinctions of vice and virtue, honour and treachery, upon which mere rebels base themselves. The silly sentimentalists of the French Revolution talked of the Rights of Man! We hate Rights

1. A marine crustacean with a hard shell, large claws, and a long body, often used as seafood.
2. The flesh of this animal when cooked, typically bright red.

in themselves, were cut short finally as by a thunderbolt by the actual appearance of the lobster. Syme tasted it, and found it particularly good. Then he suddenly began to eat with great

1. A sparkling white wine from the Champagne region of France.
2. A celebratory drink often used for toasts and special occasions.

close to the most actual and rousing moment of your existence. Ah, here comes your champagne! I admit that there may be a slight disproportion, let us say, between the inner arrangements of

1. People who advocate for a society without government or laws.
2. Individuals who oppose authority and hierarchical systems.

or whatever beastly thing you believe in, that you will not tell my secret to the anarchists?” “Your secret?” asked the staring Gregory. “Have you got a secret?” “Yes,” said Syme, “I have a

1. The reflexive form of "you," referring to the person being addressed.
2. Used to emphasize the subject "you."

a little, don’t put it down to your inroads into the champagne. I don’t wish you to do yourself an injustice.” “Well, if I am not drunk, I am mad,” replied Syme with perfect calm; “but I trust

1. A member of the clergy in charge of a parish.
2. To select, organize, and present content or items.

I did not listen to it with pleasure (renewed cheers). The man who is fitted to make a good curate is not fitted to make a resolute, forcible, and efficient Thursday (hear, hear).” “Comrade

1. Absence of government or authority.
2. A state of disorder due to lack of control.

at the lamppost, and then at the tree. “About this and this,” he cried; “about order and anarchy. There is your precious order, that lean, iron lamp, ugly and barren; and there is anarchy, rich,

1. A companion or associate, especially in shared activities or struggles.
2. A fellow member of a socialist or communist party.

Sunday, did sometimes send down such irregular ambassadors to such branch meetings. “Well, comrade,” said the man with the papers after a pause, “I suppose we’d better give you a seat in the

1. Close companions or friends, especially in a shared struggle or activity.
2. Fellow members of a socialist or communist party.

is that Comrade Syme—” Gregory had again sprung to his feet, panting and passionate. “Comrades,” he cried out, “I am not a madman.” “Oh, oh!” said Mr. Witherspoon. “I am not a madman,”

1. Relating to or characterized by an abnormal interest in disturbing or unpleasant subjects, especially death or disease.
2. In medicine, relating to disease or its symptoms.

his mind that was not sane. He did not regard anarchists, as most of us do, as a handful of morbid men, combining ignorance with intellectualism. He regarded them as a huge and pitiless peril,

1. Worn out or in poor condition from use or age.
2. Dressed in old or worn-out clothes.

a stream of literal fire winding under the vast caverns of a subterranean country. Syme was shabby in those days. He wore an old-fashioned black chimney-pot hat; he was wrapped in a yet more

1. To pull something hard or suddenly (verb).
2. A small, powerful boat used for towing ships (noun).

distributing itself along the benches. “I think it is time we began,” he said; “the steam-tug is waiting on the river already. I move that Comrade Buttons takes the chair.” This being

1. Dressed or clothed in a particular way.
2. Covered with a layer or coating.

was professionally inclined to neatness), he trimmed his hair and beard, bought a good hat, clad himself in an exquisite summer suit of light blue-grey, with a pale yellow flower in the

1. A dress, typically worn by women or girls.
2. A loose outer garment, such as a monk's habit.

looking out across the river. As a figure he was quite conventional, clad in a silk hat and frock-coat of the more formal type of fashion; he had a red flower in his buttonhole. As Syme drew

1. Not straight; bent or twisted.
2. Irregular or uneven in shape or arrangement.

of little streets he could soon throw him off the scent. He dived in and out of those crooked lanes, which were more like cracks than thoroughfares; and by the time that he had completed

1. Hiding or keeping something secret.
2. Preventing something from being seen or known.

I’d better tell you that he is carrying out his notion of concealing ourselves by not concealing ourselves to the most extraordinary lengths just now. Originally, of course, we met in a cell

1. The reflexive form of "we," referring to the speaker and others.
2. Used for emphasis to indicate "we" and no one else.

tell you that he is carrying out his notion of concealing ourselves by not concealing ourselves to the most extraordinary lengths just now. Originally, of course, we met in a cell underground,

1. A platform projecting from the wall of a building, enclosed by a railing or parapet.
2. An upper level in a theater or auditorium with seating.

When Syme had seen him, his first thought was that the weight of him must break down the balcony of stone. His vastness did not lie only in the fact that he was abnormally tall and quite

1. Successful in financial terms; wealthy.
2. Thriving or flourishing in general.

His soul and speech were incurably tragic; he could not force himself to play the prosperous and frivolous part demanded of him by President Sunday. And, indeed, when Syme came in the

1. Lacking foresight or planning for the future.
2. Unable to see distant objects clearly (nearsighted).

energy, rending all things in pieces. Energy, he said, was the All. He was lame, shortsighted, and partially paralytic. When I met him I was in a frivolous mood, and I disliked him so much

1. A short story, often with animals as characters, conveying a moral lesson.
2. A fictitious narrative or myth.

end, so to speak, of some wild road of reasoning. He could only fancy, as in some old-world fable, that if a man went westward to the end of the world he would find something—say a tree—that

1. The edge or border of something (e.g., "the verge of the forest").
2. A point where something is about to happen (e.g., "on the verge of tears").

seemed to stand up, violent and unaccountable, against an ultimate horizon, visions from the verge. The ends of the earth were closing in. Talk had been going on steadily as he took in the scene;

1. A Russian emperor before 1917.
2. A person with great power or authority in a particular area (e.g., "drug czar").

when he said that they were talking about bombs and kings. Only three days afterwards the Czar was to meet the President of the French Republic in Paris, and over their bacon and eggs upon

1. A nobleman ranking above a count and below a duke.
2. The title given to certain high-ranking officials in some European countries.

Tuesday, the tousle-headed Gogol, a man more obviously mad. Next was Wednesday, a certain Marquis de St. Eustache, a sufficiently characteristic figure. The first few glances found nothing

1. At a slant or angle; not straight or level.
2. In a sloping or oblique direction.

an instant the smile of the Secretary ran aslant across his face as the jagged lightning runs aslant across the sky. But there was one persistent thing which first troubled Syme and at last

1. Accustomed to something, especially something unpleasant or difficult.
2. Hardened or desensitized to pain, hardship, or adverse conditions.

came to him. It never occurred to him to be spiritually won over to the enemy. Many moderns, inured to a weak worship of intellect and force, might have wavered in their allegiance under this

1. A cruel and oppressive ruler.
2. A person who exercises power harshly or unjustly.

“and I slay zare oppressors. I care not for these games of gonzealment. I would zmite ze tyrant in ze open square.” “I see, I see,” said the President, nodding kindly as he seated himself at

1. Small, slender, legless invertebrates that live in soil or water.
2. Parasitic organisms that infect humans or animals.

ordered another cup of black coffee as an excuse. Scarcely had he done so, when Professor de Worms hobbled heavily into the shop, sat down with difficulty and ordered a glass of milk. Syme’s

1. A large vehicle for public transportation, like a bus.
2. A volume containing multiple works, often by the same author.

in mere arithmetic, and swung out of the swinging doors, leaving his coffee untasted. An omnibus going to the Bank went rattling by with an unusual rapidity. He had a violent run of a hundred

1. A sudden strong urge or desire to act.
2. A brief force or push causing motion.

were blind and featureless; there was no little window or any kind of eve. He felt a new impulse to break out of this hive of houses, and to get once more into the open and lamp-lit street. Yet

1. A traveling show featuring acrobats, clowns, and trained animals.
2. A public event or situation marked by chaos or noisy excitement.

head of a lecturer upon the body of a harlequin. This outrageous chase sped across Ludgate Circus, up Ludgate Hill, round St. Paul’s Cathedral, along Cheapside, Syme remembering all the

1. A large and important church, typically the principal church of a diocese.
2. The official seat of a bishop, containing his throne.

He came out into what seemed the vast and void of Ludgate Circus, and saw St. Paul’s Cathedral sitting in the sky. At first he was startled to find these great roads so empty, as if a

1. The arched patches of hair above the eyes.
2. Facial features that help protect the eyes from sweat and debris.

situation through. Consequently it was to meet the glare of the company and my own lifted eyebrows and freezing eyes that the real Professor came into the room. “I need hardly say there was a

1. Intense or aggressive in nature.
2. Violent or forceful in action.

in him of the blood of these fanatics to make even his protest for common sense a little too fierce to be sensible. His hatred of modern lawlessness had been crowned also by an accident. It

1. Relating to or affected by paralysis.
2. A person suffering from paralysis.

fierce council, after all, had certainly pursued him. If the man had one character as a paralytic and another character as a pursuer, the antithesis might make him more interesting, but scarcely

1. The universe as a well-ordered whole.
2. A complex, orderly system or structure.

went on. “But you were men. You did not forget your secret honour, though the whole cosmos turned an engine of torture to tear it out of you. I knew how near you were to hell. I know how

1. A small valley or hollow, often wooded and secluded.
2. A shelter or hiding place, especially for wild animals.

beard almost pointed at the ceiling, and shouted with a barbaric laughter. Even in that close den, perpetually filled with the din of knives, plates, cans, clamorous voices, sudden struggles and

1. Sought knowledge or details.
2. Made a formal request or investigation.

not say see him, nobody ever sees him; but you can talk to him if you like.” “Telephone?” inquired Syme, with interest. “No,” said the policeman placidly, “he has a fancy for always sitting in a

1. Happy and cheerful in mood or appearance.
2. (British informal) Very; extremely (e.g., "jolly good").

“Don’t you see it’s not necessary? Don’t you see that we’re both in the same boat? Yes, and jolly seasick.” Gregory could not speak, but he could not fire either, and he looked his question.

1. Protective eyewear with tight seals to shield eyes from hazards like water, chemicals, or debris.
2. Glasses with tinted or specialized lenses for activities like swimming or skiing.

of course, who is so seriously startling and formidable as that little grinning fellow in goggles. He has not perhaps the white-hot enthusiasm unto death, the mad martyrdom for anarchy, which

1. (adjective) Having rich, abundant vegetation; luxuriant.
2. (adjective) Very rich and providing great pleasure; luxurious.

that a tyrant once advised us to eat grass; and indeed many of us, looking on the fresh lush grass of summer …’ ” “Do you understand,” said the other, “that this is a tragedy?”

1. People who accompany or spend time with others.
2. Animals or objects that provide company or support.

X The Duel Syme sat down at a café table with his companions, his blue eyes sparkling like the bright sea below, and ordered a bottle of Saumur with a pleased

1. A summary of religious principles in question-and-answer form.
2. A manual for teaching Christian doctrine.

the deadly Marquis. He jotted it down wildly with a pencil. It was arranged like a printed catechism, with questions and answers, and was delivered with an extraordinary rapidity of utterance. “I

1. Extremely beautiful and delicate.
2. Intensely felt or experienced.

He will say in the most exquisite French, ‘How are you?’ I shall reply in the most exquisite Cockney, ‘Oh, just the Syme—’ ” “Oh, shut it,” said the man in spectacles. “Pull yourself

1. A piece of grassland, often used for hay or grazing.
2. A low-lying area near a river or stream, typically covered with grass.

a comic contrast between this funereal church parade of apparel and the rich and glistening meadow, growing wild flowers everywhere. But, indeed, this comic contrast between the yellow blossoms

1. A small, oval nut with a hard shell, edible kernel, and mild flavor.
2. The tree that produces almonds, native to the Middle East and South Asia.

bright coloured Persian tiles and pictures showing tyrants hunting, you may see just those almond eyes, those blue-black beards, those cruel, crimson lips. Then came Syme, and next a very old

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

like this bewildering woodland, this dance of dark and light? Everything only a glimpse, the glimpse always unforeseen, and always forgotten. For Gabriel Syme had found in the heart of that

1. A poor farmer or agricultural laborer of low social status.
2. A person regarded as unsophisticated or uneducated.

old gentleman who was sitting on the benches outside the little café of Le Soleil d’Or. The peasant grunted an apology, and got down from his seat. The others also descended one by one, and spoke

1. A small establishment providing lodging, food, and drink (often in a rural setting).
2. A tavern or pub.

his beehive, suggested an ancestral peace; only when his visitors looked up as they entered the inn-parlour, they saw the sword upon the wall. The Colonel, who greeted the innkeeper as an old

1. A person who owns or manages an inn or small hotel.
2. Someone responsible for lodging and hospitality services for travelers.

entered the inn-parlour, they saw the sword upon the wall. The Colonel, who greeted the innkeeper as an old friend, passed rapidly into the inn-parlour, and sat down ordering some ritual

1. Soldiers who fight on horseback.
2. Modern military units using armored vehicles.

“and that is childishness, isn’t it?” They all looked round, and saw a curve of black cavalry come sweeping over the top of the hill with all the energy of Attila. Swiftly as they rode,

1. Not bright or clear; lacking light.
2. Having faint or indistinct vision.

by step, he did not even move a hair; and Syme could come close enough to notice even in the dim, pale morning light that his face was long, pale and intellectual, and ended in a small

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

of his own front hall. From this was suspended, by chains of exquisite ironwork, this lantern, one of the hundred treasures of his treasure house. By sheer force he tore the lamp out of his

1. Most prominent in rank or importance.
2. Located at the front or leading position.

body of horsemen gathering and galloping towards them in the gloom. He saw above the foremost saddle the silver gleam of a sword, and then as it grew nearer the silver gleam of an old man’s

1. A type of horse-drawn carriage with two wheels and a covered passenger compartment.
2. Named after its designer, Joseph Hansom.

“Great Lord!” cried Bull, “I never knew an elephant could go so fast. Well, it must be hansom-cabs again if we are to keep him in sight.” As they raced along to the gate out of which the

1. Disappeared suddenly or completely.
2. Ceased to exist or be present.

urchin. Then raising his right hand swiftly, he flung a ball of paper in Syme’s face and vanished. Syme caught the thing while instinctively warding it off, and discovered that it consisted of

1. A loud, deep sound made by a lion or other large animal.
2. A loud, continuous noise, like thunder or a crowd.

that tore his throat. “Stop, you—” But louder than Gregory’s shouting and louder than the roar of the room came the voice of Syme, still speaking in a peal of pitiless thunder— “I do not go

1. A public display of art, artifacts, or other items of interest.
2. A demonstration of skills or abilities, often in a competitive setting.

captive!” They all turned their eyes to where the balloon swung and swelled above the Exhibition on a string, like a child’s balloon. A second afterwards the string came in two just under the

1. A person or animal confined or imprisoned.
2. Unable to escape or leave a situation.

Syme suddenly. “Look over there!” “Look at what?” asked the Secretary savagely. “Look at the captive balloon!” said Syme, and pointed in a frenzy. “Why the blazes should I look at a captive

1. Rows of shrubs or small trees forming a boundary.
2. Barriers or safeguards against risks or losses.

XIV The Six Philosophers Across green fields, and breaking through blooming hedges, toiled six draggled detectives, about five miles out of London. The optimist of the party had at

1. Relating to sexual or gender identities that are not heterosexual or cisgender.
2. Strange, odd, or unconventional.

avenue of death. They passed through several such passages, and came out at last into a queer steel chamber with curved walls, almost spherical in shape, but presenting, with its tiers of

1. Vehicles with wheels, typically horse-drawn, for transporting people.
2. The part of a train where passengers sit.

but rather to the officials and ambassadors of a great king. There were no less than six carriages waiting, one for each of the tattered and miserable band. All the attendants (as if in

1. Soft pads used for comfort, support, or decoration on furniture.
2. Pillows or padded inserts for chairs, sofas, or beds.

could be done, when the whole business was taken out of his hands he fell back on the cushions in a frank collapse. Very gradually and very vaguely he realised into what rich roads the

1. A person employed to park cars, typically at a hotel or restaurant.
2. A manservant who takes care of personal needs, like clothing or luggage.

and there with flaming stars and crescents. “You’re to be dressed as Thursday, sir,” said the valet somewhat affably. “Dressed as Thursday!” said Syme in meditation. “It doesn’t sound a warm

1. A deep red color resembling wine.
2. A region in France known for wine production.

IX The Man in Spectacles “Burgundy is a jolly thing,” said the Professor sadly, as he set his glass down. “You don’t look as if it

1. Past tense of "fling" – threw or tossed something forcefully.
2. Moved or pushed suddenly and violently.

“I’ll take the risk of that myself! Dr. Bull, I am a police officer. There’s my card,” and he flung down the blue card upon the table. The Professor still feared that all was lost; but he was

1. Looked steadily and intently, often with admiration or curiosity.
2. Stared fixedly for a long time, sometimes absentmindedly.

before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.’ ” “You are right,” said Gregory, and gazed all round. “I am a destroyer. I would destroy the world if I could.” A sense of a pathos far