100 words to know before reading The Red Badge of Courage

1. Increased in size or volume, often due to pressure or injury.
2. Became larger or more intense, as in emotions or sounds.

’m, an’ Bill, he raised a heluva row, I hear. He’s a funny feller.” The din in front swelled to a tremendous chorus. The youth and his fellows were frozen to silence. They could see a flag

1. A joke or witty remark.
2. A playful or mocking action.

Don’t go a-thinkin’ you can lick the hull rebel army at the start, because yeh can’t. Yer jest one little feller amongst a hull lot of others, and yeh’ve got to keep quiet an’ do what they

1. A narrow bed, often stacked in tiers (e.g., in a dormitory or ship).
2. Nonsense or falsehood (slang).

as they fought, which fact no one disputed. There was a more serious problem. He lay in his bunk pondering upon it. He tried to mathematically prove to himself that he would not run from a

1. A unit of currency in Turkey, equal to 100 kuruş.
2. Informal term for "year" in some dialects or contexts.

yeh to send ’em right-away back to me, so’s I kin dern ’em. “An’ allus be careful an’ choose yer comp’ny. There’s lots of bad men in the army, Henry. The army makes ’em wild, and they like

1. A person who fells trees; a lumberjack.
2. (Informal) A man or boy; a fellow.

The youth liked him personally. “Yank,” the other had informed him, “yer a right dum good feller.” This sentiment, floating to him upon the still air, had made him temporarily regret war.

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

“The cavalry started this morning,” he continued. “They say there ain’t hardly any cavalry left in camp. They’re going to Richmond, or some place, while we fight all the Johnnies. It’s

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

he could be capable of anything that was beyond him, the youth. Still, he thought that his comrade might be mistaken about himself. Or, on the other hand, he might be a man heretofore doomed to

1. A bright, strong flame or fire.
2. A mark made on a tree to indicate a trail.

establish nothing. He finally concluded that the only way to prove himself was to go into the blaze, and then figuratively to watch his legs to discover their merits and faults. He reluctantly

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

about the world bearing a load of courage unseen, and although he had known many of his comrades through boyhood, he began to fear that his judgment of them had been blind. Then, in other

1. Calm, peaceful, and untroubled.
2. Clear and bright, without clouds or disturbance.

to a general. Men ran hither and thither, seeking with their eyes roads of escape. With serene regularity, as if controlled by a schedule, bullets buffed into men. The youth walked stolidly

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

to the right. The sky overhead was of a fairy blue. The youth studied the faces of his companions, ever on the watch to detect kindred emotions. He suffered disappointment. Some ardor of the air

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

as much as circumstances would allow him. In the evening he wandered a few paces into the gloom. From this little distance the many fires, with the black forms of men passing to and fro before

1. Long, legless reptiles; snakes.
2. Symbolic or mythical snake-like creatures.

on the brow of a hill in front and rearward vanished in a wood. They were like two serpents crawling from the cavern of the night. The river was not in view. The tall soldier burst into

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.

without reserve, that he was at home again making the endless rounds from the house to the barn, from the barn to the fields, from the fields to the barn, from the barn to the house. He

1. Lines or beams of light radiating from a source.
2. Marine fish with flat bodies and wing-like fins.

distance the many fires, with the black forms of men passing to and fro before the crimson rays, made weird and satanic effects. He lay down in the grass. The blades pressed tenderly against

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

the history of headgear for a period of years. And, moreover, there were no letters of faded gold speaking from the colors. They were new and beautiful, and the color bearer habitually oiled

1. A long, decisive step when walking or running.
2. To walk with long, purposeful steps.

thigh, and his haversack bobbed softly. His musket bounced a trifle from his shoulder at each stride and made his cap feel uncertain upon his head. He could hear the men whisper jerky sentences:

1. High-pitched and piercing in sound.
2. Sharp or strident in tone or manner.

this way fer?” “Billie—keep off m’ feet. Yeh run—like a cow.” And the loud soldier’s shrill voice could be heard: “What th’devil they in sich a hurry for?” The youth thought the damp fog of

1. Lightly armed soldiers who engage in irregular or small-scale combat.
2. Military units used to harass or disrupt enemy forces.

over the grass and in among the tree trunks, he could see knots and waving lines of skirmishers who were running hither and thither and firing at the landscape. A dark battle line lay upon a

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

with relentless curses and chewing tobacco with unspeakable valor; tremendous bodies of fierce soldiery who were sweeping along like the Huns. Others spoke of tattered and eternally hungry men

1. A feeling of great surprise or amazement.
2. The state of being astonished or shocked.

threats to set ablaze the whole establishment. The youth was in a little trance of astonishment. So they were at last going to fight. On the morrow, perhaps, there would be a battle, and he

1. Stopped or paused movement or progress.
2. Brought to a standstill.

IV The brigade was halted in the fringe of a grove. The men crouched among the trees and pointed their restless guns out at

1. A small group of trees, often without undergrowth.
2. A small wooded area or orchard.

IV The brigade was halted in the fringe of a grove. The men crouched among the trees and pointed their restless guns out at the fields. They tried

1. Bent low with the knees and upper body close to the ground.
2. Positioned oneself in a low, compact stance, often to hide or prepare for movement.

IV The brigade was halted in the fringe of a grove. The men crouched among the trees and pointed their restless guns out at the fields. They tried to look beyond the

1. A slight obscuration of the atmosphere caused by fine particles, dust, or smoke.
2. A state of confusion or vagueness in thought or perception.

on’y got t’ go across that lot. An’ then”—the remainder of his idea disappeared in a blue haze of curses. The youth stretched forth his arm. “Cross there?” His mouth was puckered in doubt and

1. A hyperbolic secant function in mathematics.
2. Short for "section" in some contexts.

They say th’ enemy driv’ our line inteh a devil of a swamp an’ took Hannises’ batt’ry.” “No sech thing. Hannises’ batt’ry was ’long here ’bout a minute ago.” “That young Hasbrouck, he makes a

1. A metal container used for cooking or storing food.
2. A shallow dish used for baking or serving food.

ain’t I? An’ it ain’t much t’ ask, is it? Jest t’ pull me along outer th’ road? I’d do it fer you, wouldn’t I, Henry?” He paused in piteous anxiety to await his friend’s reply. The youth had

1. In Irish folklore, a female spirit whose wailing warns of an impending death in a family.
2. A mythical creature often depicted as a ghostly woman associated with omens of death.

at a frantic gallop scattered the stragglers right and left. A shell screaming like a storm banshee went over the huddled heads of the reserves. It landed in the grove, and exploding redly flung

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

attention to its position, when the cry was repeated up and down the line in a muffled roar of sound. “Here they come! Here they come!” Gun locks clicked. Across the smoke-infested fields

1. Suddenly surprised or alarmed.
2. Caused to feel shock or fear unexpectedly.

tilted forward, sped near the front. As he caught sight of them the youth was momentarily startled by a thought that perhaps his gun was not loaded. He stood trying to rally his faltering

1. (noun) A decorative trimming or edging, often made of gathered fabric.
2. (verb) To gather or pleat fabric into a decorative edge.

them to be impossible pictures. He sprang from the bunk and began to pace nervously to and fro. “Good Lord, what’s th’ matter with me?” he said aloud. He felt that in this crisis his laws of

1. A skilled worker who builds or repairs wooden structures.
2. A person who works with wood, crafting furniture or frameworks.

fraternity born of the smoke and danger of death. He was at a task. He was like a carpenter who has made many boxes, making still another box, only there was furious haste in his movements.

1. Speed or urgency in movement or action.
2. Excessive quickness that may lead to mistakes.

hears. There was a singular absence of heroic poses. The men bending and surging in their haste and rage were in every impossible attitude. The steel ramrods clanked and clanged with incessant

1. Talking rapidly and continuously in a foolish or excited way.
2. Making continuous murmuring or bubbling sounds, like a stream.

and chantlike with the resounding chords of the war march. The man at the youth’s elbow was babbling. In it there was something soft and tender like the monologue of a babe. The tall soldier was

1. A loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.
2. Informal term for a commotion or uproar.

wanted t’ amputate ’m, an’ Bill, he raised a heluva row, I hear. He’s a funny feller.” The din in front swelled to a tremendous chorus. The youth and his fellows were frozen to silence. They

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

Another grunted suddenly as if he had been struck by a club in the stomach. He sat down and gazed ruefully. In his eyes there was mute, indefinite reproach. Farther up the line a man, standing

1. To lie or sit with limbs spread out in a relaxed or awkward manner.
2. To spread out in an irregular or untidy way.

ranks of the new regiment. “Here they come ag’in! Here they come ag’in!” The man who had sprawled upon the ground started up and said, “Gosh!” The youth turned quick eyes upon the field. He

1. Wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion.
2. Hurried, excited, or disorganized due to urgency.

There came a turbulent stream of men across the fields. A battery changing position at a frantic gallop scattered the stragglers right and left. A shell screaming like a storm banshee went over

1. Courage or bravery, especially in battle.
2. Great worth or merit.

hordes who were advancing with relentless curses and chewing tobacco with unspeakable valor; tremendous bodies of fierce soldiery who were sweeping along like the Huns. Others spoke of

1. A heavy blow or punch.
2. A powerful impact or force.

heavens, they’ve held ’im! They’ve held ’im!” He began to blithely roar at his staff: “We’ll wallop ’im now. We’ll wallop ’im now. We ’ve got ’em sure.” He turned suddenly upon an aide:

1. The technique or skill of using muskets in warfare.
2. A group of soldiers armed with muskets.

Directly the youth could see the skirmishers running. They were pursued by the sound of musketry fire. After a time the hot, dangerous flashes of the rifles were visible. Smoke clouds went

1. Past tense of flee; ran away from danger or trouble.
2. Having left quickly to escape.

of the tumbling smoke. The lieutenant of the youth’s company had encountered a soldier who had fled screaming at the first volley of his comrades. Behind the lines these two were acting a little

1. Climbing or trailing plants with long stems.
2. Refers to videos shared on the now-defunct platform Vine.

of hearing of the crackling shots which were to him like voices. The ground was cluttered with vines and bushes, and the trees grew close and spread out like bouquets. He was obliged to force his

1. A small, agile rodent with a bushy tail, often climbing trees.
2. To hide or store something for future use (verb).

triumphant at this exhibition. There was the law, he said. Nature had given him a sign. The squirrel, immediately upon recognizing danger, had taken to his legs without ado. He did not stand

1. Harsh, stern, or forbidding in appearance or manner.
2. Causing gloom or depression; bleak.

The guns squatted in a row like savage chiefs. They argued with abrupt violence. It was a grim powwow. Their busy servants ran hither and thither. A small procession of wounded men were going

1. Torn or ragged in appearance.
2. Worn out or frayed from use.

a sardonic comment. “Be keerful, honey, you’ll be a-ketchin’ flies,” he said. The tattered man shrank back abashed. After a time he began to sidle near to the youth, and in a diffident way

1. In the middle of or surrounded by.
2. During a particular time or event.

silent he became frightened and imagined terrible fingers that clutched into his brain. Amid it he began to reflect upon various incidents and conditions of the past. He bethought him of

1. Formed an idea or plan in the mind.
2. Understood or imagined something in a particular way.

of an engagement come to his ears. Staring once at the red eyes across the river, he conceived them to be growing larger, as the orbs of a row of dragons advancing. He turned toward the

1. A slight, involuntary shaking or quivering movement.
2. A minor earthquake or seismic vibration.

rear. Suddenly, as the two friends marched on, the tall soldier seemed to be overcome by a tremor. His face turned to a semblance of gray paste. He clutched the youth’s arm and looked all about

1. A version control system for tracking changes in source code.
2. A distributed revision control tool designed for speed and efficiency.

hungry men who fired despondent powders. “They’ll charge through hell’s fire an’ brimstone t’ git a holt on a haversack, an’ sech stomachs ain’t a’lastin’ long,” he was told. From the stories,

1. Deep in thought; reflective or contemplative.
2. Expressing or involving quiet, thoughtful consideration.

X The tattered man stood musing. “Well, he was a reg’lar jim-dandy fer nerve, wa’n’t he,” said he finally in a little awestruck

1. A man overly concerned with his appearance and fashion.
2. Excellent or first-rate (informal).

X The tattered man stood musing. “Well, he was a reg’lar jim-dandy fer nerve, wa’n’t he,” said he finally in a little awestruck voice. “A reg’lar jim-dandy.” He

1. Relating to or consisting of two elements or parts.
2. In computing, involving or using two digits (0 and 1).

“Good Lord!” he cried, “you ain’t goin’ t’—not you, too.” The tattered man waved his hand. “Nary die,” he said. “All I want is some pea soup an’ a good bed. Some pea soup,” he repeated

1. A small, round, green seed used as a vegetable.
2. The plant that produces these seeds.

man waved his hand. “Nary die,” he said. “All I want is some pea soup an’ a good bed. Some pea soup,” he repeated dreamfully. The youth arose from the ground. “I wonder where he came from. I

1. The act of clearing someone from blame or suspicion.
2. Proof that someone or something is right, justified, or valid.

act. There was an amount of pleasure to him in watching the wild march of this vindication. Presently the calm head of a forward-going column of infantry appeared in the road. It came

1. Fell suddenly or clumsily.
2. Moved in a rolling or erratic manner.

of war; they rendered it almost impossible for him to see himself in a heroic light. He tumbled headlong. He discovered that he had a scorching thirst. His face was so dry and grimy that he

1. Walking heavily or noisily, causing damage or disturbance.
2. Crushing or flattening something by stepping on it repeatedly.

to doom himself to isolation. If the men were advancing, their indifferent feet were trampling upon his chances for a successful life. As these thoughts went rapidly through his mind, he

1. Used to introduce more information or arguments.

did not sting with precision. A stout heart often defied, and defying, escaped. And, furthermore, how could they kill him who was the chosen of gods and doomed to greatness? He remembered how

1. Minor illnesses or health problems (e.g., headaches, colds).
2. Physical or mental discomforts affecting well-being.

he could not but admit that the objections were very formidable. Furthermore, various ailments had begun to cry out. In their presence he could not persist in flying high with the wings of

1. Enlarged or puffed up, often due to injury or infection.
2. Filled with excessive pride or self-importance.

by the overhanging night, was going to be swallowed. War, the red animal, war, the blood-swollen god, would have bloated fill. Within him something bade to cry out. He had the impulse to make a

1. The time of day when the sun is below the horizon but the sky is still partially illuminated.
2. The darker stage of twilight before nightfall.

of them. They were leaping and scampering all about him. Their blanched faces shone in the dusk. They seemed, for the most part, to be very burly men. The youth turned from one to another of

1. Not paying attention; careless or thoughtless.
2. Showing a lack of concern or consideration.

to another of them as they galloped along. His incoherent questions were lost. They were heedless of his appeals. They did not seem to see him. They sometimes gabbled insanely. One huge man was

1. A long, flat piece of timber used in construction or flooring.
2. A fundamental principle or policy of a political party.

gabbled insanely. One huge man was asking of the sky: “Say, where de plank road? Where de plank road!” It was as if he had lost a child. He wept in his pain and dismay. Presently, men were

1. A confused or disordered mixture of things.
2. To mix or confuse items in a disorderly way.

like fishwives. Their scolding voices could be heard above the din. Into the unspeakable jumble in the roadway rode a squadron of cavalry. The faded yellow of their facings shone bravely. There

1. Appeared as a large, vague, or threatening shape.
2. Stood out prominently or was imminent.

patch like a rug laid for the feet of the coming sun; and against it, black and patternlike, loomed the gigantic figure of the colonel on a gigantic horse. From off in the darkness came the

1. A small container for carrying water or other drinks.
2. A cafeteria or dining area in a school, workplace, or military base.

had been struggling. He was grimy and dripping like a laborer in a foundry. He grasped his canteen and took a long swallow of the warmed water. A sentence with variations went up and down the

1. To handle clumsily or drop something due to lack of skill or care.
2. To struggle or make mistakes while doing something.

long ago. A shot in th’ head ain’t foolin’ business.” The youth made no reply, but began to fumble with the buttons of his jacket. “Well, come, now,” continued his friend, “come on. I must put yeh

1. Twisted together in a confused mass.
2. Complicated or intricate in nature.

An officer’s peremptory tenor rang out and quickened the stiffened movement of the men. The tangled limbs unraveled. The corpse-hued faces were hidden behind fists that twisted slowly in the eye

1. Said something in response or comment.
2. Noticed or observed something noteworthy.

The loud soldier blew a thoughtful cloud of smoke from his pipe. “Oh, I don’t know,” he remarked with dignity; “I don’t know. I s’pose I’ll do as well as the rest. I’m going to try like

1. A slang term for rebounds in basketball.
2. Short for rebellious behavior or attitude.

pacific motions with his arms. “Oh, here, now, boys, what’s th’ use?” he said. “We’ll be at th’ rebs in less’n an hour. What’s th’ good fightin’ ’mong ourselves?” One of the light-footed soldiers

1. A dark, strong beer made with roasted malt or barley.
2. Strong, thick, or sturdy in build or structure.

suffering great shame. As he contemplated him, the youth felt his heart grow more strong and stout. He had never been compelled to blush in such manner for his acts; he was an individual of

1. Honors or recognition for achievement.
2. Leaves of the laurel tree, used as a symbol of victory.

He could see himself in a room of warm tints telling tales to listeners. He could exhibit laurels. They were insignificant; still, in a district where laurels were infrequent, they might shine.

1. Long, narrow ditches dug in the ground, often for drainage or military defense.
2. Deep furrows or channels, especially in the ocean floor.

The youth’s regiment was marched to relieve a command that had lain long in some damp trenches. The men took positions behind a curving line of rifle pits that had been turned up, like a large

1. Waiting for something to happen or arrive.
2. In programming, pausing execution until a promise is resolved.

little and labored much. They rolled their eyes toward the advancing battle as they stood awaiting the shock. Some shrank and flinched. They stood as men tied to stakes.

1. Excited or stimulated, often sexually.
2. Awakened from sleep or inactivity.

on the ground like a parcel. He stared with a vacant look into the fire. After a time he aroused, for some part, and the things about him began to take form. He saw that the ground in the deep

1. Past tense of 'dern', meaning to hide or conceal.
2. (Dialectal) To darn or mend fabric.

into his trouser’s pockets. He took the matter as an affront to him. “I don’t believe the derned old army’s ever going to move. We’re set. I’ve got ready to move eight times in the last two

1. An enemy or opponent.
2. Someone who is actively against something.

like a phantom flood. There was a maddening quality in this seeming resolution of the foe to give him no rest, to give him no time to sit down and think. Yesterday he had fought and had

1. Opponents in a conflict or competition.
2. People or groups actively opposed to someone or something.

who were slippery. Their beams of crimson seemed to get no purchase upon the bodies of their foes; the latter seemed to evade them with ease, and come through, between, around, and about with

1. A diminutive or affectionate form of the name James.
2. Slang term for a crowbar or pry bar, especially in British English.

old seat. In a short while the three antagonists could be seen together in an amiable bunch. “Jimmie Rogers ses I’ll have t’ fight him after th’ battle t’day,” announced the friend as he again

1. A hybrid animal, offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, known for its strength and endurance.
2. A stubborn or obstinate person.

to help th’ 76th, an’ I haven’t really got any. But there’s th’ 304th. They fight like a lot ’a mule drivers. I can spare them best of any.” The youth and his friend exchanged glances of

1. A cleaning tool with stiff fibers attached to a handle, used for sweeping floors.
2. A shrub with yellow flowers, often found in Europe.

that he was very insignificant. The officer spoke of the regiment as if he referred to a broom. Some part of the woods needed sweeping, perhaps, and he merely indicated a broom in a tone

1. A cluster or group of things growing or gathered together.
2. A compact mass of a substance, like dirt or hair.

The youth, light-footed, was unconsciously in advance. His eyes still kept note of the clump of trees. From all places near it the clannish yell of the enemy could be heard. The little

1. Vivid or shocking in color, often unpleasantly bright.
2. Sensational or exaggerated, especially in a disturbing way.

had longed to see it all. His busy mind had drawn for him large pictures extravagant in color, lurid with breathless deeds. But his mother had discouraged him. She had affected to look with some

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

for that part of the army which had been left upon the river bank, felicitating themselves upon being a part of a blasting host. The youth, considering himself as separated from the

1. Having the qualities or appearance of youth.
2. Fresh, energetic, or lively.

them by disdaining to produce proofs. They grew much excited over it. There was a youthful private who listened with eager ears to the words of the tall soldier and to the varied comments

1. (of a voice) sounding rough and harsh, typically due to a sore throat or shouting.
2. (of a person) having a rough or harsh voice.

A yellow fog lay wallowing on the treetops. From beneath it came the clatter of musketry. Hoarse cries told of an advance. He turned away amazed and angry. He felt that he had been wronged. He

1. Having a particular color or shade.
2. Colored or tinted in a specific way.

a brown mass of troops, interwoven and magnified until they appeared to be thousands. A fierce-hued flag flashed before his vision. Immediately, as if the uplifting of the smoke had been

1. (adjective) Extremely thin and bony, often from hunger or illness.
2. (adjective) Bleak or desolate in appearance.

everything, he said. It seemed, then, that there was bitter justice in the speeches of the gaunt and bronzed veterans. He veiled a glance of disdain at his fellows who strewed the ground,

1. A clergy member in Christian churches ranking below a priest.
2. A layperson assisting in church services and charitable work.

in an ecstasy of excitement. But of a sudden the colonel’s manner changed from that of a deacon to that of a Frenchman. He shrugged his shoulders. “Oh, well, general, we went as far as we

1. Intense flames or fire.
2. Used as an exclamation to express anger or surprise.

after Tompkins—see Taylor—tell him t’ go in—everlastingly—like blazes—anything.” As another officer sped his horse after the first messenger, the general beamed upon

1. A throat-clearing sound to get attention or express hesitation.
2. Used to introduce a statement or remark, often humorously or awkwardly.

met your lieutenant right by us—it was damnedest thing I ever heard—an’ he ses: ‘Ahem! ahem!’ he ses. ‘Mr. Hasbrouck!’ he ses, ‘by th’ way, who was that lad what carried th’ flag?’ he ses.

1. Made a loud, deep sound like a lion or thunder.
2. Laughed loudly and heartily.

sight. In the present, he declared to himself that it was only the doomed and the damned who roared with sincerity at circumstance. Few but they ever did it. A man with a full stomach and the

1. Remarkably large in size or extent.
2. Extraordinary in degree or amount.

a most awe-inspiring racket in the wood. The noise was unspeakable. Having stirred this prodigious uproar, and, apparently, finding it too prodigious, the brigade, after a little time, came

1. Weakened or damaged in function or quality.
2. Having a disability that affects normal functioning.

over the backs of his men, and it was evident that his previous efforts had in nowise impaired his resources. The youth, still the bearer of the colors, did not feel his idleness. He was

1. A simultaneous discharge of missiles, such as bullets or arrows.
2. In sports, a hit or kick of the ball before it touches the ground.

of the youth’s company had encountered a soldier who had fled screaming at the first volley of his comrades. Behind the lines these two were acting a little isolated scene. The man was

1. Walked heavily or roughly, causing damage or injury.
2. Crushed or flattened by being stepped on.

against a gray obstruction that it seemed to clear the earth of it and leave nothing but trampled sod. And always in their swift and deadly rushes to and fro the men screamed and yelled like

1. Actions or things done, especially brave or noble ones.
2. Legal documents that transfer ownership of property.

seminary as they drank his recitals. Their vague feminine formula for beloved ones doing brave deeds on the field of battle without risk of life would be destroyed.

1. Happy and full of joy
2. Expressing delight or excitement

had already defeated certain sympathies. Regarding his procession of memory he felt gleeful and unregretting, for in it his public deeds were paraded in great and shining prominence. Those

1. Extremely unhappy or unfortunate.
2. Of poor quality; very bad.

he who, blind with weariness and pain, had been deserted in the field. For an instant a wretched chill of sweat was upon him at the thought that he might be detected in the thing. As he stood

1. The cutting blade of a plow, used to turn and break up soil.
2. Symbolically, tools of peace (from the biblical phrase "beat swords into plowshares").

that as he trudged from the place of blood and wrath his soul changed. He came from hot plowshares to prospects of clover tranquilly, and it was as if hot plowshares were not. Scars faded as