Vocab for Bierce “ An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”

1. Vocab for Bierce “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Patsy Hamby

2. Vocab for Bierce

3. 1. acclivity n. • an ascending slope; a hill • 1610s, from L. acclivitatem (nom. acclivitas) "an ascending direction, an upward steepness," from acclivis "mounting upwards, ascending," from ad- "up"

4. 2. dignitary n. • one who holds a position of honor • early 13c., from O.Fr. dignite "dignity, privilege, honor," from L. dignitatem (nom. dignitas) "worthiness," from dignus "worth (n.), worthy, proper, fitting"

5. 3. efface v. • to erase, as if by erosion • late 15c., from M.Fr. effacer, from O.Fr. esfacier (12c.) "to wipe out, destroy," lit. "to remove the face," from es- "out" (see ex-) + face "appearance," from L. facies "face"

6. 4. embrasure n. • an opening in a wall or fort to allow for firing of a cannon • 1702, from Fr. embrasure (16c.), from O.Fr. embraser "to cut at a slant, make a groove or furrow in a door or window," from en- "in" (see en- (1)) + braser "to cut at a slant."

7. 5. encompass v. • to form a circle around; to enclose • 1550s, from en- (1) "make, put in" + compass. c.1300, "space, area, extent, circumference," from O.Fr. compas "circle, radius, pair of compasses"

8. 6. hemp n. • tough fiber used for cords or ropes • from P.Gmc. *hanapiz (cf. O.S. hanap, O.N. hampr, O.H.G. hanaf, Ger. Hanf)

9. 7. inconceivably adv. • in a manner that cannot be comprehended or understood • 1630s, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + conceivable; from conceive + -able. Originally in a now-obsolete sense "that can be received." Meaning "that can be imagined

10. 8. intolerable adj • unbearable • late 14c., from L. intolerabilis "that cannot bear, that cannot be borne," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + tolerabilis "that may be endured," from tolerare "to tolerate"

11. 9. ludicrous adj. • foolish; laughable • 1610s, "pertaining to play or sport," from L. ludicrus, from ludicrum "source of amusement, joke," from ludere "to play," which, with L. ludus "a game, play,"

12. 10. luminous adj. • emitting or reflecting continuous light • early 15c., "full of light," from L. luminosus "shining, full of light," from lumen

13. 11. periodicity n. • quality of regularly recurring • 1833, from Fr. périodicité from L. periodicus. for a time period

14. 12. ramification n. • a consequence; an outgrowth • 1670s, "a branching out," from Fr. ramification, ramus "branch" (related to radix "root;")

15. 13. sentinel n. • a guard • 1570’s from sentire "to hear, perceive," from L. senire "feel" (see sense).

16. 14. sluggish adj. • slow-moving • mid-15c., from M.E. slugge "lazy person"

17. 15. span v. • to extend across • O.E. span "distance between the thumb and little finger of an extended hand," probably related to M.Du. spannen "to join, fasten";that of "space between abutments of an arch, etc." is from

18. 16. traverse v. • to travel across • early 14c., "pass across, over, or through," from O.Fr. traverser "to cross, thwart" (11c.), from V.L. *traversare, from L. transversare "to cross, throw across," from L. transversus "turn

19. 17. undulation n. • a rising and falling like waves • 1640s, from M.L. *undulatio, from L.L. undulatus "wavy, undulated," from undula "wavelet," dim. of L. unda "wave" (see water)

20. 18. vigorously adv. • with great physical or mental strength • L. vigere "be lively, flourish, thrive"

21. 19. villainous adj. • like an evil person or villain • 1300, "base or low-born rustic," from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. villain, from M.L. villanus "farmhand," from L. villa "country house"

22. 20. vulgar adj. • ordinary, common, usual • late 14c., "common, ordinary," from L. vulgaris "of or pertaining to the common people, common, vulgar," from vulgus "the common people, multitude, crowd, throng,"