The Tell Tale Heart Vocabulary

Front

acute
Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in heaven and in the earth.

Back

sharp

Front

vexed
And this I did for seven long nights - every night just at midnight - but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye.

Back

disturbed

Front

sagacity
Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers - of my sagacity.

Back

intelligence and good judgement

Front

suavity
There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity.

Back

smooth manner

Front

audacity
In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath...

Back

boldness

Front

vehemently
I talked more quickly - more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased.

Back

forcefully

Front

gesticulations
I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations, but the noise steadily increased.

Back

dramatic gesture

Front

derision
But any things was better than this agony! Any things was more tolerable than this derision!

Back

ridicule (make fun of)

Front

dissemble
"Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more!"

Back

pretend

Front

dissimulation

Back

a hiding of one's true feelings