451 degrees Fahrenheit
The temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns.
Burning Bright
From William Blake's poem, "The Tiger"
cacophony
A variety of harsh, jarring sounds heard all at once.
Clarisse
A name derived from the Latin word for "brightest".
dentifrice
Any preparation for teeth cleaning.
Guy Montag
His first name refers to Guy Fawks, a man who plotted to blow up British Parliament in 1605. Montag, a trademark of Mead (an American paper company), makes stationary and furnaces.
Icarus
Son of Daedalus in Greek mythology. He flew too close to the sun and his wings made of wax melted, sending him plummeting to his death.
infinitely
Lacking limits or bounds, specifically regarding time.
November 4
Historically, the eve of Guy Fawkes' "Gunpowder Plot" to burn the British Parliament, a plan meant to destroy James I who oppressed Catholics. In F. 451, the firemen play cards together on Nov. 4.
phoenix
In Egyptian mythology a bird that, after a long life, sets itself on fire, and then rises from the ashes to begin a new life.
pratfall
Slang for falling on one's rear end. Often used in burlesque routines.
proboscis
A tubular organ used for smell and sense. The human proboscis is the nose.
salamander
Amphibian resembling a lizard. In mythology, salamanders are said to live through fire without burning.
theremin
An early electronic musical instrument whose sound is controlled by moving the air between two antennae.
trench mouth
An infectious disease producing mouth ulcers in the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.
V-2 Rocket
The first long-range liquid fueled missile carrying one ton of explosives, used first by the Germans in WWII.
Vesuvius
A volcano in Italy, near Naples, that erupted in 79 A.D., burying Pompeii in volcanic ash.
