The Aspern Papers

The Aspern Papers Glossary

gondola

long wooden boat used to travel through the canals of Venice, which function like roads and run throughout the city

dilapadation

a state of decay or disrepair

palazzo

an Italian mansion, palace, or museum; in The Aspern Papers, Miss Bordereau lives in a palazzo

pecuniary

relating to money or financial transactions

cicerone

a guide for sightseers

obeisance

an act of respect, such as a bow or a curtsy

solicitude

care or concern for others

chagrin

distress at having been humiliated

secretary

a desk or bureau for holding papers

bereavement

grief, sorrow

melancholy

sad, pensive

franc

a currency used in various regions of Europe

spasm

a sudden convulsive movement

bohemian

socially unconventional, related to the arts

anguish

severe pain of suffering

droll

curious or unusual

astuteness

shrewdness, an ability to see things as they are

dingy

drab, gloomy, not stylish

vanity

excessive pride, especially in one's own appearance

relics

items left behind by a deceased person or from a period of history

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