The Bridge Glossary

by Hart Crane

The Bridge Glossary

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

Written by Kumaraditya Sarkar

Rippling

Waving, undulating. (Adjective)
E.g. Cornfields rippling in the wind.

Pivot

Revolve, Spin on a central shaft (Verb)
Also used as a noun, meaning axle or fulcrum.

Tumult

Uproar, commotion, loud noise. Adj. tumultuous.

Liberty

The Statue of Liberty.

Inviolate

Something that has not been violated. Untouched, unscathed. (Adjective).

Sleight

Cunning

Bedlamite

Mentally ill person, lunatic. (Archaic usage, originating from Bedlam, a colloquial name for the St. Mary Bethelhem Royal Hospital, a century-old centre to treat psychiatric patients).
c.f. Tom O'Bedlam. Also, Edgar in King Lear adopts the persona of Tom O'Bedlam, alias Poor Tom.

Acetylene

Colorless hydrocarbon gas (C2H2). It burns with a bright flame, and was used for lighting, before the invention of electric lights. Nowadays, it is used for welding.

Guerdon

Reward, recompense

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

Update this section

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.