almsgiving
Charitable giving to the poor, especially monetary gifts made as a specifically religious devotion
attent
Attentive
berceau
A shaded, arbor-covered outdoor walkway
bey
A Turkish governor
blent
Mixed together; a British past participle of "blend"
book-muslin
A fine lightweight cotton fabric, with a somewhat open weave. It was folded in the manner of a book when sold in quantity.
bougie
A candle made of wax
cambric
Fine white linen from Cambray in Flanders. The fabric of handkerchiefs.
catarrh
A historical term for respiratory disease; the common cold
cicerone
A tourist guide; a person who takes visitors to art galleries, museums, etc.
collation
A light meal set out for a party, or a meal allowed on fasting days
collyrium
A medicine or healing liquid applied to the eye
commodious
Convenient, spacious, comfortable, or easily adapted
coquelicot
A brilliant red-orange poppy
dey
A man in charge of a dairy
estrade
A low raised platform or dais
exigeant
The characteristic of being demanding, or requiring complete attention
fain
Gladly or willingly
fête
A large festival or party, usually put on by a community (school, church, village, etc.)
flagon
A bottle for liquor or wine
furbelow
A flounce or trimming on a petticoat or a dress
gasconading
Blustering or boasting
grenier
Attic or uppermost floor of a house
grisette
A young Frenchwoman of the working class; sometimes meant with a negative connotation of being grasping or mercenary.
guinea
An English gold coin not made since 1813. It was originally worth the value of twenty shillings (equalling one pound) but came to be worth a pound plus one shilling. Also, the color of this coin.
hebdomadal
Happening on a weekly basis
horn-book
Originally a primer (alphabet, numbers, and prayers) printed on one sheet of paper, covered with a translucent sheet of horn to make it visible but protected from soiling or tearing, and usually with an attached frame and handle for holding. Now the term is simply a euphemism for a textbook.
imprimis
Firstly, or to begin
Labassecourian
from Labassecour
minaudieres
Small decorated bags used to carry cosmetics, jewelery, or handkerchiefs, used as handbags by women
nacarat
Bright orange-red
odalisque
A female concubine in a harem; an exotic or sexually attractive woman, often depicted in art
oratory
A small room for private devotion. A private chapel.
pensionnat
A French word meaning a boarding school.
perfidious
Untrustworthy or treacherous
perforce
Must be so; necessarily
philoprogenitiveness
A historical idea that the love of one's children (or of children in general) was located in a certain part of the brain, and constituted a separate organ that could have various levels of development between people. This idea was still current in Bronte's time.
physiognomy
The pseudoscientific study of facial features as being indicative of character
probity
Honesty and integrity
pthisis
A historical term for tuberculosis
recontre
A meeting or encounter
savoir-faire
The ability to know what to do in any situation; worldliness
secresy
Variant archaic spelling of "secrecy"
thereanent
Concerning
turbid
Obscured or clouded
vicinage
The surrounding area or neighborhood
weltering
Turning, twisting, or wallowing
