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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Essay & Composition Writing
Meanings of the words in the short story - the chimes
by Charles Dickens
For the night-wind has a dismal trick (?) of wandering round and round a building of that sort, and moaning as it goes; and of trying, with its unseen hand, the windows and the doors; and seeking out some crevices by which to enter. And when it has got in; as one not finding what it seeks, whatever that may be, it wails and howls to issue forth again: and not content with stalking through the aisles, and gliding round and round the pillars, and tempting the deep organ, soars up to the roof, and strives to rend the rafters: then flings itself despairingly upon the stones below, and passes, muttering, into the vaults. Anon (?), it comes up stealthily, and creeps along the walls, seeming to read, in whispers, the Inscriptions sacred to the Dead. At some of these, it breaks out shrilly (?), as with laughter; and at others, moans and cries as if it were lamenting. It has a ghostly sound too, lingering within the altar; where it seems to chaunt, in its wild way, of Wrong and Murder done, and false Gods worshipped, in defiance of the Tables of the Law, which look so fair and smooth, but are so flawed and broken. Ugh! Heaven preserve us, sitting snugly round the fire! It has an awful voice, that wind at Midnight, singing in a church!
what is the meaning of :
dismal trick, anon, shrilly.
thanks
suji
For the night-wind has a dismal trick (?) of wandering round and round a building of that sort, and moaning as it goes; and of trying, with its unseen hand, the windows and the doors; and seeking out some crevices by which to enter. And when it has got in; as one not finding what it seeks, whatever that may be, it wails and howls to issue forth again: and not content with stalking through the aisles, and gliding round and round the pillars, and tempting the deep organ, soars up to the roof, and strives to rend the rafters: then flings itself despairingly upon the stones below, and passes, muttering, into the vaults. Anon (?), it comes up stealthily, and creeps along the walls, seeming to read, in whispers, the Inscriptions sacred to the Dead. At some of these, it breaks out shrilly (?), as with laughter; and at others, moans and cries as if it were lamenting. It has a ghostly sound too, lingering within the altar; where it seems to chaunt, in its wild way, of Wrong and Murder done, and false Gods worshipped, in defiance of the Tables of the Law, which look so fair and smooth, but are so flawed and broken. Ugh! Heaven preserve us, sitting snugly round the fire! It has an awful voice, that wind at Midnight, singing in a church!
what is the meaning of :
dismal trick, anon, shrilly.
thanks
suji
Top answer
I liked that!! Dismal trick: Dismal: Causing gloom or depression (think of depressing, dark, dreary weather) and trick in this case means way or method. so dismal trick refers to whole poem.
- I liked that!!
- Dismal trick: Dismal: Causing gloom or depression (think of depressing, dark, dreary weather) and trick in this case means way or method.
- so dismal trick refers to whole poem.
- e.
- the thing which the wind does.
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1 Answers
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I liked that!!
Dismal trick: Dismal: Causing gloom or depression (think of depressing, dark, dreary weather) and trick in this case means way or method. so dismal trick refers to whole poem. i.e. the thing which the wind does.
Anon: I got these defenitions from the dictionary:
At another time; later.
In a short time; soon.
Archaic. At once; forthwith.
Dismal trick: Dismal: Causing gloom or depression (think of depressing, dark, dreary weather) and trick in this case means way or method. so dismal trick refers to whole poem. i.e. the thing which the wind does.
Anon: I got these defenitions from the dictionary:
At another time; later.
In a short time; soon.
Archaic. At once; forthwith.
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