The Crucible  

Act Three Vocabulary in Context 

 
Directions:​ Please review the definitions of the words below.   
1. Using this list, locate the word in Act Three of ​The Crucible P
​ DF.  
2. Write the sentence from the story and explain the context clues that are in the sentence that 
help you determine the meaning of the word.   
3. Then, write a sentence of your own using the vocabulary word to demonstrate understanding.   
 
 
Make sure ALL three requirements are completed to your full potential! Must be very neat.   
 
Objectives:   
Students will be able to determine the meaning of a word using context clues.  
Students will be able to explain the use of context clues in a sentence.  
Students will be able to review the meaning of the vocabulary word and use it in a sentence.  
 
Act Three Vocabulary  
vestry:​ a room in a church where meetings or classes are held 
remorseless: ​without compassion; relentless 
wrath:​ fury often marked by a desire for vengeance 
contentious:​ causing or likely to cause disagreement and disputes between people 
with differing views 
deposition​: witness’s testimony 
befuddled:​ confused or perplexed 
immaculate:​ clean and free from blemishes; showing faultless perfection 
qualm​: a misgiving, doubt, or bad feeling 
callously​: in away that shows no concern if other people are hurt or upset 
apparition:​ an unexpected sight; a ghost 
contemplation​: long and attentive consideration or observation of something 
afflicted:​ distressed 
dumbfounded:​ temporarily speechless with astonishment 
slovenly:​ not concerned about conventional standards of personal hygiene 
and tidiness 
transfixed:​ made immobile from shock 
befouled: ​dirty or impure 
quail:​ to show fear or apprehension 
denounce:​ to express harsh criticism or condemnation of something or 
somebody, usually in public 
 
Example: Inert  
 
Definition: ​inert:​ motionless; non-reactive  
 
Sentence using text:​ His daughter, Betty Parris, aged ten, is lying on the bed, ​inert ​(Miller 6).  
 
Using context clues: ​She was laying in bed so it can be inferred that is sick, tired, and still.   
 
Your own sentence: ​ On rainy days, I can be found lying in the bed, inert.  
 
#1. Vestry  
 
Definition: a ​ room in a church where meetings or classes are held 
 
Sentence using text: The vestry room of the Salem meeting house, now serving as the anteroom of the 
General Court. (Miller 83) 
 
Using context clues: The vestry room is a meeting room in a building. 
 
Your own sentence: Every Saturday, the leaders of the church discuss religious activities. 
 
#2. Remorseless 
Definition: w ​ ithout compassion; relentless 
 
Sentence using text: He is in his sixties, a bitter, remorseless Salem judge. (Miller 85) 
 
Using Context clues: When Judge Hathorne enters, it can be inferred that he is aggressive or he does not 
care. 
 
Your own sentence: After crashing the car, the driver was remorseless toward the accident.  
 
#3. Wrath 
Definition: f​ ury often marked by a desire for vengeance 
 
Sentence using text: He comes down to Giles, who awaits his wrath. (Miller 85) 
 
Using Context clues: Since Danforth doesn’t like to be questioned, he seems to seek revenge on Giles for 
questioning. 
 
Your own sentence: Since the police did not arrest the criminal, they had to feel the wrath of the public. 
 
#4. Contentious 
Definition: ​causing or likely to cause disagreement and disputes between people 
with differing views 
Sentence using text: Giles Corey, sir, and a more contentious (Miller 85) 
 
Using context clues: Parris seems to disagree with Giles Corey and his stance in the court. 
 
Your own sentence: The neighbors had seemed to be contentious with each other ever since 
they moved in.  
 
#5. Deposition 
Definition: ​witness’s testimony 
 
Sentence using text: She has signed a deposition (Miller 88) 
 
Using context clues: Since they are in court it could be thought of as some form of testimony, 
especially since it says that she signed it.  
 
Your own sentence: The attorneys took depositions from the witnesses.  
 
#6. Befuddled 
Definition: ​confused or perplexed 
 
Sentence using text: This is a sharp time, now, a pre-cise time - we live no longer in the dusky 
afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world. (Miller 94) 
 
Using context clues: When he says, mixed with evil and good, it can be confusing not only the 
reader but the world as well.  
 
Your own sentence: Even with the help of others, he was still befuddled by the lesson.  
 
#7. Immaculate 
Definition: clean and free from blemishes; showing faultless perfection 
 
Sentence using text:I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest 
qualm of conscience may doubt it. (Miller 99) 
 
Using context clues: When it says no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it, it can be 
inferred that it is clean or without fault. 
 
Your own sentence: Before having friends over, Jerry cleans his house until it looks immaculate. 
 
#8. Qualm 
Definition: a misgiving, doubt, or bad feeling 
 
Sentence using text: I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest 
qualm of conscience may doubt it. (Miller 99) 
 
Using context clues: Based on the sentence, it can be inferred that it is doubt, as immaculate 
refers to the word as with doubt. 
 
Your own sentence: They have no qualm about calling the police over the noisy neighbors. 
 
#9 Apparition 
Definition:an unexpected sight; a ghost 
 
Sentence using text: In which she swears that she never saw familiar spirits, apparitions, nor 
any manifest of the Devil. (Miller 102) 
 
Using context clues: It says spirits or manifest of the Devil, so the word must be a ghost or 
unexpected vision. 
 
Your own sentence: She woke up and claimed she saw an apparition of her late husband. 
 
#10 Contemplation 
Definition: long and attentive consideration or observation of something 
 
Sentence using text: He charges contemplation of murder. (Miller 104) 
 
Using context clues: Based on the sentence it can be inferred that it is evidence of murder. 
 
Your own sentence: After winning the lottery, the man began having contemplations of his future 
purchases 
 
#11 Afflicted 
Definition: distressed 
 
Sentence using text: Mary, were never threatened or afflicted by any manifest of the Devil or the Devil’s 
agents. (Miller 106) 
 
Using context clues: It is inferred to be troubled, as before that it talks of murder and stress.  
 
Your own sentence: She was afflicted after being bit by a snake. 
 
#12 Dumbfounded 
Definition: temporarily speechless with astonishment 
 
Sentence using text: Danforth, dumfounded: You charge - ? (Miller 110) 
 
Context Clues: Danforth was shocked after hearing what Proctor had said. 
 
Your own sentence: They were dumbfounded after hearing they were accepted into the college of their 
choice. 
 
#13 Slovenly 
Definition: not concerned about conventional standards of personal hygiene 
and tidiness 
 
Sentence using text: Were she slovenly? Lazy? What disturbance did she cause?  
 
Context Clues: It can be inferred that he is referencing her cleaning abilities in a negative manner.  
 
Your own sentence: The homeless man on the street appeared slovenly. 
 
#14 Transfixed 
Definition: made immobile from shock 
 
Sentence with text: She is transfixed - with all the girls, she is whimpering open-mouthed, agape at the 
ceiling (Miller 114) 
 
Context Clues: She stands there shocked at what the girls had been doing. 
 
Your own sentence: The child was transfixed throughout the animated movie. 
 
#15 Befouled 
Definition: dirty or impure 
 
Sentence with text:Will you confess yourself befouled with Hell, or do you keep that black allegiance 
yet? (Miller 119) 
 
Context Clues: The black allegiance refers to impure acts involved with the Devil. 
 
Your own sentence: After committing the crime, the man’s name was befouled. 
 
#16 Quail 
Definition: to show fear or apprehension 
 
Sentence with word: For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail 
now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud - God damns our kind especially, and we 
will burn, we will burn together! (Miller 120) 
 
Context Clues: It can be inferred that it refers to fear when it says, fear as I have feared. 
 
Your own sentence: The child quailed after failing his math test. 
 
#17 Denounce 
Definition: to express harsh criticism or condemnation of something or 
somebody, usually in public 
 
Sentence with word: I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court! (Miller 120) 
 
Context Clues: When in the court, Parris is frustrated and lets out his harsh feelings toward the ruling. 
 
Your own sentence: The government told the group to denounce its use of violence.