Vocabulary in Rip Van Winkle

A loud, overbearing, constantly scolding woman; used here to describe Rip's nagging wife who makes his home life miserable.

Excessively eager to please or obey; used here to describe Rip's fawning, agreeable manner toward everyone outside his own household.

Friendly, good-natured, and easy to get along with; describes Rip's pleasant disposition toward his neighbors and the village community.

Rule or domination of a household by a woman, especially a wife; used satirically to describe how Rip's wife controls him completely.

A soft white mineral used to make tobacco pipes; here it refers to the long-stemmed pipe smoked by the mysterious strangers Rip encounters in the mountains.

A large vessel, typically with a handle and lid, used for holding and serving liquor; the strangers carry one and Rip drinks from it, causing his enchanted sleep.

Relating to or characteristic of woods and forests; used to describe the wild, wooded mountain setting where Rip encounters the ghostly figures.

Old-fashioned and out of date; used to describe Rip's appearance and the style of the strangers' clothing, marking them as belonging to a much earlier era.

Loose-fitting breeches gathered at the knee, associated with old Dutch settlers; worn by the ghostly figures Rip meets, signaling their connection to the colonial past.

Calm, slow to react, and not easily excited or upset; describes the stolid, unemotional temperament of the Dutch villagers and their way of life.

A loud, confused noise or uproar made by a crowd; used to describe the noisy commotion of the village when Rip returns after his long sleep.

A scolding given by a wife to her husband in private, behind the bed curtains; refers to the nightly reprimands Rip endures from his sharp-tongued wife.

Excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters; describes the idle, gossiping men who lounge at the village inn discussing local affairs.

A small, troublemaking spirit or creature; used figuratively to describe Rip's son, who inherits his father's lazy and mischievous character.

A political leader who gains power by appealing to popular emotions and prejudices rather than reason; used to describe the loud political agitators Rip encounters in the changed village.