- sitternounChapter 1 →
A person who poses for a painter or photographer while a portrait of them is being made.
“Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter.”
- punctualitynounChapter 1 →
The habit of arriving or doing things exactly at the agreed or scheduled time, without being early or late.
“He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.”
- yield tophraseChapter 1 →
To stop resisting and give in to something, such as a desire or temptation, allowing it to have its way over you.
“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”
- hedonisticadjectiveChapter 2 →
Devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and self-indulgence as the highest goal in life, with little concern for moral consequences.
- capricenounChapter 8 →
A sudden, impulsive change of mood or desire that has no deep or lasting basis; a passing whim.
“The only difference between a caprice and a lifelong passion is that the caprice lasts a little longer.”
- raimentnounChapter 10 →
An old or poetic word for clothing or garments, especially fine or elaborate ones.
“It seemed to him that in exquisite raiment, and to the delicate sound of flutes, the sins of the world were passing in dumb show before him.”
- dumb showphraseChapter 10 →
A silent performance or pantomime in which meaning is conveyed through gestures and movement rather than spoken words.
“It seemed to him that in exquisite raiment, and to the delicate sound of flutes, the sins of the world were passing in dumb show before him.”
- EgonounChapter 10 →
Here used in a philosophical sense: the self or inner identity of a person, thought of as a unified, stable thing that persists through time.
“He used to wonder at the shallow psychology of those who conceive the Ego in man as a thing simple, permanent, reliable, and of one essence.”
- immoraladjectiveChapter 11 →
Going against accepted standards of right and wrong; considered wicked, indecent, or corrupting by society.
“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”
- leeringverbChapter 13 →
Looking with a sly, unpleasant, or malicious expression, suggesting cruelty or knowing wickedness.
“As he entered he saw the face of his portrait leering in the sunlight.”
- loathedverbChapter 13 →
Felt an intense, deep disgust or hatred toward someone or something.
- strainingverbChapter 13 →
Leaning or stretching forward with effort or tension, as if pressing against something.
“The thing was still seated in the chair, straining over the table with bowed head.”
- make love tophraseChapter 3 →
In this Victorian context, to flirt with or court someone romantically, paying them charming and flattering attention — not a physical act.
“The only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her, if she is pretty, and to someone else, if she is plain.”
- principlesnounChapter 3 →
Moral rules or personal codes of conduct that guide how a person behaves; here used ironically to suggest such rules are a burden or pretension.
“I like persons better than principles, and I like persons with no principles better than anything else in the world.”
- intellectnounChapter 6 →
The power of the mind to think, reason, and understand at a high level; mental brilliance beyond ordinary feeling or instinct.
“I loved you because you were marvellous, because you had genius and intellect, because you realised the dreams of great poets.”
- realisedverbChapter 6 →
Brought something imagined or dreamed into actual existence; made real what was previously only an idea or vision.
- substancenounChapter 6 →
Solid, tangible reality or physical form, as opposed to something vague, shadowy, or merely imagined.
“because you realised the dreams of great poets and gave shape and substance to the shadows of art.”
- conceivedverbChapter 8 →
Formed or created something in the mind; here it means the monstrous idea or plan that Dorian had allowed to take shape within himself.
“He would be good, and the hideous thing that he had conceived would never again touch his life.”
- unrealitynounChapter 9 →
The quality of being false, illusory, or not genuine; the discovery that something one believed in is not actually real.
“When she knew its unreality, she died, as Juliet might have died.”
- dominateverbChapter 9 →
To have full control over something, keeping it in check and preventing it from controlling you instead.
“I don't wish to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.”
- shallowadjectiveChapter 10 →
Lacking depth of thought or understanding; superficial, not going beneath the surface of a subject.
“He used to wonder at the shallow psychology of those who conceive the Ego in man as a thing simple, permanent, reliable, and of one essence.”
- essencenounChapter 10 →
The fundamental, unchanging nature or core of something — what it truly and always is, beneath all outward appearances.
“He used to wonder at the shallow psychology of those who conceive the Ego in man as a thing simple, permanent, reliable, and of one essence.”
- hideousadjectiveChapter 8 →
Extremely ugly or morally repulsive in a way that causes horror or disgust.
“He would be good, and the hideous thing that he had conceived would never again touch his life.”
- wrinklenounChapter 7 →
A small line or crease in a surface — here, a line on the painted face of the portrait that signals a moral change in Dorian's character.
“The curved wrinkle of the mouth had altered. It was fuller, with a touch of cruelty in it.”
- intrusiveadjectiveChapter 5 →
Forcing itself in where it is not wanted or welcome; unwelcomely penetrating or obtrusive.
“burying her face in the lap of the faded, tired woman who, with back turned to the shrill intrusive light, was sitting in the one arm-chair”
The Picture of Dorian GrayNovel by Oscar Wilde