Bleak House — Page 1

Vocabulary

Na

Contraction of 'em' and 'a', meaning 'in the'

Chancelaria

Chancery; government office handling legal or diplomatic affairs

O

The; masculine definite article in Portuguese

termo

Term; a defined period of time or session

de

Of or from; common Portuguese preposition

recentemente

Recently; happening not long ago

encerrado

Closed or concluded; having come to an end

e

And; basic coordinating conjunction

Lorde

Lord; title of nobility or high office

Chanceler

Chancellor; high government or judicial official

sentado

Seated; in a sitting position

no

Contraction of 'em' and 'o', meaning 'in the'

Tempo

Time or weather; general temporal or atmospheric condition

implacável

Relentless; showing no mercy or sign of stopping

novembro

November; eleventh month of the year

Tanto

So much or as much; indicating a large degree

lama

Mud; wet, sticky earth on the ground

nas

Contraction of 'em' and 'as', meaning 'in the'

ruas

Streets; public roads in a town or city

como

As or like; used to make comparisons

se

If or reflexive pronoun; conditional or self-reference

as

The; feminine plural definite article

águas

Waters; plural of água, liquid of rivers or seas

tivessem

Past subjunctive of 'ter'; had (they/we)

apenas

Only or just; indicating a limited degree

recuado

Receded or pulled back; moved away from a position

da

Contraction of 'de' and 'a', meaning 'of the'

face

Face or surface; the front side of something

terra

Earth or land; ground or the planet

não

No or not; basic negation in Portuguese

seria

Would be; conditional form of 'ser'

admirar

To wonder or admire; to be surprised by something

encontrar

To find or meet; to come across something

um

A or one; indefinite article or number

uns

Some; indefinite plural article for masculine nouns

quarenta

Forty; the cardinal number 40

pés

Feet; plural of pé, unit of length or body part

comprimento

Length; measurement of something from end to end

bamboleando-se

Waddling or swaying; moving unsteadily from side to side

lagarto

Lizard; a reptile with scaly skin and four legs

elefantino

Elephantine; resembling or characteristic of an elephant

subindo

Going up or climbing; ascending a slope or stairs

a

The or to; feminine article or preposition

Colina

Hill; a raised area of land lower than a mountain

Fumaça

Smoke; visible vapor produced by burning material

descendo

Coming down or descending; moving from higher to lower

das

Contraction of 'de' and 'as', meaning 'of the'

chaminés

Chimneys; vertical structures for expelling smoke from buildings

formando

Forming; in the process of creating or shaping something

uma

A or one; feminine indefinite article

suave

Soft or gentle; smooth and mild in character

garoa

Drizzle; light, fine rain falling gently

negra

Black; dark in color, feminine form of negro

com

With; preposition indicating accompaniment or inclusion

flocos

Flakes; small, flat, light pieces of material

fuligem

Soot; black powder deposited by smoke from burning

tão

So or as; used to indicate degree of comparison

grandes

Large or big; of considerable size

quanto

As much as; used in comparisons of quantity

neve

Snow; white precipitation falling from clouds in winter

maduros

Mature or ripe; fully developed or grown

luto

Mourning; grief expressed after someone's death

poderia-se

One could; conditional reflexive form of 'poder'

imaginar

To imagine; to form a mental image of something

pela

Contraction of 'por' and 'a', meaning 'for the'

morte

Death; the end of life

do

Contraction of 'de' and 'o', meaning 'of the'

sol

Sun; the star at the center of our solar system

Cães

Dogs; plural of cão, domestic canine animals

irreconhecíveis

Unrecognizable; impossible to identify due to change or dirt

na

Contraction of 'em' and 'a', meaning 'in the'

Cavalos

Horses; large domesticated animals used for riding

pouco

Little or few; a small amount of something

melhores

Better; comparative plural form of 'bom' (good)

enlameados

Mud-covered; completely coated with mud

até

Until or even; up to a point or limit

próprias

Own or proper; belonging to themselves, feminine plural

antolhos

Blinders; coverings placed on horses' eyes to limit vision

Pedestres

Pedestrians; people walking on foot in public spaces

empurrando

Pushing; applying force to move something or someone

os

The; masculine plural definite article

guarda-chuvas

Umbrellas; devices for protection against rain

outros

Others; referring to different or additional people or things

numa

Contraction of 'em' and 'uma', meaning 'in a'

infecção

Infection; spreading of disease or negative influence

geral

General; affecting or involving everyone or everything

mau

Bad; of poor quality or unpleasant nature

humor

Mood or humor; emotional state or sense of comedy

perdendo

Losing or missing; failing to keep or maintain something

equilíbrio

Balance; ability to remain steady without falling

esquinas

Corners; places where two streets or walls meet

onde

Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place

dezenas

Tens or dozens; groups of approximately ten things

milhares

Thousands; groups of one thousand people or things

pedestres

Pedestrians; people traveling on foot

têm

Have; third person plural present of 'ter'

escorregado

Slipped; past participle of escorregar, to slide accidentally

deslizado

Slid; past participle of deslizar, to glide smoothly

desde

Since or from; indicating a starting point in time

que

That or which; relative pronoun or conjunction

dia

Day; a 24-hour period of time

amanheceu

Dawned; day broke, morning began

é

Is; third person singular present of 'ser'

este

This; demonstrative pronoun referring to nearby masculine noun

alguma

Some or any; indefinite feminine adjective

vez

Time or occasion; an instance of something occurring

acrescentando

Adding; contributing something extra to an existing amount

novos

New; recently made or not previously existing

depósitos

Deposits; accumulations of material left in a place

à

Contraction of 'a' and 'a', meaning 'to the'

crosta

Crust; hardened outer layer on a surface

sobre

On or about; above or concerning something

aderindo

Adhering; sticking or clinging firmly to a surface

tenazmente

Tenaciously; holding on firmly and persistently

ao

Contraction of 'a' and 'o', meaning 'to the'

pavimento

Pavement; hard surface covering a road or path

naqueles

In those; contraction indicating location within specific things

pontos

Points or spots; specific locations or places

acumulando

Accumulating; gathering or building up over time

juros

Interest; money earned on a financial deposit or loan

compostos

Compound; combined or accumulated, as in compound interest

Névoa

Fog or mist; thick atmospheric moisture reducing visibility

em

In or at; basic Portuguese preposition of location

todo

Every or all; referring to the entirety of something

lugar

Place; a specific location or position

rio

River; large natural flow of water toward the sea

acima

Above or upstream; at a higher level or position

ele

He or it; third person singular masculine pronoun

flui

Flows; moves smoothly and continuously like a liquid

entre

Between or among; in the space separating two things

ilhotas

Islets; small islands in a river or sea

verdes

Green; having the color of grass or leaves

prados

Meadows; open areas of grassland, often near water

névoa

Mist or fog; atmospheric haze reducing visibility

abaixo

Below or downstream; at a lower level or position

ela

She or it; third person singular feminine pronoun

rola

Rolls; moves forward by turning over repeatedly

contaminada

Contaminated; made impure or polluted by harmful substances

fileiras

Rows or lines; series of things arranged in order

embarcações

Vessels or boats; watercraft of various sizes

poluições

Pollutions; instances of contamination harming the environment

beira

Edge or bank; the side or border of something

d'água

Of water; contraction indicating proximity to water

grande

Great or large; of considerable size or importance

suja

Dirty; covered with filth or unclean matter

cidade

City; large urban area with many inhabitants

nos

Contraction of 'em' and 'os', meaning 'in the'

pântanos

Swamps or marshes; wet, boggy areas of land

alturas

Heights or highlands; elevated areas of land

infiltrando-se

Infiltrating; seeping or spreading gradually into something

cozinhas

Kitchens; rooms where food is prepared and cooked

estendida

Extended or spread out; stretched across a wide area

mastros

Masts; tall vertical poles on ships supporting sails

pairando

Hovering; floating or remaining suspended in the air

aparelhos

Rigging or gear; equipment used on ships or devices

navios

Ships; large vessels for traveling on water

curvando-se

Bending or curving; changing direction or shape gradually

bordas

Edges or sides; the outer rim of a vessel

barcaças

Barges; flat-bottomed boats used for river transport

pequenos

Small or little; of lesser size than average

barcos

Boats; small watercraft used for transport or fishing