Vocabulary ladder

Heart of Darkness

Part I

14,553 words. Everyday vocabulary (band A) covers 58% of the text; the hard 5% is 506 entries — all of them below.

A 58.3% (968 types) B 7.2% (585 types) C 5.2% (533 entries) D 2.8% (306 entries) E 0.9% (122 entries) N 1.0% (78 entries)

Band B — common reading vocabulary

A sample of 24 of 585 — you will meet these often; they are explained only at the fullest help level.

Band C — recognition checklist

All 533 upper-intermediate words in this chapter. Tick the ones you know; the rest are explained at the fullest help level.

Band D — advanced (306 entries)

assistant-manager ×2
the manager's deputy
biscuit-tin
a tin for biscuits
brass-wire
wire of brass
bullet-hole
a hole made by a bullet
camp-stools
folding stools
chain-gang
prisoners chained together
cross-legged
with legs folded
dark-green
deep green
desk-life
a life spent at a desk
drainage-pipes
pipes for draining water
drawing-room
the sitting room for guests
dream-sensation
the feeling of a dream
dressing-case
a case for toilet things
far-off
far away
foot-warmer
a stand to keep the feet warm
forty-eight
forty-eight
forty-five
forty-five
got-up
dressed up for show
green-lined
lined with green
half-pint
a small measure
handle-end
the end one holds
horror-struck
struck with horror
inkstains
a stain of ink
ivory-country
country rich in ivory
letter-bag
a bag for carrying letters
life-sensation
the felt sense of being alive
lotus-flower
the sacred flower of the East
man-of-war
a warship
matter-of-fact
plain and practical
mess-room
the room where a crew eats
night-air
the air at night
objectless
without purpose
penholder
a holder for a pen
pigeon-flying
racing pigeons
railway-truck
an open rail wagon
red-eyed
with red eyes
sea-reach
the straight stretch of a river toward the sea
sealing-wax ×2
the wax melted to seal letters
shirt-fronts
the stiff fronts of shirts
shop-window
a shop's display window
silver-mounted
fitted with silver
six-inch ×2
six inches wide
stamped-in
pressed in by treading
station-yard ×2
the yard of a trading station
stay-at-home
never leaving home
three-legged
with three legs
trading-post ×2
a station for trade
turned-up
curled upward
twenty-mile
of twenty miles
two-hundred-mile
two hundred miles long
two-penny-half-penny
cheap and poor
umbrella-cover
the cloth case of an umbrella
waiting-room ×2
a room to wait in
weak-eyed
with weak eyes
white-haired
with white hair
writing-desk
a desk for writing
yellow-faced
with a yellowish face
apple-pie
apple-pie order: perfectly neat
shoulder-blades
the flat bones of the upper back
footsore
with sore feet from walking
pacifically
peacefully
brickmaker
a man who makes bricks
self-respect
respect for oneself
rubbishy
worthless
watchfully
on the watch
smash-up
a wreck
middle-aged
of middle age
back-cloth
the painted cloth at the back of a stage
deathlike
like death
mud-flat
a flat stretch of mud at low water
twenty-four
twenty-four
sailmaker
one who makes sails
uncoiled
to unwind
custom-house ×3
the office where duties on goods are collected
first-class ×2
of the best kind
tin-pot
cheap and shabby
confusedly
in confusion
grimness
sternness
unstained
unstained: without stain
alienist
a doctor of the mind
spectrally
like a ghost
soothingly
calmingly
breastbone
the bone in the middle of the chest
vigilantly
watchfully
confab
a talk together
overfed
fed too much
back-biting
speaking ill behind backs
boiler-maker ×2
a man who builds and mends boilers
sandpit
a pit for digging sand
insensible
unconscious
intrusted ×2
entrusted: given into the care of
soundless
without sound
knitter
one who knits
sand-banks
banks of sand under water
uttermost
farthest
crestfallen
with fallen spirits
contentedly
with quiet satisfaction
singleness
being single-minded
quarrelsome
given to quarrelling
unceasing
never stopping
meal-times
the times for meals
sea-going
fit for the open sea
thunderstruck ×2
struck dumb with amazement
jabbered
fast unintelligible talk
rotund
round and fat
starched ×3
stiffened with starch
tramping
stamping heavily
uncivil
rude
wantonly
recklessly, without cause
over-sea
across the sea
pinheads
the head of a pin
trenchant
cutting sharply
infliction
something laid on as a burden
forefinger ×3
the first finger
personage
a person of importance
downcast
turned down; sad
civilly
politely
flatness
the state of being flat
tree-tops
the tops of trees
startlingly
in a way that surprises
disclaim
to deny having
threadbare
worn thin with use
torchlight
the light of torches
formless
without shape
servile
cringing like a slave
featureless
without marked features
idleness
doing nothing
seaward
toward the sea
dare-say
I dare say; I suppose
tearfully
with tears
beckoned
to signal with the hand to come
uneasiness ×4
uncomfortable worry
uncouth
rough and awkward
feverishly
with fever's restless heat
languid
without energy; limp
trod
worn down by treading
contorted ×2
twisted out of shape
indefatigable
never tiring
hippopotamus
the huge river animal
inscrutable ×2
impossible to read or fathom
ajar
partly open
conflagrations
a great destroying fire
moribund
dying
hobbled
to walk lamely
interminable
endless
fidgeted
restlessly shifting
clink · clinking ×3
to touch glasses in a toast
bewilderment
utter confusion
verandah
a roofed porch along a house
weariness
tiredness
insipid
tasteless; dull
calipers
calipers: an instrument for measuring width
clatter
a rattling noise
farcical
absurd
insolence
rude disrespect
thereabouts ×2
near there
bights
a loop of rope or chain
trustworthiness
the quality of being trusted
perspiration
sweat
sepulchre
a tomb
lazily ×2
without effort or hurry
rivet · rivets ×16
a metal pin hammered flat to hold plates together
thickets
a dense growth of bushes
muffs
a clumsy useless fellow
obliquely
at a slant
tumult
wild noisy uproar
dictation
speaking words for another to write
flabby ×2
soft and sagging
askew ×2
crooked
secretarial ×2
of a secretary
utterance
speaking; words spoken
boughs
a branch of a tree
lanky
tall and thin
loitering
hanging about
lurid
glaring and unnatural
mournful ×3
full of mourning
pretence ×3
a false show
sickened
to make sick
thieving
stealing
toga
the loose robe of a Roman citizen
couldn ×5
could — couldn't: could not
draped · draping ×2
hung with cloth
excitable
quick to be stirred up
loins
the lower back and hips
speedily
quickly
weaning
to draw away from a habit
scrutinizing
to examine closely
babble
confused talk
mutter · muttering ×2
to speak low in the throat
wart
a small hard lump on the skin
bewitched ×2
to charm as by magic
pestilence
a deadly spreading disease
jibbed
jibbed: stopped short and refused to go on
muddle ×2
a confused mess
pail ×2
a bucket
scuffle
a confused small struggle
wasn ×9
was — wasn't: was not
alpaca
a light cloth of soft wool
verily ×2
truly — an old word
wouldn ×5
would — wouldn't: would not
ascetic
severe and self-denying
aimlessly
without aim or purpose
exclaimed · exclaiming ×3
to cry out
frightful ×2
causing fright
adieu ×2
farewell — French
emissary ×2
a messenger sent on a mission
quivered
to tremble finely
sombre ×4
dark and grave
slung
hung by a strap
meagre
thin and poor
meditative
deep in quiet thought
imbecile
a weak-minded fool
calico ×2
cheap cotton cloth
screech · screeching ×2
a harsh high cry
connoisseur
an expert judge of fine things
thickened
grown thick
transgression
a breaking of the law; sin
countenances
the face; composure
mumbled
to speak low and unclearly
personified
to be the living image of
mercilessly
without mercy
murmur · murmured ×5
to speak in a low soft flow
ablaze
on fire
pall
deathly pale
clump
a group of trees
deuce
the devil — a mild oath
exasperated
to anger greatly
mangled
torn and battered
monotonous
unchanging and dull
topple
to fall over
dilated
to widen
hospitable
generous in welcome
buccaneers
a pirate
chummed
chummed: made friends
embers
a glowing coal
exuberant
bursting with growth
gleam · gleams ×2
a soft flash of light
scathing
cutting and cruel
sociable
fond of company
fasten
fixed firmly on
taint ×2
a trace of something bad
alluded · alluding ×2
to hint at
aristocrat
a person of noble birth
mica ×2
a mineral that splits into glittering thin sheets
sordid ×2
dirty and mean
extremity
the farthest end; the last resort
placid
calm and even
quart ×2
two pints
snorts
to blow sharply through the nose
apprehend
to grasp; understand
speck · specks ×3
a tiny spot
desolation
ruined emptiness
innumerable ×2
too many to count
toil · toiling ×2
dress; ladies' finery
varnished ×2
a hard glossy coating
ebb ×2
the flowing back; fading away
instalments
one part of something given in parts
staves ×3
a verse of a song — this book calls its chapters staves
bosom
the breast
tremor ×3
a fine trembling
detonation
an explosion
farthest
farther
fateful
heavy with fate
flutter
to stir with quick light motion
dissipated
wasted in idle pleasure
ghastly
horrible; deathly pale
yawned
to open the mouth wide with tiredness
momentary
lasting a moment
prudence
careful good sense
gait
a way of walking
irritable
quick to anger
lugging
to heave
prefect
a high French official
rout
the fixed daily round
fiend
a devil
jig
a lively dance
nostrils ×2
the openings of the nose
whence
from which place
shudder ×2
a shiver of horror
sprouting
begun to shoot and grow
groan · groaned, groans ×4
to give a deep pained cry
hoisted
to raise up
abomination
a hateful thing
blundered
to stumble into mistakes
hippo
the hippopotamus, the huge river beast
sedentary ×2
sitting still
stooping
to bend down
tranquil
calm and untroubled
exalted
raised high in rank
formality
strict formal order
grunt
a village on the Austrian campaign road
ravine · ravines ×2
a deep narrow valley
curt
short and blunt
eyelids
the eye's cover of skin
propensity
a natural leaning
tropics
the hot regions of the earth
uproar
a loud confused noise
incomprehensible ×2
impossible to understand
intolerable
unbearable
composure
calm self-control
entangled
caught in a tangle
flannel
soft woollen cloth
handkerchiefs
a cloth for the nose or eyes
agitation ×2
troubled excitement
deepening
growing deeper
epoch
a turning point; a new age

Band E — rare & archaic (122 entries)

all-fours ×2
on hands and knees
assegais
slender African spears
barrack-like
like soldiers' plain quarters
confoundedly
very
frock-coat
a long-skirted formal coat
greyish-whitish
grey-white
homeward-bound
on the way home
icthyosaurus
the fish-shaped sea reptile of ancient times
knights-errant
wandering knights seeking adventure
lager-beer
light beer
papier-mache
paper pulp moulded and hardened — sham and hollow
prevaricator
one who dodges the truth
river-steamboat
a steamboat for rivers
salutant
explained by the text itself
silver-rimmed
rimmed with silver
sombreness
gloom
straw-bottomed
with seats of woven straw
superciliousness
proud contempt
tax-gatherer
one who collects taxes
truckle-bed
a low bed on wheels
ungarnished
bare
water-gourd
a dried gourd used as a water bottle
volubility
a flow of talk
hardihood
bold toughness
imperturbably
without being disturbed
gaberdine
a long loose coat
morituri
explained by the text itself
sententiously
in a pompous preaching way
stonily
hard and unmoved as stone
placidity
calmness
mizzen-mast
the mast nearest the stern
dumfounded
dumfounded: struck dumb
declivity
a downward slope
precipitately
in a headlong rush
recrudescence
a breaking out afresh
drollery
comic oddness
uncongenial ×2
unsuited to one's nature
heartiness
warm whole-hearted spirit
ponderously
heavily
plumpness
roundness of flesh
rapacity
greedy grasping
despondently
in low spirits
appalls
to fill with horror
indissolubly
so as never to be parted
propitiatory
meant to win favour
crania
skulls
declaim
to recite grandly
joviality
jolly good humour
calme ×2
calm — French, in Du calme
athwart
across; crosswise
somnambulist
one who walks in sleep
serviette
a table napkin
trireme
an ancient warship with three rows of oars
nicety
fine exactness
listlessly
without interest or energy
particularized
to go into details
pompously
with self-important show
rascally
like a rascal
commingling
mixing together
deadened
to dull
ough
explained by the text itself
billowy
swelling like waves
demoralization
loss of all order and spirit
effaced
to wipe away
yokels
a country simpleton
scornfully
with scorn
sepulchral
like a tomb
diaphanous
thin and see-through
lank ×2
tall, thin, and loose-limbed
festoons
hung in loops and garlands
immutability
never changing; fixed for ever
upcountry ×2
inland
effectually
with real effect
lugubrious
mournful
paunch
a fat belly
fiendishly
like a devil
sprits
a pole holding up a sail
languidly
without energy; limply
yawl
a small two-masted sailing boat
civilize
to make civilised
inextricable
impossible to escape or unwind
unalterable
never to be changed
catacomb
underground burial caves
waggled
to wag to and fro
quoth
said — an old word
unruffled
calm
splay
spread outward
stand-offish
cold and distant
messieurs
gentlemen — French
gesticulating
to wave the hands while speaking
hadn
had — hadn't: had not
ostentation
showy display
contemptuously
with scorn
feebly ×2
weakly
legionaries
a soldier of a Roman legion
gauzy
thin and light as gauze
indefinable
impossible to define
laze
to lie idle
beguiled
to pass time pleasantly; to charm
skulking
to move about hiding
writhe
to twist in pain
digressions
a wandering from the subject
glisten · glistening ×2
to shine wetly
concertina
a squeeze-box musical instrument
immensity ×4
vastness
cravat
a cloth tied round the neck
hovels
a poor, mean little house
interlopers
one who pushes in where he does not belong
pitiless ×3
without pity
unshaven
not shaved
dignitary
a person of high rank
shouldn ×3
should — shouldn't: should not
sulky
silently cross
clambered
to climb with effort
disdainful
full of scorn
alacrity
eager quickness
rapacious
greedy and grasping
exasperating
maddening
morose
gloomy and sour
detestable
hateful
lamentable ×2
sorrowful
imperceptible
too slight to notice

False friends — common words wearing old senses (8)

aspect
look; appearance — the old sense here
awful
full of awe — the old sense here
dumb
silent, mute — the old sense here
interest
the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here
passage
a sea-journey — the old sense here
sensible
aware — the old sense here
state
ceremony; pomp — the old sense here
use
habit; custom — the old sense here

Names (16)

fresleven ×4
the Danish captain killed in a quarrel over two hens, whose post Marlow takes
kurtz ×22
Mr Kurtz, the Company's most successful ivory agent, far up the river
Ave
hail — Latin
Bon Voyage
good journey — French
By Jove
a mild oath: by Jupiter
Central Station
the Company's middle post, where the steamboat lies wrecked
Charlie Marlow
the seaman who tells the tale
Director of Companies
the captain and host on the Nellie
Eldorado Exploring Expedition
a band of greedy treasure-seekers
Gran’ Bassam
a trading place on the West African coast
Huntley & Palmer
the famous biscuit makers
Inner Station
Kurtz's post, deepest up the river
Little Popo
a trading place on the West African coast
Morituri te salutant
Latin: those who are about to die salute you — the gladiators' greeting
Sir Francis Drake
the Elizabethan sea captain
Sir John Franklin
the Arctic explorer lost with his ships