A Christmas Carol - The Kansas City Repertory Theatre

VOCABULARY
The following terms below can be found in Charles Dickens’ novel, A Christmas Carol.
Terms marked with an asterisk (*) can also be found in the Rep’s version of the play.
Ancient Prophet’s Rod: The rod of Aaron
(Moses’ older brother) that swallowed up the
serpents conjured by Pharaoh’s magicians.
Assign: One to whom the property and affairs
of a deceased person are transferred.
Bedlam: A London hospital for the insane; the
name is a corruption of the word “Bethlehem.”
Beetling shop: A shop projecting out into the
street; the business conducted in such an
establishment was commonly called “the
rag‐and‐bottle trade” (not to be confused with
“beetling,” which was a respectable trade
concerned with the processing of linen and
other fabrics).
*Blindman’s Bluff: A popular English parlor
game in which one person is blindfolded and
then must catch another person and guess who
it is.
Brazier: An open pan used for holding live coals.
*“Buried with a stake of holly through his
heart”: An expression from medieval times,
when murderers were sometimes buried at
crossroads with stakes driven through their
hearts.
*Camden Town: A suburb of London, north of
the main part of the city; Charles Dickens
moved to Camden Town with his family when
he was ten years old.
Chaise: A two‐wheeled
vehicle with a folding
top, drawn by a single
horse.
*Charwoman: A woman, most typically hired by
the day, to do housework.
Coach‐and‐Six: A coach driven by six horses.
Comforter: A scarf.
*Copper: A large pot used for washing or
cooking.
*Counting house: An office in which a
commercial company carries on bookkeeping,
correspondence, etc.
Dog‐days: July 3rd though August 11th, often
the hottest, sultriest days of summer, when the
dog star, Sirius, rises and sets with the sun.
Evil eye: Magical power thought to be
possessed by some people to cause destruction
at a glance.
Farthing: A quarter of a penny.
Fathom: A measurement of six feet used for
calculating depths at sea or in mines.
Filberts: Hazelnuts.
“[For] daws to peck at”: A quote from
Shakespeare’s Othello; a popular phrase
meaning “for folks to find fault with.”
*Forfeits: A parlor game similar to charades.
Furge: A spiny evergreen shrub.
Garret: A room or set of rooms in an attic.
Gold seals: Official signs of status.
Gratis: Freely, without expense.
Gruel: Broth or soup of oatmeal and chopped
meat.
A Christmas Carol: Learning Guide Page 11