On May 16, 1770, at Versailles, Louis, the French dauphin, married Marie Antoinette, the daughter of Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I. France hoped their marriage would strengthen its alliance with Austria, its longtime enemy. In 1774, with the death of King Louis XV, Louis and Marie were crowned king and queen of France. Let’s see if your head for words makes you some new allies in the English department today.
1. dauphin
(a) the eldest nephew of a king of France
(b) the eldest brother of a king of France
(c) the eldest pet of a king of France
(d) the eldest son of a king of France
2. paladin
(a) one that works for or urges reform
(b) a group of ardent admirers or devotees
(c) a leading champion of a cause
(d) one that follows or brings up the rear
3. percale
(a) a large couch usually without back or arms often designed for use as a bed
(b) a fine closely woven cotton cloth variously finished for clothing, sheeting, and industrial uses
(c) a cotton fabric made in imitation of chamois leather
(d) a sheet printed on one or both sides and folded
4. retinue
(a) a group of retainers or attendants
(b) a list or outline of things to be considered
(c) a list of candidates for nomination or election
(d) a brief summary of a larger work or of a field of knowledge
5. musette
(a) a lively song popular at the time of the first French Revolution
(b) a small knapsack
(c) any of a breed of large sturdy sheep developed in France
(d) a radical or violent extremist in politics
6. muscadet
(a) a dry white wine from the Loire valley of France
(b) a French rifle or carbine
(c) a native or inhabitant of southern Europe and especially southern France
(d) a Romance language spoken in southern France
7. pannier
(a) a piece of sawed lumber of little thickness and a length greatly exceeding its width
(b) a flat piece used as a molding
(c) one of a pair of hoops formerly used to expand women's skirts at the sides
(d) one that follows the opinions or teachings of another
8. spendthrift
(a) a person who spends improvidently or wastefully
(b) a frugal person
(c) one who is extremely stingy with money
(d) one employed to keep records or accounts
9. livre
(a) liberty
(b) an old French monetary unit equal to 20 sols
(c) life
(d) love
10. sansculotte
(a) the blade of a guillotine
(b) a mercenary soldier
(c) a person refusing to take an oath especially of allegiance, supremacy, or abjuration
(d) a radical or violent extremist in politics
Correct answers:
1d; 2c; 3b; 4a; 5b; 6a; 7c; 8a; 9b; 10d
In what stage is your vocabulary revolution?
| # Correct | Où est votre révolution ? |
| All 10 | Enjoy sitting on your high throne…while it lasts. |
| 7-9 | Perhaps you weren’t quite cut out to be royalty anyway. |
| 4-6 |
Not exactly on the cutting edge of vocab knowledge. |
| 2-3 | Well, at least have some cake. |
| 0-1 | The sansculottes are coming for you now. |
Intro text: history.com
Definitions: Merriam-Webster 11th Collegiate Dictionary
