Slave life: a glossary

cassada (cassava) dried root of a plant which is eaten
decreed decided, ordained
degrading strip of honour, demean
desolate sad, feeling hopeless
discouraging deprived of confidence and hope
distressful worrying, disturbing, upsetting
endeavour to try
fortitude strength of mind which gives a person courage
frankly honestly
gauger someone responsible for weights and measures
humiliating lower the pride, dignity and self-respect
life expectancy how long a person could be expected to live for
menial humble, lowly
minutely with attention to every detail
overseer supervisor, someone who watches over other workers
plantains (plantanes) large tropical herb that looks and tastes similiar to banana
plantation large estate or farm
powder monkey a boy employed to take gunpowder to the cannons aboard a ship when in battle
shads type of fish, similar to herrings
spectacle public performance or display
supplement to make up for a decifiency, for something missing
weaned when babies start to eat food rather than just milk
yams starchy root of a plant, which are eaten

 

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