All 8 Uses of
genial
in
The House of the Seven Gables
- Nor did she misinterpret Phoebe's character, and the genial activity pervading it,—one of the most valuable traits of the true New England woman,—which had impelled her forth, as might be said, to seek her fortune, but with a self-respecting purpose to confer as much benefit as she could anywise receive.†
Chpt 5genial = friendly and good-natured
- It might have lasted longer, but that his eyes happened, soon afterwards, to rest on the face of the old Puritan, who, out of his dingy frame and lustreless canvas, was looking down on the scene like a ghost, and a most ill-tempered and ungenial one.†
Chpt 7ungenial = not friendly and good-naturedstandard prefix: The prefix "un-" in ungenial means not and reverses the meaning of genial. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.
- Nevertheless, whether or no it were entirely owing to the inauspicious commencement of their acquaintance, she still acted under a certain reserve, which was by no means customary to her frank and genial nature.†
Chpt 8genial = friendly and good-natured
- By the involuntary effect of a genial temperament, Phoebe soon grew to be absolutely essential to the daily comfort, if not the daily life, of her two forlorn companions.†
Chpt 9 *
- At an open window of a room in the second story, hanging over some pots of beautiful and delicate flowers,—exotics, but which had never known a more genial sunshine than that of the New England autumn,—was the figure of a young lady, an exotic, like the flowers, and beautiful and delicate as they.†
Chpt 13
- —and how does this most inclement weather affect our poor Clifford?" began the Judge; and wonderful it seemed, indeed, that the easterly storm was not put to shame, or, at any rate, a little mollified, by the genial benevolence of his smile.†
Chpt 15
- Were our friend now to stalk in among them, with that wide-open stare, at once wild and stolid, his ungenial presence would be apt to change their cheer.†
Chpt 18ungenial = not friendly and good-naturedstandard prefix: The prefix "un-" in ungenial means not and reverses the meaning of genial. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.
- It would have been enough to live for, merely to look up at the wide benediction of the sky, or as much of it as was visible between the houses, genial once more with sunshine.†
Chpt 19genial = friendly and good-natured