All 7 Uses of
enigma
in
Jane Eyre
- Your language is enigmatical, sir: but though I am bewildered, I am certainly not afraid.†
p. 162.4 *enigmatical = mysterious and seemingly unexplainable
- I hardly heard Mrs. Fairfax's account of the curtain conflagration during dinner, so much was I occupied in puzzling my brains over the enigmatical character of Grace Poole, and still more in pondering the problem of her position at Thornfield and questioning why she had not been given into custody that morning, or, at the very least, dismissed from her master's service.†
p. 181.6
- I don't understand enigmas.†
p. 228.9enigmas = things that are mysterious and seem unexplainable
- The enigma then was explained: this affable and kind little widow was no great dame; but a dependant like myself.†
p. 119.4
- But my mind had been running on Grace Poole — that living enigma, that mystery of mysteries, as I considered her.†
p. 234.9
- She surveyed my whole person: in her eyes I read that they had there found no charm powerful enough to solve the enigma.†
p. 305.3
- I waited now his return; eager to disburthen my mind, and to seek of him the solution of the enigma that perplexed me.†
p. 318.4
Definitions:
-
(1)
(enigma) something mysterious that seems unexplainable
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
The word may also be seen in the proper noun, Enigma Machine. It refers to an encryption device used by Nazi Germany during the second world war. Britain eventually learned to unencrypt messages sent with the machine, but kept that ability a secret.