All 3 Uses of
lurid
in
Jane Eyre
- Above the temples, amidst wreathed turban folds of black drapery, vague in its character and consistency as cloud, gleamed a ring of white flame, gemmed with sparkles of a more lurid tinge.†
p. 148.2 *
- 'You like Thornfield?' she said, lifting her finger; and then she wrote in the air a memento, which ran in lurid hieroglyphics all along the house-front, between the upper and lower row of windows, 'Like it if you can!†
p. 167.7
- I was aware her lurid visage flamed over mine, and I lost consciousness: for the second time in my life — only the second time — I became insensible from terror.†
p. 327.6
Definitions:
-
(1)
(lurid) shocking, as from disturbing details of a horrible story, or a color more vivid (bright or deep) than would be expected
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Long ago, lurid referred to a yellowish color or things and from there to things so shocking they make someone turn pale. Later, but still in the 18th century, it was used to describe a vivid red and is still used to describe vivid colors--especially red.