All 4 Uses of
thwart
in
Jane Eyre
- John no one thwarted, much less punished; though he twisted the necks of the pigeons, killed the little pea-chicks, set the dogs at the sheep, stripped the hothouse vines of their fruit, and broke the buds off the choicest plants in the conservatory: he called his mother "old girl," too; sometimes reviled her for her dark skin, similar to his own; bluntly disregarded her wishes; not unfrequently tore and spoiled her silk attire; and he was still "her own darling."†
p. 18.7
- My pupil was a lively child, who had been spoilt and indulged, and therefore was sometimes wayward; but as she was committed entirely to my care, and no injudicious interference from any quarter ever thwarted my plans for her improvement, she soon forgot her little freaks, and became obedient and teachable.†
p. 128.3
- He had a dark face, with stern features and a heavy brow; his eyes and gathered eyebrows looked ireful and thwarted just now; he was past youth, but had not reached middle-age; perhaps he might be thirty-five.†
p. 134.3 *
- In other people's presence I was, as formerly, deferential and quiet; any other line of conduct being uncalled for: it was only in the evening conferences I thus thwarted and afflicted him.†
p. 315.8
Definitions:
-
(1)
(thwart as in: thwarted her plans) to prevent someone from doing what they want to do; or (less commonly) to oppose someone's efforts
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much less commonly, thwart can reference a seat of a rowboat.