Question

In this excerpt from The Life of Charlotte Brontë by Elizabeth Gaskell, what is the meaning of the underlined words?

Answer 1

Answer:

The word sagacity means:

- good judgment.

The word bestowing means:

- providing.

Explanation:

"Sagacity" has to do with wisdom and perspicacity, that is, the ability to see to a great distance, in this case, figuratively speaking. Therefore, when mentioning "the strong sagacity (...) which seem(s) almost the birthright of the natives of the West Riding", the author means they are farsighted and have good judgement.

"Bestowing" means conceding, granting, providing. By saying "From rarely requiring the assistance of others, he comes to doubt the power of bestowing it", the author means the natives of the West Riding do not rely on getting or providing assistance to their neighbors.

Answer 2

Sagacity means good judgment
Bestowing means providing