What is the meaning of the word "subside"?

What is the meaning of "predominate"?

What is the meaning of "parsimony"?

What is the meaning of "instigate"?

What is the meaning of "vestibule"?

O. Henry’s biblical allusion to the Magi elevates a poor couple’s dilemma about buying Christmas gifts for each other to the level of the New Testament story of the Wise Men. This short story is about two young lovers who sacrifice their most prized possessions; it is a classic example of ________.

“There was nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl.” Which word in this quoted sentence indicates the couple’s poverty?

Della’s finest possession is her hair. “Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window … just to depreciate Her Majesty’s jewels and gifts.” This biblical reference alludes to a famous ancient Arabian monarch known for her wealth and beauty. The purpose of this comparison is to show how _____ Della’s hair is.

After getting the money from selling her hair, Della looks for two hours to find the perfect Christmas gift for Jim, “a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone, and not by meretricious ornamentation.” The fob reminds Della of both Jim and his watch; the chain possesses “quietness and value;” its appeal and worth are proclaimed in its ________ and unadorned design.

When Jim first sees Della with her hair short, he has an expression “she could not read. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror …” This quotation is an example of ________.