Question

Read the excerpt from Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker," and then answer the question.

"About the year 1727, just at the time when earthquakes were prevalent in New England, and shook many tall sinners down upon their knees, there lived near this place a meager miserly fellow of the name of Tom Walker. He had a wife as miserly as himself; they were so miserly that they even conspired to cheat each other."

What does the word miserly mean?
A. sly
B. sad
C. mean
D. stingy

Answer 1

I would go with mean

Answer 2

Sad and stingy probably would not work in this situation, but sly and mean are possibilities. Although either could be correct, I would go with sly, which means they are sneaky and conniving. I’m not a 100% sure, but I believe sly is the best answer. I hope this helps!