Even the most uptight scholar delights in the _________ , coarse jokes in Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale."
egregious
serendipitous
gullible
ribald
Look up the meaning of each of those words. What do you think?
ribald
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the meaning of the options and their relevance to Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale."
1. Egregious: This word means outstandingly bad or shocking. It does not directly relate to coarse jokes or humor in the context of the question.
2. Serendipitous: This word refers to the occurrence of events by chance in a beneficial way. It does not convey the sense of delight in coarse jokes.
3. Gullible: This word describes someone who is easily deceived or tricked. It does not capture the enjoyment of coarse jokes.
4. Ribald: This word means referring to sexual matters in an amusingly vulgar or irreverent way. This option aligns with the context of the question, as it pertains to the delight in coarse jokes in Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale."
Therefore, the correct answer is "ribald."