I have been reading The Tale of Two Cities for multiple months. The progress is pretty slow because I would like to know most of the details in a way that I can learn some literature techniques in English by Charles Dickens. However, I'm wondering how native English speakers know the archaic or domain specific words in novels like this.

For example, I would like to know how much you understand the meaning of these (50) words?

tiller, upholsterer, pilferer, myriad, canter, fain, coppice, filament, quaint, piscatorial,

mahogany, curtsey, consignment, tidings, brawny, lee-dyed, stench, wolfishly, provender, scullery,

purloiner, breech, rickety, menagerie, demur, asunder, asseveration, beckon, throng, pith,

paunch, gainsay, swoon, staid, meekness, compunction, teem, peal, lacquey, tattered,

gossamer, flambeau, malady, balustrade, jalousie, scruple, cachet, trenchant, frill, arrear,

(Usually, these words have Germanic/Viking/Anglo-Saxon orign thus it's quite difficult for me to encounter similar words or pre/suffix roots to infer their meanings)

I'm also curious, as a native speaker, may you share some personal experience/stories (maybe in childhood) for how you knew some of the words above in real life, or maybe you actually need certain aids while reading novels by pre-1900 authors like Charles Dickens.

I have been reading The Tale of Two Cities for multiple months. The progress is pretty slow because I would like to know most of the details in a way that I can learn some literature techniques in English by Charles Dickens. However, I'm wondering how native English speakers know the archaic or domain specific words in novels like this.

For example, I would like to know how much you understand the meaning of these (50) words?

tiller, upholsterer, pilferer, myriad, canter, fain, coppice, filament, quaint, piscatorial, mahogany, curtsey, consignment, tidings, brawny, lee-dyed, stench, wolfishly, provender, scullery, purloiner, breech, rickety, menagerie, demur, asunder, asseveration, beckon, throng, pith, paunch, gainsay, swoon, staid, meekness, compunction, teem, peal, lacquey, tattered, gossamer, flambeau, malady, balustrade, jalousie, scruple, cachet, trenchant, frill, arrear,

(Usually, these words have Germanic/Viking/Anglo-Saxon origin thus it's quite difficult for me to encounter similar words or pre/suffix roots to infer their meanings)

I'm also curious, as a native speaker, may you share some personal experience/stories (maybe in childhood) for how you knew some of the words above in real life, or maybe you actually need certain aids while reading novels by pre-1900 authors like Charles Dickens.