Chapter 2 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Chapter 2

swamper (noun)

A general handyman or janitor, especially one who cleans floors and does odd jobs on a ranch or in a logging camp.

burlap (noun)

A coarse, rough fabric woven from jute or hemp fibers, often used for sacking or inexpensive bedding.

tick / ticking (noun)

The fabric casing of a mattress or pillow, typically filled with straw, feathers, or other stuffing.

pugnacious (adjective)

Eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight; combative and aggressive by nature.

contemptuous (adjective)

Showing deep disrespect or scorn for someone or something considered unworthy.

skinner (noun)

A person who drives a team of mules or horses; a teamster. On a ranch, a highly skilled position.

derogatory (adjective)

Showing a critical or disrespectful attitude; disparaging or belittling.

ominous (adjective)

Giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is about to happen; threatening or menacing.

itinerant (adjective)

Traveling from place to place, especially to find work; having no fixed home or employment.

Vaseline (noun)

A brand of petroleum jelly, a semi-solid mixture used as a skin softener or lubricant.

apprehensive (adjective)

Anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen; uneasy about the future.

foreshadowing (noun)

A literary device in which the author gives hints or clues about events that will occur later in the story.

naturalism (noun)

A literary movement that portrays characters as products of their environment and heredity, subject to forces beyond their control.