CHAPTER 13 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from CHAPTER 13

sentimentering

Huck’s dialect form of "sentimentalizing"; indulging in emotional or sentimental feelings rather than taking practical action.

stabboard

Huck’s dialect spelling of "starboard," the right-hand side of a ship when facing the bow.

texas

The large cabin on the upper deck of a steamboat, typically the officers’ quarters, named after the state of Texas because it was the largest room on the boat.

skylight

A raised structure on the deck of a ship with windows or panels to admit light into the cabin below.

skiff

A small, light boat, typically for one or two people, used for short trips on rivers or calm waters.

careened

Tilted or leaned to one side. When a ship is careened, it is listing at an angle, often due to damage or grounding.

paddlebox

The housing or enclosure on the side of a steamboat that covers and protects the paddle wheel.

rapscallions

Rascals; mischievous or dishonest people. Used humorously or with mild contempt for scoundrels.

plunder

Stolen goods; property taken by force or theft, especially during a robbery or raid.

jackstaff

A short flagpole at the bow of a ship on which a flag (called a jack) is flown.

bitts

Strong posts fixed in pairs on the deck of a ship, used for securing ropes, cables, or anchor chains.

spondulicks

Slang for money or cash. A humorous, informal term popular in 19th-century American speech.

saddle-baggsed

Hung up or stranded on an obstruction in the river, the way saddlebags drape over a horse’s back. Used to describe a boat caught on a wreck or snag.

trading-scow

A flat-bottomed boat used for transporting goods for trade along rivers. A scow is broad and square-ended, designed for cargo rather than speed.

disremember

Dialect for "forget" or "cannot remember." A colloquial term common in Southern and frontier American English.