CHAPTER 17 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from CHAPTER 17

prowling (verb)

Moving about stealthily or restlessly, especially in search of something.

wince (verb)

To draw back or shrink involuntarily, as from pain or distress.

frowsy-headed (adjective)

Having disheveled, unkempt, or musty-smelling hair.

roundabout (noun)

A short, close-fitting jacket or coat, commonly worn by boys in the nineteenth century.

outlandish (adjective)

Strikingly bizarre, unfamiliar, or unconventional in appearance.

gaudy (adjective)

Showy and tasteless; extravagantly bright or ornate in a vulgar way.

pensive (adjective)

Engaged in deep, often melancholy thought; reflective and quietly sad.

reticule (noun)

A small handbag or drawstring purse, typically carried by women in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

fan-tods (noun)

A state of extreme nervousness, anxiety, or unease; the fidgets.

tribute (noun)

A speech, piece of writing, or gift intended as a public acknowledgment of gratitude or respect for someone.

hung fire (verb phrase)

Delayed or hesitated; failed to act promptly. Originally a firearms term for a gun that does not discharge immediately.

pined away (verb phrase)

Gradually weakened and wasted from grief, longing, or sorrow.

considerable (adverb)

To a great extent; a good deal. In dialect usage, used where standard English would use "considerably."

Spanish-brown (noun)

A dark reddish-brown pigment made from iron oxide, used as a wash or paint for floors and brickwork.

dog-irons (noun)

Andirons; metal supports placed in a fireplace to hold burning logs off the hearth floor.