CHAPTER 34 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from CHAPTER 34

ha'nt

Dialect form of "haunt"; to visit or appear as a ghost. Tom uses this word because he believes Huck has come back from the dead to haunt him.

rapscallions

Rascals or scoundrels; mischievous or dishonest people. Huck uses it to refer to the king and duke, the con men who traveled with him on the raft.

owdacious

Dialect spelling of "audacious"; shockingly bold, impudent, or presumptuous.

stile

A set of steps or a structure built over a fence, allowing people to climb over without opening a gate.

cavortings

Wild or extravagant performances; prancing or leaping about in an entertaining or showy manner.

meeky

Meekly; in a timid, submissive, or unassertive manner. An adverbial dialect form of "meek."

putrified

Dialect for "petrified"; paralyzed or frozen with extreme shock or astonishment.

ornery

Mean-spirited, stubborn, or unpleasant in disposition. In dialect, it can also mean low or common.

brash

Bold, confident, or self-assured, often in a reckless or hasty way.

stragglers

People who lag behind or wander away from a main group; those who linger after most have left.

estimation

A judgment or opinion of a person's character, worth, or standing; regard or respect.

impudent

Showing a lack of respect; rude and bold in a way that shows no regard for others' feelings or authority.

Methusalem

A dialect form of "Methuselah," the biblical figure who lived 969 years. Used to mean an extraordinarily long time.

pison

Dialect pronunciation of "poison"; to administer a toxic substance to kill something.

lightning-rod

A metal rod fixed to a building to divert lightning safely to the ground; here used by the boys as a means of climbing down from an upper-story window.