CHAPTER 37 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from CHAPTER 37

rubbage-pile (noun)

Dialect form of "rubbish pile"; a heap of discarded household items, broken objects, and general refuse.

scrabble (verb)

To scratch, scrape, or claw at a surface; here meaning to scratch letters or marks into a wall.

sluicing (verb)

Pouring out in a rushing stream; here describing the hasty, forceful manner of pouring coffee.

wool-gethering (noun)

Dialect spelling of "woolgathering"; indulging in aimless thought or daydreaming; absent-minded wandering of the mind.

insurrection (noun)

A violent uprising or revolt; here used humorously to describe Aunt Sally's solo tirade of fury against the entire household.

remiss (adjective)

Negligent or careless about fulfilling a duty or responsibility.

galley-west (adverb)

Dialect expression meaning knocked sideways, awry, or into confusion; sent sprawling in an unexpected direction.

addled (adjective)

Confused, muddled, or unable to think clearly.

smouched (verb)

Dialect for "snatched" or "pilfered"; to steal or take something quickly and surreptitiously.

bullyrag (verb)

To intimidate, bully, or harass someone with aggressive, nagging behavior.

vittles (noun)

Dialect spelling of "victuals"; food or provisions prepared for eating.

straw tick (noun)

A mattress casing stuffed with straw, used as a bed by the poor or by enslaved people.

warming-pan (noun)

A covered metal pan with a long handle, filled with hot coals and used to warm a bed before sleeping; here repurposed as a baking vessel.

relicts (noun)

Huck's spelling of "relics"; surviving objects from an earlier time, valued for their historical association rather than practical use.

kags (noun)

Dialect form of "kegs"; small barrels or casks used for storing provisions.

ciphered out (verb phrase)

Figured out through calculation or careful reasoning; worked out a solution to a problem.