CHAPTER 43 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from CHAPTER 43

evasion

An act of escaping or avoiding something; here used by Tom to describe their plan to free Jim from captivity.

plumb

Completely or entirely; used as a dialectal adverb meaning "all the way."

torchlight procession

A ceremonial parade held at night with participants carrying flaming torches, used to honor someone.

reckoned

Believed, supposed, or considered; a colloquial term common in Southern and frontier American English.

prime

In excellent condition; first-rate. Here meaning they treated Jim very well and took good care of him.

busted out

Burst out; exclaimed suddenly and with great emotion.

sivilize

Huck's dialectal spelling of "civilize," meaning to bring someone into conformity with social norms, manners, and education.

Territory

The unsettled American West, likely referring to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), which represented frontier freedom beyond organized society.

outfit

Equipment, supplies, and provisions needed for a journey or expedition.

watch-guard

A chain, cord, or ribbon attached to a pocket watch and secured to clothing to prevent loss.

kivered

Dialectal past tense of "covered"; concealed or draped over.

solemn

Serious, grave, and dignified in manner; not cheerful or lighthearted.

metafiction

A literary device in which a work of fiction draws attention to its own status as a fictional construct or the process of its creation.

picaresque

A genre of prose fiction depicting the adventures of a roguish but likable hero of low social class, moving through a series of episodes.

nemmine

Jim's dialectal pronunciation of "never mind," meaning do not concern yourself with it.