The Devil and Tom Walker Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from The Devil and Tom Walker

morass (noun)

An area of muddy, swampy ground; a bog or marsh that is difficult to cross.

meagre (adjective)

Thin and lacking in flesh or substance; lean and gaunt in appearance.

sterility (noun)

The state of being barren or unproductive; inability to produce growth or life.

tantalized (verb)

Tormented by the sight of something desired but kept just out of reach.

termagant (noun)

A harsh, overbearing, quarrelsome woman; a shrew.

clapper-clawing (noun)

Scratching, clawing, and fighting noisily; engaging in a violent physical scuffle.

quagmires (noun)

Soft, wet areas of ground that give way underfoot; treacherous patches of boggy land.

precarious (adjective)

Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.

prostrate (adjective)

Lying flat on the ground; stretched out horizontally.

impregnable (adjective)

Unable to be captured or broken into; unconquerable and resistant to attack.

incantations (noun)

Words or phrases spoken as magic spells or charms during a ritual.

boding (adjective)

Ominous; serving as a warning or sign of something bad to come.

delving (verb)

Digging or searching deeply into something.

memento (noun)

An object kept as a reminder of a person, place, or event.

begrimed (adjective)

Made dirty or grimy; covered with a layer of grime or soot.

buccaneering (noun)

Engaging in piracy; acting as a buccaneer or sea pirate.

propitiated (verb)

Won the approval or goodwill of someone, especially through offerings or actions meant to please.

obliterate (verb)

To destroy completely; to remove all traces of something.

avarice (noun)

Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

propitiatory (adjective)

Intended to win favor or appease someone; offered as a conciliatory gesture.

decoyed (verb)

Lured or enticed into a trap by trickery or deception.

usurer (noun)

A person who lends money at unreasonably high interest rates.

ostentation (noun)

A showy display of wealth or importance designed to impress others.

parsimony (noun)

Extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources; excessive frugality.

strenuously (adverb)

With great effort, energy, and determination.

censurer (noun)

A person who severely criticizes or disapproves of the behavior of others.

expediency (noun)

The quality of being convenient and practical, even if morally questionable.

propitious (adjective)

Favorable; indicating a good chance of success.

coffers (noun)

Strongboxes or chests used for storing money and valuables.