Vocabulary for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Chapter 1
ambled: to walk at a slow, leisurely pace
apothecary: an early form of a pharmacist, apothecaries could also prescribe drugs
assuage: to lessen or to calm
beadle: a minor city official, lower in rank than either a sheriff or a policeman, whose main duties revolve around preserving order at various civil functions such as trials and town hall meetings
dictum: a formal statement of principle
domicile: house or place where a person lives
foray: to go somewhere to do something that is unusual or not normal for you
human chattels: slave
impotent: powerless
impudent: shamelessly bold
malevolent: evil
piety: devotion to religious duties and practices
ramrod: rigid, severe, straight
scold: a person who scolds
strictures: conditions or rules
taciturn: almost always silent
unsullied: basically untouched or unused
Chapter 2
auburn: reddish- brown
covey: a group
crimson: blood-red
entailment: a legal situation regarding the use of inherited property
indigenous: belonging to a particular region or county
scrip stamps: paper money of small denominations issued for temporary emergency use
sojourn: a brief visit
vexations: something that causes annoyance or problems
illicit: unauthorized or improper
Chapter 3
amiable: friendly
contemptuous: feeling that someone or something is beneath you
contentious: always ready to argue or fight
cootie: slang term for head lice
diminutive: smaller than ordinary
disapprobation: disapproval
discernible: understandable
dispensation: a release from an obligation or promise
eddy: a current of water that moves against the main current, a whirlpool
erratic: irregular
fractious: mean or cross
gravely: seriously
haint: a ghost or spook; someone or something very scary
irked: annoyed
concession: an agreement
onslaught: a violent attack
persevere: to carry out in spite of difficulties
tranquility: peacefulness; serenity
Chapter 4
auspicious: favorable
melancholy: sad and gloomy
quell: to quiet or pacify
Chapter 5
asinine: stupid, silly
benevolence: a generous or thoughtful gift
benign: kind and gentle
cordiality: sincere affection and kindness
edification: education; instruction
gape: to stare at a person with your mouth open
inquisitive: questioning; prying
morbid: gruesome; horrible
placidly: calmly; quietly
quibbling: a type of arguing where you avoid the main point by bringing up petty details
Chapter 6
eerily: weirdly; mysteriously
ensuing: coming immediately after something else
malignant: dangerous; evil
prowess: superior ability or skill
ramshackle: loose or rickety; about to fall apart
rigid: stiff
waning: becoming less bright, intense, or strong
Chapter 7
cleaved: stuck
perpetual: lasts forever
vigil: a watch
Chapter 8
abberation: a deviation or a moving away from something that is normal
caricatures: a representation of a person where certain features of that person are exaggerated or distorted
cordial: warm and friendly
flue: a channel in a chimney
libel: to harm someone’s reputation
perpetrated: carried out: committed
plaited: braided
procured: got
prophet: someone able to predict the future
roomers: persons who rent and live in rooms in a house
treble: high
unfathomable: something that can not be understood
Chapter 9
analogous: similar; comparable
catwalk: a narrow, elevated walkway
changelings: a child secretly put in the place of another
compensations: to pay for something or to make up for something
constituted: made up
croon: to sing in a low, gentle tone
deportment: behavior
donned: put on
doused: to pour liquid all over someone
evasion: to avoid doing or answering something directly
gallantly: politely, in the manner of a gentleman
gastric: of, in, or near the stomach
harbored: to hold in mind
impaired: damaged; weakened
ingenuous: simple; innocent
innate: natural part of something
invective: abusive terms, curses, insults, and/ or cuss words
isolate: set apart from others
jar: shake up, disturb
mishaps: unlucky and unfortunate accidents
mortify: humiliate, embarrass
nocturnal: nightly
obsess: greatly preoccupy
obstreperous: noisy and unruly
provoke: to excite some sort of feeling; often anger or irritation
still: an apparatus for making alcoholic liquors
subdued: soothed or softened and made less intense
tarried: delayed; waited
wary: cautious, on your guard against something
Chapter 10
alist: tilted to one side
articulate: able to speak and express oneself
attributes: characteristics, qualities of a person or thing
bout: fight
feeble: weak; frail
gingerly: carefully; cautious
peril: danger
providence: the care of God
rudiments: principles; elements; subjects to be learned
tartly: sharply
Chapter 11
apoplectic: to behave as if on the verge of having a stroke
bedecked: covered with decorations
commence: begin
decree: an official order
dog-trot hall: covered passageway between two parts of a building
escapade: reckless prank
infuriated: angered greatly
interdict: prohibition; restraint
oppressive: overbearing; hard to put up with
palliate: to lessen pain, fear, and/or anxiety without actually making it go away
philippic: a bitter verbal attack
propensities: inclinations or tendencies
rectitude: uprightness of character
skulk: to move or slink about in a sinister manner
tirade: a long angry speech
tranquil: calm
umbrage: offense
undulate: to move in waves or in a wavy manner
viscous: sticky
Chapter 12
alien: not natural; strange
appalling: shocking horrifying
austere: stern and severe
boded: continued
denounce: to strongly disapprove of or condemn something
diligently: industriously; in a hard working manner
frivolous: silly; not serious
garish: showy, very bright or gaudy
habiliments: outfits; clothing
indignantly: angrily
snuff: a preparation of powered tobacco, usually sniffed
tapeworm: a parasite that can live in a person’s intestines
Chapter 13
caste system: class distinction based on birth, wealth, etc.
curtness: brief and short to the point of being rude
devoid: completely without
flighty: foolish; irresponsible
mandrake roots: roots that were often thought to have magical powers
obliquely: indirectly
prerogative: exclusive right or privilege
shinny: a slang term for liquor; usually whiskey or bourbon
sluggish: lacking energy; lazy
soberly: seriously
tactual: able to say the right thing to a person without being offensive
tight: drunk
Chapter 14
antagonize: oppose; make angry
bushel: a unit of dry measure equal to 32 quarts
erosion: a gradual wearing away
infallible: never wrong
manacles: handcuffs
taut: tightly stretched
Chapter 15
acquiescence: agreement without protest
aggregation: group; gathering
begrudge: to feel resentment or disapproval about the fact that someone else has something
ecclesiastical: church-like
façade: the front of a building; the part facing the street
futility: feeling of being ineffective; uselessness, hopelessness
impassive: showing no emotion
ominous: threatening; sinister
shinnied up: drunk
stifle: hold back; suppress
succinct: clear and brief
uncouth: crude, unmannerly
venerable: impressive on account of age or historic associations
venue: the place where a jury is selected and a case is tried
Chapter 16
affirmed: firmly declared or stated
circuit solicitor: a lawyer who travel to different locations to prosecute in trials
dispel: drive away
elucidate: explain
fey: strange; eccentric
formidable: impressive
ruddy: reddish
subtle: not openly obvious; quiet
sundry: various
Chapter 17
acrimonious: sarcastic ; bitter; nasty
ambidextrous: able to use both hands with equal ease
benign: kind; gentle
complacently: in a self-satisfied way
congenital: a condition that is in existence at birth
corroborating evidence: evidence which helps to strengthen a case
genially: in a friendly manner
gullet: throat; neck
heaved: lifted
infinite: endless
skewed: turned
sulky: moody and quiet
sullen: in this case, gloomy and threatening
supplemented: added to
tenet: a principle or belief generally held to be true
turbulent: stormy; unruly
Chapter 18
arid: dry; without expression
chiffarobe: a large cabinet with drawers and a place for hanging clothes
constructionalist: a person who interprets aspects of the law in a specified way
grudging: hostile
lavations: washings
mollified: soothed; calmed
perpetual: everlasting; continuous
riled: angry
tedious: boring; tiresome
wrathfully: angrily
Chapter 19
candid: open and honest
ex cathdra remarks: remarks made with authority that comes with one’s official position
expunge: remove completely
volition: will
Chapter 20
caliber: quality
capital charge: a charge for a crime that is punishable by death
corrupt: to bring a person down to a lower moral level
indicted: formally accused: charged
iota: a very small amount
minute: exact; precise
pauper: an extremely poor person
temerity: foolish or rash boldness
unmitigated: out-and-out absolute
Chapter 21
acquit: clear of a charge; find not guilty
exhilarated: cheerful, merry
Chapter 22
feral: wild; savage
ruefully: regretfully
Chapter 23
commutes: changes; makes less severe
dry: clever but subtle
furtive: sneaky
vehement: full of emotion and strong feeling
wryly: humorously; slightly sarcastic
Chapter 24
bovine: cow-like
brevity: shortness
devout: devoted to religion
impertinence: disrespect
yaws: an infectious contagious tropical disease
Chapter 25
roly-poly: a small but that can roll itself into a ball
scowl: a facial expression caused by scrunching up one’s forehead and brow: a look of displeasure
veneer: attractive outer surface
Chapter 26
recluse: someone who stays away from society and company of others
Chapter 27
florid: very flowery in style: elegant
nondescript: dull; with no special or interesting qualities
Chapter 28
climbers: social climbers; people trying to move into a different social class
furtive: secret
gait: pace, walk
irascible: angry
rout: defeat
staccato: distinct; sharp and crisp
Chapter 30
blandly: smoothly; without excitement
connived: secretly cooperated or agreed to
wisteria: twinning woody vines with large clusters of flowers
Chapter 31
railing: painful
ambled: to walk at a slow, leisurely pace
apothecary: an early form of a pharmacist, apothecaries could also prescribe drugs
assuage: to lessen or to calm
beadle: a minor city official, lower in rank than either a sheriff or a policeman, whose main duties revolve around preserving order at various civil functions such as trials and town hall meetings
dictum: a formal statement of principle
domicile: house or place where a person lives
foray: to go somewhere to do something that is unusual or not normal for you
human chattels: slave
impotent: powerless
impudent: shamelessly bold
malevolent: evil
piety: devotion to religious duties and practices
ramrod: rigid, severe, straight
scold: a person who scolds
strictures: conditions or rules
taciturn: almost always silent
unsullied: basically untouched or unused
Chapter 2
auburn: reddish- brown
covey: a group
crimson: blood-red
entailment: a legal situation regarding the use of inherited property
indigenous: belonging to a particular region or county
scrip stamps: paper money of small denominations issued for temporary emergency use
sojourn: a brief visit
vexations: something that causes annoyance or problems
illicit: unauthorized or improper
Chapter 3
amiable: friendly
contemptuous: feeling that someone or something is beneath you
contentious: always ready to argue or fight
cootie: slang term for head lice
diminutive: smaller than ordinary
disapprobation: disapproval
discernible: understandable
dispensation: a release from an obligation or promise
eddy: a current of water that moves against the main current, a whirlpool
erratic: irregular
fractious: mean or cross
gravely: seriously
haint: a ghost or spook; someone or something very scary
irked: annoyed
concession: an agreement
onslaught: a violent attack
persevere: to carry out in spite of difficulties
tranquility: peacefulness; serenity
Chapter 4
auspicious: favorable
melancholy: sad and gloomy
quell: to quiet or pacify
Chapter 5
asinine: stupid, silly
benevolence: a generous or thoughtful gift
benign: kind and gentle
cordiality: sincere affection and kindness
edification: education; instruction
gape: to stare at a person with your mouth open
inquisitive: questioning; prying
morbid: gruesome; horrible
placidly: calmly; quietly
quibbling: a type of arguing where you avoid the main point by bringing up petty details
Chapter 6
eerily: weirdly; mysteriously
ensuing: coming immediately after something else
malignant: dangerous; evil
prowess: superior ability or skill
ramshackle: loose or rickety; about to fall apart
rigid: stiff
waning: becoming less bright, intense, or strong
Chapter 7
cleaved: stuck
perpetual: lasts forever
vigil: a watch
Chapter 8
abberation: a deviation or a moving away from something that is normal
caricatures: a representation of a person where certain features of that person are exaggerated or distorted
cordial: warm and friendly
flue: a channel in a chimney
libel: to harm someone’s reputation
perpetrated: carried out: committed
plaited: braided
procured: got
prophet: someone able to predict the future
roomers: persons who rent and live in rooms in a house
treble: high
unfathomable: something that can not be understood
Chapter 9
analogous: similar; comparable
catwalk: a narrow, elevated walkway
changelings: a child secretly put in the place of another
compensations: to pay for something or to make up for something
constituted: made up
croon: to sing in a low, gentle tone
deportment: behavior
donned: put on
doused: to pour liquid all over someone
evasion: to avoid doing or answering something directly
gallantly: politely, in the manner of a gentleman
gastric: of, in, or near the stomach
harbored: to hold in mind
impaired: damaged; weakened
ingenuous: simple; innocent
innate: natural part of something
invective: abusive terms, curses, insults, and/ or cuss words
isolate: set apart from others
jar: shake up, disturb
mishaps: unlucky and unfortunate accidents
mortify: humiliate, embarrass
nocturnal: nightly
obsess: greatly preoccupy
obstreperous: noisy and unruly
provoke: to excite some sort of feeling; often anger or irritation
still: an apparatus for making alcoholic liquors
subdued: soothed or softened and made less intense
tarried: delayed; waited
wary: cautious, on your guard against something
Chapter 10
alist: tilted to one side
articulate: able to speak and express oneself
attributes: characteristics, qualities of a person or thing
bout: fight
feeble: weak; frail
gingerly: carefully; cautious
peril: danger
providence: the care of God
rudiments: principles; elements; subjects to be learned
tartly: sharply
Chapter 11
apoplectic: to behave as if on the verge of having a stroke
bedecked: covered with decorations
commence: begin
decree: an official order
dog-trot hall: covered passageway between two parts of a building
escapade: reckless prank
infuriated: angered greatly
interdict: prohibition; restraint
oppressive: overbearing; hard to put up with
palliate: to lessen pain, fear, and/or anxiety without actually making it go away
philippic: a bitter verbal attack
propensities: inclinations or tendencies
rectitude: uprightness of character
skulk: to move or slink about in a sinister manner
tirade: a long angry speech
tranquil: calm
umbrage: offense
undulate: to move in waves or in a wavy manner
viscous: sticky
Chapter 12
alien: not natural; strange
appalling: shocking horrifying
austere: stern and severe
boded: continued
denounce: to strongly disapprove of or condemn something
diligently: industriously; in a hard working manner
frivolous: silly; not serious
garish: showy, very bright or gaudy
habiliments: outfits; clothing
indignantly: angrily
snuff: a preparation of powered tobacco, usually sniffed
tapeworm: a parasite that can live in a person’s intestines
Chapter 13
caste system: class distinction based on birth, wealth, etc.
curtness: brief and short to the point of being rude
devoid: completely without
flighty: foolish; irresponsible
mandrake roots: roots that were often thought to have magical powers
obliquely: indirectly
prerogative: exclusive right or privilege
shinny: a slang term for liquor; usually whiskey or bourbon
sluggish: lacking energy; lazy
soberly: seriously
tactual: able to say the right thing to a person without being offensive
tight: drunk
Chapter 14
antagonize: oppose; make angry
bushel: a unit of dry measure equal to 32 quarts
erosion: a gradual wearing away
infallible: never wrong
manacles: handcuffs
taut: tightly stretched
Chapter 15
acquiescence: agreement without protest
aggregation: group; gathering
begrudge: to feel resentment or disapproval about the fact that someone else has something
ecclesiastical: church-like
façade: the front of a building; the part facing the street
futility: feeling of being ineffective; uselessness, hopelessness
impassive: showing no emotion
ominous: threatening; sinister
shinnied up: drunk
stifle: hold back; suppress
succinct: clear and brief
uncouth: crude, unmannerly
venerable: impressive on account of age or historic associations
venue: the place where a jury is selected and a case is tried
Chapter 16
affirmed: firmly declared or stated
circuit solicitor: a lawyer who travel to different locations to prosecute in trials
dispel: drive away
elucidate: explain
fey: strange; eccentric
formidable: impressive
ruddy: reddish
subtle: not openly obvious; quiet
sundry: various
Chapter 17
acrimonious: sarcastic ; bitter; nasty
ambidextrous: able to use both hands with equal ease
benign: kind; gentle
complacently: in a self-satisfied way
congenital: a condition that is in existence at birth
corroborating evidence: evidence which helps to strengthen a case
genially: in a friendly manner
gullet: throat; neck
heaved: lifted
infinite: endless
skewed: turned
sulky: moody and quiet
sullen: in this case, gloomy and threatening
supplemented: added to
tenet: a principle or belief generally held to be true
turbulent: stormy; unruly
Chapter 18
arid: dry; without expression
chiffarobe: a large cabinet with drawers and a place for hanging clothes
constructionalist: a person who interprets aspects of the law in a specified way
grudging: hostile
lavations: washings
mollified: soothed; calmed
perpetual: everlasting; continuous
riled: angry
tedious: boring; tiresome
wrathfully: angrily
Chapter 19
candid: open and honest
ex cathdra remarks: remarks made with authority that comes with one’s official position
expunge: remove completely
volition: will
Chapter 20
caliber: quality
capital charge: a charge for a crime that is punishable by death
corrupt: to bring a person down to a lower moral level
indicted: formally accused: charged
iota: a very small amount
minute: exact; precise
pauper: an extremely poor person
temerity: foolish or rash boldness
unmitigated: out-and-out absolute
Chapter 21
acquit: clear of a charge; find not guilty
exhilarated: cheerful, merry
Chapter 22
feral: wild; savage
ruefully: regretfully
Chapter 23
commutes: changes; makes less severe
dry: clever but subtle
furtive: sneaky
vehement: full of emotion and strong feeling
wryly: humorously; slightly sarcastic
Chapter 24
bovine: cow-like
brevity: shortness
devout: devoted to religion
impertinence: disrespect
yaws: an infectious contagious tropical disease
Chapter 25
roly-poly: a small but that can roll itself into a ball
scowl: a facial expression caused by scrunching up one’s forehead and brow: a look of displeasure
veneer: attractive outer surface
Chapter 26
recluse: someone who stays away from society and company of others
Chapter 27
florid: very flowery in style: elegant
nondescript: dull; with no special or interesting qualities
Chapter 28
climbers: social climbers; people trying to move into a different social class
furtive: secret
gait: pace, walk
irascible: angry
rout: defeat
staccato: distinct; sharp and crisp
Chapter 30
blandly: smoothly; without excitement
connived: secretly cooperated or agreed to
wisteria: twinning woody vines with large clusters of flowers
Chapter 31
railing: painful