The Serpent King: Chapters 43–53

by Jeff Zentner
In this award-winning novel by Jeff Zentner, three Southern teenagers struggle with their faith, their families, and their futures.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–20, Chapters 21–31, Chapters 32–42, Chapters 43–53
15 words 23 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. alluring
    highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire
    “I think you should go to prom with me.” He said it with his alluring new confidence.
  2. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    She felt a sharp, fleeting twinge. “I miss Travis,” she said. “I wish he were here.”
  3. contemplative
    deeply or seriously thoughtful
    He allowed a contemplative moment to pass while he pedaled. “I thought I’d live my whole life and die in this town. I don’t know how I existed like that.”
  4. futility
    uselessness as a consequence of having no practical result
    “Hunter’s laughing because Jasmine pointed out the inherent futility of human existence and illusion of consciousness, and the only way he could emotionally process these ideas was through the incongruous reaction of laughter,” Lydia whispered to Dill.
  5. scornful
    expressing extreme contempt
    They could hear the scornful whispers and muttering and feel the stares.
  6. irony
    incongruity between what might be expected and what occurs
    “The irony is that everyone acted more concerned with us mocking their precious rite of passage than with drunk driving or girls getting roofied.”
  7. viability
    the state of being capable of normal growth and development
    “You are an irredeemable dork. Fortunately for our relationship’s continued viability, you suck at acting like a dumb bro.”
  8. incessantly
    without interruption
    For a couple of hours, they talked and laughed incessantly about nothing in particular while they dried slowly.
  9. boundless
    seemingly limitless in amount, number, degree, or extent
    After that, they fell quiet and gazed up into the boundless starlit expanse while the owls and crickets sang their night hymns all around them.
  10. demeanor
    the way a person behaves toward other people
    Dill’s demeanor conveyed that he wasn’t enjoying making small talk any more than she was, but he also wasn’t ready to fill the silence with anything else.
  11. plaintive
    expressing sorrow
    He returned her plaintive wave, stood in the street, and watched her taillights fade and disappear.
  12. waver
    pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
    Dill commanded his voice not to waver, and it didn’t. “I’m going to college. I’m going to have a better life than this. That’s all there is to explain.”
  13. profane
    grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred
    “You are abandoning your mother.” His father spat the word like it was profane.
  14. rancor
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
    He pointedly banished any hint of rancor from his voice, even though he knew he wasn’t going to like her answer.
  15. precarious
    not secure; beset with difficulties
    He slung on his backpack and carried his two suitcases and guitar with a precarious grasp.
Created on Fri Jul 07 18:14:30 EDT 2017 (updated Wed Aug 06 12:45:28 EDT 2025)

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