"The Gift of the Magi"

What thoughts go through your mind around Christmas time? Unwrap this list based on the short story by O. Henry to see if the words fit you.

Here are all the word lists to support the reading of Grade 9 Unit 2's texts from SpringBoard's Common Core ELA series: Fire and Ice, The Gift of the Magi, The Stolen Party, The Cask of Amontillado, A Poison Tree, Tim Burton, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
15 words 5993 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. parsimony
    extreme stinginess
    Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied.
  2. predominate
    be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance
    Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.
  3. mendicancy
    the state of being a beggar or mendicant
    It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.
  4. vestibule
    a large entrance or reception room or area
    In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring.
  5. sterling
    highest in quality
    Something fine and rare and sterling--something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.
  6. depreciate
    lower the value of something
    Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts.
  7. envy
    a desire to have something that is possessed by another
    Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.
  8. ransack
    search thoroughly
    She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present.
  9. meretricious
    tastelessly showy
    It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation
  10. prudence
    discretion in practical affairs
    When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason.
  11. ravage
    a destructive action
    She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love.
  12. ecstatic
    feeling great rapture or delight
    And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails
  13. adornment
    a decoration that is added to relieve plainness
    And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.
  14. ardent
    characterized by intense emotion
    The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit.
  15. chronicle
    a record or narrative description of past events
    And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house.
Created on Sun Sep 21 16:05:30 EDT 2014 (updated Mon Sep 22 13:29:44 EDT 2014)

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