"The Chaser"

Tired of chasing after a woman, the main character in the short story by John Collier buys a potion to make her love him. The readers don't see how this turns out, but there are clues in what the old man says and doesn't say.

Here are all the word lists to support the reading of Grade 12 Unit 2's texts from SpringBoard's Common Core ELA series: Pygmalion and the Statue, Pygmalion, Talkin' 'bout a Revolution, Cinderella, the Legend, Why Women Always Take Advantage of Men, The Giving Tree, A Rose for Emily, The Story of an Hour, The Chaser
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. obscure
    not drawing attention
    Alan Austen, as nervous as a kitten, went up certain dark and creaky stairs in the neighborhood of Pell Street, and peered about for a long time on the dime landing before he found the name he wanted written obscurely on one of the doors.
  2. varied
    widely different
    "My dear sir," replied the old man, "my stock in trade is not very large--I don't deal in laxatives and teething mixtures--but such as it is, it is varied.
  3. ordinary
    the expected or commonplace condition or situation
    I think nothing I sell has effects which could be precisely described as ordinary.
  4. imperceptible
    impossible or difficult to sense
    "Here is a liquid as colorless as water, almost tasteless, quite imperceptible in coffee, wine, or any other beverage. It is also quite imperceptible to any known method of autopsy."
  5. sufficient
    of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement
    For one teaspoonful, which is sufficient, I ask five thousand dollars.
  6. seldom
    not often
    Young people who need a love potion very seldom have five thousand dollars.
  7. confidential
    entrusted with private information of another
    It is only when one is in a position to oblige that one can afford to be so confidential.
  8. casual
    without or seeming to be without plan or method; offhand
    Their effects are permanent, and extend far beyond the mere casual impulse.
  9. scorn
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    "For indifference," said the old man, they substitute devotion. For scorn, adoration.
  10. giddy
    lacking seriousness; given to frivolity
    Give one tiny measure of this to the young lady--its flavour is imperceptible in orange juice, soup, or cocktails--and however gay and giddy she is, she will change altogether.
  11. solitude
    the state or situation of being alone
    She will want nothing but solitude and you.
  12. neglect
    give little or no attention to
    She will never allow you to be tired, to sit in a draught, to neglect your food.
  13. indulge
    enjoy to excess
    One has to be older than you are, to indulge in that sort of thing.
  14. phial
    a small bottle that contains liquid medicine
    "Oh, that," said the old man, opening the drawer in the kitchen table, and taking out a tiny, rather dirty-looking phial.
  15. effective
    producing or capable of producing an intended result
    You will find it very effective.
Created on Fri Mar 06 11:53:43 EST 2015 (updated Fri Mar 06 12:20:03 EST 2015)

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