The Road to Memphis: List 1

by Mildred D. Taylor
As World War II looms, seventeen-year-old Cassie Logan and her brothers experience the trials and tribulations of growing up and face shocking racial violence.

This list covers "A Fine New Car"–"Friendships."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4
35 words 119 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. condemnation
    an expression of strong disapproval
    Thinking on that, I snapped out another condemnation against the tardiness of the bus. "Bus supposed to be here at a certain time, it ought to be here!”
  2. stalwart
    having rugged physical strength
    Christopher-John, a stalwart -looking boy of fifteen, was not much one for arguing, especially not arguing some useless point.
  3. laden
    filled with a great quantity
    As on two of the other corners of the crossroads, forest land of white oaks and long-leaf pines and bushes of heavily ladened hazelnut grew densely upon it.
  4. surmise
    imagine to be the case or true or probable
    “I expect they’re tired of waiting too,” I surmised.
  5. whet
    make keen or more acute
    Little Man’s interest was quickly whetted.
  6. quell
    overcome or allay
    My reason did nothing to quell Christopher-John’s disapproval.
  7. temperament
    your usual mood
    “You know, Cassie, maybe Christopher-John’s right,” he said, calmly assessing the situation without the heat of his sometimes fiery temperament.
  8. concur
    be in agreement
    Little Man concurred with a nod.
  9. ruddy
    inclined to a healthy reddish color
    We watched Jeremy speak to the ruddy -faced travelers, then start across the road toward us.
  10. upholstery
    covering on a piece of furniture
    Inside, the felt gray upholstery was spotless and unworn and the dashboard was all wood and chrome and gleam.
  11. upbraid
    express criticism towards
    Moe flashed his sweet, dimpled smile at me and my upbraid of Willie.
  12. careen
    move sideways or in an unsteady way
    The truck passed us, hit a deep pothole, and went careening off to one side and into a muddy ditch.
  13. glower
    look angry or sullen as if to signal disapproval
    Mr. Simms poked his head out the window and glowered at us.
  14. inclination
    a characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition
    There weren’t all those many jobs open to educated colored folks except to teach, and none of the boys had an inclination for teaching.
  15. elation
    a feeling of joy and pride
    “Y’all sure y’all like it, now?” teased Moe at their elation.
  16. cajole
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
    Then, despite Mama’s protests and Big Ma’s fussing, Stacey cajoled them into the car and we all went for a fast, dust-spreading ride up the road.
  17. acquisition
    something gained
    Still holding the chammy, Stacey leaned against the fence that separated the drive from the side yard and the house and openly admired his new acquisition.
  18. expansive
    friendly and open and willing to talk
    Stacey, usually almost monosyllabic in his talks with Jeremy, was in his pride, being most expansive as they discussed the car’s mechanisms.
  19. concede
    admit or acknowledge, often reluctantly
    “Yeah...they was,” Stacey conceded.
  20. assessment
    classifying someone or something with respect to its worth
    He came closer, waiting on Papa’s assessment of the car.
  21. solemn
    dignified and somber in manner or character
    Stacey looked away, his face solemn.
  22. contentious
    showing an inclination to disagree
    Big Ma got contentious. "Well...that was different. Y’all was just little boys and we needed us some meat. Your papa and your brothers Mitchell and Kevin, they was all gone off workin’ ’way from here, lumberin’ up near that Natchez Trace. Somebody had to put meat on this table!”
  23. disparaging
    expressive of low opinion
    Big Ma grunted disparagingly.
  24. ail
    be unwell
    Reverend Charles Gabson was the pastor of Great Faith Church, and he had been ailing for some weeks now.
  25. reprove
    reprimand, scold, or express dissatisfaction with
    Mama cast me a reproving look, not because of my pronouncement, but because I had totally fractured my speaking.
  26. plumb
    completely
    “We just done got up from the table, and we’re plumb full,” she explained.
  27. admonish
    scold or reprimand; take to task
    “Cassie,” Mama admonished, reminding me with one sharp look that this was none of my business.
  28. retiring
    reluctant to draw attention to yourself
    Harris, despite his tremendous size was a retiring kind of soul. He messed with no one if he could help it.
  29. prattle
    speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
    As I stacked the dishes, Sissy sat right where she was, not offering a hand, and prattled on and on about my going on the coon hunt.
  30. devious
    characterized by insincerity or deceit
    Still, despite her devious and jealous ways, I liked her.
  31. sullenly
    in a manner showing a brooding ill humor
    She looked sullenly away, her arms folded across her chest, and thought a moment.
  32. chide
    scold or reprimand severely or angrily
    “Don’t you be laughing!” she chided.
  33. reconcile
    accept as inevitable
    She smiled, reconciling herself to that time to come, then moved away and sat on the bed.
  34. bodice
    part of a dress above the waist
    Mama spread her fingers over the bodice of the red dress, then looked at me.
  35. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    She came over to the bed and scrutinized the dresses, then picked up the red dress.
Created on Mon Jul 12 10:43:39 EDT 2021 (updated Tue Jul 20 15:19:27 EDT 2021)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.