The One and Only Bob: List 1

by Katherine Applegate
A dog named Bob enlists his friends, a gorilla named Ivan and an elephant named Ruby, to help him find his long-lost sister.

This list covers Part One.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5
25 words 405 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. exuberant
    joyously unrestrained
    crazy mutt: exuberant greeting ritual
  2. protrude
    extend out or project in space
    drool flag: visible tongue protrusion, frequently displayed during copiloting or meal preparation
  3. frenetic
    fast and energetic in an uncontrolled or wild way
    FRAP: frenetic random activity period (synonym: zoomies)
  4. quizzical
    perplexed
    head tilt: quizzical look employed to charm gullible humans
  5. quixotic
    not sensible about practical matters
    tailspin: (1) chase involving the flexible appendage attached to the rear of most canines; (2) (informal) an embarrassing or quixotic effort
  6. heritage
    an attribute that is inherited from ancestors
    I’m a mutt of uncertain heritage.
  7. smidgen
    a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
    Definitely some Chihuahua, with a smidgen of papillon on my father's side.
  8. swagger
    a proud stiff pompous gait
    It’s swagger. Attitude. You gotta have the moves.
  9. earful
    a severe scolding
    If we could talk to people, they’d get an earful.
  10. ditto
    repeat an action or statement
    I love that big ol’ ape. Ditto our little elephant friend, Ruby.
  11. weary
    physically and mentally fatigued
    He was fast asleep, cuddled up with a worn stuffed animal that looked like a weary gorilla.
  12. serene
    not agitated
    Ivan’s calm and serene, a philosopher, an artist.
  13. levelheaded
    exercising or showing good judgment
    No one’s ever accused me of being levelheaded.
  14. croon
    sing softly
    Mom crooned to us.
  15. plod
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    We were born in a dark place. Probably under some porch stairs, I suspect, since I remember the sound of boots plodding up and down, the biting and ugly smell of human feet.
  16. fend
    try to manage without help
    And they fed her most days, though sometimes she had to fend for herself.
  17. indifference
    the trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things
    She never showed fear toward them, or respect. Indifference, I guess you’d say.
  18. distinctive
    of a feature that helps to identify a person or thing
    Boss was small but mean, with a distinctive sharp-sounding bark.
  19. frantic
    excessively agitated; distraught with violent emotion
    They threw us in a box, left my mom behind. I can still hear her frantic howls.
  20. utterly
    completely and without qualification
    I searched for my siblings until the truth became clear: I was utterly alone.
  21. sheer
    complete and without restriction
    It’s amazing how much the sheer will not to die can keep you moving.
  22. seedy
    shabby and untidy
    For two years, I lived at that seedy old place that was part mall, part circus, and all crummy.
  23. sanctuary
    a shelter from danger or hardship
    Seems there are good zoos and bad zoos and good sanctuaries and bad sanctuaries, just like there are good dog families and bad dog families. The good places are trying to keep wild species healthy and safe. They don’t want endangered animals to go away forever.
  24. dilapidated
    in a state of decay, ruin, or deterioration
    They also don’t want the Earth to turn into a slimy, dilapidated tennis ball.
  25. savanna
    a flat grassland in tropical or subtropical regions
    The thing is, I would give anything to see my dear pal Ivan deep in the jungles of Africa, where he was born. Or to see Ruby running across the savanna with a herd of elephants, her big ol’ ears flapping in the wind.
Created on Thu Nov 11 09:28:12 EST 2021 (updated Mon Nov 15 15:14:08 EST 2021)

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