Pax, Journey Home: Chapters 33–44

by Sara Pennypacker
Pax, a fox, reunites with Peter, the boy who once cared for him, though both are struggling in the aftermath of war.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–20, Chapters 21–32, Chapters 33–44
35 words 36 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. poised
    marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
    But just as Pax was poised to dive in, he heard a frightened cry from his kit.
  2. thrive
    make steady progress
    On the one hand, now he knew: Pax was alive. He was thriving in the wild.
  3. stocky
    having a short and solid form or stature
    The slight one is tall now, and quick. The other is still stocky and twice the size of this one.
  4. rangy
    tall and thin and having long slender limbs
    Runt related a game of ambush they liked to play with him, the heavier one jolting up suddenly beneath his belly, the rangy brother leaping onto his back.
  5. rapt
    feeling great delight and interest
    The little kit followed with rapt delight.
  6. frail
    physically weak
    She was awake less and less each day. She seemed even frailer now, her chest rising shallowly with each breath. Her left paw, curled to her throat, trembled.
  7. waver
    move hesitatingly, as if about to give way
    Pax watched his daughter struggle to her feet. She stood wavering at the edge of the little shelter, and he knew that she would try, but she could not make the trip.
  8. strew
    spread by scattering
    A mess—it stank of mice, and oats and flour were strewn across the floor—but there were still shelves full of neatly lined-up cans and jars.
  9. submission
    the act of surrendering power to another
    The kit did not lower her body in submission, but she wagged her little brush, asking pardon for her disobedience.
  10. strut
    a proud and confident way of walking
    She followed Pax out, setting off at a strut, but after a few steps, she lost her balance.
  11. molder
    decay or break down
    He opened Pax’s old pen and swept up an armload of moldering straw, exposing mouse tunnels and scuttling beetles.
  12. douse
    wet thoroughly
    From the shed, he grabbed the lighter fluid, ran back outside, and doused the whole mess.
  13. trappings
    ornaments; embellishments to or characteristic signs of
    He had built a nest and set it on fire with all the trappings of his old life.
  14. incense
    a substance that produces a fragrant odor when burned
    Instead of incense and spices, he smelled wool and paper and melted plastic and the rubber from his sneakers, but it was still the same story: new life, arising from the ashes of old.
  15. mirage
    optical illusion in which hot air distorts distant objects
    At first he thought it must be a heat mirage: Pax, sitting beside the shed. Hanging from his mouth was something small and furred. Peter rubbed his sore eyes. It was no mirage.
  16. delicate
    easily hurt
    When Pax didn’t seem to object, he touched the little forehead with a single finger: skull bone, delicate as an egg, under silky fur.
  17. cower
    show submission or fear
    Peter looked down at the cowering fox kit in his cupped palms.
  18. haunch
    the upper part of the leg of an animal, often used for food
    He saw Peter put his kit on the ground, and his haunches flexed in readiness to run back to her.
  19. croon
    sing softly
    His boy crooned to his daughter in a tone of great care, and he held her close, and she ceased squirming.
  20. ricochet
    spring back; spring away from an impact
    Its click seemed to ricochet around the silent cemetery.
  21. willful
    habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
    He tugged again, and she grabbed on more fiercely. She was a willful little thing, and even sick she was strong.
  22. correspondence
    communication by the exchange of letters
    Two white envelopes fell out. One official army correspondence, one plain and square.
  23. protocol
    code of correct conduct
    They found rations in the jeep he’d taken, which amounted to theft of government property, and money, which implied he’d been deserting. Protocol demanded that his status be changed to Dishonorable to reflect that.
  24. discharge
    release from military service
    I was scared to sneak out—not that it would be dangerous, there was no fire around, but with two babies coming, I couldn’t afford to get discharged, lose my pay.
  25. reveille
    a signal, usually a bugle call, to get up in the morning
    He’d find out was she okay, give her some money and food I’d saved, and be back before reveille at dawn.
  26. register
    enter into someone's consciousness
    He heard bees working the cornflowers and the screech of a hawk, but he barely registered them.
  27. agile
    moving quickly and lightly
    But the smaller one had grown tall, and he was agile. He could wriggle free and pounce before the larger one could turn around.
  28. swagger
    a proud stiff pompous gait
    Over and over they tumbled, all jump and swagger, growling and nipping in mock menace.
  29. frolic
    play boisterously
    She bounded off the step, over her frolicking kits.
  30. acquire
    gain knowledge or skills
    Then they took turns tearing off to show some other skill they’d acquired, then charging back to express more love.
  31. diminish
    decrease in size, extent, or range
    But their family had been diminished by one.
  32. daub
    coat with plaster
    Beneath the windowsill, though, he noticed a lump of daubing bulging out.
  33. threshold
    the entrance for passing through a room or building
    He slipped off his backpack, propped it against the doorframe, then pulled open the door and crossed the threshold.
  34. casual
    not showing effort or strain
    “Maybe I should set an extra place?” she asked casually.
  35. sashay
    walk with a lofty proud gait, often to impress others
    They watched the kit sashay around the kitchen.
Created on Sat Nov 20 12:53:43 EST 2021 (updated Fri Dec 17 08:53:52 EST 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.