Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush: Chapters 9–13

by Virginia Hamilton
At first sight on an Ohio street corner, almost-fifteen-year-old Teresa "Tree" Pratt falls in love with Brother Rush, before she realizes he is a ghost who has appeared to show her the past.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–13, Chapters 14–17
40 words 7 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. shaft
    a column of light
    A shaft of light illuminated Dab.
  2. bodice
    part of a dress above the waist
    She had on a sky-blue dress with lace at the bodice and wrists.
  3. prance
    move or step in a lively, spirited, or showy way
    Barefoot, she discovered cold places on the seat when she pranced up and down on the tips of her toes.
  4. overwrought
    deeply agitated especially from emotion
    The social would be topped off with a moonlight picnic. Long tables of food. Children so overwrought by night and starlight, they threw up the delicious floating-island dessert.
  5. agitation
    a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance
    He slumped behind the wheel in a state of nerves and agitation.
  6. contemplate
    look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
    By this faint light, he contemplated his dim reflection in the mirror.
  7. convulsive
    sudden and violent
    Brother was falling out; leaning, leaning out. The father reached for him in a convulsive clutching, but his hand closed on thin air.
  8. upholstery
    covering on a piece of furniture
    She threw herself through the upholstery, through the trunk of the car.
  9. frenzy
    state of violent mental agitation
    "Who! Who, un-huh?" he said in a frenzy of wild talking.
  10. practically
    almost; nearly
    Once Tree had had to get down on the floor and practically comb it to help M'Vy find her watch stem.
  11. bureau
    furniture with drawers for keeping clothes
    "Believe what you can or cain't feel. Feel under the chair. Feel behind the bureau. Sure's I'm me, we'll find something under or in back of."
  12. thoroughly
    in an exhaustive manner
    She sounded tired, but she searched the room thoroughly.
  13. rouse
    cause to become awake or conscious
    She would gently rouse him and take his temperature.
  14. mottled
    having spots or patches of color
    Now and then Vy would touch Dab's arms or his neck; his hands. Hands that were scarred and mottled.
  15. rivet
    direct one's attention on something
    At once, he lifted his head again, his eyes riveted on her and his face contorted with pain.
  16. threshold
    the entrance for passing through a room or building
    There stood a man filling the whole space at the threshold.
  17. hue
    the quality of a color determined by its dominant wavelength
    There was a red hue to his dark skin.
  18. wryly
    in a humorously sarcastic or mocking manner
    She could imagine the three of them together for all time, the way they say it in fairy tales. She smiled wryly to herself at the thought, for she knew better than to dream.
  19. reverie
    absentminded dreaming while awake
    And yet she could not help herself as her mind slid easily away until she no longer understood what they were saying. She didn't even try as she swung into a warm reverie. She made up her own words and pictures to please herself.
  20. promptly
    with little or no delay
    Tree spoke promptly. She knew what Vy wanted her to say.
  21. sobering
    tending to make someone serious and thoughtful
    "But it the truth." Sobering. "Something, in health and sickness, down the line."
  22. confines
    a bounded scope
    Within the confines of never having a father and no mother present for most of the time, she had carved out a narrow life for the two of them.
  23. wan
    lacking vitality as from weariness or illness or unhappiness
    He turned his head slightly, grimacing. He managed a wan smile.
  24. tenant
    someone who pays rent to use property owned by someone else
    It was a safe building, with locked double doors, and only the tenants had keys.
  25. facility
    a building or place that provides a particular service
    Got a good medical facility. I get jobs. Other medical centers all around. I get work.
  26. vocational
    of or relating to an occupation
    They passed a large vocational training center.
  27. loom
    appear very large or occupy a commanding position
    Through the window, she saw something looming out of pink mist of sky up ahead of them. Higher and higher it went up, like an enormous, layered wedding cake Tree had seen in a magazine.
  28. lapel
    a fold of fabric below the collar of a coat or jacket
    Pretty woman, she had on a name tag and a little pin on her lapel.
  29. acute
    experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
    My boy is acute intermittent porphyria, or porphyria cutanea tarda, or symptomatic, they hard to classify.
  30. intermittent
    stopping and starting at irregular intervals
    My boy is acute intermittent porphyria, or porphyria cutanea tarda, or symptomatic, they hard to classify.
  31. precipitate
    bring about abruptly
    "Porphyria may be precipitated by alcohol or by drugs, but Dabney not no druggie—"
  32. anguish
    suffer great pains or distress
    There was despair in M'Vy's voice. Tree saw her face; it was anguished, scared.
  33. wring
    twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish
    "They all of them dead," Vy said, wringing her hands.
  34. counterproductive
    tending to hinder the achievement of a goal
    Doctors couldn't save any of them. They were treated with barbiturate sedatives, you know. Barbiturates make them go crazy. And make the porphyria ten times worse. Barbiturates is counterproductive. Your doctors better know that it can kill.
  35. spectacle
    something or someone seen, especially a notable sight
    She begged him in her thoughts not to get so loud and make a spectacle and cause everybody to stare.
  36. disheveled
    in disarray; extremely disorderly
    All this time Tree was having difficulty being out in the open, in the midst of the hospital. She felt exposed, hot and disheveled.
  37. luscious
    extremely pleasing to the sense of taste
    "A luscious place to eat, Tree; now come on."
  38. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    By the time he fixed a large Coke with lots of ice for her, her tray was full. Gingerly, she carried it to a table.
  39. corrupt
    debase morally
    "It mean you can't harm somebody, innocence," Silversmith said. "You can't corrupt somebody. You free of sin. You ain't guilty of nothin. You free of guilt."
  40. scalding
    extremely hot
    Vy drank her coffee, making slight whispering sounds as she sucked in the scalding heat.
Created on Sun May 12 11:04:17 EDT 2024 (updated Sun May 12 17:52:57 EDT 2024)

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