-
tired
depleted of strength or energy
Alice was beginning to get very
tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do.
-
label
designate with an identification
She took down a jar from one of the shelves as she passed; it was
labelled "ORANGE MARMALADE," but to her great disappointment it was empty.
-
latitude
an imaginary line around the Earth parallel to the equator
I wonder what
Latitude and Longitude I've got to ?"
-
fancy
imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind
Fancy curtseying as you're falling through the air!
-
passage
a way through which someone or something may go
Bbefore her was another long
passage, and the White Rabbit was still in sight, hurrying down it.
-
telescope
a magnifier of images of distant objects
Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a
telescope!
Note also the "make shorter" definition -- that meaning actually partially comes from this book!
-
marked
having or as if having a distinguishing symbol
"No, I'll look first," she said, "and see whether it's
marked `poison' or not".
-
pretend
represent fictitiously, as in a play, or act like
Once she remembered trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of
pretending to be two people.
-
curious
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
"
Curiouser and
curiouser!" cried Alice, "now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was!"
Note that 'curiouser' is not, in fact a word -- it should be 'more curious'
-
surprise
cause to be shocked
She was so much
surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English.
-
manage
carry on or function
I shall be a great deal too far off to trouble myself about you: you must
manage the best way you can.
-
shrink
reduce in size; reduce physically
She got up and went to the table to measure herself by it, and found that, as nearly as she could guess, she was now about two feet high, and was going on
shrinking rapidly.
-
pardon
the act of excusing a mistake or offense
"Oh, I beg your
pardon!" cried Alice hastily, afraid that she had hurt the poor animal's feelings.
-
tone
a quality that reveals the attitudes of the author
"Well, perhaps not," said Alice in a soothing
tone: "don't be angry about it."
Note that it doesn't have to be written -- your tone can be how you say things, as well
-
offend
cause to feel resentment or indignation
"I beg your pardon!" cried Alice again, for this time the Mouse was bristling all over, and she felt certain it must be really
offended.
-
commotion
a disorderly outburst or tumult
For the Mouse was swimming away from her as hard as it could go, and making quite a
commotion in the pool as it went.
-
consultation
a meeting to discuss a particular question or topic
They had a
consultation about this, and after a few minutes it seemed quite natural to Alice to find herself talking familiarly with them, as if she had known them all her life.
-
insolence
the trait of being rude and impertinent
But the
insolence of his Normans -- -' How are you getting on now, my dear?"
Note that the Mouse is spouting off text from an actual textbook from the 1800s -- be glad your history textbooks aren't as dry!
-
melancholy
characterized by or causing or expressing sadness
"As wet as ever," said Alice in a
melancholy tone: "it doesn't seem to dry me at all."
-
adjourn
break from a meeting or gathering
"In that case," said the Dodo solemnly, rising to its feet, "I move that the meeting
adjourn, for the immediate adoption of more energetic remedies "
-
titter
laugh nervously
And the Eaglet bent down its head to hide a smile: some of the other birds
tittered audibly.
-
crowd
fill or occupy to the point of overflowing
However, when they had been running half an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called out "The race is over!" and they all
crowded round it, panting, and asking, "But who has won?"
-
confused
lacking orderly continuity
"Why, she, of course," said the Dodo, pointing to Alice with one finger; and the whole party at once crowded round her, calling out in a
confused way, "Prizes!
-
denial
the act of refusing to comply, as with a request
Come, I'll take no
denial; We must have a trial: For really this morning I've nothing to do'.
-
pretext
an artful or simulated semblance
On various
pretexts they all moved off, and Alice was soon left alone.
-
exact
marked by strict and complete accordance with fact
First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle ("the
exact shape doesn't matter," it said), and then all the party were placed along the course, here and there.
-
opportunity
a possibility from a favorable combination of circumstances
An old Crab took the
opportunity of saying to her daughter, "Ah, my dear! Let this be a lesson to you never to lose your temper!"