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concede
admit or acknowledge, often reluctantly
Joe was for being a hermit, and living on crusts in a remote cave, and dying, some time, of cold and want and grief; but after listening to Tom, he
conceded that there were some conspicuous advantages about a life of crime, and so he consented to be a pirate.
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disturb
destroy the peace or tranquility of
Tom listened a moment, but no sound
disturbed the quiet.
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dauntless
invulnerable to fear or intimidation
The Black Avenger stood still with folded arms, "looking his last" upon the scene of his former joys and his later sufferings, and wishing "she" could see him now, abroad on the wild sea, facing peril and death with
dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smile on his lips.
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avert
turn away or aside
But they discovered the danger in time, and made shift to
avert it.
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considerable
large in number or amount or extent or degree
You see a pirate don't have to do anything, Joe, when he's ashore, but a hermit he has to be praying
considerable, and then he don't have any fun, anyway, all by himself that way."
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imminent
close in time; about to occur
Then at once they reached and hovered upon the
imminent verge of sleep -- but an intruder came, now, that would not "down."
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obtrude
thrust oneself in as if by force
Not a leaf stirred; not a sound
obtruded upon great Nature's meditation.
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solemn
dignified and somber in manner or character
They tramped gayly along, over decaying logs, through tangled underbrush, among
solemn monarchs of the forest, hung from their crowns to the ground with a drooping regalia of grape-vines.
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grandeur
the quality of being magnificent or splendid
They were jubilant with vanity over their new
grandeur and the illustrious trouble they were making.
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inestimable
beyond calculation or measure
And he also put into the hat certain schoolboy treasures of almost
inestimable value -- among them a lump of chalk, an India-rubber ball, three fishhooks, and one of that kind of marbles known as a "sure 'nough crystal."
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bereaved
sorrowful through loss or deprivation
Then with a mutual impulse the two
bereaved women flung themselves into each other's arms and had a good, consoling cry, and then parted.
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recount
narrate or give a detailed account of
A sumptuous breakfast of bacon and fish was shortly provided, and as the boys set to work upon it, Tom
recounted (and adorned) his adventures.
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endure
undergo or be subjected to
He was so homesick that he could hardly
endure the misery of it.
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miserable
very unhappy
Both boys were looking very pale and
miserable, now.
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fleeting
lasting for a markedly brief time
Then a faint moan came sighing through the branches of the forest and the boys felt a
fleeting breath upon their cheeks, and shuddered with the fancy that the Spirit of the Night had gone by.
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tempest
a violent wind
The
tempest rose higher and higher, and presently the sail tore loose from its fastenings and went winging away on the blast.
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culminate
reach the highest or most decisive point
The storm
culminated in one matchless effort that seemed likely to tear the island to pieces, burn it up, drown it to the tree-tops, blow it away, and deafen every creature in it, all at one and the same moment.
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muster
gather or bring together
However, there was no other way; so with such show of cheerfulness as they could
muster they called for the pipe and took their whiff as it passed, in due form.
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pang
a sudden sharp feeling
As the service proceeded, the clergyman drew such pictures of the graces, the winning ways, and the rare promise of the lost lads that every soul there, thinking he recognized these pictures, felt a
pang in remembering that he had persistently blinded
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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himself to them always before, and had as persistently seen only faults and flaws in the poor boys.
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lavish
very generous
And the loving attentions Aunt Polly
lavished upon him were the one thing capable of making him more uncomfortable than he was before.
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varying
marked by diversity or difference
Tom got more cuffs and kisses that day -- according to Aunt Polly's
varying moods -- than he had earned before in a year; and he hardly knew which expressed the most gratefulness to God and affection for himself.
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swagger
walk with a lofty proud gait
He did not go skipping and prancing, but moved with a dignified
swagger as became a pirate who felt that the public eye was on him.
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prattle
speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
Amy's happy
prattle became intolerable.
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pummel
strike, usually with the fist
And he went through the motions of thrashing an imaginary boy --
pummelling the air, and kicking and gouging.
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lethargy
inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
Becky roused up from her
lethargy of distress and showed good interest in the proceedings.
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wrath
intense anger, usually on an epic scale
There was silence while one might count ten -- the master was gathering his
wrath.
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severe
unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment
The school-master, always
severe, grew
severer and more exacting than ever, for he wanted the school to make a good showing on "Examination" day.
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moral
concerned with principles of right and wrong
No matter what the subject might be, a brain-racking effort was made to squirm it into some aspect or other that the
moral and religious mind could contemplate with edification.
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tempestuous
characterized by violent emotions or behavior
Dark and
tempestuous was night.
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boisterous
full of rough and exuberant animal spirits
Even the
boisterous winds unanimously came forth from their mystic homes, and blustered about as if to enhance by their aid the wildness of the scene.