To Kill a Mockingbird: Chapters 20–31

by Harper Lee
In this classic coming-of-age story, Scout Finch recounts her childhood in Maycomb, Alabama. When Scout's father is appointed to defend a black man in a high-profile trial, racial tensions in the small town come to a head.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–10, Chapters 11–15, Chapters 16–19, Chapters 20–31

Here are links to our lists for Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. iota
    a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
    The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place.
  2. circumstantial
    suggesting that something is true without proving it
    We don't know, but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left.
  3. unmitigated
    not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity
    And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temerity to 'feel sorry' for a white woman has had to put his word against two white people's.
  4. temerity
    fearless daring
    And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temerity to 'feel sorry' for a white woman has had to put his word against two white people's.
  5. acquit
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
    "You think they'll acquit him that fast?" asked Jem.
  6. demur
    politely refuse or take exception to
    "Mr. Jem," Reverend Sykes demurred, "this ain't a polite thing for little ladies to hear..."
  7. fatalistic
    accepting that everything that happens is inevitable
    "Don't you oh well me, sir," Miss Maudie replied, recognizing Jem's fatalistic noises, "you are not old enough to appreciate what I said."
  8. impertinence
    the trait of being rude and inclined to take liberties
    Miss Stephanie eyed me suspiciously, decided that I meant no impertinence, and contented herself with, "Well, you won't get very far until you start wearing dresses more often."
  9. duress
    compulsory force or threat
    Mr. Merriweather, a faithful Methodist under duress, apparently saw nothing personal in singing, "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me..."
  10. sibilant
    of speech sounds forcing air through a constricted passage
    She had a curious habit of prefacing everything she said with a soft sibilant sound.
  11. spurious
    intended to deceive
    The rural children who could, usually brought clippings from what they called The Grit Paper, a publication spurious in the eyes of Miss Gates, our teacher.
  12. florid
    elaborately or excessively ornamented
    One Sunday night, lost in fruity metaphors and florid diction, Judge Taylor's attention was wrenched from the page by an irritating scratching noise.
  13. purloin
    make off with belongings of others
    Miss Tutti was sure those traveling fur sellers who came through town two days ago had purloined their furniture.
  14. irascible
    characterized by anger
    High above us in the darkness a solitary mocker poured out his repertoire in blissful unawareness of whose tree he sat in, plunging from the shrill kee, kee of the sunflower bird to the irascible quack of a bluejay, to the sad lament of Poor Will, Poor Will, Poor Will.
  15. untrammeled
    not confined or limited
    He liked to tell things his own way, untrammeled by state or defense, and sometimes it took him a while.
Created on Wed Jul 25 09:16:31 EDT 2018 (updated Thu Jun 26 14:26:59 EDT 2025)

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