The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge: Chapters 19–34

by M.T. Anderson, Eugene Yelchin
This comic adventure story, told through both text and illustrations, recounts an elf's disastrous spy mission in a hostile goblin kingdom.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 10, Chapters 11–18, Chapters 19–34, Chapters 35–53, Chapter 54–Epilogue

Here are links to our lists for other words by M.T. Anderson: Feed, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (Volume 1), The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (Volume 2)
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. bleat
    talk whiningly
    Werfel bleated, “Magister Spurge is not only under my protection!”
  2. gusto
    vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
    He plucked out a pickle and, for the first time, ate with gusto.
  3. martial
    befitting a warrior
    “A wonderful display of the goblin martial arts,” the visitor said happily.
  4. quaint
    strange in an interesting or pleasing way
    “It’s so generous of Mr. du Burgh to arrange this show of your quaint local folkways just for me. I have heard elfin knights describe this from the battlefield, but I never thought I’d see it myself. Now, tell me: If I am correct, usually it leads directly into battle? When not done out of friendship, like this?”
  5. humble
    marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful
    Is this a problem, Your Highness? Of course not; have faith in your humble Order of the Clean Hand.
  6. liege
    a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service
    We know our business, my king and liege and chum and all that.
  7. privy
    a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
    “I must go find a privy.”
  8. posh
    elegant and fashionable
    At the far end of the street, there were signs for various posh businesses: an optician, a doctor, a kitchenware boutique, a maker of ladies’ fine opera gloves.
  9. fastidious
    giving careful attention to detail
    Certainly not, my fastidious friend! You cannot simply bang on the door of an elfin emissary while he does his business!
  10. ruckus
    the act of making a noisy disturbance
    “You needn’t make such a ruckus,” said Brangwain Spurge, stepping out of the privy, drenched in sweat.
  11. sheepish
    showing a sense of shame
    For a moment, Spurge actually looked sheepish.
  12. flank
    be located at the sides of something or somebody
    She was fascinated by the stories he had to tell her of historical troop movements and flanking maneuvers.
  13. tedious
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    He asked her if she was happy, and she answered that no, he was the most boring, tedious snooze of a date she had ever met.
  14. blunt
    characterized by directness in manner or speech
    He asked bluntly: “Is Brangwain Spurge a spy?”
  15. braggart
    a very boastful and talkative person
    This is the moment, Your Highness, that you might as well reveal our plan to all of the noble sneaks, eaves-droppers, braggarts, blowhards, and backstabbers who surround your throne.
  16. blowhard
    a very boastful and talkative person
    This is the moment, Your Highness, that you might as well reveal our plan to all of the noble sneaks, eaves-droppers, braggarts, blowhards, and backstabbers who surround your throne.
  17. imbue
    fill or soak totally
    But before we sent it, our crack team of wizards imbued it with the power, when activated, to open a hole in the world and destroy everything for a mile around it.
  18. pacify
    fight violence and try to establish peace in
    You shall be remembered for your wise and pacifying ways.
  19. malice
    the desire to see others suffer
    Werfel thought about what waited for him once Spurge left: the fury of the du Burghs and the hidden malice of the secret police.
  20. intaglio
    a sunken or depressed engraving or carving on a stone or gem
    “Impressive intaglio...” murmured Spurge, and Werfel added, “Carved right into the center of the gemstone. That’s impossible.”
  21. yield
    give over
    “We think it must be from a thousand years ago when the forests were ruled by your people, before you yielded them up to us.”
  22. griffin
    mythical creature with an eagle's head and a lion's body
    “A thousand years ago, you were barbarians. Nomad warriors who had tamed the griffins of the steppe. That was the only reason you won. We never knew fire could fall from the sky. We weren’t ready for an elfin warlord to attack us from above without reason or mercy.”
  23. steppe
    an extensive plain without trees
    “A thousand years ago, you were barbarians. Nomad warriors who had tamed the griffins of the steppe. That was the only reason you won. We never knew fire could fall from the sky. We weren’t ready for an elfin warlord to attack us from above without reason or mercy.”
  24. refract
    subject to change in direction of a propagating wave
    They could see their eyes reflected in it, refracted, grown ten times, goggling back at them.
  25. dismal
    causing dejection
    Werfel’s neighbor called out to him, “On your way to embarrass yourself at court, you dismal little toad?”
  26. stately
    impressive in appearance
    They each spun in place, a thousand at once, and then continued to tread the stately spiral.
  27. dais
    a platform raised above the surrounding level
    At the center was a raised dais, and on that dais, towering above the dancing politicians, stood Ghohg.
  28. coax
    influence or persuade by gentle and persistent urging
    The goblin scribbled on his pad while Werfel coaxed Spurge under his breath, “Quick—and a slide left, tap tap with the right, and a kick and two and three and a...”
  29. doggedly
    with obstinate determination
    Doggedly, Spurge jumped up and down, jolting the stone.
  30. throng
    a large gathering of people
    Then he mumbled, “Follow me, Magister. There’s a garden over here with a low wall.” He led the way through the throng.
  31. grim
    filled with melancholy and despondency
    Werfel looked grim, but he didn’t argue.
  32. clamber
    climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
    Spurge and Werfel clambered into the cart.
  33. tarpaulin
    waterproofed canvas
    There was a balled-up tarpaulin in it. Werfel spread out the tarp and Spurge pulled it over himself. Werfel tried to get under it, too.
  34. jounce
    move up and down repeatedly
    The kids jounced around on top of them, bickering and shoving one another, pretending they were just going for a ride in a pile of junk.
  35. gripe
    complain
    Normally, Druzmilla would have greeted Skardebek lovingly, maybe griping that someone had just picked a big scab and thrown it out the window, but she was clearly too nervous to think of a pleasant insult.
Created on Wed Oct 17 15:42:10 EDT 2018 (updated Wed Oct 17 16:15:44 EDT 2018)

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