"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

Erika R.
SAT/ACT Project
Semester ll
2012-2013
Erika Rosello
25 words 17 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. solemnly
    in a serious and dignified manner
    The fair boy said this solemnly; but ten the delight of a realized ambition overcame him. (pg. 8)
  2. proffer
    present for acceptance or rejection
    The fat boy waited to be asked his name in turn but this proffer of acquaintance was not made; the fair boy called Ralph smiled vaguely, stood up, and began to make his way once more toward the lagoon. (pg.9)
  3. prominent
    conspicuous in position or importance
    He was old enough, twelve years and a few months, to have lost the prominent tummy of childhood and not yet old enough for adolescence to have made him awkward. (pg.10)
  4. gesticulate
    show, express, or direct through movement
    He gesticulated widely. (pg.34)
  5. ebullience
    eager enjoyment or approval
    Then, with the martyred expression of a parent who has to keep up with the senseless ebullience of the children, he picked up the conch, turned toward the forest, and began to pick his way over the tumbled scar. (pg.38)
  6. furtive
    secret and sly
    For a moment his movements were almost furtive. (pg.56-57)
  7. opalescence
    the visual property of something having a milky brightness and a play of colors from the surface
    Toward noon, as the floods of light fell more nearly to the perpendicular, the stark colors of the morning were smoothed in pearl and opalescence; and the heat-as though the impending sun's height gave momentum-became a blow that they ducked, running to the shade and lying there, perhaps even sleeping. (pg. 58)
  8. swarthiness
    a swarthy complexion
    When Roger opened his eyes and saw him, a darker shadow crept beneath the swarthiness of his skin; but Jack noticed nothing. (pg. 62)
    swarth·i·er, swarth·i·est
    Having a dark complexion or color.
  9. gale
    a strong wind moving 34–40 knots
    He went on scrambling and the laughter rose to a gale of hysteria.
  10. snigger
    laugh quietly
    There were sniggers here and there and swift glances. (pg.80)
  11. condemnation
    an expression of strong disapproval
    The derisive laughter that rose had fear in it and condemnation. (pg.86)
  12. inarticulate
    without or deprived of the use of speech or words
    Simon became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind's essential illness.
  13. discursive
    tending to cover a wide range of subjects
    The assembly shredded away and became a discursive and random scatter from the palms to the water and away along the beach,beyond night-sight.(pg.92)
  14. dignity
    the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
    Ralph stood up and walked for the sake of dignity, though with his back pricking, to the platform.(pg.99)
  15. polyp
    a small vascular growth on the surface of a mucous membrane
    Slowly the waters sank among the rocks, revealing pink tables of granite, strange growths of coral, polyp, and weed. (pg.105)
  16. wallow
    roll around
    He would like to have a bath, a proper wallow with soap. (pg.109)
  17. snivel
    cry or whine with snuffling
    Then they lay quiet, panting, listening to Robert's frightened snivels. (pg.115)
  18. luxuriance
    the property of being lush and abundant
    For most of the way they were forced right down to the bare rock by the water and had to edge along between that and the dark luxuriance of the forest. (pg.116)
  19. queer
    beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
    Jack cleared his throat and spoke in a queer, tight voice. (pg.117)
  20. diminishing
    becoming smaller or less or appearing to do so
    Not scared so much as paralyzed; hung up there immovable on the top of a diminishing, moving mountain. (pg.123)
  21. obscene
    offensive to the mind
    His eyes were half closed as though he were imitating the obscene thing on the stick. (pg.143)
  22. corpulent
    excessively large
    Then as the blue material of the parachute collapsed the corpulent figure would bow forward, sighing, and the flies settle once more. (pg.146)
  23. derision
    the act of treating with contempt
    Piggy once more was the center of social derision so that everyone felt cheerful and normal. (pg.149)
  24. jeer
    laugh at with contempt and derision
    The sniggering of the savages became a loud derisive jeer. (pg.176)
  25. inimical
    tending to obstruct or cause harm
    To carry he must speak louder; and this would rouse those striped and inimical creatures from their feasting by the fire.(pg.187)
Created on Tue May 21 10:58:29 EDT 2013 (updated Thu May 23 10:32:36 EDT 2013)

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