Gone Crazy in Alabama: List 5

by Rita Williams-Garcia
When sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern visit relatives in Alabama, they find themselves in the middle of an unexpected family feud. Learn these words from the last book in the Gaither Sisters trilogy.

This list covers Blue Sky–Keeps on Ticking.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5

Here are links to our lists for other books by Rita Williams-Garcia: One Crazy Summer, P.S. Be Eleven, Clayton Byrd Goes Underground
30 words 18 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. uproot
    pull up by or as if by the roots
    One of the metal poles for the clothesline leaned while the other had been uprooted and thrown.
  2. shingle
    building material used as siding or roofing
    “Only one window broken but not a shingle loose,” Ma Charles said. “Thank you, Jesus!”
  3. timid
    showing fear and lack of courage
    “Miss Ming?” I spoke timidly, as if I was standing at her counter for the first time.
  4. dishonor
    bring shame upon
    “We don’t teach a child to dishonor her mother or father. Not in this house.”
  5. linger
    be about
    A full day hadn’t passed by, but Vonetta’s absence lingered in every corner of the house.
  6. gird
    put an encircling structure on or around
    According to my cousin, Mr. Lucas had made offers to “gird up the house’s foundation” over the years, but Miss Trotter had always told JimmyTrotter the house was fine as it was.
  7. jostle
    make one's way by pushing or shoving
    It turned off the tree-blocked road and jostled through the field of dandelions and wildflowers.
  8. scamper
    run or move about quickly or lightly
    The two dogs scampered about excitedly, glad to see each other.
  9. trudge
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    He just flung Caleb off of him, kicking out his leg once, and the two dogs went back to playing with each other while the sheriff trudged up to the house.
  10. mantel
    a shelf that projects from the wall above a fireplace
    JimmyTrotter described everything. How the tornado came their way and took down half of the barn and most of the house. That they had only two minutes to get to the crawl space under the house and that Miss Trotter wouldn’t go without Mama and Papa so JimmyTrotter had to get the photograph from the mantel.
  11. wayward
    resistant to guidance or discipline
    “Electric storm is the ma and pa,” one said.
    “And the tornado is its wayward child,” the other said.
  12. conscience
    motivation deriving from ethical or moral principles
    “You have a conscience,” Cecile told Fern. “I don’t have much of a conscience where food is concerned, especially when I’m hungry.”
  13. exaggerate
    enlarge beyond bounds or the truth
    “Hear that? All the way from the junction,” Ma Charles said, exaggerating her astonishment.
  14. priority
    status established in order of importance or urgency
    With more people under one roof, laundry day began early and clean sheets were a priority.
  15. veer
    turn sharply; change direction abruptly
    The Wildcat veered off the road and onto the field, bumping along toward the house.
  16. phony
    fraudulent; having a misleading appearance
    “How are you feeling?” she asked plain and factual. Not sugary and phony.
  17. adrift
    afloat on the surface of a body of water
    She tried to be her “right on” Marva Hendrix self, but she looked like she was set adrift in a small boat without an oar, searching around for help.
  18. sheer
    so thin as to transmit light
    But then they both finally got out of the car, and I stayed at the window wrapping myself in the sheer white curtains as I watched my mother and father.
  19. brace
    prepare for something unpleasant or difficult
    Ever since my mother walked inside my great-grandmother’s house I had been bracing myself for her kind of crazy.
  20. woozy
    feeling dizzy or unsteady
    The mention of cheese grits made Mrs. woozy but I just kept cooking and serving.
  21. chauvinism
    belief in the superiority of men over women
    Mrs. still didn’t like any of it and refused to eat in a house full of “wrong-thinking people with male-chauvinist-pig ideas.” Miss Trotter clapped her hands at all of that chauvinism talk.
  22. ordeal
    a severe or trying experience
    Mr. Lucas shook his head at the ordeal, took in a big breath, and exhaled before trying again.
  23. traipse
    walk or tramp about
    I expected Big Ma to put an end to Vonetta and Fern’s traipsing and prancing but she said she was tired and needed to sit down.
  24. prance
    move or step in a lively, spirited, or showy way
    I expected Big Ma to put an end to Vonetta and Fern’s traipsing and prancing but she said she was tired and needed to sit down.
  25. speculate
    talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way
    Ma Charles and Miss Trotter put their heads together to speculate about what Big Ma meant by “tired,” and if she would go through with the wedding vows.
  26. caress
    touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner
    Big Ma caressed the paper along its center crease like it was a living thing that needed caressing.
  27. escort
    accompany
    Pa and Uncle Darnell insisted on standing on both sides of Big Ma to walk her up to Mr. Lucas and the pastor while she fussed about being escorted like a common criminal.
  28. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
    Vonetta and Fern threw purple maypop petals and blew dandelions as they hobbled down the aisle.
  29. woeful
    affected by or full of grief or sadness
    Mrs. behaved herself, although I caught her shaking her head woefully when the pastor called Big Ma Mrs. Elijah Lucas and not Ophelia Lucas.
  30. unravel
    become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers of
    She was still wearing the braids Cecile made and they were beginning to unravel, but she wouldn’t let anyone touch her head.
Created on Tue Feb 12 21:08:44 EST 2019 (updated Thu Feb 28 15:27:02 EST 2019)

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