Black Swan Green: List 2

by David Mitchell
Set in the early 1980s, this coming-of-age novel explores underlying tensions and turmoil in a seemingly quiet English village.

This list covers "Relatives"–"Bridle Path."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. horticulture
    the cultivation of plants
    “Well, catch a load of the intrepid horticulturist!”
  2. convoy
    a procession of land vehicles traveling together
    “If you're a 'fan' of crawling along at thirty in a convoy of geriatric caravanners, the A417 to Cirencester is the route for you.”
  3. geriatric
    of or relating to the aged
    “If you're a 'fan' of crawling along at thirty in a convoy of geriatric caravanners, the A417 to Cirencester is the route for you.”
  4. decanter
    a bottle with a stopper; for serving drinks
    “Brian?” Dad waved the decanter at him. “Drop more sherry?”
  5. doldrums
    a state of inactivity
    “No, Michael,” Uncle Brian said, “you're mistaken, for once in your life. The accountancy game's more or less immune to economic doldrums.”
  6. prawn
    shrimp-like crustacean often used as food
    Dinner was prawn cocktails in wine glasses for starters, lamb chops with chef’s hats with duchesse potatoes and braised celery for main, and a Baked Alaska for "dessert," not "afters."
  7. derelict
    failing in what duty requires
    Dad says paying your kids to study is “derelict.”
  8. honcho
    a manager or person who is in charge
    “Hugo”—Uncle Brian burped—“has showered himself in glory! By rights he should be the head honcho oarsman chappie..."
  9. spastic
    suffering from a loss or deficiency of motor control
    “In English. I didn’t—” I tested the word “know” a couple of times but saw I was going to stammer spastically on it.
  10. niggle
    argue over petty things
    Hugo spluttered, to niggle Alex. And to tell me whose side he was on.
  11. smidgen
    a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
    "A smidgeon more wine, Michael?” Uncle Brian topped up Dad's glass (from the second bottle) before Dad could answer, then his own.
  12. rickshaw
    a small two-wheeled cart for one passenger
    My secretary bought herself one of those...y'know, those motorized rickshaws...a Honda Civic.
  13. languish
    lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief
    "Mike,” Uncle Brian said, "you're not going to let this bottle languish here half-drunk now, are you?”
  14. squander
    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
    Surely you're not going to stand idly by while your firstborn squanders herself at the University of Nowhereshire?
  15. swarthy
    naturally having skin of a dark color
    You get to meet Chinese violinists and swarthy Aztec panpipe ensembles.
  16. crony
    a close friend or associate
    “Even Daddy used to boast about your designs to his golf club cronies. All I ever heard was Helena this, Helena that.”
  17. tutelage
    teaching pupils individually
    “Such a space cadet. He has to learn how to detect hints, and act on them. One day he'll thank me for my tutelage. Alex the Neanderthal dork is beyond help, I fear.”
  18. salvo
    rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
    When the zigzagging UFO comes he lays in a salvo of torpedoes only if the asteroid storm isn't too heavy.
  19. quandary
    state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
    Hugo grimaced in a Should-I-or-shouldn't-I? quandary.
  20. atomize
    break up into small particles or pieces
    The smoke leaked out, a genie from its bottle.
    The wind atomized the genie.
  21. mauve
    a moderate purple
    My eye spidered over my poster of black angelfish turning into white swans, across over my map of Middle-earth, around my door frame, into my curtains, lit fiery mauve by my spring sun, and fell down the well of dazzle.
  22. daub
    cover by smearing
    In my parent’s creamy bedroom I sat at Mum's dressing table, spiked my hair with L’Oréal hair mousse, daubed an Adam Ant stripe across my face, and held her opal brooch over one eye.
  23. bramble
    any of various rough thorny shrubs or vines
    But best is the rumor that the bridle path leads you to the foot of Pinnacle Hill, where, if you pick your way through toothy brambles and dark ivy and vicious stingers, you'll find the mouth of an old tunnel.
  24. copse
    a dense growth of trees, shrubs, or bushes
    In the copse, the bridle path joined up with a moon-cratered track. Trees knitted overhead, so only knots and loops of sky showed.
  25. gnarled
    old and twisted and covered in lines
    The man's lip was gnarled and his sooty hair had a streak of white like combed-in bird crap.
  26. stave
    burst or force (a hole) into something
    In his hand was a walking stick strong enough to stave in a skull.
  27. grapple
    grip or seize, as in a wrestling match
    Straightaway they head-butted each other, like rams.
    They grapplewrapped each other, garking through clenched teeth.
  28. strafe
    attack from above with machine guns or cannon fire
    Rain began its blitz, tranging bullets off the roof and strafing the puddles round the barn.
  29. paddock
    a pen for horses
    I climbed a shaky gate and crossed a paddock with jumps for horses made from police cones and stripey poles. Past the paddock was a farmyard.
  30. trellis
    latticework used to support climbing plants
    Trombone flowers snaked up trellises and a flaky sign read, HORSE MANURE FOR SALE.
  31. fluke
    a stroke of luck
    Dawn Madden tossed her knife, right at me. It was a sheer fluke that it was the blade's handle that hit my rib and not its fang.
  32. sluice
    pour as if from a conduit that carries a rapid flow of water
    Rusty earth sluiced round the blades of the plow.
  33. yokel
    a person who is not intelligent or interested in culture
    Dawn Madden did a spazzo yokel voice at the tractor. “‘Made o' moy flesh an' blood or not, young missy, we’re going to have more respect in this 'ouse or you'll be out on your bony arse an’ don't you go thinkin’ Oi'm bluffin' yer 'cos I never bluff no one!'"
  34. nettle
    plant having stinging hairs that cause skin irritation
    I crawled over the bonnet toward her, on all fours. Not doggily, but carefully, in case she swatted me into the nettles.
  35. turret
    a small tower extending above a building
    Round the other side of the conker tree, I looked at what lay up the bridle path. A lane snaking to Marl Bank and Castlemorton, fields, more fields, a glimpse of an old gray turret rising above the firs.
  36. eddy
    flow in a circular current, of liquids
    A chime from Saint Gabriel’s for one o'clock, or maybe two, eddied this far.
  37. trough
    a container from which cattle or horses feed
    I brushed straw and dirt off me, and carried on walking till I came to an old-style bathtub in the corner of the next field. From all the hoofed-up mud, I guessed it was used as a feeding trough.
  38. trestle
    sawhorses used in pairs to support a horizontal tabletop
    On a sort of terrace running round the mansion were jugs of lemon and orange squash just left there, on trestle tables.
  39. fete
    an elaborate party, often outdoors
    Where were the fête stalls? The spinning wheel to win Pomagne? The eggshell-in-sand-tray treasure hunt? The lob-the-Ping-Pong-ball-into-the-wine-glass stall?
  40. clamber
    climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
    And even if you'd torn through massy brambles, clawed loose crumbly bricks, and'd clambered into the lost tunnel, in that booming hollowness, deep beneath the Malvern Hills, even there, for sure, this tail-chasing wail'll find you, absolutely, even there.
Created on Sun Apr 21 12:28:58 EDT 2019 (updated Thu Apr 25 14:37:29 EDT 2019)

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