Smile Vocabulary

Mrs. Spillane (United States of America)
The following words can be found in the graphic novel "Smile" by Raina Telgemeier. Please use all of the features of vocabulary.com to learn the meaning, use, and spelling of the words!
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. overwhelm
    charge someone with too many tasks
    "The study provided pretty overwhelming evidence that braces are effective," Weinstein said.
  2. nauseous
    causing a sick feeling
    Warm day, bumpy roads: no surprise that on the way back, two girls felt nauseous.
  3. plaster
    a mixture of lime or gypsum with sand and water
    After having impressions at the dentist, Sarah still had plaster smeared on the corners of her lips.
  4. permanent
    not capable of being reversed
    After a traumatic fall, Dennis suffered permanent brain damage and he couldn't speak, walk, or talk.
  5. clamp
    a device that holds things firmly together
    A tube ran from Vince’s mouth, held in place by heavily padded clamps on his cheeks and bits and pieces of tape.
  6. Polaroid
    a plastic film that can polarize a beam of light
    A lot of people still liked taking Polaroid photos, and found things in the medium which digital couldn’t match.
  7. bracket
    a category falling within certain defined limits
  8. subtle
    difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
    The subtle changes in the formulas can also have dangerous effects.
  9. sympathy
    sharing the feelings of others, especially sorrow or anguish
    I have every sympathy for Jan, having found my own acting debut quite an overwhelming experience. BBC (Aug 21, 2013)
  10. ointment
    skin cream that has a soothing, moisturizing effect
    Everything Ms. Livermore needed was on hand: the ointments, the baby wipes, the diapers. New York Times (Feb 23, 2012)
  11. voluntary
    of your own free will or design
    Voluntary donations are accepted at most charities.
  12. bolt
    move or jump suddenly
    At 2:11, the seventh period class bolted out the door.
  13. chaos
    formless state of matter before the creation of the cosmos
    After the food fight at lunch, complete chaos erupted from the cafeteria.
  14. epicenter
    a point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake
    Smaller towns closer to the main quake’s epicenter were hit harder.
  15. catastrophe
    a sudden violent change in the earth's surface
    Derek lost his homework and he was so upset by the catastrophe of earning an F.
  16. temporary
    not permanent; not lasting
    After getting struck in the face by a foul soccer ball kick, Mrs. Spillane realized that the pain was only temporary.
  17. cosmetically
    for cosmetic purposes to improve appearance
    Cosmetic surgery is a trend in society, but people don't realize the impact that it can do to their body later in life.
  18. prompt
    according to schedule or without delay
    The teacher prompted the students to begin their warm-up as soon as they entered the classroom so that they would receive less homework.
  19. impression
    a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
    His dancers in “The Last Glass” are informal characters; they really dance — giving the impression of utter freedom, though actually judging everything very finely.
  20. uptight
    in a very tense state
    “Teachers and parents undervalue kids’ preferences, but I think we need to give up being so uptight about children’s choices in books.” New York Times (Aug 2, 2010)
  21. consume
    take in as food
    The fire is consuming brush, oaks and pines and has threatened some giant sequoias in the park, Medema said.
  22. negligence
    failure to act with the prudence of a reasonable person
    “We do not use words like `gross negligence’ and `willful misconduct’ lightly,” a Justice Department attorney wrote. Salon (Nov 15, 2012)
  23. sentimental
    marked by tender, romantic, or nostalgic emotion
    Photo albums and personal letters have a high sentimental value.
  24. spectacle
    something or someone seen, especially a notable sight
    Air Force One was parked behind the stage, lending the spectacle the feel of an open-air opera.
  25. amicable
    characterized by friendship and good will
    After a fight in the hallway between two friends, Mr. Carter advised an amicable settlement if one could possibly be arrived at. Onions, Oliver
Created on Fri Sep 20 22:06:48 EDT 2013 (updated Thu Sep 26 12:44:37 EDT 2013)

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