Animal Farm Chapter 2

Andrea K. (United States of America)
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words only definitions & notes
  1. squealer
    one who reveals confidential information in return for money
    The best known among them
    was a small fat pig named Squealer, with very round cheeks, twinkling
    eyes, nimble movements, and a shrill voice.
  2. ploughland
    arable land that is worked by plowing and sowing and raising crops
    Then they
    made a tour of inspection of the whole farm and surveyed with
    speechless admiration the ploughland, the hayfield, the orchard,
    the pool, the spinney.
  3. porker
    a pig fattened to provide meat
    All the other
    male pigs on the farm were porkers.
  4. trotter
    a horse trained to trot
    Then Snowball (for it was Snowball who
    was best at writing) took a brush between the two knuckles of
    his trotter, painted out MANOR FARM from the top bar of the gate
    and in its place painted ANIMAL FARM.
  5. frothing
    producing or covered with lathery sweat or saliva from exhaustion or disease
    Soon there were five buckets of frothing creamy milk at
    which many of the animals looked with considerable interest.
  6. commandment
    an order or strict rule imposed by an authority
    They explained that by their studies of the past three months
    the pigs had succeeded in reducing the principles of Animalism
    to Seven Commandments.
  7. inscribe
    carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface
    These Seven Commandments would now be inscribed
    on the wall; they would form an unalterable law by which all the
    animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after.
  8. uprise
    move upward
    They had never seen animals behave
    like this before, and this sudden uprising of creatures whom they
    were used to thrashing and maltreating just as they chose, frightened
    them almost out of their wits.
  9. scullery
    a small room next to the kitchen for household jobs
    Some
    hams hanging in the kitchen were taken out for burial, and the
    barrel of beer in the scullery was stove in with a kick from Boxer's
    hoof, - otherwise nothing in the house was touched.
  10. rebellion
    organized opposition to authority
    They did
    not know when the Rebellion predicted by Major would take place,
    they had no reason for thinking that it would be within their
    own lifetime, but they saw clearly that it was their duty to prepare
    for it.
  11. lithograph
    a print made with a stone or metal plate
    They tiptoed from room to room, afraid
    to speak above a whisper and gazing with a kind of awe at the
    unbelievable luxury, at the beds with their feather mattresses,
    the looking-glasses, the horsehair sofa, the Brussels carpet,
    the lithograph of Queen Victoria over the drawing-room mantelpiece.
  12. situate
    determine or indicate the place or limits of
    It was situated somewhere up in the sky, a little distance beyond
    the clouds, Moses said.
  13. unalterable
    not capable of being changed
    These Seven Commandments would now be inscribed
    on the wall; they would form an unalterable law by which all the
    animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after.
  14. gambol
    play or run boisterously
    In the ecstasy of
    that thought they gambolled round and round, they hurled themselves
    into the air in great leaps of excitement.
  15. elaborated
    developed or executed with care and in minute detail
    These three had elaborated old Major's teachings into a complete
    system of thought, to which they gave the name of Animalism.
  16. manor
    the landed estate of a lord, including the house on it
    And so, almost before they knew what was happening,
    the Rebellion had been successfully carried through: Jones was
    expelled, and the Manor Farm was theirs.
  17. clod
    a compact mass
    They rolled in the
    dew, they cropped mouthfuls of the sweet summer grass, they kicked
    up clods of the black earth and snuffed its rich scent.
  18. vivacious
    vigorous and animated
    Snowball was a more vivacious
    pig than Napoleon, quicker in speech and more inventive, but was
    not considered to have the same depth of character.
  19. disheartened
    made less hopeful or enthusiastic
    He had become much disheartened after
    losing money in a lawsuit, and had taken to drinking more than
    was good for him.
  20. tormentor
    someone who causes others to suffer
    With one accord,
    though nothing of the kind had been planned beforehand, they flung
    themselves upon their tormentors.
  21. degrade
    reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
    The reins, the halters, the blinkers,
    the degrading nosebags, were thrown on to the rubbish fire which
    was burning in the yard.
  22. cropped
    (of land or soil) used for growing crops
    They rolled in the
    dew, they cropped mouthfuls of the sweet summer grass, they kicked
    up clods of the black earth and snuffed its rich scent.
  23. mantelpiece
    a shelf that projects from a wall above a fireplace
    They tiptoed from room to room, afraid
    to speak above a whisper and gazing with a kind of awe at the
    unbelievable luxury, at the beds with their feather mattresses,
    the looking-glasses, the horsehair sofa, the Brussels carpet,
    the lithograph of Queen Victoria over the drawing-room mantelpiece.
  24. knoll
    a small natural mound
    A little way down the pasture there was a knoll that commanded
    a view of most of the farm.
  25. croak
    a harsh hoarse utterance (as of a frog)
    Moses sprang off his perch and
    flapped after her, croaking loudly.
  26. degrading
    characterized by dishonor
    The reins, the halters, the blinkers,
    the degrading nosebags, were thrown on to the rubbish fire which
    was burning in the yard.
  27. apathy
    an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
    At the beginning they met with much stupidity and apathy.
  28. dishearten
    take away the enthusiasm of
    He had become much disheartened after
    losing money in a lawsuit, and had taken to drinking more than
    was good for him.
  29. nimble
    moving quickly and lightly
    The best known among them
    was a small fat pig named Squealer, with very round cheeks, twinkling
    eyes, nimble movements, and a shrill voice.
  30. caper
    a playful leap or hop
    All the animals capered
    with joy when they saw the whips going up in flames.
  31. persuasive
    intended or having the power to induce action or belief
    He was a brilliant
    talker, and when he was arguing some difficult point he had a
    way of skipping from side to side and whisking his tail which
    was somehow very persuasive.
  32. hedge
    a fence formed by a row of closely planted shrubs or bushes
    In Sugarcandy Mountain it was Sunday seven
    days a week, clover was in season all the year round, and lump
    sugar and linseed cake grew on the hedges.
  33. whisk
    a mixer incorporating a coil of wires
    He was a brilliant
    talker, and when he was arguing some difficult point he had a
    way of skipping from side to side and whisking his tail which
    was somehow very persuasive.
  34. expound
    add details to clarify an idea
    Several
    nights a week, after Mr. Jones was asleep, they held secret meetings
    in the barn and expounded the principles of Animalism to the others.
  35. lounge
    sit or recline comfortably
    For whole days at a time he would lounge in
    his Windsor chair in the kitchen, reading the newspapers, drinking,
    and occasionally feeding Moses on crusts of bread soaked in beer.
  36. thrash
    give a beating to
    They had never seen animals behave
    like this before, and this sudden uprising of creatures whom they
    were used to thrashing and maltreating just as they chose, frightened
    them almost out of their wits.
  37. snuff
    inhale audibly through the nose
    They rolled in the
    dew, they cropped mouthfuls of the sweet summer grass, they kicked
    up clods of the black earth and snuffed its rich scent.
  38. inscribed
    written on or in a surface
    These Seven Commandments would now be inscribed
    on the wall; they would form an unalterable law by which all the
    animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after.
  39. arguing
    a contentious speech act
    He was a brilliant
    talker, and when he was arguing some difficult point he had a
    way of skipping from side to side and whisking his tail which
    was somehow very persuasive.
  40. clever
    mentally quick and resourceful
    The work of teaching and organising the others fell naturally
    upon the pigs, who were generally recognised as being the cleverest
    of the animals.
  41. ecstasy
    a state of elated bliss
    In the ecstasy of
    that thought they gambolled round and round, they hurled themselves
    into the air in great leaps of excitement.
  42. rap
    strike sharply
    CLICK
    HERE TO DISCUSS THIS BOOK

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  43. ration
    a fixed portion that is allotted
    Napoleon then led them back to the
    store-shed and served out a double ration of corn to everybody,
    with two biscuits for each dog.
  44. expel
    eliminate
    And so, almost before they knew what was happening,
    the Rebellion had been successfully carried through: Jones was
    expelled, and the Manor Farm was theirs.
  45. devote
    dedicate
    'Comrade,' said Snowball, 'those ribbons that you are so devoted
    to are the badge of slavery.
  46. pursuing
    following in order to overtake or capture
    A
    minute later all five of them were in full flight down the cart-track
    that led to the main road, with the animals pursuing them in triumph.
  47. shrill
    having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
    The best known among them
    was a small fat pig named Squealer, with very round cheeks, twinkling
    eyes, nimble movements, and a shrill voice.
  48. wits
    the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
    They had never seen animals behave
    like this before, and this sudden uprising of creatures whom they
    were used to thrashing and maltreating just as they chose, frightened
    them almost out of their wits.
  49. perch
    an elevated place serving as a seat
    Moses sprang off his perch and
    flapped after her, croaking loudly.
  50. convince
    make realize the truth or validity of something
    '

    Mollie agreed, but she did not sound very convinced.
  51. adapted
    changed in order to improve or made more fit for a particular purpose
    After
    a little thought, the pigs sent for buckets and milked the cows
    fairly successfully, their trotters being well adapted to this
    task.
  52. hurl
    throw forcefully
    In the ecstasy of
    that thought they gambolled round and round, they hurled themselves
    into the air in great leaps of excitement.
  53. rein
    one of a pair of long straps used to control a horse
    The reins, the halters, the blinkers,
    the degrading nosebags, were thrown on to the rubbish fire which
    was burning in the yard.
  54. eminent
    standing above others in quality or position
    Pre-eminent among the pigs were two young boars
    named Snowball and Napoleon, whom Mr. Jones was breeding up for
    sale.
  55. boundary
    the line indicating the limit or extent of something
    Their first act was to gallop in a body right
    round the boundaries of the farm, as though to make quite sure
    that no human being was hiding anywhere upon it; then they raced
    back to the farm buildings to wipe out the last traces of Jones's
    hated reign.
  56. loyalty
    the quality of being steadfast in allegiance or duty
    Some
    of the animals talked of the duty of loyalty to Mr. Jones, whom
    they referred to as 'Master,' or made elementary remarks such
    as 'Mr. Jones feeds us.
  57. admire
    feel high regard for
    She had taken a piece of blue ribbon
    from Mrs. Jones's dressing-table, and was holding it against her
    shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manner.
  58. predict
    make a guess about what will happen in the future
    They did
    not know when the Rebellion predicted by Major would take place,
    they had no reason for thinking that it would be within their
    own lifetime, but they saw clearly that it was their duty to prepare
    for it.
  59. persuade
    cause somebody to adopt a certain position or belief
    The animals hated Moses
    because he told tales and did no work, but some of them believed
    in Sugarcandy Mountain, and the pigs had to argue very hard to
    persuade them that there was no such place.
  60. absorbed
    retained without reflection
    These two had great difficulty in thinking anything
    out for themselves, but having once accepted the pigs as their
    teachers, they absorbed everything that they were told, and passed
    it on to the other animals by simple arguments.
  61. luxury
    something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity
    They tiptoed from room to room, afraid
    to speak above a whisper and gazing with a kind of awe at the
    unbelievable luxury, at the beds with their feather mattresses,
    the looking-glasses, the horsehair sofa, the Brussels carpet,
    the lithograph of Queen Victoria over the drawing-room mantelpiece.
  62. reproach
    express criticism towards
    The others reproached her sharply, and they went outside.
  63. stable
    resistant to change of position or condition
    The harness-room at the end of the stables was broken
    open; the bits, the nose-rings, the dog-chains, the cruel knives
    with which Mr. Jones had been used to castrate the pig s and lambs,
    were all flung down the well.
  64. idle
    not in action or at work
    His men were idle and dishonest, the fields were full of weeds,
    the buildings wanted roofing, the hedges were neglected, and the
    animals were underfed.
  65. preserve
    keep in safety and protect from harm, loss, or destruction
    A unanimous
    resolution was passed on the spot that the farmhouse should be
    preserved as a museum.
  66. heel
    the back part of the human foot
    After only a moment or two they
    gave up trying to defend themselves and took to their heels.
  67. utmost
    highest in extent or degree
    After a moment, however, Snowball
    and Napoleon butted the door open with their shoulders and the
    animals entered in single file, walking with the utmost care for
    fear of disturbing anything.
  68. admiration
    a feeling of delighted approval and liking
    Then they
    made a tour of inspection of the whole farm and surveyed with
    speechless admiration the ploughland, the hayfield, the orchard,
    the pool, the spinney.
  69. glorious
    having or deserving or conferring high honor
    But they woke at dawn as usual, and suddenly remembering the glorious
    thing that had happened, they all raced out into the pasture together.
  70. fierce
    marked by extreme and violent energy
    Napoleon was a large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar,
    the only Berkshire on the farm, not much of a talker, but with
    a reputation for getting his own way.
  71. reputation
    the general estimation that the public has for a person
    Napoleon was a large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar,
    the only Berkshire on the farm, not much of a talker, but with
    a reputation for getting his own way.
  72. devoted
    zealous in allegiance or affection
    'Comrade,' said Snowball, 'those ribbons that you are so devoted
    to are the badge of slavery.
  73. singe
    burn superficially or lightly
    They were unfailing
    in their attendance at the secret meetings in the barn, and led
    the singing of 'Beasts of England', with which the meetings always
    ended.
  74. stair
    support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
    They were lust coming down the stairs when Mollie was discovered
    to be missing.
  75. disturb
    trouble deeply
    After a moment, however, Snowball
    and Napoleon butted the door open with their shoulders and the
    animals entered in single file, walking with the utmost care for
    fear of disturbing anything.
  76. nod
    lower and raise the head, as to indicate assent or agreement or confirmation
    All the animals nodded in complete agreement,
    and the cleverer ones at once began to learn the Commandments
    by heart.
  77. triumph
    a successful ending of a struggle or contest
    A
    minute later all five of them were in full flight down the cart-track
    that led to the main road, with the animals pursuing them in triumph.
  78. resolution
    a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner
    A unanimous
    resolution was passed on the spot that the farmhouse should be
    preserved as a museum.
  79. reign
    royal authority; the dominion of a monarch
    Their first act was to gallop in a body right
    round the boundaries of the farm, as though to make quite sure
    that no human being was hiding anywhere upon it; then they raced
    back to the farm buildings to wipe out the last traces of Jones's
    hated reign.
  80. trace
    an indication that something has been present
    Their first act was to gallop in a body right
    round the boundaries of the farm, as though to make quite sure
    that no human being was hiding anywhere upon it; then they raced
    back to the farm buildings to wipe out the last traces of Jones's
    hated reign.
  81. contrary
    exact opposition
    Others asked such questions as 'Why should we care what happens
    after we are dead?' or 'If this Rebellion is to happen anyway,
    what difference does it make whether we work for it or not?',
    and the pigs had great difficulty in making them see that this
    was contrary to the spirit of Animalism.
  82. reveal
    make visible
    The pigs now revealed that during the past three months they had
    taught themselves to read and write from an old spelling book
    which had belonged to Mr. Jones's children and which had been
    thrown on the rubbish heap.
  83. benefit
    something that aids or promotes well-being
    Snowball read it aloud for the
    benefit of the others.
  84. refer
    make a remark that calls attention to
    Some
    of the animals talked of the duty of loyalty to Mr. Jones, whom
    they referred to as 'Master,' or made elementary remarks such
    as 'Mr. Jones feeds us.
  85. considerable
    large in number, amount, extent, or degree
    Soon there were five buckets of frothing creamy milk at
    which many of the animals looked with considerable interest.
Created on Mon Nov 01 13:58:18 EDT 2010

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