Huckleberry Finn EFHS vocabulary

J. Robtoy (United States of America)
The first list of words for Mr. Robtoy's American Lit students reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The words puncheon, spondulicks, sockdolager, texas, obsequies, tanyard, and melodium are missing from this list. "Ell" has a different definition in this list, but the sentence is correct. "Tolerable" is also used in a different way.
54 words 114 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. stanchion
    any vertical post or rod used as a support
    For miles in between, naked stanchions that once supported the Boardwalk are painful reminders of the storm.
  2. nabob
    a wealthy man
    What is fascinating is the tenacity with which the English nabobs maintained their blood ties with their Eurasian offspring.
  3. delirium
    a usually brief state of excitement and mental confusion
    They lose themselves in the delirium that a round of ice creams brings.
  4. wallow
    roll around
    Those who love numbers and analysis can wallow in reams and reams of historical information.  Forbes (Nov 6, 2013)
  5. starboard
    right side of a ship or aircraft to someone facing the bow
    He calls us and tells us to make fast on either the port or the starboard side.
  6. hogshead
    a large cask especially one holding 63 gals
    Twenty hogsheads of cider have been made from an acre of orchard, twelve being the ordinary yield. Various
  7. slough
    a stagnant swamp
    Now mostly agricultural — its leveed islands interlaced by rivers, sloughs, and short channels called cuts — the delta supplies water to the state’s driest regions. Salon (Jun 2, 2013)
  8. rapscallion
    one who is playfully mischievous
    He likes the city’s trendy new Ping-Pong parlors just fine, particularly if some hot rapscallion has the gall to challenge him. New York Times (Mar 8, 2012)
  9. frivolous
    not serious in content, attitude, or behavior
    Richard Taylor: Many of the gadgets at CES border on the frivolous, but there are some which are far more serious in concept.
  10. cavort
    play boisterously
    And yet, ringing the edges of the country are verdant meadows, cavorting seals, breaching whales, and seabirds gibbering in their multitudes. Slate (Jan 7, 2014)
  11. divine
    locate as if by supernatural means
    As you can no doubt divine, these are the actions of a society entirely confident in the superiority of their own productions. Forbes (Dec 27, 2013)
  12. histrionics
    a deliberate display of emotion for effect
    So while there may not be histrionics on the court or many headlines about his leadership, those within the organization say it's there.
  13. dissipate
    cause to separate and go in different directions
    This suggests deep earthquakes are likely more efficient in dissipating stress than are shallow ones, the investigators said.
  14. palaver
    speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
    A minor palaver ensued, prolonged as much as possible by the sort of internet crusaders who devote their lives to prolonging minor palavers.
  15. ell
    an extension at the end and at right angles to the main building
    Well, they found a long piece of cloth four and a half ells in length—exactly what had been said should be the proper garment. Rameur, E.
    also measurement of 45 inches
  16. infernal
    characteristic of or resembling Hell
    “The Inhabitants of this Colony are deeply alarmed at this infernal Scheme,” wrote the Virginian Philip Fithian. Slate (Nov 1, 2013)
  17. blithesome
    carefree and happy and lighthearted
    It is not long since the old and the young were to be seen together in the blithesome dance and the merry play. Various
  18. insurrection
    organized opposition to authority
    Syria's conflict began with peaceful protests and, when these were violently suppressed, developed into an armed insurrection.
  19. escutcheon
    a shield; especially one displaying a coat of arms
    In the center, surrounded by a border, emblazoned in proper colors, was the escutcheon of the Clarks, with its three white swans. Stark, James H.
  20. mesmerism
    the act of inducing hypnosis
    Were you not able to realize your dominion? or was it the mesmerism of fear that seized you? Butler, Maude M.
  21. phrenology
    study of the shape of the skull to determine character
    Phrenology was one of the reason's brain localization was suspect. Scientific American (Feb 8, 2013)
  22. ornery
    having a difficult and contrary disposition
    Dern won best actor for his turn as an ornery old man convinced he has won a fortune in Alexander Payne's "Nebraska."
  23. benefactor
    a person who helps people or institutions
    Holy Trinity Church in the city centre was gifted the 15 bells by an anonymous benefactor.
  24. audacious
    disposed to venture or take risks
    Mapping and remote-sensing will then be followed by an audacious attempt to put a lander, called Philae, on the comet's surface in November.
  25. scandalous
    giving offense to moral sensibilities
    His campaign for governor in 1983 was marred by some of the most scandalous accusations in Mississippi political history.
  26. muse
    the source of an artist's inspiration
    Yet he pursued the movie muse, enriching cinema much more than he embarrassed it.
  27. lynch
    kill without legal sanction
    Christian mobs retaliated, lynching Muslim civilians and attacking several mosques.
  28. gallus
    elastic straps that hold trousers up
    "More or less," he admitted, wishing to goodness he had on his best pair of "galluses" instead of the ones he was wearing. McCutcheon, George Barr
    "galluses"
  29. tolerable
    about average; acceptable
    However, doctors champion it because it has tolerable side effects and can yield unusually long-lasting responses.
    used as an adverb meaning "very" in H.F.
  30. bilge water
    water accumulated in the bilge of a ship
    In the case of surface condensers, the bilge water is drawn off by the circulating pump and used to supplement the main circulating water. Rose, Joshua
  31. gumption
    fortitude and determination
    While it wasn’t a great accomplishment, given that it happened against the lowly Nets, it still showed resilience and gumption.
  32. hawk
    sell or offer for sale from place to place
    I was not keen to go hawk starburst key chains to sixth graders. Slate (Dec 19, 2013)
  33. mournful
    expressing sorrow
    These birds often crop up in verse as symbols of devoted love due to their mournful song and strong pair bonds. BBC (Dec 24, 2013)
  34. ransack
    steal goods; take as spoils
    Indian protesters ransacked a Domino's Pizza in a Mumbai suburb in anger at her detention this month for visa fraud and underpayment of her housekeeper.
  35. berth
    a bed on a ship or train; usually in tiers
    The Eagles and Packers went on the road Sunday and headed home with playoff berths. Seattle Times (Dec 30, 2013)
  36. providence
    a manifestation of God's foresightful care for his creatures
    “It is strange and it is by providence — I do not think it is coincidence.”
  37. brash
    offensively bold
    The magazine profiled a little-known regional department store, Neiman-Marcus, with the prediction that its brash Texas style could make it a national name. Slate (Dec 27, 2013)
  38. tedious
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    Women describe the camp labor as tolerable but tedious.
  39. decanter
    a bottle with a stopper; for serving drinks
    An hour later the visitor leaves, having consumed an entire decanter of gin, falling twice as he stumbles down the stairs.
  40. temperance
    the trait of avoiding excesses
    The American Temperance Society, which advocated a ban on alcohol, was founded in 1826.
  41. frowzy
    negligent of neatness especially in dress and person
    A frowzy drunken scrub-woman emerged in a gorgeous ball dress, a costly fur cap on her head, with two gold watches dangling from her neck. Cahan, Abraham
  42. nary
    colloquial for 'not a' or 'not one' or 'never a'
    In that time, at least until his struggles of the past two seasons, he has suffered nary a blip. BBC (Oct 10, 2013)
  43. addled
    confused and vague; used especially of thinking
    Without further ado, here’s Tim’s story, together with my notes on the thoughts it inspired in my addled brain. Forbes (Sep 22, 2013)
  44. colicky
    suffering from acute abdominal pain
    She didn't anticipate having a colicky baby, so she's not getting any sleep, and that affects everything, especially being a detective. Seattle Times (Feb 13, 2013)
  45. indisposed
    (usually followed by `to') strongly opposed
    He becomes indisposed to work and gradually the home becomes impoverished. Macgowan, J. (John)
    Huck says "undisposed"
  46. whetstone
    a flat stone for sharpening edged tools or knives
    And, of course, gaming is a whetstone for sharpening strategy.
  47. haughty
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    Linda Taylor, the haughty thief who drove her Cadillac to the public aid office, was the embodiment of a pernicious stereotype. Slate (Dec 19, 2013)
  48. impudent
    improperly forward or bold
    Fans had pondered how far MacFarlane, the impudent creator of “Family Guy,” might push the normally prim and proper Oscars. Seattle Times (Feb 25, 2013)
  49. nigh
    near in time or place or relationship
    The end of 2013 is nigh, and with it comes a flurry of end of the year countdown lists. Forbes (Dec 17, 2013)
  50. chevron
    a V-shaped figure or design
    A playful paper lantern tops the tree, and the trailing garland and ribbons echo the colors of the rug's chevron stripes. Southern Living (Dec 9, 2013)
  51. tallow
    a hard substance used for making soap and candles
    Beeswax candles were the deluxe choice of the rich, whereas poorer people had to make do with tallow candles.
  52. rampant
    having a lush and unchecked growth
    Venezuela has one of the world's highest murder rates and violent crime is so rampant that Venezuelans tend to stay home after dark. Seattle Times (Jan 7, 2014)
    also an image of a rearing animal in profile, as in the rampant lion being the symbol of Gryffindor in the Harry Potter stories
  53. elocution
    an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice
    Margaret Thatcher took elocution lessons in the 1970s as she prepared to become the Conservative Party’s leader and ultimately prime minister. Economist (Jul 14, 2016)
    from 2nd list--added later
  54. tannery
    workplace where skins and hides are tanned
    Bussard, an active land developer and builder, owned a brewery, a tannery and a distillery. Washington Post (Aug 26, 2016)
    Huck says "tanyard"
Created on Wed Jan 08 10:33:17 EST 2014 (updated Fri Dec 02 14:45:50 EST 2016)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.