Pollyanna: Chapters 11–20

by Eleanor H. Porter
A classic of children's literature, this book tells the story of an orphan with a persistent, infectious sense of optimism. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–20, Chapters 21–32
40 words 31 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. systematic
    characterized by order and planning
    When systematic questioning of the neighbors failed to find anyone who claimed it, Pollyanna brought it home at once, as a matter of course.
  2. forlorn
    marked by or showing hopelessness
    Miss Polly looked at the forlorn little gray bunch of neglected misery in Pollyanna's arms, and shivered: Miss Polly did not care for cats--not even pretty, healthy, clean ones.
  3. vain
    unproductive of success
    Miss Polly opened her lips and tried to speak; but in vain.
  4. abhor
    feel hatred or disgust toward
    And Aunt Polly, in the sitting room--who abhorred cats--fell back in her chair with a gasp of dismay, powerless to remonstrate.
  5. disconsolate
    sad beyond comforting; incapable of being soothed
    The boy was sitting in a disconsolate little heap by the roadside, whittling half-heartedly at a small stick.
  6. assertion
    a declaration that is made emphatically
    In spite of Pollyanna's brave assertion that she was "used to Ladies' Aiders," and "didn't mind," she had sighed at times for some companion of her own age.
  7. indifference
    the trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care
    "Jimmy Bean," he grunted with ungracious indifference.
  8. peremptory
    putting an end to all debate or action
    Miss Polly raised her hand with a peremptory gesture of silence.
  9. relent
    give in, as to influence or pressure
    "Yes; and I'd tell it better this time," hurried on Pollyanna, quick to see the signs of relenting in the boy's face.
  10. mortification
    strong feelings of embarrassment
    It seemed that their society was famous for its offering to Hindu missions, and several said they should die of mortification if it should be less this year.
  11. conviction
    an unshakable belief in something without need for proof
    "Anyhow, if they were up here, I just reckon they'd change and take Jimmy Bean for their little boy, all right," she finished, secure in her conviction, but unable to give a reason for it, even to herself.
  12. eloquent
    expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively
    Every quiver of his little brown body, and every glance from his beseeching brown eyes were eloquent with appeal--so eloquent that at last Pollyanna understood, turned, and followed him.
  13. veranda
    a porch along the outside of a building
    She was almost frightened now at the massiveness of the great pile of gray stone with its pillared verandas and its imposing entrance.
  14. terse
    brief and to the point
    In due time she had Dr. Chilton himself at the other end of the wires, and was tremblingly delivering her message and answering the doctor's terse, pertinent questions.
  15. remorseful
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
    Through Pollyanna's mind at the moment trooped remorseful memories of the morning with its unwanted boy, cat, and dog, and its unwelcome "glad" and forbidden "father" that would spring to her forgetful little tongue.
  16. interpose
    insert between other elements
    "Yes, yes; well, never mind," interposed Aunt Polly, a trifle impatiently.
  17. acquiesce
    agree or express agreement
    "Yes, yes, I suppose so," acquiesced Miss Polly, a little wearily.
  18. quaint
    strange in an interesting or pleasing way
    At any rate, her quaint speeches are constantly being repeated to me, and, as near as I can make out, `just being glad' is the tenor of most of them.
  19. countenance
    the appearance conveyed by a person's face
    For a brief instant Pollyanna's countenance showed disappointment; but it cleared as she set the bowl of jelly down.
  20. abet
    assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
    And yet you expect me to say I'm glad because of a fool woman who disarranges the whole house and calls it `regulating,' and a man who aids and abets her in it, and calls it `nursing,' to say nothing of the doctor who eggs 'em both on
  21. skepticism
    doubt about the truth of something
    "What!--goin' ter see sick folks--an' folks what ain't sick but thinks they is, which is worse?" Nancy's face showed open skepticism.
  22. jubilant
    full of high-spirited delight
    Pollyanna's jubilant voice turned to one of distressed appeal.
  23. prattle
    speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
    "Oh, my! what pretty hair you've got," prattled Pollyanna; "and there's so much more of it than Mrs. Snow has, too!"
  24. recoil
    draw back, as with fear or pain
    "Pollyanna, what are you doing? Where are you taking me to?" recoiled Aunt Polly, vainly trying to hold herself back.
  25. luminous
    softly bright or radiant
    "Why, yes, Mr. Pendleton," breathed Pollyanna, her eyes luminous with sympathy for the sad-faced man lying back on the pillow before her.
  26. awestruck
    having a feeling of mixed reverence and wonder and dread
    "The mystery!" breathed Nancy, in an awestruck voice.
  27. furtive
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
    "Then I've got it, sure! Now listen. Mr. John Pendleton was Miss Polly Harrington's lover!" she announced impressively, but with a furtive glance over her shoulder.
  28. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
    Pollyanna still looked incredulous, and with another long breath Nancy happily settled herself to tell the story.
  29. chafe
    feel extreme irritation or anger
    But he still fretted audibly over his own helplessness, and he chafed visibly under the rules and "regulatings" of the unwelcome members of his household.
  30. quizzical
    perplexed
    She talked to Mr. Pendleton about her aunt; and he listened, sometimes politely, sometimes irritably, frequently with a quizzical smile on his usually stern lips.
  31. reprove
    reprimand, scold, or express dissatisfaction with
    "That will do, Pollyanna. I really do not wish to discuss Dr. Chilton--or his feelings," reproved Miss Polly, decisively.
  32. bevel
    a sloping edge where two surfaces meet at a non-right angle
    "Well, I suppose it 'got in' through the bevelled edge of that glass thermometer in the window," he said wearily. "The sun shouldn't strike it at all but it does in the morning."
  33. sumptuous
    rich and superior in quality
    It had become a fairyland--that sumptuous, but dreary bedroom.
  34. preliminary
    preceding or in preparation for something more important
    Preliminary examinations showed that she was well advanced for a girl of her years, and she was soon a happy member of a class of girls and boys her own age.
  35. inarticulate
    without or deprived of the use of speech or words
    An inarticulate cry came from the man's throat. He raised his hand and began to speak; but the next moment he dropped his hand nervelessly at his side.
  36. whimsical
    determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
    A whimsical smile trembled on John Pendleton's lips.
  37. dreary
    lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
    Then, one day, like one of the prisms that you love so well, little girl, you danced into my life, and flecked my dreary old world with dashes of the purple and gold and scarlet of your own bright cheeriness.
  38. yield
    give in, as to influence or pressure
    Impatience which would brook no opposition had been a part of John Pendleton's nature too long to yield very easily now to restraint.
  39. dutiful
    willingly obedient out of a sense of respect
    "I'll wager Miss Polly doesn't know how to be glad--for anything! Oh, she does her duty, I know. She's a very dutiful woman."
  40. wistful
    showing pensive sadness
    "All right. I'll ask her," she said wistfully. "Of course I don't mean that I wouldn't like to live here with you, Mr. Pendleton, but—"
Created on Tue Feb 25 19:11:31 EST 2014 (updated Thu Aug 16 14:59:01 EDT 2018)

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