Vocabulary from "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest Lawrence Thayer (1888)

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. umpire
    an official at a sporting event
    "Strike one," the umpire said.
  2. let drive
    fire as from a gun
    But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
    And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
    And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
    There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.
  3. spheroid
    a shape that is generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes
    With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
    He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
    He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
    But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."
  4. batsman
    (baseball) a ballplayer who is batting
    Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
    "That ain't my style," said Casey.
  5. straggle
    wander from a direct or straight course
    A straggling few got up to go in deep despair.
  6. doff
    remove
    And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
    No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
  7. muffle
    deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping
    From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
    Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
  8. bat
    a club used for hitting a ball in various games
    The rest
    Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
    They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
    We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.
  9. hurtle
    move with or as if with a rushing sound
    And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
    And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
  10. pitcher
    (baseball) the person who does the pitching
    Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
    Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
  11. writhe
    move in a twisting or contorted motion
    Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
    Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
  12. unheeded
    disregarded
    Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
    "That ain't my style," said Casey.
  13. maddened
    marked by extreme anger
    "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
    But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
  14. inning
    a division of play during a baseball game
    The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
    The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
  15. whack
    the act of hitting vigorously
    The rest
    Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
    They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
    We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.
  16. rumble
    utter or emit low, dull, resonant sounds
    Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
    It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
    It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
    For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
  17. fraud
    intentional deception resulting in injury to another person
    "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
    But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
  18. sneer
    a facial expression of contempt or scorn
    Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
    Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
  19. lulu
    a very attractive or seductive looking woman
    But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
    And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
    So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
    For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
  20. straggling
    spreading out in different directions
    A straggling few got up to go in deep despair.
  21. barrow
    a cart for carrying small loads
    And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
    A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
  22. awed
    inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence
    "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
    But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
  23. dell
    a small wooded hollow
    Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
    It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
    It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
    For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
  24. scornful
    expressing extreme contempt
    "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
    But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
  25. precede
    be earlier in time
    But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
    And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
    So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
    For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
  26. visage
    the human face
    With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
    He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
    He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
    But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."
  27. strike out
    set out on a course of action
    Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
    The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
    And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
    But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.
  28. muffled
    being or made softer or less loud or clear
    From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
    Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
  29. recoil
    spring back; spring away from an impact
    Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
    It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
    It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
    For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
  30. clenched
    closed or squeezed together tightly
    The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
    He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
  31. clench
    squeeze together tightly
    The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
    He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
  32. stern
    serious and harsh in manner or behavior
    From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
    Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
  33. haughty
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
    And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
  34. shattered
    ruined or disrupted
    And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
    And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
  35. grandeur
    the quality of being magnificent or splendid
    And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
    And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
  36. defiance
    a hostile challenge
    Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
    Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
  37. shatter
    break into many pieces
    And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
    And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
  38. awe
    an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
    "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
    But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
  39. stricken
    grievously affected especially by disease
    But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
    And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
    So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
    For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
  40. patron
    someone who supports or champions something
    And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
    A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
  41. sphere
    a round three-dimensional closed surface
    And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
    And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
  42. strike
    deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
    "Strike one," the umpire said.
  43. bench
    a long seat for more than one person
    From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
    Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
  44. melancholy
    a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed
    But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
    And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
    So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
    For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
  45. charity
    an institution set up to provide help to the needy
    With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
    He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
    He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
    But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."
  46. gleam
    a flash of light
    Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
    Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
  47. eternal
    continuing forever or indefinitely
    The rest
    Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
    They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
    We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.
  48. ease
    freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort
    There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
    There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
  49. cruel
    able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
    The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
    He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
  50. violence
    a turbulent state resulting in injuries and destruction
    The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
    He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
  51. despair
    a state in which all hope is lost or absent
    A straggling few got up to go in deep despair.
  52. brilliant
    full of light; shining intensely
    The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
    The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
  53. cheer
    a cry or shout of approval
    And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
    No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
  54. strain
    exert much effort or energy
    They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
    And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.
  55. plate
    dish on which food is served or from which food is eaten
    The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
    He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
Created on Sat Mar 26 19:33:00 EDT 2011

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