The Bridge Home: Chapters 21–26

by Padma Venkatraman
After running away from home, Viji and her sister Rukku join up with a group of orphans struggling to survive in the city of Chennai, India.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–12, Chapters 13–20, Chapters 21–26, Chapters 27–44
40 words 554 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. skimpy
    containing little excess
    We spent some of our skimpy earnings on thick plastic sheets to keep our home dry, because Arul said the rainy season was approaching.
  2. patter
    a quick succession of light rapid sounds
    Later that night, I was falling asleep to the patter of light rain when a volley of barks interrupted the peace.
  3. volley
    rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
    Later that night, I was falling asleep to the patter of light rain when a volley of barks interrupted the peace.
  4. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
    Muthu and I each took one of your hands and pulled you out of the tent. We began to hobble across the rain-slicked bridge.
  5. drawl
    speak in a slow and drawn out way
    “Rrruuukkku,” I heard the waste mart man drawl as he and the other man stumbled toward us, “I’ve found you.”
  6. hurtle
    move with or as if with a rushing sound
    We were lucky. The men hurtled down the other road, after the boys.
  7. loom
    hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
    We sped down a quiet stretch of road where huge trees loomed over us.
  8. scuffle
    walk by dragging one's feet
    Kutti’s sharp eyes had discovered a hole, and he was scuffling through it.
  9. clamber
    climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
    Muthu clambered over the wall with Arul’s help, and then it was my turn.
  10. plummet
    drop sharply
    I slipped a few times but finally scaled it and plummeted into bushy undergrowth on the other side.
  11. undergrowth
    the brush beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
    I slipped a few times but finally scaled it and plummeted into bushy undergrowth on the other side.
  12. clammy
    unpleasantly cool and humid
    He was right. The living posed a greater threat. Yet my skin still felt clammy, and my throat dry.
  13. retort
    answer back
    “I did end up in a graveyard,” Muthu retorted.
  14. muddle
    mix up or confuse
    “Those men couldn’t squish an ant dead,” Muthu said. “They were too muddled to aim their blows properly.”
  15. expansive
    able or tending to extend in one or more directions
    “Pick out your very own grave, Muthu.” Arul spread his hands expansively. “So many to choose from.”
  16. inscription
    letters engraved or carved on something
    Arul peered through the darkness until he could make out the inscription on the grave marker.
  17. drone
    an unchanging intonation
    The drone of bloodthirsty mosquitoes had woken me several times during the night, and my arms itched with bites.
  18. unkempt
    not properly maintained or cared for
    You and Arul were already exploring the far corner of the graveyard, where the grass looked as unkempt as the boys’ hair.
  19. turban
    a headdress made of a long scarf wrapped around the head
    “Yes. I forgot all about that wedding, boss.” Muthu winked at Arul, and then he wound an imaginary turban on his head. “Is my turban on straight?”
  20. procession
    the action of a group moving ahead in regular formation
    “Dum, dum, dum.” Muthu started marching, beating on an imaginary drum. “You want to join the wedding procession, Rukku?”
  21. resurge
    rise again
    I didn’t ask the boys what they were up to, because I was thrilled to see you return his smile, like your confidence and courage were resurging.
  22. crescendo
    a gradual increase in loudness
    The music in the hall rose to a crescendo, the beat of drums and the whine of the nadhaswaram so loud, we could catch the sound.
  23. uncultured
    lacking art or knowledge
    “Right.” Arul smiled at you. “Stay quiet, Muthu, you uncultured brat. Rukku and I are enjoying the concert.”
  24. bedraggled
    limp, untidy, and soiled
    When he was gone, Muthu skipped over to the dumpster and shooed away a couple of bedraggled crows that were hovering above it.
  25. delicacy
    something considered choice to eat
    I couldn’t imagine throwing away a sweet—just wasting the whole thing. Actually I couldn’t even imagine wasting one bite of such a mouthwatering delicacy.
  26. dainty
    affectedly refined
    You sniffed suspiciously at the dark, sticky ball and then nibbled at it as daintily as a princess, while the rest of us hungrily cleaned off one leaf plate after another.
  27. amble
    walk leisurely
    A skinny cow ambled over. Kutti barked at it.
  28. croon
    sing softly
    You leaned against the cow’s side and crooned to it.
  29. salvage
    save from ruin, destruction, or harm
    “Captain Rukku”—Muthu saluted you—“let’s march to the bridge and see what we can salvage.”
  30. console
    give moral or emotional strength to
    But you were not consoled. Tears welled in your eyes. “No! No! No!”
  31. bleak
    unpleasantly cold and damp
    Ruined though the bridge was, there was something magical about living above the shining river. Even on that bleak day, it felt more like home than the dingy apartment where we’d stayed with our parents.
  32. dingy
    gloomy or depressing
    Ruined though the bridge was, there was something magical about living above the shining river. Even on that bleak day, it felt more like home than the dingy apartment where we’d stayed with our parents.
  33. reverent
    showing great respect for god
    “It’s God,” Arul said in a reverent tone.
  34. intently
    with strained or eager attention
    Arul placed his candle beside the others. You watched as intently as when you made your bead necklaces.
  35. reverie
    absentminded dreaming while awake
    I heard a sudden snap, the sound breaking my—but not your—reverie.
  36. monsoon
    rainy season in southern Asia
    Some years, the monsoon was terrible, and it poured nonstop.
  37. scrabble
    grope, scratch, or feel searchingly
    I was scrabbling around, trying to pick up some beads I’d spilled, when I heard a girl’s voice behind me.
  38. coax
    influence or persuade by gentle and persistent urging
    “Come on,” the girl coaxed. “Take them.”
  39. haughty
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    “Find someone else.” I gave her my haughtiest look.
  40. gloat
    dwell on with satisfaction
    “Please? I need to do one good deed every day, Teacher said, and I didn’t get to do one yesterday, and I couldn’t lie, and my best friend, Meena, did two yesterday, and if I can’t do one today, she’ll gloat, so please? Please?”
Created on Thu May 09 14:55:22 EDT 2019 (updated Thu May 09 15:14:50 EDT 2019)

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.