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Stuart Little: Chapter 6

Stuart Little may be a mouse, but he grows up with a human family and embarks on many bold adventures.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapter 6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–12, Chapters 13–14
25 words 189 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. gait
    a person's manner of walking
    With a rolling gait he sauntered along toward Fifth Avenue, keeping a sharp lookout.
  2. saunter
    walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
    With a rolling gait he sauntered along toward Fifth Avenue, keeping a sharp lookout.
  3. fare
    the sum charged for riding in a public conveyance
    Stuart never paid any fare on buses, because he wasn’t big enough to carry an ordinary dime.
  4. content
    make satisfied
    After that experience Stuart contented himself with the tiny coins which his father made for him out of tin foil.
  5. tart
    harsh
    “Live and learn,” muttered Stuart, tartly, putting his change purse back in his pocket.
  6. schooner
    sailing vessel used in former times
    Over the pond the west wind blew, and into the teeth of the west wind sailed the sloops and schooners, their rails well down, their wet decks gleaming.
  7. heave
    an upward movement, especially a rhythmic rising and falling
    He was an adventurous little fellow and loved the feel of the breeze in his face and the cry of the gulls overhead and the heave of the great swell under him.
  8. swell
    a rising and falling movement of the surface of the sea
    He was an adventurous little fellow and loved the feel of the breeze in his face and the cry of the gulls overhead and the heave of the great swell under him.
  9. clipper
    a fast sailing ship used in former times
    She had a clipper bow, and on her foredeck was mounted a three-inch cannon.
  10. berth
    a bed on a ship or train; usually in tiers
    “I’m looking for a berth in a good ship,” continued Stuart, “and I thought perhaps you might sign me on. I’m strong and I’m quick.”
  11. trim
    neat and smart in appearance
    The man looked sharply at him. He couldn’t help admiring the trim appearance and bold manner of this diminutive seafaring character.
  12. diminutive
    very small
    The man looked sharply at him. He couldn’t help admiring the trim appearance and bold manner of this diminutive seafaring character.
  13. prow
    the front part of a vessel
    “Well,” he said at length, pointing the prow of the Wasp out toward the center of the pond, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do with you. You see that big racing sloop out there?”
  14. loyal
    steadfast in allegiance or duty
    “That’s the Lillian B. Womrath,” said the man, “and I hate her with all my heart.”
    “Then so do I,” cried Stuart, loyally.
  15. squall
    sudden violent winds, often accompanied by precipitation
    “I hate her because she is always bumping into my boat,” continued the man, “and because her owner is a lazy boy who doesn’t understand sailing and who hardly knows a squall from a squid.”
    “Or a jib from a jibe,” cried Stuart.
  16. blunder
    make one's way clumsily or blindly
    Nobody knows how I suffer, standing here on shore, helpless, watching the Wasp blunder along, when all she needs is a steady hand on her helm.
  17. helm
    steering mechanism for a vessel
    Nobody knows how I suffer, standing here on shore, helpless, watching the Wasp blunder along, when all she needs is a steady hand on her helm.
  18. detestable
    unequivocally offensive
    So, my young friend, I’ll let you sail the Wasp across the pond and back, and if you can beat that detestable sloop I’ll give you a regular job.
  19. propose
    intend
    “One moment,” said the man. “Do you mind telling me how you propose to beat the other boat?”
  20. capsize
    overturn accidentally
    “Not in my boat, thank you,” replied the man quickly. “I don’t want you capsizing in a squall.”
  21. rake
    sweep the length of
    “Well, then,” said Stuart, “I’ll catch the sloop broad on, and rake her with fire from my forward gun.”
  22. engagement
    a hostile meeting of opposing military forces
    “Foul means!” said the man. “I want this to be a boat race, not a naval engagement.”
  23. port
    located on the left side of a ship or aircraft
    A puff of air bellied out the schooner’s headsails and she paid off and filled away on the port tack, heeling gracefully over to the breeze while Stuart twirled her wheel and braced himself against a deck cleat.
  24. holler
    call out loudly
    “Bon voyage, Stuart,” hollered his friend, “take care of yourself and bring the Wasp home safe.”
  25. awash
    covered with water
    And he was so proud and happy, he let go of the wheel for a second and did a little dance on the sloping deck, never noticing how narrowly he escaped hitting a tramp steamer that was drifting in his path, with her engines disabled and her decks awash.
Created on Mon Jun 03 14:22:14 EDT 2019 (updated Mon Jun 03 14:53:16 EDT 2019)

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