Jacob Have I Loved: Chapters 3–5

by Katherine Paterson
Growing up on a remote fishing island in the 1940s, Sara Louise attempts to escape the shadow of her talented and favored twin sister.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Rass Island–Chapter 2, Chapters 3–5, Chapters 6–9, Chapters 10–13, Chapters 14–20

Here are links to our lists for other works by Katherine Paterson: Bridge to Terabithia, Lyddie, The Great Gilly Hopkins
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. machination
    a crafty and involved plot to achieve your ends
    The machinations of European powers and the funny mustached German dictator were as remote to our island in the fall of 1941 as Silas Marner, which sapped our energies through eighth-grade English.
  2. sap
    deplete
    The machinations of European powers and the funny mustached German dictator were as remote to our island in the fall of 1941 as Silas Marner, which sapped our energies through eighth-grade English.
  3. fervent
    characterized by intense emotion
    Old Joshua’s stamp remained upon us—Sunday school and Sunday service morning and evening, and on Wednesday night prayer meeting where the more fervent would stand to witness to the Lord’s mercies of the preceding week and all the sick and straying would be held up in prayer before the Throne of Grace.
  4. quibble
    argue over petty things
    The fact that the Japanese had attacked Hawaii rather than invaded the continental United States was a distinction that neither of us bothered to quibble over.
  5. remonstrance
    the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest
    There was no remonstrance for having broken the Fourth Commandment.
  6. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
    At six, Grandma woke, hungry and petulant. No one had given any thought to food.
  7. solemn
    dignified and somber in manner or character
    Just as I was about to take my first solemn sip, the announcer said, “We pause, now, for station identification.”
  8. discomfit
    cause to lose one's composure
    He was clearly discomfited by my behavior.
  9. mediate
    act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
    I thought he might try to explain what I had meant, would try in some way to mediate for me, but he said only, “Now then, let’s try it once more from the beginning—”
  10. indignation
    a feeling of righteous anger
    The wind cut mercilessly across the barren end of Rass, but the hot shame and indignation inside me made me forget the wind as I walked.
  11. homely
    cozy and comfortable
    Even though I could have walked the path blindfolded, I felt foolishly grateful for the homely bobbing comfort of her flashlight.
  12. reprimand
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
    I expected a reprimand from my father or a tongue-lashing from my grandmother, but to my relief they simply nodded as we came in.
  13. frivolous
    not serious in content, attitude, or behavior
    Sunday was the only day the men did not get up before dawn, and therefore Saturday night was the only night anyone of the island would consider spending in a frivolous manner.
  14. purge
    make pure or free from sin or guilt
    Then we were all singing, better than we had all night, better than we ever had, suddenly judged, damned, and purged in Caroline’s light.
  15. trounce
    defeat in a competition, race, or conflict
    It was the same expression she wore when she had thoroughly trounced me in checkers.
  16. snobbish
    tending to associate only with people of a similar background
    I knew she was expecting me to contradict Momma, but I wasn’t going to. If Caroline wanted to be snobbish about Betty Jean, she could do it on her own.
  17. pretentious
    creating an appearance of importance or distinction
    It was almost perfect, just a fraction flatter and shakier than Betty Jean’s voice had been, the o’s and ah’s parodies of Betty Jean’s pretentious ones.
  18. invoke
    cite as an authority
    All the way through I had expected my parents to stop her, invoking, if nothing else, the nearness of the neighbors.
  19. sassy
    improperly forward or bold
    “Don’t be sassy.”
  20. idle
    silly or trivial
    I knew Grandma’s fears were idle, but they stirred up a little fuzz ball of fear in my stomach.
  21. sober
    become or cause to become more serious
    I had clearly gotten the best of her, so I sobered to an elaborate caricature of humility.
  22. caricature
    a representation of a person exaggerated for comic effect
    I had clearly gotten the best of her, so I sobered to an elaborate caricature of humility.
  23. humility
    a lack of arrogance or false pride
    I had clearly gotten the best of her, so I sobered to an elaborate caricature of humility.
  24. vicinity
    a surrounding or nearby region
    She considered modern female undergarments indecent and if not precisely “of the devil,” certainly in that vicinity.
  25. seasoned
    rendered competent through trial and experience
    Little Buddy Rankin was a seasoned waterman with two children of his own.
  26. robust
    sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction
    My father’s boat was far from new. It had belonged to another waterman before he bought it, but it was still lively and robust, like a man who’s spent his life on the water.
  27. valise
    a small overnight bag for short trips
    He had a full mustache and beard, both white, and was wearing a heavy winter overcoat, despite the fact that it was April. And he was carrying what I imagined one might call a “valise.”
  28. abreast
    alongside each other, facing in the same direction
    The street was only wide enough for four people to walk abreast.
  29. lavish
    characterized by extravagance and profusion
    The stranger from the ferry offered no explanation for his presence on the island. Gradually, the people of Rass built one from ancient memory lavishly cemented with rumor.
  30. primer
    an introductory textbook
    Before they can read their school primers, watermen learn how to read the sky and to head for the safety of a cove at the first glimmer of trouble.
  31. cove
    a small inlet
    Before they can read their school primers, watermen learn how to read the sky and to head for the safety of a cove at the first glimmer of trouble.
  32. obliging
    showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
    After the storm passed, they were sighted drifting mastless on the Bay and were towed home by an obliging neighbor.
  33. overhaul
    make repairs, renovations, revisions or adjustments to
    There was a flurry of overhauling and painting and mending to be done.
  34. retort
    a quick reply to a question or remark
    He had his mouth set to argue, but I didn’t wait for a retort.
  35. vain
    unproductive of success
    I tossed my head, trying vainly to imitate the counterspy of my imagination, hoping that a clever, careless remark would float effortlessly from my lips, but my mouth was dry as sawdust and no remark, careless or otherwise, was about to emerge.
  36. quaver
    a tremulous sound
    My voice was a little too loud and there was a distinct quaver in it, so I tried again.
  37. flounce
    walk in an emphatic or exaggerated way
    “The boy will have milk,” I said grandly and flounced around to the front door.
  38. vaudeville
    a genre of variety show with songs, comic acts, etc.
    The man began unaccountably to laugh. “Wheeze and Call,” he said gleefully. “It sounds like a vaudeville act.”
  39. feign
    give a false appearance of
    The man feigned surprise. “I thought everyone on this island knew my name.”
  40. exasperation
    a feeling of annoyance
    My hands were shaking with rage or frustration or exasperation, who knew which, but I managed to fill the mug to the brim with the thick yellowish milk.
Created on Mon Jun 10 21:53:12 EDT 2019 (updated Mon Jul 01 14:51:44 EDT 2019)

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