Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH: Chapters 1–5

by Robert C. O'Brien
Mrs. Frisby and her children, a family of mice, must leave their home in order to escape the farmer's plow. Because her son Timothy is too sick to leave his bed, Mrs. Frisby enlists the help of a group of super-intelligent rats to help move her family to safety.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–14, Chapters 15–20, Chapter 21–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. rancid
    having an offensive smell or taste
    January and February were the hardest months; the sharp, hard cold that began in December lasted until March, and by February the beans and black-eyes had been picked over (with help from the birds), the asparagus roots were frozen into stone, and the potatoes had been thawed and refrozen so many times they had acquired a slimy texture and a rancid taste.
  2. protrude
    extend out or project in space
    In the stump there was a hole, and out of the hole protruded something that looked a little like a leaf, but was not.
  3. hypochondriac
    a patient with imaginary symptoms and ailments
    He was also—perhaps as a result—something of a hypochondriac.
  4. pallet
    a mattress filled with straw or a pad made of quilts
    “Poor Timothy. Lie back down and keep covered.” She spread over him some of the bits of cloth they used as blankets. “After a while we’ll fix you a pallet in the living room so you can lie out where it’s light. I’ve found a fine supply of corn this morning, more than we can eat for the rest of the winter. Would you like some?”
  5. tedious
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    In mid-morning Mrs. Frisby, Martin, and Cynthia set off for the stump to carry home some more of the corn, and some peanuts and mushrooms (the hickory nuts they would leave, for they were too hard for mouse jaws to crack, and too tedious to gnaw through).
  6. delirious
    experiencing hallucinations
    “He is terribly ill. His fever is so high he has become delirious. There is nothing for it—I will have to go and see Mr. Ages. Timothy must have medicine.”
  7. canter
    a smooth three-beat gait
    She loped along briskly, moving in the easy, horse-like canter mice use when they are trying to cover ground.
  8. draught
    a dose of liquid medicine
    It was from these seeds and others, and from the flowers and roots beneath them, that Mr. Ages made the draughts and powders that could sometimes save the sick from dying.
  9. hermit
    one who lives in solitude
    Mr. Ages’ house, somewhat larger than a shoebox but about the same shape, resembled the house of a hermit.
  10. tonic
    a medicine that strengthens and invigorates
    “Pipsissewa,” said Mr. Ages. “Botanically, Chimaphila umbellata. It stays green all winter, and makes a very useful spring tonic. Most people use only the leaves, but I have found the roots even more effective.”
  11. rasp
    a harsh, grating tone or noise
    “He breathes very rapidly, and the air rasps in his chest. He said, at first, that he could not get his breath.”
  12. invariably
    without change, in every case
    She thought of how his eyes shone with merriment when he made up small jokes, which he did frequently, and how invariably kind he was to his small, scatterbrained sister Cynthia.
  13. eaves
    the overhang at the lower edge of a roof
    Some find their way to barn lofts; some even creep into people’s houses and live under the eaves or in attics, taking their chances with mousetraps.
  14. respite
    a relief from harm or discomfort
    Five days, although a respite, was too short.
  15. oddity
    something unusual, maybe worthy of collecting
    Then, on what had already been a day of oddities and alarms, she noticed something else strange.
Created on Tue Jul 16 16:45:16 EDT 2019 (updated Thu Jul 31 15:33:01 EDT 2025)

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