The Old Willis Place: Chapters 6–10

by Mary Downing Hahn
Siblings Diana and Georgie are not supposed to talk to strangers or leave the grounds of the house once owned by Lilian Willis. But when a new caretaker moves onto the property, Diana is tempted to break the rules and befriend Lissa, the caretaker's daughter.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–10, Chapters 11–17
35 words 35 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. dank
    unpleasantly cool and humid
    A breath of cold, dank air met me, the smell of an old musty cellar shut away from sunlight.
  2. clammy
    unpleasantly cool and humid
    By the time I reached the rickety stairs leading to the first floor, my skin was clammy and my legs were shaky.
  3. threshold
    the entrance for passing through a room or building
    At the top, I eased the door open and stood on the threshold, peering down the dark hall, first toward the kitchen and then toward the front of the house.
  4. swathe
    wrap in or as if in strips of cloth
    The trees were swathed in morning mist and the fallen leaves were damp and slippery underfoot.
  5. obstinate
    refusing to change one's mind or ways; difficult to convince
    When my skin glowed pink and clean, I began working on my hair. At first I made no headway against its obstinate mats and tangles.
  6. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    Georgie scrutinized me from a safe distance.
  7. plait
    a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
    So instead of following Georgie, I sat in the sunshine and braided my hair into a long single plait, as thick and heavy as rope, and tied it with string.
  8. persnickety
    (used colloquially) overly conceited or arrogant
    Persnickety old thing—what did I care?
  9. loathe
    dislike intensely; feel disgust toward
    Perhaps Miss Lilian was peering out from the dark, watching me go by dressed in her clothes, loathing me even more than before.
  10. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    It made a tiny scuttling sound on the terrace.
  11. jut
    extend out or project in space
    Crow and hawk feathers jutted from his hair.
  12. din
    a loud, harsh, or strident noise
    “Stop it, MacDuff!” Lissa shouted, adding to the din. “Be quiet! Sit!”
  13. solemn
    dignified and somber in manner or character
    “Don’t look so solemn, Diana,” Mr. Morrison said.
  14. exasperation
    a feeling of annoyance
    Mr. Morrison shook his head in exasperation. “Oh, for goodness sake, Lissa, only ignorant people believe in ghosts.”
  15. slew
    a large number or amount or extent
    Well, that launched a slew of questions from Mr. Morrison that I could answer only in the vaguest way.
  16. palomino
    a horse of light tan or golden color
    “She’s in his movies, too. He rides a horse named Trigger, a beautiful golden palomino. This funny old guy, Gabby Hayes, is his sidekick. Sometimes he sings cowboy songs. Surely you’ve seen his movies....”
  17. dapple
    color with streaks or blotches of different shades
    We saw three or four does and the albino stag flash through the trees ahead, sunlight dappling their flanks.
  18. flank
    the side between ribs and hipbone
    We saw three or four does and the albino stag flash through the trees ahead, sunlight dappling their flanks.
  19. patter
    make light, rapid and repeated sounds
    A breeze sprang up and tugged more leaves from the trees. They pattered down around us like raindrops.
  20. plague
    annoy continually or chronically
    I lay beside him, plagued with worries and doubts.
  21. sassy
    improperly forward or bold
    Dad thinks Diana’s sweet and pretty and shy, a very nice girl, but, like me, he doesn’t especially care for her brother, Georgie—way too sassy, with those feathers stuck in his hair, and smeared all over with clay like war paint (I’ll tell you more about him later).
  22. lope
    run easily
    MacDuff loped about on the lawn, following his nose as if he were searching for something.
  23. eddy
    a miniature whirlpool or whirlwind
    Eddies of dead leaves swirled toward us, spiraling up like phantoms from the corners of the terrace.
  24. desolate
    providing no shelter or sustenance
    I studied the clouds’ dark shapes—flocks of lost sheep straying across a desolate wasteland, blown to rags and tatters by the wind.
  25. brandish
    move or swing back and forth
    “I already thought of that.” Lissa pulled a small flashlight out of her pocket and brandished it.
  26. rasp
    a harsh, grating tone or noise
    Before I could stop her, she ran to the door and stuck the key in the lock. With a great deal of effort, she managed to turn it. It made a loud rasping sound.
  27. mote
    a tiny piece of anything
    From an uncovered window high overhead, a little daylight made its way down the curved staircase, illuminating thousands of dust motes dancing in the dim air.
  28. scorn
    look down on with disdain
    Once more, I saw Miss Lilian sweeping down those stairs, head high, scorning Mother as she passed her, glaring at Georgie and me.
  29. haughty
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    How cold her voice, how haughty her manner, how hateful the look on her face.
  30. plume
    a feather or cluster of feathers worn as an ornament
    She tried on hats with plumes, straw hats, knit caps, even a cowboy hat from Miss Lilian’s riding days.
  31. prim
    affectedly dainty or refined
    I even recognized her dress—navy with a prim white collar and cuffs, buttoned tightly.
  32. discordant
    lacking in harmony
    The sound was discordant, warped, tuneless, but she banged away, trying to play “Chopsticks.”
  33. warp
    bend or twist out of shape
    The sound was discordant, warped, tuneless, but she banged away, trying to play “Chopsticks.”
  34. tussle
    disorderly fighting
    Finally, she broke away from me and picked up the hat she’d lost in our tussle.
  35. ornate
    marked by complexity and richness of detail
    She shined the flashlight around the room again, letting its light play on old paintings, books, an ornate carved marble fireplace.
Created on Tue Dec 17 15:07:33 EST 2019 (updated Tue Dec 17 15:10:51 EST 2019)

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