Part II, Chapters 7–8: "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. smug
    marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction
    "Yes. They'll be strong this coming year." In her tone and on her face there was a little smugness.
  2. bay
    of a moderate reddish-brown color
    It was drawn by an old bay horse and a little grey-and-white burro.
  3. rangy
    tall and thin and having long slender limbs
    Underneath the wagon, between the hind wheels, a lean and rangy mongrel dog walked sedately.
  4. sedate
    characterized by dignity and propriety
    Underneath the wagon, between the hind wheels, a lean and rangy mongrel dog walked sedately.
  5. taut
    subjected to great tension; stretched tight
    Then all three stopped, and with stiff and quivering tails, with taut straight legs, with ambassadorial dignity, they slowly circled, sniffing daintily.
  6. dainty
    excessively fastidious
    Then all three stopped, and with stiff and quivering tails, with taut straight legs, with ambassadorial dignity, they slowly circled, sniffing daintily.
  7. caravan
    a procession traveling together in single file
    The caravan pulled up to Elisa's wire fence and stopped.
  8. hackles
    a feeling of anger and animosity
    Now the newcomer dog, feeling outnumbered, lowered his tail and retired under the wagon with raised hackles and bared teeth.
  9. brood
    think moodily or anxiously about something
    His eyes were dark and they were full of the brooding that gets in the eyes of teamsters and of sailors.
  10. ford
    cross a river where it's shallow
    "Well, yes, it does, but it winds around and then fords the river. I don't think your team could pull through the sand."
  11. asperity
    harshness of manner
    He replied with some asperity, "It might surprise you what them beasts can pull through."
  12. patent
    obtain a document granting sole rights to an invention
    "Most people just ruin scissors trying to sharpen 'em, but I know how. I got a special tool. It's a little bobbit kind of thing, and patented. But it sure does the trick."
  13. earnestly
    in a sincere and serious manner
    "All right, then. Take a pot," he continued earnestly, "a bent pot, or a pot with a hole. I can make it like new so you don't have to buy no new ones. That's saving for you."
  14. undertone
    a quiet or hushed quality of a voice
    His voice took on a whining undertone.
  15. tamp
    press down tightly
    With her strong fingers she pressed them into the sand and tamped around them with her knuckles.
  16. fawn
    a young deer
    She crouched low like a fawning dog.
  17. rouge
    redden by applying makeup to
    She worked carefully on her hair, pencilled her eyebrows and rouged her lips.
  18. prim
    affectedly dainty or refined
    Then she went to the porch and sat primly and stiffly down.
  19. blunder
    utter impulsively
    Henry blundered on. "I don't know. I mean you look different, strong and happy."
  20. idle
    run disconnected
    She heard him drive to the gate and idle down his motor, and then she took a long time to put on her hat.
Created on Wed May 26 13:54:41 EDT 2021 (updated Fri Jun 04 16:23:29 EDT 2021)

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