The Alchemist word list

yash K.
231 words 205 learners

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words only definitions & notes
  1. Andalusia
    a region in southern Spain on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; formerly a center of Moorish civilization
    He knew all
    the fields and pastures of Andalusia.
  2. Andalusian
    in or relating to Andalusia
    During the
    two hours that they talked, she told him she was the merchant’s daughter, and spoke of
    life in the village, where each day was like all the others, The shepherd told her of the
    Andalusian countryside, and related the news from the other towns where he had stopped.
  3. Englishman
    a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
    “Everything in life is an omen,” said the Englishman, now closing the journal he was
    reading.
  4. Fatima
    youngest daughter of the prophet Mohammed and wife of the fourth calif Ali; revered especially by Shiite Muslims (606-632)
    “The day after we met,” Fatima said, “you told me that you loved me.
  5. Gypsy
    a member of a people with dark skin and hair who speak Romany and who traditionally live by seasonal work and fortunetelling; they are believed to have originated in northern India but now are living on all continents (but mostly in Europe, North Africa, and North America)
    Then he remembered that he had to get to Tarifa so he could give one-tenth of
    his treasure to the Gypsy woman, as he had promised.
  6. Levant
    the former name for the geographical area of the eastern Mediterranean that is now occupied by Lebanon, Syria, and Israel
    The wind began to pick up, He knew that wind: people called it the levanter, because on
    it the Moors had come from the Levant at the eastern end of the Mediterranean.
  7. Mecca
    joint capital of Saudi Arabia
    We are obliged, at least once in
    our lives, to visit the holy city of Mecca.
  8. Moor
    one of the Muslim people of north Africa
    The wind began to pick up, He knew that wind: people called it the levanter, because on
    it the Moors had come from the Levant at the eastern end of the Mediterranean.
  9. Narcissus
    (Greek mythology) a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection
    Leafing
    through the pages, he found a story about Narcissus.
  10. Pyramid
    large monument with a square base and four triangular sides
    “And this is my interpretation: you must go to the Pyramids in Egypt.
  11. Pyramids of Egypt
    large monument with a square base and four triangular sides
    And, although his mouth was bleeding and swollen, he told his
    attackers that he had twice dreamed of a treasure hidden near the Pyramids of Egypt.
  12. Santiago
    the capital and largest city of Chile
    It is the story of Santiago, a shepard in
    Spain.
  13. Tangier
    a city of northern Morocco at the west end of the Strait of Gibraltar
    One of them, a cobbler who made his living
    mending boots, said that he had traveled for almost a year through the desert, but that he
    got more tired when he had to walk through the streets of Tangier buying his leather.”
  14. Tiberius
    son-in-law of Augustus who became a suspicious tyrannical Emperor of Rome after a brilliant military career (42 BC to AD 37)
    “In ancient Rome, at the time of Emperor Tiberius, there lived a good man who had two
    sons.
  15. Urim and Thummim
    lots thrown to determine God's answers to yes-no questions
    “They are called Urim and Thummim.
  16. abrade
    rub hard or scrub
    His hands were abraded and exhausted, but he listened to his
    heart.
  17. accustom
    familiarize psychologically or physically
    He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and
    something he wanted to have.
  18. achieve
    gain with effort
    “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve
    it...”
  19. adventurer
    someone who travels into little known regions
    And, learn as he did, “I’m an adventurer,
    looking for treasure.”
  20. agitate
    move or cause to move back and forth
    “But my heart is agitated,” the boy said.
  21. alchemist
    one who tried to change ordinary metals into gold
    I’d like
    to add one more, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
  22. alchemy
    a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times
    “In alchemy, it’s called the Soul of
    the World.
  23. angel
    spiritual being attendant upon God
    An angel appeared to him, and told him that the
    words of one of his sons would be learned and repeated throughout the world for all
    generations to come.
  24. as we say
    in a manner of speaking
    It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert,
    one ’dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.”
  25. ask
    make a request or demand for something to somebody
    “Why do you weep?” the goddesses asked.
  26. attach to
    be part of
    He saw that omens were
    scattered throughout the earth and in space, and that there was no reason or significance
    attached to their appearance; he could see that not the deserts, nor the winds, nor the sun,
    nor people knew why they had been created.
  27. attacker
    someone who attacks
    And, although his mouth was bleeding and swollen, he told his
    attackers that he had twice dreamed of a treasure hidden near the Pyramids of Egypt.
  28. await
    look forward to the probable occurrence of
    The adventure awaits!
  29. baker
    someone who prepares bread or cake
    The old man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window at one corner of the plaza.
  30. bakery
    a workplace where breads and cakes and pastries are produced
    But he decided first to buy his
    bakery and put some money aside.
  31. be born
    come into existence through birth
    At the spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called
    the narcissus.
  32. become
    come into existence
    His parents had wanted
    him to become a priest...One afternoon, on a visit to his family, he had summoned up the
    courage to tell his father that he didn’t want to become a priest.
  33. beetle
    insect having biting mouthparts
    The boy looked at the sands
    around him, and saw that, where his tears had fallen, a scarab beetle was scuttling
    through the sand.
  34. begin
    set in motion, cause to start
    “I dreamed that I was in a field with my
    sheep, when a child appeared and began to play with the animals.
  35. beginner
    someone new to a field or activity
    Beginner’s luck.”
  36. bleed
    lose blood from one's body
    He was bruised and bleeding, his clothing was torn to shreds, and
    he felt that death was near.
  37. blot out
    make imperceptible by concealing or obscuring
    “Fill this place with a sandstorm so strong that
    it blots out the sun.
  38. blow
    be in motion due to some air or water current
    “Treason is a blow that comes unexpectedly.
  39. boy
    a youthful male person
    The boy’s name was Santiago.
  40. breastplate
    armor plate that protects the chest
    “Take these,” said the old man, holding out a white stone and a black stone that had been
    embedded at the center of the breastplate.
  41. bump into
    collide violently with an obstacle
    “People will pass by and bump into
    it, and pieces will be broken.”
  42. by word of mouth
    orally
    I don’t know why these things have to be transmitted by word of mouth, he thought.
  43. cafe
    a small restaurant where drinks and snacks are sold
    He sat there,
    staring blankly through the door of the cafe, wishing that he had died, and that everything
    would end forever at that moment.
  44. camel
    cud-chewing mammal used as a saddle animal in desert regions
    Now come with
    Santiago and me as we stroll the fields of Spain, and ride on camel and horseback
    through the sands of the great African desert.
  45. can
    airtight sealed metal container for food or drink, etc.
    God created the world so that, through its visible objects, men could
    understand his spiritual teachings and the marvels of his wisdom.”
  46. candy
    a rich sweet made of flavored sugar often with fruit or nuts
    The candy seller had a smile on his face: he was happy, aware of what his life was about,
    and ready to begin a day’s work.
  47. caravan
    a procession traveling together in single file
    The Alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought.
  48. centurion
    leader of soldiers in ancient Rome
    “‘Your son went to serve at a distant place, and became a centurion.
  49. chieftain
    the head of a tribe or clan
    “Go and speak to the tribal chieftains,” said the camel driver.
  50. collaborate
    work together on a common enterprise or project
    But
    in the crystal shop you probably realized that even the glasses were collaborating in your
    success.”
  51. complicate
    make less simple
    Why do they make things so complicated?
  52. conquistador
    a 16th-century Spanish conqueror of Peru and Mexico
    The spoils of a conquest that the country had long ago forgotten, and that some
    conquistador had failed to tell his children about.
  53. conspire
    act in agreement and in secret towards a deceitful purpose
    “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve
    it...”
  54. contemplate
    think intently and at length, as for spiritual purposes
    The alchemist knew the legend of Narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to
    contemplate his own beauty.
  55. continue
    keep or maintain in unaltered condition
    “The child went on playing with my sheep for quite a while,” continued the boy, a bit
    upset.
  56. counselor
    someone who gives advice about problems
    You’ll be the counselor of the oasis.
  57. create
    bring into existence
    God created the world so that, through its visible objects, men could
    understand his spiritual teachings and the marvels of his wisdom.”
  58. creation
    the act of starting something for the first time
    “I
    learned the science from my grandfather, who learned from his father, and so on, back to
    the creation of the world.
  59. crystal
    a solid having a highly regular atomic structure
    “All things are one,” the old man had said.
    ...the crystal merchant had no choice.
  60. date palm
    tall tropical feather palm tree native to Syria bearing sweet edible fruit
    Although the vision of the date palms would someday be
    just a memory, right now it signified shade, water, and a refuge from the war.
  61. day return
    a return ticket for traveling both ways in the same day
    And then the other women are happy because they believe that
    their men may one day return, as well I used to look at those women and envy them their
    happiness.
  62. decide
    reach, make, or come to a conclusion about something
    He decided to spend the night there, He saw to it that all the sheep entered through the
    ruined gate, and then laid some planks across it to prevent the flock from wandering
    away during the night.
  63. depend on
    be contingent on
    There was also the merchant’s daughter, but she wasn’t as
    important as his flock, because she didn’t depend on him.
  64. depress
    push down
    It made me very depressed.
  65. desert
    leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
    Now come with
    Santiago and me as we stroll the fields of Spain, and ride on camel and horseback
    through the sands of the great African desert.
  66. deserts
    an outcome (good or bad) that is well merited
    I have
    inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the
    universe.
  67. dig
    turn up, loosen, or remove earth
    He struggled to continue digging as he fought the wind, which often blew the sand
    back into the excavation.
  68. digging
    the act of digging
    He struggled to continue digging as he fought the wind, which often blew the sand
    back into the excavation.
  69. display case
    a glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home
    “I’d like to build a display case for the crystal,” the boy said to the merchant.
  70. distrustful
    having or showing distrust
    I’m going to become
    bitter and distrustful of people because one person betrayed me.
  71. dream
    a series of images and emotions occurring during sleep
    He sets off to find a treasure by the pyramids in Egypt that is spoken of in a
    reoccurring dream.
  72. dreamed
    conceived of or imagined or hoped for
    “I dreamed that I was in a field with my
    sheep, when a child appeared and began to play with the animals.
  73. dune
    a ridge of sand created by the wind
    The
    dunes are changed by the wind, but the desert never changes.
  74. elixir
    a substance believed to cure all ills
    I learned that many alchemists realized their Personal
    Legends, and wound up discovering the Soul of the World, the Philosopher’s Stone, and
    the Elixir of Life.
  75. elixir of life
    a hypothetical substance believed to maintain life indefinitely; once sought by alchemists
    I learned that many alchemists realized their Personal
    Legends, and wound up discovering the Soul of the World, the Philosopher’s Stone, and
    the Elixir of Life.
  76. embarrass
    cause to feel self-conscious
    “Why would a king be talking with a shepherd?” the boy asked, awed and embarrassed.
  77. embed
    fix or set securely or deeply
    “Take these,” said the old man, holding out a white stone and a black stone that had been
    embedded at the center of the breastplate.
  78. embedded
    enclosed firmly in a surrounding mass
    “Take these,” said the old man, holding out a white stone and a black stone that had been
    embedded at the center of the breastplate.
  79. emerald
    a green transparent form of beryl
    In one of the books he learned that the most important text in the literature of alchemy
    contained only a few lines, and had been inscribed on the surface of an emerald.
  80. encyclopedia
    a reference work containing articles on various topics
    “If I
    could, I’d write a huge encyclopedia just about the words luck and coincidence.
  81. entrust
    put into the care or protection of someone
    His only
    concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.
  82. evaporate
    change into gas or steam
    But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history
    of the world were written by the same hand.”
  83. even a little
    to any extent at all
    I know that if I
    came even a little bit closer to the earth, everything there would die, and the Soul of the
    World would no longer exist.
  84. ewe
    female sheep
    In
    two years he had learned everything about shepherding: he knew how to shear sheep,
    how to care for pregnant ewes, and how to protect the sheep from wolves.
  85. falcon
    a diurnal bird of prey
    “Feeding my falcon.”
  86. fall through
    fail utterly; collapse
    He didn’t consider mending the hole—the stones could fall through any time
    they wanted.
  87. fascinate
    attract; cause to be enamored
    He was so fascinated by himself that, one morning, he fell
    into the lake and drowned.
  88. flock
    a group of birds
    He decided to spend the night there, He saw to it that all the sheep entered through the
    ruined gate, and then laid some planks across it to prevent the flock from wandering
    away during the night.
  89. forget
    dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
    “Don’t forget that everything you deal with is only one thing and nothing else.
  90. get to
    arrive at the point of
    In return, I need money to get to Egypt
    tomorrow.”
  91. give thanks
    express gratitude or show appreciation to
    His prayer didn’t
    give thanks for his sheep having found new pastures; it didn’t ask that the boy be able to
    sell more crystal; and it didn’t beseech that the woman he had met continue to await his
    return.
  92. go back
    return in thought or speech to something
    And he knew that Egypt was in Africa...While standing at the ticket window, the
    boy had remembered his flock, and decided he should go back to being a shepherd.
  93. go to
    be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.
    If he were to tire of the
    Andalusian fields, he could sell his sheep and go to sea.
  94. habituate
    familiarize psychologically or physically
    “I can see things
    that eyes habituated to the desert might not see.”
  95. hang in
    be persistent, refuse to stop
    “‘Well,’ asked the wise man, ‘did you see the Persian tapestries that are hanging in my
    dining hall?
  96. happen
    come to pass
    “It’s this; that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us,
    and our lives become controlled by fate.
  97. have
    possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense
    The Alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought.
  98. hide
    prevent from being seen or discovered
    “Then, at the Egyptian pyramids,”—he said the last three words slowly, so that the old
    woman would understand—“the child said to me, ‘If you come here, you will find a
    hidden treasure,’ And, just as she was about to show me the exact location, I woke up.
  99. hold back
    refrain from doing
    Sometimes, there’s just no way to hold back the river.
  100. hookah
    an oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water
    And, as he smothered the coals in the hookah, he told the boy that he could begin to sell
    tea in the crystal glasses.
  101. hunch
    an impression that something might be the case
    “Hunches,” his mother used to call them.
  102. illuminate
    make lighter or brighter
    There, illuminated by the light of
    the moon and the brightness of the desert, stood the solemn and majestic Pyramids of
    Egypt.
  103. immerse
    cause to be submerged
    So immerse
    yourself in it.
  104. immersion
    the act of wetting something by submerging it
    The boy was beginning to understand that
    intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life, where
    the histories of all people are connected, and we are able to know everything, because it’s
    all written there.
  105. inscribe
    carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface
    In one of the books he learned that the most important text in the literature of alchemy
    contained only a few lines, and had been inscribed on the surface of an emerald.
  106. insistently
    in an insistent manner
    The omens will
    begin insistently to speak of it, and you’ll try to ignore them.
  107. into the wind
    in the direction opposite to the direction the wind is blowing
    “But I have no idea how to turn myself into the wind.”
  108. irritate
    cause annoyance in
    “You have a mania for simplifying everything,” answered the Englishman, irritated.
  109. jacket
    a short coat
    We have to be prepared for change, he thought, and he was grateful for the jacket’s
    weight and warmth.
  110. kilometer
    a metric unit of length equal to 1000 meters
    There are thousands of kilometers of desert between here and there.”
  111. kneel
    rest one's weight on one's knees
    The alchemist knew the legend of Narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to
    contemplate his own beauty.
  112. know
    be cognizant or aware of a fact or a piece of information
    The alchemist knew the legend of Narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to
    contemplate his own beauty.
  113. language
    a means of communicating by the use of sounds or symbols
    “And
    dreams are the language of God.
  114. leafing
    (botany) the process of forming leaves
    Leafing
    through the pages, he found a story about Narcissus.
  115. learn
    gain knowledge or skills
    Along the way, he finds
    out that his journey is about discovering his Personal Legend, touching the Soul of the
    World, and learning what love is really about; as well as getting the loot.
  116. learned
    having or showing profound knowledge
    In
    two years he had learned everything about shepherding: he knew how to shear sheep,
    how to care for pregnant ewes, and how to protect the sheep from wolves.
  117. legend
    a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
    Along the way, he finds
    out that his journey is about discovering his Personal Legend, touching the Soul of the
    World, and learning what love is really about; as well as getting the loot.
  118. let up
    become less in amount or intensity
    “You must not let up, even after having come so far,” he continued.
  119. levanter
    an easterly wind in the western Mediterranean area
    The wind began to pick up, He knew that wind: people called it the levanter, because on
    it the Moors had come from the Levant at the eastern end of the Mediterranean.
  120. life story
    an account of the series of events making up a person's life
    But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history
    of the world were written by the same hand.”
  121. live out
    live out one's life; live to the end
    But, most
    important, he was able every day to live out his dream.
  122. look for
    try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
    And, learn as he did, “I’m an adventurer,
    looking for treasure.”
  123. look out over
    be oriented in a certain direction
    “So, when I look out over
    your sands, I am also looking at her.
  124. love
    a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
    Along the way, he finds
    out that his journey is about discovering his Personal Legend, touching the Soul of the
    World, and learning what love is really about; as well as getting the loot.
  125. loved one
    a person who you love, usually a member of your family
    We, their hearts, become fearful just thinking of loved ones who go away forever, or of
    moments that could have been good but weren’t, or of treasures that might have been
    found but were forever hidden in the sands.
  126. make sense
    be reasonable or logical or comprehensible
    “I am learning the Language of the World, and everything in the world is beginning to
    make sense to me...even the flight of the hawks,” he said to himself.
  127. man
    an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
    “The wise men understood that this natural world is only an image and a copy
    of paradise.
  128. marvel
    be amazed at
    God created the world so that, through its visible objects, men could
    understand his spiritual teachings and the marvels of his wisdom.”
  129. mending
    the act of putting something in working order again
    He didn’t consider mending the hole—the stones could fall through any time
    they wanted.
  130. merchant
    a businessperson engaged in retail trade
    During the
    two hours that they talked, she told him she was the merchant’s daughter, and spoke of
    life in the village, where each day was like all the others, The shepherd told her of the
    Andalusian countryside, and related the news from the other towns where he had stopped.
  131. moonless
    without a moon or a visible moon
    “My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,” the boy told the alchemist one night as
    they looked up at the moonless sky.
  132. move around
    pass to the other side of
    Maybe it was because they moved around so much.
  133. narcissus
    bulbous plant having erect linear leaves and showy yellow or white flowers either solitary or in clusters
    At the spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called
    the narcissus.
  134. nourish
    provide with sustenance
    Soul of the World is nourished by people’s happiness.
  135. oasis
    a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary
    “I have been waiting for you here at this oasis for a long time.
  136. old man
    a man who is very old
    “It’s a book that says the same thing almost all the other books in the world say,”
    continued the old man.
  137. omen
    a sign of a thing about to happen
    He said
    that he had always dreamed of being a shepherd, and that it was a good omen.”
  138. one-tenth
    a tenth part; one part in ten equal parts
    “Give me one-tenth of your sheep,” said the old man, “and I’ll tell you how to find the
    hidden treasure.”
  139. originate in
    come from
    It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on
    this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want
    something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.
  140. palm tree
    any plant of the family Palmae having an unbranched trunk crowned by large pinnate or palmate leaves
    It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert,
    one ’dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.”
  141. paradise
    any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
    “The wise men understood that this natural world is only an image and a copy
    of paradise.
  142. personal
    concerning an individual or his or her private life
    Along the way, he finds
    out that his journey is about discovering his Personal Legend, touching the Soul of the
    World, and learning what love is really about; as well as getting the loot.
  143. pick up
    take and lift upward
    The Alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought.
  144. pilgrimage
    a journey to a sacred place
    “The fifth obligation of every Muslim is a pilgrimage.
  145. plaza
    a public square with room for pedestrians
    But before the boy could say anything, the old man leaned over, picked up a stick, and
    began to write in the sand of the plaza...There, in the sand of the plaza of that small city,
    the boy read the names of his father and his mother and the name of the seminary he had
    attended.
  146. prepare
    make ready or suitable or equip in advance
    We have to be prepared for change, he thought, and he was grateful for the jacket’s
    weight and warmth.
  147. prognostication
    a sign of something about to happen
    “Be careful with your prognostications,” said the stranger.
  148. pursue
    follow in an effort to capture
    “Ah, it is no surprise that you weep for Narcissus,” they said, “for though we always
    pursued him in the forest, you alone could contemplate his beauty close at hand.”
  149. push forward
    push one's way
    If he pushed forward impulsively, he would fail to see the signs and omens left by God
    along his path.
  150. pyramid
    a polyhedron having a polygonal base and triangular sides
    He sets off to find a treasure by the pyramids in Egypt that is spoken of in a
    reoccurring dream.
  151. rabbi
    spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation
    Your
    son had heard of a rabbi who was able to cure illnesses, and he rode out for days and days
    in search of this man.
  152. realize
    be fully aware or cognizant of
    The problem is that they don’t even realize that
    they’re walking a new road every day.
  153. realized
    successfully completed or brought to an end
    He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what
    they dream of.”
  154. recurrent
    happening again and again
    Two years ago, right here on this
    spot, I had a recurrent dream, too.
  155. ride out
    hang on during a trial of endurance
    Your
    son had heard of a rabbi who was able to cure illnesses, and he rode out for days and days
    in search of this man.
  156. sacristy
    a room in a church where religious objects are stored
    The roof had fallen in long ago, and an enormous sycamore had
    grown on the spot where the sacristy had once stood.
  157. sadden
    make unhappy
    But instead of being saddened, he was happy.
  158. salty
    containing or filled with salt
    He said that when Narcissus died, the goddesses of the forest appeared and found the
    lake, which had been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears.
  159. sand
    a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
    Now come with
    Santiago and me as we stroll the fields of Spain, and ride on camel and horseback
    through the sands of the great African desert.
  160. sands
    the region of the shore of a lake or sea or ocean
    Now come with
    Santiago and me as we stroll the fields of Spain, and ride on camel and horseback
    through the sands of the great African desert.
  161. sandstorm
    a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand
    “Fill this place with a sandstorm so strong that
    it blots out the sun.
  162. say
    utter aloud
    He said that when Narcissus died, the goddesses of the forest appeared and found the
    lake, which had been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears.
  163. scarab
    a beetle considered to be divine by ancient Egyptians
    The boy looked at the sands
    around him, and saw that, where his tears had fallen, a scarab beetle was scuttling
    through the sand.
  164. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    The boy looked at the sands
    around him, and saw that, where his tears had fallen, a scarab beetle was scuttling
    through the sand.
  165. seagull
    a mostly white aquatic bird found along beaches
    Jonathan Livingston Seagull, The
    Little Prince, Conversations With God and The Prophet would all make the list.
  166. search
    look or seek
    “They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same
    people they were when they arrived, They climb the mountain to see the castle, and they
    wind up thinking that the past was better than what we have now.”
  167. seek out
    look for a specific person or thing
    He no longer had to seek out food and
    water for the sheep; he could go in search of his treasure, instead.
  168. seer
    an observer who perceives visually
    Then, one day, the oldest seer he had ever sought out (and the one most to be feared) had
    asked why the camel driver was so interested in the future.
  169. seller
    someone who promotes or exchanges goods or services for money
    The candy seller had a smile on his face: he was happy, aware of what his life was about,
    and ready to begin a day’s work.
  170. sensed
    detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
    The man still said nothing, and the boy sensed that he was going to have to make a
    decision—Taking the jacket out, he began to clean the glasses.
  171. separate out
    remove by passing through a filter
    “I have to separate out the sulfur.
  172. shear
    cut or cut through with scissors
    In
    two years he had learned everything about shepherding: he knew how to shear sheep,
    how to care for pregnant ewes, and how to protect the sheep from wolves.
  173. sheep
    woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
    He decided to spend the night there, He saw to it that all the sheep entered through the
    ruined gate, and then laid some planks across it to prevent the flock from wandering
    away during the night.
  174. shepherd
    someone who keeps sheep together in a flock
    During the
    two hours that they talked, she told him she was the merchant’s daughter, and spoke of
    life in the village, where each day was like all the others, The shepherd told her of the
    Andalusian countryside, and related the news from the other towns where he had stopped.
  175. shop
    a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
    The old man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window at one corner of the plaza.
  176. shop window
    a window of a store facing onto the street
    The old man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window at one corner of the plaza.
  177. shopkeeper
    a merchant who owns or manages a shop
    “A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest
    man in the world.
  178. simplify
    make easier or reduce in complexity or extent
    “You have a mania for simplifying everything,” answered the Englishman, irritated.
  179. sleep out
    work in a house where one does not live
    Bakers have homes, while shepherds sleep out in the open.
  180. someday
    some unspecified time in the future
    I thought that someday I’d be rich, and
    could go to Mecca.
  181. sometime
    at some indefinite or unstated time
    “Sometime during the second year, you’ll remember about the treasure.
  182. soul
    the immaterial part of a person
    Along the way, he finds
    out that his journey is about discovering his Personal Legend, touching the Soul of the
    World, and learning what love is really about; as well as getting the loot.
  183. speak
    use language
    He sets off to find a treasure by the pyramids in Egypt that is spoken of in a
    reoccurring dream.
  184. spoon
    a piece of cutlery with a shallow bowl-shaped container and a handle; used to stir or serve or take up food
    ‘As you wander around, carry this spoon with you
    without allowing the oil to spill.’
  185. suffer
    undergo or be subjected to
    “If bad things
    are, and you know in advance, you will suffer greatly before they even occur.”
  186. sulfur
    an abundant tasteless odorless multivalent nonmetallic element; best known in yellow crystals; occurs in many sulphide and sulphate minerals and even in native form (especially in volcanic regions)
    “I have to separate out the sulfur.
  187. sun
    the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
    He was sure that it made no difference to her on which day he appeared:
    for her, every day was the same, and when each day is the same as the next, it’s because
    people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun
    rises.
  188. sycamore
    any of several trees of the genus Platanus having thin pale bark that scales off in small plates and lobed leaves and ball-shaped heads of fruits
    The roof had fallen in long ago, and an enormous sycamore had
    grown on the spot where the sacristy had once stood.
  189. tablet
    a small, flat, compressed cake of some substance
    “It’s the Emerald Tablet,” said the Englishman, proud that he might teach something to
    the boy.
  190. tatter
    a small shred of cloth or paper
    The monk laughed
    when he saw me come back in tatters.
  191. teach
    impart skills or knowledge to
    God created the world so that, through its visible objects, men could
    understand his spiritual teachings and the marvels of his wisdom.”
  192. tell
    narrate or give a detailed account of
    During the
    two hours that they talked, she told him she was the merchant’s daughter, and spoke of
    life in the village, where each day was like all the others, The shepherd told her of the
    Andalusian countryside, and related the news from the other towns where he had stopped.
  193. terrify
    frighten greatly
    Because he was terrified, the boy didn’t answer.
  194. tether
    restraint consisting of a rope or chain
    The tents were being blown
    from their ties to the earth, and the animals were being freed from their tethers.
  195. thing
    a separate and self-contained entity
    “They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same
    people they were when they arrived, They climb the mountain to see the castle, and they
    wind up thinking that the past was better than what we have now.”
  196. things
    any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
    “They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same
    people they were when they arrived, They climb the mountain to see the castle, and they
    wind up thinking that the past was better than what we have now.”
  197. think about
    have on one's mind, think about actively
    All they think about is food and water.
  198. ticket window
    a window through which tickets are sold
    And he knew that Egypt was in Africa...While standing at the ticket window, the
    boy had remembered his flock, and decided he should go back to being a shepherd.
  199. transform
    change or alter in appearance or nature
    He said that when Narcissus died, the goddesses of the forest appeared and found the
    lake, which had been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears.
  200. travel
    change location
    We learn as we
    travel with Santiago many of the valuable lessons of life, and uncover many of the
    mysteries.
  201. treasonous
    constituting or having the characteristic of betrayal
    “You mean I should listen, even if it’s treasonous?”
  202. treasure
    any possession that is highly valued by its owner
    He sets off to find a treasure by the pyramids in Egypt that is spoken of in a
    reoccurring dream.
  203. tribal
    relating to or characteristic of a clan or social group
    “Go and speak to the tribal chieftains,” said the camel driver.
  204. tribesman
    someone who lives in a tribe
    You’ll see that there is
    life in the desert, that there are stars in the heavens, and that tribesmen fight because they
    are part of the human race.
  205. unanticipated
    not expected
    That way, you’ll never have to fear an unanticipated blow.”
  206. uncover
    make visible
    We learn as we
    travel with Santiago many of the valuable lessons of life, and uncover many of the
    mysteries.
  207. understand
    know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
    “The wise men understood that this natural world is only an image and a copy
    of paradise.
  208. universe
    everything that exists anywhere
    It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on
    this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want
    something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.
  209. walk around
    walk around something
    You’ll walk around, night after night, at the oasis, and Fatima will be
    unhappy because she’ll feel it was she who interrupted your quest.
  210. walk through
    perform in a perfunctory way, as for a first rehearsal
    That morning he
    had known everything that was going to happen to him as he walked through the familiar
    fields.
  211. wander
    move or cause to move in a sinuous or circular course
    He decided to spend the night there, He saw to it that all the sheep entered through the
    ruined gate, and then laid some planks across it to prevent the flock from wandering
    away during the night.
  212. want
    the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
    His parents had wanted
    him to become a priest...One afternoon, on a visit to his family, he had summoned up the
    courage to tell his father that he didn’t want to become a priest.
  213. weep
    shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain
    “Why do you weep?” the goddesses asked.
  214. weight down
    weight down with a load
    He felt
    weighted down by the centuries of time since the Pyramids had been built.
  215. whet
    sharpen by rubbing
    “Because there is a force that wants you to realize your Personal Legend; it whets your
    appetite with a taste of success.”
  216. white feather
    a symbol of cowardice
    There were also precious
    stones, gold masks adorned with red and white feathers, and stone statues embedded with
    jewels.
  217. wind
    air moving from high pressure to low pressure
    “They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same
    people they were when they arrived, They climb the mountain to see the castle, and they
    wind up thinking that the past was better than what we have now.”
  218. wind up
    coil the spring of a device by turning a stem
    “They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same
    people they were when they arrived, They climb the mountain to see the castle, and they
    wind up thinking that the past was better than what we have now.”
  219. wise
    having intelligence and discernment
    “The wise men understood that this natural world is only an image and a copy
    of paradise.
  220. wise man
    a wise and trusted guide and advisor
    It was there that the wise man lived.
  221. word of mouth
    gossip spread by spoken communication
    I don’t know why these things have to be transmitted by word of mouth, he thought.
  222. world
    the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
    Along the way, he finds
    out that his journey is about discovering his Personal Legend, touching the Soul of the
    World, and learning what love is really about; as well as getting the loot.
  223. write
    name the letters that comprise the accepted form of
    But before the boy could say anything, the old man leaned over, picked up a stick, and
    began to write in the sand of the plaza...There, in the sand of the plaza of that small city,
    the boy read the names of his father and his mother and the name of the seminary he had
    attended.
  224. write in
    cast a vote by inserting a name that does not appear on the ballot
    But before the boy could say anything, the old man leaned over, picked up a stick, and
    began to write in the sand of the plaza...There, in the sand of the plaza of that small city,
    the boy read the names of his father and his mother and the name of the seminary he had
    attended.
  225. write on
    write about a particular topic
    “But, above all, I learned that these things are all so simple that they could be written on
    the surface of an emerald.”
  226. yank
    pull with a sudden movement
    But one of them seized the boy and yanked him back out of the hole, Another, who was
    searching the boy’s bags, found the piece of gold.
  227. pervert
    corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
  228. evocative
    serving to bring to mind
  229. invective
    abusive language used to express blame or censure
  230. diaphanous
    so thin as to transmit light
  231. aegis
    armor plate that protects the chest
Created on Mon Sep 12 08:24:20 EDT 2011 (updated Mon Sep 12 08:25:54 EDT 2011)

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