Ripped Away: Chapters 9–13

by Shirley Reva Vernick
On September 22, middle grader Abe Pearlman is transported from the twenty-first century to 1888, when rumors about the murderous Jack the Ripper are gripping London.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–13, Chapters 14–18
35 words 12 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. blanch
    turn pale, as if in fear
    Mr. Diemschutz takes one glimpse at my face the next morning and blanches. “Go home, Asher. Your face looks like chopped liver.”
  2. spat
    a quarrel about petty points
    Through the wall, two high-pitched voices tell us someone is having a spat in the flat next door.
  3. imply
    suggest as a logically necessary consequence
    “Has what ever happened to me before?”
    “This. Time travel. Space travel.”
    She lets out a little snort. “Are you implying that I’d fall for this scam twice?”
  4. continuum
    an extent in which no part is distinct from adjacent parts
    “No, Abe. I wasn’t out combing the space-time continuum. I was out having thyroid cancer.”
  5. deadpan
    deliberately impassive in manner
    She says it so deadpan, I don’t know how to react, so I sit there like an idiot.
  6. whim
    an odd or fanciful or capricious idea
    Duvid wouldn’t skip work on a whim.
  7. lark
    any carefree episode
    He wouldn’t show up at a social club on a lark either. He’s the kind of man who works all day and goes straight home for the night.
  8. coax
    influence or persuade by gentle and persistent urging
    Mitzy rises from her chair, but I take her elbow and coax her back into her seat.
  9. inevitable
    incapable of being avoided or prevented
    “Your men already did this,” Mitzy flares.
    "Yes, doubling back is an inevitable part of a thorough investigation.”
  10. ginger
    having a bright orange-brown color
    It’s one of the uniforms who were just here, a skinny guy with a sunburned face and a ginger beard.
  11. intercept
    seize, interrupt, or stop something on its way
    “Ma’am, I’m here to inform you that we’ve just intercepted Duvid Kraskov.”
    “What means intercepted?” She glances at me and then back to the uniform.
    “He was walking in as we were walking out,” explains the cop. “We’re taking him to the station for some questions.”
  12. scoff
    laugh at with contempt and derision
    “A nice cozy chat?” I scoff.
  13. deduce
    conclude by reasoning
    I can’t deduce, induce, reduce, introduce, or produce one reasonable explanation.
  14. sanity
    normal or sound powers of mind
    Maybe I’m trying to apply logic where it doesn’t belong. Maybe this is beyond reason, beyond sanity even.
  15. baffled
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    She sounds baffled, like she can’t understand why someone like me would be nervous about talking to someone like her.
  16. audacious
    disposed to venture or take risks
    I put my hand on top of hers. Which may not be much in the big picture of bold romantic gestures, but it’s freaking audacious for the likes of me.
  17. chutzpah
    unbelievable gall; insolence; audacity
    Besides, I need to save what’s left of my chutzpah if I’m going to confront Duvid tomorrow.
  18. headway
    forward movement
    “Ten minutes, sir. Give me ten minutes with him, and if I can’t make any headway, I’ll leave.”
  19. nape
    the back side of the neck
    The hair on my nape stands up.
  20. intuitive
    obtained through instinctive knowledge
    But I have no idea what he’s thinking. Let’s face it, I’ve never been the most intuitive duck in the pond, and this guy is a whole different species of bird.
  21. hoodlum
    an aggressive and violent criminal
    “Because I know what goes on up here with you. You only want my niece. You hoodlum you, trying to act like the hero.”
  22. unswerving
    going directly ahead without veering or turning aside
    Duvid bears down on me again with those unswerving eyes.
  23. gruff
    blunt and unfriendly or stern
    His words are gruff, but his voice is tired, papery.
  24. fester
    generate pus
    But the cut didn’t heal. It festered. Turned bright red. Oozed. Then the fever. The sweat. The shaking. Then he died.
  25. scour
    examine minutely
    The place was already scoured inside and out after the courtyard murder. I figured the police wouldn’t be searching there again anytime soon, so it was a safe place to hide the blades.
  26. gush
    praise enthusiastically
    “Asher, Asher,” Mrs. Kraskov gushes. “You just in time.”
  27. strenuously
    strongly or vigorously
    Mrs. Kraskov shakes her head strenuously.
  28. tiff
    a petty quarrel
    I could settle this tiff right now if I tell them what I know, but a promise is a promise.
  29. convenient
    suited to your comfort or purpose or needs
    “I mean, we didn’t get to pick what time we came here, did we? Zinnia didn’t ask us whether it was convenient to get ripped away that very minute, did she?”
  30. jostle
    make one's way by pushing or shoving
    The hornets jostle and bump in my stomach.
  31. muse
    reflect deeply on a subject
    “A sky full of laughing stars,” I muse.
  32. bewildered
    extremely confused and uncertain what to do
    Mrs. Kraskov looks bewildered, like she can’t understand why the cops suddenly changed their minds and let him go.
  33. bustle
    move or cause to move energetically or busily
    Behind her, the room bustles with kids, and they’re not using their indoor voices.
  34. conspiratorial
    relating to or characteristic of a secret plot or agreement
    She turns to me and offers a conspiratorial wink.
  35. squabble
    argue over petty things
    A racket bursts out from inside the flat, the high-pitched voices of squabbling brothers and sisters.
Created on Wed Jan 10 10:01:20 EST 2024 (updated Wed Jan 10 16:26:03 EST 2024)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.