South of Somewhere: List 2: Embezzlement–Door to Door

by Kalena Miller
Twelve-year-old Mavis Callahan, her father, and her siblings must adjust to life in the small town of Somewhere, Illinois, after her mother goes on the run following an embezzlement charge.

Here are links to our lists for the book:
List 1: Astor Street–Horror Scopes
List 2: Embezzlement–Door to Door
List 3: Triple Trouble–The Third of July
List 4: The Interrogation–The Marching Band
List 5: Basement Meeting–One Month Later
15 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. misfortune
    unnecessary and unforeseen trouble
    I nod along and smile at the right moments, but my mind is back in the living room, replaying that newscast. The smug news anchor pleased by my family’s misfortune.
  2. livid
    furiously angry
    When we arrived on Aunt Melissa’s doorstep, she was livid.
  3. relish
    derive or receive pleasure from
    In the shower, I relish the sensation of scalding water against my skin.
  4. loll
    hang loosely or laxly
    When I return to our shared bedroom, Dad has already passed out on the couch, his head lolling to one side.
  5. waver
    pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
    Camille has a ferocious glare, but Andre doesn’t waver.
  6. surly
    unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation
    “Yeah, Dad’s right,” Camille says, her surly tone sounding more like the sister I’m used to.
  7. sappy
    very sentimental or emotional
    Mom is his wife. His grand amour. The only woman he ever loved, according to the sappy anniversary speech he gives every year.
  8. compensate
    make payment to
    “You’re doing a job, so you deserve to be compensated.”
  9. afterthought
    an addition that was not included in the original plan
    As an afterthought, I hold out the Oreos with a hopeful smile.
  10. optimism
    the hopeful feeling that all is going to turn out well
    She’s trying to be helpful, but her cheery optimism seems to break Dad, who folds his napkin and clears his dishes before retreating to the basement.
  11. traipse
    walk or tramp about
    I can see it in her eyes as we traipse down the street.
  12. boisterous
    marked by exuberance and high spirits
    Her normally boisterous voice is soft.
  13. eaves
    the overhang at the lower edge of a roof
    There are Christmas lights hanging from the eaves and signs for political candidates I’ve never heard of stuck in the browning grass.
  14. gaggle
    a large, disorganized group of people
    “You must tell Emma that her manners make me feel like an old lady. Which I’m not. I’m young and very hip, despite the gaggle of children running around here.”
  15. uncanny
    surpassing the ordinary or normal
    While I’ve always felt closer to Mom, Dad has an uncanny ability to know how I’m feeling without asking.
Created on Tue Nov 04 03:23:52 EST 2025 (updated Tue Dec 23 13:17:36 EST 2025)

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.