The Stone Angel Diction

patterned

design; motif; arrangement

brow

crest of a hill

fancied

imagined; believed

unendowed

not equipped or provided

pretense

false appearance or claim

harking

calling; listening

gouging

digging; cutting

gauging

measuring; assessing

cynical

doubtful or distrustful of goodness or sincerity

fledgling

inexperienced; new; young

uncouth

rude; vulgar; unrefined

cherubim

winged, angelic beings; divine attendants

aloft

high; overhead

leer

smirk; sneer; stare

surcease

cease; end

toil

work; effort

maidenly

modest; chaste; demure

pompous

arrogant; pretentious; haughty

leadenly

heavily; wearily

upstart

climbing; newly started

sauntered

strolled; meandered

plush

luxurious; lavish

primly

properly; demurely; precisely

unseemly

inappropriate; indecorous; improper

prissy

fussy; picky; prudish

scrub

a type of vegetation that includes low shrubs

cowslips

small, yellow flowers

coachgrass

quack grass

gaudy

flashy; showy; tacky

portly

stout; fat; overweight

enigmatic

mysterious; inexplicable; puzzling

rampant

uncontrolled; widespread; unchecked

dissembles

pretends; feigns; masks

carp

complain; grumble

saucily

sassily; impertinently; imprudently

stump

walk heavily; stomp

sly

cunning; crafty; deceitful

conspiratorial

plotting; secretive

middling

those in their prime

pinafore

an apron without sleeves

piped

trimmed; decorated

velveteen

cotton fabric imitating velvet

resplendent

impressive; shining; beautiful

boudoir

lightweight head covering

shrilled

loud, high-pitched, piercing sound

tweaked

adjusted; changed

chortling

laughing; gleeful

frizzled

curled; tangled

bolts

rolled fabric

bulky

large; heavy

burr

roll the r

daft

dumb; silly; foolish

idle

inactive; lazy

bluffs

steep cliff; bank

switches

stick; branch

pudgy

plump; fat; chubby

bonneted

wearing a bonnet

garishly

tastefully; excessively

serge

durable, wool fabric

sultanas

dried grapes

flout

disregard; defy

ire

fury; anger; wrath

barefaced

shameless; unconcealed

poised

composed; calm

hawkish

aggressive; hard line

fritters

wastes; spends

embalming

chemical preservatives to delay decomposition

ghoul

an evil spirit or ghost

shambling

slow, awkward movement

sissy

weak; coward; feminin

gawky

awkward; clumsy; ungraceful

bawling

scolding; reprimanding

parsimonious

frugal; stingy

coy

shy; modest; flirtatious; appealing

casement

window opening outwards

shrew

bad-tempered, nagging, scolding

disposed

minded; inclined

newel

post for a staircase

peaked

thin; pale; sickly

incongruously

unsuitably; absurdly

paisley

colourful

baronetcy

below a baron, above a knight

flailing

erratic; frantic

claymores

two-edged swords

eightsome

Scottish dance

jack

everyone

shanties

hits or shacks

velour

soft, knitted fabric