Never Let Me Go

agitated

worried; upset

bedsit

a one-room apartment

jockey

struggle to gain something

relish

enjoy greatly

daft

silly; foolish

tantrum

uncontrolled outburst of anger

rave

talk wildly or incoherently

layabout

a lazy person

sheepish

showing embarrassment

prolific

producing many things

meander

wander aimlessly

relentless

constant; never giving up

crestfallen

very disappointed

reproachful

showing disapproval

eavesdrop

secretly listen

provisional

for the present; temporary

squat

short and chunky

inkling

a slight suspicion

indulgent

tolerant; overlooking faults

bedlam

a scene of wild confusion

loiter

stand around without purpose

saunter

walk in a slow, relaxed way

acquisitive

obsessed with attaining things

ambivalent

having mixed feelings

marketable

in demand; sellable

bumper

extremely large; successful

thwart

prevent from succeeding

coerce

persuade by force/ with threats

uncanny

strange; mysterious

redeem

make up for faults or mistakes

foible

weak characteristic; eccentricity

abduction

taking someone away by force

defiant

rebellious; openly disobedient

conspirator

someone part of a harmful plan

furtive

stealthy; guiltily secret

precarious

uncertain; unsafe; likely to fall

innocuous

harmless; inoffensive

civil

courteous; polite

remorse

deep regret; guilt

quandary

uncertainty

albeit

though

complacent

smug; self-satisfied

fathom

understand

waylay

intercept; ambush

distraught

very worried; upset

reconcile (oneself) to

accept

mill

move around; swarm

vital

essential

rowdy

noisy; disorderly

conspiracy theory

belief in a secret plot

crafty

cunning; deceitful

contortion

twisting out of shape

allusion

indirect reference

perpetrator

one who commits (a crime)

impinge

have an effect

commandeer

officially take or control

successor

one who replaces; next one

bon-homie (bonhomie)

good-natured friendliness

disservice

harmful action

negligible

insignificant; unimportant

engross

dominate attention

keyed up

nervous; tense; excited

animated

lively

tenuous

slight; weak

frivolous

superficial; not serious

nonchalance

calm, casual attitude

daunted

intimidated; worried

languid

inactive; still

incongruous

out of place; not fitting

audible

can be heard

scrutinise

examine or inspect closely

cramp (s.o.’s) style

prevent from acting freely

retaliate

attack in return; get even

blasé

unimpressed; indifferent

purge

remove; get rid of

kick(s)

thrill; excitement

fretful

anxious; irritated

spate

flood; rush

reservation(s)

doubt

feasible

possible; practical

patronising

kind in a superior way

solitude

being alone

wisecrack

witty remark; joke

acute

keen; highly sensitive

affirm

declare; state publicly

far cry

very different

unnerving

disconcerting; worrying

stonewall

delay by refusing to answer

stilted

stiff; awkward

vulnerable

exposed to attack or harm

wary

cautious

ordeal

long, painful experience

well-appointed

highly-equipped

fall short (of)

lack something

hub

centre of things

featureless

without interesting aspects

decipher

figure out; interpret

soppy

overly sentimental

emaciated

abnormally thin or weak

allude

hint at; mention