Vocabulary from The Joy Luck Club

shabby

of substandard quality

scurried

scampered; went quickly with light steps

meager

small or deficient in quantity

somber

serious

unanimously

completely in agreement

translucent

allowing some light to pass through

cultivate

grow; encourage; promote

generosity

willingness to give; giving

dowry

money or property brought by a bride to her husband

concubines

secondary wives

insolent

arrogant; presumptuous and insulting

bloated

swelled up

mute

speechless

membranes

thin layer of tissue

genuine

real

cicadas

insects that make high-pitched, droning sound

penetrate

pierce; force into

pretense

false appearance

felicitous

suitable; appropriate

invaded

entered by force to conquer

declaration

statement

remorseful

regretful; sorrowful

extracted

pulled out

simmering

cooking just below boiling point

acrid

unpleasant to the taste or smell

posterity

future generations

transparent

clear

presumptuous

excessively forward

pavilion

a shelter open to the air

waned

decreased

erupted

became violently active; exploded

illusion

false perception of reality

strategy

plan

eluded

escaped the understanding of

deftly

skillfully

benefactor

one who gives aid, esp. financial aid

distract

divert

touted

publicly praised

phlegmy

full of mucus

malodorous

bad-smelling

concessions

compromises

chasm

abyss; gorge; steep-sided hole

caucasian

light-skinned; often a person of European descent

jauntily

having a buoyant or self-confident attitude

pardon

forgive

cautiously

carefully

stagnant

motionless

stunned

astounded; dazed

babbling

talking in nonsense

ironic

contrary to what is expected

chagrined

distressed; put out; ill at ease

verbatim

word for word

obsessing

thinking continually about something

trivial

of little importance

regal

royal

sentinel

guard

taut

tight

prodigy

exceptional talents or person with exceptional talents

bellows

very loud, deep sounds

mesmerizing

hypnotizing

sauciness

quality of being impossible to control or repress

encore

additional performance in response to the demand of the audience

inevitable

unavoidable; bound to happen

laments

regrets

remorse

feeling of regret for one's misdeeds or sins

vehemence

intensity

podiatrist

foot doctor

retching

vomiting

exasperated

at the end of patience; irritated

radically

departing from the norm; extremely

disparaging

belittling

pristine

in perfect condition

irrevocable

can't be changed back

benevolent

characterized by being or doing good

sonorous

full, deep or rich in sound

vulnerable

able to be hurt

inventory

take a count of

version

description or account from one point of view

foyer

entrance hall

irrational

not reasonable

despicable

deserving strong dislike; vile

surveyed

looked over

anchored

attached; held on to

covenant

agreement

evict

to put out, throw out or expel

ruse

a crafty strategy or plan

preamble

introductory occurrence or statement

paranoid

characterized by extreme fear or distrust of others

remnants

left-overs

chastise

criticize; punish; reprimand

bazaars

street markets

porter

person who carries baggage

canopy

roof-like covering

extravagant

beyond necessary; luxurious

simpering

silly or self-conscious

nirvana

place of perfect happiness

revere

treat with respect

smirk

offensively self-satisfied smile

chided

scold mildly to correct or improve

vain

conceited; proud