Vocabulary from Anne of Green Gables

A comprehensive vocabulary list with definitions used in Anne of Green Gables.

Brooke

A small stream/river.

She sat by the brooke, listening to the water. 

Meadows

A piece of grassland.

The cows grazed in the meadows. 

Scope

Opportunity or freedom for action.

The project offers great scope for creativity. 

Prowling

To move around quietly.

The cat was prowling around the house. 

Sorrow

Deep sadness.

He felt deep sorrow after hearing the bad news. 

Wistful

Sad and thinking about something that is impossible or in the past.

I thought about those days in Spain and grew wistful. 

Foreign missionary

A religious worker in another country.

The foreign missionary dedicated his life to helping others. 

Fiddlesticks

To say that something is nonsense.

"That’s just fiddlesticks!" he said. 

Ejaculated

To shout or say something suddenly.

"That’s amazing!" he ejaculated. 

Ludicrously

In a way that is stupid or unreasonable and deserves to be laughed at.

It's a beautiful dress, but it's ludicrously expensive. 

Ruminated

To think carefully and for a long period about something.
(there is min(minutes) in it, so it takes lot of time)

He ruminated on his past decisions. 

Parlour

A sitting room.

They had tea in the parlour. 

Squeak

To make a short, very high cry or sound.

The door squeaked when opened. 

Daintily

In an attractive, careful way, especially used about something small or having small movements. =Delicately, gracefully.

She ate daintily with small bites. 

Mortification

Great embarrassment.

He turned red in mortification. 

Coals

A hard, black substance that is dug from the earth.

Some of those schools still use coal for their heating. 

Scolding

The act of speaking angrily to someone because you disapprove of their behavior.

He gave his son a scolding for coming home so late. 

Plead

Emotional statement or request for something.

She pleaded for another chance. 

Agony

Extreme physical or mental pain.

He screamed in agony. 

Indignant

Angry because of something that is wrong or not fair.

He became very indignant when it was suggested he had made a mistake. 

Spanking

Hitting as punishment.

The boy received a spanking. 

Countenance

Expression of someone's face.

His countenance showed surprise. 

Staunchly

Very strongly.

She staunchly defended her beliefs. 

Solemnly

Seriously and without any humor.

He solemnly swore to tell the truth. 

Rapturously

With great pleasure.

They greeted her rapturously. 

Perquisites

Special privileges.

One of the perquisites of the job was a car. 

Fluctuated

Varied or changed frequently.

her weight fluctuates wildly. 

Behold

To see or look at someone or something.

She beholds her transformation in the mirror. 

Warranted

Justified or necessary.

His reaction was warranted. 

Dunce

A person who is slow to learn.

He was called a dunce in school. 

Harness

Used to control or hold in place a person, animal, or object.

He harnessed the baby into her car seat. 

Estranged

Lacking interest in and no longer close or friendly with someone.

It's sad to see someone estranged from their parents. 

Promptness

The quality of doing something quickly and without delay.

His promptness impressed his boss. 

The Kettle

A metal pot for boiling water.

She put the kettle on for tea. 

Lingering

Lasting a long time.

She had a lingering feeling of sadness. 

Henceforth

Starting from this time.

Henceforth, I will be more careful. 

Oblivion

The state of being completely forgotten.

The old book faded into oblivion. 

Distinguish

Understand the difference between two things.

She could distinguish right from wrong. 

Meekly

Without arguing or expressing opinions.

He meekly accepted the arrangement. 

Vexed

Annoyed or frustrated.

She was vexed by his behavior. 

Fortnight

Two Weeks.

We spent a fortnight in Rome. 

Determined

Showing the strong desire to follow a particular plan.

He is a very determined man. 

Caper

Action that is amusing but wrong.

The child did a caper of joy. 

Dreadful

Terrible or awful.

The weather was dreadful. 

Capricious

Changing mood or behavior suddenly.

She was a capricious child. 

Reluctant

Not willing to do something and therefore slow to do it.

I was having such a good time I was reluctant to leave. 

Resurrection

Rising from the dead.

The story speaks of resurrection. 

Echo

Repeating sound.

His voice was aechoing in the cave. 

Reverie

Daydream.

She was lost in a reverie. 

Eagerly

You want to do or have something very much.

His autobiography will be one of the most eagerly awaited books of the season. 

Inexorable

Unstoppable.

Aging is an inexorable process. 

Shudder

To shake suddenly.

He sight of so much blood made him shudder. 

Goblin

A small, ugly creature.

The goblin was very small. 

Lurk

Stay hidden, waiting to attack.

Someone was lurking in the shadows. 

Slate

In the past, used for writing on, especially by children.

She wrote on the slate. 

Damp

Slightly wet.

The air felt damp.  

Handkerchief

Used for cleaning the nose. = Taschentuch

She took out her handkerchief and blew her nose loudly. 

Farewell

Goodbye.

She said a farewell speech. 

Remorseful

Feeling sad and guilty.

She was immediately remorseful for saying it. 

Pupil

A student in school.

The pupil answered the question. 

Depths of despair

A state of extreme sadness.

He felt like he was in the depths of despair. 

Allowance

An amount of something that you are allowed.

The baggage allowance for most flights is 20 kilos. 

Manse

A minister's house.

The pastor lived in a large manse. 

Widower

A man whose wife has died.

The widower lived alone.  

Amid

In the middle of.

She stood amid the flowers. 

Dissipation

Behavior that involves spending too much time enjoying physical pleasures. =Wasteful living

His dissipation led to financial ruin. 

Preach

Deliver a religious speech.

The priest will preach on Sunday. 

Congregation

A group of people who have come together in a religious building for worship and prayer.

The priest asked the congregation to kneel. 

Exquisite

Extremely beautiful.

Look at this exquisite painting. 

Acquainted

Knowing or being familiar with a person.

Do you know Megan?" "No, we’re not acquainted." 

Aforesaid

Mentioned earlier.

The aforesaid rules must be followed. 

Afloat

Floating on water.

The boat remained afloat after the storm. 

Dryad

A nymph who lives in a tree or the forest.

The dryad guarded the oak. 

Feast

A special meal with very good food.

The King hosted a feast. 

Abundance

More than enough of something.

There was an abundance of food at the wedding. 

Bewildering

Confusing and difficult to understand.

He gave me directions to his house, but I found them bewildering. 

Flee

Escape by running away.

She fled from the room in tears. 

Forlornly

In a way that shows that you are alone and unhappy.

She sat forlornly looking out to sea. 

Tribulation

A problem or difficulty.

She endured many tribulations in life. 

Garment

A piece of clothing.

The boom in garment production has had a significant impact on both regions. 

Shine

To send out or reflect light.

The sun shone all afternoon. 

Treble

Three times greater in amount, number, or size.

He earns almost treble the amount that I do. 

Sufficiently

Enough.

He was sufficiently prepared for the test. 

Conceive

To imagine something.

I think my uncle still conceives of me as a four-year-old. 

Plunge

To move or fall suddenly.

We ran down to the beach and plunged into the sea. 

Fulfilment

A feeling of pleasure and satisfaction because you are happy with your life. =happy because of achievement

Her job gives her a great sense of fulfilment. 

Waif

A child without home or enough food and care.

She is a poor little waif. 

Prim

Very formal and correct in behavior.

She sat in a prim and proper manner. 

Rustle

Soft sound of movement.

The leaves rustled in the wind. 

Breach

Act of breaking a law, promise or agreement.

He was fired for breaching the company rules. 

Slab

A large, thick, flat piece.

He ate a whole slab of chocolate. 

Awe

A feeling of wonder or respect.

I've always held musicians in awe. 

Doer

A person who takes action.

The world needs more doers than talkers. 

Deficient

Lacking or not good enough.

His theory is deficient in several respects. 

Dismay

A feeling of unhappiness and disappointment.

She looked at the mess in dismay. 

Stumble

Tripped or lost balance.

He stumbled over a rock. 

Simultaneous

Happening at the same time.

The two events were simultaneous. 

Frantically

In a hurried, nervous way.

She searched frantically for her keys. 

Dizzily

If everything is turning around, and that you are not able to balance.

He stood up dizzily after the ride. 

Ridgepole

The horizontal pole of a tent or a house.

The workers carefully placed the ridgepole to support the new roof.