Graveyard Book Vocabulary

expostulate

to present reasons against something you oppose

dubiously

doubtfully or uncertainly

culmination

highest or final point

methodical

acting in a systematic way

insinuated

brought in gradually

sparse

thinly spread or distributed

perpetuity

forever

endured

lasted

vague

unclear because someone does not give enough detailed information or does not say exactly what they mean

drab

not bright in colour, especially in a way that stops you from feeling cheerful

common

happening often and to many people or in many places

frantically

extremely worried and frightened about a situation, so that you cannot control your feelings

guttural

describing a voice or sound that seems to be produced deep in someone's throat

lucid

expressed in a way that is clear and easy to understand

imaginary

not real, but produced from pictures or ideas in your mind

rarely

not often

scavenger

a person who searches through things that other people do not want, for food or useful objects; an animal that will eat anything it can find

crypt

a room under a church, used in the past for burying people

undertaker

someone whose job is to arrange funerals

sensible

reasonable, practical, and showing good judgment (don't confuse with "sensitive")

loathing

a very strong feeling of hatred

unflappable

having the ability to stay calm and not become upset, even in difficult situations

hinges

a piece of metal fastened to a door, lid etc that allows it to swing open and shut

sinew

a part of your body that connects a muscle to a bone

ivory

creamy white color

crook

bent or curved part

awe

a feeling of great respect and liking for someone or something; a feeling of amazement

buff

to polish something with a cloth

embrace

to put your arms around someone and hold them in a friendly or loving way; to eagerly accept a new idea, opinion, religion etc

gazing

looking at someone or something for a long time, giving it all your attention, often without realizing you are doing so

municipal

relating to or belonging to the government of a town or city

ornate

covered with a lot of decoration

prohibition

the act of saying that something is illegal

mingle

to move around the room and talk to lots of different people at a party; to mix two things together

apprentice

someone who works for an employer for a fixed period of time in order to learn a particular skill or job

beaker

a glass cup with straight sides that is used in chemistry for measuring and heating liquids

clench

to hold your hands, teeth etc together tightly, usually because you feel angry or determined

crocheting

making clothes etc from wool or cotton, using a special needle with a hook at one end

cutlass

a short sword with a curved blade, used by sailors or pirates in the past

graphite

a soft black substance that is a kind of carbon, used in pencils, paints, and electrical equipment

intimidate

to frighten or threaten someone into making them do what you want; to make someone feel worried and not confident

consternation

a feeling of anxiety or fear

dismal

dreary; miserable

derision

when you show that you think someone or something is stupid or silly (scornful contempt)

domain

area of control or influence

sinister

evil or harmful

gargantuan

huge

implacable

unable to be calmed or pacified

implore

plead with, beg

unkempt

not neat or clean in appearance

conspire

to secretly plan with someone else to do something illegal

scrutinize

to examine someone or something very carefully

perplex

to make someone feel confused because it is difficult to understand

immutable

never changing or impossible to change

peer (v.)

to look very carefully at something, especially because you are having difficulty seeing it

discomfit

to make someone feel slightly uncomfortable, annoyed, or embarrassed

habitable

good enough for people to live in

wary

careful because they think something might be dangerous or harmful