miranda vocabulary list 1

ale

any of various types of beer, usually one that is dark and bitter

ancestral

of, belonging to, or inherited from an ancestor or ancestors

arabesque

a type of design based on flowers, leaves, and branches twisted together, found especially in Islamic art

arbor

a sheltered place in a garden formed by trees and bushes that are grown to partly surround it

atrocious

of very bad quality

barred

if a door is barred, a bar of wood or metal has been put across it so that it cannot be opened

basely

in a way that shows no honour or morals

to bud

to produce buds (a bud is a small part of a plant, that develops into a flower or leaf) 

bulbous

if a part of the body is bulbous, it is fat and round

burden

something difficult or unpleasant that you have to deal with or worry about

conscientiously

in a careful way that involves a lot of effort

chintz

cotton cloth, usually with patterns of flowers, that has a slightly shiny appearance

coheir (also co-heir)

someone who is an heir (=a person who legally receives money, property, etc. from someone when they die) together with one or more other people

congenial

friendly and pleasant

contradiction

the fact of something being the complete opposite of something else or very different from something else, so that one of them must be wrong

convolution

a twist

to creep

to move slowly, quietly, and carefully, usually in order to avoid being noticed 

debased

worse than before, especially morally; less valuable or deserving less respect than before

deceit

(an act of) keeping the truth hidden, especially to get an advantage

delirium tremens (the DTs)

a physical condition, caused by drinking too much alcohol over a long period, in which you shake without being able to stop and see imaginary things

derision

the situation in which someone or something is laughed at and considered stupid or of no value

dim

not seen clearly

draught

a current of unpleasantly cold air blowing through a room

dreadfully

extremely

to dwell

to keep thinking or talking about something, especially something bad or unpleasant; to live somewhere (literary)

earnest

very serious and sincere

elm

a large tree that loses its leaves in winter, or the wood from this tree

enduring

continuing for a long time; lasting

everlastingness

the state or quality of being everlasting

faint

not strong or clear; slight

fatuity

the quality of being stupid, not correct, or not properly thought about

felicity

happiness, luck, or a condition that produces positive results

flamboyant

brightly coloured and easily noticed

florid

with too much decoration or detail

fretful

behaving in a way that shows you are unhappy, worried, or uncomfortable

frieze

a narrow piece of decoration along a wall, either inside a room or on the outside of a building just under the roof

galore

in great amounts or numbers

ghostliness

the quality of being pale and transparent in a way that does not seem real, like a ghost

gloomily

in an unhappy way, or in a way that expresses little hope

gnarly

rough and twisted, especially because of old age or no protection from bad weather

gnawed (on)

chewed, crunched (on), chomped (on)

gouged

dug out or cut in a rough or violent way

headlong

with great speed or without thinking

to hinder

to limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something

horrid

unpleasant or unkind

to hover

to stand somewhere, especially near another person, eagerly or nervously waiting for their attention

impertinence

behaviour that is rude and does not show respect, especially towards someone older or in a higher position than you

inexplicable

unable to be explained or understood

intact

complete and in the original state, not damaged or destroyed

interminable

continuing for too long and therefore boring or annoying

lease

a legal agreement in which you pay money in order to use a building, piece of land, vehicle, etc. for a period

to loll

to lie or sit in a relaxed, informal way, or to hang loosely

lurid

too brightly coloured

mere

used to emphasize that something is not large or important

parlor

(especially in the past) a room in a private house used for relaxing, especially one that was kept clean and neat for entertaining guests

peculiarity

something that is typical of one person, group, or thing

perplexing

confusing, often because you do not know how to solve something

perseverance

continued effort to do or achieve something, even when this is difficult or takes a long time

phosphate

a chemical compound that contains phosphorus

plaster

a substance that becomes hard as it dries and is used especially for spreading on walls and ceilings in order to give a smooth surface

plunge

a sudden movement or fall forward, down, or into something

to plunge off

to move or fall suddenly forward, down, or into something

queer

strange, unusual, or not expected

querulous

often complaining, especially in a weak high voice

ravages

the damage caused by disease, time, war, etc.

repellent

making you feel strong disapproval and that you do not want to be involved with someone or something

reproachful

expressing disapproval or disappointment

revolting

extremely unpleasant

riotous

very loud and uncontrolled, and full of energy

Romanesque

the style of building that was common in western and southern Europe from the 10th to the 12th centuries

to scoff

to laugh and talk about a person or idea in a way that shows that you think they are stupid or silly

seldom

not often, rarely

to shriek

to utter a high-pitched piercing sound or words, especially as an expression of terror, pain, or excitement

to skulk

to hide or move around as if trying not to be seen, usually with bad intentions

slanting

sloping in one direction

sly

deceitful or cunning

smooch

(in the past) a dirty mark

somersault

a rolling movement or jump, either forwards or backwards, in which you turn over completely, with your body above your head, and finish with your head on top again

splintered

broken into small, sharp pieces

sprawling

existing or reaching over a large area

to sprout

to produce leaves, hair, or other new developing parts, or (of leaves, hair, and other developing parts) to begin to grow

stern

severe, or showing disapproval

stimulus

something that causes growth or activity

to stir

to move or to cause something to move slightly

to stoop (down)

to bend the top half of the body forward and down

to strangle

to kill someone by pressing their throat so that they cannot breathe

subdued

if a noise is subdued, it is not loud

sulphur

a pale yellow chemical element that exists in various physical forms; it burns with a blue flame and a strong smell and is used in medicine and industry

superstition

belief that is not based on human reason or scientific knowledge, but is connected with old ideas about magic, etc.

tiresome

annoying and making you lose patience

toadstool

a mushroom (= a fungus that grows soft parts above the ground that produce spores) that has a round top part on a stem and that is poisonous or unpleasant to eat

to trample (upon)

to step heavily on something or someone, causing damage or injury

undertaking

a job, business, or piece of work

undulating

having a smoothly rising and falling form or outline

untenanted

used to describe a building or land that does not have a tenant  
(= a person who pays rent for its use)

vicious

used to describe an object, condition, or remark that causes great physical or emotional pain

to waddle

to walk with short steps, swinging the body from one side to the other, like a duck

wallowing

lying or rolling around slowly in deep, wet dirt, sand, or water

wharf

an area like a wide wall built near the edge of the sea or a river where ships can be tied and goods can be taken off them

whim

sudden wish or idea, especially one that cannot be reasonably explained