Chapter 12

seep [siːp]

though the sun had gone down and twilight seemed to seep up, somehow, from the ground itself

Gradually the pain seeped away.

(especially of liquids) to flow slowly and in small quantities through something or into something

просачиваться, протекать

benevolent [bəˈnevələnt]

What a benevolent girl you are.

She gave a benevolent smile to the frightened child.

kind and helpful

доброжелательный, благожелательный, благосклонный

stiff [stɪf]

there were only the dark stiff branches of the chestnut in Mrs Rider’s garden

He felt stiff after sitting for hours at his desk.

not easily bent or moved; firm or hard

жёсткий, негнущийся

strand [strænd]

…where now the black strands of the telephone wires swooped across the wall.

She found a single strand of hair on her coat.

a thin piece of thread, wire, hair, etc., or one of several connected threads, wires, etc.

нить, прядь; аспект, элемент

evasive [ɪˈveɪsɪv]

Passing the two or three Victorian houses that survived among the new buildings beside the Parks she had another, equally evasive, memory of having seen them.

He gave an evasive answer when asked about his plans.

not willing to give clear answers or information

уклончивый

perplexed [pərˈplekst]

The man stared at her, perplexed. ‘What?’

She looked perplexed by the complicated instructions.

confused because something is difficult to understand or solve

озадаченный, смущенный

puddle [ˈpʌdl]

…the same landscape in reverse shining up from the puddles.

The children jumped in every puddle they saw after the rain

a small amount of water, mud, etc., on the ground

лужа

crumple [ˈkrʌmpl] / uncrumpled [ʌnˈkrʌmpld]

In all my life, I have hardly ever picked up a clean, uncrumpled newspaper.

She crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it away.

to crush something so that it becomes soft, folds, or creases / not crushed or wrinkled

мять, комкать / разглаженный, расправленный

grievance [ˈɡriːvəns]

Child-Clare-What are your private grievances?

The workers voiced their grievances about the new work schedule.

a complaint or feeling of being treated unfairly

обида, жалоба, недовольство

tartly [ˈtɑːrtli]

‘Because it is extremely dull,’ said Aunt Susan tartly.

He replied tartly when asked why he was late.

in a way that is sharp or cutting in tone or manner

колко, резко

tedious [ˈtiːdiəs]

Tedious, to put it mildly.

The lecture was so tedious that many students fell asleep.

boring and lasting for a long time

утомительный, скучный

так сказать

as it were

невнимательный

unobservant

вот умница

what a benevolent girl

встать на ноги

stand on her own feet

вьющаяся роза

climbing rose

изобретательность

inventiveness

покоситься

look sideways

сохранить для потомства

preserved for posterity ([pɒˈsterəti])

мягко говоря

to put it mildly

Daily massacre of newspapers

This is a figurative expression referring to Aunt Anne’s habit of crumpling and disorganizing the newspapers, making them difficult to read.

Massacre [ˈmæsəkə] - the killing of a large number of people especially in a cruel way