The Helpful Robots Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and key definitions derived from the science fiction story 'The Helpful Robots' by Robert Joseph Shea.

Edgy

Nervous and irritable.

Grated

Spoke in a sharp, unpleasant, metallic voice.

Squinted

Partly closed his eyes to see more clearly.

Scram

Go away quickly.

Battered

Damaged, because of continuous use.

Gab

To talk a lot about unimportant things.

Jaw

A term used to describe talking or arguing at length, similar in meaning to 'gab'.

Terran Empire

A fictional empire that exists in the future, in an alternate universe, which is ruled by earthlings, known as Terrans.

Bristled with rage

Reacted very angrily.

Jurisdiction

The authority of a court or official organization to make decisions and judgments.

Cracked a safe

Opened a safe without permission, and without using a key or combination.

Confederacy

A group of states or people who join together for a particular purpose, usually related to politics or trade.

Appropriated their services

Used their abilities or skills for his own benefit in an unfair way, without asking their permission.

Outpost

A small place, station or camp, situated some distance away from the headquarters of a government or army.

Subject to a higher law

The condition of having to obey a more important law than simple orders.

Colonised

Took control of land outside the borders of the place they came from.

Help Thy Neighbour

The fundamental law laid down for the race of robots belonging to the Clearchan Confederacy.

Rankin's Robot Labourers

A group of $100$ robots standing $10\text{\,feet}$ tall with cylindrical bodies and pipestem arms and legs.

Grey Robots

The $3$ robots that arrived from a huge, white globe to pass judgement on Rankin for his crimes.