Chapter 1-3

Vice

A moral weakness or failing.

Manila folder

A folder made of Manila paper used for organizing documents.

To stab

To thrust a knife or sharp weapon into.

Breastbone

The flat bone in the center of the chest, also known as the sternum.

To sever

To cut off or separate.

Get the hang of

To learn how to do something, especially after initial difficulty.

Patio

A paved outdoor area adjoining a house.

Unattended

Not being watched or looked after.

Patch up

To repair or mend something.

To beam

To smile radiantly with happiness.

Grimly

In a stern or forbidding manner.

Warehouse

A large building where goods are stored.

Paramount

More important than anything else; supreme.

Cold callers

Individuals who make unsolicited calls to potential customers.

Innocuous

Not harmful or offensive.

Lush

Luxuriant; characterized by rich, healthy growth.

Sedate

Calm, dignified, and unhurried.

Headlock

A hold in which one person's arm encircles another's head.

Cliche

An overused expression or idea.

Immaculately

In a perfectly clean or tidy manner.

Murmur

A soft or low voice; a quiet sound.

To forge

To produce a copy of a document or to create something through heating and shaping.

Lull

A temporary pause or reduction in activity.

In lieu

In place of; instead of.

Upscale

Relating to or designed for people belonging to a higher social class.

Tremendously

To a very great extent; extraordinarily.

Chainsaw

A power-saw with a toothed chain that cuts through wood.

Terrific

Excellent; great.

Smuggler

A person who moves goods illegally in or out of a country.

To venture

To dare to go somewhere or do something.

To nag at

To continually complain or criticize someone.

Acquired taste

A preference that develops over time.

Oversight

An unintentional failure to notice or do something.

To head

To move in a specific direction.

Cattle grid

A device used to prevent cattle from crossing a boundary.

Convent

A religious community of women, particularly in Christianity.

Serenity

The state of being calm and peaceful.

Jigsaw

A puzzle consisting of various interlocking pieces.

Intact

Not damaged or impaired; whole.

Loopholes

Ambiguities or inadequacies in the law that allow for circumvention.

Quirky

Characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits.