TKAM ~ Vocabulary for Chapters 7-12

aberrations

(noun) something (such as a problem or a type of behavior) that is unusual or unexpected

Sentence: Mr. Avery said it was written on the Rosetta Stone that when children disobeyed their parents, smoked cigarettes and made war on each other, the seasons would change: Jem and I were burdened with the guilt of contributing to the _____________ of nature, thereby causing unhappiness to our neighbors and discomfort to ourselves.

appalling

(adjective) very bad in a way that causes fear, shock, or disgust

Sentence: Jem was twelve. He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, and moody. His appetite was ___________, and he told me so many times to stop pestering him I consulted Atticus: "Reckon he's got a tapeworm?" Atticus said no, Jem was growing. I must be patient with him and disturb him as little as possible.

beholden

(adjective) owing a favor or gift to; having obligations to someone

Sentence: "She said she was going to leave this world __________ to nothing and nobody."

burdensome

(adjective) causing difficulty or worry

Sentence: When the new wore off his grandfather's watch, and carrying it became a day's _____________ task, Jem no longer felt the necessity of ascertaining the hour every five minutes.

caricatures

(noun) a drawing that makes someone look funny or foolish because some part of the person's appearance is exaggerated

Sentence: "I don't care what you do, so long as you do something," said Atticus. "You can't go around making _____________ of the neighbors."

contentious

(adjective) likely to cause people to argue or disagree

Sentence: Don't pay no 'tention to Lula, she's _____________ because Reverend Sykes threatened to church her.

diligently

(adverb) careful hard work; continued effort

Sentence: We were surprised one morning to see a cartoon in the Montgomery Advertiser above the caption, "Maycomb's Finch." It showed Atticus barefooted and in short pants, chained to a desk: he was _____________ writing on a slate while some frivolous-looking girls yelled, "Yoo-hoo!" at him.

feeble

(adjective) very weak; not good enough; not successful or effective

Sentence: Atticus was ____________: he was nearly fifty. When Jem and I asked him why he was so old, he said he got started late, which we felt reflected upon his abilities and manliness.

inconspicuous

(adjective) not very easy to see or notice

Sentence: With these attributes, however, he would not remain as ____________ as we wished him to: that year, the school buzzed with talk about him defending Tom Robinson, none of which was complimentary.

ingenuous

(adjective) having or showing the innocence, trust, and honesty that young people often have

Sentence: The fact that Aunty was a good cook was some compensation for being forced to spend a religious holiday with Francis Hancock. He was a year older than I, and I avoided him on principle: he enjoyed everything I disapproved of, and disliked my _____________ diversions.

innate

(adjective) existing from the time a person or animal is born

Sentence: I was proceeding on the dim theory, aside from the ________ attractiveness of such words, that if Atticus discovered I had picked them up at school he wouldn't make me go.

inordinately

(adverb) going beyond what is usual, normal, or proper

Sentence: Cousin Ike Finch was Maycomb County's sole surviving Confederate veteran. He wore a General Hood type beard of which he was ______________ vain.

livid

(adjective) very angry; furious

Sentence: I did not remember our mother, but Jem did—he would tell me about her sometimes—and he went _________ when Mrs. Dubose shot us this message.

obstreperous

(adjective) difficult to control and often noisy

Sentence: Uncle Jack put his hands on his hips and looked down at me. "And why do I not understand children, Miss Jean Louise? Such conduct as yours required little understanding. It was ______________, disorderly and abusive—"

peril

(adjective) the possibility that you will be hurt or killed or that something unpleasant or bad will happen; danger

Sentence: Atticus turned and saw my generous target bending over her bushes. He pushed his hat to the back of his head and crossed the street. "Maudie," he called, "I thought I'd better warn you. You're in considerable __________."

procured

(verb) to get [something] by some action or effort; obtain

Sentence: Jem __________ some peachtree switches from the back yard, plaited them, and bent them into bones to be covered with dirt.

quelled

(verb) to end or stop [something] usually by force; to calm or reduce something [fear or worry]

Sentence: Miss Maudie's tin roof ___________ the flames. Roaring, the house collapsed; fire gushed everywhere, followed by a flurry of blankets from men on top of the adjacent houses, beating out sparks and burning chunks of wood.

rendered

(verb) to cause [someone or something] to be in a specified condition

Sentence: "Ar-r, Miss Maudie can't chew gum—" Jem broke into a grin. "You know, she can talk real pretty sometimes. One time I asked her to have a chew and she said no thanks, that—chewing gum cleaved to her palate and ___________ her speechless," said Jem carefully.

unfathomable

(adjective) impossible to understand

Sentence: For reasons ______________ to the most experienced prophets in Maycomb County, autumn turned to winter that year.

undulate

(verb) to move or be shaped like waves

Sentence: From time to time she would open her mouth wide, and I could see her tongue ____________ faintly. Cords of saliva would collect on her lips; she would draw them in, then open her mouth again.