English Modern Literature Vocabulary I

Front 1

throbling

Back 1

pulsating

Front 2

palled

Back 2

pale

Front 3

tuft

Back 3

a number of short pieces of hair, grass

Front 4

to lop

Back 4

to cut with a single action

Front 5

stump

Back 5

the part of something such as a tree,tooth, arm, or leg that is left after most of it has been removed

Front 6

to huddle

Back 6

to come close together in a group, or to holdyour arms and legs close to your body,especially because of cold or fear

Front 7

sentry

Back 7

a soldier who guards a place, usually by standing at its entrance

Front 8

sod

Back 8

soil or ground/ an unpleasant or difficult person

Front 9

to gnash

Back 9

to bring your top and bottom teeth together quickly

Front 10

to thwart

Back 10

to stop something from happening or someone from doing something

Front 11

to sprawl

Back 11

to spread the arms and legs out carelesslyand untidily while sitting or lying down

Front 12

hurdle

Back 12

a frame or fence for jumping over in a race

Front 13

skein

Back 13

a length of wool or thread collected together into the shape of a loose ring

Front 14

shin

Back 14

the front part of your leg between your kneeand your foot

Front 15

to totter

Back 15

to walk with difficulty in a way that looks as if you are about to fall

Front 16

aslant

Back 16

a position or direction that is sloping

Front 17

straggler

Back 17

a person or animal that is last in a group to do something or the last to get to or leave a place

Front 18

to traipse

Back 18

to walk from one place to another, often feeling tired or bored

Front 19

bower

Back 19

a pleasant place under the branches of a tree in a wood or garden

Front 20

filigree

Back 20

delicate jewellery made from twisted, especiallysilver, wire / decorative, open patterns

Front 21

to maul

Back 21

If an animal mauls someone, it attacks thatperson and injures them with its teeth or claws

Front 22

keep / n.

Back 22

the strong main towerof a castle

Front 23

to extricate

Back 23

to remove something or set something free withdifficulty

Front 24

to yowl

Back 24

to make a long, high, unhappy cry, usually whenhurt or fighting

Front 25

blunder / to blunder

Back 25

a serious mistake, usually caused by not takingcare or thinking / v. to move in an awkward way

Front 26

frowsty

Back 26

(of a room) having an unpleasant smell because of having no fresh air

Front 27

pugnacious

Back 27

wanting to start an argument or fight, orexpressing an argument or opinion veryforcefully

Front 28

stolid

Back 28

(of a person) calm and not showing emotion or excitement, or (of a thing) not interesting or attractive

Front 29

wraith

Back 29

a spirit of a dead person, sometimes representedas a pale, transparent image of that person / something pale or weak

Front 30

to scud

Back 30

(especially of clouds and ships) to move quickly and without stopping in a straight line

Front 31

forlorn

Back 31

alone and unhappy; left alone and notcared for

Front 32

to dun

Back 32

v. to demand money from someone

Front 33

clad

Back 33

(of people) dressed, or (of things) covered

Front 34

conflagration

Back 34

a large fire that causes a lot of damage​/ a large and violent event, such as a war,involving a lot of people

Front 35

corse

Back 35

a wild bush with sharp thorns and small, yellow flowers

Front 36

to scurry

Back 36

to move quickly, with small, short steps

Front 37

to eddy

Back 37

v. If water, wind, smoke, etc. eddies, it moves fast in a circle

Front 38

to squint

Back 38

to partly close your eyes in order to see more clearly / If a person or an eye squints, the eye looks in a different direction to the other eye, because of a weakness of the eye muscles

Front 39

to eschew

Back 39

to avoid something intentionally, or to give something up

Front 40

taut

Back 40

tight or completely stretched

Front 41

to mollify

Back 41

to make someone less angry or upset

Front 42

scintilla

Back 42

a very small amount of something

Front 43

to shear

Back 43

to cut the wool of a sheep

Front 44

cleft

Back 44

an opening or a crack

Front 45

plenary

Back 45

A plenary meeting is one at which all the members of a group or organization are present

Front 46

to bob

Back 46

to move up and down gently and quickly

Front 47

to churn

Back 47

to move something, specially a liquid, with great force

Front 48

hitch

Back 48

a temporary difficulty that causes a short delay

Front 49

spangle

Back 49

a small thin piece of glittering material, typically sewn as one of many on clothing for decoration; a sequin

Front 50

to chafe

Back 50

to make or become damaged or sore by rubbing / to warm a part of the body by rubbing

Front 51

wraith

Back 51

a spirit of a dead person

Front 52

draught

Back 52

(of animals) used for pulling heavy loads,vehicles, etc.:a draught horse

Front 53

to brim

Back 53

to become full of something, especially aliquid

Front 54

pungent

Back 54

a strong smell or taste

Front 55

to quiver

Back 55

to shake slightly, often because of strong emotion

Front 56

cullender

Back 56

a usu. metal container with a perforated bottom and sides, for draining and straining foods.

Front 57

buskined

Back 57

relating to tragic drama

Front 58

enfilade

Back 58

1.a volley of gunfire directed along a line from end to end."they were mown down by an enfilade of artillery" 2.a suite of rooms with doorways in line with each other.

Front 59

mestin

Back 59

eating recipient with a pivoting handle

Front 60

salient

Back 60

The salient facts about something or qualities of something are the most important things about them

Front 61

derelict

Back 61

Derelict buildings or places are not cared for and are in bad condition

Front 62

meandering

Back 62

moving slowly in no particular direction or with no clear purpose

Front 63

to and fro

Back 63

in one direction and then in the opposite direction, a number of times

Front 64

to crumple

Back 64

to become, or cause something tobecome, full of folds that are not equal insize

Front 65

crouch

Back 65

to bend your knees and lower yourself so that you are close to the ground andleaning forward slightly

Front 66

tripehound

Back 66

an objectionable person

Front 67

ostler

Back 67

in the past, someone who took care of people's horses when they stopped at aninn

Front 68

dredging

Back 68

the process of clearing a channel or harbour by using a dredge

Front 69

to dredge up

Back 69

to come up with; to unearth

Front 70

bale

Back 70

a large amount of something such as hay,paper, wool, or cloth that has been tied tightly together

Front 71

to bale

Back 71

to tie up something tightly into bales / to remove water (U.K.)

Front 72

sluice

Back 72

an artificial channel for carrying water, with an opening at one end to control the flow of the water

Front 73

slumber

Back 73

I fell into a gentle slumber.

I didn't want to rouse you from your slumber.

Front 74

to rouse

Back 74

(reg). to wake someone up or make someone more active or excited

Front 75

to stub

Back 75

to hurt your toe by hitting it against a hard object by accident

Front 76

to revet

Back 76

To retain (an embankment, for example) with a layer of stone, concrete, or other supportingmaterial; provide with a revetment.

Front 77

sopping

Back 77

Thoroughly soaked; drenched.

Front 78

pontoon

Back 78

a small, flat boat or a metal structure of a similar shape used especially to form orsupport a temporary floating bridge

Front 79

catechumen

Back 79

1. One who is being taught the principles of Christianity.2. One who is being instructed in a subject at an elementary level.

Front 80

to strew/ strewed/ strewn

Back 80

To spread here and there; scatter or distribute: strewing flowers down the aisle

Front 81

to bulge

Back 81

to stick out in a round shape

Front 82

slat

Back 82

a thin, narrow piece of wood, plastic, ormetal used to make floors, furniture,window coverings

Front 83

facetious

Back 83

not serious about a serious subject; in an attempt to be funny or to appear clever

Front 84

to fray (reg)

Back 84

to become or to cause the threads in cloth or rope to become slightly separated, forming loose threads at the edge or end

Front 85

to farrow (reg) / farrow

Back 85

v. To give birth to / n. a litter of pigs

Front 86

to stoop (reg)

Back 86

to bend the top half of the body forwardand down:The doorway was so low that we had to stoop to go through it.Something fell out of her coat pocket and she stooped down and picked it up.

Front 87

to jolt (reg)

Back 87

to (cause something or someone to) move suddenly and violently:The train stopped unexpectedly and we were jolted forwards.

Front 88

to lurch (reg)

Back 88

to move in a way that is not regular or normal, especially making sudden movements backwards or forwards or from side to side.

Front 89

connatural

Back 89

1. Innate; inborn. 2. Related or similar in nature; cognate.

Front 90

agnate

Back 90

1. a relative whose connection is traceable exclusively through males.2. any male relation on the father's side.

Front 91

cognate

Back 91

Cognate languages and words have the same origin, or are related and in some way similar.

2. Related by blood; having a common ancestor

Front 92

footing

Back 92

1. Secure placement of the feet in standing or moving.2.a. A surface or its condition with respect to its suitability for walking or running, especiallythe condition of a racetrack.b. A secure place for the feet; a foothold.

Front 93

to tread / trod / trod

Back 93

to put your foot on something or to press something down with your foot.

Front 94

parados

Back 94

(Fortifications) a bank behind a trench or other

fortification, giving protection from being fired on from the rear

Front 95

parapet

Back 95

a low wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, etc.

Front 96

stall

Back 96

a large table or a small shop with an open front from which goods are sold in a public place

Front 97

camber

Back 97

a gradual slope down from the middle of a road to each edge, designed to make water to flow off it

Front 98

briar

Back 98

a wild bush, especially a rose bush with long stems and sharp thorns

Front 99

bristle

Back 99

a short, stiff hair, usually one of many

Front 100

pock

Back 100

1. A pustule caused by smallpox or a similar eruptive disease. 2. A mark or scar left in the skin by such a pustule; a pockmark.