Transcript To Kill a Mockingbird Vocabulary

To Kill a Mockingbird
Vocabulary
List 2
altercation (n)


a quarrel
After one altercation when Jem
hollered, “It’s time you start bein’ a
girl and actin’ right!” I burst into tears
and fled to Calpurnia.
appalling (adj)


disgusting
His appetite was appalling, and he
told me so many times to stop
pestering him I consulted Atticus:
“Reckon he’s got a tapeworm?”
elusive (adj)


hard to pin down
Atticus paused watching me locate an
elusive redbug on my leg.
resilient (adj)


flexible
As I passed the bed, I stepped on
something warm, resilient, and
rather smooth.
reverent (adj)


full of respect
“God Almighty.” Jem’s voice was
reverent.
succinct (adj)


to the point
“Called ‘em off on a snipe hunt,” was
the succinct answer.
futility (n)
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
uselessness, hopelessness
I began to sense the futility one
feels when unacknowledged by a
chance acquaintance.
prominent (adj)


leading, widely known
Jem and Dill gave the histories and
attitudes of the more prominent
figures.
countenance (n)


appearance; face
Miss Maudie answered, “A merry heart
maketh a cheerful countenance.”
complacently (adv)


in a self-satisfied way
Mr. Ewell wrote on the back of the
envelope and looked up complacently
to see Judge Taylor staring at him…
mollified (v)


soothed
Mollified, Mayella gave Atticus a final
tearful glance.
exodus (n)


mass journey
As a rule, recess meant a general
exodus, but today people weren’t
moving.
expunge (v)


delete
Judge Taylor told the reporter to
expunge anything he had happened to
write down.
impudent (adj)


cocky; characterized by offensive
boldness
“Are you being impudent to me, boy,”
he said.
aridity (adj):


dryness
His voice had lost its aridity, its
detachment, and he was talking to the
jury as if they were folks on the post
office corner.
iota (n)


bit
The state has not produced one iota of
medical evidence to the effect that the
crime Tom Robinson is charged with
ever took place.
contraband (n)


smuggled goods
In this case, she was no child hiding
stolen contraband.
temerity (n)


fearless daring; recklessness;
nerve
And so a quiet, respectable, humble
Negro who had the temerity to feel
sorry for a white woman has had to
put his word against two white
people.