Chapter 1
1. AMBLE: v. To walk slowly; walk with a leisurely gait.
 “They AMBLED across the square, shuffled in & out of the stores
around it, took their time about everything” (5).
 It was such a nice day that after the fire drill, the class AMBLED
back to the room, enjoying the warm weather.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 2
2. ENTAILMENT: n. An old-fashioned form of handing down
property (land, item, advise)
 “ENTAILMENT was only a part of Mr. Cunningham’s vexations”
(21).
 One of the most meaningful ENTAILMENTS in my family is my
grandmother’s ring that is passed down to the first daughter of
each generation.
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Chapter 3
3. FRACTIOUS: adj. Readily angered; irritable; stubborn;
difficult.
 “She had wanted to make up with me, that was it. She had always
been to hard on me, she had at last seen the error of her
FRACTIOUS ways, she was sorry and too stubborn to say so”
(29).
 The FRACTIOUS child did not understand why he must behave
while in public.
 My 1978 Chevette, with the 4 blown tires and rotten fuel pump has
always been a FRACTIOUS automobile.
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Chapter 4
4. MELANCHOLY: adj. Depression of spirits, gloomy, weary.
 “It was a MELANCHOLY little drama, woven from bits and
scraps of gossip and neighborhood legend. Mrs. Radley had been
beautiful until she married Mr. Radley and lost all of her money.”
 The best word to describe Jim is MELANCHOLY; no matter the
situation, he always walks around looking like he lost his best
friends.
 It was a MELANCHOLY day, gloomy and dark.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 5
5. GAPED: v. To become widely open, separated; to stare in
amazement.
 “Jem GAPED at him” (49).
 The deep pit GAPED before him; if he stumbled and fell, there
would be no escape.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 6
6. PROWESS: n. Exceptional skill and bravery.
 “Jem said Mr. Avery misfigured, Dill said he must drink a gallon a
day, and the ensuing contest to determine relative distances and
respective PROWESS only made me feel left out again, as I was
untalented in this area” (51).
 The PROWESS of the Sioux chief Crazy Horse in leading his
warriors into battle was legendary.
 Although Jody brags of his golf PROWESS, his friends say he
actually spends most of his time trying to find his golf ball.
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Chapter 7
7. VIGIL: n. A watch or a period of watchful attention maintained
at night or at other times.
 Next day Jem repeated his VIGIL and was rewarded” (62.)
 The nurse kept her VIGIL at the bedside of the dying man.
 She kept a VIGIL next to her mom's bedside as she got sicker.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 8
8. QUELLED: v. To extinguish; to put down or suppress by force.
 “Miss Maudie’s tin roof QUELLED the flames” (71).
 The mother attempted to QUELL the infant’s cries by singing her a
lullaby.
 The National Guard was sent in to try to QUELL the rioting
crowd.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 9
9. JAR: v. To bump or shake; to have an irritating effect.
 “Before I’m through, I intend to JAR the jury a bit – I think will
have a reasonable chance on appeal, though” (88).
 Loud rock and roll music JARS my parents’ ears.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 10
10. PERIL: n. The condition of being in danger or at risk or harm.
 “Maudie,” he called, “I thought I’d better warn you. You’re in
considerable PERIL” (91).
 Because he skipped school, Billy was in PERIL of losing his part
in the school play.
 One PERIL of sky diving is you could land in a cactus patch.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 11
11. TIRADE: n. A long, angry, or scolding speech.
 “I was expecting a TIRADE, but all she said was, “you may
commence reading, Jeremy”(106).
 When we lost the game by two points, our coach began an angry
TIRADE that lasted an hour.
 John’s mom went into a TIRADE when John wouldn’t clean his
closet.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 12
12. DISPELLED: v. To drive away.
 “It was dim inside, with a damp coolness slowly DISPELLED by
the gathering congregation” (120).
 After the crowd had been DISPELLED from the scene of the
accident, the wreckers hauled away the tangled, wrecked
automobiles.
 The professor told his student he wanted to DISPEL any thoughts
she might have of receiving a better grade than she deserved just
because he was a good friend of the family.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 13
13. DEVOID: adj. Entirely without; lacking
 “Had Sinkfield made a bold stroke to preserve his holdings,
Maycomb would have sat in the middle of Winston Swamp, a
place totally DEVOID of interest” (130).
 The deserted island was DEVOID of drinking water.
 Our football team is totally DEVOID of an offense; we haven’t
scored a touchdown in the last 4 games.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 14
14. TAUT: adj. Stretched tight; tidy.
 “Atticus had retreated behind his newspaper and Aunt Alexandra
was worrying her embroidery. Punk, punk, punk, her needle broke
the TAUT circle” (137).
 The sailor pulled the lines TAUTLY (adverb) so he could sail
against the wind.
 As he stared down the snout of the bull, the toreador’s muscles
became as TAUT as piano wire.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 15
15. STIFLE: v. To hold back.
 “Atticus tried to STIFLE a smile but didn’t make it” (146).
 It was a boring party, and Jack STIFLED a yawn and looked at his
watch.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 16
16. ELUCIDATE: v. To make clear and explain fully.
 “We asked Miss Maudie to ELUCIDATE: she and Miss Stephanie
seems to know so much about the case she might as well be called
on to testify” (160).
 Greg should always ELUCIDATE the confusing medical jargon he
uses with his patients.
 Tom Brokow has a gift for ELUCIDATING news to his national
TV audience in an eloquent manner.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 17
17. TENET: n. An opinion or principle held as being true by a
person or especially by an organization.
 ”Never, never never, on cross-examination ask a witness a
question you don’t already know the answer to, was a TENET I
absorbed with my baby-food” (177).
 Equality is the main TENET of a democracy.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 19
18. EXPUNGE: v. To remove; to delete; to erase.
 “Judge Taylor told the reporter to EXPUNGE anything he
happened to have written down…” (196).
 The wet and muddy footprints were EXPUNGED from the floor
with soap and water.
 The teacher told Justin EXPUNGING the low grades from his
record was not something she was willing to do.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 20
19. DISCREET: adj. Careful in one's conduct or speech.
 “Mr. Raymond chuckled, not at all offended, and I tried to frame a
DISCREET question: “Why do you do like you do?” (200).
 Photographers are welcome but should remain DISCREET at all
times during the Church service.
 Keep any investigation DISCREET to avoid alerting the employee
to the fact that they are under suspicion.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 21
20. ACQUIT: v. To declare not guilty.
 “Tell you what, you all can come back when you’ve eaten your
supper – eat slowly, now, you won’t miss anything important – and
if the jury’s still out, you can wait with us. But I expect it’ll be
over before you get back.” “You think they’ll ACQUIT him that
fast?” asked Jem (207).
 The jury ACQUITTED her, but I still think she's guilty.
 Now that we have proof of their innocence, we can ACQUIT them
of all charges.
Example Sentence:
Chapter 22
21. RUEFULLY: adv. Feeling, showing, or expressing sorrow or
pity.
 “Jem grinned RUEFULLY” (215).
 Jeffery smiled RUEFULLY at the empty plate that was until
recently filled with the cookies he shouldn't have eaten.
 His RUEFUL (adj) expression gave away the fact that he forgot his
textbook in his locker.
Example sentence:
Chapter 23
22. WARY: adv. To be alert, cautious; on guard, watchful.
 “When he settled back his face was cloudy. He was going into one
of his declines, and I grew WARY” (227).
 It is good to be WARY of strangers coming to your door selling
things.
 We were always WARY of making mistakes in our chemistry
experiments.
Example sentence:
Chapter 25
23. SCOWLING: v. to frown angrily
 “Jew was SCOWLING. It was probably a part of the stage he was
going through and I wished he would hurry up and get through it”
(238).
 Our math teacher SCOWLS when we hand our homework in late.
Example sentence:
Chapter 27
24. NOTORIETY: n. Being widely known.
 “I suppose his brief burst of fame brought on a briefer burst of
industry, but his job lasted only as long as his NOTORIETY: Mr.
Ewell found himself as forgotten as Tom Robinson” (248).
 He failed in his ambition to be a celebrity chef, but instead gained
NOTORIETY as a poisoner.
Example sentence:
Chapter 28
25. PINIONED: v. n. or adj. Confined.
 “I ran in the direction of Jem’s scream and sank into a flabby male
stomach. Its owner said, ‘Uff!’ and I tried to catch my arms, but
they were tightly PINIONED. His stomach was soft but his arms
were like steel” (262).
 The handcuffs were used to PINION his hands.
 He was PINIONED to the stake by his captors.
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