To Kill a Mockingbird
In-context Vocabulary
Chapters 9-12
deportment
• Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment
involved playing with small stoves, tea sets,
and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she
gave me when I was born. (p. 81)
deportment
• Demeanor
• Conduct
• Behavior
ambrosia
• But her cooking made up for everything:
three kinds of meat, summer vegetables
from her pantry shelves; peach pickles, two
kinds of cake and ambrosia constituted a
modest Christmas dinner. (p. 82)
ambrosia
• A fruit dessert made of oranges and
shredded coconut and sometimes pineapple
• The food of the gods
• Root = immortality
tarried
• I was debating whether to stand there or
run, and tarried in indecision a moment too
long: I turned to flee but Uncle Jack was
quicker. (p. 84-85)
tarried
• To remain or stay
• To delay or be tardy
• Root = tardy
apoplectic
She was vicious. Once she heard Jem refer
to our father as “Atticus” and her reaction
was apoplectic. (p. 100)
apoplectic
• Extremely angry
• Furious
umbrage
• I wasn’t sure what Jem resented most, but I
took umbrage at Mrs. Dubose’s assessment
of the family’s mental hygiene. (p. 102)
umbrage
• Offense, annoyance, displeasure