Vocabulary from Huck Finn
Words are listed by chapter grouping in their
order of appearance.
Words proceeded by an asterisk (*) are general
vocabulary words that may appear on the test.
Note:
The comic spellings used in the novel are placed
in parentheses after the proper spelling of the
words.
Chapters 1-3
* hogshead—barrel
gap—yawn
hived—stole
ambuscade—ambush
* lath—thin wooden slats, to which plaster is
usually attached
Chapters 4-7
*hiding—thrashing
*meddle—interfere
*dandy — a man who is overly fastidious
about his dress
* temperance — abstinence from alcoholic
beverages
* skiff—a light rowboat
tow — cheap rope
* nabob — an important person (originally,
governor of an Indian state)
* palaver—talk
trot line — a fishing line strung across a river
with individual lines and hooks hanging down
from it into the water
Chapters 8-11
quicksilver -mercury
*abreast—sideby side
*cooper—barrelmaker
camp meeting—outdoor religious revival
truck—stuff, things
*reticule—a cloth purse
Chapters 12-14
guys—support wires
* blubbering—crying
* careened—turned over on its side
bitts — timbers used for securing lines on a
boat
spondulicks—(slang) dollars
dauphin (dolphin) — eldest son of a king of
France
Chapters 15-16
* tote—carry
* aggravate—irritate
leeward (looard)— the direction in which the
wind is blowing; downwind
* sheering—swerving
Chapters 17-18
* wince — to shrink back or cringe
* impaired — harmed
* frivolousness (frivoleshness) — lack of
seriousness
*sideboard- -a piece of dining room furniture
used for holding dishes and serving
implements
pommel — the front of a saddle
*feud — a long-standing and deadly quarrel
between groups
puncheon floor—a floor made of split logs
*ransack—to search thoroughly
Chapters 19-20
galluses—suspenders
jour printer—journeyman printer, between
an apprentice and a master printer
*mesmerism — hypnotism
phrenology — study of character as
revealed
by the shape of the head
*haughty—proud
*histrionic—related to acting
ciphered out—figured out
* benefactors—people who confer benefits
unities—the dramatic unities of time, place,
and action, as propounded by Aristotle
Chapters 21-23
texas — a structure on a steamboat
containing the officers' cabins
* languish—to assume an expression of
weariness, appealing for sympathy
Capet—the family name of Louis XVI
*encore—a brief number performed after a
performance in response to applause
camelopard—a giraffe
sold—cheated
heptarchy—the seven Anglo-Saxon kindoms
established in England from 449 to 829
Chapters 24-26
beaver—a hat made of beaver skin
*tanner—a person who makes animal hides
into leather
*slouch—a lazy person
* doxology (doxologer)—a hymn in praise
of God
*passel—a group, a number of
*impostor—a person who pretends to be
someone else
cubby — cubbyhole, a small room
*pallet—a small, primitive bed, usually made
of straw
Congress water—mineral water from
Saratoga Springs
stretchers—lies, stretchings of thetruth
tick—mattress
Chapters 27-29
*melodeon (melodeum)—a small
organ sand—grit, courage
*harrow—a farm implement with long teeth
for cultivating the soil
*candid—frank and honest
*confront (affront)—to bring face to face
*disposition—inclination or intention
*sluice—a flood of water
lights—lungs
Chapters 30-32
*cravats—neckties
*elocution (yellocution)—public speaking
doggery—tavern
tight-drunk
*venture-try
*bogus false
mortification—gangrene
* meek—humble
*waylay—to meet on the way
Chapters 33-35
* dainty—delicate
*petrified (putrified)-stunned
Baron Trenck (eighteenth century),
Casanova (eighteenth century),
Benvenuto Cellini (Chelleny) (sixteenth
century), Henri IV (sixteenth century) —
all real people involved in daring escapes
seneschal (seneskal)—a steward or bailiff in
medieval times
Langudoc—a province in medieval France
Navarre—a province in Spain; in the
twelfth century, an independent country
The Iron Mask—hero of Alexandra Dumas's
novel The Man in the Iron Mask
case-knives—ordinary kitchen knives
Chapters 36-39
counterpane (counterpin)—bedspread
*insurrection—rebellion
*addled—confused
Lady Jane Grey, Gilford Dudley,
Northumberland—Lady Jane Grey (1537—
54), married to Gilford Dudley, was
persuaded by his father, the Duke of
Northumberland, to claim the throne of
England. She was deposed nine days later
and beheaded by Elizabeth I.
escutcheon (scutcheon)—the shield on
which a coat of arms is carved
fess—a band drawn horizontally across the
center of an escutcheon
elecampane (allycumpain)—an herb which
reduces the pain of stings
*rummage—to search carefully
*sultry—hot
*brash—impudent, pushy
Chapters 40-43
*fidget—to move restlessly or uneasily
*desperadoes—villains,