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To Kill a Mockingbird Vocabulary Notes Section 1-5:
Sweiss, Literature, 2014
Word:
1. Assuage
2. Malevolent
Use of Word in Sentence:
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Definition/Part of
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We tried to assuage her fears of public speaking by advising
her to picture the audience in their underwear.
I assuage my hunger with a Snicker’s Bar.
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His failures at basketball made him a malevolent person,
booing his own peers at home games.
Growing up in a hostile environment can predispose you to
malevolent behaviors such as verbal and/or physical abuse.
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3. Inquisitive
My students have such inquisitive minds; their love of
learning is incredible.
Scientists have inquisitive minds, as they seek to find answers
to phenomenon in the universe.
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4. Erratic
Miss Sweiss usually conducts a Word of the Week, followed
by DOL, and a Journal Entry on Monday; today her plans were
rather erratic. She told us to take out our IPods and chill!
Chicago weather is erratic; one day it is 100 degrees and the
next day you are pulling out your snow blower.
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5. Monosyllabic
6. Indigenous
7. Tranquility /
Tranquil
8. Auspicious
Mother disapproves of my boyfriend’s monosyllabic
responses to her questions, like “huh?”
Do you text in monosyllabic words, like OMG, TTYL!
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My parents are indigenous to Jordan.
The Christmas Tree is indigenous to Germany.
Those are indigenous plants of Africa.
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We moved to the tranquil countryside, away from the busy,
hustle-and-bustle of the city life.
When I do yoga, I am in a state of peace and tranquility.
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My horoscope for the week was very auspicious; not only will
I make tons of money, but I will find my prince charming.
When a white dove flies above you, it is supposed to be an
auspicious sign; consider it a blessing.
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9. Benign
The king was a benign leader; he fed the hungry and built an
orphanage.
Your tumor is benign; it will not develop into a cancer.
The chemicals in your shampoo are benign; they will not
damage your hair.
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10. Benevolence
Mother Theresa and Gandhi were benevolent souls; they
spent their lives helping others.
Angelina Jolie is known for her benevolence and her efforts
to improve conditions in Africa.
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11. Contentious
The book brought out many contentious issues such as
racism and sexism.
Democrats and Republican candidates are known to be
contentious in a debate, naturally.
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12. Vapid
13. Diminutive
I went to the most vapid party. There was no music, no
dancing, and no food!
The History of Pottery 101 course was such a vapid class!
Your spaghetti has a vapid taste…it tastes like nothing!
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The diminutive IPod I own can fit into my pocket.
We built a diminutive model of the airplane.
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4
To Kill a Mockingbird Vocabulary Notes Section 6-11:
Sweiss, Literature, 2012
Word:
1. Commotion
2. Articulate
Use of Word in Sentence:
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Definition/Part of
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When Justin Bieber walked into the building, there was
such a commotion that the police had to restrain some
people with handcuffs.
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He articulated his thoughts in a speech delivered before
Congress.
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3. Inordinate
Edgar A. Poe drank an inordinate amount of alcohol.
You put an inordinate amount of hours in your project; it is
no surprise you earned an A.
I ate an inordinate amount of food at the all-you-can-eat
buffet.
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4. Malignant
He is dying from a malignant form of cancer.
The new student had a malignant influence on James;
James began smoking and drinking thereafter meeting the
new kid.
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5
5. Mortify
6. Oppressive
7. Caricature
8. Innate
I was mortified when I heard that you didn’t know a single
fact about Poe! Have I taught you nothing?!
I was mortified when I told my teacher that I forged my
mom’s signature on the Reading Log.
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Definition:
The heat in Arizona can get so oppressive that you have
difficulties breathing.
The reign of Adolph Hitler was oppressive.
The news rules are oppressive.
The situation was extremely tense; no one said a word, and
the silence was oppressive
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Definition:
The artist in the park made a caricature of my face.
The media is known to make funny caricatures of George
Bush.
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Her artistic skills are innate; no one taught her how to
draw.
I have an innate sense of good and evil.
Her musical talents are innate.
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9. Compensation
The insurance company paid me $500 in compensation for
the damages to the car.
Will I be compensated for working overtime?
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6
10. Rudiment
Before you learn to write, you must learn the rudiments of
English grammar.
The rudiments of American education are reading, writing,
and arithmetic.
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11. Passé
Bellbottoms are so passé; skinny jeans are so in.
The design of that house is passé; cathedral
windows have not been in for hundreds of years.
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To Kill a Mockingbird Vocabulary Notes Section 12-17:
Sweiss, Literature, 2012
Word:
Use of Word in Sentence:
Definition:
1. Appalling
The behavior of the Jersey Shore cast members is appalling!
The appalling accident left the driver with a concussion in
the hospital.
Your manners are so appalling! Your mother would be
mortified to hear of your eating habits.
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Physics is an elusive topic to teach. It’s beyond our tangible
grasp.
The elusive fish was hard to cath.
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2. Elusive
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3. Congenial
The countryside environment is congenial to the
improvement of your health.
Your mom is such a congenial host. She really knows how
to treat her guests.
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4. Resignation
5. Altercation
6. Uncouth
President Richard Nixon resigned from office because of
the Watergate Scandal.
She resigned from her job because she was not receiving
any insurance benefits.
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There was a physical altercation between the fans of Team
Edward and Team Jacob.
I got into an altercation with the manager because the clerk
would not refund my purchase.
Students who get into altercations must seek peer
mediation.
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Definition:
My Uncle Bob is an uncouth man who embarrasses us at
social functions; he picks his nose, farts, and burps in public.
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Please refrain from any uncouth behaviors at church.
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The gymnast is ambidextrous, and can do a one—handed
cartwheel with both her left and right hand.
7. Ambidextrous
Definition:
Part of Speech:
The surgeon and painter are both ambidextrous and can
use both hands equally well.
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8. Myopic
The celebrity received hate emails because of the myopic
comment he made about gays and lesbians.
Because of your myopic vision, you will need glasses.
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9. Tedious
10. Placid
Getting an article published is a long and tedious process
that can take up to a year to complete.
That class was so tedious that I fell asleep and started
snoring!
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Definition:
The placid waters of the beach along with the sunset made
for a perfect getaway.
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My teacher always has a placid expression on her face. I
think she does yoga before she gets to work.
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11. Infallible
12. Acrimonious
I have an infallible memory; I can recount every detail in
perfect form.
The Pope and the Roman Catholic Church are infallible in
matters of faith and religion.
The Golden Rule about treating others the way you would
want to be treated is universal and infallible.
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Definition:
The couple’s acrimonious disputes finally resulted in a
divorce.
The candidates became acrimonious with each other
during the debate; harsh words were exchanged.
Many people felt that Simon Cowell’s comments towards
the contestants on American Idol were acrimonious.
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13. Venerable
On Veteran’s Day, we venerate the venerable soldiers who
died in battle for liberty, freedom, and democracy.
He was a venerable member of Congress, one that we all
loved dearly.
The Constitution is a venerable document.
In some cultures, the elderly are venerable people, treated
like royalty.
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14. Qualms
I had qualms about stealing from the charity bin, so I ended
up walking away and making a good decision.
She had qualms about lying to her teacher about her
homework.
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To Kill a Mockingbird Vocabulary Notes Section 18-24:
Sweiss, Literature, 2012
Word:
Use of Word in Sentence:
1. Involuntary
Blinking, sneezing, and breathing are involuntary acts.
He wasn’t accused of murder but involuntary
manslaughter.
Unfortunately, I sometimes find myself to be an involuntary
listener to my friend’s problems.
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2. Instinctive
3. Impudent
4. Immaterial
A mother’s protection of her child is an instinctive
phenomenon.
It was instinctive for me to pull over and help the hurt
puppy.
It was instinctive for me to kick my knee when the doctor
hit my knee with a rubber mallet.
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Definition:
Tom told the teacher that he was smarter than her and was
received a detention for such impudent behavior.
The impudent man told the bouncer that he should be
allowed into the night club because he had more swag than
the losers in there.
The boy’s impudence was a sign that his mother was not
teaching him manners at home.
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Definition:
Ghosts and spirits are immaterial forms that have no
validity.
The judge proclaimed, “That is immaterial” and dismissed
the evidence as meaningless.
It’s immaterial to me why you didn’t do your homework;
you are still receiving a detention.
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5. Arid
Word:
Death Valley in California has an arid climate, hence
nothing grows there.
During the Great Depression, the arid climate along with
strong winds made for poor farming seasons.
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11
6. Volition
The man acted on his own volition to pull the trigger.
She left the job on her own volition; she said that she
needed a change.
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7. Perpetrate
8. Corroborate
He perpetrated the crime and therefore was
sentenced to prison.
If you slip a whoopee cushion on your teacher’s
chair and she sits on it, you’ve perpetrated a
classic crime.
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Definition:
If you swear to your teacher that you didn't throw the
spitball, and your friends corroborate your story by
promising that you were concentrating on math homework,
she might actually believe you.
The witness in court corroborated the story of the
defendant.
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9. Cynical
10. Contraband
If you think that all politicians are liars, well you have a very
cynical attitude towards all members of Congress.
You are such a cynical person; think positive!
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The gangsters were busted by the cops after contraband of
drugs was found in the trunk of their car.
That movie just came out in theaters. Where did you get
contraband of that movie already?
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12
11. Scrutiny
Word:
12. Expunge
13. Exodus
During the test, we were watched with close scrutiny by
the teachers that one glance the wrong way and we failed
the test.
I am going to scrutinize your papers for grammar, spelling,
and punctuation. So CHECK your work!
If your outfit is under scrutiny, your mom is checking to see
if your skirt is long enough for school; she’s making sure
you don’t look trashy.
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Since you have had perfect behavior for the past four
months, I am going to expunge your records and you now
have a clean slate.
After Nick proved that he was actually in school on
Monday, his absence was expunged from records.
I expunged all inappropriate words from the song before I
played it during classroom instruction.
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Definition:
When the fire alarm went off, there was an
exodus of teachers and students into the parking
lots of CJHS.
Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites
made a mass exodus out of Egypt.
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14. Vehement
My teacher is vehement about us reading for 20 minutes
each day outside of school.
Definition:
The teenager argued for a much later curfew in a
vehement speech to her parents; her parents
responded with an equally vehement “No way!”
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14
To Kill a Mockingbird Vocabulary Notes Section 25-31:
Sweiss, Literature, 2012
Word:
1. Remorse
2. Recluse
3. Notorious/
Notoriety
Use of Word in Sentence:
Picture Clue:
Definition/Part of
Speech/Synonym:
After stealing and eating a cookie from the cookie jar, I felt
remorse for my actions.
Do you feel remorse for your impudent actions in class? If
so, you should consider apologizing to your teacher.
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Definition:
In the early 13th century, a recluse was a person who shut
out the world to go meditate on religious issues. But
nowadays recluses can think about whatever they want
while they're sitting in solitude — they're simply people
who shy away from social interaction and live secluded
lives. Or think of the Brown Recluse spider, who likes to
hide out in dark old boots or undisturbed corners of the
basement.
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Definition:
Notorious BIG, a famous rapper, was imprisoned several
times for drugs.
The notorious book Of Mice and Men is banned in some
places for its use of the n-word and sexism.
That restaurant is notorious for its high priced meals.
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4. Garish
Did you see Lady Gaga’s garish meat outfit at the awards
show? Way too overdone!
Her garish hair and make-up made her look like a clown.
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5. Spurious
At the Republican Debate, the politicians were making
spurious claims about each other that it was difficult to
identify who was telling the truth.
That is a spurious coin; it looks like it’s from Chuck-eCheese; it’s not worth any monetary value.
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6. Savor
Since this was the last Pixie in the box, I savored the
chocolaty caramel taste…yum!
I savored the moment that I walked across the stage and
received my diploma; I knew it would be four years before I
would experience anything like this again.
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Don’t squander your money on candy that will only get you
a trip to the dentist’s office.
Don’t squander your time chit-chatting with friends; you
can do that after school.
If you are trying to save up for college, it’s not a good idea
to squander your money at the bar.
Definition:
7. Squander
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8. Competent
You are very competent at driving; you will most likely get
your waiver and drive at 16!
My teachers are all very competent and find creative ways
to instruct us.
My mother is a competent banker; people trust her with
their money.
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16
9. Eccentricity
10. Turmoil
My eccentric aunt put her life savings away for her cat!
What an eccentric outfit; polka dots, stripes, a conical hat,
and mismatched shoes!
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On September 11th, there was turmoil throughout the
entire country as people were running from burning
buildings, trying to save lives, and screaming for help.
Mashed potatoes flew in one direction, peas in another.
Kids were standing on chairs. The principal was shouting,
but no one listened. "Food fight!," the seniors cried. The
cafeteria was in a state of turmoil.
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