Name: __________________
“To Build a Fire” Vocabulary
Carefully read the following words and definitions that are found in the short story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London. Note the page number in parentheses after
each word. This is the page on which the word can be found in the story.
You will need to create a word-map for each RED word below. We will fill in most of the information on the word-maps in class, but before we do
that, you should set up a word-map for each word. To do so, write the word, page number, part of speech, and sentence from the book for each
word on a separate word map.
In class we will discuss all the red words and fill-in the remaining information, including: the definition, synonyms and antonyms, other forms of the
word, your own sentence using the word and an image that represents the definition of the word.
You will be responsible for knowing the words in red with an asterisk (*) next to them, plus one word of your choice for a quiz in the coming weeks.
timberland (p. 3)– a forest
intangible (p. 3) – unable to be felt or touched
*pall (p. 3) –NOUN
definition: a cloth, often of velvet, for spreading over a coffin, or tomb;
anything that covers, shrouds, or overspreads, esp. with darkness or gloom.
other forms: (to) pall, palled, palling, palls, pall-like pall bearer
synonyms: shroud, covering, cloth, cloud, gloom, darkness, grimness, OR to darken, to damper, to cover
antonyms: brightness, excitement,
sentence from the text: “It was a clear day, and yet there seemed an intangible pall over the face of things, a subtle gloom that made the
day dark, and that was due to the absence of sun.”
used in another sentence: A pall fell over the crowd after the assassination of the president was announced.
*undulations (p.3) –NOUN, plural
definition: movement in waves; a wavelike form, outline, or appearance
other forms: (to) undulate, undulated, undulates, undulating, undulatory
synonyms: fluctuations, waves, ripples, ruffles, to wave, to roll
antonyms: flatness, straightness
sentence from the text: “It was all pure white, rolling in gentle undulations where the ice jams of the freeze-up had formed.”
used in another sentence: The desert landscape is well known for its curving, undulating sand dunes.
Chilcoot Pass (p.3) – a passageway once used by the Chilcoot people. The pass made its way between the Pacific Coast and the Yukon River
Valley. Eventually, people began using the pass to search for gold in the center of Alaska.
Dyea (p. 3) – a nearly abandoned town in Alaska near the Chilcoot Pass.
Dawson (p. 3) – a town in Canada in Yukon Territory. This town was very popular in the late 1800s during the Klondike gold rush.
Nulato (p. 3) – a minimally populated Alaskan town
St. Michael (p. 3) – a very small city in Alaska, bordering the Bering Sea.
Chechaquo (p. 3) – [Chee-cha-ko] – a word for a newcomer from the Chinook people who are native to Alaska
conjectural (p. 3) – supposed; hypothetical; uncertain
used in another sentence: Theories about the extinction of dinosaurs are highly conjectural.
speculatively (p. 3) – thoughtfully
protruding (p.3) – jutting out; projecting; protrude - to push or thrust outward.
used in another sentence: After attempting an extremely large jump, my friend landed in a mammoth mountain of snow with a soft thud,
his skis and poles protruding awkwardly.
temperamental (p. 4) – inconsistent
*subdued (p.4) –ADJECTIVE
definition: quiet; muted; repressed; controlled; lowered in intensity or strength;
other forms: subduable, subduer, subdudely, subdudeness and (to) subdue, subdues, subduing, subdued
synonyms: controlled, hushed, muted, quiet, restrained, low-key, mellow, submissive
antonyms: tumultuous, boisterous, uncontrolled, excited, talkative, excited
sentence from the text: “But the brute had its instinct. It experienced a vague but menacing apprehension that subdued it and made it slink
along at the man's heels, and that made it question eagerly every unwonted movement of the man as if expecting him to go into camp or to
seek shelter somewhere and build a fire.”
used in another sentence: After the argument he was much more subdued.
unwonted (p. 4) – unusual
jowls (p. 4) – cheeks
muzzle (p. 4) - projecting part of the head of an animal, including jaws, mouth, and nose. OR a device, usually an arrangement of straps or wires,
placed over an animal's mouth to prevent the animal from biting, eating, etc.
amber (p.4) – a hard translucent yellow, orange, or brownish-yellow fossil resin, used for making jewelry and other
ornamental objects
used in another sentence: Jewelry including pieces of amber are very unique.
appendage (p.4) –NOUN
definition: something added or attached to an entity of greater importance or size; a usually projecting part of an animal or plant body that is
typically smaller and of less functional importance than the main part to which it is attached; especially : a limb
other forms: appendages
synonyms: addendum, accessory, addition, attachment, extremity, projection, protuberance
antonyms: body, main part, trunk
sentence from the text: “The result was that a crystal beard of the colour and solidity of amber was increasing its length on his chin. If he
fell down it would shatter itself, like glass, into brittle fragments. But he did not mind the appendage.”
used in another sentence: Mr. Montagne advised me to add an appendage to the end of the my password to make it a bit more
complicated and therefore stronger.
furrow (p. 4) – a groove
monotonously (p 4) – boringly, dully, wearily
reiterate(d) (p.4) - to say or do again or repeatedly
used in another sentence: I don’t want to reiterate what I just said; please
pay attention.
pang (p. 4) – a severe pain
skirted (p. 5) – moved quickly
compelled (p. 5) – urged, forced
smote/smitten (p.5) to affect, to afflict; OR to attack, damage, or destroy by or as if by blows.
used in another sentence: His voice was smote by laryngitis.
The population was smitten by the plague.
*imperative (p.6) –ADJECTIVE
definition: extremely urgent or important; essential
other forms: imperatively, imperativeness
synonyms: necessary, critical, crucial, urgent, pressing, vital
antonyms: optional, unnecessary, inessential, secondary
sentence from the text: “…for he would have to build a fire and dry out his foot gear. This was imperative at that low temperature—he knew
that much; and he turned aside to the bank, which he climbed.”
used in another sentence: It is imperative that you come to school each day.
recoiled (p.6) –to spring back, as upon firing; or to shrink back, as in fear or repugnance.
used in another sentence: The rifle recoiled fiercely, jamming backward into my shoulder.
ebbed (p. 6) – fell back, declined, receded
recess / recesses (p.6) –An indentation or small hollow
used in another sentence: I crawled into the small recess in the rock wall to protect my body from the wind.
extremity /extremities (p.6) –A bodily limb or appendage
used in another sentence: The man’s extremities were freezing in “To Build a Fire”.
sheaths (p.7) – coverings
*conflagration (p.7) –NOUN
definition: a destructive fire, usually an extensive one.
other forms: conflagrative
synonyms: blaze, bonfire, burning, inferno,
antonyms: ?
sentence from the text: “They were coated with ice; the thick German socks were like sheaths of iron half-way to the knees; and the
moccasin strings were like rods of steel all twisted and knotted as by some conflagration.”
used in another sentence: The spark from the campfire landed in the pine needles and in mere minutes turned into a conflagration.
freighted (p. 7) – weighed down
imperceptible (p. 7) – impossible to be perceived or imagined
agitation (p.7) - the act of agitating something; causing it to move around
used in another sentence: The agitation caused by removing small twigs from around the base of the tree, made the snow fall from the
branches, extinguishing the fire.
flotsam (p. 7) – wreckage, debris
brimstone (p. 8) – sulfur
spasmodically (p. 8) – violently, fitfully, in spasms
ensued (p. 8) - followed
acute (p. 8) - sharp
* apathetically (p.9) –ADVERB
definition: acting as if not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive; or having or showing little or no emotion
other forms: apathy, apathetic
synonyms: indifferently, unresponsively, impassively, in a disinterested manner
antonyms: caringly, in a concerned manner
sentence from the text: “As he looked apathetically about him, his eyes chanced on the dog, sitting across the ruins of the fire from him, in
the snow, making restless, hunching movements, slightly lifting one forefoot and then the other, shifting its weight back and forth on them
with wistful eagerness.”
used in another sentence: The audience responded apathetically or barely at all.
peremptorily (p. 9) – absolutely, definitely
throttle (p. 9) – to strangle
*oppressive (p.9) –ADJECTIVE
definition: difficult to bear; burdensome; distressing or grievous; causing discomfort by being excessive
other forms: oppressively, oppressiveness
synonyms: overwhelming, backbreaking, demanding, heavy
antonyms: calm, gentle, relieving
sentence from the text: “A certain fear of death, dull and oppressive, came to him.”
used in another sentence: My grandpa’s death was an oppressive loss to me and my family.
poignant (p. 9) – distressing
Mercury (p. 10) – a messenger for the gods in Roman mythology
chidden (p. 10) – scolded
bristle (p. 10) – to stiffen