The Sign of
the Beaver
Key Vocabulary – Part 1
© Brent Coley 2009 | www.mrcoley.com
See if you can
correctly define
the following
vocabulary
words.
If necessary, use
the context clues
from the sample
sentences to
help you.
gravely
gravely
Sample Sentence:
He was gravely ill and
had to be admitted to
the hospital.
gravely
Definition:
adv. Seriously (in a
serious manner);
badly
flint
flint
Sample Sentence:
Matt didn’t have any
matches, so he looked
for a piece of flint to
start a fire.
flint
Definition:
n. Hard gray or brown
stone that makes a
spark when struck
against steel
shambles
shambles
Sample Sentence:
After having five
young kids over to
play all day, the house
was in shambles.
shambles
Definition:
n. confusion; disorder;
a mess
ruefully
ruefully
Sample Sentence:
My dad ruefully
informed me that my
grandpa had passed
away.
ruefully
Definition:
adv. Sorrowfully
(sadly); unhappily
quaver
quaver
Sample Sentence:
The leaves on the tree
began to quaver in
the light breeze.
quaver
Definition:
v. To shake or tremble
boggy
boggy
Sample Sentence:
After the heavy rain,
the field was boggy
and had to be closed
during recess.
boggy
Definition:
adj. Soft and wet, like
in a marsh or swamp
daub
daub
Sample Sentence:
Matt tried to daub the
hole in the wall of the
cabin to keep the rain
out.
daub
Definition:
v. To cover with
plaster, clay, mud, or
other sticky material
stout
stout
Sample Sentence:
I looked for a good,
stout stick to use as a
walking stick during
my hike.
stout
Definition:
adj. Strongly built;
firm or strong; fat or
large
detest
detest
Sample Sentence:
Country music is okay,
I don’t really like rap,
and I detest heavy
metal.
detest
Definition:
v. To dislike very, very
much; to really hate
grudgingly
grudgingly
Sample Sentence:
When my mom asked,
I grudgingly agreed to
take my sister with
me to the mall.
grudgingly
Definition:
adv. Unwillingly
contemptuous
contemptuous
Sample Sentence:
The girls gave Sally a
contemptuous look,
hurting her feelings.
contemptuous
Definition:
adj. showing a feeling
that a person, act, or
thing is worthless or
inferior
deprive
deprive
Sample Sentence:
If I don’t eat all of my
dinner, my mom will
deprive me of dessert.
deprive
Definition:
v. To keep from
having or doing
pewter
pewter
Sample Sentence:
The pioneers filled up
their pewter mugs
with strong coffee.
pewter
Definition:
adj./n. A mixture of
tin and lead, copper,
or other metals
resentment
resentment
Sample Sentence:
Randy felt resentment
when Bill, who hadn’t
practiced, got the big
part in the play.
resentment
Definition:
n. Feeling you get
when you are being
treated unfairly;
bitterness
defiance
defiance
Sample Sentence:
The student was sent
to the office for his
defiance toward the
playground aide.
defiance
Definition:
n. The act of standing
up to or disobeying
authority