Glossary | Novella | Of Mice and Men | by John Steinbeck | NEB Grade XI | Major English

 

Glossary | Novella | Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck | NEB Grade XI | Major English 

Novella

Glossary

Chapter 1

 

 

anguished	afraid, extreme distress of body or mind
apologetically	regretfully
arch	curve
bindle	a bundle of clothes or bedding
bindle	bag
blaze	fire, flame
Blubberin’	blubbering, cry noisily and uncontrollably
brush	argument
brush	bush
brusquely	abruptly
buckin’ grain bags	throwing heavy burlap bags of grain into a truck or wagon
bustin’	busting, break
carp	any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae
cautiously	carefully
chewed	grind
contemplated	think deeply, consider as a possibility
coons	raccoon
coyote	wolf like wild dog
cracked up	break down
craftily	shrewdly
crawled	creep
curling	twisted
curving	twisted
dabbled	splash
debris	the remains of something that has been destroyed
dejectedly	miserably
denim	jeans
droned	murmur, whir, talk in a monotonous voice
embarrassment	humiliation
embraced	the state of taking in or encircling
emerged	come out into view, as from concealment
fambly	family
flamed	blaze
giggled	laugh lightly and repeatedly in a silly way from amusement
grinned	smile
gulped	swallow large amount of
gulps	swallow quickly
gut	machine, intestine
hutch	a cage for small animals
imperiously	haughtily
irrigation	supply of water to crops
junctures	a point or line of joining or connection
jungle-up	to camp outside
lumbered	move in a slow, heavy awkward way
mimicking	mimic, imitate
morosely	huskily, sullenly, angrily
morosely	unpleasantly
mottled	spotted, marked with spots
outstretched	stretched out
pantomime	exaggerated mime, mischievously
periscope	telescope for submarine
petting	stroke or pat affectionately, fondle
pinched	pressed
pretended	act as if
quivered	tremble, shudder, shake with fast, tremulous movements
rabbits in	[Slang] jumps in
ranches	a large farm, where cattle or other animals are bred
recumbent	flat, lying down, biologically designating a part that leans or lies upon some other part or surface
reeds	a tall, slender-leaved plant of the grass family, which grows in water or on marshy ground
reluctantly	unwillingly
resignedly	with a sigh, contentedly, satisfied
rhythmically	regularly
rims	edge, brim
rustled	rustling, movement of the leaves by air
scoffed	mock
scoops	using hands as a spoon, ladle
scowled	frown in an angry or bad- tempered way
sculptured	shaped
scummy	foamy, vile, frothy
shoot pool	inject drugs
skittering	move lightly and quickly
slender	slim, thin
snapped	speak angrily
snapped	spoke angrily
sneak out	run away
snorting	make a sudden explosive sound through one’s nose
Soledad	a coastal California city about 130 miles south of San Francisco
split-wedge	a narrow passage splitting wedge
spreadpads	footsteps
stake	bet
startled	feeling sudden shock or alarm
stilted heron	stiff, standing on still heron bird
strokin’	stroking, pet
swallowed	gulp down
sweat-band	a band, as of leather, inside a hat to protect the hat against damage from sweat, drops of sweat
sycamores	a kind large tree
thrashin’	thrashing
tramps	walk heavily or noisily, trudge, heavy steps, vagrant
triumphantly	victoriously
unslung	unsling, remove from the place where it has been suspended
whimpering	voice of unhappiness
whisked	appeared
wiggled	move up and down with small rapid movements, jiggle
willow	a kind of tree
work cards	a card with a job assignment usually given to workers by an employment agency. It is then presented to the employer by the worker
yammered	make a loud noise
yells	shout loudly

 

 

 

CHAPTER 2

 

 

abruptly	hurriedly
absorbedly	closely
apprehensive	uneasy, concerned
archly	with playful slyness or roguishness
bale	a large bundle bound for storage or transport
bridled	annoyed, offended
bristled	a stiff hair
bristly	thick, coarse
brittle	weak, frail, lacking warmth and generosity of spirit
brusquely	abruptly
buckle	clip, fastener, harness
burlap	jute
burlap	jute
cesspool	drain, septic tank
clusters	a grouping of a number of similar things
cockier’	overly self-confident or self-assertive
complacently	in a self-satisfied manner
contorted	twisted, especially as in pain or struggle
croak	deep hoarse sound
crooked	bent, curved
crouch	bent
cultivator	planter
defensively	in an apologetic and defensive manner
deliberately	intentionally
derogatory	offensive, disparaging; belittling
disengage	release from something that holds fast or entangles
dousing	wet thoroughly
dust-laden	filled with a great quantity
flapper	lips
flounced	folded
frowned	grimace
gingerly	with extreme care or delicacy
gravity	a manner that is serious and solemn
graybacks	[slang] lice
grizzled	grey
grizzled	having hair that is grey or partly grey
grunting	make a low, short guttural sound
hatchet	a face with narrow dimensions and sharp features
he’s eatin’ raw eggs	refers to the notion that eating raw eggs increases sexual performance
hooves	hoof
in the ring	in the sport or profession of boxing
jail bait	[Slang] a young woman, considered a potential sexual partner, who has not reached the age of consent
jerk line skinner	the main driver of a mule team, who handles the reins (jerk-line)
jerked out	to say something in a quick and sharp way because you are nervous
jingle	clink
jingling	clink, rattle
knuckles	a part of a finger at a joint where the bone is near the surface, especially where the finger joins the hand
knuckles	any of the joints in the fingers, especially those connecting the fingers to the rest of the hand
lashed	move violently or suddenly
latch	handle
lice	fleas, parasite
liniment	cream
majesty	impressiveness in scale or proportion
mollified	appease the anger or anxiety of (someone)
morosely	sullen, gloomy, or ill-humored way
mused	reflect deeply on a subject
muzzle	snout, nose-mouth
nigger	a contemptuous term for a black or dark-skinned person
occupant	inhabitant
ominously	threateningly
patted	beating quickly and gently many times
peered	looked
plaintively	mournfully
poop	a child’s word for the solid waste that is passed through the bowels, shit, stool
popped into	observe
precede	be earlier in time
profound	showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
promptly	with little or no delay
pugnacious	aggressive, eager and ready to fight; quarrelsome; combative
Purty	pretty
rassel	carry
rattling	harsh sound
relish	enjoy, vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
roaches	cockroach
rumpled	creased, ruffled, packed
sacking	a cheap, coarse cloth woven of flax, hemp, or jute
scoff	mock
scourges	plague, harmful
scowled	an angry or bad-tempered expression
scowled	frown, make a face
scrape	peel, scratch
scrappy	argumentative, full of fighting spirit
scraps	argument, scuffle, squabble, reasons to quarrel
screeched	give a loud, harsh, piercing cry
she got the eye	said of Curley's wife, meaning that she flirts and is interested in men other than her husband
skeptically	doubtfully, suspiciously
skinner	a person who works on animal’s skin
slang	give birth to
slough	cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers, snatch skin from body
sniffed	inhale, snuffle, draw up air audibly through the nose to detect a smell, to stop it running, or to express contempt
sparks	flicker
splotch	spot, mark
squinted	peer, stare
squirmed	slide, twist
stable buck	reference to Crooks, who is responsible for taking care of the horses
stake	wager, a share or interest, as in property, a person, or a business venture
stared	gaze
stiffened	become rigid
stocky	having a short and solid form or stature
swamper	a labourer, here, a general handyman and person responsible for cleaning out the barn
talcum	mineral talc which is uses for decreasing odor or cleaning toilet
tangles	disputes, argues
temple dancer	a dancer known for delicate hand movements
thud	bang
tick	the cloth case or covering that is filled with cotton, feathers, hair, etc. to form a mattress or pillow
ticking	mattress
vials	bottles
viciously	cruelly
wheeler’s butt	on the rump of the wheel horse, the horse harnessed nearest the front wheels of a vehicle
whipped	strike
whitewashed	painted with a mixture of lime, whiting, size, water, etc.
writin’ to the patent medicine houses	here, meaning that Curley is writing to mail-order businesses for medicines that increase sexual performance

 

 

CHAPTER 3

 

alfalfa	a plant grown for harvesting and fodder
appreciation	approval, admiration
Auburn	a city about 35 miles northeast of Sacramento, California
bacon and the hams	pork
barn	a large farm building for storing grain or keeping animals in
bemused	plunged in thought; preoccupied
bleated	the sound of sheep or goats
bruised	having a bruise or bruises
buckin’	harvesting
canned	of food or drink preserved or supplied in a sealed can
cape	a sleeveless cloak
chamber	a natural or artificial enclosed space
clangs	a loud, resonant metallic sound or series of sounds
concealin’	conceal, hide
confession	a formal statement admitting that one is guilty
cowering	crouch or curl up
crack	bottle
cripple	disable, debilitate
crouched	to lie close to the ground with the legs bent
cupped	cover
Dark Rider	a sort of story
deliberate	intentional
derision	contempt or ridicule
ejector	a mechanism of a firearm that ejects an empty cartridge
entranced	filled with wonder and delight
euchre	a card game similar to ecarte
flopping	to swing or move loosely
glared	stare angrily or fiercely
gnawing	persistent and troubling
Golden Gloves	a national amateur boxing tournament
goo-goos	dirty
grinning	laugh
hitched up	to hitch a draft animal or team to a vehicle
hoof	a curved covering of horn or nail or claw
hoosegow	[Slang] jail
hunched	bend, crook, bow
hutches	a box or cage, typically with a wire mesh front, for keeping rabbits or other small domesticated animals
impressively	in an impressive manner
invaded	attack, raid, to enter for conquest
invisible	hidden
jail bait	too young
kewpie doll	happy face statue
kick off	die
knowed	knew
leash	strap
levelly	in a calm and steady way
looloo	loo, toilet, wastage
lynch	kill without legal sanction
messin’	mess, to make sth. dirty
nibble	chew, gnaw, bite
nodded	lower and raise one's head slightly and briefly
nuisance	irritation
pegs	pin
pet	stroke or pat (an animal) affectionately
picket	a wooden strip forming part of a fence
poised	marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
popped into	taken to
pulp magazine	a magazine printed on rough, inferior paper stock made from wood pulp, usually containing sensational stories of love, crime
punk	a worthless person
pup	a young dog, puppy
quiver	tremble, shiver
ranches	farms
raptly	with a completely absorbed or engrossed look, feeling great delight and interest
reprehensible	deserving to be rebuked or scolded
retreat	the act of withdrawing or going backward
reverently	with respect; in a reverent manner
rheumatism	any disease marked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue, especially rheumatoid arthritis
rippled	to flow with a light rise and fall of sound
Sacramento	capital of California
salmon	kind of fish
San Quentin	a state prison, now closed, in the harbor of San Francisco
sarcastically	in a sarcastic manner
scairt	scare, scream, shriek, shout
scairt	scared
scooped	lift quickly
scram	run away
scrammed	go away from a place quickly
scuttled	move about or proceed hurriedly
setter	a long haired dog that can be trained to show hunters
shuffle	mix up, jumble
shuffled	to mix cards up in a pack
slashed	cut
sling	give, throw
slugging	lazily or slowly
snapped	pushed, closed
snapping	to make a sharp or crackling sound
sniffed	draw up air audibly through the nose to detect a smell
socked	hit forcefully
solemnly	in a humorless or formal manner
solitaire	a card game
solitaire	a card game
squared	keeping hands in elbow
squawk	cry
squinted down	to look or peer with eyes partly closed
squirmed	wriggle or twist the body from side to side
stacked	collected
stake	money
stiff	rigid, firm
stooped	having the head and shoulders habitually bent forwards
string	attach
stubble	short, stiff hairs
subdued	quieted and brought under control
subsided	wear off or die down
suspiciously	skeptically
swampin’	swamp, overwhelm or flood with water
swing	swaying, oscillation, wave
tar	a dark brown or black bituminous
thong	strip, cord, belt
thudded	hit something with a low, heavy sound
thuds	a dull, heavy sound, such as that made by an object falling to the ground
to bind her	to make a down payment
trailed off	voice becomes softer and softer and then stops
turnips	the European plant of the cabbage family which produces the turnip
twitched	jerk, spasm
unwinking	steady; unwavering
Weed	a northern California mining town
welter	short for "welterweight," a boxer between a junior welterweight and a junior middleweight
whimpering	aggressive
whing- ding	great
wryly	in a humorously sarcastic or mocking manner
yelled	shout

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 4

 

accumulated	get or gather together
accusingly	blame
aloof	distant in sympathy, interest, etc.; reserved and cool
appraised	consider in a comprehensive way
apprehension	fearful expectation or anticipation
approached	come near
arouse	awaken
averted	turn away or aside
banged	knocked
barn	storage house
battered	shabby
bindle	a bundle of clothes or bedding
bindle stiffs	someone who carries a bindle, a hobo
bindles	[Slang] a bundle, as of bedding, carried by a hobo
booby hatch	[Slang] an institution for the mentally ill, insane asylum
brutally	cruelly
bucker	a labor
busted-back	damaged or fractured back
California civil code	a book of civil law for the state of California
clinked	to give out a slight sharp short metallic sound
conceal	hide
contemptuously	without respect; in a disdainful manner
coughed	cough, to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp, short noise
cozy	comfortable
crestfallen	brought low in spirit
crippled	a lame or partly disabled person or animal
crooked	twisted
disapprovingly	critically
disarming	harmless
embarrassed	ashamed
fawning	attempting to win favor by flattery
flexed	cause something to assume a bent or crooked shape
floozy	cheap, immoral woman
framed	surround
glitter	shine
grumbled	to murmur or mutter in discontent; complain sullenly
halter	bridle
halter	strap
hame	part of the collar for a draft animal
harvested	to gather crops from the fields
hunched down	bend
indignation	a feeling of righteous anger
intensity	passion
liniment	a topical liquid that relieves muscle stiffness and pain
liniment	cream, gel
manure	dung
mauled	beat, battered, or tore at a person or animal
meager	of poor quality or small amount; not full or rich
measure	estimate, consider
messing	making dirt, befoul
nail keg	a barrel for holding nails
nuts	mad, insane
overwhelmed	overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
persuasive	intended or having the power to induce action or belief
pitchers	jug, jar
reassured	cause to feel confident
riveter	a worker who inserts and hammers rivets
roll your hoop	a reference to a child's game, Candy is saying Curley's wife is just a child
saddle	soft soap containing neat's-foot oil
scattered	spread
scowled	frown, dirty look
scowling down	frown in an angry or bad- tempered way
skinner	[Informal] a (mule) driver
snorted	inhale, smell
snorted	smelled
spectacles	glasses
spine	backbone
stamped	tapped
stiffened	firmed
stink	smell horrible
stirring	rousing
strung	string
subsided	become less intense, violent, or severe
sullenly	gloomily or resentfully silent or repressed
sullenness	a sullen moody resentful disposition
swamper	helper, handyman, a labor
swung	swing, move
tattered	worn to shreds; or wearing torn or ragged clothing
took a powder	[Slang] ran away; left
trap	mouth
wedge	cram, stuff
whinnied	the characteristic sounds made by a horse

 

 

CHAPTER 5

 

bewildered	perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
bristly	coarse, rough
cat house	[Slang] a house of prostitution
cautiously	carefully
chorus	actors who comment on the action in a classical Greek play, group
chuckled	laugh quietly or inwardly
clang	sound of hoof
clang	tap
complacently	in a self-satisfied manner
confided	reveal in private
consoled	give moral or emotional strength to
contorted	twisted, especially as in pain or struggle
cracks	holes, split
crept	crawl
cringed	drawback, as with fear, pain, or embarrassment
crouched	bent
disapprovingly	contemptuously, frowningly
discontent	a longing for something better than the present situation
dugs	udder of a female animal
dusky	lighted by or as if by twilight
earnestly	sincerely
four-taloned Jackson fork	a hay fork with four prongs, for lifting large amounts of hay
frown	scowl, puckered brow
gesture	signal
halter	a rope or strap placed around the head of a horse or other animal for leading or tethering
hovered	hang, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
humming	buzzing
hurled	to throw forcefully
in the pitcher	"in the picture;" here, meaning in the movies
jeering	laugh at with contempt and derision
lousy	rotten
Luger	gun
mangers	a container from which cattle or horses feed
mound	heap
muffled	wrapped or padded with material in order to stifle sound
muss ... up	mess up
mutt	dog
nibbled	bite
Palace	fort, grand house, centre
panic	terror, fright
passion	excitement
pawed up	struck at repeatedly; touched clumsily
peered	stared
peg	baseball
previews	display before it is made generally available
reassured	cause to feel confident
ringer	a horseshoe thrown so that it encircles the peg
rouged	redden by applying makeup to
scooped	to make hollow
slats	a thin strip of wood or metal
sling	hurl, throw
sluggishly	in a sluggish manner
smack	destroy
sniveled	cry or whine with snuffling
sonny	young
soothingly	peacefully
squatted down	sit, to bend knees and lower towards the ground so that one balance on their feet
stamped	hit, pat
streaks	move very fast in a specified direction
stubble	short, stiff hairs
sulkily	in a sulky manner, resentful
sullenly	grimly
tart	a promiscuous woman, flirtatious and provocative
tenement	residence
tumbled	to spill, fall, or plunge
viciously	nastily
whispered	speak very softly using one's breath rather than one's throat, especially for the sake of secrecy
wisps	strand, piece
woe	misery resulting from affliction
writhed	move in a twisting or contorted motion

 

 

 

CHAPTER 6

 

belligerently	in the manner of someone eager to fight
craftily	cunningly, skillfully
creeping	move slowly
disapprovingly	with negative judgment based upon personal standards
dutifully	in an obedient manner; without protest
fambly	family
gigantic	enormous
giggled	titter, chuckle, laugh lightly and repeatedly in a silly way
gingham	a woven cotton fabric, typically with a checked pattern
haunches	the upper part of the leg of an animal, often used for food
heron	any of various wading birds with a long neck, long legs, and a long, tapered bill, living along marshes and river banks
hoot	roar
jack	[Old Slang] money
jack-pin	a metal or wooden pin used to fasten ropes to a ship
jarred	shook something abruptly
lanced down	pierced with a sharp instrument
moaned	grumble
monotonous	sounded or spoken in a tone unvarying in pitch, boring
mottled	marked with blotches, streaks, and spots of different colors or shades
muzzle	the open end of the barrel of a gun
quivering	trembling or shaking with a slight rapid motion
ram	smash into
retorted	answer back
rustled	make a soft, muffled crackling sound like that caused by the movement of dry leaves or paper
Salinas River	a river that flows through Soledad and into Monterey Bay
scornfully	expressing extreme contempt
scudded	run or move very quickly or hastily
scuttled	run hurriedly or furtively with short quick steps
shivered	tremble, shudder
snapped off	open, unlock
snooker	a variation of pool played with 15 red balls and 6 balls of assorted colors
sonofabitching	son-of-a-bitching
starched	a stiff formal manner
stiffly	awkwardly
sycamores	any of several trees of the genus Platanus having thin pale bark that scales off in small plates and lobed leaves and ball-shaped heads of fruits
triumph	conquest
twitched	give or cause to give a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement
waggled	shake, quiver
woodenly	without grace; rigidly