Vocabulary 1

Vocabulary Words Part 1

“An abiding interest in animals led him to the zoo business” (p13)

1. Abiding: adjective, continuing without change; enduring; steadfast: an abiding faith.

“Because whatever mocking was to come, it was to come” (p24)

2. Mocking: verb, to mimic, imitate, or counterfeit.

“And his stethoscopic mind always confirmed to him that everything was in order” (p26)

 3. Stethoscopic: adjective, pertaining to the stethoscope

“We were spared the sadist who plied European and American zoos” (p30)

4. Sadist: noun, any enjoyment in being cruel.

5. Plied: verb, to work with or at diligently; employ busily; use

“I don’t know got the idea that his youngest was itching to step into a cage with a furious carnivore.” (p34)

6. Itching: adjective, of, pertaining to, or characterized by an irritating sensation of the skin.

“Get even closer and you trigger a flight reaction from which the bird will not cease until the-three-hundred limit is set again.” (p39)

7. Trigger: noun, anything, as an act or event that serves as a stimulus and initiates or precipitates a reaction or series of reactions.

“But various paw injuries hinted at matrimonial strife.” (p41)

8. Strife: noun, vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism

“Truly I am in a sacred cosmic womb” (p48)

 9. Womb: noun, the uterus of the human female and certain higher mammals

“It was all an excuse to keep our lethargy a little busy” (p51)

10. Lethargy: noun, plural, pathology. An abnormal state or disorder characterized by overpowering drowsiness or sleep.

“I advanced and observed the inner sanctum” (p52)

11. Sanctum: noun, plural, a sacred or holy place.

 “With nothing in his looks or his dress that made memory cry hark” (p61)

12. Hark: verb, to listen attentively; hearken

“So swami Jesus, will you go on the hajj this year?” (p70)

 13. Hajj: noun, plural, the pilgrimage to Mecca, which every adult Muslim is supposed to make at least once in his or her lifetime: the fifth of the Pillars of Islam.

“We would bolt” (p79)

14. Bolt: verb, to discontinue support of or participation in.

“Mother was appareled in her finest sari”

15. Appareled: noun, clothing, especially outerwear; garments; attire; raiment.