The Whipping Boy: Chapters 1–10

by Sid Fleischman
Every time Prince Horace misbehaves, a poor boy named Jemmy suffers the consequences. When the prince and the whipping boy run away together, they are kidnapped by highwaymen — and they must plan a daring escape that will change both of their lives.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–20
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sullenly
    in a manner showing a brooding ill humor
    Prince Brat sat sullenly on a pile of moldy bed straw. He glared icily at the whipping boy who had seized his royal title.
  2. thrash
    give a beating to
    He had never been spanked in his life. He was a prince! And it was forbidden to spank, thrash, cuff, smack, or whip a prince.
  3. defiantly
    in a rebellious manner
    Defiantly biting back every yelp and cry, the whipping boy received the twenty whacks.
  4. contrite
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
    The prince lowered his head so as to appear humbled and contrite.
  5. exasperation
    a feeling of annoyance
    But all the while he was feeling a growing exasperation with his whipping boy.
  6. gloat
    dwell on with satisfaction
    He was determined never to spring a tear for the prince to gloat over.
  7. contrary
    resistant to guidance or discipline
    "You contrary rascal!" the prince exploded.
  8. spite
    meanness or nastiness
    "I'm on to you, Jemmy-From-The-Streets. It's pure spite that you won't howl! Think you can cross me and get away with it? Ha! Never and nohow!"
  9. gallows
    an instrument from which a person is executed by hanging
    “He'll hunt us down. You'll get off light as a feather, but I'll be lucky if they don't whip me to the bone. More likely I'll be hung from the gallows. Scragged for sure!"
  10. insolent
    marked by casual disrespect
    "Who's there? Let go! Take your hands off me, you insolent rascal!"
  11. ruffian
    a cruel and brutal fellow
    "A clod and a ruffian," declared the prince.
  12. exploit
    a notable achievement
    Hadn't he heard ballad sellers fling that name about the streets? The exploits of Hold-Your-Nose Something-or-other in verses by the yard?
  13. rogue
    a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
    A prince would make a fine catch for these rogues.
  14. chortle
    laugh quietly or with restraint
    "Got enough lip for two sets of teeth," chortled the big highwayman.
  15. crest
    in medieval times, an emblem used to decorate a helmet
    "Skin me alive!" declared the big man in awe. "That's the king's own crest."
  16. vagabond
    a wanderer with no established residence or means of support
    The empty-headed prince! Jemmy thought. Why had he brought along his crown? To cock it on his head and expect vagabonds and cutthroats to fall to their knees?
  17. reckoning
    problem solving that involves numbers or quantities
    "Fifty-five pounds, by my reckoning," he said. "We'll write the king a command, Cutwater. Fifty-five pounds of gold coin in trade for his royal tadpole."
  18. rummage
    search haphazardly
    Cutwater rummaged around in a black oak chest of stolen goods.
  19. cur
    a cowardly and despicable person
    Prince Brat folded his arms. "I don't take orders from curs and villains."
  20. scheme
    an elaborate and systematic plan of action
    Jemmy shot a calculating glance at Prince Brat. His pesky hide hardly seemed worth saving, but a scheme had leaped into his head. He might be able to trick these mangy outlaws into letting the prince go. And Jemmy would be rid of Prince Brat once and for all.
  21. ignorant
    uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sophistication
    "This ignorant whipping boy knows his letters—and the royal prince can't sign his own name. Something's amiss here."
  22. flummox
    be a mystery or bewildering to
    "I'm thinking these lads have mixed themselves up to flummox us."
  23. paltry
    contemptibly small in amount or size
    "Catchpenny rogues! I will not be exchanged for such a trifle. My mere weight? A paltry treasure you could carry on a shoulder? How dare you insult me!"
  24. bewildered
    extremely confused and uncertain what to do
    Hold-Your-Nose Billy's red eyebrows shot up in bewildered surprise.
  25. scrawny
    being very thin
    The scrawny outlaw sliced off two thick pieces of coarse bread.
  26. varmint
    any usually predatory wild animal considered undesirable
    He examined the bread closely, hunting for varmints. The prince, he knew, had never been starved enough to pick out wildlife from his grub.
  27. regal
    belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
    Jemmy lifted his chin to a regal height. "You doubt the word and honor of your prince? Insolent oafs! Curs! I'll have you horsewhipped."
  28. blanch
    turn pale, as if in fear
    The prince's eyes widened and his face blanched white. The prospect of taking a whipping himself had never occurred to him.
  29. indifference
    the trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care
    Jemmy assumed a princely air of indifference.
  30. pretense
    the act of giving a false appearance
    Jemmy made the pretense of blazing up with impatience.
Created on Thu Apr 21 21:59:23 EDT 2016 (updated Thu Sep 20 15:37:10 EDT 2018)

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