The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Chapters 22-30

by Mark Twain
Good-hearted but mischievous, Tom Sawyer can't keep himself out of trouble as he grows up in a small town on the Mississippi River. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-5, Chapters 6-12, Chapters 13-21, Chapters 22-30, Chapters 31-36

Here are links to our lists for other works by Mark Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper, Life on the Mississippi, A Story Without an End, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. convalescent
    returning to health after illness or debility
    At last he was pronounced upon the mend — and then convalescent.
  2. forbearance
    good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
    He believed he had taxed the forbearance of the powers above to the extremity of endurance and that this was the result.
  3. saunter
    walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
    Tom kept his ears open when idlers sauntered out of the court-room, but invariably heard distressing news — the toils were closing more and more relentlessly around poor Potter.
  4. reproof
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
    The perplexity and dissatisfaction of the house expressed itself in murmurs and provoked a reproof from the bench.
  5. diffident
    lacking self-confidence
    “Speak out, my boy — don’t be diffident. The truth is always respectable. What did you take there?”
  6. formidable
    inspiring fear or dread
    Since Tom's harassed conscience had managed to drive him to the lawyer's house by night and wring a dread tale from lips that had been sealed with the dismalest and most formidable of oaths, Huck's confidence in the human race was well-nigh obliterated.
  7. sepulchral
    suited to or suggestive of a grave or burial
    Spirits whispered in the rustling leaves, ghosts lurked in the murky nooks, the deep baying of a hound floated up out of the distance, an owl answered with his sepulchral note.
  8. blanch
    turn pale, as if in fear
    “What is it?” whispered Huck, blanching with fright.
  9. unkempt
    not properly maintained or cared for
    "T'other" was a ragged, unkempt creature, with nothing very pleasant in his face.
  10. palpable
    capable of being perceived
    Company would be a palpable improvement, he thought.
  11. auspicious
    indicating favorable circumstances and good luck
    No Spaniard had been seen. Nobody had entered or left the alley. Everything was auspicious.
  12. labyrinth
    complex system of paths in which it is easy to get lost
    Dougal's cave was but a vast labyrinth of crooked aisles that ran into each other and out again and led nowhere.
  13. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    The hooting of an owl came over the hill — ominous sound!
  14. embellishment
    elaboration of an interpretation with decorative detail
    When you talked about notching ears and slitting noses I judged that that was your own embellishment....
  15. countenance
    the appearance conveyed by a person's face
    Whispers passed along, and a boding uneasiness took possession of every countenance.
Created on Thu Feb 07 14:15:50 EST 2013 (updated Tue Aug 05 11:13:44 EDT 2025)

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