The Call of the Wild: Chapter 5

by Jack London
In this action-packed adventure story, a domesticated dog must shed his civilized ways to become a proper sled dog during the Yukon Gold Rush. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapter 5, Chapters 6–7
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. wretched
    characterized by physical misery
    They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.
  2. prolonged
    relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
    It was not the dead-tiredness that comes through brief and excessive effort, from which recovery is a matter of hours; but it was the dead-tiredness that comes through the slow and prolonged strength drainage of months of toil.
  3. slovenly
    negligent of neatness especially in dress and person
    When driven with his mates to the new owners' camp, Buck saw a slipshod and slovenly affair, tent half stretched, dishes unwashed, everything in disorder; also, he saw a woman.
  4. remonstrance
    the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest
    Mercedes continually fluttered in the way of her men and kept up an unbroken chattering of remonstrance and advice.
  5. imploringly
    in a pleading manner
    Mercedes looked at them imploringly, untold repugnance at sight of pain written in her pretty face.
  6. unwieldy
    difficult to use or handle because of size or weight
    The overloaded and unwieldy sled forged ahead, Buck and his mates struggling frantically under the rain of blows.
  7. thoroughfare
    a public road from one place to another
    The capsized sled ground over him, and the dogs dashed on up the street, adding to the gayety of Skaguay as they scattered the remainder of the outfit along its chief thoroughfare.
  8. aver
    declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
    She averred she would not go an inch, not for a dozen Charleses.
  9. jaded
    bored or apathetic after experiencing too much of something
    Four times he had covered the distance between Salt Water and Dawson, and the knowledge that, jaded and tired, he was facing the same trail once more, made him bitter.
  10. quaver
    a tremulous sound
    And to cap it all, when Mercedes, with tears in her pretty eyes and a quaver in her throat, could not cajole him into giving the dogs still more, she stole from the fish-sacks and fed them slyly.
  11. cajole
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
    And to cap it all, when Mercedes, with tears in her pretty eyes and a quaver in her throat, could not cajole him into giving the dogs still more, she stole from the fish-sacks and fed them slyly.
  12. amenities
    things that make you comfortable and at ease
    By this time all the amenities and gentlenesses of the Southland had fallen away from the three people.
  13. chivalrous
    attentive and honorable like an ideal knight
    But the present treatment by her husband and brother was everything save chivalrous.
  14. terse
    brief and to the point
    He whittled and listened, gave monosyllabic replies, and, when it was asked, terse advice.
  15. evince
    give expression to
    Thornton stood between him and Buck, and evinced no intention of getting out of the way.
Created on Tue May 21 20:30:57 EDT 2013 (updated Wed Jun 18 20:23:17 EDT 2025)

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