A Farewell To Arms: Chapters 21–32

by Ernest Hemingway
Caught up in the brutality of World War I, an American ambulance driver on the Italian front falls in love with an English nurse.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–20, Chapters 21–32, Chapters 33–41

Here is a link to our list for The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. squabble
    argue over petty things
    They all squabbled about divisions and only killed them when they got them.
  2. silhouette
    a filled-in drawing of the outline of an object
    An old man was cutting silhouettes under an arcade
  3. convalescent
    returning to health after illness or debility
    I was to have three weeks’ convalescent leave and then return to the front.
  4. skulk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    a note from Rinaldi asking me how long I was going to skulk in Milano and what was all the news?
  5. prod
    push against gently
    "But still a hitter,” she prodded me.
  6. compatriot
    a person from your own country
    “I’d better go to have a look at your compatriots,” Catherine said.
  7. buttress
    a support usually of stone or brick
    There was a soldier standing with his girl in the shadow of one of the stone buttresses ahead of us and we passed them.
  8. ingenious
    showing inventiveness and skill
    “They are an ingenious people,” Catherine said.
  9. extravagant
    recklessly wasteful
    “I was very extravagant, darling,” she said, “but it's a fine nightgown.”
  10. compartment
    a partitioned section within a larger enclosed area
    I followed him into the train, crowding past people and along the aisle and in through a door to where the machine-gunner sat in the corner of a full compartment.
  11. artillery
    an army unit that uses big guns
    It was a very tall gaunt captain of artillery with a red scar along his jaw.
  12. hub
    central part of a car wheel through which the axle passes
    When they were finally and completely stalled, the wheels dug in to the hubs, we left them in the field and started on foot for Udine.
  13. conscience
    a feeling of shame when you do something immoral
    Every time I see that glass I think of you trying to clean your conscience with a toothbrush."
  14. remorse
    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
    You are the remorse boy, I know.
  15. defiantly
    in a rebellious manner
    He looked defiantly around the table, his eyes flat, his face pale.
  16. elated
    exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits
    He acted very elated now
  17. scarce
    deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
    Food was scarce and he would be glad to get a full meal in Gorizia.
  18. battery
    a group of guns or missile launchers operated together
    There was a battery of naval guns that had gotten on his nerves.
  19. trajectory
    the path followed by an object moving through space
    I would recognize them because of their flat trajectory.
  20. succession
    a group of people or things arranged or following in order
    I said I thought a ridge that flattened out on top and had a little depth would be easier and more practical to hold than a succession of small mountains.
  21. fortify
    prepare oneself for a military confrontation
    The Austrians had been fortifying it for years.”
  22. flank
    the side of military or naval formation
    If the flank were turned, the best men would be left on the highest mountains.
  23. hallow
    render holy by means of religious rites
    Abstract words such as glory, honor, courage, or hallow were obscene beside the concrete names of villages, the numbers of roads, the names of rivers, the numbers of regiments and the dates.
  24. sullen
    darkened by clouds
    The retreat was orderly, wet and sullen.
  25. anarchism
    a political theory favoring the abolition of governments
    “Something hot will be good for those two anarchists.
  26. converge
    move or draw together at a certain location
    There were many trucks too and some carts going through on other streets and converging on the main road.
  27. slack
    become less in amount or intensity
    The rain was slacking and we were moving along.
  28. cavalry
    troops trained to fight on horseback
    “The first thing we will see will be the cavalry,” Piani said.
  29. ruddy
    inclined to a healthy reddish color
    They were ruddy and healthy-looking.
  30. lurch
    move suddenly or as if unable to control one's movements
    Two more shots came from the thick brush and Aymo, as he was crossing the tracks, lurched, tripped and fell face down.
  31. epithet
    a defamatory or abusive word or phrase
    “Italians,” Piani said, using the word as an epithet, “Italiani!”
  32. dormer
    a gabled extension built out from a sloping roof
    There were two windows in the roof, one was blocked with boards, the other was a narrow dormer window on the north side.
  33. battalion
    an army unit consisting of a headquarters and companies
    We waited, lying flat beyond the ditch along the main road while a German battalion passed, then when they were gone we crossed the road and went on to the north.
  34. barbarian
    a member of an uncivilized people
    “It is you and such as you that have let the barbarians onto the sacred soil of the fatherland.”
  35. treachery
    an act of deliberate betrayal
    “It is because of treachery such as yours that we have lost the fruits of victory.”
  36. stern
    not able to yield, relent, or forgive
    The questioners had that beautiful detachment and devotion to stern justice of men dealing in death ...
  37. momentum
    the product of a body's mass and its velocity
    I could see the brush, but even with my momentum and swimming as hard as I could, the current was taking me away.
  38. clammy
    unpleasantly cool and humid
    My clothes felt wet and clammy and I slapped my arms to keep the circulation going.
  39. contemptuously
    without respect; in a disdainful manner
    I stared at him contemptuously and he looked away.
  40. conspicuous
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    I did not want to look conspicuous.
Created on Tue Aug 13 12:09:00 EDT 2013 (updated Wed Aug 08 16:48:02 EDT 2018)

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