Matilda: Chapters 11–14

by Roald Dahl
Brilliant Matilda Wormwood finds clever ways to get the best of her ignorant parents and the cruel headmistress of her school.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–10, Chapters 11–14, Chapters 15–21

Here are links to our lists for other works by Roald Dahl: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Boy: Tales of Childhood
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. wary
    marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    He was watching the Headmistress with an exceedingly wary eye and he kept edging farther and farther away from her with little shuffles of his feet, rather as a rat might edge away from a terrier that is watching it from across the room.
  2. apprehension
    fearful expectation or anticipation
    His plump flabby face had turned grey with fearful apprehension.
  3. rapier
    a straight sword with a narrow blade and two edges
    "This clot," boomed the Headmistress, pointing the riding-crop at him like a rapier, "this blackhead, this foul carbuncle, this poisonous pustule that you see before you is none other than a disgusting criminal, a denizen of the underworld, a member of the Mafia!"
  4. denizen
    a person who inhabits a particular place
    "This clot," boomed the Headmistress, pointing the riding-crop at him like a rapier, "this blackhead, this foul carbuncle, this poisonous pustule that you see before you is none other than a disgusting criminal, a denizen of the underworld, a member of the Mafia!"
  5. rustle
    take illegally
    "A thief!" the Trunchbull screamed. "A crook! A pirate! A brigand! A rustler!"
  6. suppurate
    cause to fester and discharge pus
    "I'll tell you what I'm talking about, you suppurating little blister!" the Trunchbull shouted.
  7. bemused
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    "Well, thank you," the boy said, totally bemused.
  8. implacable
    incapable of being appeased or pacified
    The cook stood there like a shrivelled bootlace, tight-lipped, implacable, disapproving.
  9. crafty
    marked by skill in deception
    "That would be impolite," the Trunchbull said, with a crafty grin.
  10. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    Very gingerly the boy began to cut a thin slice of the vast cake.
  11. flag
    weaken or become less intense
    There were still no signs of flagging or giving up.
  12. impending
    close in time; about to occur
    And now a subtle change was coming over the two hundred and fifty watching children in the audience. Earlier on, they had sensed impending disaster.
  13. intently
    with strained or eager attention
    The audience watched intently. They were thoroughly caught up in the contest.
  14. dogged
    stubbornly unyielding
    The boy was slowing down now. There was no doubt about that. But he kept pushing the stuff into his mouth with the dogged perseverance of a long-distance runner who has sighted the finishing-line and knows he must keep going.
  15. perseverance
    persistent determination
    The boy was slowing down now. There was no doubt about that. But he kept pushing the stuff into his mouth with the dogged perseverance of a long-distance runner who has sighted the finishing-line and knows he must keep going.
  16. replete
    filled to satisfaction with food or drink
    She glared at Bruce Bogtrotter who was sitting on his chair like some huge overstuffed grub, replete, comatose, unable to move or to speak.
  17. comatose
    in a state of deep and usually prolonged unconsciousness
    She glared at Bruce Bogtrotter who was sitting on his chair like some huge overstuffed grub, replete, comatose, unable to move or to speak.
  18. mull
    reflect deeply on a subject
    On the way home from school that afternoon she began to mull over the various possibilities, and when at last the germ of a brilliant idea hit her, she began to expand on it and lay her plans with the same kind of care the Duke of Wellington had done before the Battle of Waterloo.
  19. exploit
    a notable achievement
    Great skill would have to be exercised, Lavender told herself, and great secrecy observed if she was to come out of this exploit alive.
  20. colony
    a group of organisms of the same type living together
    There was a muddy pond at the bottom of Lavender's garden and this was the home of a colony of newts.
  21. quicksilver
    a metallic element that is liquid at ordinary temperatures
    It wriggled and squirmed like quicksilver and, apart from that, the box was only just long enough to take it.
  22. rove
    move about aimlessly or without any destination
    The Trunchbull's dangerous glittering eyes roved around the class-room.
  23. pantomime
    a performance using gestures and movements without words
    It was splendid entertainment. It was better than a pantomime, but with one big difference.
  24. rivet
    direct one's attention on something
    The children's eyes were riveted on the Headmistress.
  25. infernal
    extremely evil or cruel
    "Me! A baby!" shouted the Trunchbull. "How dare you suggest such a thing! What cheek! What infernal insolence! What's your name, boy? And stand up when you speak to me!"
  26. insolence
    the trait of being rude and impertinent
    "Me! A baby!" shouted the Trunchbull. "How dare you suggest such a thing! What cheek! What infernal insolence! What's your name, boy? And stand up when you speak to me!"
  27. indelible
    not able to be forgotten, removed, or erased
    "Very well, then," the Trunchbull said, "You may be Ink, young man, but let me tell you something. You're not indelible. I'll very soon rub you out if you try getting clever with me. Spell what."
  28. bane
    something causing misery or death
    Still holding the jug by the handle but not lifting it yet, she said, "I have never been able to understand why small children are so disgusting. They are the bane of my life. They are like insects...."
  29. smolder
    burn slowly and without a flame
    The fires of fury and hatred were smouldering in her small black eyes.
  30. vile
    causing or able to cause nausea
    "You are a vile, repulsive, repellent, malicious little brute!" the Trunchbull was shouting.
  31. repellent
    serving or tending to cause aversion
    "You are a vile, repulsive, repellent, malicious little brute!" the Trunchbull was shouting.
  32. malicious
    having the nature of threatening evil
    "You are a vile, repulsive, repellent, malicious little brute!" the Trunchbull was shouting.
  33. serenity
    the absence of mental stress or anxiety
    Matilda, in the second row, sat very still and said nothing. A strange feeling of serenity and confidence was sweeping over her and all of a sudden she found that she was frightened by nobody in the world.
  34. compel
    force somebody to do something
    With the power of her eyes alone she had compelled a glass of water to tip and spill its contents over the horrible Headmistress, and anybody who could do that could do anything.
  35. vouch
    give personal assurance; guarantee
    "None of the children did, Miss Trunchbull," Miss Honey answered. "I can vouch for it that nobody has moved from his or her desk all the time you've been here, except for Nigel and he has not moved from his corner."
Created on Tue Aug 06 09:53:07 EDT 2019 (updated Tue Aug 06 10:12:25 EDT 2019)

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