Bob: Chapters 8–14

by Wendy Mass, Rebecca Stead
While visiting her grandmother in Australia, Livy tries to fulfill a promise to help a magical creature find his way home.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–7, Chapters 8–14, Chapters 15–20
25 words 54 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. gnash
    grind together
    I start to gnash my teeth, but my teeth are already small and kind of stubby.
  2. resist
    express opposition through action or words
    Livy is right about the magic. For some reason people forget about me when they get a certain distance away. But this pawn resists it.
  3. savor
    taste appreciatively
    "Where did you find the black chess pieces, anyway?” I ask as I savor my delicious treat.
  4. inanimate
    not endowed with life
    I think Bob sometimes forgets that some of us are real live creatures and some of us are inanimate objects.
  5. jut
    extend out or project in space
    For instance, I know that if I walk around this well, I will see three little stones jutting out of the wall, one above the other.
  6. shudder
    tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
    I force myself to look into the well’s deep dark, and shudder.
  7. glimmer
    shine brightly, like a star or a light
    Bob stops and turns to me. I can’t see his face, only two glimmering eyes.
  8. domesticated
    accustomed to home life
    "Bob, I ’m pretty sure that wasn’t a monster. I think maybe it was a cat.”
    "A cat? Do you mean the small domesticated mammal? Catcher of rats and mice?”
  9. hyperventilate
    breathe excessively hard and fast
    I can see his chest moving up and down when he breathes. In fact, I think he might be hyperventilating.
  10. grumble
    make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath
    "Fine,” I grumble, allowing her to lead me out of the room. "But I can’t promise to use the soap.”
  11. accustomed
    in the habit of or adapted to
    I shrug. "I’ve grown accustomed to it.”
  12. carefree
    without trouble or worry
    They sound so happy and carefree.
  13. pang
    a sudden sharp feeling
    "I think those are my mom’s old dolls,” I say. And I get this pang. My brain still hasn’t forgotten about trying to sleep here without Mom in the house tonight.
  14. hilarious
    extremely funny; causing laughter
    "Really? Did we play with dolls last time? That’s hilarious.”
    "Why hilarious?”
    "Oh, not hilarious—I just mean, you know: I haven’t touched a doll in like three years.”
  15. casual
    marked by a lack of concern
    I casually turn my back to the closet as if there isn’t a jealous green mysterious creature inside.
  16. absolute
    perfect or complete or pure
    "And you have to do whatever I dare you to do? Or answer one question with the absolute truth? Is that right?”
  17. eavesdrop
    listen without the speaker's knowledge
    "Though I bet he’d look pretty cute in a tutu,” Livy says rather loudly. Clearly she knows I’m eavesdropping.
  18. blurt
    utter impulsively
    "You don’t need to feel bad about leaving me in the closet,” I blurt out, then take a bite of the cookie.
  19. gist
    the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
    I swallow my last bite. "That’s pretty much the gist of it.”
  20. particularly
    specifically or especially distinguished from others
    I smile. "In between I’d make whatever word I was reading in the dictionary. The aardvark was my first. I was particularly proud of that one.”
  21. impressed
    deeply or markedly affected or influenced
    She nods, clearly impressed.
  22. sheepish
    showing a sense of shame
    I smile sheepishly, ashamed of myself.
  23. preen
    dress or groom with elaborate care
    I turn this way and that, admiring my reflection from all angles.
    "I’m not half bad!”
    I keep preening because it’s making her laugh.
  24. urgent
    compelling immediate action
    She sounds more urgent than I’ve ever heard her, even more worked up than the time a woman from the bank came all the way to the house.
  25. striking
    sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
    I have a book with a strikingly handsome green creature on the cover to find, and there’s no time to waste.
Created on Tue Nov 19 19:52:39 EST 2019 (updated Wed Dec 04 15:16:55 EST 2019)

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