The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle: Chapters 7–12

by Avi
In this work of historical fiction, thirteen-year-old Charlotte encounters adventure on the high seas as she sails from England to America.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–6, Chapters 7–12, Chapters 13–16, Chapters 17–22
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. eddy
    flow in a circular current, of liquids
    Instead I remained absolutely still, crouching in pitch blackness while the wash of ship sounds eddied about me, sounds now intensified by the frantic knocking of my heart.
  2. embolden
    give encouragement to
    I realized that this humanlike face was a grotesque carving cut into some large, brown nut.
    Emboldened, I felt for it again, trying to grasp it.
  3. grope
    feel about uncertainly or blindly
    Insisting to myself that there was nothing to worry about, I groped my way back to the trunk, feeling for and taking up what I had previously laid out.
  4. unnerve
    disturb the composure of
    And Zachariah’s words concerning the crew and their desire to be revenged on Captain Jaggery for his so-called cruelty were unnerving—even if I did not believe them.
  5. fathom
    come to understand
    Unable to fathom the mystery I ended up scolding myself, convinced that I was making something out of nothing.
  6. smug
    marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction
    Well no, not courting in the real sense. But surely courting me for friendship.
    What a queer notion! But I must confess, it filled me with smug pleasure.
  7. prattle
    speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
    So flattered was I by his attentions that I took pains to search for things to tell him and then prattled away.
  8. naive
    inexperienced
    In truth, I had endless questions to ask as to what this was and what was that. They in turn found in me a naive but eager recipient for their answers.
  9. yarn
    giving an account describing incidents or a course of events
    Then there were their yarns. I hardly knew nor cared which were true and which were not.
  10. atoll
    an island consisting of a coral reef surrounding a lagoon
    Tales of castaways on Pacific atolls never failed to move me.
  11. standoffish
    lacking cordiality; unfriendly
    At first standoffish and suspicious, the crew began to accept me.
  12. condone
    excuse, overlook, or make allowances for
    Since Zachariah never mentioned the dirk, nor again spoke discourteously of the captain, I took it as an indication that he knew I would not condone such talk.
  13. overhaul
    make repairs, renovations, revisions or adjustments to
    From tarnish upon a rail to limp sails and ragged spars, whether it was rigging to be overhauled or new tar to be applied, blocks, tackle, shrouds, each and all were forever in want of repair.
  14. servile
    submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior
    Mr. Keetch when summoned would scuttle quickly to his side, nervous, agitated, that look of fear forever about him, and absorb the captain’s barked orders with a cringing servility.
  15. burnish
    polish and make shiny
    Then the captain, abruptly accepting the ship’s windless fate, set the men to work harder than ever, as though the doldrums had been prearranged in order that he might refit and burnish the Seahawk as though new-made.
  16. adversity
    a state of misfortune or affliction
    “Sweet are the uses of adversity,” he instructed me.
  17. shirk
    avoid one's assigned duties
    When I reported all this to the captain he frowned and shook his head. “No one ranks for creative genius like a sailor shirking work.”
  18. awl
    a pointed tool for marking surfaces or for punching holes
    Now an old canvas jacket lay in his lap, and with trembling fingers he was attempting to patch it, using needle and awl.
  19. glower
    look angry or sullen as if to signal disapproval
    He glowered. “Come along then," he said, waving me in.
  20. apprehensive
    in fear or dread of possible evil or harm
    Apprehensively, I knelt, briefly turning to Fisk to make sure that this chest was indeed Ewing's.
  21. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    “Here, miss,” he said, scrutinizing my face as he took it, “have you taken ill?”
  22. gangly
    tall, thin, and awkward
    He was a gangly, long-limbed, muscular fellow, with a fierce mustache and long hair.
  23. surmise
    a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
    As he was one of Mr. Keetch’s watch—not currently on duty—he should have been among those in a forecastle hammock when I'd been there. I say he should have been because I had not seen his face. His presence was only a surmise.
  24. pinion
    restrain or bind
    The instant I saw him, he looked up and pinioned me with a gaze of blatant scrutiny.
  25. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    The instant I saw him, he looked up and pinioned me with a gaze of blatant scrutiny.
  26. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    “It's true!” I cried and to prove my honesty I hurriedly gave him an account of my experiences in the top cargo as well as my conclusion that the ship carried a stowaway. By the time I was done he was seething.
  27. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
    When I’d seen them on the day we went to sea they seemed unkempt. Now they looked destitute, their clothing torn and dirty, their faces unshaved, their expressions contorted with fear and fury.
  28. tableau
    any dramatic scene
    It was then that I saw Zachariah slip from the frozen tableau and move toward the fallen man.
  29. livid
    furiously angry
    “Miss Doyle!” he now screamed in a livid rage.
  30. cur
    a cowardly and despicable person
    “Beyond all that you should know you are a very poor set of curs. It took only this girl”—he nodded up to me—“to unmask you.”
  31. palpable
    capable of being perceived
    Though the glitter of hatred in their eyes was palpable enough, no one dared give voice to it.
  32. welt
    a raised mark on the skin
    The moment they touched the old man's skin four red welts appeared.
  33. derision
    the act of treating with contempt
    “It’s...it’s not...fair,” I stammered,
    “Fair?” he echoed, his voice thick with derision.
  34. gumption
    fortitude and determination
    “Mr. Hollybrass, you have given but two lashes. If you can do no better you’d best stand aside for someone who has the gumption.”
  35. ashen
    pale from illness or emotion
    Mr. Hollybrass, his face ashen, swallowed hard and murmured, “All hands resume your stations.”
  36. implacable
    incapable of being appeased or pacified
    The welt I’d made across his face was a red open wound. But it was his eyes that made me shudder. They expressed nothing so much as implacable hatred. And it was all directed at me.
  37. supplication
    a humble request for help from someone in authority
    I sank to my knees, hands in prayerlike supplication.
  38. bleak
    offering little or no hope
    “What did the captain mean?” I asked, my voice small.
    Fisk continued to stare bleakly at me.
  39. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
    “You?” Fisk said with incredulous scorn. He turned away.
  40. restitution
    the act of restoring something to its original state
    There were times I fell on my knees to pray for forgiveness. But it was from the crew as much as God that I sought pardon. If only I could make restitution, if only I could convince the men that I accepted my responsibility.
Created on Sat Aug 29 19:39:29 EDT 2020 (updated Thu Sep 10 12:40:26 EDT 2020)

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