The Pinballs: Chapters 16–26

by Betsy Byars
Three children strike up a friendship as they try to navigate life in foster care.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–15, Chapters 16–26
15 words 21 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. wicker
    flexible branches or twigs that can be woven together
    He paused and then sat in the wicker rocker.
  2. appeal
    be attractive to
    “Yes. Because she was always touching people and hugging them and telling them how she felt about them. It seemed to come so natural to her. It appealed to me.”
  3. earnestly
    in a sincere and serious manner
    “Yes,” Thomas J replied earnestly. “I can believe it.”
  4. waver
    be unsure or weak
    Her voice, which had not been steady since 1945, wavered more than usual.
  5. bluff
    deceive someone about your strength or intentions
    She tried to bluff. “What makes you think it’s a TV?”
  6. agonize
    suffer anguish
    "No!"
    The word was so agonized that Carlie stepped back from the bed.
  7. decal
    a design that can be transferred from paper to some surface
    “I got some little decals and put them on my fingernails. Did you notice?”
  8. hypodermic
    relating to or located below the epidermis
    Then she turned to Thomas J and said, “Come on, the nurse’ll be chasing us out of here with hypodermic needles in a minute.”
  9. contract
    a binding agreement that is enforceable by law
    He said he had just gotten a contract to build an eight-unit town house.
  10. spigot
    a regulator for controlling the flow of a liquid
    It was the first time he had cried since the accident. It was like the turning on of a spigot. He sobbed, and the tears rolled down his cheeks in streams.
  11. commotion
    the act of making a noisy disturbance
    The nurse on the floor was passing the door and heard the commotion.
  12. prompt
    assist by suggesting the next words of something
    “Who do you love?” she would say.
    He would not know the answer.
    “Well, do you love Ma-ma?” she would prompt.
  13. complimentary
    expressing praise and admiration
    He had climbed up into the chair, excited at his first real haircut, and the barber had looked at him and said, “Who’s been hacking at your hair, Son?” in an uncomplimentary way.
  14. cameo
    engraving or carving in low relief on a stone
    She was wearing her good black dress and her cameo pin, the same outfit her sister had worn.
  15. snub
    refuse to acknowledge
    I just mean that there are things I don’t like to remember—oh, like times people snubbed me at school—times people made me feel bad—and if I could just erase those things, Thomas J, I’d be a lot happier.
Created on Mon Aug 30 16:18:48 EDT 2021 (updated Tue Aug 31 15:43:23 EDT 2021)

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