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The Bronze Bow: Chapters 12–16

In this award-winning work of historical fiction, a teenager from Galilee seeks vengeance against the Romans who killed his father.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–5, Chapters 6–11, Chapters 12–16, Chapters 17–24
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Full list of words from this list:

  1. defile
    spot, stain, or pollute
    Murderous hate boiled up in him. How dare the man look at his sister? The very touch of his eyes had defiled her, as surely as though he had touched her with his hand.
  2. wane
    become smaller
    Daniel set to work, blowing the waning fire with the bellows, heating and pounding straight the blade, then applying the sandstone to the nicks that the pebbly land had left.
  3. surly
    unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation
    He did the work they required of him and took their money, not caring that he had a reputation for being surly.
  4. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    The boy was plainly wealthy, and used to having his own way. There was an edge of disdain in his voice, and in his proud, handsome face.
  5. despoil
    plunder or steal goods
    He led Daniel to an abandoned watchtower in his father’s cucumber field, a small round stone house in which the whole family had once lived during the time of harvest to watch lest thieves despoil the ripening crop.
  6. recompense
    payment or reward, as for service rendered
    He realized that she had never before known any recompense for her hours at the loom.
  7. dowry
    money brought by a woman to her husband at marriage
    He showed her how to sew the coin into her head scarf, where every village girl, even the poorest, boasted the jingling coins that would be her dowry.
  8. theological
    of or relating to or concerning the study of religion
    It took a considerably longer time than Daniel had reckoned, because Joel and the young weaver lost themselves in the intricacy of a theological debate.
  9. shrewd
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
    A girl with gold earrings studied him shrewdly.
  10. knack
    a special way of doing something
    He knew it was too much. He had no way of knowing how much too much, and he had no knack for bargaining anyway.
  11. delve
    search for something in a receptacle or container
    “Oh,” she said, “a present, is it? Wait a minute.” She delved beneath a pile of odd articles. “Here. Take one of mine. I won’t charge you for it.”
  12. disconcerted
    having self-possession upset; thrown into confusion
    For a moment he was disconcerted. Then he remembered that Thacia was the only girl she knew.
  13. aback
    by surprise
    He was completely taken aback. “That’s a silly question,” he snapped. “I’m not going to marry.”
  14. flout
    treat with contemptuous disregard
    Rosh had gorged himself on the forbidden mutton, but he hadn’t forgiven the one man in the camp who had dared to flout his orders.
  15. venture
    proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
    It puzzled him that this timid creature who had never dared to venture beyond their tiny garden patch should now be so curious about the busy life of the city.
  16. wharf
    a platform from the shore that provides access to ships
    At night people came flocking to the home of Simon the fisherman, where Jesus lived in a booth on the rooftop. There the workers would gather, weary from a day of hard labor at the forge or the wharves or the vineyards.
  17. alabaster
    a fine-textured white gypsum used for carving
    Each time she brought some small gift, a lily bulb to plant in the garden, a tiny alabaster jar of perfume, a skein of scarlet thread.
  18. wistful
    showing pensive sadness
    There had been something in her face, a searching and a wistfulness that still haunted him.
  19. brooch
    a decorative pin
    He rolled out and sharpened a slender bronze pin which could pass down like an arrow between the bow and the fine wire of its string, so that the bow became a brooch such as he had seen the city folk wear to fasten their cloaks.
  20. toady
    try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
    “Herod is entertaining a special legation from Rome. While they’re at Tiberias they plan to come up to Capernaum for a day or so to inspect the garrison here. For some people, the rich ones who toady to Rome, that will be a great occasion. Mattathias, the banker, is giving a banquet for the whole legation, and some of the richest men in Capernaum will be there.”
  21. intrigue
    a crafty and involved plot to achieve your ends
    Joel’s eyes began to sparkle at the thought of intrigue.
  22. peddle
    sell or offer for sale from place to place
    “Good idea!” Joel flashed. “I’ll get a basketful of extra fine ones, and peddle them for a good price. I can say I’ll take orders for any special occasion. You know how the kitchen slaves talk about a party. I’m sure it would work!”
  23. rapt
    feeling great delight and interest
    Then, watching Joel’s rapt flushed face, Daniel felt not envy, but unexpected misgiving.
  24. misgiving
    uneasiness about the fitness of an action
    Then, watching Joel’s rapt flushed face, Daniel felt not envy, but unexpected misgiving.
  25. scruples
    motivation deriving from ethical or moral principles
    “We’ll go to visit Leah. I’ve been wanting to for days.” In the face of their enthusiasm, Daniel’s scruples melted.
  26. scrutiny
    a prolonged intense look
    Thacia tipped back her head for Daniel’s scrutiny in a gesture that reminded him of Leah.
  27. relish
    derive or receive pleasure from
    Both brother and sister were relishing their conspiracy.
  28. consignment
    the delivery of goods for sale or disposal
    Joel had already arranged for a consignment of fish and had them hidden under a half-upturned boat, packed under fresh green leaves in a woven basket.
  29. yoke
    an oppressive power
    The soldiers waited. Daniel stood in helpless fury. Then, for the first time in his life, he bent his neck to the Roman yoke and picked up the second pack.
  30. amble
    walk leisurely
    The two soldiers ambled behind them, chatting good-naturedly to each other, as though the two packbearers were mules.
  31. chaff
    material consisting of seed coverings and pieces of stem
    Here and there a solitary thresher still moved in a field, tossing the grain in great forkfuls into the air, letting the breeze catch the chaff while the heavy grain fell back to the ground.
  32. gaiety
    a joyful feeling
    Her gaiety touched with a special grace everything around her.
  33. centurion
    leader of soldiers in ancient Rome
    “When he comes, if she will not go to him, then you must ask him to come to your house with you. He often goes with people, you know.”
    “To the centurion’s house, or to some rich man’s.”
  34. discernible
    capable of being seen or noticed
    Overhead, barely discernible against the blue of the sky, a long gray shadow hung suspended. Cranes, hundreds of them, were passing in a great phalanx.
  35. phalanx
    a body of troops in close array
    Overhead, barely discernible against the blue of the sky, a long gray shadow hung suspended. Cranes, hundreds of them, were passing in a great phalanx.
Created on Thu Sep 16 17:18:16 EDT 2021 (updated Tue Sep 28 13:07:26 EDT 2021)

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