Johnny Tremain: Chapters 5–6

by Esther Forbes
The year is 1773, and fourteen-year-old Johnny is an apprentice silversmith in Boston. When a terrible accident threatens his future, Johnny must quickly adapt — just as the American colonists join forces to break free from British rule.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–12
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. seditious
    inciting action or rebellion
    It had been sent to Mr. Lorne, commanding him and the other printers of Boston to quit their seditious, rebellious publications—or else.
  2. suave
    agreeable and courteous with a degree of sophistication
    Although his voice was suave enough, Johnny knew he was furious.
  3. knave
    a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
    More opportunity in Guadalupe for lying, thieving, scurvy knaves!
  4. militia
    civilians trained as soldiers, not part of the regular army
    Here were acres upon acres of meadow and cow pasture, hard ground cleared for the drilling of militia.
  5. cavort
    play boisterously
    Goblin had been cavorting, blowing through his nostrils, begging to be let out.
  6. canter
    a smooth three-beat gait
    Rab kept him at a close canter.
  7. sorrel
    a horse of a brownish orange to light brown color
    At the end, when Goblin had got most of the play out of him, they changed horses. Actually Goblin’s gaits were so smooth he seemed easier than the sorrel.
  8. ardent
    characterized by strong enthusiasm
    In only a few weeks he changed from knowing little enough about the political excitement, and caring less, to being an ardent Whig.
  9. fatuous
    devoid of intelligence
    When people on the streets or at the taverns complimented him on his mount, there would come the same fatuous expression on his face he had often ridiculed on Cilia’s when people stopped her and said how angelic Isannah was, but he did not know it.
  10. treason
    a crime that undermines the offender's government
    It was a secret club, as powerful as any in Boston, and here in the last few years had been hatched much ‘treason,’ as the Tories called it.
  11. careen
    move at high speed and in an uncontrolled way
    Although Johnny held the reins in his left hand, as Rab had taught him, many times as the horse was off on a wild tear and he was struggling to get him once more under control, he was forced to use his crippled hand. He could not keep it proudly in his pocket while careening about on a horse like Goblin.
  12. atrophy
    undergo weakening or degeneration as through lack of use
    Although too badly injured ever to be skillful again, it was no longer in danger of atrophying—as it had been in Johnny’s pocket.
  13. catechism
    a set of formal questions about basic principles
    Isannah had wandered off because a passing clergyman had seen the sunlight on her hair and was asking her to say the shorter catechism as proof that she was as pious as she was beautiful.
  14. expansive
    friendly and open and willing to talk
    By temperament Johnny was expansive, easily influenced.
  15. enmity
    a state of deep-seated ill-will
    Johnny was always ready to do his share, or more than his share, in fanning up friendship—or enmity.
  16. truss
    secure with or as if with ropes
    He grabbed the Webbs’ cat, trussed her, hung her up by her heels to a hook, and began to sharpen his knife.
  17. inflammatory
    inciting action or rebellion
    On Sundays the boys might relax a little, breakfast when they pleased, only they must turn up clean and shining in time to go to church with Aunt and Uncle and listen to the inflammatory Reverend Sam Cooper.
  18. yokel
    a person who is not intelligent or interested in culture
    After all, thought Parliament, the Americans were yokels and farmers—not political thinkers.
  19. placard
    a sign posted in a public place
    I know it’s Lord’s Day, but there’s a placard I must have printed and posted secretly tonight.
  20. brethren
    people who are members of the same social or cultural group
    Friends! Brethren! Countrymen!
  21. machination
    a crafty and involved plot to achieve your ends
    That worst of Plagues, the detested tea shipped for this Port by the East India Company, is now arrived in the Harbour: the hour of destruction, of manly opposition to the machinations of Tyranny, stares you in the Face...
  22. posterity
    all future generations
    ...Every Friend to his Country, to Himself, and to Posterity, is now called upon to meet at Faneuil Hall, at nine o’clock this day [that, of course, is tomorrow Monday], at which time the bells will ring to make united and successful resistance to this last, worst, and most destructive measure of Administration.
  23. impertinent
    improperly forward or bold
    She would call a constable and have the ‘impertinent imp’ whipped for Sabbath-breaking.
  24. obdurate
    showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings
    So the boy went to the front door, rang the bell, hoping some other less obdurate servant might let him in.
  25. scullery
    a small room next to the kitchen for household jobs
    Would he see Miss Lavinia—or only the fat cook, the scullery maids, Aunt Best, or the stable men?
  26. propriety
    correct behavior
    Contrary to law and decent propriety, Miss Lavinia had been out for a gallop on the Common.
  27. condescend
    do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
    It amused him that she pretended such contempt for him and yet condescended to show off her skill before him.
  28. proximity
    the property of being close together
    She did not thank him. It was as if she knew that proximity to such famous beauty was reward enough for any boy or man in Boston.
  29. seedy
    shabby and untidy
    Its seedy appearance advertised to the whole world that its owner was close to bankruptcy.
  30. moderator
    someone who presides over a debate or meeting
    The attic where the boys commonly slept looked strange enough with those chairs pulled out and arranged for the meeting. John Hancock sat in the moderator’s chair.
  31. implicit
    being without doubt or reserve
    Here we have with us two of exactly—ah—the sort of boys or young men we intend to use for our great purpose. Two boys in whom we have implicit trust.
  32. divulge
    make known to the public information previously kept secret
    Swear by the great name of God Himself never, for as long as you live, to divulge to anyone the secret matters now trusted to you.
  33. instigate
    provoke or stir up
    Not one is to be told in advance just what the work will be, nor who the others are, nor the names of the men who instigated this tea party—that is, the gentlemen gathered here tonight.
  34. conspirator
    a member of a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act
    Uncle Lorne was motioning to the boys to leave the conspirators.
  35. persevere
    be persistent, refuse to stop
    At first it seemed impossible to hold an axe in his left hand, steady it with his bad right. He gritted his teeth and persevered.
  36. turmoil
    disturbance usually in protest
    Such a turmoil followed Rotch’s entry, Johnny could not hear any one particular voice.
  37. demeanor
    the way a person behaves toward other people
    In spite of his calm demeanor, calm voice, he was charged and surcharged with a will to action, a readiness to take and enjoy any desperate chance.
  38. jargon
    a characteristic language of a particular group
    He heard him calling for the captain, promising him, in the jargon everyone talked that night, that not one thing should be damaged on the ship except only the tea, but the captain and all his crew had best stay in the cabin until the work was over.
  39. winch
    a lifting device consisting of a cylinder turned by a crank
    The winches rattled and the heavy chests began to appear—one hundred and fifty of them.
  40. caper
    a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
    ‘Well, boys,’ said a voice, so cold one hardly knew whether he spoke in anger or not, 'you’ve had a fine, pleasant evening for your Indian caper, haven’t you? But mind...you’ve got to pay the fiddler yet.’
    A caper could be a crime, especially a robbery. This can describe the actions of the Tea Party, even though any theft would "ruin the high moral tone of the party." But the chosen definition is a better fit for the voice. Belonging to a British admiral, the voice wants the boys to know that the Tea Party, while not serious enough to threaten England's power, will bring about punishments.
Created on Thu Jan 14 14:10:32 EST 2016 (updated Thu Aug 11 11:47:22 EDT 2022)

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