Johnny Tremain: Chapters 7–9

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. paroxysm
    a sudden uncontrollable attack
    But when that bill came—the fiddler’s bill—that bill for the tea, it was so much heavier than anyone expected, Boston was thrown into a paroxysm of anger and despair.
  2. indifferent
    showing no care or concern in attitude or action
    The punishment united the often jealous, often indifferent, separate colonies, as the Tea Party itself had not.
  3. gesticulate
    show, express, or direct through movement
    People were standing in angry knots talking, gesticulating, swearing that yes, they would starve, they would go down to ruin rather than give in now.
  4. oppression
    the state of being kept down by unjust use of authority
    This closing of the port of Boston was indeed tyranny; this was oppression; this was the last straw upon the back of many a moderate man.
  5. berth
    a place where a sailing vessel can be secured
    The great ships of Boston which had been bringing wealth for over a hundred years were idle at their berths.
  6. inundate
    overwhelm or fill quickly beyond capacity
    Boston was inundated with British soldiers, and now every third person one met in the street wore the handsome uniform of King George the Third.
  7. defiance
    an act boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    Already on every village green throughout New England, men and boys were drilling in defiance of the King’s orders.
    In Old French, defiance was a declaration of war. In Latin, the act was a little less hostile: "dis" means "away" and "fidus" means "faithful" so defiance was turning away from one's faith or loyalty, which can be seen as "intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude." While New England would use the chosen definition to describe the military drilling, the King would see this behavior as extremely disrespectful.
  8. impartial
    free from undue bias or preconceived opinions
    Without even showing bad temper, almost impartially, a mounted officer sitting his horse close by chatting with a couple of Boston’s Tory girls, swung about and struck Rab a heavy blow on the side of his head with the flat of his sword.
  9. filch
    make off with belongings of others
    Filching a soldier’s arms is a serious misdemeanor.
  10. rendezvous
    a meeting planned at a certain time and place
    Johnny was so glad to see her, he wondered could it have been that it was Isannah always hanging onto her, always showing off, that had irritated him—made him not care whether he kept his rendezvous with the girls or not?
  11. callow
    young and inexperienced
    Johnny, remembering the gawky, callow, but upstanding young leather-dresser of Fish Street, was surprised that anyone could value him so highly.
  12. commandeer
    take arbitrarily or by force
    Goblin was the only horse in the stable that did not belong to a British officer, for the landlord had sent his to the country, fearing they would either be commandeered by the occupying troops or that he could not get hay for them.
  13. respite
    a relief from harm or discomfort
    It was a crisp, fresh day for summer, the first respite after a week of unendurable heat.
  14. discreet
    marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
    Both he and Lydia had their backs discreetly turned.
  15. privy
    a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
    Then he went outside to the little backyard with the coal house, the privy, and the old willow.
  16. fraternize
    be on friendly terms with someone, as if with a brother
    Underneath the willow sat a British sergeant of marines with Madge Lapham in his arms.
    He had rather guessed the Laphams would side with the Tories, but this was fraternizing with the troops at a great rate.
  17. prodigious
    great in size, force, extent, or degree
    The little man must be prodigiously strong, thought Johnny, and he liked his ugly, lined face.
  18. riffraff
    common or disreputable people
    Priscilla, if you are not satisfied here, I can arrange for your return to your mother, but you are not ever to bring in street boys, horse boys, riffraff.
  19. impudent
    improperly forward or bold
    You are too tired. If you had not been, you would never have been so impudent as to contradict me.
  20. trundle
    move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle
    It was by chance Johnny saw the Lytes’ ruby coach trundling slowly down Orange Street, heading for Milton and a little country air.
  21. barrack
    a building or group of buildings to house military personnel
    These the British guard at the gate (nearly two hundred men were kept stationed there night and day) let pass, but when night really fell, the gates were closed and most of the soldiers returned to the barracks.
  22. sentry
    a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
    He had been dozing, but woke quickly, hearing the sentries yell and the corporal commanding the gates to be opened.
  23. turbulent
    characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination
    But here were a few turbulent fellows hanging about an inn door, and in Milton itself they were signaled to stop by a group whose faces they never did see.
  24. frippery
    something of little value or significance
    Lavinia’s room; and strewed about it things he had never seen before—stays, kerchiefs, patchboxes, ribbons, fripperies.
  25. rout
    cause to flee
    First folk like them get routed out of Milton—then out of Boston.
    An older English meaning of the word is "group of persons." Through the Latin "rupta" which means "broken," it came to mean "a disorderly crowd of people." Another meaning of "rout" as a noun is "an overwhelming defeat." All the definitions connect, because people who are overwhelmingly defeated are often forced to flee in a disorderly way. This can be seen in the way the Lytes, in the middle of dinner, flee their country house because a mob threatens them outside.
  26. pique
    cause to feel resentment or indignation
    It was well enough to say Rab was secretive by nature and couldn’t help the way God had made him, but Johnny felt piqued.
  27. rigamarole
    a set of confused and meaningless statements
    ‘Tricks? Does she do tricks? Lieutenant Stranger has taught her a rigmarole about poor Nell Gwyn selling fruit at a theater. I don’t need to tell you how she carries on.’
  28. sortie
    a military action in which besieged troops burst forth
    They were talking about how Gage had at last dared send out a sortie beyond the gate of Boston and, before the Minute Men got word of their plans, they had seized cannon and gunpowder over in Charlestown, got into their boats and back to Boston.
  29. placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined
    We can have that freedom only by fighting for it. God grant we fight soon. For ten years we’ve tried this and we’ve tried that. We’ve tried to placate them and they to placate us. Gentlemen, you know it has not worked. I will not work for peace.
  30. allay
    lessen the intensity of or calm
    Mrs. Revere's letter would allay their suspicions.
  31. garrulous
    full of trivial conversation
    Dove was garrulous, indolent, complaining, and boastful, but it hurt Johnny when the other boys bullied him and his masters beat him.
  32. tipple
    drink moderately but regularly
    He knew Colonel Smith had told Lydia that one of his young gentlemen was prone to solitary tippling. If ever she found a bottle of brandy in his chamber, she was to take it.
  33. dander
    a feeling of anger and animosity
    His Majesty is real mad. Got his royal dander up.
  34. maudlin
    very sentimental or emotional
    Dove was getting maudlin. There were tears in his eyes as he told them how much he loved them.
  35. bilious
    irritable as if suffering from indigestion
    ‘Colonel Smith is bilious.’
  36. wistfully
    in a pensively sad manner
    Stranger had already told him of the hurdles at the foot of the Common. Johnny had wistfully watched red-coated officers schooling their horses over them.
  37. dilatory
    wasting time
    King George was in a fury over the dilatory, cautious behavior of his general.
  38. lassitude
    a feeling of lack of interest or energy
    He was filled with lassitude and a sense of peace.
  39. procure
    get by special effort
    He was not to die in the handsome uniform of the King’s Own Regiment which he had disgraced, but in the farm clothes Johnny had procured for him.
  40. qualm
    uneasiness about the fitness of an action
    If he had had any qualms, he would never mention them. Johnny decided to do the same, but Pumpkin’s death badly unnerved him.
Created on Thu Jan 14 14:35:40 EST 2016 (updated Thu Aug 11 11:47:30 EDT 2022)

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