I Funny: Prologue–Chapter 20

by James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein
This first book of the series introduces middle schooler Jamie Grimm, a wheelchair user who deals with pain and bullies by focusing on winning the title of New York State's Funniest Kid Comic.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 20, Chapters 21–41, Chapters 42–54, Chapters 55–69
40 words 7 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. maneuver
    a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity
    “It was horrible. I choked.”
    “Did you try the Heimlich maneuver?” cracks Uncle Frankie.
  2. heave
    throw with great effort
    They heave me up and over the railing. I sail about ten yards and hit the sand with a hard thud.
  3. refrain
    part of a song or poem that recurs at regular intervals
    “Shoo-doop ’n’ shooby-doo, shoo-doop ’n’ shooby-doo…”
    It’s the opening doo-wop refrain from a tune called “In the Still of the Night,” as done by the Five Satins (B-14 on Uncle Frankie’s golden-oldies-only jukebox at the diner).
  4. crane
    stretch, so as to see better
    I crane my neck and look over at the boardwalk.
  5. stoop
    small porch or set of steps at the front entrance of a house
    The Smileys motion for him to move closer to the stoop so the grown-ups can have a word in private.
  6. orderly
    a hospital attendant with general duties
    He jerks my chair forward and pushes me down the driveway like, all of a sudden, he’s an orderly and I’m an invalid.
  7. invalid
    someone who is incapacitated by a chronic illness or injury
    He jerks my chair forward and pushes me down the driveway like, all of a sudden, he’s an orderly and I’m an invalid.
  8. pilgrimage
    a journey to a sacred place
    This is sort of a pilgrimage for me. I am journeying to what some people call the comedy capital of the world, the city and comedy clubs where so many stand-ups have gotten their starts.
  9. minnow
    a very small freshwater fish
    If I’m a fish out of water in Long Beach, I’m a minnow in Manhattan.
  10. pedestrian
    a person who travels by foot
    So I roll north, through the mobs of people pushing and shoving. Yes, in New York City it is possible to get run over by a pedestrian.
  11. preliminary
    preceding or in preparation for something more important
    I guess Carolines is hosting the local contest for New York City, like the Comedy Club in Ronkonkoma is hosting the preliminary round out on Long Island.
  12. gutter
    a channel at the edge of a street for carrying off surface water
    A taxi splashes me because I stop too close to the gutter.
  13. emphasis
    special importance or significance
    “I think it’s because she’s been holding up her arm for over a century. Her fingers have got to be tingling. And what about that BO?” I fan my free hand under my armpit for emphasis. “Whoo! Somebody sign this poor lady up for a new deodorant.”
  14. continuum
    an extent in which no part is distinct from adjacent parts
    Have you ever noticed that school clocks are the slowest clocks in the world? It’s like the principal has a secret space-time continuum warper hidden in her office that turns school days into dog years.
  15. detainee
    a person held in custody
    I take a quick glance at my fellow detainees. From the looks on their faces, they hate me as much as I hate being given any kind of special treatment.
  16. warden
    the chief official in charge of a prison
    “Kosgrov?” Mrs. Kanai checks her warden sheet. Stevie is scheduled for detention from now until some time after he finishes junior college.
  17. reflex
    an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus
    “He’s my”—I fight my gag reflex—“adoptive brother.”
  18. wallop
    hit hard
    To say thanks for his early release, Stevie punches me in the shoulder.
    To add a muchas gracias, he wallops me in the other shoulder.
  19. gloat
    dwell on with satisfaction
    “Shuddup. I’ll see you at home. And, you’ll see me in your nightmares!”
    The guy is totally gloating.
  20. coverage
    the news as presented by reporters for the media
    I’m also extremely nervous. As nervous as a weatherman with a bad comb-over who’s doing typhoon coverage.
  21. perspire
    excrete sweat through the pores in the skin
    I’ve accidentally added a fourth P to “practice, prepare, and perform”—perspire.
  22. sashay
    walk with a lofty proud gait, often to impress others
    “Just leave them at locker 219,” she says over her shoulder.
    Okay. That’s pretty cool. Dumping her books in my lap. Sashaying away. Not a care in the world.
  23. pivot
    turn on an axis
    Suddenly, she stops and pivots on her heel, like she’s this supercool supermodel.
  24. amble
    walk leisurely
    Then she ambles back toward me, slow and easy.
  25. inspire
    supply the idea for
    Inspired by the small confidence boost during my post-detention moment with Cool Girl, I have a brainstorm.
  26. polygon
    a closed plane figure bounded by straight sides
    What geometrical figure is shaped like a lost parrot?
    A polygon!
  27. dialect
    the usage or vocabulary characteristic of a group of people
    “I funny.”
    “What? Are we doing foreign dialects now?”
    “It’s something a customer, Mr. Burdzecki, said to me at the diner. He’s Russian. He said, ‘You funny.’”
  28. mangle
    alter so as to make unrecognizable
    But I’m going to do it anyway because, to mangle a line from one of Billy Crystal’s movies, when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life doing something, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
  29. determined
    strongly motivated to succeed
    When I leave the house the next morning, I am a man on a mission: I am determined that before this week is over, I will be named Long Island’s Funniest Kid Comic!
  30. quip
    witty remark
    Can I interest you in an after-dinner quip?
  31. slate
    designate or schedule
    Since the Planet’s Funniest Kid Comic Contest is a special event at the comedy club, showtime is slated for pretty early (for a nightclub): 2 PM.
  32. scraggly
    lacking neatness or order
    It’s way early, but I see this scraggly guy walking up the street holding a sign announcing the end of the world.
  33. smattering
    a small number or amount
    The laugh builds. I even get a smattering of applause.
  34. funky
    stylish and modern in an unconventional way
    One of them, a very sweet woman with funky red glasses, leans forward a little and whispers, “Don’t worry, Jamie. You’re already a winner in my book. It took a lot of courage for you to get up on that stage.”
  35. commuter
    someone who travels regularly to and from work
    Every morning there are all these zombies roaming the streets. Well, I call them zombies. You probably call them ‘commuters.’
  36. alternative
    serving or used in place of another
    They try to soften their words so they never blurt out the cold, hard truth. Nobody farts anymore. We just ‘expel alternative fuels.’
  37. stall
    a small area set off for special use
    You have to feel guilty if you use the handicap stall when the tiny one right next to it is empty.
  38. routine
    a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer one
    Hey, I heard the routines of the third and second runners-up. They were both hysterical.
  39. irrepressible
    impossible to control
    “And the winner of Long Island’s Funniest Kid Comic competition, the young comic who moves on to the New York State competition…can I get a drum roll…is…the one and only…the irrepressible…the person whose name I’m about to read…because it’s written on this card…JAMIE GRIMM!”
  40. schlep
    pull along heavily, like a heavy load against a resistance
    Unfortunately, I have to haul my wheelchair back to Smileyville. And there are no taxis. Guess I’ll have to schlep back to Long Beach on the bus.
Created on Wed Aug 14 10:38:18 EDT 2024 (updated Wed Aug 14 16:51:49 EDT 2024)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.