Mice and Men Vocabulary

Apprehensive

(ap-ri-hen-siv) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: anxious or fearful about the future; uneasy · Sentence: "[Curley's wife] was suddenly apprehensive" (32). · Other forms of the word: o noun: apprehensiveness o adverb: apprehensively

Debris

(duh-bree) · Part of speech: noun · Definition: the scattered remains of something broken or destroyed; rubble or wreckage; carelessly discarded refuse; litter · Sentence: ". . . but on the valley side the water is lined with trees—willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter's flooding: and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool" (1).

Imperious

(im-peer-ee-uhs) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: having or showing the proud and unpleasant attitude of someone who gives orders and expects other people to obey them Sentence: "George's hand remained outstretched imperiously. Slowly... Lennie approached...(9). · Other forms of the word: o adverb: imperiously o noun: imperiousness

Morose

muh-rohs) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: very serious, unhappy, and quiet · Sentence: "George stared morosely at the water" (4). · Other forms of the word: o adverb: morosely o noun: moroseness

Cower

(kou-er) · Part of speech: verb · Definition: to cringe in fear; to move back or bend your body down because you are afraid · Sentence: "Suddenly Lennie let go his hold [on Curley]. He crouched cowering against the wall. 'You tol' me to, George, he said miserably" (64). · Other forms of the word: o Adjective: cowering

Lumber

(luhm-behr) · Part of speech: verb · Definition: to move in a slow or awkward way · Sentence: "Lennie lumbered to his feet and disappeared in the brush" (8).

Meager

(mee-ger) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: very small or too small in amount; not having enough of something for comfort or happiness · Sentence: "[In the harness room, where Crooks lived,] a small electric globe threw a meager yellow light" (67). · Other forms of the word: o noun: meagerness o adverb: meagerly

Monotonous

(muh-not-n-uhs) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: lacking in variety; sounded or spoken in an unvarying tone; used to describe something that is boring because it is always the same · Sentence: "George shook himself. He said woodenly, 'If I was alone I could live so easy.' His voice was monotonous, had no emphasis" (103). · Other forms of the word: o adverb: monotonously o noun: monotonousness

Ominous

(om-uh-nuhs) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: threatening; suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future · Sentence: "[George] said ominously, 'Well, [Curley] better watch out for Lennie'" (27). · Other forms of the word: o adjective: ominously

Pugnacious

(puhg-ney-shuhs) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: showing a readiness or desire to fight or argue · Sentence: "[Curley's] glance was at once calculating and pugnacious" (25). · Other forms of the word: o adverb: pugnaciously o noun: pugnacity

Writhe

(rahyth) · Part of speech: verb · Definition: to twist one's body, often due to pain, struggle, or embarrassment · Sentence: "[Curley's wife] struggled violently under his hands. Her feet battered on the hay and she writhed to be free" (91). · Other forms of the word: o adjective: writhing

Reprehensible

(rep-ri-hen-suh-buhl) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: very bad; deserving very strong criticism; blameworthy · Sentence: "When Candy spoke [Lennie and George] both jumped as though they had been caught doing something reprehensible" (58-59). · Other forms of the word: o adverb: reprehensibly

Receptive

(ri-sep-tiv) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: willing to listen to or accept ideas, suggestions, etc. · Sentence: "[Slim] just sat back quiet and receptive" (39). · Other forms of the word: o noun: receptiveness o adverb: receptively

Scornful

(skawrn-fuhl) · Part of speech: noun · Definition: feeling or showing that someone or something is not worthy of any respect or approval · Sentence: "'You're nuts.' Crooks was scornful. 'I seen hundreds of men come by on the road... every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a ******** one of 'em ever gets it" (74). · Other forms of the word: o adverb: scornfully o noun: scorn

Aloof

(uh-loof) · Part of speech: adjective · Definition: physically or emotionally distant; not involved with or friendly toward other people · Sentence: "Crooks was a proud, aloof man" (67). · Other forms of the word: o noun: aloofness