Of Mice and Men Vocab

receptive

Part of speech: adj Definition: willing to listen to or accept ideas, suggestions, etc. Sentence: "[Slim] just sat back quiet and receptive" (39).

apprehensive

Part of speech: adj Definition: anxious or fearful about the future; uneasy Sentence: "[Curley's wife] was suddenly apprehensive" (32).

imperious

Part of speech: adj 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).

aloof

Part of speech: adj Definition: physically or emotionally distant; not involved with or friendly toward other people Sentence: "Crooks was a proud, aloof man" (67).

pugnacious

Part of speech: adj Definition: showing a readiness or desire to fight or argue Sentence: "[Curley's] glance was at once calculating and pugnacious" (25).

ominous

Part of speech: adj 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).

reprehensible

Part of speech: adj 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).

morose

Part of speech: adj Definition: very serious, unhappy, and quiet Sentence: "George stared morosely at the water" (4).

meager

Part of speech: adj 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).

monotonous

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).

scornful

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).

debris

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

lumber

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).

cower

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).

writhe

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).