Chapter 4 - Vocabulary
melancholy (adj.): sad and gloomy
quelling (of) nausea: (v. + n.): To quell something is to quiet or pacify it. Nausea is the feeling you get when your stomach is upset and you feel as if you're about to vomit. Scout is trying to quell her nausea, or make her stomach settle down.
scuppernongs (n.): a sweet table grape, grown chiefly in the Southern United States. See a picture of scuppernongs.
Chapter 5 - Vocabulary
benevolence (n.): in this case, a generous or thoughtful gift
benign (adj.): kind and gentle
bridgework (n.): Unlike dentures, which replace the upper or lower sets of teeth, bridgework is made up of sections of replacement teeth that can be inserted and removed from one's mouth.
chameleon (adj.) In nature, chameleons are tree-dwelling lizards that have the unusual ability to change the color of their skin in order to blend into their surroundings. By calling Miss Maudie a chameleon lady, Scout points out the fact that her neighbor's appearance was as changeable as one of the lizards. Learn more about chameleons, and see some pictures of chameleons.
cordiality (n.): sincere affection and kindness
edification (n.): education; instruction
gaped (vb.): To gape at someone is to stare at that person with your mouth open. See a rather extreme example of gaping.
inquisitive (adj.): questioning; prying
mimosa (n): Also called a silk tree, a mimosa can be either a tree or a shrub. Look at a picture of a mimosa flower.
morbid (adj.): gruesome; horrible
placidly (adv.): calmly; quietly
Protestant (adj.): Protestant is the name applied to any number of Christian churches, such as Baptist, Methodist, and Lutheran.
pulpit Gospel (adj. + n.): A pulpit is the raised platform or lectern from which a preacher speaks in church. The Gospel refers to the teachings of Jesus Christ, specifically the first four books of the New Testament. Scout says that her faith in what she's heard about the teachings of Christ from the pulpit (preacher) in her own church has been shaken a bit.
quibbling (vb.): a type of arguing where you avoid the main point by bringing up petty details
tacit (adj.) An agreement, or, in this case, a "treaty" that is tacit is one that has been silently agreed upon. Thus, the children know that they can play on Miss Maudie's front lawn even though she never directly told them that it was all right to do so.