TKAM+Chapter+1

**ambled**: (vb.): to walk at a slow, leisurely pace. **apothecary** (n.): an early form of a pharmacist, apothecaries could also prescribe drugs. **assuaged** (vb.): to **assuage** is to lessen or to calm. Therefore, if Jem's fears about being able to play football were **assuaged**, it means that he no longer feared that he wouldn't be able to play the sport. **beadle** (n.): a minor city official, lower in rank than either a sheriff or a policeman, whose main duties revolve around preserving order at various civil functions such as trials and town hall meetings. **brethren** (n.): in this case, members of a particular church or sect **corsets** (n): a **corset** is a ladies undergarment designed to produce a particular effect on the figure. That effect usually results in a slim (or slimmer) waist and larger busts and hips, like the **woman in this picture.** **dictum** (n.): in this case, a formal statement of principle **domiciled** (vb.): A **domicile** is a house or a place where a person lives. If you are **domiciled**somewhere, that is where you live. The Finch family lived in the northern part of the county. **eaves** (n.): the lower edges of a roof which usually project beyond the side of a building **foray** (n.): When you make a **foray**, you go somewhere or do something that is unusual or not normal for you. It was certainly not Jem's usual behavior to go near the Radley house; thus, doing so was a**foray** for him. **human chattels** (n.): slaves **impotent** (adj.): powerless. Simon's fury and anger regarding the **Civil War** would certainly have been**impotent** because there would have been nothing he could have done about it. **impudent** (adj.): To be **impudent** is to be shamelessly bold, as if you don't care what anyone thinks about you. Since the Haverfords did something illegal in front of witnesses, Lee rightfully describes them as **impudent**. **malevolent** (adj.): evil **Methodists** (n): members of a branch of a Protestant Christian denomination. Find out more about the**United Methodist Church.** **picket** (n): a pointed or sharpened pole or stake. Many pickets held together can make a **picket fence.** **piety** (n): devotion to religious duties and practices **predilection** (n.): a **predilection** is a preference, or a preferred way of doing something. Thus, the Radley's preferred way of spending a Sunday afternoon was to keep the doors closed and not receive visitors **ramrod** (adj.): rigid, severe, straight **repertoire was vapid**: (n. + adj.): a **repertoire** is all the special skills a person has; **vapid**, in this case, means boring or uninteresting. So, when Scout says that their **repertoire was vapid**, she means that the games they had invented to pass the time had become old and had lost their interest. **scold** (n.): A scold is a person who scolds; that is, someone who often finds fault with people or things (and usually lets you know about it under no uncertain terms) **spittoon** (n.): a jarlike container to spit into; usually used to spit tobacco juice into. See a **picture of a spittoon.** **strictures** (n.): conditions or rules **taciturn** (adj.): almost always silent. Apparently, Aunt Alexandra's husband was a very quiet man. **unsullied** (adj.): something that is **unsullied** has been basically untouched or unused. The fact that Atticus's edition of the Code of Alabama is **unsullied** would, in this case, indicate that he seldom consults this book. **veranda** (n): a portico or porch with a roof
 * Chapter 1**
 * The reader is introduced to the narrator, Scout, who describes her family's history and her town, Maycomb. She and her brother, Jem, are also introduced to Dill, and the children share stories and fantasies about the mystery man next door. **
 * Vocabulary** All page numbers refer to the Warner Books Edition: December, 1982.
 * Chapter 1 - Vocabulary**

"...Jem's fears of never being able to play football were **[|assuaged]**...(p. 7)." "All we had was Simon Finch, a fur-trading **[|apothecary]** from Cornwall whose **[|piety]** was exceeded only by his stinginess (p. 8)." "In England, Simon was irritated by the persecution of those who called themselves **[|Methodists]** at the hands of their more liberal **[|brethren]** (p.8)..." "Mindful of John Wesley's **[|strictures]**...(p. 8)" "So Simon, having forgotten his teacher's **[|dictum]** on the possession of **[|human chattels]**, bought three slaves...(p. 8)." Simon would have regarded with **[|impotent]**fury the disturbance between the North and the South...(p. 8)." "She married a **[|taciturn]** man...(p. 9)." "Atticus's office in the courthouse contained little more than a hat rack, a **[|spittoon]**, a checkerboard and an **[|unsullied]** Code of Alabama (p. 9)." "The Haverfords...were **[|impudent]**enough to do it in the presence of three witnesses...(p. 9)." "They **[|ambled]** across the square...(p. 10)." "But by the end of August our **[|repertoire was vapid]** from countless reproductions...(p. 12)." "Rain-rotted shingles drooped over the **[|eaves]** of the **[|veranda]**...(p. 13)." The remains of a **[|picket]**drunkenly guarded the front yard...(p. 13)." "Inside the house lived a **[|malevolent]** phantom (p. 13)." "The Radleys, welcome anywhere in town, kept to themselves, a **[|predilection]**unforgivable in Maycomb(p. 13)." "...ladies wore **[|corsets]**...(p. 14)." "...an enormous and confusing tribe **[|domiciled]**in the northern part of the county...(p. 14)." "...Maycomb's ancient **[|beadle],** Mr. Conner... (p. 14)." "So Jem received most of his information from Miss Stephanie Crawford, a neighborhood **[|scold.]**..(p. 15)." "Mr. Radley's posture was **[|ramrod]** straight (p. 16)." "...not waiting to see if his **[|foray]** was successful (p. 19).