Vocabulary for Catcher in the Rye
For your comprehension while reading!
Chapters 1-5
- Ostracize (verb)- to exclude from a group by common consent
- Grippe (noun) - an acute febrile contagious virus disease; especially influenza
- Posture (noun) - a conscious mental or outward behavioral attitude
- Crude (adj)- marked by the primitive, gross, or by uncultivated simplicity or vulgarity
- Compulsory (adj) - mandatory, enforced
- Ironical (adj) - relating to, containing, or constituting irony [the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning, a usually humorous or sardonic literary style]
- Qualm (noun) - a sudden access of usually disturbing emotion (as doubt or fear)
- Innumerable (adj)- too many to be numbered : countless; also : very many
- Moron (noun) - a very stupid person
- Putrid (adj) - rotten
- Hemorrhage (noun) - a copious discharge of blood from the blood vessels
- Rostrum (noun)- an ancient Roman platform for public orators
- Chiffonier (noun) - a high narrow chest of drawers
- Falsetto (noun) - an artificially high voice
- Conceited(adj) - having an excessively high opinion of oneself
- Aggravate (verb) - to make worse, more serious, or more severe
- Muffler (noun)- a scarf worn around the neck
- Monotonous (adj) - tediously uniform or unvarying
- Halitosis (noun) - a condition of having fetid breath
Chapters 6-10
- Linoleum (noun) - a floor covering made by laying on a burlap
- Hospitality (noun)- welcoming treatment, reception, or disposition Bottom of Form
- Fiend (noun)- a person of great wickedness or maliciousness
- Corridor (noun)- a usually narrow passageway or route
- Canasta (noun)– a card game, a form of rummy using two full decks
- Incognito (adj./adv.)- with one's identity concealed
- Brassiere (noun)- a woman's undergarment to cover and support the breasts
- Burlesque (noun)- theatrical entertainment of a broadly humorous often earthy character consisting of short turns, comic skits, and sometimes striptease acts
- Psychic (adj.)- lying outside the sphere of physical science or knowledge : immaterial, moral, or spiritual in origin or force
- Brassy (adj.)- being shamelessly bold
- Intoxicate (verb) - to excite or stupefy by alcohol or a drug especially to the point where physical and mental control is markedly diminished
- Verification (noun)- the act or process of verifying and/or being correct
- Jitterbug (noun)- a jazz variation of the two-step in which couples swing, balance, and twirl in standardized patterns and often with vigorous acrobatics
Chapters 11-15:
- Snub - to treat with contempt or neglect
- Necking - to kiss and caress amorously
- Newsreel - a short movie dealing with current events
- Rile - to make agitated and angry
- Galoshes - a high overshoe worn especially in snow and slush
- Nonchalant - having an air of easy unconcern or indifference
- Rake - to censure/ reprimand Bottom of Form
severely
- Frock - a woman's dress or outer garment worn by monkBottom of Form
- Atheist - one who denies the existence of God
- Chisel - to employ shrewd or unfair practices on in order to obtain one's end
- Banister - handrail with its supporting posts
- Rubberneck - an overly inquisitive person
- Matinee - a musical or dramatic performance or social or public event held in the daytime and especially the afternoon
- Bourgeois - of, relating to, or characteristic of the social middle class; often marked by a concern for material interests and respectability and a tendency toward mediocrity
- Convent - a local community or house of a religious order or congregation; especially : an establishment of nuns
Bottom of Form
Chapters 16-20:
- Screech - a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror
- Bosom - the human chest and especially the front part of the chest
- Raspy - HARSH, GRATING
- Clinch - to make final or irrefutable : SETTLE
- Blasé - apathetic to pleasure or excitement as a result of excessive indulgence or enjoyment, UNCONCERNED
- Enlightening - to furnish knowledge to : INSTRUCT
- Sacrilegious - gross irreverence toward a hallowed person, place, or thing
- Louse – singular of lice and a contemptible person
- Flitty – someone or something that passes quickly or abruptly from one place or condition to another
- Boisterous - noisily turbulent : ROWDY
- Stagger - to reel from side to side : TOTTER
Chapters 21-26:
- Racket (noun)- confused clattering noise : clamor; also a fraudulent scheme
- Spontaneous (adj) - arising from a momentary impulse
- Digression (noun)- a going aside
- Pedagogical (adj)- of, relating to, or befitting a teacher or education
- Provocative (adj)- serving or tending to provoke , excite, or stimulate
- Pervert (verb)- to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right, corrupt
- Moccasin (noun)- a soft leather heelless shoe
- Cockeyed (adj)- askew, awry b : slightly crazy
- Carrousel (noun)- merry-go-round
- Bawl (verb)- to cry out loudly and unrestrainedly