Today's Vocabulary

Today's Vocabulary

Svitak, Adora

 

We're going to be continuing the serial we presented on January 11th. Below are today's vocabulary words.

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Ignominious-- disgraceful and dishonorable

"I was quite horrified to discover that my ignominious Uncle Herbert had been invited to dinner."

 

Impecunious-- poor, having no money

"After the stock market crashed, many former millionaires found themselves impecunious."

 

Palisade-- a fence made up of stakes

"The tall iron palisade loomed menacingly around the poodle king's palace."

 

Quagmire-- 1. [literal definition] marsh

                 2. difficult situation

"Adrianna put off her homework for a week and found herself in a quagmire." 

 

Recalcitrant-- Resisting authority or control.

"I tried to make Beastie go to bed at time but she was recalcitrant and through a loaf of bread at my head."

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Below is the continued serial. Go to http://seedsoflearning.blogspot.com/2008/01/today-vocabulary.html to find the previous installment.

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Cornelia poured a jar of smelling salts upon the unfortunate Duchess's face. Hearing the great clatter Cornelia made in this process, the footmen and ladies-in-waiting and the Duke himself all came to see what was the matter.

 

"You're upon the floor with your legs showing, my dear! How ignominious!" the Duke boomed. "Rise at once!" He then turned to Cornelia, who was standing defiantly by the Duchess. "Who are you?"

 

"She is just an impecunious little girl," the Duchess said, waking from her swoon. "Her father is only a peddler and does not make much money. But she wants to smelt our ore!"

 

"What? That's our main source of finance! Take her away, quick!" the Duke said, gesticulating wildly. "You footmen! Take the girl away."

 

The footmen grabbed Cornelia by the arms and began dragging her off, but Cornelia was recalcitrant and began kicking and biting viciously. The footmen agreed to throw her over the palisade. Just as Cornelia went flying over to the other side, her skirt caught on a sharpened stake. Without hesitation, Cornelia made a great leap and tackled one of the footmen.

 

"Give me eighty coins or else!" Cornelia threatened, holding onto the footman by his ankles.

 

"The Juvenile Detention Superintendent has come to inspect the odd behavior of the girl named Cornelia!" an approaching herald said importantly.

 

"You are in no position to make unreasonable demands, young lady!" came Cornelia's father's voice.

 

Cornelia shivered. Now she was in quite a quagmire.