“St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves” Vocabulary

Adjective - Relaxed and lazy languid Those hot, humid days usually make everyone languid and quiet. It’s so difficult to get anything accomplished. Adjective - Relaxed and lazy

Noun – complete removal or destruction eradication In 1958, with smallpox still killing two million people a year, the World Health Organization pledged its eradication in the near future. Noun – complete removal or destruction

Noun - a natural ability to do something aptitude As I have said before, I had no aptitude for mathematics; therefore, I chose a career in writing. Noun - a natural ability to do something

grimace With a grimace, she dragged herself next to a tree stump and leaned against it, exhausted after the grueling race. Noun - an ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expressing disgust or pain

ostracize Verb - exclude (someone) from a society or group Bill knew his community would ostracize him after his release from prison so he moved to another town. Verb - exclude (someone) from a society or group

taunt Verb - provoke or challenge (someone) with insulting remarks. They taunt each other whenever they have the chance and oftentimes want to anger the other but don't intend to follow through. Verb - provoke or challenge (someone) with insulting remarks.

improvise When the teleprompter stopped working, the news anchor had to improvise the last portion of the broadcast with what he remembered from earlier. Verb – to produce or make (something) from whatever is available

shunned Shunned by both family and friends, he moved out of the country to start a new life. Verb- the act of having ignored someone on purpose, or the act of having been left out and ignored.

Verb - to summon or bring about conjure It had been years since I saw her face, but I was often able to conjure an image of her in my head. Verb - to summon or bring about

dour Adjective - forbidding and stern Because the coach was disappointed in his team’s behavior, he wore a dour expression when he gave his post-game speech. Adjective - forbidding and stern

perfunctory Because Anne has done the same tasks at work for many years, she does them in a perfunctory way. Adjective - done routinely and with little interest or care

Our newborn girl clasps her long dainty fingers in a tight fist. Adjective - pleasantly small, delicate

purgatory Because Jake hated to sit still for a long period of time, he viewed his upcoming eight-hour flight as purgatory. Noun - a situation that causes misery

ominous In the horror movie, the stupid teenagers ignore the ominous events and go inside the mysterious house on the hill. Adjective - suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future

rudimentary Even though Lorenzo showed only rudimentary skills, his enthusiasm for sculpting indicated that he would soon be a master of the craft. Adjective - basic; minimal; undeveloped

inducement Snakes are the most stationary of all vertebrates; as long as a locality provides them food and shelter they have no inducement to change it. Noun - an attempt to persuade or influence