Vocab #6 Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Part 2

Impotent

Impotent (adj) Powerless Teddy felt impotent as he watched Nagaina approach him on the veranda with the murderous intent clearly seen in her eyes. The old Batman and Joker are impotent to fight if they only have enough strength to lift their canes and shake them at one another.

Providence

Providence (n) favor or gift from God or nature Teddy’s mother picked up Rikki from the dust and hugged him, crying that he had saved Teddy from death, and Teddy’s father said that he was a providence, and Teddy looked on with big, scared eyes. Many people say that their little angels (chidren) are a providence from God, sent to them to bring sunshine and warm fuzzies into their life.

Derisive

Derisive (adj) expressing ridicule; mocking She laughed in a derisive tone whenever Rikki advanced on her from the side as if he could kill her with one swoop. I gave my “fun-sized” brother a derisive look when he asked me to grab the Poptarts off the table that he couldn’t reach.

Lilt

Lilt (n) Song Darzee’s lilt to honor Rikki was thoughtful and full of praise for the little mongoose who fought the great war. Jingle Bells is a lilt we often sing together when we are off-task and on our teacher’s nerves.

Flegdling

Fledgling (n) Baby bird Darzee’s wife flew off to distract Nagaina from locating her fledglings. I consumed the chili-flavored shrimp like a fledgling who is eating worms for the first time.

Sorrowful

Sorrowful (adj) Feeling or showing grief; very upset “Those who kills snakes get killed by snakes,” said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever. Some of us often mirror the mood and facial expressions of someone we care about; if they are jubilant, we are enthusiastic. If they are sorrowful, we are depressed.

Cultivated

Cultivated (adj) prepared for raising crops by plowing or fertilizing It was a large garden, only half cultivated, with bushes, as big as summerhouses… I plan to cultivate a garden on a volcano when I am older that is full of green beans, squash, eggplant, and tomatoes.

Cartwhip

Cartwhip(v) swing wildly; flail his eyes were red and he held on as the body cartwhipped over the floor, upsetting the tin dipper and the soap dish and the flesh brush, and banged against the tin side of the bath.” His body cartwhipped backwards and forwards in perfect rhythm while he entertained the audience with his break-dance moves.

Chap

Chap (n) A friendly form of address between men and boys “It’s the mongoose again, Alice; the little chap has saved our lives now.” Often, Petey, my dog, would accompany me, like a good ol’ chap, down to the volcano to pick green beans.

Rubbish

Rubbish (n) Waste material; refuse or litter; trash The news of Nag’s death was all over the garden, for the sweeper had thrown the body on the rubbish heap. Veruca Salt was thrown down the rubbish shoot where all of the bad nuts go to be burned.