1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Vocabulary 1

2. vain (adjective)
Definition: having no success Synonyms: futile; hopeless “But Mouse, you are not alone in proving foresight may be vain.”

4. askew (adjective, adverb)
Definition: not straight; at an angle Synonyms: cock-eyed; crooked “The best laid schemes of mice and men/ Go often askew.”

5. recumbent (adjective)
Definition: lying down in a position of comfort or rest Synonyms: at rest, laying “…and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool.”

6. tramp (noun)
Definition: a homeless person traveling by foot , place to place (especially during the Great Depression) Synonyms: vagabond, hobo, vagrant “There is a path…beaten hard by tramps who wearily come down from the highway in the evening to jungle-up near water.”

8. brusquely (adverb)
Definition: in a blunt, unfriendly and direct manner Synonyms: rudely, sharply “Get away from me,” she said brusquely, glaring at me with squinted eyes.

11. pantomime (verb, noun)
Definition: performance using gestures and movements without words Synonyms: gesticulation, mime Then “Lennie made an elaborate pantomime of innocence” (10) by fluttering his hands around and lifting his eyebrows dramatically.

13. scoff (verb)
Definition: expression of scorn or contempt, often with a nasty laugh Synonyms: mock, jeer, sneer, George often scoffed when Lennie did something foolish.

15. laden (adjective)
Definition: to be filled with a great quantity Synonyms: burdened, loaded, weighed-down George often felt ladened with the responsibility of caring for Lennie.

17. scourge (noun)
Definition: something causing misery or even death Synonyms: affliction, curse He looked at the label that “Says ‘positively kills, lice, roaches and other scourges.’” (20)

18. pugnacious (adjective)
Definition: showing a readiness to fight or argue Synonyms: aggressive, combative, contentious “His glance as at once calculating and pugnacious.”

20. slough (verb)
Definition: to shed off anything, but especially skin, hair, the hide of an animal, etc. Synonyms: cast, discard, scrap Given a chance, that pugnacious tramp would slough me! (used as a slang term)

22. disengage (verb)
Definition: to release something that is being held fast; to separate from others Synonyms: extricate, liberate, free Furious, Lennie tried to disengage his ear during their fight.

25. profound (adjective)
Definition: showing intellectual or emotional depth Synonyms: deep Many critics agree that Harper Lee and John Steinbeck dispense profound insights into human nature in their writing.

30. douse (verb)
Definition: to wet down thoroughly Synonym: drench His head still dripped water from the scrubbing and dousing.

31. derision (noun)
Definition: use of ridicule and scorn while treating another with contempt Synonyms: contempt, scorn Many of the men treated Candy with derision, wanting him to put down his smelly dog.

32. fawning (noun, verb)
Definition: attempting to win favor by insincere flattery Synonyms: brown nose, curry favor The teacher was suspicious of the student who suddenly began fawning over her with compliments, little favors, and even a box of candy. What was he up to with all this fawning?

36. indignation (noun)
Definition: a feeling of righteous anger because one has been unfairly “wronged” Synonyms: fury, anger I was filled with indignation when my father held me responsible for what my little brother had done!

38. crestfallen (adjective)
Definition: brought low in spirit from a disappointment Synonyms: blue, brokenhearted, sad, disappointed Candy was crestfallen when all of the men shared the same opinion: the dog must be put down.

41. retort (noun, verb)
Definition: to answer back sharply She made a cutting retort to her critics.