Metamorphosis
Vocabulary

1 use

But his mother was to be punished still more for what she had done, as hardly had his sister arrived home in the evening than she noticed the change in Gregor's room and, highly aggrieved, ran back into the living room where, despite her mothers raised and imploring hands, she broke into convulsive tears.

aggrieved = upset (by bad treatment)

1 use

Meanwhile the day had become much lighter; part of the endless, grey-black building on the other side of the street - which was a hospital - could be seen quite clearly with the austere and regular line of windows piercing its facade;

austere = notable for absence of luxury, comfort, or decoration

1 use

some kind of caustic medicine splashed all over him;

caustic = harsh feeling (burning or corrosive)

1 use

...sucking greedily at the cheese which had immediately, almost compellingly, attracted him much more than the other foods on the newspaper.

compellingly = in a manner that could not be resisted

1 use

1 use

Gregor would sometimes catch a friendly comment, or at least a comment that could be construed as friendly.

construed = interpreted

1 use

1 use

his attention was suddenly caught by the picture ... of the lady dressed in copious fur.

copious = abundant (large)

2 uses

once the difficulty has been removed, he will certainly work with all the more diligence and concentration.

diligence = hard work and care

1 use

Gregor's mother, her hair still dishevelled from bed despite the chief clerk's being there, looked at his father.

dishevelled = messy

1 use

"Gregor!" shouted his sister, glowering at him and shaking her fist.

glowering = staring angrily

1 use

instead of running after the chief clerk himself, or at least not impeding Gregor as he ran after him, Gregor's father...

impeding = interfering with

1 use

Then, however much mother and sister would importune him with little reproaches and warnings he would keep slowly shaking his head for a quarter of an hour with his eyes closed and refusing to get up.

importune = beg persistently and urgently

2 uses

...the others were being so insistent, and he was curious to learn what they would say when they caught sight of him. If they were shocked then it would no longer be Gregor's responsibility and he could rest.

insistent = demanding

1 use

He took his cap, with its gold monogram from, probably, some bank, and threw it in an arc right across the room onto the sofa,

monogram = design of alphabetic letters

3 uses

she probably even had to overcome the urge to flee when she saw the little bit of him that protruded from under the couch.

protruded = stuck out

1 use

He remained in this state of empty and peaceful rumination until he heard the clock tower strike three in the morning.

rumination = thinking again and again about something

1 use

Mr. and Mrs. Samsa were struck, almost simultaneously, with the thought of how their daughter was blossoming into a well built and beautiful young lady.

simultaneously = at the same time

1 use

For this reason, many things had become superfluous which, although they could not be sold, the family did not wish to discard.

superfluous = unnecessary

1 use

Gregor went and waited immediately by the door, resolved either to bring the timorous visitor into the room in some way or at least to find out who it was;

timorous = timid