The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Vocabulary

2 uses

Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart.

alacrity = quickness; and/or cheerful eagerness

1 use

One day Tom was in the act of dosing the crack when his aunt's yellow cat came along, purring, eying the teaspoon avariciously, and begging for a taste.

avariciously = greedily

1 use

facing peril and death with dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smile on his lips.

dauntless = a never discouraged

2 uses

Tom withered him with derision!

derision = by treating him as though he were inferior and unworthy of respect

1 use

Speak out, my boy—don't be diffident.

diffident = hesitant and unassertive due to a lack of self-confidence

4 uses

Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it,

diligence = hard work and care

1 use

1 use

His heart was heavy, and he said with a disdain which he did not feel that it wasn't anything to spit like Tom Sawyer;

disdain = a lack of respect

1 use

She was surprised to hear Tom dissent.

dissent = disagree

1 use

He believed he had taxed the forbearance of the powers above to the extremity

forbearance = tolerance

(editor's note: Tom is afraid that he has sinned more than God can forgive)

1 use

Becky roused up from her lethargy of distress and showed good interest in the proceedings.

lethargy = a state with a lack of energy

1 use

In a lucid interval, Huck feebly led up to the subject of taverns, and finally asked—dimly dreading the worst—if anything had been discovered at the Temperance Tavern since he had been ill.

lucid = clearly thinking

2 uses

Here was a gorgeous triumph; they were missed; they were mourned... the departed were the talk of the whole town, and the envy of all the boys, as far as this dazzling notoriety was concerned.

notoriety = state of being known for something bad

3 uses

yielded up the pewter medal which he had worn with ostentation for months.

ostentation = an action intended to attract notice and impress others

2 uses

As the service proceeded, the clergyman drew such pictures of the graces, the winning ways, and the rare promise of the lost lads that every soul there, thinking he recognized these pictures, felt a pang in remembering that he had persistently blinded himself to them always before, and had as persistently seen only faults and flaws in the poor boys.

persistently = always (in a continuing manner)

3 uses

and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound.

pervading = filling

1 use

1 use

She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom had stumbled into obedient conduct for once.

sagacity = wisdom

6 uses

Three dreadful days and nights dragged their tedious hours along,

tedious = boring

5 uses

Huck's face lost its tranquil content, and took a melancholy cast.

tranquil = calm and undisturbed