A Corner of the Universe

1. regime (noun):

routine or system

“I know the routines of our boarders, and now is the hour when Miss Hagerty, who is past eighty, begins what she calls her nightly beauty regime.” (Prologue, viii)

2. entrusted (past tense verb):

given responsibility for

“On this first night to myself, Dad has entrusted me with his movie projector and all the reels of film.” (Prologue, viii)

3. industrious (adjective):

hardworking, dedicated

“’She’s industrious,’ says Cookie, who has opened four cupboards, taken the carton of eggs out of the refrigerator, and turned on the fire under the skillet.” (Chapter 1, Page 4)

4. commissioned (past tense verb):

paid to make or produce something like a work of art

“He has been commissioned to paint to portraits for a friend of Nana and Papa’s.” (Chapter 1, Page 8)

5. implies (present tense verb):

hints or suggests

“Which is why I can feel that angry flush creep across my cheeks whenever Nana implies that Mom married beneath her.” (Chapter 1, Page 9)

6. enigma (noun):

a mysterious or puzzling person or thing

“Our house is an enigma, which is a word from one of my sixth-grade vocabulary lists.” (Chapter 2, Page 13)

7. kiosk (noun):

a small, public structure used to display announcements, advertisements, and information

“It is tacked to the kiosk by the newspaper stand.” (Chapter 2, Page 18)

8. contradict (present tense verb):

go against, conflict with

“I know she doesn’t care what I wear to lunch, but she doesn’t want to contradict her mother.” (Chapter 3, Page 20)

9. compromise (noun):

a bargain or trade-off; meeting someone halfway in an agreement

“A compromise.” (Chapter 3, Page 21)

10. oblivious (adjective):

unconcerned, unaware

“Dad pretends to be oblivious to Nana.” (Chapter 3, Page 22)

11. erratic (adjective):

changeable, inconstant, unstable

“He’s unpredictable, erratic.” (Chapter 4, Page 31)

12. immaculate (adjective):

spotlessly clean and tidy

“I imagine Nana and Papa and their immaculate home.” (Chapter 4, Page 35)

13. garter belt (noun):

a piece of women’s underwear that goes around the waist and has clips or clasps to hold up stockings

“And I am wearing nylons with a garter belt, and my white flats.” (Chapter 5, Page 36)

14. mishaps (plural noun):

accidents, problems

“Lucy and Ricky and Fred and Ethel and all their mishaps and antics.” (Chapter 5, Page 37)

15. giddy (adjective):

silly, excited, happy

“My heart has stopped pounding and I feel a little giddy.” (Chapter 5, Page 37)

16. gingerly (adverb):

cautiously, carefully, guardedly

“I notice that we settle down rather gingerly, as if something might break.” (Chapter 5, Page 38)

17. scandalous (adjective):

shocking and improper

“When she leaves, Nana and Papa start talking about friends of Mom’s who are in the middle of a scandalous divorce.” (Chapter 5, Page 40)

18. graciously (adverb):

kindly and considerately

“I do, and then Adam graciously takes me by the elbow and escorts me to my place at the table.” (Chapter 5, Page 42)

19. slouching (present tense verb):

moving with a slumped back, or drooping posture, suggestive of a bad or depressed mood

“And I am quite happy when I realize that Adam is with them, sort of slouching along behind.” (Chapter 6, Page 44)

20. leave to their own devices (idiom):

to allow someone to do whatever they want without supervision

“But it’s too soon to leave him to his own devices.” (Chapter 6, Page 47)        

21. tremulously (adverb):

shakingly, tremblingly

“Then he swings it open with one hand and tremulously ushers Angel onto the porch with the other.” (Chapter 6, Page 50)

22. riffling (present participle verb):

quickly flipping through something, like a book

“Adam’s moods are like a deck of playing cards with someone riffling through them—dozens of cards, one after the other, in a blur.” (Chapter 7, Page 57)

23. jauntily (adverb):

cheerfully, confidently

“He is walking jauntily down Grant, wearing his pajama bottoms and nothing more.” (Chapter 8, Page 64)

24. patriotic (adjective):

showing support and love for one’s country

“The music is patriotic.” (Chapter 11, Page 87)

25. fete (noun):

festival, celebration

“It’s time for the annual fete.” (Chapter 11, Page 89)

26. torrent (noun):

a sudden, rushing, forceful outpouring of something like words or feelings

“Then a torrent of words pours forth.” (Chapter 11, Page 89)

27. obliges (present tense verb):

agrees to do what someone wants in order to please them

“Leila obliges, smiling.” (Chapter 12, Page 102)

28. primly (adverb):

properly or neatly

“’It’s very becoming,’ says Adam primly.” (Chapter 13, Page 106)

29. cosmopolitan (adjective):

glamorous, experienced, worldly

30. chic (adjective):

fashionable, elegant

“Very cosmopolitan, Angel Valentine. Very chic!”

31. lunge (present tense verb):

thrust forward

“I see Adam lunge to his left then, and I know exactly what he has done.” (Chapter 14, Page 116)

32. ecstasy (noun):

a feeling of supreme happiness; overwhelming joy or excitement

“He chooses a small blue tiger, and it makes him so happy that he jumps up and down in ecstasy, wringing his hands and singing, ‘I am Lily of the Valley! I am Lily of the Valley,’ which I suspect is from a Lucy show.” (Chapter 14, Page 121)

33. hors d’oeuvres (plural noun):

appetizers; small dishes served before a meal

“She will not want someone walking around sticking his fingers in the hors d’oeuvres and reciting lines from I Love Lucy.” (Chapter 15, Page 125)

34. lured (past tense verb):

tempted

“Somehow the idea comes up, Leila and I talk and talk about it, knowing it is wrong but lured by its daring.” (Chapter 15, Page 126)

35. boinging: (present participle verb):

filled with high energy, bouncing around

“Adam is boinging around, jumping, humming singing.” (Chapter 15, Page 128)

36. overwhelmed (past tense verb):

strongly emotionally affected; overcome

“Now Adam, overwhelmed, can barely speak.” (Chapter 15, Page 128)

37. flails:

(present tense verb): swings wildly

“Adam flails at us, with his hands, his feet.” (Chapter 16, Page 134)

38. straitjacket (noun):

a strong jacket with extra-long sleeves that can be tied together to restrain people who are violent to themselves or others

“The police officers drag Adam to it, and in about one second a straitjacket has been fastened around him and he has been loaded inside.” (Chapter 16, Page 138)

39. careening (present participle verb):

moving fast and almost out of control

“Dad looks straight ahead as he sends our car careening out of the parking lot and heads it toward Nana and Papa’s house.” (Chapter 16, Page 139)

40. treading (present participle verb):

walking

“’Hattie,’ says Dad, ‘you are treading on thin ice.’” (Chapter 17, Page 141)

41. sawhorse (noun):

a beam attached to a pair of A-shaped legs, used to support a board for sawing, or used as a barricade

“Then I see that a wooden sawhorse has been placed across the entrance.” (Chapter 19, Page 156)

42. intersects (present tense verb):

connects with or cuts across

“My long, long route eventually takes me down an avenue that intersects with Nana and Papa’s street.” (Chapter 19, Page 160)