Here is the Vocabulary list. I currently have only Books 1 and 10 done, but I am working on the others, so check back later. The definitions to the right are edited from Dictionary.com
Don't hold your breath, but I will be formatting this when I can. -Mary
Reference Word :: Snicket's Definition :: Dictionary.com Definition
SS p 148 A daring life of impuslive passion refers to people who follow what is in their hearts \Dar"ing\, n. Boldness; fearlessness; adventurousness; also, a daring act.Willing to take or seek out risks; bold and venturesome.
\Im*pul"sive\, Inclined to act on impulse rather than thought. without forethought;
\Pas"sion\, n 1: strong feeling or emotion : a feeling of strong sexual desire "
BB p 162 Aberrant very, very wrong, and causing much grief \Ab*er"rant\, a. 1. Wandering; straying from the right way. markedly different from an accepted norm; "aberrent behavior"; deviant ideas" Deviating from the proper or expected course.
SS p 273 Abyss a fancy word for 'pit' \A*byss"\, n. [L. abyssus a bottomless gulf, fr. Gr. ? bottomless; 'a priv. + ? depth, bottom.] 1. A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable, and, specifically, hell, or the bottomless pit. SS p 182 Accoutrements bagels, cream cheese, sliced cucumber, black pepper, and capers, which can be eaten along with the lox for an enjoyable meal. ac·cou·ter·ment or ac·cou·tre·ment n. An accessory item of equipment or dress. Often used in the plural. Military equipment other than uniforms and weapons. BB p 121 Adroit skillful \A*droit"\, Dexterous in the use of the hands or in the exercise of the mental faculties; exhibiting skill and readiness in avoiding danger or escaping difficulty; ready in invention or execution; Dexterous; deft. Skillful and adept under pressing conditions. SS p 113 Al Fresco "It means 'outside,' of course," Esme explained. "It's fashionable to eat your meals in the fresh air." in the open air - especially eating SS p 25 Ambiguous It was neither happy nor unhappy \Am*big"u*ous\, a. [L. ambiguus, fr. ambigere to wander about, waver; amb- + agere to drive.] Doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression. BB p 42 Anchovies small salty fish an·cho·vies A small, herringlike marine fish of the family Engraulidae, especially the European fish (Engraulis encrasicholus), widely used in appetizers and various dishes. SS p 122 Aura of Menace Having an aura of menace is like having a pet weasel, because you rarely meet someone who has one, and when you do it makes you want to hide under the coffee table. An aura of menace is simply a distinct feeling of evil that accompanies the arrival of certain people, and very few individuals are evil enough to produce an aura of menace that is very strong. \Au"ra\, n.; pl. Aur[ae]. 3: a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing: "an atmosphere of defeat pervaded the candidate's headquarters"; "the place had an aura of romance"
\Men"ace\, n. The show of an intention to inflict evil; a threat or threatening; indication of a probable evil or catastrophe to come. SS p 197 Avail Themselves to make use of To avail one's self of: idiom to make use of; take advantage of. \A*vail\, v. t. 1. To turn to the advantage of; to be of service to; to profit; to benefit; to help; as, artifices will not avail the sinner in the day of judgment. BB p 13 Blanched boiled Blanch \Blanch\, v. t. 1. To take the color out of, and make white; 3. (Confectionery & Cookery) (a) To make white by removing the skin of, as by scalding; as, to blanch almonds. (b) To whiten, as the surface of meat, by plunging into boiling water and afterwards into cold, so as to harden the surface and retain the juices. SS p 206 Brace yourself The expression "brace yourself," as I'm sure you know, does not mean to take some metalwiring and rivets and other orthodontic materials and apply thm to your own teeth in order to straighten them. The expression simply means "get ready for something that will probably be very difficult" \Brace\ v. To support or hold steady with or as if with a brace; reinforce. To prepare or position so as to be ready for impact or danger: To get ready; make preparations. Phrasal Verb: brace up To summon one's strength or endurance. N. A device that holds or fastens two or more parts together or in place; a clamp. A device, such as a supporting beam in a building or a connecting wire or rope, that steadies or holds something else erect. BB p 139 Break a leg good luck on tonight's performance break a leg Idioms: Used to wish someone, such as an actor, success in a performance. For derivation see here BB p 18 Briskly quickly, so as to get the Baudelaire children to leave the house \Brisk"ly\, Marked by speed, liveliness, and vigor; energetic: BB p 42 Capers which are flower buds of a small shrub and taste marvelous ca·per A usually spiny Mediterranean shrub (Capparis spinosa) having white to pale lilac flowers and dehiscent fruits with reddish pulp. A pickled flower bud of this plant, used as a pungent condiment in sauces, relishes, and various other dishes. SS p 208 Carry the day enable Violet Baudelaire and Quigley Quagmire to climb up a frozen waterfall after bracing themselves for the difficult journey carry the day: To be victorious; win. To be successful in; win: lost the game but carried the match. To gain victory, support, or acceptance for: BB p 114 Casing the Joint observing a particular location in order to formulate a plan \Casing\ Slang. To examine carefully, as in planning a crime: cased the bank before robbing it.
\ Joint\ Slang A cheap or disreputable gathering place: A building or dwelling. SS p 118 Centerpiece a decoration placed in the middle of the table, often used to distract people from the food. \Cen"ter*piece`\, n. An ornament to be placed in the center, as of a table, ceiling, atc.; a central article or figure. SS p 237 Complied followed Violet's suggestion and read a very complicated paragraph out loud, explaining it as he went along. \Com*ply"\, v. i. 1. To yield assent; to accord; agree, or acquiesce; to adapt one's self; to consent or conform; -- usually followed by with. BB p 73 Confidence kept a secret between Mr. Poe and themselves and not blabbed to Count Olaf \Con"fi*dence\, n. 1. The act of confiding, trusting, or putting faith in; trust; reliance; belief; Private conversation; (pl.) secrets shared; a secret that is confided or entrusted to another; SS p 197 Conflagration a fancy word for fire \Con`fla*gra"tion\, n. A fire extending to many objects, or over a large space; a general burning. SS p 138 Corridors of Power has come to mean the hushed and often secret places where important matters are discussed Corridors of Power a book by Charles Percy Snow SS p 67 Dark Day a sad time in the history of the Baudelaire children, V.F.D., and all kind, brave, and well-read people in the world. A sad time SS p 6 Defected joined Count Olaf's band of revolting comrades (d-fkt)[Middle English, from Latin dfectus, failure, want, from past participle of dficere, to desert, be wanting : d-, de- + facere, to do; see dh- in Indo-European Roots.] 1. To disown allegiance to one's country and take up residence in another: a Soviet citizen who defected to Israel. 2. To abandon a position or association, often to join an opposing group: defected from the party over the issue of free trade. SS p 343 Diluted soaked with salt water from the ocean and from the author's own tears \Di*lute"\, v. t. 1. To make thinner or more liquid by admixture with something; to thin and dissolve by mixing. 2. To diminish the strength, flavor, color, etc., of, by mixing; to reduce, especially by the addition of water; to temper; to attenuate; to weaken. SS p 262 Dressed for the ocassion wearing such strange clothing that the youngest baudelairewas too surprised to say the final 'ga' she had been planning \dress\To put clothes on; clothe. To wear clothes, befitting an occasion or location: I dressed down for such a casual occasion
\Oc*ca""sion\ An event or happening; an incident. BB p 141 Duration that means the whole thing \Du*ra"tion\, n. 1: the period of time during which something continues SS p 321 Endure meet in secret, communicate in code, and gather crucial evidence to foil the schemes of their enemies \En*dure"\, To carry on through, despite hardships; undergo: endure an Arctic winter. To bear with tolerance: v. intr. To continue in existence; last. To suffer patiently without yielding. SS p 237 Esoteric "I think it refers to things that aren't used very much -- the things that stay in the refrigerator for a long time" -KB \Es`o*ter"ic\, a. Marked by secrecy or privacy; private; select; confidential; as, an esoteric purpose; an esoteric meeting. SS p 101 Exonerate prove to the authorities that it was Count Olaf, and not me, who has started so many fires \Ex*on"er*ate\, v. t. To free from blame. To free from a responsibility, obligation, or task. SS p 220 Extreme state of disrepair an underside of an automobile in such bad shape that it was dripping oil on her and her companion \Ex*treme"\, n. 1. The utmost point or verge; that part which terminates a body; extremity. 2. Utmost limit or degree that is supposable or tolerable; hence, furthest degree; any undue departure from the mean;
\State\, n. 1. The circumstances or condition of a being or thing at any given time.
\Dis`re*pair""\, n. A state of being in bad condition, and wanting repair. SS p 4 Facinorous which is a fancy word for "wicked" \Fa*cin"o*rous\, a. [L. facinorous, from facinus deed, bad deed, from facere to make, do.] Atrociously wicked. BB p 109 Faking feigning fak·ing Having a false or misleading appearance; fraudulent. To simulate; feign. BB p 34 Fallen by the wayside they stopped calling, writing, and stopping by to see any of the Baudelaires, making them very lonely fall by the wayside - To fail to continue; give up. go by the wayside - To be set aside or discarded because of other considerations. SS p 55 & 77 False Spring "but False Spring is on its way, so before long it'll be a bit warmer..." "It's when the weather gets unusually warm before getting very cold again. In Washington, March is sometimes the cruelest month. The air softens, the low sky opens up and spreads a bit, and the cherry blossoms begin to burgeon along the avenues and riverbanks. The trees were originally a present from the Japanese city of Nagasaki, and the most celebrated of their effusions burst forth around the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial, creating an almost snow-covered effect that has long magnetized tourists from far away. Lawyers and lobbyists loosen their ties, the young women of the city venture forth in lighter garments, children flood the parks and then--suddenly-- a harsh snap of frigid weather nips the buds. SS p 21 Fate Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant, filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like. \Fate\, n. 1. A fixed decree by which the order of things is prescribed; the immutable law of the universe; inevitable necessity; the force by which all existence is determined and conditioned. 2. Appointed lot; allotted life; arranged or predetermined event; destiny; especially, the final lot; doom; ruin; death. 3. The element of chance in the affairs of life; the unforeseen and unestimated conitions considered as a force shaping events; fortune; esp., opposing circumstances against which it is useless to struggle; as, fate was, or the fates were, against him. 4. pl. [L. Fata, pl. of fatum.] (Myth.) The three goddesses, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, sometimes called the Destinies, or Parc[ae]who were supposed to determine the course of human life. They are represented, one as holding the distaff, a second as spinning, and the third as cutting off the thread. BB p 109 Feigning \Feign"ing\, a. insincere; not genuine; false. n 1: pretending with intention to deceive BB p 68 Figuratively it feels like it's happening \Fig"ur*a*tive*ly\2. Used in a sense that is tropical, as a metaphor; not literal; -- applied to words and expressions. BB p 94 Fitfully with much tossing and turning Fitful \Fit"ful\, a. [From 7th Fit.] Full of fits; irregularly variable; impulsive and unstable. Occurring in or characterized by intermittent bursts, as of activity; irregular. fitfully adv : in a fitful manner; "he slept fitfully" BB p 42 Garlic a sharp tasting bulbous plant \Gar"lic\, An onionlike plant (Allium sativum) of southern Europe having a bulb that breaks up into separable cloves with a strong distinctive odor and flavor. SS p 276 Gingerly without falling into a very deep hole \Gin"ger*ly\, adv. Cautiously; timidly; fastidiously; daintily. adj : with extreme care or delicacy; BB p 118 Grappling Hook something used for climbing up the sides of buildings, usually for a nefarious purpose grappling hook n : a device consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a rope SS p 58 Greater Good "Money!" Esme cried in greedy glee. "Money and personal satisfaction…" more important end SS p 286 Hazard a guess continue to expend their energy by discussing the matter \Haz"ard\, v. i. To try the chance; to encounter risk or danger. To venture (something); dare: hazard a guess. SS p 286 Hazard their climb continue their journey in silence, until they arrived at last at the source of the Stricken Stream \Haz"ard\, v. i. To try the chance; to encounter risk or danger. To venture (something); dare: hazard a guess. SS p 64 Herculean Tasks managing to do incredibly difficult things \Her*cu"le*an\, a. [L. herculeus, fr. Hercules: cf. F. hercul['e]en. See Hercules.] 1. Requiring the strength of Hercules; hence, very great, difficult, or dangerous; as, an Herculean task. To read about the labors of Hercules, go here BB p 66 In Loco Parentis Something about trains?
...acting in the role of parent in lo·co pa·ren·tis In the position or place of a parent. In loco parentis is a term used in situations where another individual or agency is acting in place of a parent on behalf of a minor. The term is used in legal settings to assign the rights, duties, and responsibilities of a parent to another person or agency. Alternatively, the term has been used in less formal references to describe the role played by an educational institution, such as a boarding school, college, or university, in supervising minors and young adults. SS p 264 Inadvertently where the youngest Baudelaire could hear it \In`ad*vert"ent\, a. Not turning the mind to a matter; heedless; careless; negligent; inattentive. adv : without knowledge or intention; "he unwittingly deleted the references" BB p 84 Incentive an offered reward to persuade you to do something you don't want to do \In*cen"tive\, Something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort. Motive; spur; stimulus; incitement; encouragement; inducement; influence. BB p 127 Incurring bringing about \In*cur"\, v. t. To meet or fall in with, as something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to put one's self in the way of; to expose one's self to; to become liable or subject to; to bring down upon one's self; to encounter; to contract; as, to incur debt, danger, displeasure, penalty, responsibility, etc. SS p 54 Individual Practitioner "It means a life of crime," Esme replied. "It's very in right now." "Wrong def." Sunny could not help speaking through her tears. By "wrong def" she meant something along the lines of, "An individual practitioner means someone who works alone, instead of with a group, and it has nothing to do with a life of crime" \In`di*vid""u*al\, n. 1. A single person, animal, or thing of any kind; a thing or being incapable of separation or division, without losing its identity; especially, a human being; a person.
\Prac*ti""tion*er\ n. [From Practician.] 1. One who is engaged in the actual use or exercise of any art or profession particularly that of law or medicine. 2. One who does anything customarily or habitually. 3. A sly or artful person. SS p 153 Inferno enormous fire that destroyed a secret headquarters high in the mountains \In*fer"no\, n.A place or condition suggestive of hell, A place of fiery heat or destruction. BB p 141 Insipid dull and foolish \In*sip"id\, a. 1. Wanting in the qualities which affect the organs of taste; without taste or savor; vapid; tasteless; 2. Wanting in spirit, life, or animation; uninteresting; weak; vapid; flat; dull; heavy; BB p 32 Keep our chin up try to stay cheerful Keeping a stiff upper lip is pretty hard to do and that's just the idea behind it. When someone gets upset, his lips usually tremble. Keeping a stiff upper lip is supposed to hide your emotions. Today, we might also use the expression "keep your chin up," which is similar in meaning. When someone is sad or depressed, his head usually drops and his chin tucks under. A chin held high indicates self-satisfaction and happiness. BB p 127 Lamentably Deplorable it was not at all enjoyable \De*plor" a*ble\, a. [Cf. F. d['e]plorable.] Worthy of being deplored or lamented; lamentable; causing grief; hence, sad; calamitous; grievous; wretched; as, life's evils are deplorable." BB p 68 Literally it actually happens \Lit"er*al*ly\, in a literal sense; Really; actually: without exaggeration; According to the primary and natural import of words; not figuratively Usage Note: For more than a hundred years, critics have remarked on the incoherency of using literally in a way that suggests the exact opposite of its primary sense of "in a manner that accords with the literal sense of the words." In 1926, for example, H.W. Fowler cited the example "The 300,000 Unionists... will be literally thrown to the wolves." The practice does not stem from a change in the meaning of literally itself - if it did, the word would long since have come to mean "virtually" or "figuratively" but from a natural tendency to use the word as a general intensive, as in They had literally no help from the government on the project, where no contrast with the figurative sense of the words is intended. SS p 182 Lox Lox is a word which refers to smoked salmon, and it is a delicious way to enjoy freshly caught fish…etc lox Smoked salmon. BB p 130 Molotov Cocktails they're small bombs made inside bottles Molotov cocktail n. A makeshift bomb made of a breakable container filled with flammable liquid and provided with a usually rag wick that is lighted just before being hurled. SS p 282 Mush an expression that arctic explorers shouted to their sled dogs \Mush\, n. [Perh. short for mush on, a corrupt of E. marchons, the cry of the voyageurs and coureurs de bois to their dogs.] interj. Used to command a team of dogs to begin pulling or move faster.A march on foot, esp. across the snow with dogs; as, he had a long mush before him; -- also used attributively. BB p 96 Nuptial relating to marriage \Nup"tial\, a. Of or pertaining to marriage; done or used at a wedding; as, nuptial rites and ceremonies. SS p 170 Oh I heard you, and I'm not particularly interested" "I am sad to hear that Uncle Monty's house burned down" \Oh\, interj. [See O, interj.] An exclamation expressing various emotions, according to the tone and manner, especially surprise, pain, sorrow, anxiety, or a wish. SS p 117 Orange Granita a cold and delicious concoction that is often served at fancy dinner parties and masked balls. A granular dessert ice with a sugar-syrup base, usually flavored with fruit purée, coffee, or wine. BB p 138 Pandemonium actors and stagehands running around attending to last-minute details pan·de·mo·ni·um A very noisy place: Wild uproar or noise. a state of extreme confusion and disorder SS p 70 Perfect Unison reciting a list of very odd words at the very same time. \U"ni*son\ (?; 277), n. [LL. unisonus having the same sound; L. unus one + sonus a sound: cf. F. unisson, It. unisono. See One, and Sound a noise.] n 1: corresponding exactly: "marching in unison" 2: occurring together or simultaneously: "the two spoke in unison" 3: two or more sounds or tones at the same pitch or in octaves: "singing in unison" BB p 8 Perished "'Perished,'" Mr. Poe said, "means 'killed.'" Perish \Per"ish\, v. i. To be destroyed; to pass away; to become nothing; to be lost; to die; hence, to wither; to waste away. SS p 179 Plume mysterious cloud of green smoke \Plume\, n. [F., fr. L. pluma. Cf. Fly, v.] 1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long, conspicuous, or handsome feather.A space in air, water, or soil containing pollutants released from a point source. BB p 130 Polygamists Polygamists are people who marry more than one person po·lyg·a·mist n. One who practices polygamy which is The condition or practice of having more than one spouse at one time. Also called plural marriage. BB p 67 Posthaste -means you'll do nothing to help us \Post`haste\, adv. With speed or expedition; as fast as possible; with all possible speed; SS p 212 Privacy time by oneself, without anyone watching or interfering \Pri"va*cy\, n.; pl. Privacies. [See Private.] 1. The state of being in retirement from the company or observation of others; seclusion. 2. A place of seclusion from company or observation; retreat; solitude; retirement. BB p 37 Private Library a large collection of books belonging to Justice Strauss \Pri"vate\ Belonging to, or concerning, an individual person, company, or interest; peculiar to one's self; unconnected with others; personal; one's own; not public; "\Li""bra*ry\ 1. A considerable collection of books kept for use, and not as merchandise; as, a private library; a public library." SS p 258 Proximity while the police gathered outside and eventually managed to arrest the robbers and take them to jail \Prox*im"i*ty\, n. The quality or state of being next in time, place, causation, influence, etc.; immediate nearness, either in place, blood, or alliance. SS p 110 Pyromania a love of fire, usually the product of a deranged mind \Pyr"o*ma"ni*a\, n. [Pyro- + mania.] An insane disposition to incendiarism. n : a desire to set fire to things SS p 241 Quatrain four lines of a poem \Quat"rain\, n. A stanza of four lines BB p 110 Relinquished gave to count Olaf even though he didn't want to \Re*lin"quish\ 1. To withdraw from; to leave behind; to desist from; to abandon; to quit; as, to relinquish a pursuit. 2. To give up; to renounce a claim to; resign; as, to relinquish a debt. To let go; surrender. To cease holding physically; release: BB p 50 Revulsion an unpleasant mixture of horror and disgust \Re*vul"sion\, A sudden strong change or reaction in feeling, especially a feeling of violent disgust or loathing. A withdrawing or turning away from something BB p 2 Rickety "unsteady" or "likely to collapse" \Rick"et*y\, Likely to break or fall apart; shaky. Feeble with age; infirm. Of, having, or resembling rickets. SS p 113 Rolled up her sleeves focused very hard on the task at hand, but did not actually roll up her sleeves, because it was very cold on the highest peak of the Mortmain Mountains got ready to go to work SS p 13 Room With A View It is often said that if you have a room with a view, you will feel peaceful and relaxed Book//Movie by EM Forster Splendidly adapted from the novel by E.M. Forster, it's a comedy of the heart, a passionate romance and a study of repression within the British class system of manners and mores. It's that system of rigid behavior that prevents young Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) from accepting the loving advances of a free-spirited suitor (Julian Sands), who fears that she will follow through with her engagement to a priggish intellectual (Daniel Day-Lewis) whose capacity for passion is virtually nonexistent. During and after a trip to Italy with her protective companion (Maggie Smith), Lucy gradually gets in touch with her true emotions. SS p 147 Rural Life living in the country \Ru"ral\, a. [F., fr. L. ruralis, fr. rus, ruris, the country. Cf. Room space, Rustic.] 1. Of or pertaining to the country, as distinguished from a city or town; living in the country; SS p 197 Sanctuary a safe place \Sanc"tu*a*ry\, n.; A sacred place; a consecrated spot; a holy and inviolable site. Hence, specifically: (d) A sacred and inviolable asylum; a place of refuge and protection; shelter; refuge; protection. SS p 188 Saw something which lightened her spirits an identical plume of green smoke, coming from the very bottom of the slope Made her more cheerful SS p 126&167 Schism the baby did not know what the word schism meant... "A schism," Klaus said, "is a division of a previously united group of people into two or more oppositional parties. It's like a big argument with everybody choosing sides." \Schism\, n. Division or separation; specifically (Eccl.), permanent division or separation in the Christian church; breach of unity among people of the same religious faith; the offense of seeking to produce division in a church without justifiable cause. SS p 5 Seen Through Their Ruse realized who they really were and cut the knot attaching the caravan to the car, leaving Sunny in Olaf's clutches and her siblings tumbling toward their doom \Ruse\, n. [F., fr. OF. re["u]ser, rehuser, to turn aside, to shuffle, retreat, fr. L. recusare to refuse; pref. re- again + causa cause. See Cause, and cf. Recusant.] An artifice; trick; stratagem; wile; fraud; deceit. SS p 216 Set Out of al the words in the English language, the word"set" has the most definitions, and if you open a good dictionary and read the word's long, long entry, you will begin to think that "set" is hardly a word at all, only a sound that means something different depending on who is saying it. If a group of jazz musicians says "set," for instance, they are probably referring to the songs they are planning to play at a club that evening, assuming it doesn't burn down. If the owner of a restraunt uses the word "set," the might mean a group of matching wineglasses, or a bunch of waitresses who look exactly alike. A librarian will say set" to refer to a collection of books that are all by the same author or about the same subject, and an Egyptologist will use the word "set" to refer to the ancient god of evil, although he does not come up very often in conversation. \set\ "\set\ 1. To put in a specified position; place: set a book on a table. 2. To put into a specified state: set the prisoner at liberty. a. To put into a stable position: set the fence post into a bed of concrete. b. To fix firmly or in an immobile manner: He set his jaw and concentrated on flying the plane through the storm. 3. To restore to a proper and normal state when dislocated or broken: set a broken arm. a. To adjust for proper functioning. b. To adjust (a saw) by deflecting the teeth. c. Nautical. To spread open to the wind: set the sails. 4. To adjust according to a standard. 5. To adjust (an instrument or device) to a specific point or calibration: set an alarm clock. 6. To arrange properly for use: set a place for a dinner guest; set a table. 7. To apply equipment, such as curlers and clips, to (hair) in order to style. 8. Printing. a. To arrange (type) into words and sentences preparatory to printing; compose. b. To transpose into type. 9. Music. a. To compose (music) to fit a given text. b. To write (words) to fit a given melodic line. 10. To arrange scenery on (a theater stage). 11. To prescribe the unfolding of (a drama or narrative, for instance) in a specific place: a play that is set in Venice. 12. To prescribe or establish: set a precedent. 13. To prescribe as a time for: set June 6 as the day of the invasion. 14. To detail or assign (someone) to a particular duty, service, or station: set the child to cleaning the closets; set guards around the perimeter. 15. To incite to hostile action: a war that set families against one another. a. To establish as the highest level of performance: set a world aviation record. b. To establish as a model: A parent must set a good example for the children. c. To put in a mounting; mount: set an emerald in a pendant. d. To apply jewels to; stud: a tiara that was set with diamonds. 16. To cause to sit. a. To put (a hen) on eggs for the purpose of hatching them. b. To put (eggs) beneath a hen or in an incubator. 17. Sports. To position (oneself) in such a way as to be ready to start running a race. 18. Sports. To pass (a volleyball), usually with the fingertips, in an arc close to the net so that a teammate can drive it over the net. a. To value or regard something at the rate of: She sets a great deal by good nutrition. b. To fix at a given amount: The judge set bail for the defendant at $50,000. c. To make as an estimate of worth: We set a high value on human life. 19. To point to the location of (game) by holding a fixed attitude. Used of a hunting dog. 20. Botany. To produce, as after pollination: set seed. a. To prepare (a trap) for catching prey. b. To fix (a hook) firmly into a fish's jaw. v. intr. 1. To disappear below the horizon: The sun set at seven that evening. 2. To diminish or decline; wane. 3. To sit on eggs. Used of fowl. a. To become fixed; harden. See Synonyms at coagulate. b. To become permanent. Used of dye. 4. To become whole; knit. Used of a broken bone. 5. Botany. To mature or develop, as after pollination. 6. Nonstandard. To sit: “If Emmett drives, I could set up front” (Bobbie Ann Mason). 7. To position oneself preparatory to an action, such as running a race. adj. 1. Fixed or established by agreement: a set time for the launching. 2. Established by convention: followed set procedures for filing a grievance. 3. Established deliberately; intentional: Our set purpose is to win the conflict. 4. Fixed and rigid: “His bearded face already has a set, hollow look” (Conor Cruise O'Brien). 5. Unwilling or very reluctant to change: He is set in his ways. a. Intent and determined: “He is dead set against rushing abroad to build a plant” (Fortune). b. Ready: We are set to leave early tomorrow morning. n. a. The act or process of setting. b. The condition resulting from setting. 1. The manner in which something is positioned: the set of her cap. 2. A permanent firming or hardening of a substance, as by cooling. 3. The deflection of the teeth of a saw. a. The carriage or bearing of a part of the body. b. A particular psychological state, usually that of anticipation or preparedness: “The mental set of an audience is crucial to his performance” (Psychology Today). 4. A descent below the horizon. 5. The direction or course of wind or water. 6. A seedling, slip, or cutting that is ready for planting. 7. The act of arranging hair by waving and curling it. " BB p 44 Simmered cooked over low heat \Sim"mer\,To be cooked gently or remain just at or below the boiling point. SS p 164 Simultaneously in a disgusted voice, and at the exact same time \Si`mul*ta"ne*ous\, a. Existing, happening, or done, at the same time; BB p 95 Smirked smiled in an unfriendly phony way \Smirk\ To smile in an affected, often offensively self-satisfied manner. SS p 288 Speak their minds confront Count Olaf and his companions as if they weren's one bit frightened To say what you truly think or feel without regard to tact or propriety SS p 108 Spring in her step in a surprisingly cheerful manner considering she was in the clutches of a ruthless villain on top of a mountain so cold that even the nearby waterfall was frozen solid cheerfulness BB p 74 Standoffish reluctant to associate with others standoffish adj : lacking cordiality; unfriendly; Aloof or reserved. SS p 241 Stanza another word for a verse \Stan"za\, n.;One of the divisions of a poem, composed of two or more lines usually characterized by a common pattern of meter, rhyme, and number of lines. SS p 258 Stockholm Syndrome a situation in which someone becomes friendly with the people who are holding them prisoner Stockholm syndrome n. A phenomenon in which a hostage begins to identify with and grow sympathetic to his or her captor. SS p 83 Take a page from someone's book adopt an idea used by somebody else imitate SS p 43 Taking One's Chances Taking one's chances is like taking a bath, because sometimes you end up feeling comfortable and warm, and sometimes there is something terrible lurking around you that you cannot see until it is too late and you can do nothing else but scream and cling to a plastic duck tempt fate SS p 147 The Preferable Personal Narrative the way to live your life \Per"son*al\, a. [L. personalis: cf. F. personnel.] 2. Of or pertaining to a particular person; relating to, or affecting, an individual, "\Nar""ra*tive\, n. That which is narrated; the recital of a story; a continuous account of the particulars of an event or transaction; a story. "Another writing process is personal narrative. This is where you get to tell your personal stories. " SS p 299 Tiara a small crown given to a nasty little girl for no good reason \Ti*a"ra\, n. An ornamental, often jeweled, crownlike semicircle worn on the head by women on formal occasions. BB p 42 Tomatoes which are actually fruits and not vegetables as most people believe \To*ma"to\, A widely cultivated South American plant (Lycopersicon esculentum) having edible, fleshy, usually red fruit. SS p 99 Tribulations opportunities to eavesdrop while cooking for a theater troupe trib·u·la·tion n. Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering: Their tribulation has finally passed. See Synonyms at trial. An experience that tests one's endurance, patience, or faith.
SS p 152 Tributaries divisions of a river or stream, each twisting off in a different direction past the ruins of the headquarters, and curving around the Mortmain Mountains until they disappeared from view. \Trib"u*ta*ry\, n.; 2. A stream or river flowing into a larger river or into a lake; an affluent. NOTE: THE DEFINITION HAS THEM FLOWING TOGETHER, NOT APART!
BB p 133 Two Minds they felt two different ways at the same time Feeling two ways at once
SS p 324 Velocity a scientific word for speed \Ve*loc"i*ty\, n.; Quickness of motion; swiftness; speed; celerity; rapidity; Physics. A vector quantity whose magnitude is a body's speed and whose direction is the body's direction of motion.
SS p 140 Verdant green \Ver"dant\, a. 1. Covered with growing plants or grass; green; fresh; flourishing; as, verdant fields; a verdant lawn. 2. Unripe in knowledge or judgment; unsophisticated; raw; green; as, a verdant youth.
SS p 143 Vernacular a local language or dialect \Ver*nac"u*lar\, n. The vernacular language; one's mother tongue; often, the common forms of expression in a particular locality.
SS p 166 Volunteer Fire Department "In some communities," Klaus said, "there's no official fire department so they rely on volunteers to extinguish fires." A group of people who fight fires on a volunteer basis rather than being employed by a city SS p 95 Xenial Xenial' is a word which refers to the giving of gifts to a stranger Xenial an Homeric Greek word denoting the duty of hospitality to strangers SS p 311 Xylophone a percussion instrument played with mallets \Xy"lo*phone\, n.n : a percussion instrument with wooden bars tuned to produce a chromatic scale and with resonators; played with small mallets Return to the Main Page
Don't hold your breath, but I will be formatting this when I can. -Mary
Reference Word :: Snicket's Definition :: Dictionary.com Definition
SS p 148 A daring life of impuslive passion refers to people who follow what is in their hearts \Dar"ing\, n. Boldness; fearlessness; adventurousness; also, a daring act.Willing to take or seek out risks; bold and venturesome.
\Im*pul"sive\, Inclined to act on impulse rather than thought. without forethought;
\Pas"sion\, n 1: strong feeling or emotion : a feeling of strong sexual desire "
BB p 162 Aberrant very, very wrong, and causing much grief \Ab*er"rant\, a. 1. Wandering; straying from the right way. markedly different from an accepted norm; "aberrent behavior"; deviant ideas" Deviating from the proper or expected course.
SS p 273 Abyss a fancy word for 'pit' \A*byss"\, n. [L. abyssus a bottomless gulf, fr. Gr. ? bottomless; 'a priv. + ? depth, bottom.] 1. A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable, and, specifically, hell, or the bottomless pit. SS p 182 Accoutrements bagels, cream cheese, sliced cucumber, black pepper, and capers, which can be eaten along with the lox for an enjoyable meal. ac·cou·ter·ment or ac·cou·tre·ment n. An accessory item of equipment or dress. Often used in the plural. Military equipment other than uniforms and weapons. BB p 121 Adroit skillful \A*droit"\, Dexterous in the use of the hands or in the exercise of the mental faculties; exhibiting skill and readiness in avoiding danger or escaping difficulty; ready in invention or execution; Dexterous; deft. Skillful and adept under pressing conditions. SS p 113 Al Fresco "It means 'outside,' of course," Esme explained. "It's fashionable to eat your meals in the fresh air." in the open air - especially eating SS p 25 Ambiguous It was neither happy nor unhappy \Am*big"u*ous\, a. [L. ambiguus, fr. ambigere to wander about, waver; amb- + agere to drive.] Doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression. BB p 42 Anchovies small salty fish an·cho·vies A small, herringlike marine fish of the family Engraulidae, especially the European fish (Engraulis encrasicholus), widely used in appetizers and various dishes. SS p 122 Aura of Menace Having an aura of menace is like having a pet weasel, because you rarely meet someone who has one, and when you do it makes you want to hide under the coffee table. An aura of menace is simply a distinct feeling of evil that accompanies the arrival of certain people, and very few individuals are evil enough to produce an aura of menace that is very strong. \Au"ra\, n.; pl. Aur[ae]. 3: a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing: "an atmosphere of defeat pervaded the candidate's headquarters"; "the place had an aura of romance"
\Men"ace\, n. The show of an intention to inflict evil; a threat or threatening; indication of a probable evil or catastrophe to come. SS p 197 Avail Themselves to make use of To avail one's self of: idiom to make use of; take advantage of. \A*vail\, v. t. 1. To turn to the advantage of; to be of service to; to profit; to benefit; to help; as, artifices will not avail the sinner in the day of judgment. BB p 13 Blanched boiled Blanch \Blanch\, v. t. 1. To take the color out of, and make white; 3. (Confectionery & Cookery) (a) To make white by removing the skin of, as by scalding; as, to blanch almonds. (b) To whiten, as the surface of meat, by plunging into boiling water and afterwards into cold, so as to harden the surface and retain the juices. SS p 206 Brace yourself The expression "brace yourself," as I'm sure you know, does not mean to take some metalwiring and rivets and other orthodontic materials and apply thm to your own teeth in order to straighten them. The expression simply means "get ready for something that will probably be very difficult" \Brace\ v. To support or hold steady with or as if with a brace; reinforce. To prepare or position so as to be ready for impact or danger: To get ready; make preparations. Phrasal Verb: brace up To summon one's strength or endurance. N. A device that holds or fastens two or more parts together or in place; a clamp. A device, such as a supporting beam in a building or a connecting wire or rope, that steadies or holds something else erect. BB p 139 Break a leg good luck on tonight's performance break a leg Idioms: Used to wish someone, such as an actor, success in a performance. For derivation see here BB p 18 Briskly quickly, so as to get the Baudelaire children to leave the house \Brisk"ly\, Marked by speed, liveliness, and vigor; energetic: BB p 42 Capers which are flower buds of a small shrub and taste marvelous ca·per A usually spiny Mediterranean shrub (Capparis spinosa) having white to pale lilac flowers and dehiscent fruits with reddish pulp. A pickled flower bud of this plant, used as a pungent condiment in sauces, relishes, and various other dishes. SS p 208 Carry the day enable Violet Baudelaire and Quigley Quagmire to climb up a frozen waterfall after bracing themselves for the difficult journey carry the day: To be victorious; win. To be successful in; win: lost the game but carried the match. To gain victory, support, or acceptance for: BB p 114 Casing the Joint observing a particular location in order to formulate a plan \Casing\ Slang. To examine carefully, as in planning a crime: cased the bank before robbing it.
\ Joint\ Slang A cheap or disreputable gathering place: A building or dwelling. SS p 118 Centerpiece a decoration placed in the middle of the table, often used to distract people from the food. \Cen"ter*piece`\, n. An ornament to be placed in the center, as of a table, ceiling, atc.; a central article or figure. SS p 237 Complied followed Violet's suggestion and read a very complicated paragraph out loud, explaining it as he went along. \Com*ply"\, v. i. 1. To yield assent; to accord; agree, or acquiesce; to adapt one's self; to consent or conform; -- usually followed by with. BB p 73 Confidence kept a secret between Mr. Poe and themselves and not blabbed to Count Olaf \Con"fi*dence\, n. 1. The act of confiding, trusting, or putting faith in; trust; reliance; belief; Private conversation; (pl.) secrets shared; a secret that is confided or entrusted to another; SS p 197 Conflagration a fancy word for fire \Con`fla*gra"tion\, n. A fire extending to many objects, or over a large space; a general burning. SS p 138 Corridors of Power has come to mean the hushed and often secret places where important matters are discussed Corridors of Power a book by Charles Percy Snow SS p 67 Dark Day a sad time in the history of the Baudelaire children, V.F.D., and all kind, brave, and well-read people in the world. A sad time SS p 6 Defected joined Count Olaf's band of revolting comrades (d-fkt)[Middle English, from Latin dfectus, failure, want, from past participle of dficere, to desert, be wanting : d-, de- + facere, to do; see dh- in Indo-European Roots.] 1. To disown allegiance to one's country and take up residence in another: a Soviet citizen who defected to Israel. 2. To abandon a position or association, often to join an opposing group: defected from the party over the issue of free trade. SS p 343 Diluted soaked with salt water from the ocean and from the author's own tears \Di*lute"\, v. t. 1. To make thinner or more liquid by admixture with something; to thin and dissolve by mixing. 2. To diminish the strength, flavor, color, etc., of, by mixing; to reduce, especially by the addition of water; to temper; to attenuate; to weaken. SS p 262 Dressed for the ocassion wearing such strange clothing that the youngest baudelairewas too surprised to say the final 'ga' she had been planning \dress\To put clothes on; clothe. To wear clothes, befitting an occasion or location: I dressed down for such a casual occasion
\Oc*ca""sion\ An event or happening; an incident. BB p 141 Duration that means the whole thing \Du*ra"tion\, n. 1: the period of time during which something continues SS p 321 Endure meet in secret, communicate in code, and gather crucial evidence to foil the schemes of their enemies \En*dure"\, To carry on through, despite hardships; undergo: endure an Arctic winter. To bear with tolerance: v. intr. To continue in existence; last. To suffer patiently without yielding. SS p 237 Esoteric "I think it refers to things that aren't used very much -- the things that stay in the refrigerator for a long time" -KB \Es`o*ter"ic\, a. Marked by secrecy or privacy; private; select; confidential; as, an esoteric purpose; an esoteric meeting. SS p 101 Exonerate prove to the authorities that it was Count Olaf, and not me, who has started so many fires \Ex*on"er*ate\, v. t. To free from blame. To free from a responsibility, obligation, or task. SS p 220 Extreme state of disrepair an underside of an automobile in such bad shape that it was dripping oil on her and her companion \Ex*treme"\, n. 1. The utmost point or verge; that part which terminates a body; extremity. 2. Utmost limit or degree that is supposable or tolerable; hence, furthest degree; any undue departure from the mean;
\State\, n. 1. The circumstances or condition of a being or thing at any given time.
\Dis`re*pair""\, n. A state of being in bad condition, and wanting repair. SS p 4 Facinorous which is a fancy word for "wicked" \Fa*cin"o*rous\, a. [L. facinorous, from facinus deed, bad deed, from facere to make, do.] Atrociously wicked. BB p 109 Faking feigning fak·ing Having a false or misleading appearance; fraudulent. To simulate; feign. BB p 34 Fallen by the wayside they stopped calling, writing, and stopping by to see any of the Baudelaires, making them very lonely fall by the wayside - To fail to continue; give up. go by the wayside - To be set aside or discarded because of other considerations. SS p 55 & 77 False Spring "but False Spring is on its way, so before long it'll be a bit warmer..." "It's when the weather gets unusually warm before getting very cold again. In Washington, March is sometimes the cruelest month. The air softens, the low sky opens up and spreads a bit, and the cherry blossoms begin to burgeon along the avenues and riverbanks. The trees were originally a present from the Japanese city of Nagasaki, and the most celebrated of their effusions burst forth around the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial, creating an almost snow-covered effect that has long magnetized tourists from far away. Lawyers and lobbyists loosen their ties, the young women of the city venture forth in lighter garments, children flood the parks and then--suddenly-- a harsh snap of frigid weather nips the buds. SS p 21 Fate Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant, filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like. \Fate\, n. 1. A fixed decree by which the order of things is prescribed; the immutable law of the universe; inevitable necessity; the force by which all existence is determined and conditioned. 2. Appointed lot; allotted life; arranged or predetermined event; destiny; especially, the final lot; doom; ruin; death. 3. The element of chance in the affairs of life; the unforeseen and unestimated conitions considered as a force shaping events; fortune; esp., opposing circumstances against which it is useless to struggle; as, fate was, or the fates were, against him. 4. pl. [L. Fata, pl. of fatum.] (Myth.) The three goddesses, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, sometimes called the Destinies, or Parc[ae]who were supposed to determine the course of human life. They are represented, one as holding the distaff, a second as spinning, and the third as cutting off the thread. BB p 109 Feigning \Feign"ing\, a. insincere; not genuine; false. n 1: pretending with intention to deceive BB p 68 Figuratively it feels like it's happening \Fig"ur*a*tive*ly\2. Used in a sense that is tropical, as a metaphor; not literal; -- applied to words and expressions. BB p 94 Fitfully with much tossing and turning Fitful \Fit"ful\, a. [From 7th Fit.] Full of fits; irregularly variable; impulsive and unstable. Occurring in or characterized by intermittent bursts, as of activity; irregular. fitfully adv : in a fitful manner; "he slept fitfully" BB p 42 Garlic a sharp tasting bulbous plant \Gar"lic\, An onionlike plant (Allium sativum) of southern Europe having a bulb that breaks up into separable cloves with a strong distinctive odor and flavor. SS p 276 Gingerly without falling into a very deep hole \Gin"ger*ly\, adv. Cautiously; timidly; fastidiously; daintily. adj : with extreme care or delicacy; BB p 118 Grappling Hook something used for climbing up the sides of buildings, usually for a nefarious purpose grappling hook n : a device consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a rope SS p 58 Greater Good "Money!" Esme cried in greedy glee. "Money and personal satisfaction…" more important end SS p 286 Hazard a guess continue to expend their energy by discussing the matter \Haz"ard\, v. i. To try the chance; to encounter risk or danger. To venture (something); dare: hazard a guess. SS p 286 Hazard their climb continue their journey in silence, until they arrived at last at the source of the Stricken Stream \Haz"ard\, v. i. To try the chance; to encounter risk or danger. To venture (something); dare: hazard a guess. SS p 64 Herculean Tasks managing to do incredibly difficult things \Her*cu"le*an\, a. [L. herculeus, fr. Hercules: cf. F. hercul['e]en. See Hercules.] 1. Requiring the strength of Hercules; hence, very great, difficult, or dangerous; as, an Herculean task. To read about the labors of Hercules, go here BB p 66 In Loco Parentis Something about trains?
...acting in the role of parent in lo·co pa·ren·tis In the position or place of a parent. In loco parentis is a term used in situations where another individual or agency is acting in place of a parent on behalf of a minor. The term is used in legal settings to assign the rights, duties, and responsibilities of a parent to another person or agency. Alternatively, the term has been used in less formal references to describe the role played by an educational institution, such as a boarding school, college, or university, in supervising minors and young adults. SS p 264 Inadvertently where the youngest Baudelaire could hear it \In`ad*vert"ent\, a. Not turning the mind to a matter; heedless; careless; negligent; inattentive. adv : without knowledge or intention; "he unwittingly deleted the references" BB p 84 Incentive an offered reward to persuade you to do something you don't want to do \In*cen"tive\, Something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort. Motive; spur; stimulus; incitement; encouragement; inducement; influence. BB p 127 Incurring bringing about \In*cur"\, v. t. To meet or fall in with, as something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to put one's self in the way of; to expose one's self to; to become liable or subject to; to bring down upon one's self; to encounter; to contract; as, to incur debt, danger, displeasure, penalty, responsibility, etc. SS p 54 Individual Practitioner "It means a life of crime," Esme replied. "It's very in right now." "Wrong def." Sunny could not help speaking through her tears. By "wrong def" she meant something along the lines of, "An individual practitioner means someone who works alone, instead of with a group, and it has nothing to do with a life of crime" \In`di*vid""u*al\, n. 1. A single person, animal, or thing of any kind; a thing or being incapable of separation or division, without losing its identity; especially, a human being; a person.
\Prac*ti""tion*er\ n. [From Practician.] 1. One who is engaged in the actual use or exercise of any art or profession particularly that of law or medicine. 2. One who does anything customarily or habitually. 3. A sly or artful person. SS p 153 Inferno enormous fire that destroyed a secret headquarters high in the mountains \In*fer"no\, n.A place or condition suggestive of hell, A place of fiery heat or destruction. BB p 141 Insipid dull and foolish \In*sip"id\, a. 1. Wanting in the qualities which affect the organs of taste; without taste or savor; vapid; tasteless; 2. Wanting in spirit, life, or animation; uninteresting; weak; vapid; flat; dull; heavy; BB p 32 Keep our chin up try to stay cheerful Keeping a stiff upper lip is pretty hard to do and that's just the idea behind it. When someone gets upset, his lips usually tremble. Keeping a stiff upper lip is supposed to hide your emotions. Today, we might also use the expression "keep your chin up," which is similar in meaning. When someone is sad or depressed, his head usually drops and his chin tucks under. A chin held high indicates self-satisfaction and happiness. BB p 127 Lamentably Deplorable it was not at all enjoyable \De*plor" a*ble\, a. [Cf. F. d['e]plorable.] Worthy of being deplored or lamented; lamentable; causing grief; hence, sad; calamitous; grievous; wretched; as, life's evils are deplorable." BB p 68 Literally it actually happens \Lit"er*al*ly\, in a literal sense; Really; actually: without exaggeration; According to the primary and natural import of words; not figuratively Usage Note: For more than a hundred years, critics have remarked on the incoherency of using literally in a way that suggests the exact opposite of its primary sense of "in a manner that accords with the literal sense of the words." In 1926, for example, H.W. Fowler cited the example "The 300,000 Unionists... will be literally thrown to the wolves." The practice does not stem from a change in the meaning of literally itself - if it did, the word would long since have come to mean "virtually" or "figuratively" but from a natural tendency to use the word as a general intensive, as in They had literally no help from the government on the project, where no contrast with the figurative sense of the words is intended. SS p 182 Lox Lox is a word which refers to smoked salmon, and it is a delicious way to enjoy freshly caught fish…etc lox Smoked salmon. BB p 130 Molotov Cocktails they're small bombs made inside bottles Molotov cocktail n. A makeshift bomb made of a breakable container filled with flammable liquid and provided with a usually rag wick that is lighted just before being hurled. SS p 282 Mush an expression that arctic explorers shouted to their sled dogs \Mush\, n. [Perh. short for mush on, a corrupt of E. marchons, the cry of the voyageurs and coureurs de bois to their dogs.] interj. Used to command a team of dogs to begin pulling or move faster.A march on foot, esp. across the snow with dogs; as, he had a long mush before him; -- also used attributively. BB p 96 Nuptial relating to marriage \Nup"tial\, a. Of or pertaining to marriage; done or used at a wedding; as, nuptial rites and ceremonies. SS p 170 Oh I heard you, and I'm not particularly interested" "I am sad to hear that Uncle Monty's house burned down" \Oh\, interj. [See O, interj.] An exclamation expressing various emotions, according to the tone and manner, especially surprise, pain, sorrow, anxiety, or a wish. SS p 117 Orange Granita a cold and delicious concoction that is often served at fancy dinner parties and masked balls. A granular dessert ice with a sugar-syrup base, usually flavored with fruit purée, coffee, or wine. BB p 138 Pandemonium actors and stagehands running around attending to last-minute details pan·de·mo·ni·um A very noisy place: Wild uproar or noise. a state of extreme confusion and disorder SS p 70 Perfect Unison reciting a list of very odd words at the very same time. \U"ni*son\ (?; 277), n. [LL. unisonus having the same sound; L. unus one + sonus a sound: cf. F. unisson, It. unisono. See One, and Sound a noise.] n 1: corresponding exactly: "marching in unison" 2: occurring together or simultaneously: "the two spoke in unison" 3: two or more sounds or tones at the same pitch or in octaves: "singing in unison" BB p 8 Perished "'Perished,'" Mr. Poe said, "means 'killed.'" Perish \Per"ish\, v. i. To be destroyed; to pass away; to become nothing; to be lost; to die; hence, to wither; to waste away. SS p 179 Plume mysterious cloud of green smoke \Plume\, n. [F., fr. L. pluma. Cf. Fly, v.] 1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long, conspicuous, or handsome feather.A space in air, water, or soil containing pollutants released from a point source. BB p 130 Polygamists Polygamists are people who marry more than one person po·lyg·a·mist n. One who practices polygamy which is The condition or practice of having more than one spouse at one time. Also called plural marriage. BB p 67 Posthaste -means you'll do nothing to help us \Post`haste\, adv. With speed or expedition; as fast as possible; with all possible speed; SS p 212 Privacy time by oneself, without anyone watching or interfering \Pri"va*cy\, n.; pl. Privacies. [See Private.] 1. The state of being in retirement from the company or observation of others; seclusion. 2. A place of seclusion from company or observation; retreat; solitude; retirement. BB p 37 Private Library a large collection of books belonging to Justice Strauss \Pri"vate\ Belonging to, or concerning, an individual person, company, or interest; peculiar to one's self; unconnected with others; personal; one's own; not public; "\Li""bra*ry\ 1. A considerable collection of books kept for use, and not as merchandise; as, a private library; a public library." SS p 258 Proximity while the police gathered outside and eventually managed to arrest the robbers and take them to jail \Prox*im"i*ty\, n. The quality or state of being next in time, place, causation, influence, etc.; immediate nearness, either in place, blood, or alliance. SS p 110 Pyromania a love of fire, usually the product of a deranged mind \Pyr"o*ma"ni*a\, n. [Pyro- + mania.] An insane disposition to incendiarism. n : a desire to set fire to things SS p 241 Quatrain four lines of a poem \Quat"rain\, n. A stanza of four lines BB p 110 Relinquished gave to count Olaf even though he didn't want to \Re*lin"quish\ 1. To withdraw from; to leave behind; to desist from; to abandon; to quit; as, to relinquish a pursuit. 2. To give up; to renounce a claim to; resign; as, to relinquish a debt. To let go; surrender. To cease holding physically; release: BB p 50 Revulsion an unpleasant mixture of horror and disgust \Re*vul"sion\, A sudden strong change or reaction in feeling, especially a feeling of violent disgust or loathing. A withdrawing or turning away from something BB p 2 Rickety "unsteady" or "likely to collapse" \Rick"et*y\, Likely to break or fall apart; shaky. Feeble with age; infirm. Of, having, or resembling rickets. SS p 113 Rolled up her sleeves focused very hard on the task at hand, but did not actually roll up her sleeves, because it was very cold on the highest peak of the Mortmain Mountains got ready to go to work SS p 13 Room With A View It is often said that if you have a room with a view, you will feel peaceful and relaxed Book//Movie by EM Forster Splendidly adapted from the novel by E.M. Forster, it's a comedy of the heart, a passionate romance and a study of repression within the British class system of manners and mores. It's that system of rigid behavior that prevents young Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) from accepting the loving advances of a free-spirited suitor (Julian Sands), who fears that she will follow through with her engagement to a priggish intellectual (Daniel Day-Lewis) whose capacity for passion is virtually nonexistent. During and after a trip to Italy with her protective companion (Maggie Smith), Lucy gradually gets in touch with her true emotions. SS p 147 Rural Life living in the country \Ru"ral\, a. [F., fr. L. ruralis, fr. rus, ruris, the country. Cf. Room space, Rustic.] 1. Of or pertaining to the country, as distinguished from a city or town; living in the country; SS p 197 Sanctuary a safe place \Sanc"tu*a*ry\, n.; A sacred place; a consecrated spot; a holy and inviolable site. Hence, specifically: (d) A sacred and inviolable asylum; a place of refuge and protection; shelter; refuge; protection. SS p 188 Saw something which lightened her spirits an identical plume of green smoke, coming from the very bottom of the slope Made her more cheerful SS p 126&167 Schism the baby did not know what the word schism meant... "A schism," Klaus said, "is a division of a previously united group of people into two or more oppositional parties. It's like a big argument with everybody choosing sides." \Schism\, n. Division or separation; specifically (Eccl.), permanent division or separation in the Christian church; breach of unity among people of the same religious faith; the offense of seeking to produce division in a church without justifiable cause. SS p 5 Seen Through Their Ruse realized who they really were and cut the knot attaching the caravan to the car, leaving Sunny in Olaf's clutches and her siblings tumbling toward their doom \Ruse\, n. [F., fr. OF. re["u]ser, rehuser, to turn aside, to shuffle, retreat, fr. L. recusare to refuse; pref. re- again + causa cause. See Cause, and cf. Recusant.] An artifice; trick; stratagem; wile; fraud; deceit. SS p 216 Set Out of al the words in the English language, the word"set" has the most definitions, and if you open a good dictionary and read the word's long, long entry, you will begin to think that "set" is hardly a word at all, only a sound that means something different depending on who is saying it. If a group of jazz musicians says "set," for instance, they are probably referring to the songs they are planning to play at a club that evening, assuming it doesn't burn down. If the owner of a restraunt uses the word "set," the might mean a group of matching wineglasses, or a bunch of waitresses who look exactly alike. A librarian will say set" to refer to a collection of books that are all by the same author or about the same subject, and an Egyptologist will use the word "set" to refer to the ancient god of evil, although he does not come up very often in conversation. \set\ "\set\ 1. To put in a specified position; place: set a book on a table. 2. To put into a specified state: set the prisoner at liberty. a. To put into a stable position: set the fence post into a bed of concrete. b. To fix firmly or in an immobile manner: He set his jaw and concentrated on flying the plane through the storm. 3. To restore to a proper and normal state when dislocated or broken: set a broken arm. a. To adjust for proper functioning. b. To adjust (a saw) by deflecting the teeth. c. Nautical. To spread open to the wind: set the sails. 4. To adjust according to a standard. 5. To adjust (an instrument or device) to a specific point or calibration: set an alarm clock. 6. To arrange properly for use: set a place for a dinner guest; set a table. 7. To apply equipment, such as curlers and clips, to (hair) in order to style. 8. Printing. a. To arrange (type) into words and sentences preparatory to printing; compose. b. To transpose into type. 9. Music. a. To compose (music) to fit a given text. b. To write (words) to fit a given melodic line. 10. To arrange scenery on (a theater stage). 11. To prescribe the unfolding of (a drama or narrative, for instance) in a specific place: a play that is set in Venice. 12. To prescribe or establish: set a precedent. 13. To prescribe as a time for: set June 6 as the day of the invasion. 14. To detail or assign (someone) to a particular duty, service, or station: set the child to cleaning the closets; set guards around the perimeter. 15. To incite to hostile action: a war that set families against one another. a. To establish as the highest level of performance: set a world aviation record. b. To establish as a model: A parent must set a good example for the children. c. To put in a mounting; mount: set an emerald in a pendant. d. To apply jewels to; stud: a tiara that was set with diamonds. 16. To cause to sit. a. To put (a hen) on eggs for the purpose of hatching them. b. To put (eggs) beneath a hen or in an incubator. 17. Sports. To position (oneself) in such a way as to be ready to start running a race. 18. Sports. To pass (a volleyball), usually with the fingertips, in an arc close to the net so that a teammate can drive it over the net. a. To value or regard something at the rate of: She sets a great deal by good nutrition. b. To fix at a given amount: The judge set bail for the defendant at $50,000. c. To make as an estimate of worth: We set a high value on human life. 19. To point to the location of (game) by holding a fixed attitude. Used of a hunting dog. 20. Botany. To produce, as after pollination: set seed. a. To prepare (a trap) for catching prey. b. To fix (a hook) firmly into a fish's jaw. v. intr. 1. To disappear below the horizon: The sun set at seven that evening. 2. To diminish or decline; wane. 3. To sit on eggs. Used of fowl. a. To become fixed; harden. See Synonyms at coagulate. b. To become permanent. Used of dye. 4. To become whole; knit. Used of a broken bone. 5. Botany. To mature or develop, as after pollination. 6. Nonstandard. To sit: “If Emmett drives, I could set up front” (Bobbie Ann Mason). 7. To position oneself preparatory to an action, such as running a race. adj. 1. Fixed or established by agreement: a set time for the launching. 2. Established by convention: followed set procedures for filing a grievance. 3. Established deliberately; intentional: Our set purpose is to win the conflict. 4. Fixed and rigid: “His bearded face already has a set, hollow look” (Conor Cruise O'Brien). 5. Unwilling or very reluctant to change: He is set in his ways. a. Intent and determined: “He is dead set against rushing abroad to build a plant” (Fortune). b. Ready: We are set to leave early tomorrow morning. n. a. The act or process of setting. b. The condition resulting from setting. 1. The manner in which something is positioned: the set of her cap. 2. A permanent firming or hardening of a substance, as by cooling. 3. The deflection of the teeth of a saw. a. The carriage or bearing of a part of the body. b. A particular psychological state, usually that of anticipation or preparedness: “The mental set of an audience is crucial to his performance” (Psychology Today). 4. A descent below the horizon. 5. The direction or course of wind or water. 6. A seedling, slip, or cutting that is ready for planting. 7. The act of arranging hair by waving and curling it. " BB p 44 Simmered cooked over low heat \Sim"mer\,To be cooked gently or remain just at or below the boiling point. SS p 164 Simultaneously in a disgusted voice, and at the exact same time \Si`mul*ta"ne*ous\, a. Existing, happening, or done, at the same time; BB p 95 Smirked smiled in an unfriendly phony way \Smirk\ To smile in an affected, often offensively self-satisfied manner. SS p 288 Speak their minds confront Count Olaf and his companions as if they weren's one bit frightened To say what you truly think or feel without regard to tact or propriety SS p 108 Spring in her step in a surprisingly cheerful manner considering she was in the clutches of a ruthless villain on top of a mountain so cold that even the nearby waterfall was frozen solid cheerfulness BB p 74 Standoffish reluctant to associate with others standoffish adj : lacking cordiality; unfriendly; Aloof or reserved. SS p 241 Stanza another word for a verse \Stan"za\, n.;One of the divisions of a poem, composed of two or more lines usually characterized by a common pattern of meter, rhyme, and number of lines. SS p 258 Stockholm Syndrome a situation in which someone becomes friendly with the people who are holding them prisoner Stockholm syndrome n. A phenomenon in which a hostage begins to identify with and grow sympathetic to his or her captor. SS p 83 Take a page from someone's book adopt an idea used by somebody else imitate SS p 43 Taking One's Chances Taking one's chances is like taking a bath, because sometimes you end up feeling comfortable and warm, and sometimes there is something terrible lurking around you that you cannot see until it is too late and you can do nothing else but scream and cling to a plastic duck tempt fate SS p 147 The Preferable Personal Narrative the way to live your life \Per"son*al\, a. [L. personalis: cf. F. personnel.] 2. Of or pertaining to a particular person; relating to, or affecting, an individual, "\Nar""ra*tive\, n. That which is narrated; the recital of a story; a continuous account of the particulars of an event or transaction; a story. "Another writing process is personal narrative. This is where you get to tell your personal stories. " SS p 299 Tiara a small crown given to a nasty little girl for no good reason \Ti*a"ra\, n. An ornamental, often jeweled, crownlike semicircle worn on the head by women on formal occasions. BB p 42 Tomatoes which are actually fruits and not vegetables as most people believe \To*ma"to\, A widely cultivated South American plant (Lycopersicon esculentum) having edible, fleshy, usually red fruit. SS p 99 Tribulations opportunities to eavesdrop while cooking for a theater troupe trib·u·la·tion n. Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering: Their tribulation has finally passed. See Synonyms at trial. An experience that tests one's endurance, patience, or faith.
SS p 152 Tributaries divisions of a river or stream, each twisting off in a different direction past the ruins of the headquarters, and curving around the Mortmain Mountains until they disappeared from view. \Trib"u*ta*ry\, n.; 2. A stream or river flowing into a larger river or into a lake; an affluent. NOTE: THE DEFINITION HAS THEM FLOWING TOGETHER, NOT APART!
BB p 133 Two Minds they felt two different ways at the same time Feeling two ways at once
SS p 324 Velocity a scientific word for speed \Ve*loc"i*ty\, n.; Quickness of motion; swiftness; speed; celerity; rapidity; Physics. A vector quantity whose magnitude is a body's speed and whose direction is the body's direction of motion.
SS p 140 Verdant green \Ver"dant\, a. 1. Covered with growing plants or grass; green; fresh; flourishing; as, verdant fields; a verdant lawn. 2. Unripe in knowledge or judgment; unsophisticated; raw; green; as, a verdant youth.
SS p 143 Vernacular a local language or dialect \Ver*nac"u*lar\, n. The vernacular language; one's mother tongue; often, the common forms of expression in a particular locality.
SS p 166 Volunteer Fire Department "In some communities," Klaus said, "there's no official fire department so they rely on volunteers to extinguish fires." A group of people who fight fires on a volunteer basis rather than being employed by a city SS p 95 Xenial Xenial' is a word which refers to the giving of gifts to a stranger Xenial an Homeric Greek word denoting the duty of hospitality to strangers SS p 311 Xylophone a percussion instrument played with mallets \Xy"lo*phone\, n.n : a percussion instrument with wooden bars tuned to produce a chromatic scale and with resonators; played with small mallets Return to the Main Page