Winter Short StoryVocabulary

Rags to Riches Thin Ice

The Gift of Star Eye

WINTER’S TALE

Rags to Riches

fumbled

To hold or handle clumsily

lurched

An act or instance of swaying abruptly

whimper

To cry with low, broken sounds

vibration

The act of shaking vigorously

Thin Ice

scrambled

to move hastily and with urgency

hypothermia

Body temperature drops below its normal temperature

doused

To plunge into water or the like; drench

sarcastically

a sharp and often satirical or ironic comment designed to cut or give

pain

jagged

Having a sharply uneven edge or surface

The Gift of Star Eye

tundraA level or rolling treeless plain that is arctic with permanently frozen areas

ambush

Attack by surprise

thicketA dense growth of shrubbery or small trees

grimlyGhastly, repellent, or sinister in

character

pursuitTo be in the hunt for or of; trying to

find something

despairing

devoid of hope

placidlySerenely free of interruption or

disturbance

coverletA decorative cover for a bed

provinceAny one of the large parts that some

countries divide into

embracedTo hold someone in your arms as a

way of expressing love or friendship

thrivedTo grow or develop successfully, to

flourish or succeed

bleakNot warm, friendly, cheerful

Winter’s Tale

disheartened

To cause to lose hope, enthusiasm, or courage

ascribed

To refer to a supposed cause, source, or author

glimmer

To shine in a weak, faint, or unsteady way

illuminate

Brighten with light

embroidered

To sew a design on a piece of cloth

treadle

A small, flat bar that you press with your foot to operate a machine

porcelain

a hard, white substance that is very delicate and that is made by baking

clay

eyelet

a small hole or opening in a material (such as cloth or leather) for a string

or rope to pass through

blintzes

a thin usually wheat-flour pancake folded to form a casing (as for cheese or fruit) and then sautéed or baked

auburn

Redish brown in color

billowy

a moving cloud or mass of smoke, steam

cavernous

resembling a large cave : very large

sundial

a device that is used to show the time of day by the position of the sun and that consists of a plate

with markings like a clock and an object with a straight edge that casts a shadow onto the plate

blackguard

a rude or dishonest man : a man who deserves to be hated

tattered

Old and torn

encrusted

to cover, line, or overlay with or as if with a crust

stammer

to speak with many pauses and repetitions because you have a speech problem or

because you are very nervous, frightened, etc.

gesture

a movement of your body (especially of your hands and arms) that shows or emphasizes an idea or a feeling

: something said or done to show a particular feeling or attitude