Post the title/author/page # of your book.
Find a word that you do not know in your novel (if you can't find a word that you do not know, it probably indicates that your book is at a reading level that is much too low for you!).
Post the word (and the sentence that it's in if you can).
Take a guess at what the word means from seeing it in context.
Then look up the definition and post the actual definition (if it's long and confusing, you can put the actual definition into your own words).
64 comments:
I am currently reading the Son of Neptune and I am on page 368.
One word that I did not know was the word dolt. The sentence it was in was, "'Well she should be, you dolt!'" I think that this word means a clueless person or someone who is not smart. The actual definition is, "a dull, stupid person; a blockhead." Using the context I was able to guess the definition.
I am currently reading Rangers Apprentince by John Flanagan and i am on p.35. One word i did not know was the word verandah. the sentence it was in was, "There was no need to tether Tug but he looped the packhorse's reins around one of the verahnda posts." i think that this word means a wooden post that you wolud put the horses reins around to keep the horse from wandering away. The actual definition is, a large, open porch, usually roofed and partly enclosed, as by a railing, often extending across the front and sides of a house; gallery. i interpreted the context clues wrong.
JChasse5-
DRowe5 i love that book
I am reading The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore and I'm on page 207.
futile.
"'Try not to move.' I say, knowing its a futile plea."
I think it means ridiculous or stupid or pretty much worthless.
incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful
The real definition makes sense because the little girl she was talking to had a borken leg and she already wasn't moving.
Dylan R.-
Good job using context clues!
Jarod-
Veranda? I have never heard of that...oh yeah capitalize your "I"s by the way! Thank you! It really bothered me...
The book I am reading is, I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You, by Ally Carter and I am on page 165.
One work that I did not know was: gazebo. The sentence was, "I inched closer to the gazebo, which was very Americana." I think the word means like a nice outdoor place. The actual definition was, "a roofed structure that offers an open view of the surrounding area, typically used for relaxation or entertainment." The actual definition made sense in the scene because she was outside having dinner at this elegant restaurant outside.
Paige
I would hate if I broke my leg! I would not be able to do anything!
I am currently reading Matched by Allie Condie, and I am 62% done.
A word that I read and did not know is condolences. "I said those words before, when he first came to live with the Markhams and we all welcomed him and expressed our condolences." I think that it means gratitude and thanks. The real definition is an expression of sympathy.
Paige~
That is a good word. I did not know that was even a word. Now I do! And also what it means.
I'm reading Beyond Earth Day by Gaylord Nelson, and am on page 87.
One word that I did not know the meaning of was catalyst. The sentence was "Earth Day was to be the catalyst." With this sentence alone it is difficult to guess the meaning, that's why I had to read the previous couple of sentences again. The sentences before that were saying how Gaylord Nelson was expecting a continuing environmental phenomenon, and Earth Day was to be the catalyst. Using this I thought it meant to start or to be a new beginning. The real definition isn't much different, it is, "stimulation, or spark." I think I was fairly close, and in the future, hope to be able to guess the meaning of other words in my book also.
Monica~
Hearing the word condolences in that sentence, I would also think gratitude, not sympathy, sort of because they're two different types of things. Though, the real definition makes sense too.
I am currently reading Stoneheart by Charlie Fletcher and I am on page 68.
One word that I did not know was the word "plinth." The sentence it was in was, "The Gunner statue replied, 'Right. I am getting back up on that plinth and I'll watch what the thing that's on the way does to you, because if you're too stupid to save yourself, you're too stupid to bother about.'" Before this sentence, the statue had been becoming frustrated with George's attitude on the situation of a potential war with creatures. I think this word means a pedestal or structure a statue is mounted on. The actual definition is, "a slab-like member beneath the base of a column or pier, or a square base or a lower block, as of a pedestal." I interpreted the context clues correctly.
I am reading Unwind by Neal Shusterman and I am on page 128.
the word that I did not know was umber. "The color he used most was umber."
If I would have to guess what I ment, I would say it ment dark or mysterious.
natural pigment darker than ocher, normally dark yellowish-brown in color (raw umber) or dark brown when roasted (burnt umber).
I was able to use the context clues to grasp some meaning, but not the whole meaning.
Monica, I have herd that word before, but never really understood it
Maggie, catalyst is an important word to know and understand. Also, Andrew and I were able to use that word in our NHD project.
I just finished reading The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod:Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer.
Droning
"... and half listened to the news reporter on Channel 5 who was droning on about some car accident..."
I believe that droning means to drag on about a uninteresting or boring topic.
The actual definition of droning is:to speak in a dull, monotonous tone.
Lean- what an interesting title for a book! is it good so far?
Jared- i didnt know that word meant at first, but from the context i would also guess what you guessed.
I am reading Lost Hero by Rick Riordan and I am on page 377
The word I didn't understand was lithe used as " his frame was lithe and muscular." I thought it meant strong and powerful. But it actually means thin, supple and graceful. I was only off by a LOT!
Drowe5 ~ that book is in my series and I would not have guessed that "dolt" is a legitimate word in the English dictionary.
I am reading Bay of Pigs Declassified by Peter Kornbluh. I am on page 158.
A word that caused me problems was Memorandum. "Memorandum No. 2." was this sentence. I believe that a memorandum is a document or a book. The definition was " a written statement, record, or communication such as within an office" I was able to infer the meaning of this word by the context clues because most words that follow with a "No.#..." or "Vol.#.." have something to do with documents or files.
Wrenn~
I have heard that your book is a really well written story. I am considering reading that book next.
The book I am reading is The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I am currently on page 22 in this book. The word I chose was parlour. “After a while and a drink he crept nervously to the door of the parlour.” I think by the context of the sentence the word means some part of a house, probably the room by the front door. The real definition of the word is, A room in a private home or establishment where people can sit and talk and relax.
CCoons6 i had no idea what the word meant either its complicated
I am on page 92 of Old Magic by Marianne Curley. In my book, I came across this sentence, "Jarrod, with such a rich ancestry and malignant powers, it does not come as a surprise." At first glance, I guessed this to be a synonym for "magnificent" but it is actually "very dangerous or harmful in influence or effect." I'm glad I looked this word up... it changes the meaning a lot!
Lena- I have heard great things about that book! I hope you enjoy it!
I just finished the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book was fairlely easy but one word did not know was,arborists. The sentence was, "The arborists Dad called to trim the trees and collect dead branches." I thought this word ment someone who did something with nature. THe exact defenition was " specialist in the cultivation and care of trees and shrubs, including tree surgery." I used context clues pretty well!
Alex- That is very funny that word was in my book too I was going to choose that one but i did arborists instead!
CCoons6-
"Memorandum" sounds like a very interesting word, and I would imagine it could be used in your NHD project because you have had to research through many documents and files. Great job using context clues!
I am reading The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride. I am on page 35. The word I experienced struggles with was Stridency. The sentence was, "On her end, Mommy had no model for raising us other than the experience of her own Orthodox Jewish family, which despite the seeming flaws - an unbending nature, a stridency, a focus on money, a deep distrust of all outsiders, not to mention her father's tyranny - represented the best and worst of the immigrant mentality." I predicted this word to mean some sort of sound, maybe even high-pitched relating to personality.
The true definition is as stated:
making or having a harsh sound; grating; creaking.
or
having a shrill, irritating quality or character/ characterized acoustically by noise of relatively high intensity.
Kyle ~ It is quite logical, what you had interpreted because lithe was put with muscular. I would assume just what you did. Though if you put it back into the original sentence, it makes more sense since muscular and thin/graceful seem to contradict themselves.
In my book the son of Neptune by Rick Riordan I am currently on page 26. A word i did not know was auguries. Judging by the content of the sentence We must consult the auguries i think it means officers in control of a group. The word auguries actually means divination from auspices or omens. This makes sense because Percy is a famous person in the book for his heroic actions and in all the previous books there is always a quest given before they go on a quest.
DRowe5 I'm reading the same book it's really good and I can't wait to get farther into the book good word too.
I am currently reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and I'm on page 34. In the book I came across the word valediction and did not know what it meant. It was used in the sentence "As the smoke rose into the sky, kites appeared from different directions and hovered over the burning field in silent valediction." I would guess valediction meant paths or movements. In actual fact valediction means "an act of bidding farewell or taking leave."
DRowe5- That is an interesting word, and it seems like one I could use in my vocabulary. It was also a word I did nott know, but now I do.
I am currently reading The Thunder of Angels and I am on page 97.
The word I did not understand was in this sentence, “ Martin Luther King Jr., rose from his seat and strode toward the pulpit.” I thought this word meant a kind of table in a church considering him being a preacher. I looked up the word and it actually meant, a platform in a church used to serve communion on, so I was somewhat correct.
Dylan- I loved that book and that word also bewildered me, thank you for providing the definition.
Im reading Twisted by Sara Shepard and i'm on page 15.
Word: Crooned
Sentence: "It's so good to see you!" Melissa crooned as if she were a long lost aunt who hadn't seen Spencer since she was a toddler, even though they'd gone skiing at Bachelor Gulch, Colorado, two months ago.
I think it means cooed, almost like she said it with a sing-song type of tone.
The definition is to Hum or sing in a soft, low voice, esp. in a sentimental manner
Pbasting6- Paige! Using your intaclectual brain power, you figured it out!!! Just kidding. I like that word, I'm gonna say it whenever it makes sence. Thanks for expanding my vocabulary.
I am reading the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. I am on page 192.
Hemorrhaging.
The sentence is (and quite funny): "During a recitation by their poet Master Grunthos the Flatulent of his poem Ode to a Small Lump of Green Putty I Found in My Armpit One Midsummer Morning" four of his audience died of internal hemorrhaging, and the president of the Mid-Galactic Arts Nobbling Council survived by gnawing one of his own legs off." on page 64.
I think Hemorrhaging means like bleeding, since it says "'internal' Hemorrhaging."
The definition: a profuse discharge of blood; bleeding; the loss of assets, especially in large amounts.
Maggie
I always loved the word Catalyst, it sounds cool. But I never knew the exact definition, now I know!(I now love the definition also, since it means a spark; the match, that starts the fire).
I am reading Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke and left off on page 57.
The word I found was coy, “‘Good God, don’t be so coy about it!’”
I think this word means stubborn because coy is used to describe a little glass man who refuses to tell any more information he heard while spying.
Coy: artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish.
Dylan
there are many occasions which dolt would come in handy, I'm glad I have a new word to call my brother.
I am reading The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan and I am on page 226
One word that I do not know is incentive. The sentence was "'But I am dine with your help, girl. I brought you here for one reason only. Your mother required... incentive."' I believe that the word means something along the lines like needed. "Something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for increased productivity." is the actual definition.
Dylan, when you finish the book, don't tell me how it ends, but I would like to know if the ending is good.
Katy: Nice book choice. :)That word seems interesting, i've never heard of it but it seems like a really good adjective to use that makes sense but is sort of "out there."
I'm reading The Color of Water by James McBride and I am on page 224.
One word that I didn't know was macabre. The sentence is: "Sitting in his office, Aubrey Rubenstein talked easily, as a black colleague sat nearby eavesdropping with awe at the macabre conversation that unfolded between this elderly white man and myself." I think that the word means "reflecting" because the author was talking with this man in an attempt to learn about his mother and eventually write his family story. Also, based upon what the author's mother went through, it could still put the colleague in awe. The actually means gruesome and horrifying, which in a way also describes the mother's life.
I am reading Meet The Beatles: A Cultural History of the Band that shook Youth, Gender, and the World by Steven D. Stark. I am on page 85.
My word is burgeoning. "Cheaper British imitators could fill the bill, and Liverpool already had a reputation as the home of a burgeoning rock and roll scene."
Based on the context I am assuming that it means something along the lines of flourishing, or growing.
The correct definition was, "to grow or develop quickly; flourish." So I was able to use the context to guess the correct definition.
Maggie~
Great job using the context to figure that out! Your guess was very close to the actual definition!
The book I am reading is Pendragon: The Reality Bug and I am on page 105. One word that I did not know the meaning of was immaculate. The sentence said, “I mean, immaculate eat-off-the-floor clean.” Through the context, I think this word means that it is off how much it is, like it is abnormal. The real definition is free from spot or stain; spotlessly clean, so I was pretty far off.
I am currently reading My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald and am on page 197. A word that I do not know is pessimistic and is on page 197. The word is used in this sentence, "I swear she becomes more pessimistic every day." I think this word means agaiated or paranoid of what is going to happen later. The real definition of this word is pertaining to or characterized by pessimism; gloomy and it is an adjective.
Tucker5~
That is a very interesting word and at first i thought that it meant officers in a group too.
Lena~ I could barely pronounce that word! But once i heard it, I knew what it was:)
I just finished the book The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan. A word that I found that I did not know was pilum. The sentence that it was in was: Compared to getting skewered with a pilum, college sounded pretty good. A guess at what the word means from context is a sharp tool or weapon. The actual definition of the word is a Roman spear.
The book I am currently reading is Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher, and I am on page 144. One word that I didn't understand was marquee. The sentence was 'The wraparound marquee stretching over the sidewalk.' I think this word means a building because the main character is standing in front of a movie theater. The actual definition of this word is a tall rooflike projection above a theater entrance.
Kate~ good job for guessing the correct definition of the word based on the context clues! I didnt understand that word, at first, either.
I am reading Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan and on page 49
The word I don't know is prow. It was in the sentence "The prow of his ship is reinforced."
Maybe a prow is a added part to a ships bow in order to ram ships.
The prow is the forward most part of a ship's bow that cuts through the water. The prow is the part of the bow above the waterline.
Kyle I would never have thought lithe meant that, I thought it may mean something like bulky.
I am reading Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli and I am on page 123.
A word that I do not know is "waggle". The sentence it is used in is: "Everything was the same: look for me, smile, waggle, first row."
I think this word means excited or to get excited for a short moment. The main character, Will, is trying to find Mi-Sue, a girl he likes. She was also looking for him, and this sentence tells me that once she found Will, she got excited.
WKlettner- Umber? That sounds like a very strange word! I have never heard of it before.
The word actually means to wobble or shake, especially while in motion.
My book is James and the Giant peach by Roald Dahl. I am currently on page 54. One word that a I am confused about in the book is the word "insidiously." In the sentence it says "One second later...slowly, insidiously, oh most gently the great peach started to lean forward and steal into motion." I am guessing from the context that the definition of insidiously is soft like and slow. I feel this way because around the word are others like "slowly" and "gently."
The actual definition of insidiously is "operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way."
I am currently reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and I’m on page 48.
The word I didn’t know was anointed. “I’m plucked and scoured and massaged and anointed until I’m raw.” I think anointed means to apply a type of cream to something or someone. The real definition is to rub or sprinkle on; apply an unguent, ointment, or oily liquid to. This definition makes more sense because Katniss was being given a massage and usually during massages they put a type of oil on you and rub it into your back.
Charles, that book sounds very interesting. Is it about vikings or pirates? It sounds like it. Like you, I have never heard the word "prow" before.
Mtracy, that word is very unique. It sounds like a theatrical story. Is it? Good word, I have never heard that before.
My book is Eona by Allison Goodman and I am on page 138.
-My word is implacable
-Sentence from book, "He paused, allowing that implacable truth to find its mark."
-I thought it meant that it could not be denied or argued with.
- Definition- not to be appeased, mollified, or pacified; inexorable.
DRowe5-
I really wish to read that book, but have yet to get my hands on the previous one, The Lost Hero. Is it as good as the Percy Jackson series? I read those as quickly as I could and enjoyed them very much.
Bridget- I have never read that book but I have heard it's good. I think it's the sequel to Inkheart.
I am currently reading Suriving Antarctica by andrea white and I am on pg 275
One word that I did not know was subversive. The sentence it was in was "Who are those subversive 2.2%"
Based on the sentences before and after it, I think that ssubversive means to not like or to ignore.
The actual definition of subversive is :somebody involved in activities intended to undermine or overthrow a gov't or other institution.
Alex, drone\droning is like a word that is the completey opposite of you
Sarah, that is something i would do when i read a boook.
I am currently reading Jolted by Arthur Slade and I am on page 107.
1. "unemcumbered": "It was with such rapidity of thought that I brought my unencumbered mind to bear on the task ahead."
2. Something like not flawed or quick-witted or something (because the character wrote this in a journal in the 1700s and this character was very vain and thought he was the smartest and most awesome person on the planet.)
3. un·en·cum·bered 1. not impeded, slowed down, or retarded; free to move, advance, or go forward.
LSakalla- I love gazebos! I bet you have been in one before and just didn't realize it. They are really cool and pretty and romantic.
I am reading the Violence of Green Revolution. I am on page 21.
A word that I came across that I did not know was the word "epistemological." The word was in the sentence "...has been assigned a privileged epistemological position..." From the context I believe the word means a study of something or and investigative branch of a subject. After I found the definition of the word, I found that my guess was fairly accurate. Epistemological is " a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.
Dylan- It's great how you guessed your word so accurately by using the context.
Jared- You were really close, good use of context to narrow down your answer.
Hunter-
I just finished that book how do you like it so far? Anyway, good interpretation of the definition.
I am reading " The Color of Water" This book has inpspired me in many ways. At first I used to beleive that you had to be smart to go to college.But this book proved me wrong.In order to go to college you have to want to go to college.I found many similarities in 'The Color of Water' such as when James would fight with his mother, I also have fights with my mother, but I get over them.
Post a Comment