Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, Vocabulary List Chapters 7-9

afraid or nervous especially about what may happen

The four old people, two at either end of the bed, propped themselves up on their pillows and stared with anxious eyes at the bar of chocolate in Charlie's hands.

to call or signal by a motion (as a wave or nod)

"Ssshh!" whispered Grandpa Joe, and he beckoned Charlie to come closer.

to grasp or hold tightly with or as if with the hands or claws

There was an ancient leather purse clutched in the finger.

to stretch the neck to see better

The old people in the bed all leaned forward, craning their scraggy necks.

to find fault with

"And who's she to criticize, anyway, because if you ask me, I'd say her jaws are going up and down almost as much as mine are just from yelling at me every minute of the day."

to have earned because of some act or quality

"And just as sure as I'll be having cabbage soup for supper tomorrow, that ticket'll go to some nasty little beast who doesn't deserve it!"

very bad : deserving to be despised

"Despicable!" said Grandma Georgina.

very great or extreme

She was talking very fast and very loudly to everyone, but it was not easy to hear all that she said because she was chewing so ferociously upon a piece of gum at the same time.

a brief try

"And now, you and I are going to have one more fling at finding that last ticket."

to handle something in an awkward or clumsy way

The old man's fingers were trembling most terribly as they fumbled with the wrapper.

to take a chance

Grandpa Joe Takes a Gamble

to collect and hide a large amount of (something valuable)

"It's my secret hoard," he whispered.

a meeting at which people talk to each other in order to ask questions and get information

There was a great excitement in the Beauregarde household when our reporter arrived to interview the lucky young lady.

to push roughly

Cameras were clicking and flashbulbs were flashing and people were pushing and jostling and trying to get a bit closer to the famous girl.

full of enthusiasm : EAGER

"I'm as keen as you are to find that ticket!"

a loud sound : a series of loud sounds

All at once, they both saw the funny side of the whole thing, and they burst into peals of laughter.

something that comes about as an effect or end

"You get the best results with women who have expensive gloves on."

to search especially by moving and looking through the contents of a place or container

The old man gave Charlie a sly grin, and then he started rummaging under his pillow with one hand.

very thin in a way that does not look healthy : scrawny

The old people in the bed all leaned forward, craning their scraggy necks.

giving great pleasure especially to the taste or smell

WONKA'S WHIPPLE-SCRUMPTIOUS FUDGEMALLOW DELIGHT, it said on the wrapper.

showing that you know a secret

The old man gave Charlie a sly grin, and then he started rummaging under his pillow with one hand.

to speak or say in haste or confusion

"Of course I'm sure!" spluttered the old man excitedly.

uncertainty, worry, or excitement in wondering about the result of something

Then suddenly, as though he couldn't bear the suspense any longer, Charlie tore the wrapper right down the middle.

to crush under the feet

"Now Violet," Mrs Beauregarde said from a far corner of the room where she was standing on the piano to avoid being trampled by the mob.