Greenglass House by Kate Milford Vocabulary List, Chapters 7-9

power to attract : a quality that attracts people

"...She was brilliant to speak to, and she had peculiar and fascinating ideas, which were definitely part of her allure. She was . . .”

a brief story about something interesting or funny in a person's life

“But in my work I do occasionally come across an interesting anecdote or two, and what I’m about to tell you is one of them..."

help toward reaching a goal

“You’ve searched all of our rooms, to absolutely no avail,” she burst out from the dining room as everyone was finishing up.

a person or thing that attracts people's attention so they will not notice someone or something else

To protect this clue, he created a decoy: a map very similar to the real one.

superior in quality, rank, skill, etc.

“Well, it’s virtually impossible for two very elite thieves to make a play for the same plunder without becoming aware of each other,..."

hard to understand, define, or remember

Clem returned, Georgie thanked her, and Clem said something about what’s a cardigan between moonlighters—which was odd, but not nearly as interesting to Negret just then as the elusive perfume thing.

to look at someone or something in an angry way

He glowered at Milo, turned on his heel, and slunk to the foyer to pull on his coat.

DIRTY

The canvas was heavy and full of dust, but with Sirin’s help Negret managed to shift it in huge folds until the pile became a grimy lake of sailcloth.

the use of clever and usually dishonest methods to achieve something

Dr. Gowervine made a face that was probably supposed to look blank, surprised, guileless.

the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation

He had the chance to learn something about his heritage, and if Milo had anything to say about it, that chance was not going to be wasted.

impossible to hear

“Ben?” Milo’s mom said almost inaudibly.

a place where a community of monks or nuns live and work

There was a scattering of old red stone outbuildings outbuildings in the woods here, remnants of a long-ago time when the grounds on which Greenglass House stood had belonged to the monastery way at the top of the hill.

evil or immoral

Still, with the thefts and the broken generator, it seemed that anyone sneaking around might have some kind of nefarious purpose in mind.

an act or appearance that looks real but is false

He made a pretense of examining them closely, then went to the tree and unearthed the presents he’d wrapped for his parents.

located or living under the surface of the ground

And then there was the one that hid the entrance to an abandoned subterranean railway line.

used to describe an angry or unhappy person who does not want to talk, smile, etc.

Dinner was another awkward meal full of sullen looks and uncomfortable silences.