Vocabulary ladder

Wuthering Heights

CHAPTER I

1,936 words. Everyday vocabulary (band A) covers 51% of the text; the hard 7% is 115 entries — all of them below.

A 50.8% (408 types) B 8.4% (155 types) C 8.4% (156 entries) D 3.7% (71 entries) E 1.6% (31 entries) N 1.5% (13 entries)

Band B — common reading vocabulary

A sample of 24 of 155 — you will meet these often; they are explained only at the fullest help level.

Band C — recognition checklist

All 156 upper-intermediate words in this chapter. Tick the ones you know; the rest are explained at the fullest help level.

Band D — advanced (71 entries)

coat-laps
the tails of a coat
four-footed
having four feet
half-a-dozen
six
high-backed
with a high back
horse-pistols
large pistols carried on horseback
liver-coloured
dark reddish brown
over-liberally
too freely
sitting-room
the family sitting room
tucked-up
gathered up out of the way
under-bred
ill-bred
under-drawn
under-drawn: with a ceiling below the roof
vis-à-vis
explained by the text itself
dark-skinned
dark-skinned
frying-pan
the flat pan for frying
would-be
wishing to be
sourly
in a bitter surly way
heartlessness
want of feeling
interpose
to put in a word between others
exaggeratedly
to an exaggerated degree
unchain
unchained: loosed
sheep-dogs
dogs that herd sheep
decamp
to go off suddenly
misbehaviour
bad behaviour
charitably
kindly
indistinctly
not clearly
fiercer
more fierce
re-establishing
setting up again
sea-coast
sea-coast: the shore
guttural
from deep in the throat
phlegm
sluggish calm
sulking
sulks: fits of moody silence
jutting
sticking out
wincing
to shrink as from a blow
clatter
a rattling noise
gipsy
a wandering Romany
signet
a seal-stamp ring
tumult
wild noisy uproar
sympathising
sympathised: felt with another
squealing
shrill crying
inhospitable
harsh and unwelcoming
pewter
a dull grey metal for dishes
aggravate
aggravated: made worse; with violence added
hearthstone
the flat stone floor of a fireplace
muttered
to speak low in the throat
villainous
wicked
meddle
to interfere
alms
almost
gaunt
thin and worn
heaving
heavens! — a cry of surprise
countenance ×2
the face; composure
mumbled
to speak low and unclearly
stalwart
sturdy and strong
ejaculation
ejaculations: sudden cries
tacit
silent by nature
sociable
fond of company
bestow
given as a gift
mutton
sheep's meat
desolation
ruined emptiness
leapt
jumped
prudential
prudent
soliciting
a lawyer of family business
canisters
cannon shot of scattering balls
fiends
a devil
hearth
the floor of the fireplace; the fireside
interspersed
scattered here and there among
flurried
rushed confusion
abode
a home; dwelling place
parlour
the sitting room
shaggy
covered with rough hair
shrunk
made smaller; drawn back
slant
to slope

Band E — rare & archaic (31 entries)

cullenders
cullenders: colanders, pierced bowls for straining
fire-flushed
flushed from the fire
hedge-cutters
those that cut the hedges
knee-breeches
breeches to the knee
misanthropist
a hater of mankind
penetralium
the innermost part — Latin
ruffianly
rough and brutal
soliloquised
soliloquised: spoke to himself
wolfishly
like a wolf
gnarl
twisted and knotted
pre-eminently
above all
gaudily
in a showy flashy way
kindliness
gentle kindness
icily
coldly
oatcakes
a flat cake of oatmeal
sullenly
in gloomy ill humor
peevish
cross and fretful
effectually
with real effect
gaiters
gaiters: cloth coverings for the lower leg
sinewy
lean and strong with cords of muscle
actuate
to move to action
physiognomy
the cast of a face; inner character shown outwardly
loth
unwilling
intimation
a first faint sign
slovenly
untidy and careless
impertinence
rudeness
vexatious
annoying
tankards
tankards: large drinking mugs
laconic
using few words
leant
leaned
morose
gloomy and sour

False friends — common words wearing old senses (5)

aspect
look; appearance — the old sense here
interest
the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here
passage
a sea-journey — the old sense here
peculiar
its own; particular — the old sense here
use
habit; custom — the old sense here

Names (13)

thrushcross ×2
Thrushcross Grange, the Lintons' house in the valley
hareton
Hareton Earnshaw, Hindley's son, brought up rough
earnshaw
the Earnshaws, the old family of Wuthering Heights
heathcliff ×8
the dark foundling brought home to the Heights, who grows into its fierce master
wuthering ×3
Wuthering Heights, the farmhouse; wuthering: stormy, in local speech
lockwood ×3
Mr Lockwood, the tenant of the Grange, who hears the tale
grange ×2
Thrushcross Grange, the Lintons' house
heights ×2
Wuthering Heights, the Earnshaws' farmhouse on the moor
Hareton Earnshaw
Hindley's son, brought up rough at the Heights
Mr Lockwood
the tenant of the Grange
Thrushcross Grange
the Lintons' house in the valley
Wuthering Heights
the Earnshaws' farmhouse on the moor
vis-à-vis
face to face — French