Vocabulary for 'Signs and Symbols' by Vladimir Nabokov

• dainty (adj.) - delicately small and pretty.
• trifle (n.) - a thing of little value or importance.
• mauve (n.) - a pale purple color.
• garrulous (adj.) - excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.
• sanitarium (n.) - an establishment for the medical treatment of people who are convalescing or have a chronic illness.
  • convalesce (v.) - recover one’s health and strength over a period of time after an illness or operation.
• shuffle (v.) (usually followed by ‘into’) - move clumsily
• fledged (adj.) - (of a young bird) having wing feathers that are large enough for flight; able to fly.
• grubby (adj.) - dirty; grimy.
• sunfleck (n.) - a brief, transient patch of direct sunlight that penetrates the canopy of a forest or plant community to reach the shady understory
  • understory (n.) - a layer of vegetation beneath the main canopy of a forest.
• undulation (n.) - the action of moving smoothly up and down.
• flit (v.) - move swiftly and lightly.
• dregs (n.) - the remnants of a liquid left in a container, together with any sediment or grounds.
• landing (n.) - a level area at the top of a staircase or between one flight of stairs and another.
• wanly (adv.) - in a way that shows no energy or enthusiasm
• deprecation (n.) - the expression of a negative view of someone or something; criticism or disapproval.
• grimace (n.) - an ugly, twisted expression on a person’s face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement.
• victual (n.) - food or provisions.
• tinkle (v.) - make or cause to make a light, clear ringing sound.
• supine (adj.) - lying on one’s back with face upward.
• simian (adj.) - relating to, resembling, or affecting apes or monkeys.
• mangle (v.) - severely mutilate, disfigure, or damage by cutting, tearing, or crushing.
• stagger (v.) - walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall.
• astrakhan (n.) - the tightly curled fleece of the fetal or newborn karakul (also spelled caracul) lamb
  • fleece (n.) - the woolly covering of a sheep or goat.
• bestial (adj.) - of or like an animal or animals.
• beau (n.) - a person’s boyfriend or male admirer.
• gape (v.) - stare with one’s mouth open wide in amazement or wonder.
• bristle (n.) - a short stiff hair, typically one of those on an animal’s skin, a man’s face, or a plant.