Of Mice and Men Vocabulary 1

Name ___________________________

Vocabulary for Of Mice and Men

Define each of the following words on the back of the sheet and/or on a separate sheet of paper. Example sentences from the book are provided for context clues and to determine part of speech.

1.      scowl   The little man jerked down the brim of his hat and scowled over at Lennie.

2.      pantomime     But Lennie made an elaborate pantomime of innocence.

3.      anguish           He looked across the fire at Lennie’s anguished face, and then he looked ashamedly at the flames.

4.      laden   At about ten o’clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust- laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars.

5.      peer     He stopped suddenly, stepped to the open front door and peered out.

6.      mollify            “Damn right he don’t,” said George, slightly mollified, “not if he wants to stay workin’ long.”

7.      pugnacious     His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious.

8.      gingerly          Curley stepped gingerly close to him.

9.      ominous          He said ominously, “Well, he better watch out for Lennie. Lennie ain’t no fighter, but Lennie’s strong and quick and Lennie don’t know no rules.”

10.  derogatory     He had drawn a derogatory statement from George.

11.  contort            His face contorted with thought.

12.  complacently  Lennie, who had been following the conversation back and forth with his eyes, smiled complacently at the compliment.

13.  muse “Ain’t many guys travel around together,” he mused.