VOCABULARY LIST 9

True Grit 3

beau

Bess married one of the two beaus, and he turned out to be mean and thoughtless.

beau

a boyfriend or male admirer

“She would dance with no other partner but the handsome man she called her beau whom she hoped to marry.”

smug

His manner was stuck up and he had a smug grin that made you nervous when he turned it on you.

“After winning the argument, he sat with a smug expression that only made his opponent more angry.”

smug

having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements.

“He was feeling smug after his win.”

chide

He forgot to take off his spurs before sitting down at the table and Mrs. Floyd chided him, saying she did not want her chair legs scratched up any more than they were, which was considerable.

chide

To scold or rebuke

“She chided him for not replying to her letters.”

comply

He apologized and complied with her wish.

“It is best to comply with speed limits because too often accidents occur when drivers drive too fast”

comply

To act in accordance with a wish or command.

“Due to the holiday, we were unable to comply with your request for next day shipping.”

banished

Well, if in four months I cannot find Tom Chaney with a mark on his face like banished Cain I would not undertake to advise others how to do it.

banished

send (someone) away from a country or place as an official punishment.

“After his defeat, Napoleon was banished to the Mediterranean island of Elba where he died, alone.”

sordid

Criminal investigation is sordid and dangerous and best left in the hands of men who know the work.

sordid

involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt.

“The scandal paints a sordid picture of bribes and scams.”

saucy

Mattie says,

“I notice people of that state also gouge their horses with great brutal spurs. “

LaBeouf replies,

“You will push that saucy line too far.”

saucy

impudent; flippant.

“Her saucy remarks only got her sent to the Principal’s office and did little to help her win friends.”

inquires

He knew of it through Mrs. Floyd’s inquiries, and he was good enough to interrupt his regular duties to search it out.

inquiries

an act of asking for information.

“There were a deluge of phone inquiries after the launch of the new program revealed deficiencies in the web site.”

concede

I am not scolding you, but I am saying that your headstrong ways will lead you into a tight corner one day.

That said, I shall concede that you seem to have driven a fair bargain with the Colonel.

concede

admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it.

“I had to concede that I panicked unjustifiably since everyone was having a good time.”

commute

It is set for January, but lawyer Goudy is going to Washington city to see if President Hayes will not commute the sentence.

commute

reduce (a judicial sentence, esp. a sentence of death) to one less severe.

“Prisoners on death row often hold out hope that the Governor will commute their sentence, which does not happen very often.”