The Outsiders Vocabulary

by Rosa Won, 8B

Madras• A strong, fine-textured cotton fabric,

typically patterned with colorful stripes or checks.

• When I had to go to the ball, I wore the madras.

Cowlick• A lock of hair that grows in a direction

different from the rest and that resists being combed flat.

• I have a cowlick on back of my head; it’s very annoying when it comes to combing.

Unfathomable• It cannot be understood or explained;

incomprehensible.

• For some unfathomable reason, she looked shocked.

Savvy• know or understand.

• She would savvy what to do for her project.

Aloof• Not friendly or forthcoming; cool and

distant.

• I am staying aloof from getting involved with the conflicts.

Impersonally• Not influenced by, showing, or involving

personal feelings.

• I made my sister go to the jail impersonally.

Ornery• Bad tempered and combative.

• She is very ornery; she shouts all the time.

Resignedly• Voluntarily leave a job or other position.

• Resignedly, I had a farewell party with my friends.

Ruefully• Expressing sorrow or regret.

• She smiled ruefully when she heard about her grades.

Hermit• A person living in solitude as a religious

discipline.

• He is a hermit because he did something wrong to the church.

Premonition• A strong feeling that something is about to

happen. (Usually something unpleasant)

• When I saw the black cat, I had a premonition that I would fail the test.

Reluctantly• Unwilling and hesitant.

• Reluctantly, I stopped the important meeting because everyone seemed so tired.

Sullen• Gloomy

• I became sullen when I found out that it was raining.

Eluded• Evade or escape from, typically in a skillful

or cunning way.

• He tried to elude from the prison.

Imploringly• Beg someone earnestly or desperately to

do something.

• Imploringly, I talked to my friend because I needed money.

Gallant• Brave; heroic

• He tried so hard to look gallant in front of the girls.

Indignant• Feeling or showing anger or annoyance at

what is perceived as unfair treatment

• I felt indignant toward my sister because she didn’t help me with my homework.

Testify• Give evidence as a witness in a law court.

• I testified against my friend in the court because I had to survive.

Jolt• Push or shake abruptly and roughly.

• I jolted real hard when she poked me.

Keeled• The longitudinal structure along the

centerline at the bottom of a vessel’s hull, on which the rest of the hull is built, in some vessels extended downward as a blade or ridge to increase stability.

• There was keeled structure to make the blade more stable.

Inhalation• The action of inhaling or breathing in.

• The inhalation made me choke.

Hysterics• A wildly emotional and exaggerated

reaction.

• The guests in the TV show laughed with hysterics.

Mimicking• Imitate, typically in order to entertain or

ridicule.

• I was mimicking my friend’s voice when she was saying things in a funny way.

Radiates• Emit in the form of rays or waves.

• The heat radiated energy from the sun.

Mourning• Feel or show deep sorrow or regret for.

• She was mourning when she failed on her test.

Aghast• Filled with horror or shock.

• I was aghast when I did something wrong.

Exploits• Make full use of and derive benefit from.

• I exploited the machine to invent new things.

Faltered• Start to lose strength and momentum.

• He faltered when dumping his girlfriend.

Resemblance• The state of resembling or being alike.

• I hear that I look resemblance to my sister.

Divert• Cause to change course or turn from one

direction to another.

• I diverted the direction when I found out that I was going in a wrong way.

Clenching• Close into a tight ball, esp. when feeling

extreme anger.

• He clenched his hands when I found out that she was cheating on him.

Grimacing• An ugly, twisted expression on a person’s

face.

• I was grimacing when I saw the gangs fighting.

Underprivileged• Not enjoying the same standard of living or

rights as the majority of people in a society.

• She is underprivileged because she is mentally challenged.

Conformity• Compliance with standards, rules, or laws.

• She was in conformity to the laws because she didn’t want to get into any troubles.

Contempt• The feeling that a person or a thing is

beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.

• He showed contempt when he knew that he was better than everyone else.

Escort• A person, vehicle, ship, or aircraft, or a

group of these, accompanying another for protection, security, etc.

• He escorted me to the airport because he is my slave.

Convinced• Cause to believe firmly in the truth of

something.

• I was convinced of the fact that Bigbang’s songs are the best.

Delirious• In an acutely disturbed state of mind

resulting from illness or intoxication and characterized by restlessness, illusions, etc.

• She felt delirious because of her sickness.

Indignantly• Feeling or showing anger or annoyance at

what is perceived as unfair treatment.

• Indignantly, I yelled at her because of her unfair treatment toward me.

Circumstances• A fact or condition connected with or

relevant to an event or action.

• According to the circumstance, you have to follow the rules.

Acquitted• Free from a criminal charge by a verdict of

not guilty.

• I was acquitted from the discipline when I explained what really happened to the teacher.