cessation
stop. ex) “The twins, puzzled, looked at each other; while piggy, reassured by the cessation of violence, stood up carefully.”
composite
something made up of distinct parts; blend, mixture. ex) “The blood roared again in Ralph’s ears, confused images chased each other through his mind. A composite of these things was prowling round the shelters.”
delirious
filled with a frenzied excitement. ex) “High overhead, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever.”
distended
swollen from internal pressure. ex) “Other boys were appearing now, tiny tots some of them, brown, with distended bellies of small savages.”
ensconce
conceal. ex) “At first the twisted stems, ensconce himself so deep that only a crawler like himself could come through, and that crawler would be jabbed.”
illumination
the process of clarifying or explaining something intellectual or spiritual enlightenment. ex) “Sitting on the tremendous rock in the torrid sun, Roger received this news as an illumination.
impenetrable
unable to be entered. ex) “The densest tangle on the island, a mass of twisted stems, black and green and impenetrable, lay on their left and tall grass swayed before them.”
inimical
hostile. ex) “There was no reply. To carry he must speak louder; and this would rouse those striped and inimical creatures from their feasting by the fire.”
multitudinous
consisting of innumerable parts. ex) “There was a silence, except for the multitudinous murmur of the bees.”
myopia
near-sightedness. ex) “The twins watched anxiously and Piggy sat expressionless behind the luminous wall of his myopia.”
obscurity
state of being unknown. ex) “The savage peered into the obscurity beneath the thicket.”
parried
warded off the blow. ex) “He [Jack] struck in a humming circle behind him and Ralph only just parried the blow.”
pinnacles
peaks; spires. ex) “There was the neck of land, the ledge skirting the rock, up the were the red pinnacles.”
purged
cleaned; freed. ex) “The night was cool and purged of immediate terror.”
quavered
with a voice that trembled (shook). ex) “Am I safe?” quavered Piggy. “I feel awful–”
talisman
object considered to be a charm against evil. ex) “By him stood Piggy still holding out the talisman, the fragile, shining beauty of the shell.”
theological
relating to the study of God. ex) “I expect the beast disguised itself.” “Perhaps,” said the chief. A theological speculation presented itself.”
truculently
feeling or showing ferocity: savage. ex) “Truculently they squared up to each other but kept just out of fighting distance.”
ululation
howling. ex) “‘Until we find you. We’ve got to give signals like this’. Eric raised his head and achieved a faint ululation by breathing on his open mouth.”
unquenchable
unstoppable; can’t be satisfied. ex) “Behind him came the twins, worried now of a while but full of unquenchable vitality.”
