To Kill A Mockingbird

Question 1

scold

Answer 1

► noun
(archaic) a woman who nags or grumbles constantly.

scolder noun.

Middle English (as a noun): probably from Old Norse skáld ‘skald’.

Question 2

flinty /’flɪnti/

Answer 2

► adjective
(flintier, flintiest) of, containing, or reminiscent of flint: flinty soil | a flinty wine.

■ (of a person or their expression) very hard and unyielding: a flinty stare.

flintily adverb
flintiness noun.

Question 3

cootie /kuːti/

Answer 3

► noun
N. Amer. informal a body louse.
ORIGIN: First World War: perhaps from Malay kutu, denoting a parasitic biting insect.

Question 4

magnesia /mag’niːʒə, -zɪə, -∫ə/

Answer 4

► noun
[mass noun] Chemistry magnesium oxide.
■ Chem. formula: MgO.
■ hydrated magnesium carbonate used as an antacid and laxative.

ORIGIN: late Middle English (referring to a mineral said to be an ingredient of the philosopher’s stone): via medieval Latin from Greek Magnēsia, denoting a mineral from Magnesia in Asia Minor.

Question 5

wad /wɒd:

Answer 5

► noun
1. a mass or lump of a soft material, used for padding, stuffing, or wiping: a wad of lint-free rag.
■ a portion of tobacco or another narcotic when used for chewing.
■ chiefly historical a disc of felt or another material used to keep powder or shot in place in a gun barrel.
2. a bundle or roll of paper or banknotes: she held up a wad of greenbacks.
■ informal a large amount of something, especially money: she was working on TV and had wads of money.
3. Brit. informal a bun, cake, sandwich, or other piece of food.

► verb (wads, wadding, wadded) [with obj.] [usu. as adj.] (wadded)
1. compress (a soft material) into a lump or mass: a knob of wadded lint.
2. line or stuff (a garment or piece of furniture) with wadding: a wadded jacket.
■ stop up (an aperture) with a lump of soft material: he had something wadded behind his teeth.

ORIGIN: mid 16th cent. (denoting wadding): perhaps related to Dutch watten, French ouate ‘padding, cotton wool’.

Question 6

scuppernong /’skʌpəˌnɒŋ/

Answer 6

► noun
[mass noun] a variety of the muscadine grape native to the basin of the Scuppernong River in North Carolina.
■ wine made from the scuppernong grape.

Question 7

skitter also skeeter /’skɪtə/

Answer 7

1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] move lightly and quickly or hurriedly: the girls skittered up the stairs | figurative her mind skittered back to that day at the office.
2. [with obj.] draw (bait) jerkily across the surface of the water as a technique in fishing.

Question 8

tan

Answer 8

verb

2. (informal) if Mickey so much as touches a fishing net, I’ll tan his hide
   thrash, beat, wallop, belt, strap, spank, whip, lash, leather, cane, flog, flail, flagellate, horsewhip, birch, switch, flay;

(informal) give someone a hiding, lam, larrup.