“Still I Rise”Vocabulary

Bitter:(Adj.) Angry; harsh

Ex: After practicing her kicks for two weeks straight, Marcy was bitter to be cut from the kickline team.

Twisted:(Adj.) Cruel; warped

Ex: Cinderella’s step-mother was twisted in the way she kept her step-daughter as a servant.

Trod:(Past participle of verb “tread”)Walked on or over; trampled

Ex: Carlos wondered how many colleagues Mary had trod on to be promoted so early in her job.

Sassiness:(Adj., Sassy) Liveliness; mischief

Ex: Kendra was irritated by her little sister’s sassiness while she was baby-sitting.

Beset:(verb) Weighed down

Ex: The United States was beset by hard times and financial hardships during the Great Depression.

Soulful:(adj.)Emotional

Ex: The puppy let out a soulful cry as he was left alone in the dark.

Haughtiness:(noun) Pride; arrogance; self importance

Ex: The rich woman’s haughtiness over all her money was unbearable to be around.

Offend(verb) Upset; insult

Ex: Maria hadn’t meant to offend Jessica when she said her hair was ratty, but it was a mess!

Huts(noun) A dwelling or shelter that is crude

(not well made)

Ex: James stared miserably the collapsed huts on the beach…obviously he hadn’t made them properly.

Rooted(adj.)Firmly established

Ex: After the Lang’s adopted April, it wasn’t long before she rooted herself in the family, as if she had been there forever.

Welling(verb) Rising to the surface; ready to flow

Juanita squeezed the ketchup bottle and watched the ketchup welling to the top and then spilled all over her plate.

Swelling:(verb) Growing; increasing in size, such

as a large ocean wave

Hannah watched as the wave headed towards the beach, swelling as it went until it was enormous enough to take out the island.