Vocabulary for Fantastic Mr. Fox

shallow - Measuring little from bottom to top or surface; lacking physical depth, low, not deep

p. 3 - He was so short his chin would have been under water in the shallow end of any swimming-pool in the world.

lurk - To move secretly; sneak; creep around

p. 8 - He always approached a farm with the wind blowing in his face, and this meant that if any man were lurking in the shadows ahead, the wind would carry the smell of that man to Mr. Fox's nose from far away.

crafty - Skilled in or marked by underhandedness, deviousness, or deception; sneaky; sly

p. 9 - We will wait there until he comes out. Then . . . Bang! Bang-bang-bang."

     "Very clever," said Bunce. "But first we shall have to find the hole."

     "My dear Bunce, I've already found it," said the crafty Bean.

glum - Moody and melancholy; dejected; down; blue; sad; low

p. 15 "It will never grow again," said Mr. Fox. "I shall be tail-less for the rest of my life." He looked very glum.

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desperate Undertaken out of extreme urgency or as a last resort, frantic, anxious, worried

p. 24 - Now there began a desperate race, the machines against the foxes.

extraordinary - Beyond what is ordinary or usual, odd, unusual, unexpected, surprising, bizarre

p. 28 - It was such an extraordinary sight that the crowds of people came rushing out from the surrounding villages to have a look.

obstinate - Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action, determined, stubborn, pigheaded, unmoved

p. 28 - The people jeered and laughed. But this only made the three farmers more furious and more obstinate and more determined than ever not to give up until they had caught the fox.

prance - to walk with a lofty proud step, often in an attempt to impress others, strut

p. 40 - He pulled himself up through the gap in the floor and started prancing and dancing with joy.

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pluck - To pull out the hair or feathers of: pluck a chicken.

p. 44 - "Hurry up , child, and start plucking those chickens!"

foggiest - Clouded or blurred by

p. 46 - I've been digging around in circles for three days and nights and I haven't the foggiest idea where I am!"

suspend - hang freely, dangle

p. 54 - A thread of saliva side down one side of his jaw and hung suspended in mid-air, then snapped.

respectable - worthy of respect; deserving of esteem and respect; upright, decent; good

p. 59 - "There's nothing wrong with being respectable," Badger said.

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brilliant - radiant; dazzling; sparkling; gleaming; shining; bright

p. 62 - Mr. Fox gave a brilliant smile, flashing his white teeth.

accustom - To familiarize, as by constant practice, use, or habit; get used to; become familiar with; adjust to

p. 62 - As their eyes became accustomed to the gloom, they began to see what looked like a whole lot of big glass jars standing upon shelves around the walls.

quiver - To shake with a slight, rapid, wobbly movement; shudder; quake; shiver

p. 70 - He could feel the Smallest Fox's body pressed tightly against his own, quivering with excitement.

colossal - massive; huge; oversize; gigantic; enormous

p. 77 - He let fly another colossal belch.

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