Flame in the Mist (Vocabulary)

Chapter 3: Not a Girl

• acrid (pg. 27) - sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor : irritating / deeply or violently bitter:acrimonious

• “bō” (pg. 27) - staff

• league (pg. 27) - any of various units of distance from about 2.4 to 5.6 statue miles (3.9 to 7.4 kilometers)

• sidled (pg. 28) - caused to move or turn sideways

• loam (pg. 28) - soil  specifically : a soil consisting of a friable mixture of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand

• gibe (pg. 28) - a taunting remark

• ring (pg. 28) - surround (someone or something), especially for protection or containment

• mewling (pg. 29) - crying weakly : whimpering

• chuffed (pg. 30) - quite pleased : delighted

• bandied (pg. 31) - to use in a glib or offhand manner —> often used with about

• capitulating (pg. 31) - ceasing to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrendering

• “tabi” (pg. 32) - split-tied socks

• bramble (pg. 32) - any of a genus (Rubis) of usually prickly shrubs of the rose family including the raspberries and blackberries  also : the fruit of a bramble / a rough prickly shrub or vine

• lichen (pg. 32) - any of numerous complex plantlike organisms made up of an Alfa or a Cyanobacteria and a fungus growing in symbiotic association on a solid surface (such as on a rock or the bark of trees)

• soughing (pg. 32) - making a moaning or sighing sound

• murky waters (pg. 33) - confusing details

• thrum (pg. 34) - to sound with a monotonous hum

• tantalizing (pg. 36) - possessing a quality that arouses or stimulates desire or interest  also : mockingly or teasingly out of reach

• camellia (pg. 36) - any of a genus (Camellia) of shrubs or trees of the tea family. especially : an ornamental greenhouse shrub (C. japonica) with glossy leaves and roselike flowers

• paulownia (pg. 37) - any of a genus (Paulownia) of Chinese trees of the snapdragon family. especially : one (P. tomentosa) widely cultivated for its panicles of fragrant violet flowers

• jade (pg. 37) either of two tough compact typically green gemstones that take a high polish

• tangles (pg. 37) - matted, twisted mass : snarls

• ebony (pg. 37) - a hard gravy blackish wood yielded by various tropical chiefly southeast Asian trees (genus Diospyros of the family Ebenaceae, the ebony family)

• congealed (pg. 38) - having become semisolid, especially on cooling

• "kosode" (pg. 38) - simple robe worn by both sexes


Chapter 4: The Dragon of Kai

• inexorably (pg. 39) - in a manner that is not to be persuaded, moved, or stopped : relentless

• sorrel (pg. 39) - a sorrel-colored animal  especially : a light bright chestnut horse often with a mane and tail of lighter color (such as flaxen) (sorrel: a brownish orange to light brown)

• "dō" (pg. 39) - chest armour

• contingent (pg. 40) - a representative group : delegation, detachment

• ignominious (pg. 40) - humiliating, degrading

• rosy (pg. 40) - characterized by or tending to promote optimism

• hawkish (pg. 41) - resembling or suggested a hawk or the beak of a hawk in appearance / having a militant attitude (as in a dispute) and advocating immediate vigorous action  especially : supporting war or warlike policies

• "boro" (pg. 41) - patchwork fabric worn by maidservants and peasants

• "wakasama" (pg. 41) - young lord

• crackled (pg. 41) - crushed or cracked with snapping noises

• tarry (pg. 41) - of, resembling, or covered with tar

• roving (pg. 42) - not restricted as to location or area of concern

• pennant (pg. 42) - a long triangular or swallow-tailed flag, especially as a military ensign


Chapter 5: The Golden Castle

• ocher (pg. 44) - a pale brownish yellow color

• slate (pg. 44) - a fine-grained gray, green, or bluish metamorphic rock easily split into smooth, flat pieces

• pavilion (pg. 45) - a large often sumptuous tent / something resembling a canopy or tent / a part of a building projecting from the rest / one of several detached or semidetached units into which a building is sometimes divided / a usually open sometimes ornamental structure in a garden, park, or place of recreation that is used for entertainment or shelter / a temporary structure erected at an exposition by an individual exhibitor

• pagoda (pg. 45) - a tower in eastern Asia usually with roofs curving upward at the division of each of several stories and erected as a temple or memorial

• tiered (pg. 45) - having or arranged in tiers, rows, or layers -> often used in combination

• eaves (pg. 45) - the lower border of a roof that overhangs the wall -> usually used in plural

• heron (pg. 45) + symbolism - any of various long-necked and long-legged wading birds (family Ardeidae) with a long tapering bill, large wings, and soft plumage

• black swan + symbolism

• warble (pg. 45) - a melodious succession of low pleasing sounds

• swallow (pg. 45) - any of numerous small widely distributed oscine birds (family Hirundinidae, the swallow family) that have a short bill, long pointed wings, and often a deeply forked tail and that feed on insects caught on the wing

• unearthly (pg. 45) - weird, eerie

• iridescent (pg. 45) - having or exhibiting iridescence (iridescence: a lustrous rainbowlike play of color caused by differential refraction of light waves (as from an oil slick, soap bubble, or fish scales) that tends to change as the angle of view changes)

• preened (pg. 45) - of a bird : to groom with the bill especially by rearranging the barbs and barbules of the feathers and by distributing oil from the uropygial gland

• wending (pg. 46) - proceeding on (one's way) : directing

• gable (pg. 46) - the part of a wall that encloses the end of a pitched roof

• honeyed (pg. 46) - having a golden or warm yellow color

• hipped (pg. 46) - constructed with hips

• citrus-scented (pg. 46) - any of a group of often thorny trees and shrubs (Citrus and related genera) of the rue family grown in warm regions for their edible fruit (such as the orange or lemon) with firm usually thick rind and pulpy flesh  also : the fruit

• cypress (pg. 46) - any of a genus (Cupressus of the family Cupressaceae, the cypress family) of evergreen trees and shrubs with small overlapping leaves resembling scales

• awash (pg. 46) - filled, covered, or completely overrun as if by a flood

• hillock (pg. 46) - a small hill

• gentian (pg. 46) - any of numerous herbs (family Gentianaceae, the gentian family, and especially genus Gentiana) with opposite smooth leaves and showy usually blue flowers / the rhizome and roots of a yellow-flowered gentian (Gentiana lutea) of southern Europe that is used as a tonic, stomachic, and flavoring in vermouth

• Obon

• Yedo (pg. 47)

• muddled (pg. 47) - mixed confusedly

• consolidate (pg. 48) - joined together into a coherent, compact, or unified whole

• pervasive (pg. 48) - existing in or spreading through every part of something

• opulence (pg. 49) - wealth, affluence

• riffle (pg. 49) - to form, flow over, or move in riffles (riffle: a small wave or succession of small waves : ripple)

• "shamisen" (pg. 50) - stringed instrument

• willowy (pg. 50) - gracefully tall and slender

• ivory (pg. 50) - the hard creamy-white modified dentine that composes the tusks of a tusked mammal (such as an elephant, walrus, or narwhal)

• conjure (pg. 50) - to summon by or as if by invocation or incantation

• churning (pg. 50) - to work a churn (as in making butter) / to produce, proceed with, or experience violent motion or agitation / to proceed by or as if by means of rotating members (such as wheels or propellers) (churn: a container in which cream is stirred or shaken to make butter)

• eddies (pg. 50) - currents of water or air running contrary to the main current  especially : circular currents : whirlpools / something moving similarly

• “koku” (pg. 50) - a unit of measurement, typically associated in feudal times with land

Dragon lion snake


Chapter 6: A Calculated Risk

• double back (pg. 54) - go back in the direction one has come

• stone's throw (pg. 54) - a very short distance

• cutthroat (pg. 54) - not involving considering or worrying about any harm caused to others

• fleece (pg. 54) - to take someone's money dishonestly, by charging too much money or by cheating them

• glean (pg. 55) - to collect information in small amounts and often with difficulty

• "geiko" (pg. 55) - geisha (geisha: a class of female Japanese performing artists and entertainers trained in traditional Japanese performing arts styles, such as dance, music and singing, as well as being proficient conversationalists and hosts)

• Hanami (pg. 55) - "flower viewing"

• sequester (pg. 55) - to take temporary possession of someone's property until they have paid money that is owed or until they have obeyed a court order

• refuse (pg. 55) - unwanted waste material, especially material that is regularly thrown away from a house, factory, etc.

• flagstone (pg. 55) - a large, flat piece of stone or concrete used for paths, floors, etc.

• lean-to (pg. 55) - a building joined to one sides of a larger building with which it shares one wall / a shelter or simple building with a roof that slopes in one direction, used for sleeping in outside

• cedar (pg. 55) - a tall, wide evergreen tree (= one that never loses its leaves)

• earthenware (pg. 56) - made of quite rough clay, often shaped with the hands

• nurse (pg. 56) - to hod a drink for a long time without drinking it

• punctual (pg. 56) - arriving, doing something, or happening at the expected, correct time; not late

• "sugoroku" (pg. 56) - a boardgame that a player throws a dice to move a piece as many squares as the numbers shown on the rolled dice

• "umeshu" (pg. 57) - plum wine

• lacy (pg. 57) - made of or decorated with lace (= decorative cloth)

• willow (pg. 58) - a tree that grows near water and has long, thin branches that hang down, or wood from this tree

• slovenly (pg. 59) - messy and dirty

• "Go" (pg. 59) - a complex strategy board game for two players; using black and white pieces called "stones," the goal is to surround a larger territory than your opponent

• surreptitiously (pg. 59) - secretly, without anyone seeing or knowing

• languor (pg. 59) - pleasant mental or physical tiredness or lack of activity

• undercurrent (pg. 60) - an emotion, belief, or characteristic of a situation that is hidden and usually negative or dangerous but that has some effect

• deference (pg. 61) - respect and politeness

• unawares (pg. 61) - suddenly and unexpectedly without any warning

• pilfered (pg. 62) - to steal things of small value

• ply (pg. 63) - to sell or to work regularly at something, especially at a job that involves selling things

• deportment (pg. 63) - the way a person walks and stands

• hazard (pg. 64) - to risk doing something, especially making a guess, suggestion, etc.

• periphery (pg. 64) - the outer edge of an area

• congeniality (pg. 65) - the quality of being friendly and pleasant

• levy (pg. 66) - (of a government or organization) to demand an amount of money, such as a tax, from a person or organization

• raucous (pg. 67) - loud and unpleasant


Chapter 7: Fall Forward to Keep Moving

• dredge (pg. 70) - to remove unwanted things from the bottom of a river, lake, etc. using a boat or special device (Genius word usage Ahdieh-san)

• incredulity (pg. 70) - the feeling of not wanting or not being able to believe something

• "kanabō" (pg. 70) - a spiked club or truncheon

• stud (pg. 70) - to adorn, cover, or protect with studs (stud: a small nail or piece of metal, with a large, rounded top, that is attached to the surface of something, usually for decoration)

• uncouth (pg. 71) - behaving in a rude, unpleasant way

• ryō (pg. 71) - gold currency

• rōnin (pg. 71) - masterless samurai

• comportment (pg. 71) - someone's behavior

• slake (pg. 73) - to satisfy a feeling of being thirsty or of wanting something

• espouse (pg. 74) - to become involved with or support an activity or opinion

• metallurgy (pg. 74) - the scientific study of the structures and uses of metals

• quandary (pg. 74) - a state of not being able to decide what to do about a situation in which you are involved

• outpost (pg. 75) - a place, especially a small group of buildings or a town, that represents the authority or business interests of a government or company that is far away

• splutter (pg. 76) - to speak in a quick and confused way, producing short, unclear noises because of surprise, anger, etc.

• pockmarked (pg. 77) - mocked with pockmarks (A pockmarked surface has lots of holes or low areas in it)

• furrowed (pg. 77) - a furrowed brow: a forehead (= part of the face above the eyes) that has lines in the skin, usually caused by worry

• bristle (pg. 78) - (of hairs) to stand up because of fear or anger, or (of people) to show anger


Chapter 8: An Unmerited Blessing

• mushroom (pg. 81) - to increase very quickly

• supine (formal; pg. 81) - (lying) flat on your back, looking up


Chapter 9: The Choice

• vantage point (pg. 84) - a place, especially a high place, that provides a good, clear view of an area

• unencumbered (pg. 84) - without something making it difficult for you to do something

• sinew (pg. 84) - a tendon (= strong piece of tissue in the body connecting a muscle to a bone)

• procure (pg. 85) - to get something, especially after an effort

• chuff (pg. 86) - to make a sound like the sound of someone blowing out air quickly and forcefully, or like the sound a steam engine makes

• smattering (pg. 86) - a very small amount or number

• tamp down (pg. 88) - the reduce the amount, level, size or importance of something

• spume (pg. 90) - white foam (= bubbles) on the top of waves in water

• askance (pg. 95) - look askance: to look at or think about someone or something without doubt, disapproval, or no trust


Chapter 10: The Consequences

• paresthesia* (pg. ~) - an abnormal sensation, as of burning, prickling, etc. on the skin

Sanada Takeo

• blood in the water (pg. 99) - The exposure of a competitive weakness in an opponent that arouses increased competitive aggression in others. Likened to the literal presence of blood in water that causes aquatic predators (such as sharks) to seek out and attack prey.

• indignation (pg. 99) - anger about a situation that you think is wrong or not fair

• appraisal (pg. 100) - the act of examining someone or something in order to judge his, her, or its qualities, success, or needs

• latitude (pg. 100) - the position north or south of the equator measured from 0° to 90° / formal; freedom to behave, act, or think in the way you want to

• tributary (pg. 101) - a river or stream that flows into a larger river or a lake

• rough-hewn (pg. 101) - A rough-hewn material, such as wood or stone, has been shaped, but not given a smooth surface. / If someone's character or behavior is rough-hewn, they do not seem very polite

• onyx (pg. 101) - a valuable stone that is used in jewelry, with white, black, gray, and other colored stripes

• embankment (pg. 102) - an artificial slope made of earth and/or stones

• muslin (pg. 106) - a very thin cotton material, or a piece of this material

• unseat (pg. 106) - to remove someone from power, especially as a result of an election / If a horse unseats its rider, it throws them from its back.

• brusque (pg. 106) - quick and rude  in manner or speech

• click (pg. 108) - (of an object, especially part of a mechanism) fall smoothly into its allotted position (Note: When Ranmaru clicks his horse from the embankment, he is turning it toward the proper direction away from the embankment and toward the Black Clan's encampment.)


Chapter 11: Jewel Steel and Night Rain

• query (pg. 109) - a question, often expressing doubt about something or looking for an answer from an authority

• ramshackle (disapproving; pg. 109) - badly or messily made and likely to break or fall down easily

• sprite (pg. 111) - a fairy (= a small imaginary person with wings) especially once connected with water

• metalsmith (pg. 111) - a person skilled in metalworking (metalworking: the act or process of shaping things out of metal)

• alchemy* (pg. 111) - a type of chemistry, especially in the Middle Ages, that deal with trying to find a way to change ordinary metals into gold and with trying to find a medicine that would cure any disease

• "kata" (pg. 111) - set combinations of movements for martial arts practice

• crest (pg. 111) - (of a wave, a flood, etc.) to reach the highest level that something can reach) (must analyze this)

• vanguard (pg. 111) - the part of an army or navy that leads an attack on an enemy / a group of people who lead the development of new ideas, or a leading position in the development of something / the front part of a group of people who are moving forward, esp. an army

• "hachimaki" (pg. 112) - headband

• hemp (pg. 112) - a family of plants, some of which are used to make rope and strong, rough cloth and others of which are used to produce the drug cannabis

• sheaf (pg. 112) - a number of things held or tied together

• rote (pg. 113) - the process of learning something by repetition, rather than by really understanding it (Genius word usage, Ahdieh-san)

• wicket (pg. 114) - a small gate or door especially: one forming part of or placed near a larger gate or door

• slats (pg. 114) - thin, narrow pieces of wood, plastic, or metal used to make floors, furniture, window coverings, etc.

• mortar (pg. 114) - a mixture of sand, water, and cement or lime that is used to fix bricks or stones to each other when building walls

• curry (pg. 115) - to clean and brush a horse with a special comb

• morose (pg. 116) - unhappy, annoyed, and unwilling to speak or smile

Murasama Sengo

• smithy (pg. 116) - a place where things are made out of metal, especially iron or steel, by heating and using a hammer

• "saya" (pg. 117) - scabbard

• "tsuba" (pg. 117) - hand guard of a sword

• gilt (pg. 117) - covered with a thin layer of gold or a substance that is intended to look like it (Adheih uses the phrase "copper-gilt" to emphasize just how worn Kenshin's sword looked, since the Hattori crest on the hand guard was designed to look gold)

• filigree (pg. 117) - delicate jewelry made from twisted, especially silver, wire

• hand guard (pg. 117) - a guard on a sword

• enamel (pg. 117) - a decorative glass-like substance that is melted onto clay, metal, or glass objects, and then left to cool and become hard, or an object covered with this substance / a type of paint that forms a shiny surface when dry

• groove (pg. 117) - a long, narrow, hollow space cut into a surface


Chapter 12: Many Kinds of Strength

• fervency (pg. 121) - used to describe beliefs that are strongly and sincerely felt or people who have strong and sincere beliefs

• edict (pg. 121) - an official order, especially one that is given in a forceful and unfair way

• furor (pg. 121) - a sudden excited or angry reaction to something by a lot of people

• tapestry (pg. 122) - a piece of cloth with a pattern or picture that is created by sewing or weaving different colored threads onto a special type of string cloth

• kindling (pg. 122) - small dry sticks or other materials used to start a fire

• brush (pg. 122) - small, low bushes or the land they grow on

• pitch (pg. 122) - a thin, black, sticky substance used to make ships and roofs waterproof, and to cover cracks in roads

• abject (pg. 122) - abject misery, poverty, failure, etc.: the state of being extremely unhappy, poor, unsuccessful, etc.

• parity (pg. 124) - equality, especially of pay or position

• callus (pg. 124) - an area of hard skin, especially on the feet or hands

• sickle (pg. 125) - a tool with a short handle and a curved blade, used for cutting grass and grain crops

• litany (pg. 132) - a litany of something: long list of unpleasant things, especially things that are repeated


Chapter 13: Weakness of the Spirit

• bellows (pg. 136) - a tool used to blow air, especially into a fire to make it burn better

• sharply (pg. 138) - severely and angrily / quickly and suddenly (Yoshi's laugh could be both)

• surliness (pg. 138) - the quality of being often in a bad mood, unfriendly, and not polite

• timbre (pg. 141) - a quality of sound that makes voices or musical instruments sound different from each other

• engender (pg. 142) - to make people have a particular feeling or make a situation start to exist

• heedless (pg. 142) - not giving attention to a risk or possible difficulty

• "kunai" (pg. 143) - type of dagger

• direct (pg. 143) - Someone who is direct says what they think in a very honest way without worrying about other people's opinions

• duly (pg. 144) - in the correct way or at the correct time; as expected

• drily (pg. 144) - being funny in a way that is not obvious

• divot (pg. 145) - a small hole in an area of grass, especially one made by a golf club (= stick for hitting) or ball; a piece of grass that has been cut out, leaving such a hole


Chapter 14: Jubokko

• taut (pg. 146) - tight or completely stretched

• tenor (pg. 147) - music: a male singer with a high voice, or (especially in combinations) a musical instrument that has the same range of notes as the tenor singing voice / character: the general meaning, character, or pattern of something

• rivulet (pg. 148) - a very small stream or flow or liquid

• "jubokko" (pg. 148) - vampiric tree

• hoarsely (pg. 149) - in a rough voice, often because of a sore threat or a cold

• beat (pg. 149) - movement: a regular movement or sound, especially made by your heart

• ghastliness (pg. 149) - the quality of being unpleasant and shocking


Chapter 15: The Throwing Star

• headlong (pg. 155) - with great speed or without thinking

• mottled (pg. 158) - covered with areas of different colors that do not form a regular pattern

• spell (pg. 159) - a period of time for which an activity or condition lasts continuously

• crease (pg. 159) - a line or mark made on material by folding or pressing it, or a line in a person's skin, esp. in the face

• blotchy (pg. 159) - If someone's skin is blotchy, it is covered in marks, usually temporary ones, that are not regular in shape

• flout (pg. 160) - to intentionally not obey a rule, law, or custom

• churlish (pg. 161) - rude, unfriendly, and unpleasant

• bald-faced (pg. 161) - showing no shame or embarrassment about doing something bad

• protuberance (pg. 161) - something that sticks out from a surface

• outcropping (pg. 161) - a large rock or group of rocks that sticks out of the ground

• burgeon (pg. 161) - to develop or grow quickly

• snowcapped (pg. 161) - Snow-capped mountains and hills have snow on the top of them.

• "jinmaku" (pg. 162) - camp enclosure

• hedging (pg. 163) - (avoiding answer) a way of avoiding giving a direct answer or opinion

• mold (pg. 165) - a hollow container into which your pour a soft or liquid substance so that it will cool or harden into the shape of the container

• beeswax (pg. 165) - the substance containing a lot of fat that bees produce, used for making candles and polish for wood

• arrowhead (pg. 165) - the sharp point at the end of an arrow

• crisp (pg. 165) - A crisp sound or image is very clear / A crisp way of speaking, writing, or behaving is quick, confident, and effective

• link (pg. 165) - one of the rings in a chain

• pleasure house (pg. 168) - a building used for pleasure and recreation / brothel a building in which prostitutes are available

• black ice (pg. 169) - a dangerous type of ice that forms of roads that is so thin that it cannot be seen by a driver

• clipped (pg. 171) - (of speech) having short, sharp vowel sounds and clear pronunciation

• behoove (pg. 171) - it behooves someone to do sth:  it is right for someone to do something

• rankle (pg. 171) - to make someone annoyed or angry for a long time

• ledger (pg. 174) - a horizontal board used for vertical support (as in scaffolding)

• green (pg. 175) - (informal) not experienced or trained

• immaterial (pg. 175) - not important; not likely to make a difference:


Chapter 16: Rivets of Gold and Petal Pink Waters

• thoroughfare (pg. 178) - a main road for public use or a passage through somewhere

• downtrodden (pg. 178) - treated badly and unfairly

• hawk (pg. 178) - to sell goods informally in public places

• "daifuku" (pg. 178) - a collection of glutinous rice stuffed with bean paste

• replete (pg. 178) - full

• subterfuge (pg. 179) - a trick or a dishonest way of achieving something

• machinations (pg. 180) - complicated and secret plans to get power or control or to gain an advantage

• purview (pg. 180) - the limit of someone's responsibility, interest, or activity

• apprehension (pg. 180) - (worry) worry about the future, or a fear that something unpleasant is going to happen

• winding (pg. 180) - A new winding path, road, river, etc. repeatedly turns in different directions

• emblazoned (pg. 180) - marked or shown in order to be very noticeable

• glossy (pg. 181) - smooth and shiny

• rivet (pg. 181) - a metal pin used to fasten flat pieces of metal or other thick materials such as leather

• gabled (pg. 182) - with gables (gables: the top ends of the wall of a building, in the shapes of triangles, where they meet the sloping parts of a roof

• concentric (pg. 182) - (of circles and rings) being one inside another and having the same center

• bailey (pg. 182) - the open area inside the outer wall of a castle

• “maru” (pg. 182) - castle bailey

• befuddlement (pg. 182) - a state of mental uncertainty

• carp (pg. 183) - a large fish that lives in lakes and rivers and can be eaten

• koi (pg. 183) - a carp (Cyprinus carpio) bred especially in Japan for large size and a variety of colors and often stocked in ornamental ponds

• flit (pg. 183)  - to fly or move quickly and lightly

• azure (pg. 183) - having the bright blue color of the sky on a clear day

• canopy (pg. 183) - (cover) a cover fixed over a seat or bed, etc. for shelter or decoration

• dais (pg. 183) - a raised surface at one end of a meeting room that someone can stand on when speaking to a group

• balustrades (pg. 183) - a set of posts or a screen to prevent people from falling over the edge of stairs, a balcony, etc., often with a wooden, metal, or stone bar on top that you can hold

• vermillion (pg. 184) - a bright red color

• "shōgun" (pg. 184) - military leader

• whoremonger (pg. 185) - (archaic) a person who has dealings with prostitutes, especially a sexually promiscuous man

• “yabusame” (pg. 185) - mounted archers

• dappled (pg. 186) - covered with spots of color that are lighter or darker than the main color, or covered with areas of light or darkness

• “yoroihitatare” (pg. 186) - armored robe

• rattan (pg. 186) - a tropical climbing plant with thin, tough stems

• notch (pg. 186) - to cut a notch in something (notch: a V-shaped cut in a hard surface)

• slight (pg. 187) - (thin) of people, thin and delicate

• murmur (pg. 187) - to speak or say something very quietly

• burnished (pg. 187) - smooth and shiny, usually because of being polished (= rubbed) / (of a color) shining in a warm way / having had improvements made to it

• “kaburaya” (pg. 187) - a whistling arrow

• sluiced (pg. 188) - If water sluices out from somewhere, it flows in large amounts

• smattering (pg. 188) - a very small amount or number

• impunity (pg. 188) - freedom from punishment or from the unpleasant results of something that has been done

• inflection (pg. 189) - (murmur) a change in or addition to the form of a word that shows a change in the way it is used in sentences

• spate (pg. 189) - a large number of events than usual, especially unpleasant ones, happening at about the same time

• contrivance (pg. 189) - (formal) the act of intentionally arranging for something to happen by clever planning, or something that is arranged in this way

• “washi” (pg. 189) - a type of paper commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree

• calligraphy (pg. 189) - (the art of producing) beautiful writing, often created with a special pen or brush

• inkstone (pg. 189) - a stone mortar traditionally used in Asia, in which solidified ink may be ground and mixed with water to produce liquid ink

• glean (pg. 190) - to collect information in small amounts and often with difficulty

• “shodo” (pg. 191) - calligraphy

• nuptial (pg. 192) - belonging or relating to a marriage or to the state of being married


Chapter 17: Hanami

• untried (pg. 196) - not yet tested to discover quality or reliability; inexperienced

• hayloft (pg. 196) - a loft over a stable or barn used for storing hay or straw

• cede (pg. 197) - to give control or possession of something, esp. and to someone ese, often unwillingly or because forced to do so

• unembellished (pg. 198) - lacking embellishment or elaboration (as with decorative elements or fanciful details) : not embellished (embellish: to make beautiful with ornamentation : decorate / to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details : enhance)

• drone (pg. 199) - a low continuous noise that does not change its note

• bated (pg. 201) - (with bated breath) in an anxious (= worried and nervous) or excited way

• rapt (pg. 202) - giving complete attention, or showing complete involvement, or (of attention) complete

• quizzical (pg. 203) - seeming to ask a question without saying anything

• dogwood (pg. 204) - a small tree or bush that has flowers, growing either wild or panted near a home

• riverfront (pg. 204) - the land or property along a river

• musk (pg. 204) - a substance with a strong sweet smell, used in making perfumes

• lattice (pg. 206) - a structure made from strips of wood or other material that cross over each other with spaces between

• lilting (pg. 206) - A lilting voice or tune gently rises and falls in a way that is pleasant to listen to

• sordid (pg. 206) - (dirty) dirty and unpleasant

• "haori" (pg. 207) - type of coat

• scraggly (pg. 207) - growing in a way that is tidy and uneven

• torrid (pg. 209) - involving strong emotions, especially those of sexual love

• amberjack (pg. 210) - a large marine game fish found in inshore tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic and South Pacific

• bream (pg. 210) - a type of fish that can be eaten, found especially in lakes and rivers

• ponzu (pg. 210) - a Japanese dipping sauce made from soy sauce, lime juice, vinegar, and fish flakes

• abalone (pg. 210) - an edible mollusk of warm seas, with a shallow ear-shaped shell lined with mother-of-pearl and pierced with a line of respiratory holes

• chives (pg. 210) - a widely cultivated small Eurasian plant related to the onion, with purple-pink flowers and dense tufts of long tubular leaves that are used as a culinary herb

• flagons (pg. 210) - a large container for especially alcoholic drink, used in the past

• bawdy (pg. 210) - containing humorous remarks about sex

• nape (pg. 211) - the back of the neck

• "maiko" (pg. 211) - apprentice geiko

• brocaded (pg. 211) - heavy cloth with a raised design often of gold or silver threads

• twist of fate (pg. 213) - A highly unexpected or coincidental event, especially one that has an important or far-reaching influence on the future.

• winsome (pg. 213) - Charming, often in a childlike or naive way.

• disseminating (pg. 215) - To scatter widely, as in sowing seed. / To spread abroad; promulgate

• fleece (pg. 218) - The coat of wool of a sheep or similar animal. / The yield of wool shorn from a sheep at one time. / A soft woolly covering or mass. / A soft, warm, lightweight, usually synthetic fabric with a deep pile, used primarily for clothing and blankets. / A garment, especially a shirt or jacket, made of such fabric.


Chapter 18: The Swinging Lantern

• resplendent (pg. 221) - Splendid or dazzling in appearance; brilliant.

• scandal (pg. 222) - A publicized incident that brings about disgrace or offends the moral sensibilities of society: a drug scandal that forced the mayor's resignation. / A person, thing, or circumstance that causes or ought to cause disgrace or outrage: a politician whose dishonesty is a scandal; considered the housing shortage a scandal. / Damage to reputation or character caused by public disclosure of immoral or grossly improper behavior; disgrace. / Talk that is damaging to one's character; malicious gossip.

• reedier (pg. 223) - Resembling a reed, especially in being thin or fragile.

• overhang (pg. 225) - A projecting part, such as an architectural structure or a rock formation. / An amount of projection: an overhang of six inches. / The part of a bow or stern that projects over the water. / An excess of supply or capacity

• recrimination (pg. 226) - the act or an instance of recriminating / law a charge made by an accused ppl against his accuser; countercharge (recriminate: To accuse in return. / To counter one accusation with another.)

• waterbird (pg. 226) - A swimming or wading bird. (wade: To walk in or through water or something else that similarly impedes normal movement. / To cross or pass through (water, for example) with difficulty)


Chapter 19: An Honest Exchange

• sinuous (pg. 229) - Characterized by many curves or turns; winding: a sinuous stream. / Characterized by supple (supple: Readily bent, folded, or manipulated; pliant / Moving and bending with agility; limber) and lithe (lithe: Marked by effortless grace) movements

• parrying (pg. 229) - To deflect or ward off (a fencing thrust, for example). / To deflect, evade, or avoid / To deflect or ward off a thrust or blow

• feverish (pg. 231) - Marked by intense agitation, emotion, or activity

• borne (pg. 231) - past participle of the verb bear

• plaster (pg. 231) - a substance that becomes hard as it dries and is used especially for spreading on walls and ceilings in order to give a smooth surface

• obsidian (pg. 232) - a type of almost bac rock that is like glass

• starless (pg. 233) - of, relating to, or not being a star [without visibile stars,

• cobble (pg. 233) - a rounded stone used on the surface of an old-fashioned road

• fetid (pg. 234) - smelling extremely bad and stale

• conduit (pg. 234) - a pipe or passage for water or electrical wires to go through / a way of connecting two places / someone or something that provides a way of passing something such as information or payments from one person to another

• waylay (pg. 237) - To lie in wait for and attack from ambush. / To approach and speak to (a person on the way to a destination or in the middle of an activity) / To interrupt the course or progress of

• blithe (pg. 239) - Carefree and lighthearted. / Lacking or showing a lack of due concern; casual

• splutter (pg. 239) - speak in a vehement or choking manner; utter rapidly or incoherently, spatter, as a liquid; noise or fuss; a blend of the words splash and sputter

• bone needle (pg. 241) - A bone needle, dated to the Aurignacian age (47,000 to 41,000 years ago), was discovered in Potok Cave (Slovene: Potočka zijalka) in the Eastern Karavanke, Slovenia. Bone and ivory needles found in the Xiaogushan prehistoric site in Liaoning province date between 30,000 and 23,000 years old.

• seamstress (pg. 242) - A woman who sews, especially one who makes her living by sewing.


Chapter 20: The Hot Springs

• untoward (pg. 246) - unexpected and not convenient or unpleasant

• tawny (pg. 246) - of a light yellow-brown color, like that of a lion

• needle (pg. 248) - (informal (annoy)) to purposely annoy someone by making critical remarks or jokes

• mild-mannered (pg. 248) - A mild-mannered person is gentle and does not show extreme emotions

• inclinations (pg. 249) - (feeling) a feeling that you want to do a particular thing, or the fact that you prefer or are more likely to do a particular thing

• indolent (pg. 249) - showing no real interest or effort

• apace (pg. 252) - quickly

• couch (pg. 254) - (formal (couch something in/as something)) to express something in a particular way

• ingratiate (pg. 254) - (ingratiate yourself) to make someone like you by praising or trying to please them


Chapter 21: Twisted Tales

• measured (pg. 257) - careful and controlled, or not fast

• lyrical (pg. 257) - expressing personal thoughts and feelings in a beautiful way

• insidious (pg. 257) - (of something unpleasant or dangerous) gradually and secretly causing harm

• "seppuku" (pg. 259) - ritual suicide

• ensorcell (pg. 261) - bewitch, enchant

• refract (pg. 261) - to subject (something, such as a ray of light) to refraction (refraction: deflection from a straight path undergone by a light ray or energy wave passing obliquely (in a manner that is neither perpendicular nor parallel : inclined) from one medium (such as air) into another (such as glass) in which its velocity is different


Chapter 22: Foxglove

• spring shower (pg. 263) - A sporadic burst of light rain in the spring season, especially in the month of April.

• foxglove (pg. 264) - a tall, thin plant with white, yellow, pink, red or purple bell-shaped flowers growing all the way up its stem

• take him to task (pg. 267) - to call (someone) to account for a shortcoming : to criticize or correct (someone) for some fault or failing

• trepidation (pg. 269) - a nervous or fearful feeling of uncertain agitation : apprehension

• entreaty (pg. 270) - an act of entreating : plea (entreating: to make an earnest request : plead)

• exacting (pg. 271) - demanding a lot of effort, care, or attention

• "ichi-go, ichi-e" (pg. 273) - one lifetime, one meeting; i.e., "live in the moment," "for this time only"


Chapter 23: A Lesson to Be Learned

• haggard (pg. 279) - wild in appearance / having a worn or emaciated appearance : gaunt

• “tantō” (pg. 283) - blade shorter than the wakizashi

• glib (pg. 284) - marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful

• arm’s length (pg. 285) - a distance discouraging personal contact or familiarity

• cuttingly (pg. 286) - in a way that is unkind and intending to upset someone


Chater 25: A Murderous Rampage

• quiddity (pg. 295) - the basic nature or quality of something, that makes it different from other things

• ribald (pg. 295) - referring to sexual matters in an amusingly coarse or irreverent way

• brushfire (pg. 299) - a fire in brush or scrub. / a conflict, especially an armed conflict, that arises suddenly and is limited in scale or area + a minor crisis

• vise (pg. 301) - a metal tool with movable jaws that are used to hold an object firmly in place while work is done on it, typically attached to a workbench


Chapter 26: Smokeshields and Sorrow

• precipitate (pg. 305) - cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely

• marauder (pg. 305) - a person who marauds; a raider (maraud: roam in search of things to steal or people to attack / raid and plunder (a place))

• pestle (pg. 305) - a usually cub-shaped implement for pounding or grinding substances in a mortar

• tinder (pg. 305) - dry, flammable material, such as wood or paper, used for lighting a fire

• "amazura" (pg. 306) - a sweet syrup

• brigand (pg. 312) - a member of a gang that ambushes and robs people in forests and mountains


Chapter 27: A Province of Pain

• cicadas (pg. 315) - a large homopterous insect with long transparent wings, occurring chiefly in warm countries. The male cicada makes a loud shrill droning noise by vibrating two membranes on its abdomen

• live beyond your means (pg. 315) - to spend more money than you receive as income

• dowry (pg. 315) - property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage

• granary (pg. 317) - a storehouse for threshed grain / a region producing large quantities of corn

• periphery (pg. 318) - the outer limits or edge of an arena or object

• millet (pg. 319) - a fast-growing cereal plant that is widely grown in warm countries and regions with poor soils. The numerous small seeds are used to make flour or alcoholic drinks

• "okaa" (pg. 319) - mother

• wan (pg. 320) - (of a person's complexion or appearance) pale and giving the impression of illness or exhaustion / (of light) pale; weak / (of a smile) weak; strained


Chapter 28: The Raid

• garrison (pg. 323) - the troops stationed in a forest or town to defend it

• awning (pg. 323) - a sheet of canvas or other material stretched on a frame and used to keep the sun or rain off a storefront, window, doorway, or deck

• nightingale (pg. 324) - an Old World thrush (Luscinia megarhynchos synonym Erithacus megarhynchos) noted for the sweet usually nocturnal song of the male + also: any of various other birds noted for their sweet song or for singing at night

• nock (pg. 326) - fit (an arrow) to the bowstring ready for shooting

• whoreson (pg. 326) - an unpleasant or greatly disliked person

• firegourd (pg. 328)

• barrel (pg. 328) - to move at a high speed or without hesitation


Chapter 29: My Name is Mariko

• tentatively (pg. 338) - subject to further confirmation; not definitely / in a way that lacks confidence; hesitantly

• heavy-lidded (pg. 338) - having almost closed eyes

• ragged (pg. 341) - lacking finish, smoothness, or uniformity


Chapter 30: Lost in the Ashes

• shoulder (pg. 343) - take on (a burden or responsibility

• sloe-shaped (pg. 346) - the small bluish-black fruit of the blackthorn, with a sharp sour taste

• safflower (pg. 346) - an orange-flowered thistle-like Eurasian plant with seeds that yield an edible oil and petals that were formerly used to produce a red or yellow dye.

• rouge (pg. 346) - a red powder or cream used as a cosmetic for coloring the cheeks or lips

• inscrutable (pg. 348) - impossible to understand or interpret

• coverlet (pg. 349) - bedspread

• “honshō” (pg. 350) - true


Chapter 31: The Shadow Warrior

• erstwhile (pg. 352) - former

• limn (pg. 354); literary - depict or describe in painting or words / suffuse or highlight (something) with a bright color or light

• sure-footedness (pg. 355) - the ability to walk easily on rough ground without falling

• chirrup (pg. 355) - chirp

• corporeal (pg. 355) - physical and not spiritual

• “kagemusha” (pg. 357) - a shadow warrior; man behind the scenes


Chapter 32: The Black Orchid

• “yuzu” (pg. 365) - a small citrus fruit with a tart flavor similar to a pomelo


Chapter 33: A Mountain of Fire

• placate (pg. 369) - to stop someone from feeling angry

• bean curd (pg. 369) - another term for tofu

• fletching (pg. 370) - the feathers of an arrow

• "anate" (pg. 373) - the command for "fire," as in "to fire an arrow"


Chapter 34: The Phoenix

• pearlescent (pg. 381) - having a luster resembling that of mother-of-pearl (mother-of-pearl: a smooth shining iridescent substance forming the inner layer of the shell of some mollusks, especially oysters and abalones, used in ornamentation.

• Fūrinkazan (pg. 381) - a sword of light, associated with the Takeda clan; it is inscribed with the phrases As fast as the wind. As quiet as the forest. As fierce as the fire. As unshakeable as the mountain.

• reticence (pg. 383) - the quality of being reticent; reserve (not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily)

• abominably (pg. 386) - very unpleasantly or unfairly / very badly


Chapter 35: An Ending

• tincture (pg. 389) - a medicine made by dissolving a drug in alcohol

• matcha (pg. 390) - powdered green tea leaves, dissolved in hot water to make tea or used as a flavoring

• frothy (pg. 390) - full of or covered with a mass of small bubbles