African Pursuit (23 page)

primitive
adj.
early; crude; undeveloped

proclaim
v.
to announce in public

prodigious
adj.
very great; vast

profusely
adv.
abundantly; copiously

prologue
n.
an introductory section to a story, play, speech, etc.

prospector
n.
one who searches for valuable minerals

prototype
n.
a preliminary or experimental version of something

provenance
n.
place of origin

psychological
adj.
to do with the mind

pterodactyl
n.
any of a large variety of extinct flying reptiles belonging to the order Pterosauria.
Pterodactyl
species existed over an immense span of time: 228–65mya

pterosaur
(see pterodactyl)

pugmark
n.
pawprint of an animal; spoor

pun
n.
a joke that relies on a play on words; usually words that sound the same but have different meanings

punctuate
v.
to interrupt frequently

purportedly
adv.
supposedly; allegedly

pursuit
n.
a chase; the act of following

quagmire
n.
bog; mire; marsh; swamp

quaver
v.
to tremble; to quiver

query
n.
a question

qv
abbrev. quod vide (Latin).
This means ‘which see’ and is used to denote a cross-reference

RAC
abbrev.
Royal Automobile Club. An organization that gives assistance to car drivers

radioactive
adj.
emitting radiation spontaneously from atomic nuclei (includes alpha-, beta- and gamma-radiation)

rampage
n.
destructive or violent behaviour

randomly
adv.
haphazardly

ransack
v.
to plunder and pillage; to take apart

ransom
n.
the price demanded for someone’s release

rapprochement
n. (French)
the resumption of peaceful relations

raptor
n.
a bird of prey

raucous
adj.
hoarse; loud; harsh

ravage
v.
to destroy; to damage

ravenously
adv.
very hungrily; voraciously

ravine
n.
a deep, narrow valley

reagent
n.
a substance used in chemical tests or reactions

realm
n.
field or area of interest

realm
n.
kingdom; domain

rebel
v.
to rise up against authority or an established institution

recess
n.
a space that is set back; an alcove; a niche

recipient
n.
one who receives

recollections
pl.n.
memories

reconciliation
n.
the settlement of a quarrel; the re-establishment of friendly relations

reconnoitre
v.
to inspect; to survey; to examine; to explore

recount
v.
to tell; to describe; to narrate

recumbent
adj.
lying down; reclining

reflection
n.
careful thought or consideration

refuge
n.
a place of safety; somewhere providing shelter or protection

regale
v.
to give pleasure or amusement

rehabilitation
n.
restoration

reminiscences
pl.n.
memories; recollections

remnant
n.
vestige; surviving trace

remorse
n.
sorrow; regret; compunction

remote
adj.
far away; distant; out-of-the-way

rendezvous
n. (from French)
a pre-arranged meeting

renegade
n.
outlaw; rebel

repercussion
n.
consequence; result

replenish
v.
to restore that which has been used up; to replace

repressive
adj.
restraining; suppressing; subjugating

research
v.
to obtain information or collect facts about a subject; to study in detail

reserve
n.
an area of land set aside for the conservation of animals, plants, etc.

respiratory
adj.
to do with breathing

respite
n.
a pause; a rest interval

rest my case your honour
phrase
a legal phrase indicating that one has finished presenting evidence to a judge. In Chapter 9 Clare uses the phrase to indicate that she thinks she has delivered a powerful argument

retch
v.
to heave as if to vomit; to vomit ineffectually

retract
v.
to draw in; to be drawn in

retribution
n.
punishment, especially as vengeance

retrieve
v.
to recover something; to get something back

rev up
v.
to increase the speed of an engine ( from revolutions per minute)

revel
v.
to take pleasure or delight in

revelation
n.
something revealed or disclosed, usually in a surprising way

roam
v.
to wander; to move about with no fixed objective

Rolex
adj. (trade name)
an expensive brand of wristwatch

rottweiler
n.
a species of robust dog with a reputation for being fierce

round the corner
adj. phrase
soon; imminent

rueful
adj.
sorrowful; repentant

ruffian
n.
a villain; a violent person

rummage
v.
to search carelessly or untidily

ruthless
adj.
hardhearted; merciless

sack
v. (slang)
to dismiss from employment

safari
n.
an expedition into the bush or wilderness, often in search of animals and especially in Africa

sarcastic
adj.
mocking; ironic; stating the opposite of what is really intended

sardonic
adj.
derisive; mocking

saunter
v.
to stroll at a leisurely pace

savannah
n.
open grassland, studded with trees and bushes

saved my bacon
phrase
an expression indicating great relief at having been rescued from a difficult situation

scam
n. (slang)
a swindle; a method of cheating

sceptical
adj.
disbelieving; doubtful; mistrustful

scree
n.
a heap of rock fragments

scrutiny
n.
close observation

seam
n.
a linear deposit or stratum of rock, ore, etc.

secure
adj.
safe; free from danger; carefree

seduce
v.
to entice; to attract; to lure

senhor
n.
a Portuguese courtesy title equivalent to Mr or Sir

serpentine
adj.
snake-like

shades
pl.n.
suggestions; memories

shale
n.
fine-grained sedimentary rock deposit

shudder
v.
to shake violently in fear or horror

SI units
n.
The
Système International D’Unités
is an international system of units used in science and technology

sibling
n.
brother or sister

slander
n.
defamatory statement; falsehood; calumny

slang
n.
a word or phrase that is not standard language but is used informally; jargon

sojourn
n.
a period of temporary residence; a limited stay

specimen
n.
an object of interest, collected and kept for future study or display

spectacle
n.
an unusual or interesting sight; a phenomenon

spellbound
adj.
fascinated; enthralled

spiral
v.
to move along a helical course

spit
n.
a long rod on which meat or a carcass is skewered for roasting over an open fire

spooky
adj.
eerie; ghostly; supernaturally frightening

sporadic
adj.
intermittent; every now and then

sprawl
v.
to spread out; to straggle

stalk
v.
to prowl stealthily towards prey

stammer
v.
to speak hesitantly

static
adj.
stationary; unmoving

steed
n.
a horse upon which one rides. In Chapter 15 Neema’s ‘steed’ is an elephant

stifle
v.
to cover up or suppress a sound

stifling
adj.
oppressive; stuffy

stimulate
v.
to arouse; to generate activity

stipulation
n.
a condition, usually one upon which an agreement depends

straddle
v.
to stretch across something with gaps or intervals between the supporting structures

strand
v.
to leave helpless; to maroon

strata
n.
the plural of stratum (qv)

strategic
adj.
relating to the conduct of a project or mission, especially one to do with war

strategy
n.
a plan of action

stratum
n.
a layer (especially of rock)

stunning
adj. (slang)
amazing; astonishing; very impressive

stupefaction
n.
bewildered amazement; astonishment

stupor
n.
unconscious state; torpor

subdued
adj.
not harsh or bright; dimmed

subside
v.
to settle down; to sink to a lower level

subtle
adj.
not very obvious; difficult to detect. Clare’s use of the word in Chapter 21 is, of course, sarcastic

suburb
n.
a district on the outskirts of a town or city, usually residential (where people live)

succulent
adj.
juicy

sullenly
adv.
morosely; gloomily

suppress
v.
to hold back; to keep in check; to restrain

surmise
v.
to conjecture; to infer

surmount
v.
to rise above

surveillance
n.
the act of watching; observation; scrutiny

sustained
adj.
suffered; undergone

Swahili
n.
a language used in Kenya, Tanzania and many other East African countries

swamp
n.
an area of ground that is permanently waterlogged; marsh; quag

swarm
n.
a large group of small animals, especially bees and other insects

sympathy
n.
emotional feelings for others (compassion, anguish, etc.)

syndicate
n.
a business group undertaking a project

synopsis
n.
summary; condensed review

talent
n.
ability; aptitude

talons
pl.n.
the hooked claws of a bird, especially a raptor

tan
n.
a yellowish-brown colour

tangle
v.
to twist together; to mix up; to snarl; to make confused

tarpaulin
n.
a sheet of tough, waterproof fabric used as a cover

temporarily
adv.
for a short period; transiently

tentatively
adv.
hesitantly; cautiously; uncertainly

terrain
n.
ground (when describing the geography or topography of an area)

tersely
adv.
shortly; curtly; abruptly

thee
pronoun (archaic)
you, the objective form of thou

thermal
n.
Chapter 11: a column of rising air produced by uneven heating of the ground and local area, often used by birds or gliders to gain height with minimum effort;
adj.
Chapters 13, 19: relating to heat or temperature

thicket
n.
an area of dense vegetation composed of small trees, bushes, shrubs, brambles,etc.

thine
adj. (archaic)
belonging to you; yours

thou
pronoun (archaic)
you; the one addressed

throng
n.
a large crowd gathered closely together

thug
n.
a violent individual

thumbs-up
phrase
a gesture indicating success; pleasure; approval; etc.

tidings
pl.n.
news; information

to and fro
adv.
back and forth

toerag
n. (slang)
an unpleasant, despicable or contemptible person

tormented
adj.
anguished; tortured

torso
n.
the trunk of the body

transcript
n.
a reproduction or copy of a document

transfixed
adv.
rendered motionless by shock, fear or horror

transversely
adv.
crossways

traverse
v.
to cross; to go over

trek
v.
to make a journey, often a long and difficult one

tributary
n.
a river or stream that joins a larger one

trilogy
n.
a series of three associated works

trio
n.
a group of three

trivial
adj.
unimportant; petty