Tell Me a Riddle

Tell Me a Riddle Glossary

Book of Martyrs

an account of Protestant Christian history and martyrs, published in the 1500s

Crown n' Deep

a line from a Filipino song called "The Valedictory," written by Jose Rizal in 1896

delegate

someone who acts for the group in its interest

hashing

working as a waiter or waitress at as "hashery," a cheap eating house

haven

a place of shelter, safety, or retreat; a refuge; an asylum

homely

plain or unattractive, especially when referring to a person's appearance

invocate

to call in prayer

jive talk

an affected style of talking that emphasizes slang and vocal rhythm, typically associated with urban African-Americans

jostle

a busy, elbowing crowd

marinero

the Spanish word for "sailor"

Melton

a coat made of Melton cloth, which is thick, pilled wool; traditional sailor peacoats were made of this cloth

mimicry

the imitation of another's words or actions, usually for humorous or insulting effect

miry

full of mud; boggy

Olshana

a small village in the Ukraine

pan del muerto

a type of sweet roll made in Mexican culture to commemorate funerals or the Day of the Dead

pantomime

a humorous, absurd performance using exaggerated gestures and no speech

Satchmo

a nickname for Louis Armstrong, an influential jazz trumpeter and African-American entertainer who helped cross the racial divide in entertainment

tangible

able to be touched

V-mail

the means of communicating with American soldiers overseas in World War II, involving a process of censoring and copying between film and paper; short for "Victory mail"

WPA

acronym for the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal agency designed to provide jobs building public works for the unemployed during the Depression; it also helped foster the arts

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