The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Glossary

ketched

caught

cal'lated

slang for "calculated," this term essentially means "figured" or "surmised"

hisself

himself

"Take holt of"

Take hold of; latch on to

summerset

somersault

this-yer

slang for "this here"

refers to a specific person or object

sorter

sort of

p'ints

points; details

yaller

yellow

foller

follow

ornery

Bad-tempered in a defiant and irritable manner; cranky

countenance

A person's face or facial expression.

transcendent

Possessing qualities that go well beyond the typical into a superior sphere capable of inspiring awe.

compliance

Obedience; the state of conforming to another's desires or will.

dilapidated

Fallen into a state of disrepair as the result of neglect over the passage of time.

garrulous

Describing someone who, though good-natured and affable, can quickly become annoying due to the endless chattering about things of little consequence.

recommence

Restarting an effort.

interminable

Describing the type of situation where it seems like something is never going to end; ceaseless and unrelenting.

iconoclast

Anyone who attacks or criticizes valued and highly cherished traditions or institutions; a rebel who forces others to question the underlying value of convention.

append

To attach or add one thing to another.

cipher

(archaic) Do arithmetic.

tedious

Mind-numbingly monotonous; deathly dull and uninteresting, creating the feeling that one's time is being wasted for no good reason.

infernal

Relating to a sense of being trapped in a hellish underworld.

tranquil

A serene feeling of peace and calm that almost verges on the mystical.

exhort

To urge with an aggressive sense of encouragment.

conjecture

A conclusion that has been reached not through logical association of known facts, but theoretical assumptions based on opinion.

finesse

A subtle handling of a situation through the use of discretion, diplomacy and tact rather than clumsily mishandled lack of proper judgment.

hereunto

formal, archaic word for "here to" or "up to this time"

personage

A person (used to express importance or elevated status)

infamous

Well-known for some bad quality or deed.

reminiscence

A story told about a past event remembered by the speaker.

commission

Order or authorize (a person or organization) to do or produce something.

Obligation

A debt of gratitude for a service or favor.

blockaded

Seal off (a place) to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving.

monotonous

1. Dull, tedious, and repetitious; lacking in variety and interest.

1.1 (of a sound or utterance) lacking in variation in tone or pitch.

exquisitely

In an extremely beautiful and delicate manner.

yarn

A long or rambling story, especially one that is implausible.

queer

Strange; odd.

winning

Attractive; endearing.

suspicion

A very slight trace of something.

feller

fellow

flume

An artificial channel conveying water, typically used for transporting logs or timber.

curiosest

most curious

solittry

solitary

feller'd

fellow would

flush

Having plenty of something, especially money.

busted

bankrupt

setting

sitting

reg'lar

regular

exhorter

noun: one who exhorts

exhort (verb): strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something.

dangdest

"Dang" is a "soft" explicative for "Damn"
Dang + dest = superlative of "dang"

warn's

contraction of were not

considerable

considerably

smart

(archaic)

in a quick or brisk manner

Providence

the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power

Thish-yer

phonetic rendition of dialectical "this here," a substandard emphatic form of "this."

fag-end

The last and worst, worn-out, or worthless part of something

cavort

jump or dance around excitedly

straddling

(archaic) standing, walking, or sitting with one's legs wide apart.

limber

lithe or supple

fetch up

arrive or come to rest somewhere, typically by accident or unintentionally.

wan's

wasn't

fo'castle

forecastle: the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship

bully-rag

treat (someone) in a scolding or intimidating way

j'int

joint

"thronged up the sponge"

to give up a contest; to acknowledge defeat

'peered

appeared

"a red"

'red cent', a term for a penny

edercate

educate

off'n

off of

kinder

kind of

amature

amateur

"prized"

pried

quail shot

a type of pellet used in shotgun shells, intended for hunting quail

anvil

a heavy steel or iron block with a flat top, concave sides, and typically a pointed end, on which metal can be hammered and shaped

'pears

appears

"nap of the neck"

nape of the neck

"by your leave"

with your permission

enterprising

having or showing initiative and resourcefulness.

vagabond

a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job

button-hole

verb: attract the attention of and detain (someone) in conversation, typically against his or her will.

bannanner

banana

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