The Promised One (27 page)

DNA
n
. deoxyribonucleic acid. The substance in cells of
which genes are made and which can be used to identify species and individuals

docile
adj
. tame; easy to manage; submissive

doggy
bag
n
. a bag containing leftovers from a meal – supposedly for the diner’s dog

domain
n
. land or area owned or dominated by a person, family or group

dominion
n
. rule; control; authority

doomed
adj
. destined to die or suffer a terrible fate

double whammy
n
. something that has two bad effects; a double misfortune

double-cross
v
. to betray or cheat

downturn
n
. an undesirable change; a turn for the worse

drastic
adj
. severe; extreme; forceful

drift
n
. meaning

drone
n
. a continuous low sound

droppings
n
. animal dung; excrement; faeces

drug trafficking
n
. the illegal trading of drugs

dwindle
v
. to grow smaller, or fewer in number; to diminish

eavesdropping
v
. listening secretly to the conversations of others

ebony
adj
. black. A certain type of black wood is called ebony

ecosystem
n
. a system comprising various living and non-living elements; the interactions between the organic and non-organic elements of a given environment

ecstatic
adj
. in a state of rapturous delight or joy

edible
adj
. eatable

eerie
adj
. mysteriously frightening; spooky

elaborate
v
. to give more detail in a story or account; to expand upon

elongate
v
. to stretch; to make longer

embark
v
. to start out; to begin or commence

embarrassment
n
. a feeling of self-consciousness or confusion; a state of being disconcerted

embed
v
. to fix in firmly; to stick into

ember
n
. glowing fragment of wood (etc.) in a dying fire

embrace
v
. to hug

embroidered
adj
. decorated with artistic needlework

emission
n
. a substance that is given out or emitted. In Chapter 21 the word
emissions
refers to polluting substances, particularly gases, produced by industrial processes

emit
v
. to send out; to utter

empathy
n
. the understanding of another’s feelings; the ability to relate to others emotionally

en suite
French phrase meaning part of a set or unit. The
en suite
bathroom in Chapter 8 is joined directly on to Lucy’s bedroom

encounter
n
. a meeting, especially one that is unexpected

enduring
adj
. lasting; permanent

engrossed
adj
. completely absorbed in; occupied; taken up with

engulf
v
. to completely surround; overwhelm

enlightenment
n
. sudden understanding; knowledge

ensure
v
. to make sure; guarantee

enthral
v
. to enchant; to spellbind

entice
v
. to attract with a reward; to allure

epaulette
n
. a strip of material on the shoulder of a uniform

epilepsy
n
. a disorder in which there is loss of consciousness, sometimes accompanied by jerking movements (convulsions)

epoch
n
. a particular period of time in history

era
n
. a particular period of time in history

erstwhile
adj
. former. In Chapter 18
his erstwhile captor
means the person who used to be his captor

escarpment
n
. a long, very steep slope

esteemed
adj
. held in high regard; respected

estimate
v
. to make a rough calculation (e.g. as to size or distance)

evade
v
. to get around; to dodge; to avoid

evaporate
v
. to fade away; to disappear

exalted
adj
. high in rank or position; noble; dignified

excavate
v
. to dig out; to remove (earth, etc.); to make a hole or cavity

exclusive
adj
. belonging to a particular individual or organization. In Chapter 18 the story about Lucy belongs to the tabloid newspaper and nobody else

excrement
n
. poo (slang); faeces; dung; droppings

excruciating
adj
. intensely painful; agonizing

exhilaration
n
. pleasurable excitement; elation

exotic
adj
. strange beauty or quality; having unusual allure

exquisite
adj
. particularly beautiful; attractive with delicate, refined qualities

exterminate
v
. to destroy completely; to wipe out; to annihilate

extraction
n
. taking out; removal; withdrawal

faculty
n
. an ability or power

fading
adj
. slowly disappearing; diminishing

fauna
n
. all the animals living at a particular time, or in a particular place

feline
n
. (or felid) any member of the cat family, Felidae

fend
v
. to look after; to support; to defend. In Chapter 16
fend for themselves
means look after themselves; manage on their own

fervent
adj
. intense; heartfelt; ardent

fib
n
. a harmless lie

fitful
adj
. occurring in irregular spells. A
fitful
sleep (Chapter 6) is broken and restless

flank
n
. the lower part of the side of an animal or person

flaw
n
. a defect or imperfection

flexible
adj
. bendy; pliable

flit
v
. to move quickly and lightly; to dart about

flora
n
. all the plant life living in a particular place or at a particular time

focus
v
. to fix one’s gaze or attention on something; to concentrate

foliage
n
. the leaves of plants

forage
v
. to search for food

forensics
pl. n
. in Chapter 11 this is short for the forensic technicians or scientists who gather clues (often microscopic) from a crime scene

forequarter
n
. part of the front portion of a carcass including an arm (or foreleg) with its attached shoulder and adjacent parts

formidable
adj
. awesome; impressive; threatening; something inspiring fear or dread because of its size, strength or ability

forth
adv
. out. In Chapter 16
come forth
means come out of hiding

forthright
adj
. direct; frank; outspoken

fracture
n
. a break or crack, often, as in Chapter 13, of a bone

fragment
n
. a portion of something larger; a broken-off piece

fragrant
adj
. sweet-smelling

frantic
adj
. very excited; distraught with emotion; displaying frenzied behaviour

French window
n
. a long window, reaching to the floor, that opens like a door

frenzied
adj
. wild; frantically excited

frisk
v
. to feel or pat to check for concealed weapons

frivolous
adj
. not serious; silly; unimportant

frond
n
. the leaf of a palm or fern

fulfil
v
. to achieve; to complete a task; to attain an ambition; to carry out a promise

fumble
v
. to feel or grope, especially clumsily or blindly

furrow
n
. a groove; a wrinkle; a trench. In Chapter 11
his brow furrowed
means his forehead wrinkled

furtive
adj
. sly; secretive

fuselage
n
. the main body of an aircraft

gaff
v
. to land a fish using a hooked pole

garbled
adj
. mixed up; jumbled; distorted so as to render unintelligible

gargantuan
adj
. giant; enormous

gelignite
n
. (gelly) an explosive – a type of dynamite

Geneva Convention
n
. an international agreement to do with the treatment of prisoners of war

gesticulate
v
. to send a message or signal by using body movements (usually of the hands or head)

gesture
n
. something done or said to make a point or emphasize something

ghastly
adj
. horrifying; terrifying; hideous

gingerly
adv
. gently; cautiously; timidly

git
n
. (slang) an unpleasant or contemptible person, often rather foolish

glisten
v
. to shine or gleam in the light

glumly
adv
. sadly; gloomily; dispiritedly

gnaw
v
. to chew or bite persistently, so as to wear away

gossamer
n
. a cobweb or any material having a very fine, filmy texture

GPS
n
. global positioning system. A worldwide location and navigation system based upon satellite signals

grapple
v
. to struggle in close combat; to come to grips with someone or something

grievous
adj
. serious; severe

grille
n
. In Chapter 1 it is the grating of metal bars on the front of a car that lets in air to cool the engine

grimace
n
. a twisted or contorted facial expression

gritted
adj
. in Chapter 21 the expression
gritted teeth
means the Prime Minister had his teeth clenched in anger

ground
cover
n
. low level plants and shrubs that cover the surface of the ground

gruelling
adj
. extremely tiring; punishing; exhausting

gruesome
adj
. horrible; ghastly; repugnant

gullet
n
. the oesophagus or food pipe, leading from the throat to the stomach

gushing
adj
. over-effusive. In Chapter
7 her most gushing voice
means she spoke in an affected, over-sentimental way

halo
n
. a circle or disc of bright light around the head of a saint

hammock
n
. a bed of canvas or netting, slung between ropes

harness
n
. an arrangement of straps that fits around the body and to which things can be attached

henceforth
adv
. from now on

henchman
n
. a supporter; an attendant or servant

hindrance
n
. an obstruction; an impediment

hippidiform
n
. a horse-like creature

hither and thither
adv
. here and there; this way and that

hitherto
adv
. until now; up to this point

hobble
v
. to walk in a lame, awkward way; to limp

homage
n
. an act or display of respect or allegiance to one of superior status

hostile
adj
. very unfriendly; antagonistic; inimical

hove
v. the past tense of the verb ‘to heave’.
Hove into view
(Chapter 16) is a nautical (sailing) expression meaning ‘came into sight’

huddle
v
. to gather or nestle closely to one another

hue
n
. a colour or a shade of colour

humidity
n
. the amount of moisture in the air

humility
n
. humbleness; the quality of not being proud or arrogant

hysterical
adj
. in a highly emotional or excited state

ill-gotten
adj
. obtained illegally or dishonestly

immemorial
adj
. very ancient; from a time too long ago to be remembered

immobilize
v
. to make it impossible for someone or something to move, or be moved

impassable
adj
. not possible to cross or traverse

impenetrable
adj
. not possible to get through

imperceptible
adj
. too slight or subtle to be noticed

implement
v
. to carry out a task or job; to make something happen

implications
pl. n
. effects or results that might not at first be obvious

import
n
. meaning; significance

inadvertent
adj
. unintentional; not deliberate

incalculable
adj
. incapable of being determined; beyond calculation

incessant
adj
. never stopping; continual

incessantly
adv
. without stopping; unceasingly; continually

incoherent
adj
. not making sense; unclear; distorted

incomprehensible
adj
. unintelligible; incapable of being understood