Ch. 1
avarice - greed
bougainvillea - tropical flower
consolation - to comfort
detachment - lack of concern or attachment
indigent - poor; impoverished
procession - line of people
pulque - fermented drink
reassuring - to comfort
scandal - shameful
ulcers - open sores
Ch. 2
bulwark - defensive wall
deliberately - with intent
estuary - river meets sea tide
gloating - prideful; bragging
incandescence - giving off light
lateen - sail (triangle)
mirage - illusory
poultice - an herbal application for the purpose of healing or remedy
refined - polished
telescopically - slide within one another; like a telescope
Ch. 3
almsgiving - giving money to the poor
ammonia - colorless gas with a characteristic pungent odour
confirmation - assurance
consecrated - sacred
consequently - effect; outcome; result
cozened - trickery; misleading
curtly - short; rude
disparagement - insult
dissembling - misleading
essence - basic
furtive - secretive
inaudible - not able to be heard
intervals - space between objects
involuntarily - not intentional
judicious - to exercise good judgment; sound thinking
lucent - softly bright; radiant
mangroves - tropical tree or shrub
merged - unified; blended; combined
precipitated - hurled; cause to move suddenly
projected - cast on a screen
shrilly - high-pitched sound
speculations - guess; chew over; gamble
subjugation - forced submission; conquer
transfigured - idealize; metamorphosis
Ch. 4
appraiser - one who estimates worth or value
contemptuous - scorn or disdain
countenanced - tolerated
crafty - clever
entranced - delighted; enchantment
extravagant - rich; fancy
freshet - freshwater stream (flowing into the sea)
insubstantial - weak; flimsy
legerdemain - magic
lethargy - tired; weak
perplexed - confused
tules - weaving material
understatement - saying less than is intended, with less strength
Ch. 5
conceived - have the idea for; think of
edifice - building or structure
exhilaration - glad; joyful
leprosy - chronic granulomatous communicable disease
skimmed - travel on the surface; to take from the surface
skirled - a shrill call
stifling - smothering; suffocating; to take away breath or restrict
theories - explanation
Ch. 6
apprehensively - fearful
beckoned - signal; inviting nod or wave
cleft - split
erosion - wear away
escarpment - a long, steep slope or cliff; declivity
freshet - freshwater stream (flowing into the sea)
gibbered - chatter; fast talk; tending toward inarticulate gabber
immune - secure against
intercession - intervention; protection; mediation
malignant - dangerous; harmful; tumorous; deadly
monolithic - huge; imposing
monotonously - boring; without variation
outcroppings - layers of rock
petulant - impatient; peevish
remote - far away or apart
rupture - break; burst
sentinel - soldier; guard
threshed - beat; whipped
ulcerous - open sore
wrenched - twisted