ICSE Class 9 English word meanings

by | Jul 1, 2024 | General | 0 comments

 

ICSE Class 9 English word meanings

 

ICSE Class 9 English Meanings of Difficult Words from All Chapters (Prose and Poetry) of Treasure Chest Book

 

ICSE Class 9 English Word Meanings – Here, the difficult words and their meanings of all the chapters of ICSE Class 9 English Treasure Chest Book (A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories) have been compiled for the convenience of the students. This is an exhaustive list of the words and meanings of all the Prose and Poetry from the Treasure Chest book of ICSE Class 9 English. The difficult words’ meanings have been explained lucidly so that every student can understand them.

 
PROSE

POETRY

 
PROSE
 

Bonku Babu’s Friend

  1. Pique: Irritation resulting from a slight to one’s pride.
  2. Enthralled: Captured someone’s interest and attention completely.
  3. Endurance: The ability to continue doing something for a long period of time without giving up.
  4. Spook: Ghost
  5. Obscure: Not well known
  6. Feigned: pretended
  7. Nudged: Pushed gently
  8. Irrepressible: Full of life and energy
  9. Guffaw: Laughing noisily
  10. Aurora Borealis: The Northern Lights
  11. Striding: Walking with long, decisive steps in a specified direction
  12. Translucent: Allowing light to pass through but not transparent
  13. Foliage: Leaves and branches of a tree together
  14. Sycophant: Someone who insincerely praises a powerful person in order to get some favour
  15. Goose Pimples: Also known as goosebumps, raised spots on skin when someone is cold, frightened or excited. 

 

 

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Oliver Asks for More

  1. Workhouse: A government-run institution that provided basic food and shelter to the poor.
  2. Orphan: A child whose parents have died.
  3. Pale: Having very light skin color, often due to illness or lack of sunlight.
  4. Meager: Very small or insufficient in amount.
  5. Seized: To grab or take hold of someone or something suddenly and forcefully.
  6. Coffins: Boxes in which a dead person’s body is buried.

 

 
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The Model Millionaire

  1. Accomplishment: Achievement 
  2. Privilege: Special right
  3. Prosaic: Lacking imagination or excitement; ordinary and practical
  4. Profile: The outline of something, especially a person’s face, as seen from the side.
  5. Accomplishment: Something that has been successfully achieved.
  6. Bequeathed: To give something to someone after one dies
  7. Conquest: Victory 
  8. Cavalry: Soldiers who fight on horseback
  9. Pekoe and souchong: Types of black tea
  10. Sherry: A fortified wine, typically dry and pale
  11. Ineffectual: Not producing the desired effect; useless
  12. Adored: Loved deeply
  13. not a penny-piece between them: They lacked money
  14. Glum: Sullen and bad-tempered
  15. Consolation: The comfort received by a person after a loss or disappointment
  16. Ragged: Torn and hanging in loose strips
  17. Freckled: Having many small brown spots on the skin, especially on face
  18. Acknowledged: Recognized or admitted to be true
  19. Repose: A state of rest or relaxation
  20. Dandies: Men who dress very fashionably and care a lot about their appearance
  21. Buoyant: Happy and confident
  22. Fascinating: Charming 
  23. Reckless: Taking risks without considering the possible negative consequences
  24. Parchment: A thin, stiff and somewhat translucent paper. (The Baron’s face is compared to parchment due to wrinkles and his age.)
  25. Piteous: Causing you to feel sadness and sympathy
  26. Coarse: Rough and unpleasant in texture or quality.
  27. Cloak: A long, loose outer garment
  28. Tatters: Pieces of something that is torn or hanging loosely
  29. Cobbled: Mended or patched coarsely
  30. Battered: Damaged or beaten (It could describe the beggar’s clothes or his appearance.)
  31. Alms: Money given to the poor as charity
  32. Velasquez: A famous Spanish painter known for his portraits and historical scenes.
  33. Rembrandt: A famous painter, known for his use of light and shadow.
  34. Etching: A way of making pictures by using acid that eats away hard surfaces, like metal or glass.
  35. Consolation: Comfort or solace, especially in times of sadness
  36. Easel: A stand that supports an artist’s canvas while they paint 
  37. Forlorn: Feeling sad, abandoned, or hopeless
  38. Wretch/Wretched: A miserable or unfortunate person
  39. A sovereign: An old British gold coin
  40. Coppers: Copper coins (These were usually of low value)
  41. Hansoms: Horse-drawn carriages
  42. Fortnight: A period of two weeks
  43. Flitted: Moved swiftly or lightly
  44. Withered: Dry and decaying
  45. Extravagance: Excessive spending on luxury items
  46. Hock and seltzer: A drink made with Rhine wine (hock) and sparkling water (seltzer)
  47. Prospects: Chances of future success or prosperity
  48. Dreadful: Extremely unpleasant or bad.
  49. Miserable: Very unhappy or uncomfortable
  50. Splendid: Excellent, or beautiful and impressive
  51. Picturesqueness: visually interesting 
  52. Relentless: cruel
  53. Overdrawing: Spending more money than one has in their bank account
  54. Magnificent: Grand, impressive, or beautiful
  55. Dismay: A feeling of disappointment or shock
  56. Reckless: Taking unnecessary risks or acting without thinking.
  57. By Jove: An exclamation similar to “Good heavens!” used to express surprise or frustration.
  58. Wasn’t in full dress: This means someone wasn’t wearing their most formal attire
  59. Duffer: Unskillful 
  60. In the highest spirits: Very happy and energetic 
  61. Chuckling: A quiet, suppressed laugh
  62. Capital story: This is an outdated but enthusiastic way of saying “excellent story” or “wonderful story”.
  63. Growled: A low, harsh guttural sound, often used to express anger or frustration 
  64. Philanthropic: Someone who is generous and donates to charitable causes 
  65. Apology: An expression of regret or sorrow for a fault or offence
  66. Commissioned: This means to formally ask someone to create a work of art for a fee
  67. stammered: A speech disorder where a person has difficulty speaking fluently (Stammering may sound like mmmmmmoney)
  68. Wizened: to become dry, shrunken, and wrinkled often as a result of ageing
  69. to kiss her shoe-strings: means he was ready to do anything for her

 

 

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Home-Coming 

  1. Ringleader: one who leads others in improper activities
  2. Mud-flat: a flat area of land that is often exposed at low tide and covered in mud.
  3. Mas: upright support for the sails
  4. Seconded the proposal: express one’s agreement to a proposal
  5. Unanimously: everyone in the group agreed on something, without any disagreement
  6. Sauntered: to walk slowly in a relaxed and casual way, often suggesting a lack of urgency or purpose./ confused or unable to understand something. 
  7. Puzzled: confused or unable to understand something
  8. Timidly: done in a shy or hesitant way
  9. Unconcerned: not worried or troubled about something
  10. Futility: the state of being useless or pointless
  11. Thrash: beat with a stick, as punishment
  12. Regal: having the characteristics of a king or queen; majestic, dignified
  13. Dignity: quality of being worthy of respect
  14. Crisis: difficult or dangerous time
  15. Manoeuvre: a clever or skilful movement, especially one made to deceive an enemy
  16. Discomfit: to make someone feel uncomfortable or embarrassed
  17. Peril: serious danger or risk
  18. Heave: to lift or pull something heavy with a great effort
  19. Glory: great honour or praise
  20. Hoarse: rough and harsh
  21. Fury: anger
  22. Blind as Fate: Fate is often personified as blind, meaning it cannot see the future or control what happens.
  23. Sunken: partly submerged under water
  24. Landing: a place where people or goods can be embarked or disembarked from boats.
  25. Shore: edge of the land next to a large body of river, lake or ocean
  26. Impotent: powerless or ineffective
  27. Indignantly: hatefully
  28. Sheepish: looked foolish
  29. Hammered: Hit repeatedly 
  30. Blows: Punches or strikes
  31. Critical Juncture: a crucial or decisive moment
  32. Grey-haired: having hair that is grey in colour, a sign of ageing
  33. Perpetual nuisance: constantly annoying or troublesome
  34. Disobedient: not obeying rules or instructions
  35. Wild: uncontrolled
  36. As good as gold: excellent or perfect in character
  37. Quiet as a lamb: very quiet and gentle
  38. Readily: willingly and without hesitation
  39. Hastened: hurried or rushed
  40. Rejoicing: great happiness and celebration
  41. Prejudice: an opinion that is not based on reason or experience
  42. Immense: very great or large
  43. Distressed: upset or worried
  44. Eagerness: strong desire or enthusiasm
  45. Perpetuity: forever or indefinitely
  46. Bequeathed: to give something to someone in your will, typically after you die.
  47. Unbounded: limitless or unrestricted
  48. On pins and needles: very anxious or nervous with anticipation
  49. Generosity: large heartedness
  50. Indiscretion: lack of good judgement or careful behaviour; an unwise act
  51. Ornamental: serving as decoration or adornment; not having a practical use
  52. Impertinent: rude or disrespectful, especially in a way that is considered to be amusing
  53. Resented: to feel bitterness or indignation at something considered unjust, unfair, insulting, or injurious
  54. Indecent haste: an excessively fast or hurried way that is considered inappropriate
  55. Unduly: To an unnecessary or unreasonable degree
  56. Lapse: a temporary failure of judgement, behaviour, or memory
  57. Nuisance: a person or thing that causes annoyance, inconvenience, or trouble. 
  58. Self-conscious: uncomfortably aware of oneself and how one is seen by others
  59. Undue indulgence: excessive kindness or leniency, which is seen as harmful
  60. Paradise: a place or state of ideal happiness and peace
  61. Slighted: to treat someone with a lack of respect or attention; to offend someone. 
  62. Oppressed: Feeling weighed down, burdened, or restricted
  63. Despot: An absolute ruler with complete control, often used negatively for a cruel ruler.
  64. Tyrant: A cruel and oppressive ruler.
  65. Longing: an intense feeling of desire or yearning for something or someone.
  66. Inexpressible: unable to be expressed in words
  67. Wistfulness: a feeling of sadness and longing for something that is missing or that one has lost
  68. Uncouth: Lacking manners or refinement, awkward and clumsy.
  69. Gaped: stared with the mouth open, often in surprise or confusion
  70. Espied: caught sight of something or someone, especially secretly.
  71. Gazed: looked long and steadily
  72. Summoned up: Gathered or found courage
  73. Unmercifully: without mercy or kindness 
  74. Abjectly miserable: extremely unhappy and in a bad state 
  75. Jeer: to make fun of someone in a rude or mocking way
  76. Pursed her lips in contempt: tightened her lips in a way that shows disgust or disapproval
  77. Lout: a clumsy or stupid person
  78. Country lout: ill-mannered villager
  79. Futile: useless
  80. Shivering: uncontrollable shaking
  81. Torrents: heavy and continuous downpours of rain
  82. Drenched through to the skin: completely soaked, especially by rain.
  83. Constables: Police officers of a lower rank
  84. Limbs: arms and legs.
  85. Tremble: shake uncontrollably
  86. Heap of trouble: someone who causes a lot of problems or difficulties
  87. Exclaimed: said something loudly and suddenly, often due to surprise or strong emotion
  88. Sobbed: cried uncontrollably with shaking breaths.
  89. Delirious: in a confused state of mind, often accompanied by hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there).
  90. Vacantly: blankly, without any clear thought or purpose 
  91. Flung: Threw somebody suddenly
  92. Lean: thin, possibly due to illness or malnutrition.
  93. Mutter: to speak softly and unintelligibly
  94. Fathoms: a unit of length used primarily for measuring the depth of water, equal to six feet (1.8 meters). In the context of the crying, it’s a metaphor for Phatik navigating through a difficult and unknown situation.
  95. Plumb-line: a weighted line used for measuring the depth of water. Phatik’s cries reference the sailor marking the depth, but metaphorically, it suggests Phatik is grappling with his own unknown depths of illness and delirium.
  96. Unfathomable: too deep or mysterious to be fully understood
  97. Whirlwind: something that moves very quickly and forcefully, often causing disruption
  98. Agitation: a state of great restlessness or worry
  99. Darling: a term of endearment used for someone loved deeply
  100. Restless: unable to relax or stay still
  101. Ceased: stopped completely
  102. Beating up and down: A repetitive motion, possibly suggesting Phatik is hitting something or moving his hands rapidly.

 

 

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The Boy Who Broke the Bank

  1. Grumbled: complained
  2. Hurriedly: quickly
  3. Annoyed: angry
  4. Plodded: walked with heavy steps
  5. Hoisted: lifted
  6. Ayah: maidservant
  7. Exhausted: used up
  8. Tamarind a tropical: African tree
  9. Stationary: motionless
  10. Bankrupt: insolvent
  11. Collapsed: fall down
  12. Yelped: cried
  13. Rapidly: quickly
  14. Astonished: surprised
  15. Imminent: near at hand
  16. Frenzy: madness
  17. Dilemma: predicament
  18. Persuade: coax
  19. Aggravated: exasperated
  20. Placate: pacify
  21. Hurtled: moved at high speed

 

 

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POEMS
 

The Night Mail

  1. Beattock: A village in Scotland
  2. Gradient: The slope of a road or railway line.
  3. Moorland: Open, uncultivated land with low vegetation.
  4. Boulder: A large, round rock
  5. Shovelling: pushing quickly and in large quantities.
  6. Snorting: to force air violently through the nose with a rough harsh sound
  7. Blank-faced coaches: Train coaches with no passengers on board.
  8. Slumber: poetic term for sleep.
  9. Paws across: This describes the sheepdogs’ relaxed posture, with their paws crossed in front of them.
  10. Descends: Move downward. (In this context, the train is going downhill towards Glasgow)
  11. Glade: An open space in a forest or woodland. (Here, it’s used metaphorically to describe a large area filled with cranes)
  12. Apparatus: Equipment or machinery used for a particular purpose. (Here, it refers to the industrial machinery)
  13. Furnaces: Large enclosed structures in which fuel is burned to produce heat at high temperatures. 
  14. Gigantic: Extremely large or enormous.
  15. Glens: A narrow valley between steep hills or mountains, especially in Scotland and Ireland. (A secluded valley)
  16. Long for: Have a strong desire or feeling of need for something. 
  17. Sea lochs: An inlet of the sea forming a long, narrow arm into the land, especially on a rocky coast. Lochs means lakes. 
  18. Receipted bills: Bills that have a stamp or mark showing they have been paid.
  19. Applications for situations: Applications for jobs (situation here refers to someone’s position or employment).
  20. Timid: Shy or hesitant.
  21. Declarations: Statements or announcements, often of strong feelings.
  22. Gossip: Rumours or unsubstantiated information about other people.
  23. Circumstantial: Providing details about the surrounding circumstances.
  24. Financial: Relating to money and finances.
  25. Snaps: Informal photographs, often taken quickly.
  26. Enlarge: To make something bigger.
  27. Margin: The edge or border of a page.
  28. Condolences: Expressions of sympathy on the death of someone.
  29. Highlands and Lowlands: Geographical regions of Scotland, with the Highlands being the more mountainous and rural area, and the Lowlands being the plains and more populated area.
  30. Hebrides: A group of islands off the west coast of Scotland.
  31. Hue: A particular shade or color of light.
  32. Chatty: Friendly and talkative.
  33. Catty: Mean-spirited or malicious in remarks about others.
  34. Adoring: Filled with great love and admiration.
  35. Outpouring: A large or continuous flow of something, often emotions.
  36. Cranston’s or Crawford’s: References to tea shops or cafes in Edinburgh, Scotland at the time the poem was written.
  37. Well-set (Edinburgh): Prosperous and attractive city, well-maintained and established.
  38. Granite: A type of very hard rock.
  39. Long for: This means to have a strong desire for something.
  40. Quickening of the heart: Speeding up of the heartbeat. (The sound of the postman’s knock will cause their hearts to beat faster due to excitement.)

 

 

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Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat

  1. Whisper: murmur
  2. Thimble: a small pitted cup worn on the finger that protects it from being pricked or poked by a needle while sewing. 
  3. high and low: at all places
  4. Nimble: moving with ease; agile
  5. Frantic: quite restless
  6. Saunter: walk in a slow, relaxed way
  7. The rear: backside
  8. Patrol: act of going around an area to see if everything is fine
  9. Folk: here, folk refers to people aboard the train
  10. Hilarity: amusement involving noisy laughter
  11. Riot: unbecoming behaviour /chaos
  12. Pranks: tricks
  13. Den: small cabin
  14. Berth: a seat to sleep
  15. Speck: a tiny spot
  16. Crank: a bar and handle in the shape of I that you can pull or turn
  17. Brightly: cheerfully
  18. Creep into: move softly
  19. Cosy: comfortable
  20. Reflect: think
  21. Bothered: troubled
  22. Counterpane: a bedspread
  23. Flea: a blood-sucking insect
  24. Elation: excited cheerfulness
  25. Wave: movement to say or suggest something

 

 

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I Remember, I Remember 

  1. Peeping in: looking in secretly through a small opening
  2. Morn: morning
  3. Borne: carry
  4. Borne my breath away: to carry my life away; to cause death
  5. Violets: a kind of flower
  6. Robin: a kind of bird
  7. Laburnum: a small tree with hanging bunches of yellow flowers
  8. Swallows: a kind of bird
  9. Feathers: soft light parts on the body of a bird
  10. Fever on my brow: suggestive of misery and gloominess
  11. Fir trees: forest trees with leaves like needles
  12. Slender: delicate
  13. Tops: upper parts (or a tree)
  14. Close: near
  15. Father: distant

 

 

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A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 

  1. Stretched: spread
  2. Gazed: looked intently
  3. Half-clad: dressed in less clothes
  4. Magnesium flares: When ignited, it produces bright light 
  5. Collapsed: fell down
  6. Timber: pieces of broken wood
  7. Weird: eerie/ strange
  8. Splinter: a small, thin, sharp piece of wood, glass, or similar material broken off from a larger piece. 
  9. Mangled: crushed/ damaged
  10. Jutted: stuck out
  11. Dislodged: took out
  12. Detachedly: indifferently
  13. Gushed out: flowed quickly
  14. Scared: frightened
  15. Emerged: came out
  16. Stumbling: trippling
  17. Tripped: caught your foot on something and almost fell
  18. Gasped out: breathed with difficulty
  19. Tilted: bent to one side
  20. Distress: misery
  21. Crept: moved very slowly
  22. Scarecrows: the people are compared to the dummy human forms placed in fields to frighten crows
  23. Dismayed: shocked
  24. Came across: met
  25. Marred: damaged/ruined
  26. Anguish: pain

 

 

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A Work of Artifice 

  1. Artifice: clever trick
  2. Bonsai: A miniature tree grown in a container, carefully shaped and pruned to maintain its small size. 
  3. Split: tear /break apart
  4. Lightning: a powerful electrical discharge in the atmosphere
  5. Pruned: cut off to make something smaller
  6. Whittles: reduce something in size, amount, or extent by a gradual series of steps.
  7. Croons: Sings in a soft, low voice.
  8. Cozy: comfortable
  9. Dwarf: stunt
  10. Bound: held together
  11. Crippled brain: suggestive of stunted mental growth
  12. Curlers: a kind of roller to make hair curly

 

 

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