Dealing with Dragons: Chapters 5–8

by Patricia C. Wrede
Princess Cimorene, bored with being a princess, runs away to live with a powerful dragon named Kazul. Her life becomes full of exciting adventures and dangerous characters: a witch, a jinn, wizards, and more!

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–11, Chapters 12–15
15 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. haphazard
    marked by great carelessness
    She hadn’t had time to do much organizing in the library, and most of the books and scrolls were lying in haphazard, dust-covered piles.
  2. appalled
    struck with dread, shock, or dismay
    The first two princesses looked as if they would have liked to be startled and appalled by this announcement but were much too well bred to show what they were feeling.
  3. remiss
    failing in what duty requires
    There was a brief silence while Cimorene filled the copper teakettle and hung it over the fire, and then the gold-crowned princess said, “I am remiss in my duties, for I have not yet told you who we are.”
  4. predecessor
    one who goes before you in time
    Alianora found a little jar of hippopotamus oil among the cosmetics left by her predecessor.
  5. oblige
    provide a service or favor for someone
    Kazul did her best to oblige, but Cimorene still had difficulty in keeping up.
  6. rheumatism
    any painful disorder of the joints or muscles
    “Some of the older dragons bathe there. They claim the water is good for rheumatism.”
  7. molten
    reduced to liquid form by heating
    “Beyond that is a cave with molten silver dripping down the walls, and the chain ends at a deep chasm with a river of red-hot melted rock at the bottom.”
  8. chasm
    a deep opening in the earth's surface
    “Beyond that is a cave with molten silver dripping down the walls, and the chain ends at a deep chasm with a river of red-hot melted rock at the bottom.”
  9. cursory
    hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
    The cat stood up, yawned, gave its front paws a cursory lick or two just to show that this was all his own idea, and jumped down onto the floor.
  10. unduly
    to an unnecessary degree
    “I am widely considered to be unduly suspicious of everyone and
    everything,” Kazul said in a dry tone.
  11. pompous
    puffed up with vanity
    He was very pompous and stuffy, particularly about magic, which he claimed was 90 percent trickery and the rest illusion.
  12. reproachful
    expressing disapproval, blame, or disappointment
    The cats gave her reproachful looks and then stalked out the front door with affronted dignity.
  13. limpid
    clear and bright
    She looked at Morwen with limpid eyes and went on in a plaintive tone, “I still haven’t had any cider.”
  14. plaintive
    expressing sorrow
    She looked at Morwen with limpid eyes and went on in a plaintive tone, “I still haven’t had any cider.”
  15. perceptively
    in a keenly discerning manner
    “Don’t feel too bad,” Kazul said perceptively. “If it had succeeded in carrying you off, it would have fed you to its nestlings.”
Created on 六月 12, 2026 (updated 七月 6, 2026)

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