80 words to know before reading The Secret Garden

1. A nursemaid or nanny, especially in South Asia.
2. A female domestic worker who cares for children.

out of the way also. She never remembered seeing familiarly anything but the dark faces of her Ayah and the other native servants, and as they always obeyed her and gave her her own way in

1. Memory (noun): The mental capacity to store and recall information.
2. Meme (noun): A cultural idea, behavior, or style that spreads rapidly.

her over to the care of an Ayah, who was made to understand that if she wished to please the Mem Sahib she must keep the child out of sight as much as possible. So when she was a sickly,

1. A term of respect used in colonial India for a European or other person of high status.
2. In South Asia, a polite form of address for a man, similar to "sir" or "master."

and as they always obeyed her and gave her her own way in everything, because the Mem Sahib would be angry if she was disturbed by her crying, by the time she was six years old she was as

1. Feeling fear or scared.
2. Afraid or alarmed by something.

cared much for anyone. The noise and hurrying about and wailing over the cholera had frightened her, and she had been angry because no one seemed to remember that she was alive. Everyone was

1. An infectious bacterial disease causing severe diarrhea and dehydration.
2. Typically spread through contaminated water.

She heard neither voices nor footsteps, and wondered if everybody had got well of the cholera and all the trouble was over. She wondered also who would take care of her now her Ayah was dead.

1. A single-story house, often with a veranda.
2. A small, cozy cottage, typically with a low-pitched roof.

Missie Sahib. That was why the place was so quiet. It was true that there was no one in the bungalow but herself and the little rustling snake.

1. A woman in a position of authority or control.
2. A woman having an extramarital sexual relationship with a married man.

II Mistress Mary Quite Contrary Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her

1. A fragrant herb used in cooking, especially in Mediterranean dishes.
2. A royal or princely title in certain European countries.

the day the cholera broke out. She was making heaps of earth and paths for a garden and Basil came and stood near to watch her. Presently he got rather interested and suddenly made a

1. A person who is contemptibly timid.

Manor and the only way in which she could keep it was to do at once what Mr. Archibald Craven told her to do. She never dared even to ask a question. “Captain Lennox and his wife died of the

1. A person with a noticeable curvature of the spine, causing a hunched posture.
2. A fictional character, often depicted with a deformed back, like Quasimodo in *The Hunchback of Notre-Dame*.

him. He’s so cross he won’t let them, and they wouldn’t come if he would let them. He’s a hunchback, and he’s horrid.” “I don’t believe you,” said Mary; and she turned her back and stuck her

1. A large country house with lands.
2. The main house of an estate.

I There Is No One Left When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. It

1. An area of open, uncultivated land, often with poor drainage and covered with heather or grass.
2. To secure a boat or ship by attaching it to a fixed object with ropes or anchors.

that’s gloomy enough, too. The house is six hundred years old and it’s on the edge of the moor, and there’s near a hundred rooms in it, though most of them’s shut up and locked. And there’s

1. Shining with a sparkling or shimmering light.
2. Reflecting light in a bright, often wet or polished way.

to be streaming down more heavily than ever and everybody in the station wore wet and glistening waterproofs. The guard lighted the lamps in the carriage, and Mrs. Medlock cheered up very much

1. A type of hat tied under the chin, typically worn by women and children.
2. The hinged metal cover over the engine of a motor vehicle (British English).

person she had ever seen, with her common, highly colored face and her common fine bonnet. When the next day they set out on their journey to Yorkshire, she walked through the station to

1. Calmed or soothed, often into sleep or relaxation.
2. Caused to feel a false sense of security.

slip on one side until she herself fell asleep once more in the corner of the carriage, lulled by the splashing of the rain against the windows. It was quite dark when she awakened again. The

1. A piece of cleared land or meadow (Old English origin).
2. A suffix in English place names indicating a settlement or field.

of somethin’,” putting her hands on her hips. “What?” said Mary eagerly. “In the shop at Thwaite they sell packages o’ flower-seeds for a penny each, and our Dickon he knows which is th’

1. Relating to sexual or gender identities that are not heterosexual or cisgender.
2. Strange, odd, or unconventional.

again. “I suppose you might as well be told something—to prepare you. You are going to a queer place.” Mary said nothing at all, and Mrs. Medlock looked rather discomfited by her apparent

1. (archaic) You (singular), used as the object of a verb or preposition.
2. (poetic) A form of 'you' in older or religious texts.

on Mary. She gradually ceased crying and became quiet. Martha looked relieved. “It’s time for thee to get up now,” she said. “Mrs. Medlock said I was to carry tha’ breakfast an’ tea an’ dinner

1. Rows of shrubs or small trees forming a boundary.
2. Barriers or safeguards against risks or losses.

to go more slowly, as if they were climbing uphill, and presently there seemed to be no more hedges and no more trees. She could see nothing, in fact, but a dense darkness on either side. She

1. A low-growing shrub with small pink or purple flowers, common in moorland.
2. A light purple or pinkish color resembling the heather plant.

nor mountains, it’s just miles and miles and miles of wild land that nothing grows on but heather and gorse and broom, and nothing lives on but wild ponies and sheep.” “I feel as if it might be

1. A long passage in a building with doors leading to rooms on either side.
2. A narrow strip of land connecting two larger areas.

V The Cry in the Corridor At first each day which passed by for Mary Lennox was exactly like the others. Every morning she

1. A tool with a sharp-edged metal blade used for digging or cutting earth.
2. A playing card in the suit of spades, marked with a black symbol resembling a pointed leaf.

Get you gone an’ play you. I’ve no more time.” And he actually stopped digging, threw his spade over his shoulder and walked off, without even glancing at her or saying goodbye.

1. A piece of land planted with fruit trees.
2. A garden or grove where trees are cultivated for food production.

garden—but it did open quite easily and she walked through it and found herself in an orchard. There were walls all round it also and trees trained against them, and there were bare

1. A climbing or trailing plant with glossy leaves, often used for decoration.
2. Short for "Ivy League," a group of prestigious universities in the U.S.

this and wondered why it was so. She had just paused and was looking up at a long spray of ivy swinging in the wind when she saw a gleam of scarlet and heard a brilliant chirp, and there, on

1. Made a short, sharp sound like a bird.
2. Spoke in a cheerful or lively manner.

for a moment. “I like you! I like you!” she cried out, pattering down the walk; and she chirped and tried to whistle, which last she did not know how to do in the least. But the robin seemed to

1. A soft, smooth fabric with a dense pile.
2. Something resembling velvet in texture or appearance.

with the ivory elephants and had seen the gray mouse and its babies in their nest in the velvet cushion.

1. Hard, white material from tusks and teeth of elephants and other animals.
2. A creamy white color resembling ivory.

than the others and some were so tiny that they seemed only babies. Mary had seen carved ivory in India and she knew all about elephants. She opened the door of the cabinet and stood on a

1. A soft bag filled with air, foam, or other material, used for comfort or support.
2. Something that reduces shock or impact, like a protective layer.

the ivory elephants and had seen the gray mouse and its babies in their nest in the velvet cushion.

1. A fine spray or light fog in the air.
2. A thin layer of liquid on a surface.

XIV A Young Rajah The moor was hidden in mist when the morning came and the rain had not stopped pouring down. There could be no going out of

1. Nothing (Northern English dialect)
2. Zero or none (informal usage)

Mary said. “Eh! no!” said Martha, sitting up on her heels among her black lead brushes. “Nowt o’ th’ soart!” “What does that mean?” asked Mary seriously. In India the natives spoke different

1. The flowers of a plant, especially those that produce fruit.
2. A state or period of flowering.

thee tha’d like th’ moor after a bit. Just you wait till you see th’ gold-colored gorse blossoms an’ th’ blossoms o’ th’ broom, an’ th’ heather flowerin’, all purple bells, an’ hundreds o’

1. A small, simple house, typically in a rural or semi-rural area.
2. A vacation home, often in a scenic location.

house. Then they had passed a church and a vicarage and a little shopwindow or so in a cottage with toys and sweets and odd things set out for sale. Then they were on the high road and she saw

1. Sought knowledge or details.
2. Made a formal request or investigation.

garden soil while the robin hopped about very busily employed. “What is your name?” Mary inquired. He stood up to answer her. “Ben Weatherstaff,” he answered, and then he added with a surly

1. Belonging to you (archaic or poetic form of "your").
2. Short for "thyroid" in medical contexts (informal).

into th’ room next to this. It’s been made into a nursery for thee. I’ll help thee on with thy clothes if tha’ll get out o’ bed. If th’ buttons are at th’ back tha’ cannot button them up

1. Flowering plants of the genus Rosa, known for their fragrant blooms and thorny stems.
2. Symbol of love, beauty, or passion in various cultures.

of bushes which were surely rosebushes if they were alive. There were numbers of standard roses which had so spread their branches that they were like little trees. There were other trees in

1. Used as a reflexive pronoun to refer to a group previously mentioned.
2. Used for emphasis to refer to a group previously mentioned.

of little brothers and sisters who had never dreamed of doing anything but waiting on themselves and on the younger ones who were either babies in arms or just learning to totter about and

1. Spoken very softly using one's breath without vocal cords.
2. Communicated in a quiet, secretive, or confidential manner.

his wings; he sat without stirring, and looked at Mary. “No wonder it is still,” she whispered again. “I am the first person who has spoken in here for ten years.” She moved away from the

1. A variant spelling of 'mistle', referring to mistletoe.
2. Archaic term for a missal, a book containing prayers for Mass.

XI The Nest of the Missel Thrush For two or three minutes he stood looking round him, while Mary watched him, and then he

1. A small songbird with a brown or speckled plumage.
2. A fungal infection in the mouth or throat, often seen in infants.

XI The Nest of the Missel Thrush For two or three minutes he stood looking round him, while Mary watched him, and then he began to

1. A twisted or braided strand of material used for lighting, as in a candle or oil lamp.
2. A small town or village (chiefly British usage).

“alive” or “lively.” “I’m glad it’s wick!” she cried out in her whisper. “I want them all to be wick. Let us go round the garden and count how many wick ones there are.” She quite panted with

1. The part of the face above the eyebrows and below the hairline.
2. The front or forward part of something.

he asked. “Yes,” answered Mary. “Do they take good care of you?” “Yes.” He rubbed his forehead fretfully as he looked her over. “You are very thin,” he said. “I am getting fatter,” Mary

1. A boy or young man (informal).
2. A lively or mischievous young man.

obliged to stifle the sound by putting his arm over his mouth. “I know tha’ thinks I’m a queer lad,” he said, “but I think tha’ art th’ queerest little lass I ever saw.” Then Mary did a strange

1. With great pleasure or joy.
2. In a manner showing happiness or satisfaction.

got no time to lose.” “Oh, I do like to hear you talk to him!” Mary said, laughing delightedly. “Ben Weatherstaff scolds him and makes fun of him, and he hops about and looks as if he

1. A male given name of English origin.
2. A type of quail or partridge, especially in Europe.

XIII “I Am Colin” Mary took the picture back to the house when she went to her supper and she showed it to Martha.

1. A cylinder of wax with a central wick that is lit to produce light.
2. A unit of luminous intensity.

his cheeks, for his eyes were shut and he was fast asleep. So she got up softly, took her candle and crept away without making a sound.

1. A piece of fabric hung to cover a window or divide a room.
2. A barrier or screen used in theaters to conceal the stage.

to the nearest tree—an old, old one with gray lichen all over its bark, but upholding a curtain of tangled sprays and branches. He took a thick knife out of his pocket and opened one of its

1. A king or prince in India or Southeast Asia.
2. A title of nobility in some regions.

XIV A Young Rajah The moor was hidden in mist when the morning came and the rain had not stopped pouring down.

1. Creating fabric by interlocking loops of yarn with needles.
2. A craft or hobby involving making garments or items from yarn.

to say.” “I have. I have found out what the crying was,” said Mary. Martha let her knitting drop on her knee and gazed at her with startled eyes. “Tha’ hasn’t!” she exclaimed. “Never!” “I

1. A black bird of the crow family, similar to a crow but smaller.
2. A chess piece that can move any number of squares along a rank or file.

the little bushy-tailed animal rose from its place under the tree and came to him, and the rook, cawing once, flew down from its branch and settled quietly on his shoulder. “This is th’ little

1. Sudden outbursts of anger or frustration, often in children.
2. Emotional fits characterized by crying, yelling, or stubbornness.

in that way when he was a child. He had never told anyone but Mary that most of his “tantrums” as they called them grew out of his hysterical hidden fear. Mary had been sorry for him when he

1. A pain in the head, often caused by stress, tension, or illness.
2. A persistent problem or source of difficulty.

their tempers and need not make other people ill and nervous, too. When she had had a headache in India she had done her best to see that everybody else also had a headache or something quite

1. Experienced a dull, continuous pain.
2. Felt distress or longing.

looking at her. “I made them put me back in bed this afternoon. My back ached and my head ached and I was tired. Why didn’t you come?” “I was working in the garden with Dickon,” said Mary.

1. A state of uncontrollable laughter or crying.
2. Exaggerated or overemotional reactions.

saving of him.” “Is he going to die?” “I don’t know and I don’t care,” said the nurse. “Hysterics and temper are half what ails him.” “What are hysterics?” asked Mary. “You’ll find out if you

1. A sudden outburst of anger or frustration, often in children.
2. An uncontrolled emotional fit or display of temper.

what ails him.” “What are hysterics?” asked Mary. “You’ll find out if you work him into a tantrum after this—but at any rate you’ve given him something to have hysterics about, and I’m glad of

1. Crying noisily with gasps or heaving breaths.
2. The act of making loud, convulsive sounds while weeping.

her, that she threw herself face downward on the pillows and burst into passionate sobbing. She sobbed so unrestrainedly that good-natured Yorkshire Martha was a little frightened and

1. To cause fear or alarm in someone.
2. To make someone feel scared or anxious.

to make her angry and she felt as if she should like to fly into a tantrum herself and frighten him as he was frightening her. She was not used to anyone’s tempers but her own. She took her

1. The reflexive form of "you," referring to the person being addressed.
2. Used to emphasize the subject "you."

daughter’s guardian. The child is to be brought here. You must go to London and bring her yourself.” So she packed her small trunk and made the journey. Mary sat in her corner of the railway

1. A black powdery substance from incomplete combustion of carbon-based materials.
2. Fine particles of carbon that accumulate as residue from burning.

cub,” he said, rubbing the little reddish animal’s head. “It’s named Captain. An’ this here’s Soot. Soot he flew across th’ moor with me an’ Captain he run same as if th’ hounds had been after

1. A municipal bond issued by a local government or municipality.
2. Short for "municipal," relating to a city or town.

that he gets to thinkin’ o’ things as sets him screamin’. Eh! my! we mun get him out here—we mun get him watchin’ an’ listenin’ an’ sniffin’ up th’ air an’ get him just soaked through wi’

1. A long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or more people.
2. A piece of furniture designed for comfort and relaxation in living spaces.

I don’t want to,” said Colin, as the nurse brought in the tea and put it on the table by the sofa. “Now, if you’ll eat I will. Those muffins look so nice and hot. Tell me about Rajahs.”

1. The meat from a young sheep, used as food.
2. A gentle or innocent person.

huddled on her lap she had felt as if she were too full of strange joy to speak. A lamb—a lamb! A living lamb who lay on your lap like a baby! She was describing it with great joy and Colin

1. A planting or area covered with shrubs (small to medium-sized woody plants).
2. A decorative garden feature consisting of grouped or arranged shrubs.

must run.” After she was gone Mary turned down the walk which led to the door in the shrubbery. She could not help thinking about the garden which no one had been into for ten years. She

1. A type of freshwater fish, often silver-colored.
2. Slang for the butt of a marijuana cigarette.

limbs, given by people who had never seen him. “Things are changing in this house, Mr. Roach,” said Mrs. Medlock, as she led him up the back staircase to the corridor on to which opened the

1. The harsh call of a crow or similar bird.
2. To make such a sound.

the door hid itself under the ivy, she was startled by a curious loud sound. It was the caw—caw of a crow and it came from the top of the wall, and when she looked up, there sat a big

1. The uppermost layer of branches in a forest or trees.
2. A covering or awning, often made of fabric, over a bed or entrance.

the plum-tree, which was snow-white with blossoms and musical with bees. It was like a king’s canopy, a fairy king’s. There were flowering cherry-trees near and apple-trees whose buds were pink and

1. Looked steadily and intently, often with admiration or curiosity.
2. Stared fixedly for a long time, sometimes absentmindedly.

it. If one told them to do a thing their ancestors had not done for a thousand years they gazed at one mildly and said, “It is not the custom” and one knew that was the end of the matter. It

1. A floor covering of thick woven material or animal skin.
2. A small carpet, often decorative.

against the tree if I like. When I want to sit down I will sit down, but not before. Bring a rug from the chair.” He walked to the tree and though Dickon held his arm he was wonderfully steady.

1. Having a specified kind of wit or intelligence (e.g., quick-witted).
2. Possessing mental sharpness or cleverness.

hidin’ out o’ sight an’ lettin’ folk think tha’ was cripple an’ half-witted?” “Half-witted!” said Colin angrily. “Who thought that?” “Lots o’ fools,” said Ben. “Th’ world’s full o’

1. A general term for disorders causing pain and stiffness in joints or muscles.
2. Informal term for rheumatoid arthritis or related conditions.

Quick!” It was done quickly enough indeed. Ben Weatherstaff went his way forgetting rheumatics. Dickon took his spade and dug the hole deeper and wider than a new digger with thin white hands

1. A small handheld tool with a flat blade, used for applying and smoothing mortar or plaster.
2. A similar tool with a curved blade, used in gardening for digging or planting.

like bells?” she inquired. “Lilies o’ th’ valley does,” he answered, digging away with the trowel, “an’ there’s Canterbury bells, an’ campanulas.” “Let us plant some,” said Mary. “There’s lilies

1. Used to emphasize a statement or response.
2. Truly or certainly (often expressing agreement).

must be different from other gardens which had not been left all by themselves so long; and indeed it was different from any other place she had ever seen in her life. “How still it is!” she

1. A man or boy; informal term for a male friend.
2. The jaw or cheek of a person or animal.

said as softly as if he were saying something quite different. “Tha’ does know how to get at a chap—tha’ does! Tha’s fair unearthly, tha’s so knowin’.” And he stood without stirring—almost

1. A Hungarian word meaning "teacher" or "master."
2. In some contexts, a variant of "meister," meaning an expert or skilled craftsman.

Mester Craven knowed there was a little lad as was like to be a cripple, an’ they knowed Mester Craven didn’t like him to be talked about. Folks is sorry for Mester Craven because Mrs. Craven

1. Developed or matured successfully.
2. Appeared healthy or glowing (e.g., complexion).

XXV The Curtain And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles. In the robin’s nest there were eggs and the

1. Meaningless or unintelligible speech or writing.
2. Nonsensical or incoherent language.

speaking French to a Frenchman. Dickon always spoke it to the robin himself, so the queer gibberish he used when he spoke to humans did not matter in the least. The robin thought he spoke this

1. To suddenly spring or leap on something, especially to catch or attack it.
2. A sudden swoop or attack, often by an animal.

and then on the other. He thought that the slow movements might mean that he was preparing to pounce, as cats do. When cats are preparing to pounce they creep over the ground very slowly. The robin

1. Wasted away or decreased in size due to lack of use or disease.
2. Degenerated or weakened from disuse or neglect.

manner. If you have to fly about to find every meal you eat, your muscles do not become atrophied (atrophied means wasted away through want of use). When the boy was walking and running about and

1. A short hymn or formula of praise to God, often used in Christian worship.
2. A liturgical expression of praise, typically at the end of a prayer or psalm.

who had been working near a rosebush, glanced round at him. “Tha’ might sing th’ Doxology,” he suggested in his dryest grunt. He had no opinion of the Doxology and he did not make the

1. Barely; almost not at all.
2. Only just; by a very small margin.

to remember that many people never even knew that she had a child at all.” “I believe she scarcely ever looked at her,” sighed Mrs. Crawford. “When her Ayah was dead there was no one to give a

1. A large cup, typically cylindrical with a handle, used for drinking hot beverages.
2. (Slang) A person's face.

his beer-mug in her excitement. “Together, ma’am,” and Ben gulped down half of his new mug at one gulp. “Where was Master Colin? How did he look? What did they say to each other?” “I