THE ENEMY

- PEARL.S. BUCK

WORD MEANINGS

Yonder: at some distance in the direction pointed at

haori: a loose outer garment worn over the kimono.

Kimono: a traditional Japanese garment.

Heedlessly: carelessly

Staggered: walk unsteadily as if about to fall

Leaned: bent forward

Spiked: covered with sharp points

a stain of red: blood stain

Tended: cared for, looked after

Solemn: serious and concerned

Beachcomber: a vagrant who makes a living by searching beaches for articles of value and
selling them.

Muttered: speak in a low voice

Stanch: stop or restrict (a flow of blood) from a wound.

Sea moss: a kind of seaweed

Strewed: to be scattered untidily over a place or area

Moaned: a low cry in pain

Stupor: a state of unconsciousness

Repulsion: a strong dislike

Inert: motionless

Battered: torn and worn out

Fowl: cock, hen

Distress: sadness

Pallor: an unhealthy pale appearance

Stoop: bend forward

Pulse: heartbeat

Vitality: energy, life

Menace: danger, threat

Nursery: a room in a house for the special use of young children.

Bluntly: in a straight – forward manner

Courteously: politely

Superstitious: irrational beliefs

Stubbornness: firm determination

Fierce: dangerous

Resistance: the refusal to accept or comply with something

Sustained: continued

Conviction: firm belief

impulsively: to do something suddenly without thinking

rugs: blanket blond: of light colour

Ebbing: decreasing gradually

Rose: stood up

Chilled: freeze due to cold weather

Sterilized: disinfected

Tokonoma alcove: The word 'toko' literally means "floor" or "bed"; 'ma' means "space" or
"room." In English, tokonoma is usually called alcove. It is a part of a room where things are
displayed.a niche or an alcove in a Japanese home for displaying a flower arrangement,
kakemono, or other piece of art.

Concise: short

Anesthetic: a substance that induces insensitivity to pain

Superficial: existing or occurring at or on the surface.

her face the colour of sulphur: sulphur is a yellow coloured element. The clause means that
her face became pale – yellowish in colour.

Retching: vomiting

Ruthless: harsh, merciless

Moaned: made low, soft sounds due to pain

Paid no heed: did not pay attention to

beginning to stir: gaining consciousness.

Saturate: wet

Cable – thick rope

Slack – to reduce

Shed – removed

Panic – fear

Seized – gripped

Crouched: sit in a squatting position

piteously: causing you to feel sad and sympathetic

by word of mouth: people tell it to each other rather than it being printed in written form.

Manchuria: Manchuria (Northeast China) is the homeland of the Manchu people. To the
Chinese, the region is simply known as the Northeast. Manchuria is made up of China's three
north-eastern most provinces: Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang.

Scars: marks

Probed: searched

Anatomy: the branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, animals,
and other living organisms, especially as revealed by dissection and the separation of parts.

Cardinal: basic, first

Precise: accurate

Incisions: surgical cuts

Quivered: shivered, trembled

Muttered: spoke

Guts: informal word for bravery and determination

Profound: very great or intense

Pulse: heartbeat

Feeble: weak

Vial: a small container, typically cylindrical and made of glass, used especially for holding
liquid medicines.

Hypodermic: needle, syringe, injection

Thrust: pushed

Fluttered: trembled

Compelled: forced

Apologise: feel sorry

Summon: to gather

Gasped: to catch one’s breathe due to astonishment

Knelt: sat on her knees

Porcelain: a white vitrified translucent ceramic also called china used for making utensils,
pottery, etc.

Moss: a very small soft green plant

Pine needles: very thin, sharp leaves that grow on pine trees

Marred: spoiled

Contemptuously: disrespectfully

Wistaria wine: a flowering plant used for decoration

Traitor: a person who betrays his country

Impulsive: sudden, thoughtless

Assuage: decrease, reduce

Kerchief: square piece of cloth

Dismayed: shocked

Mistress: a woman in a position of authority or control

Inclined: bent towards one side

Grieving: in a state of sadness

Briskly: quickly

Crimson: bright red colour

Unaccustomed labour: not used to perform hard work

Gasping: struggling to breathe, unable to speak

Southern sunshine: the door of the office which opened into the garden faced the South
direction. This means that the sunshine which entered the office was not direct and bright
instead it was a shady sunshine
Indispensable: necessary

ruthlessness: harshness

sentimentality: being emotional

execution: legal punishment

peculiar: strange

Overwhelmed: full of emotions

Cares of his life: problems and responsibilities that he faced during his life

South pacific: the part of the Pacific Ocean that lies in the southern hemisphere.
Assassins: professional killers

Timid: showing lack of courage or confidence

Absolute state: a state run by kings having total powers

Gaunt: gloomy, weak

Stubbly: unshaven, bearded

Blond: light – coloured, yellowish colour

Gripping: holding tightly

Rustling: the sound made by footsteps

Twig: branch of tree

Burden: here, it refers to a dead body.

Shaggy: hairyRefrain: a sound that is repeated time and again

Boughs: branches of trees

Partitions: structures dividing a room into parts

Eaves: part of the roof that meets or overhangs the wall of a building

Wail: cry loudly

Infected: affected

Crept: crawled

Gay: happy

Washed: bathed

there was a faint colour in his cheeks:-- his pale yellow coloured cheeks were turning pinkish
in colour which indicated that he was recovering.

Weary: tired
Strain: stress

Weary: tired

Strain: stress

Fortifying: putting security at a place

Submerged: here, sink into the sea

Fathom: a unit of measuring the depth of the sea.

Comprehending: understanding

Nodded: lower and raise one's head slightly and briefly, especially in greeting, assent, or
understanding, or to give someone a signal.

Dragged: pulled

Stout: fat, big

Pawnshop: a store that lends money in exchange for a valuable thing that they can sell if the
person leaving it does not pay an agreed amount of money by an agreed time

Post: pole

Flashlight: torch

Supper: an evening meal, typically a light or informal one.

Modern: relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past.

runs out: finishes

Sun drops: the Sun sets

Horizon: the line at which the earth's surface and the sky appear to meet, skyline

Raw: uncooked

Gall bladder: the small sac-shaped organ beneath the liver, in which bile is stored after
secretion by the liver and before release into the intestine.

Sulphur: a chemical element used as a disinfectant

Cross: angry, disappointed

Chrysanthemum: a flower

Amazement: surprise

Dereliction: failure to perform one’s duty

the General was in the palm of his hand: he had control of the general

consequence: result
zeal: great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective

Twilighted: at the time of twilight i.e. sunset or sunrise.

Prick: slightest amount

Dusk: the time of sunset

Whence: where

Anatomy: the branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, animals,
and other living organisms, especially as revealed by dissection and the separation of parts.

Slatternly: dirty, untidy

Prejudice: preconceived idea or opinion

Bitter: unpleasant
Despised: hated
Miserable: in poor condition
Grateful: thankful
Nursed him: taken care of him

Influenza: a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory passages causing fever
Repulsive: awful, terrible
Haggard: looking exhausted and unwell, especially from fatigue, worry, or suffering.