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scourg • er n., one who scourges, or flogs. They hired a scourger to help age their “antiques.”

hacked adj., cut rudely, roughly, or irregularly. Marjorie’s hair looks hacked and untidy, but it’s part of her costume for the seventies “punk” party.

wrought adj., shaped by hammering or beating. The handle of the poker was wrought to display a likeness of Mrs. O’Leary.

quill n., stiff feather of a bird. Veruca made a pen from the quill she found on the beach.

sul • ly vt., soil or stain. The waiter replaced the sullied table linens with clean ones before seating the next diners.

staunch adj., strong. Trinh’s staunch belief that we would win never failed even when the rest of the team was in despair.

blithe adj., cheerful; carefree. The gloomy weather really dampened my spirits, but Igor was as blithe as ever.