Harry Potter Chapter One

If someone or something vanishes, they disappear suddenly or in a way that cannot be explained.

If an action or a time when something happened is described as fateful, it is considered to have an important, and often very bad, effect on future events.

A mantelpiece is a wood or stone shelf which is the top part of a border round a fireplace.

A bonnet is a hat with ribbons that are tied under the chin. Bonnets are now worn by babies. In the past, they were also worn by women.

A carousel is a large circular machine with seats, often in the shape of animals or cars. People can sit on it and go round and round for fun.

A county, state, or country fair is an event where there are, for example, displays of goods and animals, and amusements, games, and competitions.

A shrill sound is high-pitched and unpleasant.

​​"With a start"​​ means to suddenly wake up, react, or become alert because of a surprise, shock, or sudden noise. It often describes a quick, involuntary movement due to being startled

If you rap on something or rap it, you hit it with a series of quick blows.

When you screech something, you shout it in a loud, unpleasant, high-pitched voice.

If you demand something such as information or action, you ask for it in a very forceful way.

If you groan something, you say it in a low, unhappy voice.

A skinny person is extremely thin, often in a way that you find unattractive.

Something that is knobbly or knobby has lumps on it which stick out and make the surface uneven.

A wig is a covering of false hair which you wear on your head, for example because you have little hair of your own or because you want to cover up your own hair.

If you scent a situation, you feel that it is going to happen.

When something rips or when you rip it, you tear it forcefully with your hands or with a tool such as a knife.

A wristwatch is a watch with a strap which you wear round your wrist.

Horror is a feeling of great shock, fear, and worry caused by something extremely unpleasant.

If you leap, you jump high in the air or jump a long distance.

A slug is a small slow-moving creature with a long soft body and no legs, like a snail without a shell.

To ruin something means to severely harm, damage, or spoil it.

If you snarl something, you say it in a fierce, angry way.

If someone wails, they make long, loud, high-pitched cries which express sorrow or pain.

If you describe something as dinky, you mean that it is attractive and appealing, usually because it is quite small and well-designed.

If you spoil children, you give them everything they want or ask for. This is considered to have a bad effect on a child's character.

If you fling a part of your body in a particular direction, especially your arms or head, you move it there suddenly.

When someone sobs, they cry in a noisy way, breathing in short breaths.

If an activity is frantic, things are done quickly and in an energetic but disorganized way, because there is very little time.

If you describe a person or animal as scrawny, you mean that they look unattractive because they are so thin.

Someone who is bald has little or no hair on the top of their head.

Bangs are hair which is cut so that it hangs over your forehead.

If a piece of clothing is baggy, it hangs loosely on your body.

To shear a sheep means to cut its wool off.

If you say that something or someone is revolting, you mean you think they are horrible and disgusting.

A puppet is a doll that you can move, either by pulling strings which are attached to it or by putting your hand inside its body and moving your fingers.

If cloth or clothing shrinks, it becomes smaller in size, usually as a result of being washed.

A gang is a group of people, especially young people, who go around together and often deliberately cause trouble.

A chimney is a pipe through which smoke goes up into the air, usually through the roof of a building.

A council is a group of people who are elected to govern a local area such as a city or, in Britain, a county.

A maniac is a mad person who is violent and dangerous.

A hoodlum is a violent criminal, especially one who is a member of a group.

If you describe something as gigantic, you are emphasizing that it is extremely large in size, amount, or degree.

Beet is a crop with a thick round root. It is often used to feed animals, especially cows.

If someone sniggers, they laugh quietly in a disrespectful way, for example at something rude or unkind.

A van is a small or medium-sized road vehicle with one row of seats at the front and a space for carrying goods behind.

When people or animals lick something, they move their tongue across its surface.

A gorilla is a very large ape. It has long arms, black fur, and a black face.

Reptiles are a group of cold-blooded animals which have skins covered with small hard plates called scales and lay eggs. Snakes, lizards, and crocodiles are reptiles.

A lizard is a reptile with short legs and a long tail.

When you crawl, you move forward on your hands and knees.

If an animal such as a snake slithers, it moves along in a curving way.

Something that is poisonous will kill you or make you ill if you swallow or absorb it.

A cobra is a kind of poisonous snake that can make the skin on the back of its neck into a hood.

If something glistens, it shines, usually because it is wet or oily.

A coil of rope or wire is a length of it that has been wound into a series of loops. [oft N of n]

If you say that someone is whining, you mean that they are complaining in an annoying way about something unimportant.

If someone will not budge on a matter, or if nothing budges them, they refuse to change their mind or to come to an agreement.

Your knuckles are the rounded pieces of bone that form lumps on your hands where your fingers join your hands, and where your fingers bend. a rap on the knuckles

A snooze is a short, light sleep, especially during the day.

To moan means to complain or speak in a way which shows that you are very unhappy.

A tank is a large container for holding liquid or gas.

Boredom is the state of being bored.

If you hammer an object such as a nail, you hit it with a hammer.

Beady eyes are small, round, and bright.

If someone or something annoys you, it makes you fairly angry and impatient.

Vigorous physical activities involve using a lot of energy, usually to do short and repeated actions.

If you jab one thing into another, you push it there with a quick, sudden movement and with a lot of force.