Alice’s adventures in Wonderland: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words Lewis Carroll uses again and again in Alice’s adventures in Wonderland that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
till/ˈtɪɫ/21× in the book
Tell me that first, and then, if I like being that person, I’ll come up: if not, I’ll stay down here till I’m somebody else’ — but, oh dear!”
hastily/ˈheɪstəɫi/16× in the book
After a time she heard a little pattering of feet in the distance, and she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming.
anxiously/ˈæŋkʃəsɫi/14× in the book
She ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself, “Which way?
puzzle/ˈpəzəɫ/14× in the book
Ah, THAT’S the great puzzle!”
queer/ˈkwɪɹ/13× in the book
How queer everything is to-day!
timid/ˈtɪmɪd/12× in the book
… in a low, timid voice, “If you please …
offend/əˈfɛnd/11× in the book
cried Alice again, for this time the Mouse was bristling all over, and she felt certain it must be really offended.
grin/ˈɡɹɪn/11× in the book
“How cheerfully he seems to grin, How neatly spread his claws, And welcome little fishes in With gently smiling jaws!”
croquet/kɹoʊˈkeɪ/10× in the book
… and sometimes she scolded herself so severely as to bring tears into her eyes; and once she remembered trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people.
hedgehog/ˈhɛdʒˌhɑɡ/10× in the book
… it was all ridges and furrows; the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingoes …
twinkle/ˈtwɪŋkəɫ/10× in the book
For instance, suppose it were nine o’clock in the morning, just time to begin lessons: you’d only have to whisper a hint to Time, and round goes the clock in a twinkling!
sneeze/ˈsniz/9× in the book
And certainly there was a most extraordinary noise going on within — a constant howling and sneezing, and every now and then a great crash …
serpent/ˈsɝpənt/9× in the book
… and was delighted to find that her neck would bend about easily in any direction, like a serpent.
angrily/ˈæŋɡɹəɫi/9× in the book
cried the Mouse, sharply and very angrily.
tremble/ˈtɹɛmbəɫ/9× in the book
cried the Mouse, who was trembling down to the end of his tail.
eagerly/ˈiɡɝɫi/8× in the book
The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: “There is such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you!
sob/ˈsɑb/8× in the book
“But perhaps it was only sobbing,” she thought, and looked into its eyes again, to see if there were any tears.
lobster/ˈɫɑbstɝ/8× in the book
“—you advance twice—” “Each with a lobster as a partner!”
gardener/ˈɡɑɹdənɝ/8× in the book
A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red.
frighten/ˈfɹaɪtən/8× in the book
said Alice, a good deal frightened at the sudden change, but very glad to find herself still in existence; “and now for the garden!”
fancy/ˈfænsi/8× in the book
(and she tried to curtsey as she spoke-fancy curtseying as you’re falling through the air!
mushroom/ˈməʃɹum/8× in the book
There was a large mushroom growing near her, about the same height as herself …
flamingo/fɫəˈmɪŋɡoʊ/7× in the book
… the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingoes, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and to stand on their hands and feet …
slat/ˈsɫæt/7× in the book
The twelve jurors were all writing very busily on slates.
tart/ˈtɑɹt/7× in the book
… in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard …
shriek/ˈʃɹik/7× in the book
She did not get hold of anything, but she heard a little shriek and a fall, and a crash of broken glass …
chimney/ˈtʃɪmni/7× in the book
… she put one arm out of the window, and one foot up the chimney, and said to herself “Now I can do no more …
pardon/ˈpɑɹdən/7× in the book
“Oh, I beg your pardon!”
puppy/ˈpəpi/7× in the book
An enormous puppy was looking down at her with large round eyes, and feebly stretching out one paw, trying to touch her.
temper/ˈtɛmpɝ/7× in the book
Let this be a lesson to you never to lose YOUR temper!”
dreadfully/ˈdɹɛdfəɫi/6× in the book
“If it had grown up,” she said to herself, “it would have made a dreadfully ugly child: but it makes rather a handsome pig, I think.”
executioner/ˌɛksəkˈjuʃənɝ/6× in the book
“I’ll fetch the executioner myself,” said the King eagerly, and he hurried off.
melancholy/ˈmɛɫənˌkɑɫi/6× in the book
“As wet as ever,” said Alice in a melancholy tone: “it doesn’t seem to dry me at all.”
growl/ˈɡɹaʊɫ/6× in the book
The Mouse only growled in reply.
inch/ˈɪntʃ/6× in the book
… she came upon a low curtain she had not noticed before, and behind it was a little door about fifteen inches high: she tried the little golden key in the lock …
politely/pəˈɫaɪtɫi/6× in the book
said the Mouse, frowning, but very politely: “Did you speak?”
procession/pɹəˈsɛʃən/6× in the book
Then followed the Knave of Hearts, carrying the King’s crown on a crimson velvet cushion; and, last of all this grand procession, came THE KING AND QUEEN OF HEARTS.
fetch/ˈfɛtʃ/6× in the book
And it’ll fetch things when you throw them, and it’ll sit up and beg for its dinner …
exclaim/ɪkˈskɫeɪm/6× in the book
exclaimed Alice.
nonsense/ˈnɑnsɛns/6× in the book
Oh dear, what nonsense I’m talking!”
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
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