The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson, Vocabulary List Chapters 19-26

to influence by gentle urging, special attention, or flattering

It took a bit of coaxing (and Brandon promising to wash her car) but she eventually agreed to drive them.

to declare to be wrong

Not inviting, but not condemning either.

to prove or find guilty

"You'd be arrested, convicted, and hooked up to the chair before you could blink."

shameful fear

Didn't show any cowardice.

to listen secretly to private conversation

"You shouldn't eavesdrop."

a public showing (as of athletic skill or works of art)

"An exhibition. Nothing official."

to draw back from or as if from pain or fear

He patted Brandon's shoulder, making him flinch.

easily broken or hurt

She held the yearbook like it was fragile glass.

a meeting at which people talk to each other in order to ask questions and get information

"Granddad suggested we interview some people who may have attended Perkins back then," Brandon said.

covered with a thick growth of healthy plants

Every yard was perfectly manicured with lush green grass.

to make (something, such as a lawn or a garden) look neat, smooth, and attractive

Every yard was perfectly manicured with lush green grass.

a puppet moved by attached strings

She pictured him in a tuxedo and top hat, pulling at their marionette strings.

to incite to action by repeated gibes

On Tuesday, after a little needling from Brandon, Candice puts the Wallace yearbooks aside to help him run web searches.

a notice of a person's death (as in a newspaper)

"Plus, according to his obituary, he was still teaching at Perkins when James Parker was running all those companies in Colorado."

punishment for doing something wrong

"You want retribution against any white man that ever looked at you the wrong way."

having or showing a lot of experience and knowledge about the world and about culture, art, literature, etc.

It wasn't very strong at all, not like real wine, but Candice still felt a little sophisticated whenever her mother used it.

to enter upon someone's land unlawfully

"They're trespassing."

to destroy or damage property on purpose

"Someone vandalized this."

to be productive : bring good results

Later that afternoon, after running more web searches that didn't yield anything.