battering ram (7.198) a large piece of wood or metal used to break down doors or walls.

befuddled (6.23) as confused as Jerome.

blanched (1.13) boiled.

bootless (4.137) useless and worthless.

break a leg (1.139) good luck on tonight’s performance.

break out in hives (3.3) be covered in red, itchy rashes for a few hours.

brilliant (2.188) a bright, bright shine; having a reputation for cleverness or intelligence.

briskly (1.18) quickly, so as to get the Baudelaire children to leave the house.

Brobdingnagian (3.141) unbelievably husky.

broke (3.150) ended.

brummagem (2.91) fake.

cacophony (4.30) the sound of two metal pots being banged together by a nasty foreman standing in the doorway holding no breakfast at all.

casing the joint (1.114) observing a particular location in order to formulate a plan.

catastrophe (4.5) an utter disaster involving tragedy, deception, and Count Olaf.

cat’s pajamas, the (6.221) a charming and handsome gentleman instead of a cruel and dishonest villain.

chameleonic (3.97) able to blend in with any situation.

coda (UA.19) verse at the end that you found so perplexing.

come clean (2.166) admit that he’s really Count Olaf and up to no good.

come hell or high water (5.177) using a fork, a few teaspoons of creamed spinach, a small potato, a live crab, and noisy shoes.

come to fruition (1.89) the Baudelaires were finally to learn of it.

commonplace book (UA.159) place where I have collected passages from some of the most important booksI have read.

compatriots (6.7) friends.

copious (3.110) lots of.

crowbar (6.210) a sort of portable lever.

crude (2.156) roughly made at the last minute.

cryptic (UA.ix) enigmatic

cul-de-sac (6.203) French At the end of the dark hallway, the Baudelaire children found an assortment of mysterious circumstances.

curtly (4.117) tired of Count Olaf’s nonsense.

dashed (3.44) shattered.