Important Words with Mnemonics: The Little Girl | English Class 9 PDF Download

1. A figure to be feared
Meaning: A person who inspires fear.
Sentence: Kezia considered her father a figure to be feared.
Mnemonic: Figure = person or character, Feared = someone others are afraid of
So, “a figure to be feared” = a person you don’t want to mess with!

2. Glad sense of relief
Meaning: A feeling of comfort after stress or fear.
Sentence: She felt a glad sense of relief when her father left for work.
Mnemonic: Glad = happy, Relief = release of tension
A “glad sense of relief” means being happy because the pressure is gone.

3. Fainter and fainter
Meaning: Becoming less noticeable or weaker gradually.
Sentence: The sound of his footsteps grew fainter and fainter.
Mnemonic:  “Fainter and fainter means fading farther.”
→ Easy to remember: when something becomes fainter, it fades more and more.

4. Slip down
Meaning: To move quietly or unwillingly downward.
Sentence: Kezia would slip down the stairs slowly.
Mnemonic:  “Slip down means slide down suddenly.”
→ Helps remember it’s a fast or unexpected downward movement.

5. Stutter
Meaning: Speak with pauses due to nervousness.
Sentence: She stuttered in her father’s presence.
Mnemonic: “Stutter means sound stops and starts.”
→ Easy to remember: the voice doesn’t flow smoothly, it breaks or repeats.

6. Wretched
Meaning: Extremely unhappy or miserable.
Sentence: She felt wretched after being punished.
Mnemonic:  Wretched sounds like “retch-ed” (retch means to feel sick)
→ Imagine feeling so bad or seeing something so awful that it makes you feel sick — that’s wretched.

7. On the brink of suicide
Meaning: Very close to ending one’s life.
Sentence: She thought the poor girl was on the brink of suicide.
Mnemonic:  “Brink” means the edge — like standing at the edge of a cliff.
 “On the brink of suicide” = Standing at the emotional edge, close to giving up.
Think of someone going through so much sadness that they feel like they can’t go on. It’s a serious moment when they need love, help, and hope.

8. Snoring
Meaning: Loud breathing noise during sleep.
Sentence: Her father was snoring deeply.
Mnemonic:  Snoring = “Sleep + roaring”
→ Think of someone asleep and making a roaring sound like a soft growl.

9. Gravely
Meaning: Seriously or solemnly.
Sentence: Her father looked at her gravely.
Mnemonic: Gravely sounds like “grave-ly”
→ Imagine someone standing by a grave, speaking seriously — that's a grave moment = gravely.

10. Laboriously
Meaning: With great effort.
Sentence: She spoke laboriously when frightened.
Mnemonic: “Labor” in the word — means it takes work and effort.

11. Wandered into
Meaning: Entered without intention.
Sentence: She wandered into her father’s room.
Mnemonic: “Wander” = walk without a map — aimless entry.

12. Scraps
Meaning: Small leftover pieces.
Sentence: She used scraps to stuff the pin-cushion.
Mnemonic: Scraps = Small + Craps → Tiny unwanted bits
→ Easy to remember: scraps are small pieces, like leftovers or broken parts.

13. Hue and Cry
Meaning: Loud protest or commotion.
Sentence: There was a hue and cry about the missing papers.
Mnemonic: Hue and Cry means Huge Cry!”
→ Easy to remember: people raise their voices loudly — in protest, fear, or alarm.

14. The damned thing
Meaning: An expression of anger at an object.
Sentence: Her father shouted, “Where’s that damned thing?”
Mnemonic: Damned sounds like “doom-ed”
→ Imagine something everyone avoids — like it carries bad luck or danger.

15. Clung
Meaning: Held on tightly.
Sentence: She clung to her grandmother in fear.
Mnemonic: “Clung means closed arms and hung on!”
→ Easy to remember: when someone clings, they wrap their arms and don’t let go.

16. Snuggled
Meaning: Settled comfortably close to someone.
Sentence: Kezia snuggled up to her father.
Mnemonic: “Snuggle” = soft + hug — warm cozy closeness.

17. Tucked up
Meaning: Covered warmly in bed.
Sentence: He tucked her up securely.
Mnemonic: Picture: A child lying in bed, with a soft blanket gently folded around them — feeling warm and safe.

18. Butcher
Meaning: Person who sells/cuts meat.
Sentence: She dreamed of a butcher with a knife.
Mnemonic: Butcher sounds like “cut-sure”
→ Imagine someone who’s sure about how to cut meat — a butcher.

19. Heritage
Meaning: Traditions from the past.
Sentence: “His music reflected India’s rich heritage.”
Mnemonic: Heritage = “Heir” + “-tage” → What an heir receives from the past
→ Just like an heir gets property, we all inherit traditions and culture — that’s heritage.