Glossary

Alibi: the proof that you were elsewhere when a crime happened.

Ashtray: a small metal or glass bowl for the ash from cigarettes.

Bandit: a robber.

Boiler: a big metal container with a fire, used to provide hot water.

Chauffeur: someone employed to look after and drive a person’s car.

Clerk: a person who works in a bank, office, or store.

Client: someone who goes to a professional person for help.

Cop: a policeman.

Coroner: an official responsible for the investigation of violent or sudden deaths.

Cripple: someone who cannot move their body properly because of an injury, illness, or disease.

Crutch: a long stick placed under the arm to help a person who has difficulty in walking.

Duchess: the wife or widow of a duke.

Executed: put to death as a punishment.

Fiancé (fiancée): the man (woman) you are engaged to marry.

Fingerprint: a mark made by a finger showing the lines on the skin.

Flashlight: an electric torch.

Fool: (v) to deceive.

Gasoline/gas: petrol (fuel for cars).

Governess: a woman employed by a family to educate their children.

Graze: (n) a scratch or slight injury to the skin.

Gutting: robbing, often accompanied by burning and destroying.

Hairdresser: a person who washes and cuts people’s hair.

Hand grenade: a small container filled with explosive and thrown by hand.

Hypocrite: a person who pretends to believe or feel something they do not.

Inquest: the official inquiry to find out the cause of someone’s death.

Lawn: an area of short, regularly cut grass in a garden or park.

Lipstick: something which women put on their lips to color them.

Liquor: store a shop that sells liquor (alcohol).

Machine gun: a gun which fires bullets quickly and automatically.

Maid: a woman servant.

Mainland: the main part of the land, not an island.

Make-up: things like powder, lipstick, eye-shadow, etc. which women use on their faces.

Mourning: showing great sadness and wearing dark clothes because of someone’s death.

Movie (the movies): a film (a cinema).

Mugging: a street robbery.

Nursery: a children’s room.

Omelet: a dish of cooked eggs.

Package: a parcel.

Parking-lot: a car park.

Pier: a platform of wood or metal, built out into the sea.

Pill: a small, round, hard piece of medicine which is swallowed.

Press: to push hard against something.

Princess: the daughter of a king or queen, or the wife of a prince.

Psychiatrist: a doctor for illnesses of the mind.

Pump: (v) to force liquid, air, etc. into or out of something.

Purse: a woman’s handbag.

Radiator: something used to heat a room; part of a heating system.

Range: (n) a place where people can practice shooting guns.

Reference: a letter to an employer describing the character and capabilities of an applicant for a job.

Rifle: a kind of long gun, usually held against the shoulder.

Ruffle: to push a hand quickly and gently through someone’s hair (often to show fondness for that person).

Sane: not mad.

Scared: very frightened.

Stern: (n) the back of a boat.

Suicide: a person who deliberately kills himself or herself.

Tank: a large metal container.

Tattoo: a picture or design on someone’s skin, made with a needle.

Trailer: a caravan.

Trigger: the part of a gun which you pull to fire it.

Wig: a covering for the head made of false hair.