The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, Vocabulary List Chapters 31-37

personal knowledge

"Perhaps it is time for you to make the acquaintance of triumph and glory."

to move forward

And she braced herself as Cook advanced upon her.

something that one wants very much to achieve

"Am I right in ascertaining that you have aspirations?"

punishment that someone deserves to receive

"That will be her divine comeuppance."

made or done secretly

"We are, after all, on a covert mission."

to stop from going on : DELAY

"May I detain you for a moment."

to see, recognize, or understand something

And so it was that the overwhelming stench of despair and hopelessness and evil was not at all discernible to her, and she went happily down the twisting and turning stairs.

very good

"That will be her divine comeuppance."

a lively dance

Chiaroscuro, who was still at Mig's side, did a small deliberate jig of joy.

of or relating to smelling or the sense of smell

This happened often enough that it interrupted the proper workings of Mig's olfactory senses.

the act of convincing

"I really do not think," said Roscuro, "that Mig would need much persuasion to use that knife, Princess."

to think over carefully

Despereaux was pondering the reverse of that question.

giving a sign or warning of something usually bad that is going to happen

Reader, if you will pardon me, we must pause for a moment to consider a great and unusual thing, a portentous thing.

to think that (something) is true without knowing that it is true

"You, Gregory presumes, have brought food for the jailer."

having a smooth surface : SLIPPERY

But the mouse tail, covered as it was in oil, was slick and difficult to hold on to.

the joy of victory or success

"Perhaps it is time for you to make the acquaintance of triumph and glory."