Some Important Words Note from Bringing Up Baby
Frustrating : disappointing ; preventing fulfillment.
Collecting trips: trips undertaken by naturalists in order to collect botanical or zoological specimens.
Hand-rearing: The process of bringing up and looking after a young animal by human beings, as distinct from the parent animals doing the same.
Generally stupid over taking a bottle: Baby animals are usually very fussy and reluctant to drink milk from feeding bottles.
lukewarm: tepid, mildly warm.
Replenish: fill up again.
like a hawk: a hawk is supposed to have very good eyesight.
Intestinal: the organs which help us to digest food are "intestines". "Intestinal" means connected with the intestines.
Nephritis: inflammation of the kidneys. The word is derived from the Greek 'nephros' meaning kidneys.
Open to all sorts of fatal complaints: Prone to all kinds of ailments and sickness, which might even result in death.
Prognostications: predictions, foretellings. Here the predictions are 'gloomy' or pessimistic.
Exemplary: One who is so good as to serve as an example to others.
Twitching: Spasmodic movement or contraction of features, muscles or limbs.
Foster parents: Parents related not by blood but because of rearing or bringing up. The phrase is used humorously by the author for himself and his wife who have undertaken the rearing of the squirrel.
Dawdle : to idle away or waste time.
Scuffling: moving in hurried confusion.
Squatting: crouching, sitting with the hind legs folded.
Hauled: dragged.
Feat: achievement.
Equipment: machinery.
Running the gauntlet: A form of medieval sport in which one had to run between rows of men who would try to strike one with sticks or clubs as punishment. 'Gauntlet' is derived from the Swedish 'gatlopp'. The phrase means 'going through dangers'.
Territory: a tract of land, a region.
Cat's-eyes: light-reflecting pieces of glass set on the road to demarcate traffic lanes.
Vivid: bright.
Draught: a strong wind.
Undulating movement: a wavy motion.
Investigating: systematically examining.
Semi-comatose: partially unconscious or half asleep.
Excruciating agony: intense and unbearable pain.
Delicacy: a choice or dainty item of food.
Cache : The word is usually used as a noun meaning a hiding place for treasures. Here it has been used as a verb meaning 'to hide'.
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