Vocabulary in Because of Winn-Dixie

Strange or unusual in a way that is hard to explain; odd in appearance or behavior beyond what is normal.

The group of people who regularly attend a particular church and worship together as a community.

A long, repetitive list of things recited one after another, here used for the list of facts Opal learns about her mother.

A deep, quiet sadness that lingers and is hard to shake off, often without a single clear cause.

So extreme and compulsive that it seems beyond normal control; used here to describe lying that is habitual and unstoppable.

A jumbled mixture of many different things gathered together into one mass or collection.

A Southern informal word meaning to think, suppose, or believe something to be true.

Impressively large or important-seeming; used here to describe something that feels significant or wonderful.

A speech given by a preacher during a church service, usually based on a religious text and meant to teach a moral lesson.

An animal, especially a dog, that has no owner and wanders without a home.

To put up with something or someone unpleasant or difficult without complaining or trying to stop it.

So shocked and amazed that you are temporarily unable to speak or react, as if struck by lightning.

A sweet, fizzy American soft drink flavored with herbs and roots; here it is the key ingredient in a special candy that tastes of both sweetness and sorrow.

Deep sadness or grief, especially the kind that stays with a person for a long time after a loss.

Left behind and deserted by someone who was supposed to stay; used here to describe how Opal feels about her mother leaving the family.

A minister or pastor who leads a Protestant church congregation and delivers religious sermons.

Making small, quick, involuntary jerking movements, used here to describe Winn-Dixie's physical quirk when he smiles.

Uneven or unbalanced, with one side bigger, heavier, or higher than the other; used to describe Winn-Dixie's crooked grin.

Charmed by or very fond of someone or something almost immediately upon meeting them.

Having an appearance that is noticeably strange or unusual compared to what people expect.

Informal short form of 'ex-convict,' meaning a person who has been released from prison after serving a sentence.

Feeling or showing deep grief over a loss, especially the loss of a person who has died or gone away.

Decorated by hanging chains or strings of lights, flowers, or other ornaments in a looping, celebratory way.

Began or started something, used in a slightly formal or old-fashioned Southern way in the novel's dialogue.

Having a shape that resembles a turtle; used here to describe the distinctive appearance of a candy sold in the pet store.