a narrow passageway between or behind buildings.

a twisting movement or course.

a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity.

repeat aloud or declaim (a poem or passage) from memory before an audience.

a series of words said as a magic spell or charm.

an alphabetical list by title, subject, author, or other category of a collection of books or documents, e.g., in a library.

an indicator, sign, or measure of something.

feel contempt or a deep repugnance for.

low in status or importance; humble.

a person employed in an office or bank to keep records, accounts, and undertake other routine administrative duties.

having or showing great knowledge or insight.

a woman who rents land, a building, or an apartment to a tenant.

a person who occupies land or property rented from a landlord.

a metal bar with a catch and lever used for fastening a door or gate.

a state or organization governed or managed as a bureaucracy.

a feeling of revulsion or strong disapproval aroused by something unpleasant or offensive.

say something in a low or barely audible voice, especially in dissatisfaction or irritation.

not marked by interesting or exciting events.

shake involuntarily, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty.

a box-shaped storage compartment without a lid, made to slide horizontally in and out of a desk, chest, or other piece of furniture.

appropriate to the occasion.

disorder or disarrange (someone's hair), typically by running one's hands through it.

prolong.

break suddenly and violently apart, spilling the contents, typically as a result of an impact or internal pressure.

spring or swoop suddenly so as to catch prey.