| A | B |
| peril | danger |
| bog | a swamp |
| torrent | a swift-flowing stream |
| let | rented |
| condoling | expressing sympathy |
| rubicund of visage | with a ruddy complexion |
| doughty | brave |
| fakirs | Muslim or Hindu holy men |
| Arabian Nights | a famous collection of Asian stories |
| talisman | an object thought to have magical powers |
| antimacassar | a cloth placed over an arm or back of a chair |
| wardrobe | a piece of furniture that serves as a closet |
| simian | monkey or ape-like |
| prosaic | ordinary |
| sideboard | a piece of furniture used to store linens and dishes |
| virtues | powers |
| frivolous | inappropriately silly |
| avaricious | greedy |
| compensation | something such as money, received as payment |
| resignation | acceptance of something that is inescapeable |
| fusillade | discharge from many guns; a rapid outburst |
| amiably | in a friendly way |
| grimace | facial expression of pain or disgust |
| fate | a power that is thought to determine the course of events |
| credulity | a disposition to believe too rapidly |
| superstitious | believing that something unrelated to an event influences its outcome |
| imagery | language that appeals to the five senses |
| setting | the time and place in which the action occurs |
| mood | the feeling or atmosphere created for the reader |
| W. W. Jacobs | English author of short stories including "The Monkey's Paw" |
| W. W. | William Wymark (Jacobs) |