bland: mild, soothing, smooth, without much taste

bluish-white: a colour that is white, but tinged with blue

congealed (to congeal): a liquid becomes solid on the surface when exposed to cold temperatures

exertion (to exert): the act of working hard or exercising until tired

gum tissue: the firm flesh around the teeth, inside the mouth

heaving (to heave): to rise and fall

hefting (to heft): to weigh or lift up and carry something heavy

hornet’s nest: habitation (home) for wasps or hornets (a hornet is a species of large wasp)

pantry: a room in a domestic house used for food storage

perimeter: the outer boundary of an object, if one were to trace a line around it

scenarios: the plots or outlines of a dramatic work or situation that someone imagines or describes

sears (to sear): to quickly brown or fry meat or vegetables using a very hot pan

shrivel (to shrivel): to shrink and draw together into wrinkles, like a raisin

siphoned (to siphon): to draw off or pass through a siphon, a bent tube for carrying liquids

sprouts (to sprout): to send out new growth, to be growing

staccato: a musical term normally used to describe notes that are cut short so they don’t sound connected