A Triumph of Surgery Line by Line, Explanation, Meaning of Difficult Words, English CBSE Class 10 NCERT Footprints Without Feet Chapter 1
A TRIUMPH OF SURGERY
(Explanation and Meaning of difficult words)
Author – James Herriot
| Word | Meaning |
| Mistress | Lady owner |
| Pulled up | Stopped car for a shot time |
| Shocked | Surprised and upset |
Tricki is name of a dog. The author (Dr. Herriot) says that he was really worried about Tricki. When I saw him with his mistress in the street, I stopped my car. I was upset to see appearance of Tricki.
| Word | Meaning |
| Bloated | Swollen |
| Sausage | A cylindrical dish of meat |
| Rheumy | Watery, Filled with water |
| Lolled | Hanging out |
He had become very fat. He looked like a swollen sausage. One could see a leg at each corner of his huge body. His eyes were red and watery. He was looking in front of him. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth.
| Word | Meaning |
| Hasten | To do quickly |
| Listless | Lazy |
| Veterinary doctor | Doctor of animal |
Mrs. Pumphery is owner of Tricki. Mr. Herriot is a veterinary doctor. Mrs. Pumphery quickly explained to Mr Herriot that Tricky had become lazy. He does not have any energy.
| Word | Meaning |
| Malnutrition | Inadequate or unhealthy diet |
| Build up | Make stronger |
Mrs. Pumphery explains. She thought that Tricki was suffering because of unhealthy diet. So she had started feeding him something extra between his meals. She did this to make it stronger. She gave him some malt, cod-liver oil during day time. And a bowl of Horlicks in the night so that he could sleep well. She says that she did not feed him more.
| Word | Meaning |
| Cut down | Reduce |
| For a bit | For sometime |
| Relent | To change one’s mind, To allow again |
| Bear | Tolerate |
Mr. Herriot asked if she reduced feeding sweets to Tricki. She replied that she reduced for some time. But he was very weak so I again started giving him sweets. He likes ream cakes and chocolates. Hence I cannot tolerate to refuse him.
I looked at the small dog again. Now I understood the problem. The fault of the Tricki was that he was very greedy. He had never refused to take food. He would eat any time of day or night.
| Word | Meaning |
| Mentioned | Told |
| Plenty | Lot of |
I tried to imagine many things that Mrs. Pumphery had not told me. I asked her if she was exercising her dog a lot.
| Word | Meaning |
| Lumbago | Back pain |
| Ring throw | Game played with a rubber ring |
She replied that the dog used to walk along with his mistress. Her gardener Hodgkin was suffering from back pain. So, the game of ring-throw has not been played these days.
| Word | Meaning |
| Severe | Strict, Harsh |
| Cut down | Reduce |
| Harden your heart | Stop being sympathetic |
Now I spoke with strictness. I am seriously telling you. If you do not immediately reduce his food and increase his exercises, he will certainly become ill. You must become less sympathetic to your dog. The dog must be on a strict diet.
| Word | Meaning |
| Wrung | Pressed hard |
| Set off | Begin, Depart |
| Regime | Rule, System |
| Practice | To apply, To implement |
Mrs. Pumphery pressed her hands together and said she will surely do it. She said that Dr. Herriot was right but it was very difficult. (To feed less to Tricki). She started walking on the road. Her head was down. It looked she was determined to follow the new arrangement immediately.
| Word | Meaning |
| Concern | Worry |
| Totter | To walk with difficulty |
| Tweed | Type of cloth |
With increasing worry I watched them walk. Tricki was walking with difficulty. He was wearing a tweed coat. His wardrobe was full of coats. Coats for cold weather and a raincoat for rainy days.
| Word | Meaning |
| Drooping | Bending |
| Harness | Strap for tying animal |
Tricki walked with difficulty. He was bent in his strap. I was sure that very soon Mrs. Pumphery would give me a call.
| Word | Meaning |
| Distraught | Worried, Upset |
| Besides | Additionally |
| Bouts | Instances, Spell |
| Panting | Breathing rapidly |
Within few days Mrs. Humprey called me. She was very worried. Tricki was not eating anything. He refused to eat even his favourite dishes. In addition to it he had vomited. All the time he was lying on his blanket and breathing quickly. He did not want to walk. He did not want to do anything.
| Word | Meaning |
| Fortnight | 15 days |
I had planned my answer in advance. I was sure that Tricki had to be taken out of that house. That was the only way to treat him. I suggested Mrs. Pumphery to hospitalize Tricki for about 15 days to keep him under observation.
| Word | Meaning |
| Swoon | To faint |
| Pine | Sad because away from someone |
The lady almost fainted. She was sure that Tricki would surely miss her. He would die if he did not see her every day.
| Word | Meaning |
| Wail | To weep loudly |
| Wrapped | Covered |
But I was very strict this time. Tricki was very sick. In fact I thought that best way to save him would be to take him immediately. So I carried the little dog in my lap and got into my car. The dog was covered by a blanket. Mrs. Pumphery was weeping loudly.
| Word | Meaning |
| Roused | Called |
| Supper | Dinner |
The entire staff of Mrs Pumphery was called. All the maids were running in and out of the house. They brought his day bed, night bed, toys, rubber rings, and separate bowls for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
| Word | Meaning |
| Hold | Carry, Accommodate |
| Despairing | Without hope |
I understood that my car will not be able to carry all those things. So I started the car and began to move. Mrs. Pumphery started crying because her hope of giving all these things were not getting fulfilled. She threw some coats into the car through the window.
| Word | Meaning |
| Pathetic | Pitiful |
| Gasping | Puffing, Taking short quick breaths |
Before taking a turn on the road, I looked in the rear view mirror. Everybody was crying. When I reached the main road, I looked at the pitiful little dog who was puffing. He was sitting on the seat near me.
| Word | Meaning |
| Patted | Touched gently with palm |
| Haven’t a kick in you | You are not active |
| Lad | Boy |
| Cure | Remedy |
I touched his head. Tricki made a great effort to wag its tail. (He was so tired that wagging of tail was a big job for him). I told Tricki that he was not active. But I have a remedy for you.
| Word | Meaning |
| Surgery | Hospital, Clinic |
| Surged | Rushed, Moved |
| Pack | Group |
At the clinic, the dog living there moved around me. Dr. Herriot had come out of the car. He was holding Tricki in his lap. Tricki looked at the group of dogs that was making noise. Dr. Herriot put Tricki on the ground. He remained on the carpet without moving.
| Word | Meaning |
| Sniff | To smell |
| Ignored | Neglected |
The other dogs smelled him for a few seconds. They decided that Tricki was an uninteresting object. So they neglected him. They moved away from him.
| Word | Meaning |
| Keep an eye on | Keep under observation |
| Plenty of | Lot of |
Tricki was put in a warm big cage. The cage was placed near to a place where other dogs were sleeping. For two days Dr. Herriot kept him under observation. I did not give him any food. He was given only lot of water.
| Word | Meaning |
| Surroundings | Place and things around someone |
| Whimper | To make small weak sounds, To moan |
He showed some interest in things around him at the end of the second day. On the third day when he heard sound of other dogs he started making some weak sounds.
| Word | Meaning |
| Trotted | Ran slowly |
| Engulfed | Surrounded |
| Greyhound | Type of dog |
| Rolling him over | Pushing on the ground |
| Rolling | Walking |
Third day I opened the door of the cage. Tricki came out running slowly. Immediately another dog Joe and his friends stood around him. They pushed Tricki to ground. They inspected him and then all dogs started going to garden. Tricki was following them, walking very slowly because he was very fat.
| Word | Meaning |
| Slopped | Poured |
Tristan is a worker in the clinic.
Afterwards, on that day, I was present at the feeding time for the dogs. There were many bowls kept. Tristan poured food in each bowl.
| Word | Meaning |
| Headlong rush | Carelessly quick |
As usual, every dog quickly ran towards these bowls, not caring for other dog. Then there was sound of eating quickly. Every dog was aware that if he ate slowly, his stomach will not get full. Every dog was competing with other dogs to get more share.
After every dog had completed their eating, Tricki reached the bowls. He walked around bowls. These were shining because other dogs had eaten all the food. Tricki licked one or two empty bowls.
| Word | Meaning |
| Jostling | Pushing and running |
Next day there was an additional bowl for Tricki. I was happy to note that Tricki was also running and pushing with other dogs to reach his bowl.
| Word | Meaning |
| From then on | After that |
| Rapid | Quick |
| Scrimmage | Friendly fight |
After that incident he improved quickly. He was not given any medicines. But for full day he ran with other dogs. He had joined in their friendly fights. (play)
| Word | Meaning |
| Bowled over | Thrown on the ground |
| Tramped on | To get crushed under foot |
| Squashed | Crushed between two things |
He found the happiness of being thrown to the ground, somebody walking on him or he was crushed between many dogs. These happened almost every minute. [He had started playing with other dogs. This was also a good exercise for him]
| Word | Meaning |
| Unlikely | Different |
| Shaggy | Rough, Untidy |
| Crew | Group |
| Henhouse | Cage or place for keeping hens |
Other dogs had accepted him in their group. He looked a different silky little object while other dogs were rough looking dogs. He started fighting for his meal. He started hunting for rats in the henhouse during night. He had never enjoyed these things in his life time.
| Word | Meaning |
| All the while | During same time, |
| Hovered | Remained |
During the same time, Mrs. Pumphery anxiously remained in the background [At her house]. She would give a call almost twelve times in a day for the latest information about Tricki.
| Word | Meaning |
| Dodged | Avoided |
| Convalescing | Improving health |
I avoided answering questions about cushion being changed regularly. Or if Tricki was wearing the correct coat as per weather. But I told her that the little dog was out of danger and his health was improving quickly.
| Word | Meaning |
| Build up | To increase |
Mrs. Pumphery appeared to be affected by the words ‘improving his health’. She started bringing two dozen fresh eggs during her every visit. This was to increase strength of Tricki.
For a long time or many days, I and the people working at the surgery used to eat two eggs for breakfast. [Eggs were not given to Tricki. His food was same as that for other dogs]. Then bottles of wine were sent by Mrs. Pumphery. Now people at our house (surgery) understood the real situation of Tricki.
The wine was to improve blood of Tricki. Now lunch for us became just like a ceremony. We started having two glasses of wine before food and many glasses during meal.
| Word | Meaning |
| Rolled around | To happen again |
| Inhaled | Smelled |
| Reverently | Respectfully |
We could not believe when Mrs Humphery sent brandy. It was to be added in food of Tricki. For some nights the fine drink was served repeatedly. We smelt it and drank with great respect.
| Word | Meaning |
| Deep content | Great satisfaction |
| Sustained | Maintained |
| Luxuriously | Lavishly |
Those days were days of great satisfaction. We started the day with extra eggs in the morning. The satisfaction was maintained and improved during lunch by enjoying wine. And in the dinner we had the luxury of having brandy.
| Word | Meaning |
| Temptation | Desire, Attraction |
| Compelled | Forced |
It became a strong desire to keep Tricki permanently at the surgery. But I knew that Mrs. Pumphery was suffering a lot because Tricki was not with her. So after a fortnight I was forced to call Mrs. Pumphery. I told her that the little dog had become healthy. She can come to take her dog.
| Word | Meaning |
| Thirty feet | Very long |
| Gleaming | Shining |
| Black metal | Car |
| Drew up | Stopped |
| Chauffeur | Driver |
Within few minutes, a long shining black car stopped outside the clinic. The driver opened the door of the car. I could make out that Mrs. Pumphery was sitting inside the car. She was busy in her thoughts.
| Word | Meaning |
| Clasped | Held together |
| Trembled | Shivered, Vibrated |
She was tightly holding her hands together in front of her. Her lips shivered when she spoke. She requested me to tell her the truth. She wanted to know if the dog had really become better.
I replied that he was fine. I requested her to remain in the car. I said that I will go and bring him. I walked into my house and then to the garden.
| Word | Meaning |
| Mass | Group |
| Hurtling | Racing |
| Flapping | Moving up and down |
| Waving | Moving sideways |
A group of dogs was running in circular path in the garden. In that group there was a small golden colour dog Tricki. His ears were moving up and down and his tail was wagging.
| Word | Meaning |
| Lithe | Thin, Agile |
| Pack | Group |
| Great bounds | Great extent |
| Brushing | Touching |
In two weeks he had become a thin, agile animal. His muscles had become hard. He was running well with the group. He was stretching himself to great extent. His chest was almost touching the ground.
| Word | Meaning |
| Took off | Started |
| Tremendous | Big |
| Leap | Jump |
| Sailed | Moved |
I picked up Tricki in my lap and carried him through the passage to the front of the house. The driver had kept the door of the car still open. Tricki saw his mistress. He made a big jump from my arms. He moved into the lap of Mrs. Pumphery.
| Word | Meaning |
| Startled | Surprised |
| Defend | Protect |
| Swarmed | Climbed |
With great surprise she spoke ‘Ooh!’ Tricki had jumped on her lap. She had to protect herself. He was licking her face and barking with affection and happiness.
During this happiness, I helped the driver to bring all the cloths and toys of Tricki. None of these were used in the clinic. The car started to move away. Mrs. Pumphery moved her head out of window.
Her eyes were full of tears. Her lips were shivering. She was so happy that it was not possible to express her thanks . She said ‘This is a triumph of surgery!’
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