coppice
thicket, underwood
scarcity
a lack of, shortage
alacrity
eagerness, enthusiasm, promptness
lamentable
lousy, miserable, awful
midge
a mosquito
addled
gone bad, spoilt, rotten
odious
obnoxious, horrible, disgusting
indolent
lazy, sluggish
counterpane
bedspread, comforter
to cut a caper
to leap into the air
crockery
the dishes, the dinnerware, plates and bowls