Anodyne -- Gretchen

an·o·dyne (n-dn) adj. 1. Capable of soothing or eliminating pain. 2. Relaxing: anodyne novels about country life. n. 1. A medicine, such as aspirin, that relieves pain. 2. A source of soothing comfort. [Latin andynus, from Greek andunos, free from pain : an-, without; see a-1 + odun, pain; see ed- in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Gretchen's lovely young voice is an anodyne for what ails you.

llock -- Dad

llock [ˈpɪlək]

n

Brit slang a stupid or annoying person

[from Scandinavian dialect pillicock penis]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003.

Dad's a traveler, and he loves British history, so I don't think the Brits wold call him a llock. 

Treacle -- Mom and LIttle Brother Matt

trea·cle (trkl) n. 1. Cloying speech or sentiment. 2. Chiefly British Molasses. 3. A medicinal compound formerly used as an antidote for poison. [Middle English triacle, antidote for poison, from Old French, from Latin thriaca, from Greek thriak (antidotos), (antidote against) wild animals, feminine of thriakos, of wild animals, from thrion, diminutive of thr, beast; see ghwer- in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Mom thinks Little Brother Matt's annual poems are sweet, but not treacle. 

Cerate -- Ann

c·er·ate (ms-rt)

v. mac·er·at·ed, mac·er·at·ing, mac·er·ates

v.tr.

1. To make soft by soaking or steeping in a liquid.

2. To separate into constituents by soaking.

3. To cause to become lean, usually by starvation; emaciate.

v.intr.

To become soft or separated into constituents by soaking: "His winemaker allowed the juice and skins of the white grapes to macerate together overnight before pressing" (Gerald Asher).

n. (-t)

A substance prepared or produced by macerating.

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[Latin mcerre, mcert-; see mag- in Indo-European roots.]

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macer·ation n.

macer·ator, macer·ater n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Ann cerated the black beans overnight.

Scarper -- Little Brother Matt

scarper [ˈskɑːpə] Brit slang

vb (intr)

to depart in haste

n

a hasty departure

[probably an adaptation of Italian scappare to escape; perhaps influenced by folk etymology Scapa Flow Cockney rhyming slang for go]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Little Brother Matt will scarper from any place where ill will is spreading. 

Shandy -- Kristin

shan·dy (shnd) n. pl. shan·dies 1. Shandygaff. 2. A drink made of beer and lemonade.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin

I don't know whether or not Kristin likes a summer shandy. 

Winsome --Todd

win·some (wnsm)

adj.

Charming, often in a childlike or naive way.

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[Middle English winsum, from Old English wynsum : from wynn, joy; see wen-¹ in Indo-European roots + -sum, characterized by; see -some¹.]

Though Todd's neither childlike nor a child, his winsome toasts charm and delight (me anyway).

Chuff -- Sister Jen

chuff 1 (chf) n. A rude, insensitive person; a boor. [Middle English chuffe.]

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chuff 2 (chf) intr.v. chuffed, chuf·fing, chuffs To produce or move with noisy puffing or explosive sounds: "Switch engines chuffed impatiently in busy rail yards" (Robert Paul Jordan). n. A noisy puffing or explosive sound, such as one made by a locomotive. [Imitative.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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chuffed [tʃʌft]

adj

Brit slang pleased or delighted none too chuffed

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Sister Jen can be straight forward and her humor can be bitingly rough, but she's smart and insightful: she's no chuff.

knackered -- Isabella

knack·ered (nkrd) adj. Chiefly British Very tired; exhausted.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

I'll bet Isabella was knackered after her exams.

apoplectic -- Sam and Jack

ap·o·plec·tic (p-plktk) adj. 1. Of, resembling, or produced by apoplexy: an apoplectic fit. 2. a. Having or inclined to have apoplexy. b. Exhibiting symptoms associated with apoplexy. 3. Extremely angry; furious: "members of Congress who otherwise become apoplectic about wasteful government spending" (Dan Morgan). apo·plecti·cal·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

What makes Sam apoplectic? his tennis racket when it mis-hits, the ball when it doesn't score, and his brother Jack.