"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 3

In a dystopian future a young girl is forced to fight for her life and the life of her family in Suzanne Collins's hugely successful book series.

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. anthem
    a song of devotion or loyalty
    The moment the anthem ends, we are taken into custody.
  2. custody
    a state of being confined, usually for a short time
    The moment the anthem ends, we are taken into custody.
  3. compensation
    something given or received as payment or reparation
    He'll also bring them game -- he and I made a pact about this a year or so ago -- and will probably not ask for compensation, but they should thank him with some kind of trade, like milk or medicine.
  4. intensity
    high level or degree
    She nods, alarmed by my intensity.
  5. grasp
    the act of holding tightly
    She pulls her arm from my grasp, moved to anger herself now.
  6. luxury
    something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity
    These are a luxury we can never afford.
  7. summon
    ask to come
    Then I can't think of anything else, so we sit in silence until a Peacemaker summons him.
  8. genuinely
    in accordance with truth or fact or reality
    People deal with me, but they are genuinely fond of Prim.
  9. evasive
    deliberately vague or ambiguous
    She is not weepy or evasive, instead there's an urgency about her tone that surprises me.
  10. tone
    the quality of a person's voice
    She is not weepy or evasive, instead there's an urgency about her tone that surprises me.
  11. romantic
    expressive of or exciting love
    Finally, Gale is here and maybe there is nothing romantic between us, but when he opens his arms I don't hesitate to go into them.
  12. mace
    a ceremonial staff carried as a symbol of office
    "They don't always have bows," I say, thinking of the year there were only horrible spiked maces that the tributes had to bludgeon one another to death with.
  13. bludgeon
    strike with a club
    "They don't always have bows," I say, thinking of the year there were only horrible spiked maces that the tributes had to bludgeon one another to death with.
  14. huddle
    crowd or draw together
    You could hardly see them because they were just huddled in balls and had no wood for fires or torches or anything.
  15. climactic
    consisting of or causing a decisive moment
    It was considered very anti-climactic in the Capitol, all those quiet, bloodless deaths.
  16. swarm
    be teeming, be abuzz
    The station is swarming with re- porters with their insectlike cameras trained directly on my face.
  17. glimpse
    a brief or incomplete view
    I catch a glimpse of myself on the television screen on the wall that's airing my arrival live and feel gratified that I appear almost bored.
  18. gratify
    make happy or satisfied
    I catch a glimpse of myself on the television screen on the wall that's airing my arrival live and feel gratified that I appear almost bored.
  19. strategy
    an elaborate and systematic plan of action
    I immediately wonder if this will be his strategy in the Games.
  20. sanctioned
    established by authority
    Of course, I've never been on a train, as travel between the districts is forbidden except for officially sanctioned duties.
  21. disposal
    the power to use something or someone
    There are drawers filled with fine clothes, and Effie Trinket tells me to do anything I want, wear anything I want, everything is at my disposal.
  22. altered
    changed in form or character without becoming something else
    During the rebellion, the Capitol bred a series of genetically altered animals as weapons.
  23. species
    taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
    Instead, the jabberjays mated with female mockingbirds creating a whole new species that could replicate both bird whistles and human melodies.
  24. replicate
    reproduce or make an exact copy of
    Instead, the jabberjays mated with female mockingbirds creating a whole new species that could replicate both bird whistles and human melodies.
  25. melody
    a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
    Instead, the jabberjays mated with female mockingbirds creating a whole new species that could replicate both bird whistles and human melodies.
  26. enunciate
    express or state clearly
    They had lost the ability to enunciate words but could still mimic a range of human vocal sounds, from a child's high-pitched warble to a man's deep tones.
  27. mimic
    imitate, especially for satirical effect
    They had lost the ability to enunciate words but could still mimic a range of human vocal sounds, from a child's high-pitched warble to a man's deep tones.
  28. warble
    sing or play with trills
    They had lost the ability to enunciate words but could still mimic a range of human vocal sounds, from a child's high-pitched warble to a man's deep tones.
  29. exhaust
    wear out completely
    "Well, it's been an exhausting day," says Effie Trinket.
  30. savage
    a member of an uncivilized people
    "The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages.
  31. fare
    the food and drink regularly served or consumed
    Neither of our stomachs is used to such rich fare.
  32. monstrous
    distorted and unnatural in shape or size
    A monstrous boy who lunges forward to volunteer from District 2.
  33. sleek
    having a smooth, gleaming surface reflecting light
    A fox-faced girl with sleek red hair from District 5.
  34. demeanor
    the way a person behaves toward other people
    She has dark brown skin and eyes, but other than that, she's very like Prim in size and demeanor.
  35. decrepit
    worn and broken down by hard use
    Only when she mounts the stage and they ask for volunteers, all you can hear is the wind whistling through the decrepit buildings around her.
  36. commentator
    an expert who observes and remarks on something
    The commentators are not sure what to say about the crowd's refusal to applaud.
  37. salute
    recognize with a gesture prescribed by a military regulation
    The silent salute.
  38. disgruntled
    in a state of sulky dissatisfaction
    Effie Trinket is disgruntled about the state her wig was in.
  39. smirk
    smile in a mocking or condescending way
    I can't help smirking a little.
  40. slur
    utter indistinctly
    "I miss supper?" he says in a slurred voice.
  41. flee
    run away quickly
    She hops in her pointy shoes around the pool of vomit and flees the room.
Created on Wed Apr 11 10:04:21 EDT 2012 (updated Mon Aug 04 12:06:10 EDT 2014)

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