Without Refuge: Chapters 17–23

by Jane Mitchell
Refugees from the violent civil war in their homeland of Syria, Ghalib and his family attempt to journey to safety.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–10, Chapters 11–16, Chapters 17–23
40 words 4 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. facility
    a building or place that provides a particular service
    “There’s no privacy. No proper toilets or kitchens. No facilities for a growing family.”
  2. seemingly
    from appearances alone
    Bushra looks at me to check that I’m not teasing her. Seemingly satisfied, she turns back to Dayah.
  3. entwine
    tie or link together
    “This is not the end,” Safaa says. “Our futures will entwine, Ghalib.”
  4. ruffle
    disturb the smoothness of
    Dayah ruffles his hair.
  5. terminal
    station where vehicles load or unload passengers or goods
    “The bus terminal is on the north side of town,” he says.
  6. involuntarily
    against your will
    My belly clenches involuntarily, but once we get close, I see it’s entirely different.
  7. negotiate
    discuss the terms of an arrangement
    As soon as we’re within shouting distance, three or four bus hawkers immediately surround Baba, negotiating the best price to Adana.
  8. hatch
    a movable barrier covering an entrance
    We pass a busy ticket hall full of vendors and rows of glass hatches, lines of seats and signposts.
  9. hawk
    sell or offer for sale from place to place
    Baba speaks no Turkish but it doesn’t matter—the hawkers switch instantly to Arabic. They try to talk each other down.
  10. stupor
    feeling of distress and disbelief when something bad happens
    We snap out of our stupor and grab the bags.
  11. downcast
    directed toward a lower place
    Her face is flaming. Her eyes are downcast.
  12. characteristic
    typical or distinctive
    “This is not typical of Turkey,” he says. “Not characteristic of my people. Syrians are welcome here. I’m sorry, but he wouldn’t change his mind. He’s angry about a lot of things.”
  13. disembark
    exit from a ship, vehicle, or aircraft
    The bus trundles for another hour before we reach the city of Izmir, where we disembark at the otogar.
  14. skimpy
    containing little excess
    There are foreign people everywhere, and not only Syrians. People in skimpy clothes with sunburned skin and peeling noses. People with blond hair and orange hair and even one with purple hair. People in sunglasses.
  15. incline
    lower or bend, as in a nod or bow
    Baraa inclines his head to acknowledge my mother’s words.
  16. sinister
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    What seemed exciting and adventurous this morning now has a sinister edge to it.
  17. nestle
    move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position
    Alan clambers off Baba to nestle against me.
  18. pitch
    move abruptly
    I lean against Dayah, but it’s not easy to doze in the back of a pitching truck.
  19. abrupt
    exceedingly sudden and unexpected
    When the truck finally stops and the engine turns off, my ears throb with abrupt silence that rushes into my head.
  20. trudge
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    We trudge after the Turks along a narrow road.
  21. rasp
    speak in a harsh, grating voice
    Tall slender grasses whisper and rasp as we turn off the road to push through them.
  22. ember
    a hot, smoldering fragment of wood left from a fire
    Their eyes shine white in the glow from the embers.
  23. fringe
    the outside boundary or surface of something
    Men from the camp collect at the fringes of the trees to watch our group.
  24. imprint
    mark or stamp with or as if with pressure
    But he still leans against me, away from the dark sea and the blackness, as though trying to imprint himself into me so that we become one.
  25. bluster
    vain and empty boasting
    Baraa, for all his bluster, looks old and anxious next to Baba.
  26. rigid
    incapable of or resistant to bending
    I can’t laugh. My muscles are rigid.
  27. quench
    put out, as of fires, flames, or lights
    In the brief flash of brightness, it was on show until the phone light was quenched.
  28. dinghy
    a small boat of shallow draft
    It’s hardly a proper boat at all—just an inflated dinghy—and certainly not big enough for all of us.
  29. plunge
    cause to be immersed
    Even when we’re plunged into darkness again, the ghostly outline of the raft, its rope held in the fist of a Turk who stands knee-deep in seawater, burns into my memory.
  30. wallow
    roll around
    The boat is so full, it no longer rises and falls with the waves. Instead, we wallow deep and heavy.
  31. bellow
    make a loud noise, as of an animal
    The Turks bellow and lunge toward the men.
  32. batter
    strike violently and repeatedly
    Paddles strike heads, backs, arms, with horrible crunching, battering sounds.
  33. loom
    hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
    Black waves loom over us and roll beneath us, dark and shining.
  34. sodden
    wet through and through; thoroughly wet
    Our clothes are sodden.
  35. taut
    pulled or drawn tight
    The rope snaps taut.
  36. muffled
    being or made softer or less loud or clear
    Churning ocean and muffled shouts fill my ears.
  37. flail
    thrash about
    I toss among rolling waves. I lash out and flail. I don’t know what way is up.
  38. scour
    rub hard or scrub
    Rolling stones grate my face, scouring off skin.
  39. flounder
    move clumsily or struggle to move, as in mud or water
    They help people to fight out of the waves. Rawan flounders ashore, leaning on a man’s arm.
  40. inert
    unable to move or resist motion
    I push Bushra off me. Pull myself to my knees, muscles numb and inert.
Created on Mon Jul 02 17:24:24 EDT 2018 (updated Mon Jul 09 17:03:15 EDT 2018)

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