Nyxia: List 4

by Scott Reintgen
Desperate for money to fund his mother's medical treatment, Emmett Atwater accepts an offer from Babel Communications to compete for the right to mine a valuable commodity on the hidden planet of Eden. This book is the first volume of the Nyxia Triad.

This list covers Part II: Day 188, 7:48 A.M.–Day 4, 11:57 A.M.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5
40 words 17 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ruthless
    without mercy or pity
    I can't go back to cold competition and ruthless winning.
  2. grueling
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
    The grueling months have transformed every competition.
  3. edict
    a legally binding command or decision
    Babel's other edict has changed things too.
  4. clause
    a separate section of a legal document
    He spent weeks combing through my contracts to try to get the ruling overturned. But there are so many hidden twists gridlocked in Babel's clauses that he eventually gave up.
  5. pronouncement
    an authoritative declaration
    It took a few days to help Bilal get over his heartbreak at hearing that pronouncement.
  6. vantage
    place or situation affording some benefit
    Our eyes follow the action as Longwei trampolines up to the second level and darts out of sight. From our vantage point, we can still see the top of his head bobbing along the outer rim.
  7. breach
    an opening, especially a gap in a dike or fortification
    It takes Roathy a few precious seconds to notice. He calls out the breach, but I'm already across and dangerous and hungry.
  8. ascension
    a movement upward
    My ascension is short-lived. Bilal's pale form lays me low.
  9. rasp
    speak in a harsh, grating voice
    He wakes up once, eyes wide and dazed. But his words are clear enough.
    "Emmett," he rasps. "Hey, do me a favor."
  10. plummet
    drop sharply
    I eye the scores again and know that a month out will have Bilal dropping like a stone. His score will plummet, and even if I do beat out Roathy, he might beat out Bilal.
  11. sheer
    very steep; having a prominent and almost vertical front
    We gather before a sheer black wall near the back of the ship.
  12. fortitude
    strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity
    "Thank you," he says with a wide, sweeping gesture. "To the crew for their precision, to the medics for their care, to the competitors for their fortitude..."
  13. venture
    an undertaking with an uncertain outcome
    We've just completed a voyage that marks a new era in man's ventures into space.
  14. helm
    a position of leadership
    It is an honor to be at the helm of a mission such as this with people such as you.
  15. technicality
    a detail that is considered insignificant
    I glance back at the scoreboard and smile. Is it possible I just beat Roathy on a technicality? If he can't gain ground, then being a thousand points ahead of him is a great place to be.
  16. seamless
    not having a joint between two pieces
    The slightest sliver of light separates the seamless edges of the retracting walls.
  17. vie
    compete for something
    We aren't the only ones vying for a chance to travel to Eden.
  18. gangly
    tall, thin, and awkward
    Behind her stands a redheaded girl who’s tall and gangly.
  19. insurmountable
    not capable of being overcome
    His score, so insurmountable in our eyes, has almost been doubled by Morning.
  20. competent
    properly or sufficiently qualified, capable, or efficient
    We have Longwei, who is talented and hateful. Jaime, who performs each task competently but never demonstrates an excellence worth following.
  21. extraction
    taking out something
    Each unit will be made up of five members in order to maximize nyxia extraction and mobility on Eden.
  22. virtually
    slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
    "My name is David Requin. We've done our best to simplify things on the scoreboard. Those of you in italics are safe. Your flight to Eden is virtually secured. Congratulations."
  23. lacquer
    coat with varnish
    Though the wooden planks smell freshly lacquered, they still groan beneath our weight like good planks should groan.
  24. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    Roathy stands behind her like a gaunt shadow.
  25. prow
    the front part of a vessel
    A smoky substance crawls from the prow of the boat and spreads over the water like fog.
  26. affirmative
    a positive reply
    I clear my throat. "Better?"
    Affirmatives all around.
  27. foxhole
    a small dugout or pit to shelter soldiers from enemy fire
    Each station has a sort of foxhole carved out in front of it. The depression has her standing tall enough to see over the ship's railing, but short enough that my view isn't blocked.
  28. rampart
    an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
    The substance dissolves when it hits, but not before leaving smoke rings on the thick ramparts of the Waterway.
  29. throttle
    a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine
    I pull off the throttle, leaving Longwei on his own.
  30. grotesque
    art characterized by an incongruous mixture of parts
    "They typically carve grotesques onto the prow. How'd you break free?"
  31. dissipate
    cause to separate and go in different directions
    Jazzy tries to direct her pulse scan that way, but it dissipates before it can reach that far.
  32. superlative
    an exaggerated expression, usually of praise
    "So you're good-looking and funny? Let me guess: they handed out senior superlatives on the ship and you were voted Mr. Congeniality of Genesis 11?"
  33. congeniality
    a pleasant and agreeable disposition or attitude
    "No chance of winning Mr. Congeniality," I finally say. "Bilal swept that award, I think. Kid's so nice he snagged all our votes..."
  34. demeanor
    the way a person behaves toward other people
    I stand there for a while, trying to catch Morning's eye, but her nyxian mask is back on and she's wearing that hard, stony demeanor with it now too.
  35. forge
    make something, usually for a specific function
    We lost these fights months ago, I realize, in the dark rivalries that Defoe forged between us.
  36. lumber
    move heavily or clumsily
    On the first day, I stood across from their other big boy, Brett. I was worried until I saw him move. Lumbering and sloppy.
  37. feint
    deceive by a mock action
    She feints wide, switches her stance, feints inside, and then ducks forward.
  38. unyielding
    stubbornly unwilling to give in
    Above her mask, the look she returns is hard and unyielding.
  39. intoxicating
    extremely exciting
    There's something intoxicating about how she slides away and gestures for me to follow.
  40. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    "There always was," Anton says, seething. "Their whole show is wizards behind curtains and trapdoors..."
Created on Thu May 16 12:18:46 EDT 2019 (updated Mon May 20 14:44:27 EDT 2019)

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