Fake ID: Chapters 10–23

by Lamar Giles
Because his family is in witness protection, fifteen-year-old Nick Pearson (not his real name) is supposed to remain low-key, but he has trouble doing that when another member of the Stepton High newspaper uncovers some secrets.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–9, Chapters 10–23, Chapters 24–32, Chapters 33–41, Chapters 42–51
35 words 11 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. desolate
    having few or no inhabitants
    A few minutes later I rolled into the desolate business district I’d found after my first day of school. Of the occupied storefronts, most were dark, with Closed signs facing the street.
  2. grudging
    unwilling or reluctant
    I detected grudging respect in his tone.
  3. pavilion
    a large and often sumptuous tent
    Pavilions, grills bolted to short concrete posts, a playground, and a gravel path leading to a manmade lake.
  4. congeal
    solidify, thicken, or come together
    I knelt next to him, in the congealing stickiness.
  5. gurney
    a metal stretcher with wheels
    Two EMTs—the same two I’d seen drinking Cokes by the football field on Friday night—wheeled a covered gurney toward the exit.
  6. emboss
    raise in a relief
    It was addressed to Eli and had an embossed blue crown where the return address would be.
  7. coveted
    greatly desired
    I could tell what she was thinking: if Eli didn’t tell me the great news about getting into his coveted program, he obviously didn’t share whatever case-breaking clue she’d fooled herself into believing I had.
  8. discord
    strife resulting from a lack of agreement
    Instead of Disney, we had discord.
  9. incensed
    angered at something unjust or wrong
    “My dad does work for the mob,” I blurted one afternoon, incensed by name-calling, violating my oath of secrecy.
  10. decrepit
    worn and broken down by hard use
    Outside was the definition of hood, decrepit and barren camouflage.
  11. barren
    completely wanting or lacking
    Outside was the definition of hood, decrepit and barren camouflage.
  12. sidle
    move unobtrusively or furtively
    The owner of the hand sidled next to me.
  13. rosary
    a series of prayers counted using a string of beads
    He whispered, “It’s a Rosary, little homey.” An answer to a question I did not ask.
    “What is?”
    “The prayer for Little Cuz. It’s what they say when someone dies.”
  14. complement
    make perfect or supply what is wanting
    The furnishings and linen complemented each other.
  15. acute
    demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
    I was acutely aware of the effort all this took because I’d spent a lot of grounded Saturdays hovering around my mom while she was glued to various home improvement shows on TV.
  16. obscure
    make unclear or less visible
    There were many other pictures obscuring the glass, too.
  17. dingy
    discolored by impurities; not bright and clear
    Relief faded when a familiar ape in a dingy dress shirt and too-short necktie barged in, having fixed his own plate before coming to console his grieving ex-girlfriend.
  18. reconcile
    come to terms
    Had Eli exaggerated about these two reconciling at the Dust Off?
  19. haggard
    showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
    She smiled at me, but she looked haggard. Not just from crying but from...whatever.
  20. animosity
    a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
    It wasn’t hard to imagine that, prior to Pilar’s delicate condition, some of the animosity between her and Reya probably stemmed from how much they rivaled each other in hotness.
  21. thwarted
    disappointingly unsuccessful
    I thought of the thwarted locker room beat down.
  22. patron
    someone who supports or champions something
    Eli, Patron Saint of Canceled School.
  23. morbid
    suggesting the horror of death and decay
    What kind of morbid freak was this guy?
  24. impede
    be a hindrance or obstacle to
    The front door only opened partway, impeded by two pieces of heavy luggage in its path.
  25. condescending
    characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance
    “Donna,” he said, using his calm voice, indistinguishable from his condescending voice.
  26. cultivate
    foster the growth of
    I zoned while they cultivated their bromance.
  27. permeate
    spread or diffuse through
    Bacon sizzled, maple permeating the air.
  28. scrawl
    write carelessly
    My hand whipped forward, hammering his elbow and causing him to scrawl a crooked line across the sign-up sheet before the pen went flying.
  29. subtle
    difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
    Zach’s grief had been replaced by much less subtle rage.
  30. sheen
    the visual property of something that shines
    I noticed a sheen on the freshly waxed floor tiles.
  31. truant
    absent without permission
    “Truant!? I wasn’t truant.” Not technically. I never actually got away.
  32. statute
    an act passed by a legislative body
    According to Stepton City statutes, and I quote, 'A minor found in violation of the established truancy policy can be detained by a city official until such time as custody is remanded to a school official or the minor’s legal guardian.'
  33. remand
    place someone into legal custody or prison
    According to Stepton City statutes, and I quote, 'A minor found in violation of the established truancy policy can be detained by a city official until such time as custody is remanded to a school official or the minor’s legal guardian.’
  34. indiscretion
    a petty misdeed
    We kept the secret through Dad’s indiscretions.
  35. maul
    injure badly
    He talked like I was a lion at the zoo. I waited for him to answer my question. And thought about mauling him.
Created on Fri Sep 16 11:02:18 EDT 2022 (updated Wed Mar 15 15:23:12 EDT 2023)

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