Icebreaker: Chapters 12–19

by Lian Tanner
This first book of The Hidden trilogy is set aboard the ancient icebreaker Oyster, where twelve-year-old Petrel must both use and discard her identity as the Nothing Girl to ensure survival.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 3, Chapters 4–6, Chapters 7–11, Chapters 12–19, Chapters 20–26
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. bleak
    unpleasantly cold and damp
    The day of the funeral was bleak and the sea was gray and flat.
  2. plaintive
    expressing sorrow
    Somewhere in the distance a gull mewed, plaintive as a lost child.
  3. adorned
    decorated or dressed up to be more beautiful or distinct
    The entire crew was there, gathered on the afterdeck in their best outdoor clothes, which mostly meant the same outdoor clothes they wore every day, but adorned with feathers and sharks’ teeth.
  4. stoke
    increase or intensify an emotion or response
    Of course he was officially First Officer now. But Dolph refused to even think of him that way. The one time she had tried, it stoked her rage to such a terrifying degree that she had been afraid she would die of it.
  5. sullen
    showing a brooding ill humor
    Something roared, deep and sullen, like a glacier tumbling into the ocean.
  6. parcel
    a wrapped package
    With Dolph, they lifted the sealskin parcel onto the rail and tipped it until Orca’s body slipped from its wrapping and fell down, down, down—
  7. piston
    mechanical device that has a plunging or thrusting motion
    Vast teeth, as big as pistons, snapped at the corpse.
  8. disperse
    move away from each other
    There was a roar of agreement from the crew, and they began to disperse, some to fishing shift, others to the engines and the galley and the bridge.
  9. convulse
    contract involuntarily, as in a spasm
    The boy’s face convulsed. With the small part of his mind that was still aware, he told himself that this was not a memory at all, but the fever playing tricks on him. Or perhaps it was the demon, crawling into his mind.
  10. solemn
    characterized by a firm belief in your opinions
    You go and talk to your da. Make sure he promises not to hurt Fin, and promises not to tell anyone about him either. And when you’ve got those promises, all proper and solemn, send me a rattle through the pipes in Cook code.
  11. beady
    small, round, and shiny
    The relentless chorus broke off, and beady eyes peered up at Petrel.
  12. waver
    move hesitatingly, as if about to give way
    Fin was moving, rippling across the floor towards her, with one hand wavering uncertainly out to the side.
  13. errant
    straying from the right course or from accepted standards
    “Get that arm, Smoke,” said Missus Slink, who seemed to be overseeing the expedition, and Mister Smoke chivvied the errant rats until they trotted back towards their fellows, and Fin’s arm was where it should be.
  14. patter
    a quick succession of light rapid sounds
    She had no idea if he heard her, but he grew quiet again, and there was no sound except ordinary ship noises, and the patter of a thousand tiny feet.
  15. rank
    very offensive in smell or taste
    The rats, pattering along in front of Petrel’s nose, had a rank, musty smell.
  16. vat
    a large open vessel for holding or storing liquids
    Petrel crawled up through the hole, and found herself on the same level as the galley, but considerably farther aft, and surrounded by enormous silent vats.
  17. gruffness
    an abrupt discourteous manner
    She was beginning to suspect that all his gruffness was on the surface. There was none of the bone-deep nastiness that made Albie so dangerous.
  18. dilemma
    state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
    Without turning around, Squid said, “Make sure you shut the door behind you. We don’t want anyone looking in.”
    Which left Petrel with a dilemma. She wanted to leave, mostly to prove to herself that she could. But what if Fin disappeared while she was gone?
  19. interval
    a definite length of time marked off by two instants
    Krill visited at regular intervals with more food than Petrel had ever seen in her life.
  20. twinge
    a sudden sharp feeling
    She could see, too, how proud the Head Cook was of his daughter, and that sent a twinge right through Petrel's heart, because no one was proud of her, or ever likely to be.
  21. wearisome
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental fatigue
    It was a long, wearisome night, but towards the end of it, Fin quieted a little.
  22. rambling
    straying from the main point or covering a range of subjects
    “Got your wits back, or are you still rambling?”
  23. tolerate
    put up with something or somebody unpleasant
    Should we smile at those who commit crimes against society? Should we pat them on the shoulder and send them on their way to commit more crimes? Should we soothe them, and tolerate their foolishness?
  24. plait
    weave into a braided hairdo
    He saw a massive chest, and a beard with bones plaited in it, and fierce, intelligent eyes above the beard.
  25. kin
    a person related to another or others
    “She’s not just anyone,” protested Cod. “She’s Orca’s kin. She’s got a right—”
  26. apace
    rapidly; in a speedy manner
    “A demon?” he said mildly, though his heart was beating apace.
  27. plague
    annoy continually or chronically
    Fin wished desperately that the whole mission was over and done with, and that he was back in the Citadel, where life was simple, and unsettling thoughts did not plague him.
  28. heft
    test the weight of something by lifting it
    He hefted the spanner in his fist, wondering whether he might be able to use it to force the hatch where the demon was hidden.
  29. smitten
    marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness
    “He’s Squid's secret feller,” she said quickly. “They're love- smitten, they are, which is just plain stupid in my opinion, ‘cos Krill and Albie'll have a fit if they find out, and—”
  30. assume
    take to be the case or to be true
    Petrel assumed it was another trick, but she looked all the same, and saw a patch of white.
  31. dense
    having high compaction or concentration
    “It’s Fin’s ship,” cried Petrel, her breath hanging on the air in a dense fog.
  32. clangor
    a loud resonant repeating noise
    As they descended towards Dufftown, the sounds of fighting rose up to meet them—the howls of rage, the clangor of the pipes, the clash of weapons in and out of the passages.
  33. retribution
    a justly deserved penalty
    The coldness of the afterdeck had been nothing compared to the coldness he had felt when he saw the sail of the Retribution.
  34. reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
    Petrel’s voice sank to a reverent murmur. “Imagine, Fin! I’ll whisper in his ear, and he’ll wake up and come storming out and fix everything! Your cruel men won’t know what hit ’em!”
  35. aback
    by surprise
    The man was taken aback to hear her speak, but he recovered quickly.
  36. buck
    move in a jerky or violent manner
    Everywhere he looked, patched hoses squirmed and bucked.
  37. torrent
    a violently fast stream of water or other liquid
    Salt water poured through it in a torrent, and spurted out the nozzle.
  38. wiry
    lean but strong
    He looked over his shoulder and saw Petrel, eyes narrowed, teeth bared, clinging to the hose with all her wiry strength.
  39. blistering
    extremely hot
    He felt as if every part of him were blistering. The hose burned his fingers; the heat scorched his face. Sweat poured from him and dried on the instant.
  40. muddle
    mix up or confuse
    With a jolt, he remembered who he was, and why he was here. The happiness drained out of him, and in its place came a muddled anger.
Created on Thu Dec 28 12:19:06 EST 2023 (updated Mon Jan 01 15:15:07 EST 2024)

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