Dread Nation: Chapters 16–23

by Justina Ireland
The American Civil War ends abruptly when fallen soldiers begin to rise from the dead and attack the living. Like many Native American and African American children, Jane is conscripted into a combat school to learn to fight these so-called "shamblers." But when Jane heads to the West to search for a missing girl, she encounters dangers even more perilous than zombies.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 4, Chapters 5–9, Chapters 10–15, Chapters 16–23, Chapters 24–29, Chapters 30–38
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. wretch
    someone who performs some wicked deed
    “And I hope a horde of shamblers chews your face off, you miserable wretch,” I say.
  2. slavish
    abjectly submissive; characteristic of a servant
    All this time I waited for answers and got not a one, my slavish devotion answered with silence from her.
  3. lout
    an awkward, foolish person
    Mr. Redfern’s low voice causes the louts to step aside uncertainly, and he leaps into the railcar with an easy grace.
  4. perverse
    deviating from what is considered moral or right or proper
    I am not proud to say it gives me a perverse kind of joy to see Jackson take a few licks.
  5. subterfuge
    something intended to misrepresent the nature of an activity
    Here, there’s not even the subterfuge of such a possibility.
  6. enclave
    an enclosed territory that is culturally distinct
    “And, Bill, please show some restraint. These ladies are trained in the art of killing the dead. I know you haven’t heard of Miss Preston's, but the girls from that school are well respected. They are a far cry from the Negroes we get from the Southern enclaves. It would be a small matter for them to turn that talent on you.”
  7. privy
    a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
    It’s a small building, not much bigger than the privies we passed a little ways back, and Gideon turns to Bill when we arrive.
  8. asunder
    into parts or pieces
    I daresay that if it weren't for the aunties, even our happy community would be torn asunder.
  9. buttress
    reinforce with a support usually of stone or brick
    The walls and floors are buttressed like a basement, and the entire space is much larger than the small building we entered.
  10. bearing
    a person's manner or way of conducting himself or herself
    If you decide to put up any resistance, Bill back there would be happy to assist. I’m sure a lady of your bearing would much rather face adversity with her head held high than in physical restraint.
  11. daft
    foolish or mentally irregular
    I'd been thinking Mr. Gideon was a fair sight smarter than the typical fellow in this place, but if he believes that he can tell anything by the size of someone's head, he's just as daft as the rest of them.
  12. saucy
    improperly forward or bold
    I give her a saucy wink.
  13. flunky
    an underling of unquestioning obedience
    The door to the sheriff’s office opens, and another of his flunkies walks toward us.
  14. beatific
    resembling or befitting an angel or saint
    Katherine gives the man a beatific smile.
  15. euphemism
    an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one
    “It’s a euphemism for the curse Noah put upon Canaan, Ham’s son. It’s the reason the Negro was enslaved,” she says.
  16. castigation
    a severe scolding
    “In these days of His castigation upon the earth, we must reaffirm the hierarchy of His creation and His will. Your soul will be cleansed in Heaven; in the meantime, your kind are made to serve His image through toil and labor, girl.”
  17. deportment
    the way a person behaves toward other people
    Even now, in the midst of a full-fledged crisis, Katherine has managed to retain her deportment.
  18. lurid
    glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism
    I think Jackson got it to scandalize me, since the red velvet cover was decidedly lurid, but it ended up being a very good story.
  19. repose
    freedom from activity
    “My name is Jane McKeene. I'm begging your pardon for disturbing your afternoon repose, ma'am, but I was directed to see you about lodgings, a bath, and the possibility of some sustenance.”
  20. bemused
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    She gives me a bemused smile in return and just shakes her head as she slips through a door, off to see about her business.
  21. quaver
    a tremulous sound
    “I got this, sir,” Bill says, a quaver in his voice.
  22. garish
    tastelessly showy
    The old man still smiles, thin red lips stretched garishly over large front teeth.
  23. furtive
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
    Ida keeps casting furtive glances in the vicinity of Bill and his shotgun.
  24. uppity
    arrogant or self-important
    But if you mess up—like if you don't listen or they think you're uppity—then they'll move you to another compound.
  25. boon
    something that is desirable, favorable, or beneficial
    There are some new faces in the flock today, and that is a boon. God has blessed us, because a growing flock is a lucky flock.
  26. assent
    agreement with a statement or proposal to do something
    People in the crowd, mostly the white men at the tables full of roughnecks, are nodding and murmuring in assent.
  27. hubris
    overbearing pride or presumption
    For failing to understand this law, fundamental to His love, He has unleashed His wrath upon us. It was hubris to think we are all equal in His eyes, friends.
  28. rheum
    a watery discharge from the mucous membranes
    The old man looks at me with rheumy eyes.
  29. impetuous
    characterized by undue haste and lack of thought
    You were always such an impetuous child, and I genuinely hope you aren't letting your temper get the better of you.
  30. tome
    a large and scholarly book
    The holy book is not my favorite tome, but I know it well enough.
  31. straggling
    spreading out in different directions
    From my observations there looks to be three that are moving well, the rest of the group kind of straggling behind.
  32. culvert
    a transverse and enclosed drain under a road or railway
    The head goes rolling off down into the culvert and the body goes still.
  33. rumination
    a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
    My penny goes cold, and the sensation is enough to snap me out of my poorly timed ruminations.
  34. parse
    analyze the sentence structure of
    I file the fact away for later, another piece of a puzzle I ain’t sure I understand or even want to parse.
  35. lop
    cut off from a whole
    “If you point a gun at me, you’d better use it, because next time I might not remember that a lady doesn’t go around lopping the heads off of random folks...”
Created on Wed May 30 08:31:31 EDT 2018 (updated Wed May 30 09:27:15 EDT 2018)

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