Proud: Chapter 16–Epilogue

by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad was the first Muslim American woman to win an Olympic medal. In this memoir, she chronicles her unlikely and often difficult rise to the top in her sport.

Here are links to our lists for the memoir: Prologue–Chapter 4, Chapters 5–7, Chapters 8–10, Chapters 11–13, Chapters 14–15, Chapter 16–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. toll
    value measured by what must be done to obtain something
    I thought about the physical toll actually getting to the Olympics had taken on my body and then considered the emotional toll as well.
  2. ante
    the initial contribution that each player makes to the pot
    The ante had been upped, and I had to be ready.
  3. exemplary
    worthy of imitation
    That was the thing about being the minority athlete, I had to be exemplary on the field to even be remotely acknowledged and conduct myself in a far more exemplary manner off the field to be acceptable.
  4. virulent
    harsh or corrosive in tone
    What was encouraging to me was that the more virulent the anti-Muslim sentiment seemed to get in right-wing quarters, the more media outlets, brands, and companies wanted to talk to me, work with me, and/or hear my perspective on current events.
  5. discourse
    an extended communication dealing with some particular topic
    Over the course of history, sport has played a dynamic role in shaping cultural discourse.
  6. epitomize
    embody the essential characteristics of
    She epitomized the attitude I wanted to emulate, to be true to yourself, even when the costs are high, while simultaneously uniting people through love and laughter.
  7. emulate
    strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
    She epitomized the attitude I wanted to emulate, to be true to yourself, even when the costs are high, while simultaneously uniting people through love and laughter.
  8. bottom line
    the crucial or decisive point
    The bottom line is, if you stay home, your message stays home with you.
  9. rebuke
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
    I applauded Team USA in that moment, because their decision to vote for a Muslim American woman in hijab was a powerful rebuke...
  10. feint
    any distracting or deceptive maneuver
    What I discovered was that she used a lot of feints and depended on speed in her attacks, so I knew I would have to be patient and trust my technique and instinct in order to win.
  11. convey
    make known; pass on, of information
    I squeezed her hand and tried to convey in that moment how much I loved her and appreciated her.
  12. succinct
    briefly giving the gist of something
    My answer was succinct. “I think that anyone who has paid attention to the news would know the importance of having a Muslim woman on Team USA, at this moment of time,” I said.
  13. reclaim
    reassert one's right or title to
    So the three of us were motivated to reclaim our glory during the team competition five days later.
  14. deficit
    (sports) the score by which a team or individual is losing
    We hung in there most of the match, but had acquired a large deficit going into the seventh bout.
  15. unadulterated
    without qualification
    I felt a burst of pure unadulterated joy, pride, and awe.
  16. rubric
    category name
    Because the man had made actual death threats against me and my family—threats that fell under the rubric of hate crimes—the FBI was quickly contacted.
  17. dispatch
    send away towards a designated goal
    Investigators were dispatched to the man’s home in Virginia, and it was eventually determined that he didn’t pose a “real threat.”
  18. polarize
    become divided in a conflict or contrasting situation
    As the nation became more racially and politically polarized, did I really want to take a stand at the risk of my own safety?
  19. resolute
    firm in purpose or belief
    One day I’d feel brave and resolute to keep speaking up even in the face of danger, but the next day I’d wonder how I would ever be able to go out into the world as a symbol of courage when I actually felt fear.
  20. skittish
    unpredictably excitable, especially of horses
    I was flattered by the idea, but the recent events with the FBI and my father’s warnings had me a little skittish about the idea of walking through Maplewood with crowds of people around me.
Created on Wed Feb 06 14:35:35 EST 2019 (updated Wed Feb 06 15:45:35 EST 2019)

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