Five Feet Apart: Chapters 16–31

by Rachael Lippincott
Two teens with cystic fibrosis fall in love, although the disease prevents them from getting physically close to each other.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–6, Chapters 7–15, Chapters 16–31
35 words 87 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. scythe
    an edge tool for cutting grass
    I stare at the drawing I did earlier of myself as the Grim Reaper, the blade of my scythe reading “LOVE.”
  2. solemnly
    in a serious and dignified manner
    I grab my laptop off my bedside table and open YouTube, clicking solemnly on a suggested video of Stella’s that I’ve already seen, because I am just that pathetic right now.
  3. thrum
    make or cause to make a low, continuous sound
    The next day I stare out the window, watching the afternoon winter sun slowly near the horizon as the steady vibrating of my AffloVest thrums away at my chest.
  4. hardy
    having rugged physical strength
    All right, so, B. cepacia is a hardy bacterium. It’s so adaptive that it actually feeds on penicillin instead of being attacked by it.
  5. liberal
    given or giving freely
    “Cal Stat! This is not your average Purell. This is a hospital-grade hand sanitizer. Apply liberally and often!”
  6. skimpy
    containing little excess
    I pull out a pair of skimpy, silky boxers, eyeing them.
  7. impeccable
    without error or flaw
    I mean, he’s pretty much exclusively seen me in pajamas or a hospital gown, so he clearly isn’t in this for my good looks and impeccable Fall 2018 Hospital Collection wardrobe.
  8. nostalgia
    a longing for something past
    Sitting down on a bench, I look through a side door leading to the children’s playroom, a wave of nostalgia hitting me.
  9. coy
    affectedly shy especially in a playful or provocative way
    She smiles coyly at me before sliding into the pool, going completely under the water.
  10. affect
    have an influence upon
    “Your life is everything, Stella. You affect people more than you know.” He touches his chest, putting his hand over his heart. “I speak from experience.”
  11. crest
    reach a high point
    I look over at him as the sun slowly crests the horizon, casting a warm glow onto his face, his eyes bright and filled with something brand new but somehow familiar.
  12. tranquil
    not agitated
    My chest burns as I try to control my breathing, trying desperately to look tranquil while my body yearns for air.
  13. sprawl
    an ungainly posture with arms and legs spread about
    There’s a knock on my door, jolting me awake from my uncomfortable nap sprawl in the hideous green armchair by the window.
  14. adverse
    contrary to your interests or welfare
    “Maybe there’s an adverse drug interaction. Something keeping the new drug from working as it should?” she fires back, her eyes practically frantic.
  15. dementia
    mental deterioration of organic or functional origin
    “So, we put on sheets and...” Poe starts making ghostly OOOOHHH sounds, holding out his arms and floating around the room. “We snuck into the dementia ward.”
  16. pandemonium
    a state of extreme confusion and disorder
    “It was absolute pandemonium, but it was by far the best Halloween ever. We got in so much trouble.”
  17. clandestine
    conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods
    “But she lived big. A lot bigger than we do,” Poe says, smiling. “She would’ve loved a clandestine party like this one.”
  18. deftly
    in an agile manner
    He winks at me, taking his oven mitts off, and I watch as he confidently twirls his chef’s knife, deftly slicing the pie into eight even pieces with a flourish.
  19. flourish
    a showy gesture
    He winks at me, taking his oven mitts off, and I watch as he confidently twirls his chef’s knife, deftly slicing the pie into eight even pieces with a flourish.
  20. personnel
    group of people willing to obey orders
    “Code blue. All available personnel—”
    I jump up, running to the door so I can hear the garbled words of the announcement.
  21. garbled
    lacking orderly continuity
    “Code blue. All available personnel—”
    I jump up, running to the door so I can hear the garbled words of the announcement.
  22. swoon
    pass out from weakness or physical or emotional distress
    He’ll sit up and make a joke about eating too much pasta or swooning too hard over Anderson Cooper, and ask if I want to go get a late-night milk shake with him.
  23. exhilaration
    the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
    I run, the exhilaration pushing everything else from my mind.
  24. beckon
    appear inviting
    We trudge on through the snow, the lights beckoning to us in the distance, the park border coming slowly closer and closer.
  25. sear
    become superficially burned (also figurative)
    I sit bolt upright, my chest searing as I shout down the hallway.
  26. entourage
    the group following and attending to some important person
    The OR doors swing open, and Dr. Hamid comes through with a small entourage of surgeons.
  27. elated
    exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits
    “Oh, thank god!” Stella’s mom pulls her dad into a tight hug. I laugh with them, all of us elated. Stella made it.
  28. appease
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
    “Are you warm enough?” she asks me for the millionth time since she got back to the hospital. I look down at my two layers of sweatpants and three layers of shirts I put on to appease her, a smile creeping onto my face.
  29. remorseful
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
    I look up at Barb remorsefully. “I’m so sorry for all of this.”
  30. sedate
    cause to be calm or quiet
    “How long will Stella be sedated?” I ask her.
  31. ventilator
    a device that facilitates breathing
    I try to speak but can’t because of the ventilator.
  32. itinerary
    a proposed route of travel
    I glance up from my itinerary, laughing as I carefully fold it and put it into my back pocket.
  33. bittersweet
    tinged with sadness
    These past eight months have been bittersweet, to say the least.
  34. keel over
    fall suddenly; collapse
    I would have keeled over from this much walking a few months ago, but now it feels like I could just keep going.
  35. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    He’s still sick, portable oxygen slung over his shoulder, his face gaunt and tired.
Created on Mon Mar 04 13:57:03 EST 2019 (updated Mon Mar 04 14:05:06 EST 2019)

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