The Book Thief: Prologue–Part One

Mackenzie S. (United States of America)
Liesel Meminger is a foster child living in Nazi Germany in 1939. Surrounded by violence, hardship, and war, Liesel is watched over by Death, who narrates her story.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten–Epilogue
20 words 39 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. amiable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
    I can be amiable.
  2. abhorrence
    hate coupled with disgust
    The abhorrence on his cheeks was growing thicker by the moment.
  3. traipse
    walk or tramp about
    “Come on,” he said, traipsing over the snow.
  4. shroud
    cover as if with a burial garment
    He remained shrouded in his uniform as the graying light arm- wrestled the sky.
  5. septic
    of or relating to or caused by the process of decay
    I hang suspended, until a septic truth bleeds toward clarity That’s when I see them formulate.
  6. unsavory
    morally offensive
    The situation was unsavory to say the least.
  7. echelon
    level of authority in a hierarchy
    She wasn’t delivering her children to the higher echelons of Munich, but a foster home had apparently been found, and if nothing else, the new family could at least feed the girl and the boy a little better, and educate them properly.
  8. illustrious
    widely known and esteemed
    The book thief had struck for the first time—the beginning of an illustrious career. Growing.
  9. hiatus
    an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
    I should hasten to admit, however, that there was a considerable hiatus between the first stolen book and the second.
  10. vehement
    marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions
    It was so vehement and prolific.
  11. ponderous
    labored and dull
    (The human child—so much cannier at times than the stupefyingly ponderous adult.)
  12. induce
    cause to arise
    When Liesel finally had a bath, after two weeks of living on Himmel Street, Rosa gave her an enormous, injury- inducing hug.
  13. raucous
    disturbing the public peace; loud and rough
    Evenings in the small kitchen were raucous, without fail.
  14. catalyst
    something that causes an important event to happen
    One of them, the infamous Rudy, would soon become Liesel’s best friend, and later, her partner and sometime catalyst in crime.
  15. nefarious
    extremely wicked
    Frau Diller was a sharp-edged woman with fat glasses and a nefarious glare.
  16. lacerate
    cut or tear irregularly
    Shaped like a long, broken arm, the road contained several houses with lacerated windows and bruised walls.
  17. infamy
    a state of extreme dishonor
    As we both know, Liesel wasn’t on hand on Himmel Street when Rudy performed his act of childhood infamy.
  18. luminary
    a celebrity who is an inspiration to others
    Had the apprentice been reading the complete works of Goethe or any other such luminary, that was what would have sat in front of them.
  19. morbidity
    an abnormally gloomy or unhealthy state of mind
    Not to mention the morbidity of the subject.
  20. itemize
    specify individually
    Types of shovels, picks, gloves, and so forth were itemized, as well as the vital need to properly maintain them.
Created on Mon Jan 27 09:21:04 EST 2025 (updated Thu Feb 12 16:14:05 EST 2026)

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