Road Home: List 5

by Rex Ogle
In this final chapter of his memoir trilogy, Rex is forced out of his family home by his father and travels to New Orleans, trying to find somewhere he belongs.

This list covers vocabulary from "leaving"–"shelter."

Here are links to our lists for the book: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6, List 7, List 8
25 words 18 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. trudge
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    As I trudge back to my truck, the sun’s rays fall on my skin.
  2. simmer
    boil slowly at low temperature
    I have no idea where I’d find boiling water to simmer the curvy dry pasta into life.
  3. betray
    disappoint, abandon, or prove undependable to
    My thoughts are betraying me, and I can’t stop them.
  4. sentiment
    tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion
    And me returning the sentiment.
  5. prod
    push against gently
    And now the stick shift is prodding my back.
  6. cosmos
    the universe considered as a whole
    As if the cosmos is treating me like the punch line of a bad joke.
  7. fixate
    pay attention to exclusively and obsessively
    I try not to fixate on the plates of food, even as my mouth waters.
  8. meander
    move or cause to move in a winding or curving course
    Slyly, I meander from machine to machine, searching out left-behind quarters.
  9. diabolical
    extremely evil or cruel
    I’ve been thirsty all day, sweating out my moisture under the diabolical sun.
  10. clientele
    customers collectively
    The clientele munches on them absent-mindedly.
  11. jackpot
    the cumulative amount involved in a game (such as poker)
    I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot.
  12. cluster
    a grouping of a number of similar things
    A cluster of loud women appear.
  13. lax
    without rigor or strictness
    But the gay bar doormen are more lax.
  14. sidle
    move unobtrusively or furtively
    Then I sidle up behind the men, and laugh when they laugh.
  15. savor
    taste appreciatively
    I savor every morsel.
  16. contort
    twist and press out of shape
    I feel my face contort.
  17. quake
    shake with fast, unsteady movements
    I think of Russell, of me telling him to stop, and my stomach quakes.
  18. scour
    clean with hard rubbing
    Scrubbing under my armpits, soaking my hair, scouring my face, wiping at my chest, shoulders, and back.
  19. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
    Neighborhoods are like a checkerboard of new and old, beautiful and destitute.
  20. rejoice
    express great happiness
    Under the illumination, several bugs dance about, as if rejoicing.
  21. quiver
    shake with fast, tremulous movements
    My stomach quivers.
  22. reek
    smell badly and offensively
    He reeks of urine and body odor.
  23. aggravation
    an exasperated feeling of annoyance
    I hear words like “Jesus Christ” and “salvation” and “heaven,” and aggravation rolls through me.
  24. labored
    requiring or showing effort
    On the other side of the room, a man snores like a freight train, his breathing heavy and labored.
  25. totter
    walk unsteadily
    He totters to the other end of the dark room, crawls into a corner, and rocks back and forth.
Created on Thu May 22 08:18:31 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Jun 10 15:13:00 EDT 2025)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.