Road Home: List 6

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 "cardboard"–"dinner."

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 20 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. altar
    a raised structure on which sacrifices to a god are made
    Parent gods Zeus and Hera fought for the love of humans, yet punished those who did not bow at their altars.
  2. nudge
    a slight push or shake
    It’s less than a kick, but more than a nudge.
  3. morph
    change shape or undergo a transformation
    Thoughts and memories morph into one another, then fade into colorful otherworlds or hellish landscapes with vicious demons that eventually transform into brick buildings or dumpsters or sidewalks near where I set up for the night.
  4. tangible
    perceptible by the senses, especially the sense of touch
    Most nights, the darkness becomes tangible, presses down on me so I can’t breathe.
  5. vacant
    void of thought or knowledge
    I see the same people again and again, with vacant eyes and grit dug into the lines on their faces.
  6. desperation
    a state in which all hope is lost or absent
    People can smell it on me, the desperation, the stink of being unshowered.
  7. etiquette
    rules governing socially acceptable behavior
    I don’t know what the proper etiquette is.
  8. kaleidoscope
    a complex pattern of constantly changing colors and shapes
    The lights splash across their faces, creating a kaleidoscope of brilliant sparkles that reflects in the eyes of tourists and locals and homeless alike.
  9. dissipate
    go away, scatter, or disappear
    Night takes back the atmosphere, and there’s no trace of the celebration except for plumes of smoke rising up and dissipating.
  10. disintegrate
    break into parts or components or lose cohesion or unity
    Then the audience falls to pieces, disintegrating into couples and families and groups of friends.
  11. acrid
    strong and sharp, as a taste or smell
    My body is home to an acrid stench that is starting to burn my own nose.
  12. maw
    the mouth, jaws, or throat
    It means its fresh, just off the grill, right out of the fryer, and straight into my maw.
  13. reluctant
    not eager
    I hand it to her, not even the slightest bit reluctant.
  14. invoke
    summon into action or bring into existence
    Slowly, I pull them apart, invoking memories of Happy Meals from the past.
  15. horrific
    grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
    The smell is horrific cause the first toilet is clogged with feces and toilet paper.
  16. unsullied
    spotlessly clean and fresh
    I don’t have access to an unsullied bathroom.
  17. garner
    acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions
    Trying to garner some luck from its plastic body.
  18. binge
    an occasion for excessive eating or drinking
    The other two girls shrug, continuing their binge.
  19. antebellum
    belonging to a period before a war
    I saunter along St. Charles Avenue, admiring the beautiful live oaks and well-kept antebellum mansions.
  20. capacity
    the power to learn or retain knowledge
    Like my brain is only running at partial capacity.
  21. lather
    rub soap all over, usually with the purpose of cleaning
    I rinse my fingers and palms, lather them with soap, then wash them again.
  22. ruminate
    reflect deeply on a subject
    He ruminates on the question.
  23. icon
    someone famous who is adored and idolized
    “The actress who played Dorothy was named Judy Garland. She was something of a tragic figure, but she was also full of camp. She’s quite the gay icon. Lots of homosexual men, especially of my age, identify with her.”
  24. interlock
    become or cause to become entwined with one another
    Roger interlocks his fingers and rests his chin on his hands.
  25. rusty
    impaired in skill by neglect
    “Well, I was rusty at first. It’s been a while since I talked to anybody,” I admit.
Created on Thu May 22 08:29:11 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Jun 10 15:13:12 EDT 2025)

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