Pelé: Chapter 5

by Eddy Simon, Vincent Brascaglia
This biography, told in graphic form, explores the life of the famed Brazilian soccer player.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Halftime–Chapter 7, Chapter 8–Extra time
15 words 19 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. upheaval
    a state of violent disturbance and disorder
    1964 is a year of upheaval that will radically change the course of Brazil's history.
  2. coup d'etat
    a sudden and decisive change of government by force
    On March 31, Field Marshal Castelo Branco unleashes a coup d'état and overthrows democratic power.
  3. vest
    provide with power and authority
    Our victorious revolution vests itself with constitutional emergency powers of which I am the uncontested head!
  4. censorship
    deleting parts of publications or theatrical performances
    The constitution is suspended, the congress is dissolved, individual freedoms reduced, and censorship put in place.
  5. subversive
    in opposition to an established system or government
    The application of the military penal code authorizes us to arrest any individual with subversive ideologies!
  6. paradoxical
    seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true
    Brazilians will learn to keep quiet, and paradoxically, the Santos Club will recruit the one who will become the players' confidant.
  7. confidant
    someone to whom private matters are told
    Brazilians will learn to keep quiet, and paradoxically the Santos Club will recruit the one who will become the players' confidant.
  8. instill
    teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
    He'll be in charge of your physical conditioning, but will also instill some life management skills in you.
  9. agile
    moving quickly and lightly
    Defenders see and obsess over this little agile guy.
  10. junta
    a group of officers who rule a country after seizing power
    The military junta is visibly authoritarian and intrusive during the team's preparation, which is once again at the hands of Coach Vicente Feola, the magician of 1958.
  11. rife
    frequent, common, or widespread
    From the beginning of the competition, a worrisome rumor was rife in the locker rooms.
  12. leniency
    lightening a penalty or excusing from a chore
    It seems the referees would be deliberately less strict concerning a physical defense and that they didn't want to whistle fouls. This calculated leniency gives the advantage to Europeans, who are much taller and more muscular than the South American players.
  13. adversity
    a state of misfortune or affliction
    Adversity can give life a little meaning and more savor to the victory.
  14. detachment
    lack of emotion or interest
    Journalists and others interpret his detachment to be pretentiousness, boredom, and depression.
  15. pretentious
    creating an appearance of importance or distinction
    Journalists and others interpret his detachment to be pretentiousness, boredom, and depression.
Created on Tue Jun 17 12:13:53 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Jun 17 15:41:28 EDT 2025)

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