Unit Name - The Giver

acceleration
Definition: 1.) Increase in the rate or speed of something. 2.) A vehicle's capacity to gain speed
within a short time. 3.) Physics: the rate of change of velocity per unit of time.
Sample sentence: The rapid acceleration of a rocket escaping earth's gravity puts a great strain on
a human body.

acquisition
Definition: The act of gaining possession. Something gained through one's actions or efforts.
Sample sentence: The corporation's latest acquisition is a chain of seafood restaurants.

adherence
Definition: 1.) The quality of staying attached; steady devotion. 2.) The state of being fixed in
attachment; fidelity; steady attachment.
Sample sentence: My mother's adherence to the views of her political party never wavered.

apprehensive
Definition: Fearful of what may be coming; in dread of possible harm; in expectation of evil.
Sample sentence: The longer I delayed jumping off the diving board, the more apprehensive I
grew.

aptitude
Definition: 1.) A natural ability to do something; readiness in learning; intelligence. 2.) A natural
or acquired disposition or capacity for a particular purpose, or tendency to a particular action or
effect.
Sample sentence: Tommy has a real aptitude for learning languages.

chastise
Definition: To discipline or reprimand severely. To criticize strongly and directly.
Sample sentence: Do not chastise a child severely for small mistakes.

condemn
Definition: 1.) To pronounce to be wrong; to disapprove of; to censure. 2.) To declare the guilt
of; to sentence to punishment, suffering, or loss; to doom. 3.) To give grounds or reason for
convicting. 4.) To judge or pronounce to be unfit for use or service. 5.) To force into a specific
state or activity.
Sample sentence: Recent newspaper articles condemn the mayor's attempts to solicit kickbacks.

defiant
Definition: Full of daring or bold resistance to authority; insolent.
Sample sentence: The defiant protestor refused to leave his spot blocking the advance of the
tank.
disposition
Definition: 1.) A person's inherent qualities of mind and character; natural mental and emotional
outlook or mood; characteristic attitude; inclination. 2.) Physical inclination or tendency. 3.)
Final settlement of a matter.
Sample sentence: Ralph had a sunny disposition and friends would cheer up when they spent
time with him.

distraught
Definition: 1.) Distracted; deeply agitated. 2.) Crazed.
Sample sentence: Leonard grew increasingly distraught as he waited to receive news of his
missing son.

excruciating
Definition: 1.) Extremely painful; causing intense suffering; unbearably distressing; torturing. 2.)
Exceedingly elaborate or intense; extreme.
Sample sentence: The splinter under my fingernail was causing excruciating pain.

exhilarating
Definition: Making one feel very happy, animated, or elated; thrilling, cheerful or merry.
Sample sentence: My first downhill ski run of the season is always an exhilarating experience.

humiliation
Definition: 1.) The act of making (someone) feel ashamed and foolish by injuring their dignity
and self-respect, especially publicly. 2.) The state of being humbled or losing self-respect, pride
or dignity.
Sample sentence: Imagine my humiliation when my mom criticized my haircut in front of my
friends.

incision
Definition: A surgical cut made in skin or flesh.
Sample sentence: The surgeon used a scalpel to make the first incision in the patient's abdomen.

indolence
Definition: Avoidance of activity or work; laziness.; habitual idleness.
Sample sentence: After the big push to prepare for exams, a feeling of indolence often takes
over.

indulgent
Definition: Being overly generous to, or lenient with someone; tolerant; permissive.
Sample sentence: My grandmother was a bit indulgent with us and had a hard time saying no to
our requests.

interdependence
Definition: The quality or condition of being mutually reliant on each other.
Sample sentence: Global interdependence has grown with improved trade and communications
between countries.
meticulous
Definition: Taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough.
Sample sentence: The teacher was very meticulous about giving instructions for safe use of the
Bunsen burners.

navigation
Definition: 1.) The act or process of moving on, over, or through (water, air, or land) in a ship or
aircraft. 2.) The science or art of determining a ship's position, course, distance passed over, etc.,
on the surface of the globe.
Sample sentence: Navigation becomes more difficult further up the river.

nurture
Definition: 1.) To feed and protect. 2.) To support and encourage, as during the period of training
or development; foster. 3.) To bring up; train; educate.
Sample sentence: Mammals nurture their offspring until they can feed and protect themselves.

pervade
Definition: To pass or spread through the whole extent of; to be diffused throughout.
Sample sentence: The smells of summer pervade the house when I open the windows.

phenomenon
Definition: 1.) An appearance; anything visible; a fact or situation that is observed to exist or
happen, especially one whose cause or explanation is in question. 2.) That which strikes one as
strange, unusual, or unaccountable; an extraordinary or very remarkable person, thing, or
occurrence.
Sample sentence: Lightning is a common natural phenomenon in the summertime.

precision
Definition: The quality or state of being strictly defined; exact limitation; exactness; accuracy;
strict conformity to a rule or a standard; definiteness.
Sample sentence: Our engineering firm prides itself on the precision of our designs.

relinquish
Definition: 1.) To let go or release; to leave behind; to abandon; to quit. 2.) To give up; to
renounce or surrender.
Sample sentence: When Mary moved, she had to relinquish her position as class president.

reprieve
Definition: 1.) A delay in the punishment of; suspension of the execution of sentence; a respite.
2.) A warrant authorizing a delay of a sentence.
Sample sentence: After considering the prisoner's pregnancy, the judge granted her a reprieve.

retroactive
Definition: Taking effect from a date in the past.
Sample sentence: The entire office staff received a pay raise retroactive to the beginning of the
month.
scrupulous
Definition: 1.) Having or showing a strict regard for what one thinks is right; principled. 2.)
Careful; cautious; exact; precise.
Sample sentence: Less scrupulous companies might look for a way to avoid regulations.

skeptical
Definition: Characterized by having or showing doubt; hesitating to admit the certainly of
doctrines or principles.
Sample sentence: My father was a bit skeptical of our plans to make enough money by the end of
the week.

transgression
Definition: An act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct; an offense.
Sample sentence: Even the smallest transgression can result in you losing your job.

unaccustomed
Definition: Not familiar or usual; out of the ordinary; uncommon; strange; new.
Sample sentence: My dog was unaccustomed to spending long hours at home alone.

unendurable
Definition: Not able to be tolerated; unbearable.
Sample sentence: The unendurable heat in the desert weakened the fleeing refugees.

unison
Definition: 1.) A process in which all elements behave in the same way at the same time;
simultaneous or synchronous parallel action. 2.) In music: coincidence in pitch.
Sample sentence: When the chorus warms up, they begin by singing in unison.