The Giver Vocab

Question 1

alcove (noun)

Answer 1

a small section of a room that is set back from the rest of it
Set in a sunny corner, the alcove was a cozy place for comfortable reading chairs

Question 2

assuage (verb)

Answer 2

to make something, such as an unpleasant feeling, less painful, severe, etc.; to calm, ease, or soothe

The toddler’s parents tried to assuage her fear of getting a shot at the doctor’s office. .

Question 3

beckon (verb)

Answer 3

to signal (someone) with your arm or hand in order to tell that person to come closer or follow

Because the undertow was strong, the lifeguard was beckoning them in to swim closer to shore.

Question 4

chastise (verb)

Answer 4

to criticize (someone) harshly for doing something wrong

The waiter was chastised for forgetting the customer’s order.

Question 5

crescendo (noun)

Answer 5

the highest or loudest point of something that increases gradually

The excitement reached its crescendo when the performer finally appeared on stage.

Question 6

chortle (noun)

Answer 6

to laugh because you are amused or pleased by something

“You are going to love this gift!” she squealed with a chortle of delight.

Question 7

cliche (noun)

Answer 7

a phrase or expression that has been overused and is no longer original or interesting

The author’s speech, filled with clichés about “finding your way” and “keeping the faith,” dulled the audience, who were expecting fresher wordsmithing .

Question 8

dystopia (noun)

Answer 8

an imaginary place where people are unhappy and usually afraid because they are not treated fairly

Many readers who enjoy fantasy prefer dystopian novels where there are evil forces.

Question 9

euphemism (noun)

Answer 9

a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive

A correctional facility is a euphemism for a prison.

The Nazis utilized the euphemism “final solution” as a cover for their plans of genocide.

Question 10

indolent (adj)

Answer 10

not liking to work or be active : lazy

Because the indolent waiter did not show up to his shift on time nor refill the salt and pepper shakers, he was asked not to return the next day.

Question 11

intrigue (noun)

Answer 11

high suspense; high interest

There was a waiting list at the library for the new novel that combined both intrigue and romance for mystery-lovers.

Question 12

jaunty (adj)

Answer 12

having or suggesting a lively and confident quality

With his hat pulled down at an angle and wearing an impish grin, he struck a jaunty pose for the camera.

Question 13

jeer (verb)

Answer 13

to shout insulting words at someone : to laugh at or criticize someone in a loud and angry way

The crowd jeered at batter when he struck out.

Question 14

obsolete (adj)

Answer 14

no longer used because something newer exists; replaced by something newer

With the rapid pace of innovation, technology is often obsolete quickly.

Traveling by horse and buggy became obsolete with the invention of the automobile.

Obsolete viewpoints, such as the idea that people do not have the ability to change their thinking and actions, are a hallmark of a fixed mindset.

Question 15

ominous (adj)

Answer 15

suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future

The ominous clouds that were quickly gathering caused the couple to make the decision to move their wedding indoors.

Dumbledore spoke in ominous tones about what would happen if people did not rise up against Voldemort and his followers.

Question 16

petulant (adj)

Answer 16

characterized as having or showing the attitude of anger and annoyance when not getting one’s way

Even though she had ponies, mounds of cake and ice cream, and Harry Styles to sing “Happy Birthday” to her, the petulant child sulked in the corner because she thought the pile of presents too small.

Question 17

placid (adj)

Answer 17

not easily upset or excited
Because of her sunny, placid disposition, Susie is an easy person to be around.

AND/OR

not moving much : calm and steady
The gentle sunshine and the placid surface of the lake lulled me to sleep as I lay on the deck of the sailboat.

Question 18

ponder (verb)

Answer 18

to think about or consider carefully

Maribeth pondered the question about who was responsible for the play’s tragedy before she answered.

The candidate pondered her chances of success before deciding to withdraw from the race.

Thinking about missing time off from work and the expense of hotel accommodations, we pondered whether we could afford the trip.

Question 19

scrupulous (adj)

Answer 19

very careful about doing something correctly

Gluing down the beads to the top of the box required scrupulous attention to detail.

AND/OR

careful about doing what is honest and morally right

Marianne was always scrupulous about maintaining her honor even when away from the classroom.

Less scrupulous companies find ways to evade the law.

Question 20

subside (verb)

Answer 20

to become less strong or intense

The pain and swelling from the bite will subside in a couple of hours.

After Anne’s anger had subsided, she was able to look at things rationally and then see that sometimes she had been unfair.

We’ll have to wait until the rain subsides before we make a dash to our car.

Question 21

tantalizing (adj)

Answer 21

to cause interest or excitement about something that is very attractive, appealing, etc.

Although we may be tantalized to relax the rules about social distancing, it is important to remain vigilant to help slow the spread of the virus.

Tantalizing as it may be, the possibility of earning a lot of money quickly and without much effort usually doesn’t work.

Question 22

transgress (verb)

Answer 22

to do something that is not allowed : to disobey a command or law

There are legal consequences for companies that transgress the rules.

Because she had transgressed against her sister when she borrowed her sister’s clothes without asking, Margaret asked for forgiveness.

Question 23

utopia (noun)

Answer 23

an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect

Many travelers to the New World wanted to create a Christian utopia where they could be free to worship as they wished.

Here’s an example of the word used as an adjective: The organizers of the 1960’s music festival Woodstock had a utopian vision of people coming together to enjoy music and to demonstrate for peace.

Question 24

vigilant (adj)

Answer 24

carefully noticing problems or signs of danger

Everyone is remaining vigilant in combating the virus by washing hands frequently, maintaining social distance, and keeping up the spirit of others.

All of the Dutch helpers were vigilant in their efforts to hide the residents of the Secret Annex.

Question 25

wheedle (verb)

Answer 25

to persuade someone to do something or to give you something by saying nice things; to coax

With a pinky-promise to keep the secret, we managed to wheedle the juicy details out of her.

The salesperson tried to wheedle us into spending more money than we wanted by offering a small discount.

Although the young child pleaded and wheedled with promises to clean up later, the parents would not be swayed.