Ender's Game

We are beginning our novel, Ender's Game. Here is the vocabulary list for this unit.

VOCABULARY from Ender’s Game

1. malleable adj. 1) capable of being extended or shaped: capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences 2: having a capacity for adaptive change. He’s too malleable. Too willing to submerge himself in someone else’s will

2. rescind vt. 1) to take away, remove, take back, cancel. 2) to abrogate (a contract) and restore the parties to the positions they would have occupied had there been no contract. 3) to make void, repeal. . . . they would like to rescind the waivers

3. forestall vt. to exclude, hinder or prevent by prior measures. Ender . . . was trying to figure out a way to forestall vengeance

4. vivisect vt. to perform vivisection on. vivisection n. 1 : the cutting of or operation on a living animal usually for physiological or pathological investigation. “We’re gonna vivisect you, bugger”

5. commiserate vi. to feel or express sympathy vt. to feel or express sorrow or compassion for. Mother came home and commiserated with Ender about the monitor

6. extenuate vt. to lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of by making partial excuses: mitigate. “We’re willing to consider extenuating circumstances” (14).

7. ambiguous adj. 1) doubtful or uncertain especially from obscurity or indistinctness. 2) capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways. “. . . but in fact, their feelings are still ambiguous” (16).
8. assimilation n. the act, process or state of being assimilated. assimilate. v. 1) to take in and utilize as nourishment, absorb into the system. 2) to take into the mind and thoroughly comprehend. “. . you interfere with their efforts at assimilation into normal complying society” (17).

9. disorientation n. the state of being disoriented. disorient v. to cause to lose bearings : displace from normal position or relationship. They say that weightlessness can cause disorientation (21).
10. deftly adv. characterized by facility and skill. Deftly he propelled him down the aisle. . . (24).

11. opaque adj. 1) exhibiting opacity : blocking the passage of radiant energy and especially light. 2) hard to understand or explain. . . . a sheet of opaque plastic (29).

12. flamboyant adj. 1 marked by or given to strikingly elaborate or colorful display or behavior. They were wearing much more flamboyant clothing (31).

13. maladroit n. lacking adroitness: inept, awkward. “Maladroit,” Bernard called him once, and the name stuck (36).

14. hierarchy n. 1) the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing; also : the group so classified. 2) a graded or ranked series. Bernard was setting up a kingdom . . . [and] established the hierarchy (36).

15. dissociate vt. to separate from association or union with another. . . . trying to dissociate himself from her contempt for the boys . . . (57).

16. contempt n. the state of mind of one who despises; disdain. . . . her contempt for the boys . . . (57).

17. swagger vi. 1) to conduct oneself in an arrogant or pompous manner; especially to walk with an air of overbearing self-confidence. He was imitating her swaggering way of speaking . . . (57).

18. initiative n. 1) an introductory step. 2) energy or aptitude displayed in initiation of action : enterprise. . . . the individual soldiers were given little initiative (61).

19. gall vt. to irritate, vex. [I]t seemed as if Ender were granting him his command as a favor. Galling, and yet he had no choice (63).

20. magnanimous adj. showing or suggesting a lofty spirit, nobility of feeling and generosity of mind. Ender had beaten him . . . by being magnanimous (63).

21. orientation n. a general direction of inclination or interest; alignment. Ender had found the orientation that made sense (64).

22. carnage n. 1) the flesh of slain animals or men. 2) great and usually bloody slaughter or injury. . . . they hoped the enemy would overlook them in the carnage (67).