Unwind: Part 5

by Neal Shusterman
In this dystopian novel, sixteen-year-old Connor has been slated to be "unwound" and have his organs donated — until he runs away and joins up with two other fugitive teenagers.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: The Bill of Life–Part 1, Part 2, Parts 3–4, Part 5, Parts 6–7
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. virtually
    slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
    It has a dry, clear and virtually smog-free climate that helps minimize corrosion.
  2. fuselage
    the central body of an airplane holding crew and passengers
    All activity takes place in the fuselage or under the wings, unless it’s absolutely necessary to go out into the open.
  3. edict
    a formal or authoritative proclamation
    The heat helps enforce the edict.
  4. sequester
    keep away from others
    Cleaver is the only employee who knows about the hoard of Unwinds sequestered in the far reaches of the lot.
  5. implicitly
    without doubting or questioning
    He knows, but he’s paid more than enough to keep quiet; and besides, the Admiral trusts Cleaver implicitly.
  6. coherent
    marked by an orderly and consistent relation of parts
    A lifetime of experience molding military boeufs into a coherent fighting force has prepared the Admiral for creating a functional society out of angry, troubled kids.
  7. humility
    a feeling of modesty about oneself or one's accomplishments
    For Risa, the first days in the Graveyard are harsh and seem to last forever. Her residency begins with an exercise in humility.
  8. virtuoso
    a musician who is a consummate master of artistry
    “As much as I hate to admit it, in the here and now, there are other things we need before a virtuoso. What else can you do?”
  9. galley
    the kitchen area for food preparation on an airliner
    “Well, they always need help in the galley," says Starboard. “Especially after meals.”
  10. suture
    join with a seam used in surgery
    Once she gets used to the idea, handling first aid, standard illnesses, and even suturing simple wounds becomes as familiar to her as playing the piano.
  11. niche
    a position well suited to the person who occupies it
    Like Risa, Connor finds his niche by accident. Connor never considered himself mechanically capable, but there are few things he can stand less than a bunch of morons standing around looking at something that doesn’t work and wondering who’s going to fix it.
  12. enviable
    causing desire to have something possessed by another
    He watches them with mild interest as they pass, wondering if any of them would be more mechanically skilled than him and bump him into a less enviable position.
  13. saunter
    a careless leisurely gait
    Connor drops his wrench and runs toward him, but gains control before he gets there, burying his mixed flood of feelings beneath a calm saunter.
  14. inkling
    a slight suggestion or vague understanding
    It isn’t until later that night that Connor gets an inkling of how much Lev has truly changed.
  15. morbid
    suggesting an unhealthy mental state
    Like everyone else, he has a morbid curiosity about the man, and he wonders what an old presidential jet looks like on the inside.
  16. reprimand
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
    Connor senses a reprimand on the way. Yes, he’s had fewer fights here than usual, but the Admiral is a man of zero tolerance.
  17. rueful
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
    Connor lets out a single rueful chuckle as his answer.
  18. foolhardy
    marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
    Whether it’s wise or whether it’s foolhardy, Connor decides to give the Admiral what he’s asking for.
  19. crude
    not carefully or expertly made
    Beneath the starboard wing of the FedEx jet are five mounds of dirt marked by crude headstones.
  20. lurch
    move suddenly or as if unable to control one's movements
    When he catches sight of what’s inside, he screams and reflexively lurches back, banging his head on the crate behind him.
  21. abreast
    being up to date in knowledge
    “I need a new set of eyes and ears. Someone to keep me abreast of the state of things among the Unwinds. And someone to ferret out the wolf in the herd. I’m asking you to do this for me.”
  22. contend
    come to terms with
    According to the current rumors, the Akron AWOL took on an entire legion of Juvey-cops, outsmarted the national guard, and liberated half a dozen harvest camps. He has enough attention from other kids without having to contend with that kind of reputation.
  23. impertinent
    improperly forward or bold
    “When I was much younger,” begins the Admiral, “I fought in the Heartland War. The scars you so impertinently assumed were transplant scars came from a grenade.”
  24. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    The Admiral gives Connor that scrutinizing look he’s so good at.
  25. accord
    a written agreement between two states or sovereigns
    The Bill of Life was signed, the Unwind Accord went into effect, and the war was over.
  26. sentry
    a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
    Now that the Admiral’s five watchdogs have left, though, the kids on sentry duty are getting lax.
  27. welt
    a raised mark on the skin
    He’s burned there as well, but not as badly as on his arms and cheeks. What catches her attention, however, is a welt on his back in the faint shape of a hand.
  28. redundant
    repeating the same sense in different words
    So the instant Risa gets back to the infirmary, she calls for a messenger, and another and another, sending them each off with redundant notes reminding kids to take their medications.
  29. bulkhead
    a partition that divides a ship or plane into compartments
    Apparently he does take orders after all, because he steps in and marches toward the back of the plane. Once they reach the storage room at the back, she closes the bulkhead door behind them and lays into him.
  30. mull
    reflect deeply on a subject
    Every suggestion is mulled over. Every theory is entertained.
  31. manifestation
    an indication of the existence of some person or thing
    As he sits there in his jet, he gets an ache in his shoulder that spreads down to his arm. No doubt it’s another manifestation of his various war wounds.
  32. subterfuge
    something intended to misrepresent the nature of an activity
    And after all, bargains and subterfuge are a way of life for him.
  33. leverage
    strategic advantage; power to act effectively
    He holds the gun out of reach and, using the crate behind him for leverage, places his foot firmly in Roland’s gut and pushes him back.
  34. outcropping
    part of a rock formation that juts above surrounding land
    Instead, they found five unmarked graves behind a distant outcropping of rocks.
  35. pry
    move or force in an effort to get something open
    Kids are on the wings now, finding every piece of loose metal and prying it up. It’s amazing how much of a plane can be shredded by bare-handed fury.
  36. blanch
    turn pale, as if in fear
    The Admiral blanches at the scene outside the windows. His heart races. His shoulder and arm ache. “How did this happen? How did I let this happen?”
  37. barrage
    the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area
    The barrage of stones batters the fuselage, but nothing breaks the armored steel, nothing cracks the bulletproof glass of the former Air Force One.
  38. smolder
    burn slowly and without a flame
    Connor stands up and looks around him—the smoke-stained faces, the smoldering bonfires.
  39. gurney
    a metal stretcher with wheels
    Two kids get out, carrying an older man in bad shape. There’s already a gurney rolling out to meet them.
  40. devise
    come up with after a mental effort
    His absence from the disaster had made him an outsider, and he would never regain what he had lost here—which meant it was time to devise a new plan of action.
Created on Tue Jul 28 10:05:56 EDT 2020 (updated Thu Jul 30 10:10:15 EDT 2020)

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