Forever Is Now: Part III

by Mariama J. Lockington
Worrying about all the possible things that could happen, sixteen-year-old Sadie Dixon has difficulty leaving her house in Oakland, California, especially after she witnesses a violent injustice.

Here are links to our lists for the novel-in-verse: Part I, Part II, Part III
40 words 11 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. libation
    a serving of an alcoholic beverage
    I come bearing libations.
  2. kindred
    similar in quality or character
    It was fourth grade when Evan and I first met,
    and not just met—when we realized we were
    kindred spirits.
  3. significant
    fairly large
    Yes, and you’ve grown a significant following on Ruckus, Sadie.
    I’m sure some folks who follow on there
    who might be local would come.
  4. rifle
    go through in search of something
    I run into the kitchen,
    and rifle through some drawers
    until I find one of my big, steel-lined
    water bottles.
  5. concede
    be willing to yield
    I’ll think about it
    he concedes.
  6. reel
    be dizzy, disoriented, or bewildered
    My conversation with Jackson yesterday
    still has me reeling.
  7. omit
    leave undone or leave out
    Not a complete lie,
    I’m just omitting
    that it’s also open to whoever
    sees the event on Ruckus.
  8. zest
    the outer part of the peel of a citrus fruit, used as flavoring
    As promised, Charlie helps me set up
    some folding chairs in the garage
    and then he lays out a few dozen
    orange zest and white chocolate cookies
    on a small card table.
  9. obsidian
    glass formed by the cooling of lava without crystallization
    Eyelashes long and flirty.
    Her skin glowing like
    obsidian.
  10. sappy
    very sentimental or emotional
    Really—they turn into like this
    sappy, the more the merrier
    kind of person.
  11. logistics
    supplying an operation with labor and materials as needed
    Sadie and I will be co-MCs
    of the event and
    I’ll also be recruiting folks
    on the ground to be there
    while Sadie
    continues to help with all
    digital communications and logistics.
  12. adjourn
    break from a meeting or gathering
    All settled. See you next week.
    Meeting adjourned!
  13. debrief
    elicit a report from someone about a mission, job, or event
    I’ll text you later...to debrief?
  14. flurry
    a sudden and overwhelming outpouring or amount
    It had been nice to be back in her office,
    back with her collection of crystals
    talking to her face-to-face,
    but the mention of getting on a bus or BART
    sent a little flurry of panic through my blood.
  15. bout
    a period of illness
    I look up and down my street,
    trying to steady myself against a bout of nausea.
  16. survey
    look over carefully or inspect
    This is cool, Jackson says,
    surveying the scene.
  17. litany
    any long and tedious address or recital
    The poem is called ‘A Litany for Survival,’ by Audre Lorde. It’s one I go back to again and again for strength and comfort. I love this poem because it’s a call to action.
  18. objectify
    treat or regard as a thing, rather than as a person
    And you can’t just objectify
    folks like that, Kimika!
  19. musty
    stale and unclean smelling
    I don’t know why
    you want to wear sweat-stained, musty things, Sadie.
    We can afford to buy new clothes.
  20. immaculate
    completely neat and clean
    They have some of the best vintage finds,
    in immaculate condition,
    and I’ve shopped there every year before school
    to get some of my staple pieces.
  21. staple
    a necessary commodity for which demand is constant
    I don’t know exactly what I’m searching for—
    but in addition to some staples,
    I know I want to find something
    classic and striking for the open mic.
  22. sparse
    not dense or plentiful
    It’s Sunday,
    not many people are here.
    The space helps, the crowd sparse
    and organized.
  23. patisserie
    a bakery specializing in French pastry
    I plan to buy us at least
    six fancy cupcakes from
    Miette Patisserie.
  24. sham
    a person who makes deceitful pretenses
    But who am I kidding?
    I haven’t even been brave enough to name my agoraphobia
    to talk about what triggered it.
    Maybe I am a sham?
  25. gist
    the choicest or most vital part of some idea or experience
    Jackson is quiet
    as I tell him
    the general gist of my fight with Evan.
  26. radical
    markedly new or introducing extreme change
    How I didn’t tell them about us
    but I leave out the part where they called him
    basic—non- radical.
  27. comply
    act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes
    Our parents taught us that no matter what
    if the cops stop us while we’re out in public
    that we need to comply.
    We need to keep our hands visible, speak firm but calm,
    and announce everything we are doing.
  28. proximity
    the property of being close together
    Nothing will protect you, not even
    your proximity to your white family.
  29. slate
    designate or schedule
    I send Charlie upstairs
    with the promise of explaining everything
    over the leftovers we have slated for dinner.
  30. muddle
    mix up or confuse
    It’s all muddled.
    It’s not right anymore
  31. manifest
    reveal its presence or make an appearance
    Sadie, it’s very common to live with anxiety,
    and agoraphobia is something that can manifest in small or severe ways.
  32. regression
    returning to a former state
    Regression is part of the journey.
    We’re all human, and sometimes we have bad days
    or weeks or months.
  33. rational
    consistent with or based on or using reason
    My rational mind knows this is true,
    but the part of me that thought
    maybe this had all gone away does not care.
  34. debilitating
    impairing strength and vitality
    I want to tell her that
    all of a sudden everything in my life just feels like
    TOO MUCH.
    That having people want and rely on me
    and hold me accountable
    feels debilitating—that
    I’m not strong enough for this.
  35. compartmentalize
    keep separate; separate into isolated categories
    I didn’t know how to tell you
    all of it, you know?
    Easier to compartmentalize.
  36. array
    an impressive display or assortment
    Dad looks at Mom,
    whose face seems to be going through
    an array of emotions.
  37. hue
    the quality of a color determined by its dominant wavelength
    I shouldn’t have let you kiss me,
    I say, as she squints at me
    the setting sun in her eyes
    turning our skin all hues of
    pink and mauve and sienna.
  38. makeshift
    done or made using whatever is available
    Evan is calling me to the front of the crowd
    to the makeshift stage we’ve made out of
    a couple of plywood boards.
  39. residue
    something left after other parts have been taken away
    i become undone with a single bullet
    a knee on my back
    a car running me over like a project
    to live, always, with the taste of earth on my tongue
    wondering if it’s a blessing or a curse
    or just dirt the residue of survival
  40. fortitude
    strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity
    here is where i try
    again
    to be
    all of your joy
    like a wave of courage
    bringing me back to my lungs
    reminding me
    that this Town
    is never without magic
    without hustle and heart
    never without
    fortitude so thick
    it can’t be stamped out
Created on Wed Mar 20 08:57:00 EDT 2024 (updated Wed Mar 20 15:55:16 EDT 2024)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.