Amal Unbound

1. collective (adjective):

people acting together as a group

“The class let out a collective groan.” (Chapter 1, Page 1)

2. rallies (present tense verb):

brings together for a common cause

“You know how she rallies the others to her side.” (Chapter 1, Page 3)

3. prosperous (adjective):

successful, wealthy

“I was lucky to belong to one of the more prosperous families in our Punjabi village, but it didn’t change the fact that I lived in a village so tiny, it didn’t even register as a dot on a map.” (Chapter 1, Page 4)

4. chador (noun):

a large cloth cloak worn primarily by Muslim women that wraps around the head and upper body, serving as a head covering, veil, and shawl, leaving only the face exposed

“The sun blazed overhead, warming my chador and my hair beneath it.” (Chapter 2, Page 5)

5. mosque (noun):

a Muslim place of worship

“She pointed to the building that had appeared next to our village mosque.” (Chapter 2, Page 7)

6. ventured (past tense verb):

dared to go somewhere or do something potentially dangerous

“This area was far enough from the heart of the fields where our workers spent most of their time fertilizing the earth and keeping the groves and stalks trimmed and cared for, but even if they ventured to the edges, the shade trees here were thick and leafy, shielding us from view.” (Chapter 3, Page 10)

7. savored (past tense noun):

enjoyed with happiness; delighted in.

“I savored the silence, cradling the sleeping baby in my arms.” (Chapter 4, Page 17)

8. etched (past tense verb):

carved or impressed

“As much as I tried to block it out, my parents’ expressions were etched into my mind.” (Chapter 6, Page 23)

9. boisterous (adjective):

noisy, rowdy, high-spirited

“And watching two boisterous little girls was a whole job unto itself.” (Chapter 6, Page 26)

10. adamant (adjective):

refusing to change one’s mind about a firm opinion

“My mother was adamant about our education.” (Chapter 9, Page 43)

11. satchel (noun):

a shoulder bag with a strap, like a backpack or knapsack, usually used for carrying books.

“Slinging my satchel over my shoulder, I stepped back onto the dusty road.” (Chapter 10, Page 48)

12. lingered (past tense verb):

waited for a while

I lingered by my parents’ door while my mother and Fozia talked about the baby.” (Chapter 11, Page 52)

13. engrossed (adjective):

deeply focused on, absorbed in

“I was so engrossed, I didn’t hear the door swing open and Seema charge in until she grabbed me by the arm and ushered me into the kitchen.” (Chapter 11, Page 54)

14. notorious (adjective):

famous for negative reasons; disreputable

“Fozia called him worse than his notorious father.” (Chapter 11, Page 54)

15. viper (noun):

a poisonous snake

“You’re the one who took loans from a viper without breathing a word to me.” (Chapter 14, Page 65)

16. drought (noun):

a dry spell; a lack of rain over a period of time

“When the rains came five years ago and destroyed all the wheat before we could harvest it, or when the drought came and shriveled the sugarcane to dust last year, how do you think we survived?” (Chapter 14, Page 65)

17. manicured (adjective):

carefully trimmed and maintained

“The familiar stretches of brown and green patchwork earth I had known all my life swept past me in a blur before transforming into plush manicured green as the car slowed down and the driver turned onto a gravel road lined with shade trees.” (Chapter 16, Page 72)

18. idle (adjective):

lazy

“Your days of being an idle farm girl are over.” (Chapter 18, Page 86)

19. malice (noun):

the desire to harm someone; spite

“Unlike her son’s, her words contained no malice.” (Chapter 18, Page 89)

20. armoire (noun):

a large cupboard with two doors, holding shelves and space to hang garments; a freestanding closet.

“A matching white armoire and dresser were in the distance.” (Chapter 18, Page 84)

21. despised (past tense verb):

Hated

“It was clear she despised me almost since the moment I arrived.” (Chapter 19, Page 95)

22. fragrant (adjective):

pleasant-smelling

“And no matter how beautiful the fragrant gardens were, they were surrounded, as I was, by ten-foot brick walls.” (Chapter 20, Page 98)

23. matron (noun):

a married lady

“The matron of the estate crouching in the back garden, planting mint?” (Chapter 20, Page 102)

24. scalloped (adjective):

shaped in semi-circles

“I set the cream plate with scalloped edges on the table.” (Chapter 22, Page 106)

25. illiterate (adjective):

unable to read or write

“They enjoy being illiterate is the problem, really.” (Chapter 22, Page 108)

26. tome (noun):

a large, heavy, scholarly book

“Omar would have laughed at me for picking up such a heavy tome, but choosing thick books meant I could hold on to them longer before I needed to exchange them.” (Chapter 23, Page 110)

27. fixate (verb):

stare at intently

“I would look at them, really fixate on them, and for a little while I could pretend I was home.” (Chapter 245, Page 118)

28. penance (noun):

an act of self-punishment to show regret for doing wrong

“Changing your mind doesn’t buy you penance.” (Chapter 26, Page 128)

29. prospective (adjective):

likely to happen in the future

“I ironed and sorted Nasreen Baji’s clothing the next day while she was out with her son visiting a prospective bride.” (Chapter 28, Page 133)

30. sauntered (past tense verb):

walked slowly and unhurriedly

“Two police officers in dark green uniforms with brown batons and steel guns holstered at their waists sauntered into the marble foyer.” (Chapter 28, Page 134)

31. erupt (verb):

explode or burst out unexpectedly

“‘Did the soda erupt?’ I asked.” (Chapter 30, Page 143)

32. truce (noun):

 an agreement to stop fighting

“We’d gotten along fine in the months since our truce, but I couldn’t completely forget her treachery.” (Chapter 31, Page 148)

33. bazaar (noun):

 a marketplace with many shops and vendors’ stalls, typically found in the Middle East

“Men shouted their prices over one another and their voices echoed through the bazaar.” (Chapter 31, Page 151)

34. unfurled (past tense verb):

unrolled; spread out

“The shopkeepers pulled off the bolts of silk and unfurled them across the floor in front of her.” (Chapter 31, Page 152)

35. dowry (noun):

money or property that a bride brings to her husband when they get married

“Borrowed some money for her dowry, even though it’ll still be a modest one, given their financial circumstances.” (Chapter 31, Page 153)

36. henna (noun):

a dye made from the powdered leaves of a plant, used to decorate the body and color hair

“A yellow veil framed her face, and her hands were already covered with henna patterns.” (Chapter 34, Page 166)

37. docile (adjective):

 obedient, meek

“Hafsa and her sisters were not the docile sort, but the bride was doing her best to look the part for the occasion.” (Chapter 34, Page 167)

38. immaculate (adjective):

perfectly neat and tidy

39. devoid (adjective):

Without

“The marble tiles, immaculate white hallways, and enormous windows devoid of dust or fingerprints—none of this was foreign anymore.” (Chapter 36, Page 174)