The Breadwinner

The Breadwinner Glossary

breadwinner

a person who earns money to support a family

Talib

a member of the Taliban, meaning "student" in Pashto

militia

a non-professional, citizen army

Dari

the form of Persian language spoken in Afghanistan

Pashto

the Iranian language of the Pashtuns, also spoken in northern areas of Pakistan, that is an official language of Afghanistan

labyrinth

a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze

winding

a twisting movement or course

tattletale

a person, especially a child, who reveals secrets or informs on others; a telltale

explode

burst or shatter violently and noisily as a result of rapid combustion, decomposition, excessive internal pressure, or other process, typically scattering fragments widely

decree

an official order issued by a legal authority

ornament

a thing used to make something look more attractive but usually having no practical purpose, especially a small object such as a figurine

eventually

in the end, especially after a long delay, dispute, or series of problems

relent

abandon or mitigate a harsh intention or cruel treatment

rubble

waste or rough fragments of stone, brick, concrete, etc., especially as the debris from the demolition of buildings

toshak

Persian word for a thin mattress

mumble

say something indistinctly and quietly, making it difficult for others to hear

snob

a person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and dislikes people or activities regarded as lower-class

hijab

a head covering worn in public by some Muslim women

chador

a large piece of cloth that is wrapped around the head and upper body leaving only the face exposed, worn especially by Muslim women

burqa

a long, loose garment covering the whole body from head to feet, worn in public by some Muslim women

shalwar kameez

a traditional combination of tunic and loose pants worn by women and in some regions by men in South and Central Asia

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