adapt
1 use
After a little thought, the pigs sent for buckets and milked the cows fairly successfully, their trotters being well adapted to this task.
adapted = suited
Definition
Generally adapt means:change to fit a different situation; or make suitable
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT | top 10 |
1st use | Chapter 2 |
advocate
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
to advocate
When the animals had assembled in the big barn, Snowball stood up and, though occasionally interrupted by bleating from the sheep, set forth his reasons for advocating the building of the windmill.
advocating = recommending
Definition
Generally this sense of advocate means:to recommend or publicly support someone or something
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT | top 100 |
1st use | Chapter 5 |
arable
1 use
And in many ways the animal method of doing things was more efficient and saved labour. Such jobs as weeding, for instance, could be done with a thoroughness impossible to human beings. And again, since no animal now stole, it was unnecessary to fence off pasture from arable land, which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates. Nevertheless, as the summer wore on, various unforeseen shortages began to make them selves felt.
arable = of farmland: capable of being farmed productively
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 6 |
attribute
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
I attribute it to...
Whenever anything went wrong it became usual to attribute it to Snowball.
attribute = credit (a source for something) (in this case, to blame)
Definition
Generally this sense of attribute means:to credit (a source for something) — such as:
- to say that something happened because of someone or something else (give credit or blame)
- to say that an idea or quotation came from a specified source
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT | top 100 |
1st use | Chapter 7 |
capitulate
1 use
For five days the hens held out, then they capitulated and went back to their nesting boxes.
capitulated = gave up
Definition
Generally capitulate means:to stop resisting — especially to surrender under formal terms
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 1 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 7 |
compensate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
he compensates with extra effort
They had had a hard year, and after the sale of part of the hay and corn, the stores of food for the winter were none too plentiful, but the windmill compensated for everything.
compensated = made up for
Definition
Generally this sense of compensate means:make up for; or adjust for
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT | top 500 |
1st use | Chapter 6 |
contemptible
2 uses
They could not understand, they said, how even animals could bring themselves to sing such contemptible rubbish.
contemptible = very bad (deserving no respect)
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 4 |
expound
1 use
Several nights a week, after Mr. Jones was asleep, they held secret meetings in the barn and expounded the principles of Animalism to the others.
expounded = discussed in detail
Definition
Generally expound means:explain or discuss in detail
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 1 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 2 |
foal
1 use
Clover was a stout motherly mare approaching middle life, who had never quite got her figure back after her fourth foal.
foal = horse to which she'd given birth
Definition
Generally foal means:a young horse; or giving birth to a young horse
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 1 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 1 |
forgery
1 use
The banknotes were forgeries!
forgeries = fakes
Definition
Generally forgery means:something that is represented as real even though it is a fake; or the making of such a fake item
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 1 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 8 |
frugal
1 use
The truest happiness, he said, lay in working hard and living frugally.
frugally = without waste or luxury
Definition
Generally frugal means:avoiding waste
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 10 |
ignominious
2 uses
And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had come, with a flock of geese hissing after them and pecking at their calves all the way.
ignominious = disgraceful or shameful
Definition
Generally ignominious means:deserving or bringing disgrace or shame — typically in reference to behavior or character
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 4 |
inclined
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
I'm inclined to
It was noticed that whenever he seemed on the point of coming to an agreement with Frederick, Snowball was declared to be in hiding at Foxwood, while, when he inclined toward Pilkington, Snowball was said to be at Pinchfield.
inclined = had an attitude that favors
Definition
Generally this sense of inclined means:a tendency; in the mood; or an attitude that favors something
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT | top 500 |
1st use | Chapter 7 |
inscribe
4 uses
These Seven Commandments would now be inscribed on the wall; they would form an unalterable law by which all the animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after.
inscribed = formally written
Definition
Generally inscribe means:to write in various formal or special senses including:
- to write, carve, or etch words onto something's surface
- to write a signed message — as in a book given as a gift
- to mark with one's signature to write down something when adding it to a list
Word Statistics
Book | 4 uses |
Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 2 |
intractable
1 use
Bulls which had always been tractable suddenly turned savage,
tractable = easy to manage or control
Definition
Generally intractable means:difficult in various senses:
- of problems or disease: difficult to solve or cure
- of people or animals: difficult to manage or control
- of materials: difficult to manipulate
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 1 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 4 |
lament
2 uses
A cry of lamentation went up.
lamentation = passionate grief or sorrow
Definition
Generally lament means:to express grief or regret
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT | top 1000 |
1st use | Chapter 8 |
restive
1 use
They had all the more reason for doing so because the news of their defeat had spread across the countryside and made the animals on the neighbouring farms more restive than ever.
restive = impatient and difficult to control
Definition
Generally restive means:uneasy, impatient, and difficult to control
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 1 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 5 |
spontaneous
2 uses
Napoleon had commanded that once a week there should be held something called a Spontaneous Demonstration, the object of which was to celebrate the struggles and triumphs of Animal Farm.
spontaneous = happening or arising without plan
(editor's note: Orwell is being ironic here since it is contradictory to command that something happen and then describe it as spontaneous.)
(editor's note: Orwell is being ironic here since it is contradictory to command that something happen and then describe it as spontaneous.)
Definition
Generally spontaneous means:happening or arising without plan (naturally)
or:
behaving in an instinctive, uninhibited manner (unplanned)
or:
happening without apparent external cause
or:
behaving in an instinctive, uninhibited manner (unplanned)
or:
happening without apparent external cause
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT | top 1000 |
1st use | Chapter 9 |
taciturn
1 use
Only old Benjamin was much the same as ever, except for being a little greyer about the muzzle, and, since Boxer's death, more morose and taciturn than ever.
taciturn = reserved and uncommunicative
Definition
Generally taciturn means:tending not to speak much
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 10 |
vivacious
1 use
Snowball was a more vivacious pig than Napoleon, quicker in speech and more inventive, but was not considered to have the same depth of character.
vivacious = lively and engaging
Definition
Generally vivacious means:an engaging liveliness
Word Statistics
Book | 1 uses |
Library | 1 uses in 10 avg bks |
1st use | Chapter 2 |