acquit (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 7 uses
1 —6 uses as in:
she was acquitted
It took the jury only 30 minutes to acquit her of the murder charge.
acquit = officially find "not guilty"
Definition
Generally this sense of acquit means:to officially find "not guilty" of criminal charges; or (informally) to find someone innocent of a charge of having done wrong
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 48 |
2 —1 use as in:
she acquitted herself well
Although they did not win, the team acquitted itself well and we were proud to have them represent us.
acquitted = handled (itself in a specified way)
Definition
Generally this sense of acquit means:to handle oneself in a specified way — which is typically in a positive way
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
conjugate
1 use
Afrikaans, spoken in South Africa and Nambia, does not conjugate verbs differently depending upon the subject. The verb forms for I am, You are, and It is are all the same.
conjugate = change in the form of a verb for the context in which it is used
Definition
Generally this sense of conjugate means:grammatical changes of verb forms to agree with other words in a sentence for tense, number, person, and other things
English tense example:
She writes.
She is writing.
She will write tomorrow.
She has written in the past.
English number example:
Jane is...
Jane and Susan are...
English tense example:
She writes.
She is writing.
She will write tomorrow.
She has written in the past.
English number example:
Jane is...
Jane and Susan are...
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 45 |
countenance
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a pleasant countenance
She has a pleasant countenance.
countenance = facial expression; or face
Definition
Generally this sense of countenance means:facial expression; or face; or composure or manner
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 23 |
desist
1 use
The Federal Trade Commission ordered the company to cease-and-desist from making such claims.
desist = to not do something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 53 |
dismal
21 uses
The coach will probably be replaced after such a dismal year.
dismal = terrible
Definition
Generally dismal means:of terrible quality or depressing; or dark and dreary (as when bad weather blocks the sun or when it is drizzly)
Word Statistics
| Book | 21 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 35 |
egress
1 use
Picketing strikers may not block access to or egress from the premises.
egress = exit
Definition
Generally egress means:to exit
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 25 |
grindstone
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
sharpen on a grindstone
Do you have a grindstone to sharpen the knife?
grindstone = a disk shaped stone used to sharpen or polish
Definition
Generally this sense of grindstone means:a revolving disk-shaped stone used to grind (as when wheat is ground to flour), or used to sharpen or polish (as when sharpening a knife)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 23 |
illustrate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
as illustrated by this example
Pictures of flooding help to illustrate the problem of global warming.
illustrate = make clear
Definition
Generally this sense of illustrate means:to help make clear — typically by example
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 10 |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
nominal
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
he's nominally in charge
It was nominally written by the artist, but everyone suspects a ghostwriter did the bulk of the work.
nominally = in name only
Definition
Generally this sense of nominal means:in form or name, but not in reality
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 37 |
oblige (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 27 uses
1 —7 uses as in:
I obliged her every request.
She asked for help and we obliged her.
obliged = granted a favor to
Definition
Generally this sense of oblige means:grant a favor to someone
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
2 —8 uses as in:
I'm much obliged for your kindness
I am much obliged to you for your help.
obliged = grateful or indebted
Word Statistics
| Book | 8 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
unquizzed meaning —12 uses
render (3 meanings)
3 meanings, 3 uses
1 —1 use as in:
rendered service or a verdict
We're waiting for the jury to render a verdict.
render = give
Definition
Generally this sense of render means:to give or supply something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 37 |
2 —1 use as in:
rendered her unconscious
Her verbal attack rendered me speechless.
rendered = made
Definition
Generally this sense of render means:to make or cause to become
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 54 |
3 —1 use as in:
rendered interpretation
The pianist rendered the Beethoven sonata beautifully.
rendered = played (portrayed or gave her interpretation of)
Definition
Generally this sense of render means:to portray or create something in a particular way; or to interpret, translate, or extract from
The exact meaning of this sense of render depends upon its context. For example:
- "Each artist will render a different interpretation when painting a portrait." — create in a particular way
- "A Supreme Court judge may render his own interpretation of the Constitution." — interpret in a particular way
- "The computer you are using, rendered this page from software instructions." — created through interpretation
- "A graph is rendered from the underlying data." — made
- "Fat can be rendered (extracted) by cooking meat slowly." — extracted from
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
repudiate
2 uses
The parents repudiated their son.
repudiated = strongly rejected
Definition
Generally repudiate means:strong rejection — especially when the idea or thing being rejected was once embraced
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
sagacious
3 uses
She is a smart and sagacious statesman.
sagacious = wise
Definition
Generally sagacious means:wise — especially through long experience and thoughtfulness
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
servile
3 uses
We expect our waiters to give world-class service, but not to be so servile they sacrifice their human dignity.
servile = excessively submissive
Definition
Generally servile means:submissive — typically excessively so (so submissive or eager to serve and please that one seems to have no self-respect)
or:
relating to the work that requires obeying demeaning commands
or:
slave-like or relating to slaves
or:
relating to the work that requires obeying demeaning commands
or:
slave-like or relating to slaves
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
vacillate
1 use
She was determined and did not vacillate in the least.
vacillate = to change one's mind back and forth between conflicting ideas
Definition
Generally vacillate means:to change one's mind back and forth between conflicting ideas
or:
to sway back and forth
or:
to sway back and forth
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 54 |
waive
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
waive the right
They will waive the foreign language requirement for students who are already bilingual.
waive = not enforce
Definition
Generally this sense of waive means:not enforce something to which one would otherwise be entitled
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 36 |