Fahrenheit 451 — Vocabulary
Ray Bradbury
(Edited)

Book sample Uses ACT/SAT
2 top 100
tracefind out where it came from
He found the audio-capsule, he heard your voice, he was going to trace it.p.124.82 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
Early cat domestication is traced back to China over 5,000 years ago.more
trace → traced:found through investigation
Show general definition for trace (as in: trace the origin or development) to find, search, research, or keep track of
This sense of trace usually has to do with information. It's specific meaning depends on its context. For example:
to find or search for something through investigation -- often the origin of something:
  • "The police traced the call." -- found out where it originated
  • "We are tracing the lost luggage" -- searching for
  • "Can you trace the problem to its source?" -- find through investigation
  • "She traced her family history to discover that her great-grandmother came to the United States from Lithuania when the Nazis occupied it." -- discovered something through investigation
to research or report on the development of something
  • "She traced the history of the automobile in her paper." -- researched the development of something
  • "Her presentation traced recent progress in alternative energy solutions." -- reported on
to monitor or keep track of the progress or development of something
  • "She traces the progress of at-risk students." -- monitors information
  • "I used binoculars to trace her progress up the mountain." -- monitor, follow, or track
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trace#2trace → tracing:following along (drawing)
Her fingers were tracing the book's outline and as the shape became familiar her face looked surprised and then stunned.p.53.72 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
She didn't have a camera or a copier, so she used a pencil to trace an outline of the picture on thin paper.more
draw (by following the image)
Show general definition for trace (as in: trace a picture or outline) copy the lines of an image; or draw an outline; or carefully draw a specific pattern
This sense of trace has to do with drawing, but it's specific meaning depends on its context. For example:
copying the outline of an image
  • "She used tracing paper to make a copy." -- paper you can see through, so that when it is placed on a picture, you can use a pencil to follow the lines of the image being copied
  • "She projected the image onto the wall, hung a sheet of paper there, and traced the projected image onto the paper." -- followed the lines with her pencil
draw an outline or a specific pattern
  • "She used her toe to trace half the fish symbol in the sand." -- draw a simple outline
  • "The child used a stick to trace circles and swirls in the mud." -- draw
  • "She used her finger to trace his name in the sand." -- draw
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melancholysadness
Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy.p.58.64 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
She's been in a melancholy mood since her dog died.more
very sad
Show general definition a sad feeling or manner -- sometimes thoughtfully sad
3 top 1000
environmentsurrounding conditions
The home environment can undo a lot you try to do at school.p.57.72 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
Cactus survives in the harsh desert environment.more
Show general definition for environment (as in: her family environment) surrounding conditions
in various senses, including:
  • conditions in a location or geographic area -- as in "the desert environment"
  • conditions that affect a particular activity -- as in "the learning environment"
  • conditions that create a certain mood -- as in "a competitive environment," or "a romantic environment,"
  • conditions that impact a particular computer system, subsystem, or program -- as in "the Windows environment"
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perishperish → perished:died
[of the legend of Hercules and Antaeus] But when he was held, rootless, in midair, by Hercules, he perished easily. If there isn't something in that legend for us today, in this city, in our time, then I am completely insane.p.79.91 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
...government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.Abraham Lincoln  —  Gettysburg Addressmore
be destroyed or cease to exist
Show general definition to die -- especially in an unnatural way

or:

to be destroyed or cease to exist
Show editor's word notes You may encounter an informal expression, "Perish the thought."  It means that the speaker hopes the thought will cease to exist and the thing it represents will never happen.
3 top 1000
fugitivesomeone hiding from law enforcement officers
The fugitive cannot escape if everyone in the next minute looks from his house.p.132.12 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
She is one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.more
fugitive → fugitives:people hiding from law enforcement officers
Show general definition for fugitive (as in: she is a fugitive) someone who is running away or hiding to avoid arrest or an unpleasant situation
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displacedisplace → displacing:taking the place of
One anger displacing another.p.106.22 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
It is a much better way to manufacture the product, but many workers will be displaced by the new technology.more
displace → displaced:forced to move (in this case, out of their old jobs)
Show general definition force to move; or to take the place of
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criticcritic → critics:people who share professional opinions in a specific field
No wonder books stopped selling, the critics said.p.55.32 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
She is a restaurant critic who appears regularly on television.more
an expert who shares professional opinions in a specific field
Show general definition for critic (as in: a well-known art critic) someone who shares considered judgment of something

especially an expert who shares professional opinions in a specific field -- such as books, films, foods, art...
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simultaneoussimultaneous → simultaneously:at the same time
The camera fell upon the victim, even as did the Hound. Both reached him simultaneously.p.142.71 more
Show context notes This is when the police "save face" by killing an innocent man because they can't find Montag.
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
On Super Tuesday a large number of states have simultaneous primary elections.more
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dismaysadness or distress
  ...and suddenly the odor of kerosene made him vomit.
  Mildred came in, humming. She was surprised. "Why'd you do that?"
  He looked with dismay at the floor. "We burned an old woman with her books."p.47.21 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
Don't be dismayed. I have a solution.more
dismay → dismayed:sad, disappointed, or worried
Show general definition to feel sadness, disappointment, or worry -- typically in response to something surprising
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citequote
And 'The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.'p.103.4
Show context notes Beatty is quoting Shakespeare. In this context, Scripture is a synonym for The Bible.
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
She cited census statistics to prove her point.more
cite → cited:quoted
Show general definition for cite (as in: cited from the President's speech) to mention something or quote someone (to make a point)
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evaluateevaluate → evaluating:thinking carefully and making judgments
Eventually, I could put out ears into all parts of the city, with various men, listening and evaluating.p.87.3
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
I'm evaluating colleges and deciding which I want to apply to.more
evaluate → evaluating:thinking carefully and making a judgment about
Show general definition to think carefully and make a judgment about something
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censorcensor → censors:people who control what others are allowed to read, hear, or see
They were given the new job, as custodians of our peace of mind ... official censors, judges, and executors.p.56.31 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
The Chinese devote enormous resources to censoring the Internet.more
censor → censoring:suppressing everything considered politically unacceptable
Show general definition for censor (as related to censorship) to remove or suppress anything considered obscene, immoral, politically unacceptable, or a security threat

or:

a person who decides which such material should be removed or suppressed
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oblivionno longer existing
And if he kept his eye peeled quickly he would see himself, an instant before oblivion,p.128.51 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
She stopped performing and her music faded into oblivion.more
the state of being completely forgotten
Show general definition state of complete loss—being totally forgotten, wiped out, or lost to awareness of what is going on
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composecompose → composed:made up
Behind her the walls of the room were flooded with green and yellow and orange fireworks sizzling and bursting to some music composed almost completely of trap drums, tom-toms, and cymbals.p.56.5
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
The United States is composed of 50 states.more
Show general definition for compose (as in: composed of many parts) to create something by arranging parts
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mortalhuman (especially merely human)
The books are to remind us what asses and fools we are. They're Caesar's praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, 'Remember, Caesar, thou art mortal.'p.82.4
Show context notes Faber is referring to a custom that in a victory parade, a Roman general or emperor had someone in the back of their chariot to whisper a reminder that they are only human.
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
Don't expect perfection of a mere mortal.more
human
Show general definition for mortal (as in: mortal body) human (especially merely human); or subject to death
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desolatedesolate → desolation:destruction
Though the desolation had not yet arrived, [it] was still in the air, it was certain as man could make it.p.152.11 more
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
Fires desolated the region.more
desolate → desolated:destroyed and emptied it of living things
Show general definition for desolate (as in: desolated the region) destroyed; or emptied of people; or emptied of most plants and animals
1 top 100
accompanyaccompany → accompanied:joined in their travels
They are never, alone that are accompanied with noble thoughts, we've shouted to ourselves.p.102.4
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
The nurse accompanies the old woman everywhere.more
accompany → accompanies:travels with
Show general definition for accompany (as in: accompany on the journey) to travel along with
2 top 2000
recitesay aloud (from memory)
And when the war's over, some day, some year, the books can be written again, the people will be called in, one by one, to recite what they know and we'll set it up in type until another Dark Age, when we might have to do the whole damn thing over again.p.146.91 more
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She recited a poem.more
recite → recited:said aloud
Show general definition to say or read something aloud -- especially something previously memorized such as a poem

or:

to say in detail -- especially a list of things
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functionfunction → functions:works or operates
It [the mechanical hound] doesn't like or dislike. It just 'functions'.p.24.1
Show exemplary sample (not from book)
I don't function well on less than six hours of sleep a night; and I do best on nine.more
work or operate
Show general definition for function (as in: can't function well without sleep) work or operate -- sometimes to work or operate normally or in a particular way