alacrity
1 use
"I willingly obey the orders of my Chief," said The Vengeance with alacrity, and kissing her cheek.
alacrity = quickness; and/or cheerful eagerness
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.14 |
attribute
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
I attribute it to...
Since the state of your mind that you describe, is, at all events, attributable to some influence of mine—this is what I mean, if I can make it plain—can I use no influence to serve you?
attributable = traceable (caused by)
Definition
Generally this sense of attribute means:to credit (a source for something)
in two typical senses:
- "I attribute it to her work." — to say who or what made something happen
- "Remember to attribute any quotations in your paper." — indicate the source of a quotation or idea
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.13 |
contempt
4 uses
1 —4 uses as in:
feels contempt towards her
looked down upon him with the loftiest contempt.
contempt = lack of respect
Definition
Generally this sense of contempt means:lack of respect — often accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike or disgust
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.22 |
denounce
20 uses
I denounce them to Heaven and to earth.
denounce = to strongly criticize or accuse publicly
Definition
Generally denounce means:to strongly criticize or accuse publicly
or more rarely: to inform against someone (turn someone into the authorities)
or more rarely: to inform against someone (turn someone into the authorities)
Word Statistics
| Book | 20 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.8 |
engender
5 uses
Physical diseases, engendered in the vices and neglects of men, will seize on victims of all degrees;
engendered = caused
Definition
Generally engender means:cause — usually a feeling (possibly a situation)
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.5 |
establish (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 6 uses
1 —5 uses as in:
establish a positive tone
It had been established voluntarily some time ago, among the more thorough patriots; but, was now law for everybody.†
established = set in place (accepted and expected)
Definition
Generally this sense of establish means:create, start, or set in [a] place
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 22 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.10 |
2 —1 use as in:
establish that there is a need
Here again: Mr. Lorry's inquiries into Miss Pross's personal history had established the fact that her brother Solomon was a heartless scoundrel who had stripped her of everything she possessed, as a stake to speculate with, and had abandoned her in her poverty for evermore, with no touch of compunction.†
established = shown
Definition
Generally this sense of establish means:show or determine (cause to be recognized or figure out)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.6 |
illustrate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
as illustrated by this example
We will say, to put a case and for the sake of illustration, that he had been used, in his bad time, to work at a little forge.†
illustration = to clarify or demonstrate
Definition
Generally this sense of illustrate means:to help make clear — typically by example
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 10 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.19 |
impetuous
1 use
the impetuous confidence of his manner
impetuous = impulsive (acting suddenly without much thought)
Definition
Generally this sense of impetuous means:impulsive (acting suddenly without much thought) — often with an unfortunate consequence
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.2 |
Monsieur
126 uses
Good day, monsieur.
Monsieur = Mr. (in French)
Definition
Generally this sense of Monsieur means:French equivalent to Mr. in English
or:
French equivalent to sir in English (a polite way to address a male)
or:
French equivalent to sir in English (a polite way to address a male)
Word Statistics
| Book | 126 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.15 |
obscure (4 meanings)
4 meanings, 12 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
it obscured my view
Haunted by her feverish apprehensions, she could not bear to have her sight obscured for a minute at a time by the dripping water, but constantly paused and looked round to see that there was no one watching her.
obscured = hidden or made less visible
Definition
Generally this sense of obscure means:to block from view or make less visible or understandable
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.23 |
2 —2 uses as in:
the view or directions are obscure
Troubled as the future was, it was the unknown future, and in its obscurity there was ignorant hope.
obscurity = the condition of being unseen or unknown
Definition
Generally this sense of obscure means:not clearly seen, understood, or expressed
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.1 |
3 —2 uses as in:
knows the famous and the obscure
From the farmer-general of seventy, whose riches could not buy his life, to the seamstress of twenty, whose poverty and obscurity could not save her.
obscurity = the condition of not being famous or distinguished
Definition
Generally this sense of obscure means:not known to many people; or unimportant or undistinguished
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.12 |
4 —6 uses as in:
was obscure, but now bright
The mildewy inside of the coach, with its damp and dirty straw, its disagreeable smell, and its obscurity, was rather like a larger dog-kennel.
obscurity = darkness (making it hard to see)
Definition
Generally this sense of obscure means:dark or dingy; or inconspicuous (not very noticeable)
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.4 |
passage
2 uses
That, Virtue, as had been observed by the poets (in many passages which he well knew the jury would have, word for word, at the tips of their tongues; whereat the jury's countenances displayed a guilty consciousness that they knew nothing about the passages), was in a manner contagious; more especially the bright virtue known as patriotism, or love of country.†
passages = short parts of longer written works
Definition
Generally this sense of passage means:a short part of a longer written work
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.3 |
remonstrate
6 uses
sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl
remonstrance = protest
Definition
Generally remonstrate means:argue in protest or opposition
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.9 |
repudiate
1 use
But, the same consideration that suggested him, repudiated him; he lived in the most violent Quarter, and doubtless was influential there, and deep in its dangerous workings.
repudiated = strongly rejected
Definition
Generally repudiate means:strong rejection — especially when the idea or thing being rejected was once embraced
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.3 |
sagacious
4 uses
If your sagacity, knowledge, and experience, could put me on the right track, I might be able to do so much; unenlightened and undirected, I can do so little.
sagacity = wisdom — especially through long experience and thoughtfulness
Definition
Generally sagacious means:wise — especially through long experience and thoughtfulness
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.4 |
yield (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 6 uses
1 —1 use as in:
will yield valuable data
Sow the same seed of rapacious license and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind.
yield = produce
Definition
Generally this sense of yield means:to produce (usually something wanted); or the thing or amount produced
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.15 |
2 —5 uses as in:
yield to pressure
An hour or two hence, and the low companions and low habits that I scorn but yield to, will render me less worth such tears as those, than any wretch who creeps along the streets.
yield = give in
Definition
Generally this sense of yield means:to give in, give way, or give up
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 13 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.5 |