aesthetic
31 uses
This supreme quality is felt by the artist when the esthetic image is first conceived in his imagination.
esthetic = related to beauty — often referring to one's appreciation of beauty or one's sense of what is beautiful
Definition
Generally aesthetic means:related to beauty or good taste — often referring to one's appreciation of beauty or one's sense of what is beautiful
or:
beautiful or tasteful
or:
beautiful or tasteful
Word Statistics
| Book | 31 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
contrite
5 uses
he heard his own voice full of the quietude of humility and contrition.
contrition = sorrow or regret for a fault or offense
Definition
Generally contrite means:feeling sorrow or regret for a fault or offense
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
disdain
3 uses
he had done well to leave the room in disdain.
disdain = a lack of respect
Definition
Generally disdain means:a lack of respect — often suggesting distaste and an undeserved sense of superiority
or:
to reject as not good enough
or:
to reject as not good enough
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
divine (3 meanings)
3 meanings, 4 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
to forgive is divine
chosen by divine design
divine = having come from God
Definition
Generally this sense of divine means:wonderful; or god-like or coming from God
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
2 —1 use as in:
divined from tea leaves
...holding his furled umbrella a span or two from him like a divining rod.
divining = used to discover something supernaturally
Definition
Generally this sense of divine means:to predict or discover something supernaturally (as if by magic)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
3 —1 use as in:
divined through intuition
...whatever he had heard or divined in childhood of the strange and terrible.
divined = learned through intuition or reflection
Definition
Generally this sense of divine means:to discover something — usually through intuition or reflection
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
engender
1 use
in dead bodies worms are engendered by putrefaction,
engendered = caused
Definition
Generally engender means:cause — usually a feeling (possibly a situation)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
heresy
10 uses
This fellow has heresy in his essay.
heresy = opinions most people consider immoral
Definition
Generally heresy means:opinions or actions most people consider immoral
Word Statistics
| Book | 10 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
Jesuit
21 uses
From force of habit he had written at the top of the first page the initial letters of the jesuit motto:
Jesuit = the Society of Jesus (known for their schools and missionary work)
Definition
Generally Jesuit means:a member of the Society of Jesus (known for their schools and missionary work)
Word Statistics
| Book | 21 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
languid
9 uses
A gradual warmth, a languorous weariness passed over him descending along his spine from his closely cowled head.
languorous = slow, relaxed, or with little energy
Definition
Generally languid means:lacking energy or relaxed or moving slowly
Word Statistics
| Book | 9 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
lucid
4 uses
leaving his mind lucid
lucid = capable of thinking clearly
Definition
Generally lucid means:of a person: capable of thinking clearly
or:
of language: clearly expressed so it is easily understood
or:
of language: clearly expressed so it is easily understood
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
novel
1 use
He too returned to his old life at school and all his novel enterprises fell to pieces.
novel = new and original
Definition
Generally this sense of novel means:new and original — typically something considered good
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
obscure (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 3 uses
1 —1 use as in:
it obscured my view
A dusk like that of the outer world obscured his mind as he heard the mare's hoofs clattering along the tramtrack on the Rock Road and the great can swaying and rattling behind him.
obscured = clouded (made less clear)
Definition
Generally this sense of obscure means:to block from view or make less visible or understandable
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
2 —2 uses as in:
the view or directions are obscure
He would know obscure things, hidden from others,
obscure = mysterious (hard for others to understand)
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 |
penitent
8 uses
The penitent emerged from the side of the box.
penitent = a person who expresses remorse (sorrow) for misdeeds (in this case exiting a Catholic confessional box where a priest is asked to extend forgiveness)
Definition
Generally penitent means:feeling or expressing sorrow for having done wrong; or a person who does such
Word Statistics
| Book | 8 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
pious
19 uses
Why did you turn aside from your pious practices and good works?
pious = behaving in a highly moral or religious manner
Definition
Generally pious means:behaving in a highly moral or religious manner
or less commonly: behaving highly moral in a self-righteous or holier-than-thou manner
or less commonly: behaving highly moral in a self-righteous or holier-than-thou manner
Word Statistics
| Book | 19 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
prodigal
1 use
Stephen looked at the English convert with the same eyes as the elder brother in the parable may have turned on the prodigal.
prodigal = the person, in the commonly referenced Christian parable, The Prodigal Son
Editor's notes:
Editor's notes:
- A parable is a story told to teach a moral lesson
- The Prodigal Son is about extreme forgiveness.
- In the story, a younger son is forgiven by his father, but his elder brother is less forgiving.
- This is a common usage of prodigal; though it more generally refers to anyone (not just the Prodigal Son) who is recklessly wasteful; or perhaps long absent.
Definition
Generally prodigal means:recklessly wasteful
or more rarely:
abundant (extravagant in amount)
or more rarely still:
long absent (someone who has been away a long time)
or more rarely:
abundant (extravagant in amount)
or more rarely still:
long absent (someone who has been away a long time)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
repentance
26 uses
No matter how many or how foul the sins if you only repent of them they will be forgiven you.
repent = to feel regret for having done something wrong and to resolve to be a better person in the future
Definition
Generally repentance means:the feeling or expression of regret for having done something wrong with a firm decision to be a better person in the future
Word Statistics
| Book | 26 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
scrupulous
4 uses
not before he had greased and brushed scrupulously his back hair
scrupulously = with extreme care
Definition
Generally scrupulous means:careful to behave ethically and/or diligently (with great care and attention to detail)
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
subtle
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a subtle poison
He had felt a subtle, dark, and murmurous presence penetrate his being...
subtle = hidden and harmful
Definition
Generally this sense of subtle means:working in an indirect or hidden way
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |