aesthetic
1 use
in this attribute moral or aesthetic poverty contrasts plausibly with material, since those who suffer do not mind it, whilst those who mind it soon cease to suffer.
aesthetic = appreciation of beauty
(editor's note: Hardy is contrasting poverty with bad morals or bad taste. He says people who are poor are unhappy and cannot change their situation. But people with bad morals or bad taste either don't mind their situation, or change themselves.)
(editor's note: Hardy is contrasting poverty with bad morals or bad taste. He says people who are poor are unhappy and cannot change their situation. But people with bad morals or bad taste either don't mind their situation, or change themselves.)
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 | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 25-27 |
amble
2 uses
The tall lank pony seemed used to such doings, and ambled along unconcerned.
ambled = walked leisurely
Definition
Generally amble means:to walk leisurely or slowly
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1-3 |
apathy
1 use
However, one excellent result of her general apathy was the long-delayed installation of Oak as bailiff;
apathy = lack of interest and enthusiasm
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 49-51 |
bronze
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
a bronze tan
He was a gentlemanly man, with full and distinctly outlined Roman features, the prominences of which glowed in the sun with a bronze-like richness of tone.
bronze = reddish-brown or yellowish-brown
Definition
Generally this sense of bronze means:a reddish-brown or yellowish-brown color like that of one of the metals with the same name — often used to refer to a suntan or a dark glowing complexion
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10-12 |
capricious
1 use
said Bathsheba, dropping from haughtiness to entreaty with capricious inconsequence.
capricious = impulsive
Definition
Generally capricious means:impulsive or unpredictable or tending to make sudden changes — especially impulsive behavior
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 28-30 |
credulous
3 uses
A man is never more credulous than in receiving favourable opinions on the beauty of a woman he is half, or quite, in love with;
credulous = willing to believe
Definition
Generally credulous means:gullible (being too willing to believe)
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 16-18 |
deride
3 uses
A low gurgle of derisive laughter followed the words.
derisive = treating as inferior and unworthy of respect
(editor's note: The suffix "-ive" converts a word into an adjective; though over time, what was originally an adjective often comes to be used as a noun. The adjective pattern means tending to and is seen in words like attractive, impressive, and supportive. Examples of the noun include narrative, alternative, and detective.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-ive" converts a word into an adjective; though over time, what was originally an adjective often comes to be used as a noun. The adjective pattern means tending to and is seen in words like attractive, impressive, and supportive. Examples of the noun include narrative, alternative, and detective.)
Definition
Generally deride means:to criticize with strong disrespect — often
with humor
with humor
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 31-33 |
digress
1 use
That remark is a sort of digression.
digression = getting off topic
(editor's note: The suffix "-sion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in admission from admit, discussion from discuss, and invasion from invade.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-sion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in admission from admit, discussion from discuss, and invasion from invade.)
Definition
Generally digress means:wander from a direct or straight course — typically verbally
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 25-27 |
disparage
1 use
The maltster, being now pacified, was even generous enough to voluntarily disparage in a slight degree the virtue of having lived a great many years,
disparage = make seem less important
Definition
Generally disparage means:to criticize or make seem less important — especially in a disrespectful or contemptuous manner
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7-9 |
exemplar
1 use
after having been pointed out for so many years as the perfect exemplar of thriving bachelorship
exemplar = ideal example
Definition
Generally exemplar means:an example — especially one that represents the ideal
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 22-24 |
guile
2 uses
Bathsheba was not conscious of guile in this matter.
guile = cunning (shrewd, clever) and deceit
Definition
Generally guile means:cunning (shrewdness and cleverness) and deceitful
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 31-33 |
however (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 60 uses
1 —56 uses as in:
However, complications may...
However, we couldn't think of letting the day pass without a note of admiration of some sort.†
however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
Definition
Generally this sense of however means:though (or another expression that connects contrasting ideas)
(Based on idea 1 we might not expect idea 2, but this is a way of saying that even though idea 1 exists, we still have idea 2. Synonyms include in spite of that,, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand, in contrastand but.)
(Based on idea 1 we might not expect idea 2, but this is a way of saying that even though idea 1 exists, we still have idea 2. Synonyms include in spite of that,
Word Statistics
| Book | 56 uses |
| Library | 61 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1-3 |
2 —2 uses as in:
However much she tried...
She's hot and hasty, but she's a brave girl who'll never tell a lie however much the truth may harm her, and I've no cause to wish her evil.†
however = regardless of how
Definition
Generally this sense of however means:to whatever degree (regardless of how much; or whatever unspecified amount)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4-6 |
unquizzed meaning —2 uses
immutable
1 use
In comparison with cities, Weatherbury was immutable.
immutable = unchanging
Definition
Generally immutable means:unchangeable
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 22-24 |
minute
4 uses
1 —4 uses as in:
minute size
In feeling for each other's palm in the gloom before the money could be passed, a minute incident occurred which told much.†
minute = small
Definition
Generally this sense of minute means:small, exceptionally small, or insignificant
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1-3 |
recumbent
3 uses
Oak went to the recumbent form of Matthew Moon, who usually undertook the rough thatching of the home-stead, and shook him.
recumbent = lying down
Definition
Generally recumbent means:lying down; or horizontal
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 34-36 |
reticent
2 uses
the reticence of her tongue only made the loquacity of her face the more noticeable.
reticence = reluctance
(editor's note: loquacity is to be talkative)
(editor's note: loquacity is to be talkative)
Definition
Generally reticent means:reluctant — especially to speak freely
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 19-21 |
speculative
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a speculative venture
Probably, as with persons playing whist for love, the consciousness of a certain immunity under any circumstances from that worst possible ultimate, the having to pay, makes them unduly speculative.
speculative = risk-taking
Definition
Generally this sense of speculative means:done with uncertainty—often a risky investment for profit
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10-12 |
strata
2 uses
The vast arch of cloud above was strangely low, and formed as it were the roof of a large dark cavern, gradually sinking in upon its floor; for the instinctive thought was that the snow lining the heavens and that encrusting the earth would soon unite into one mass without any intervening stratum of air at all.
stratum = layer
(editor's note: Strata, the plural form of this word is used much more commonly than the singular form. Many Latin words that end in "um" are made plural by changing the "um" to "a"—such as stratum to strata, bacterium to bacteria, and millennium to millennia. In modern writing, changing the "um" to "ums" is also accepted for many Latin words ending in um, but not for any of those listed above.)
(editor's note: Strata, the plural form of this word is used much more commonly than the singular form. Many Latin words that end in "um" are made plural by changing the "um" to "a"—such as stratum to strata, bacterium to bacteria, and millennium to millennia. In modern writing, changing the "um" to "ums" is also accepted for many Latin words ending in um, but not for any of those listed above.)
Definition
Generally strata means:layers
or:
levels, classes, or groups into which people or other things are divided
or:
levels, classes, or groups into which people or other things are divided
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10-12 |
succession
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
a succession of events
Soon soft spirts alternating with loud spirts came in regular succession from within the shed, the obvious sounds of a person milking a cow.
succession = sequence (one after another)
Definition
Generally this sense of succession means:series or sequence (one after another)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1-3 |