abysmal
1 use
He no longer dares to tease her by assuming an abysmal inferiority of Freddy's mind to his own.†
abysmal = very bad
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Act 5 |
aggrieve
1 use
HIGGINS [aggrieved] Do you mean that my language is improper?†
aggrieved = harmed by unfair treatment
Definition
Generally aggrieve means:feeling harmed by unfair treatment; or (more rarely) harming someone unfairly
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
audacious
1 use
Your daughter had the audacity to come to my house and ask me to teach her how to speak properly so that she could get a place in a flower-shop.
audacity = boldness and daring
Definition
Generally audacious means:bold and daring (inclined to take risks) — especially in violating social convention in a manner that could offend others
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
blasphemy
1 use
That's middle class blasphemy.
blasphemy = something said or done that is disrespectful of something considered sacred
Definition
Generally blasphemy means:something said or done that is disrespectful of something considered sacred — especially God or religion
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 5 |
consonant
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
consonant or vowel?
As if I ever stop thinking about the girl and her confounded vowels and consonants.†
consonants = letters of the alphabet (or a speech sounds) that are not a vowels
Definition
Generally this sense of consonant means:a letter of the alphabet (or a speech sound) that is not a vowel
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Pref. |
decorum
1 use
[He goes out with impressive decorum, and spoils it by slamming the door savagely]
decorum = manners and conduct considered to be proper and in good taste
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 4 |
didactic
2 uses
who repeat the parrot cry that art should never be didactic.
didactic = intended to instruct
Definition
Generally didactic means:describing something intended to instruct; or someone excessively inclined to instruct
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Pref. |
dogmatic
1 use
HIGGINS [dogmatically, ...] Well, I haven't. I find that the moment I let a woman make friends with me, she becomes jealous, exacting, suspicious, and...
dogmatically = stating his opinion as though it were absolute truth
Definition
Generally dogmatic means:prone to stating opinions as absolute truth
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
eccentric
1 use
Eliza, it's quite true that your father is not a snob, and that he will be quite at home in any station of life to which his eccentric destiny may call him.
eccentric = unconventional or strange
Definition
Generally eccentric means:unconventional or strange; or a person with such traits
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 5 |
establish
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
establish a positive tone
And it is notable that though she never nags her husband, and frankly loves the Colonel as if she were his favorite daughter, she has never got out of the habit of nagging Higgins that was established on the fatal night when she won his bet for him.†
established = created
Definition
Generally this sense of establish means:create, start, or set in [a] place
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 22 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Act 5 |
extricate
1 use
He goes to the divan, stumbling into the fender and over the fire-irons on his way; extricating himself with muttered imprecations; and finishing his disastrous journey by throwing himself so impatiently on the divan that he almost breaks it.
extricating = freeing or removing from constraint or difficulty
Definition
Generally extricate means:free or remove from constraint or difficulty
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
indifferent
4 uses
Some of the acquaintances to whom she had been a tedious or indifferent or ridiculous affliction, dropped her:
indifferent = without interest (average)
Definition
Generally indifferent means:without interest
in various senses, including:
- unconcerned — as in "She is indifferent to what is served to eat."
- unsympathetic — as in "She is indifferent to his needs."
- not of good quality (which may imply average or poor quality depending upon context) — as in "an indifferent performance"
- impartial — as in "We need a judge who is indifferent."
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 19 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 5 |
inevitable
1 use
though to some extent ridiculed and mimicked in West Kensington ... she was accepted as a rational and normal—or shall we say inevitable?
inevitable = certain to happen
Definition
Generally inevitable means:certain to happen (even if one tried to prevent it)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 21 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Act 5 |
languish
1 use
It exasperated her to think that the dungeon in which she had languished for so many unhappy years had been unlocked all the time,
languished = suffered in a bad situation for a long time
Definition
Generally languish means:to suffer in a bad situation for a long time
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 5 |
obstinate
1 use
Freddy backed up Eliza in her obstinate refusal to believe that they could save money by engaging a bookkeeper with some knowledge of the business.
obstinate = stubbornly unyielding to other's wishes
Definition
Generally obstinate means:stubbornly not doing what others want
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 5 |
pauper
2 uses
It won't pauperize me, you bet.†
pauperize = someone who is very poor
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
pedantic
1 use
LIZA [speaking with pedantic correctness of pronunciation and great beauty of tone] How do you do, Mrs. Higgins?
pedantic = excessive concern with formal rules, details, or book learning
Definition
Generally pedantic means:too concerned with formal rules, details, or book learning
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
petulant
1 use
His manner varies from genial bullying when he is in a good humor to stormy petulance when anything goes wrong;
petulance = unreasonable annoyance and irritability
Definition
Generally petulant means:unreasonably annoyed or upset
or:
easily annoyed or upset
or:
easily annoyed or upset
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
prudent
1 use
it makes a man feel prudent like; and then goodbye to happiness.
prudent = sensible and careful
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
scrupulous
1 use
The very scrupulousness with which he told her...
scrupulousness = care and attention to detail
Definition
Generally scrupulous means:careful to behave ethically and/or diligently (with great care and attention to detail)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 5 |