abysmal
1 use
Living, as they did, in what appeared to me impenetrable darkness, their eyes were abnormally large and sensitive, just as are the pupils of the abysmal fishes, and they reflected the light in the same way.†
abysmal = very bad
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
amorous
1 use
As I hesitated, two of the beautiful Upper-world people came running in their amorous sport across the daylight in the shadow.†
amorous = romantic or sexual
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
apparent
9 uses
Mrs. Watchett came in and walked, apparently without seeing me, towards the garden door.
apparently = clearly; or seemingly (appearing clear—though not necessarily so)
Definition
Generally apparent means:clear or obvious; or appearing as such but not necessarily so
Word Statistics
| Book | 9 uses |
| Library | 60 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
consequence
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
a direct consequence of
Presently I noted that the sun belt swayed up and down, from solstice to solstice, in a minute or less, and that consequently my pace was over a year a minute; and minute by minute the white snow flashed across the world, and vanished, and was followed by the bright, brief green of spring.†
consequently = resultantly (as a result)
Definition
Generally this sense of consequence means:a result of something (often an undesired side effect)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 26 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
disinclined
1 use
Only my disinclination to leave Weena, and a persuasion that if I began to slake my thirst for murder my Time Machine might suffer, restrained me from going straight down the gallery and killing the brutes I heard.†
disinclination = a feeling of reluctance to do something
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", 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 action, education, and observation.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", 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 action, education, and observation.)
Definition
Generally disinclined means:feeling reluctant to do something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
eccentric
1 use
My pockets had always puzzled Weena, but at the last she had concluded that they were an eccentric kind of vase for floral decoration.
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 |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
expound
2 uses
The Time Machine, by H. G. Wells [1898] I The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us.†
expounding = explaining or discussing in detail
Definition
Generally expound means:explain or discuss in detail
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
forthwith
2 uses
I told myself that I could never stop, and with a gust of petulance I resolved to stop forthwith.†
forthwith = immediately
Definition
Generally forthwith means:immediately — (most typically seen in legal documents, formal use, or classic literature)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
furtive
1 use
I saw a crowd of them upon the slopes, looking furtively at me.
furtively = cautiously
Definition
Generally furtive means:taking pains to avoid being observed
or:
in a manner indicating nervousness (being cautious or appearing suspicious)
or:
in a manner indicating nervousness (being cautious or appearing suspicious)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
incessant
1 use
the others were running, in an incessant stream, as it seemed, from behind me, and away through the wood in front.
incessant = continuous/annoying
Definition
Generally incessant means:continuous — often in an annoying way
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
inevitable
6 uses
Now the risk was inevitable, I no longer saw it in the same cheerful light.
inevitable = certain to happen
Definition
Generally inevitable means:certain to happen (even if one tried to prevent it)
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 23 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
introspection
1 use
'I think so,' murmured the Provincial Mayor; and, knitting his brows, he lapsed into an introspective state, his lips moving as one who repeats mystic words.†
introspective = thoughtful about one's own thoughts and feelings
Definition
Generally introspection means:the contemplation of one's own thoughts and feelings
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
lucid
1 use
you never felt that you saw all round him; you always suspected some subtle reserve, some ingenuity in ambush, behind his lucid frankness.
lucid = 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 | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
moreover
1 use
Moreover, the vapour of camphor was in the air.†
moreover = in addition to what has just been said
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
petulant
1 use
I told myself that I could never stop, and with a gust of petulance I resolved to stop forthwith.
petulance = unreasonable annoyance or upset
or:
tendency to be unreasonably annoyed or upset
or:
tendency to be unreasonably annoyed or upset
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 |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
scintillating
1 use
And amid all these scintillating points of light one bright planet shone kindly and steadily like the face of an old friend.†
scintillating = impressively clever or stimulating; or showing brilliant light in a flickering manner
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
shirk
2 uses
And on both these days I had the restless feeling of one who shirks an inevitable duty.†
shirks = avoids
Definition
Generally shirk means:to avoid something — such as a duty or responsibility
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
subjugate
1 use
The whole world will be intelligent, educated, and co-operating; things will move faster and faster towards the subjugation of Nature.†
subjugation = forced submission to another's dominance
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", 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 action, education, and observation.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", 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 action, education, and observation.)
Definition
Generally subjugate means:to force into submission
in various senses, including:
- when a people are defeated in battle and oppressed — as in "The Romans subjugated most of Europe."
- when something is treated as less important than something else — as in "subjugate the desires of the individual to the desires of the state," or "subjugate instinct to reason"
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
theorize
1 use
I was very tired and sleepy, and soon my theorizing passed into dozing.†
theorizing = to form a theory (a belief about how something works or came about — often without having absolute proof)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
wane
5 uses
The moon was on the wane: each night there was a longer interval of darkness.†
wane = a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number) — especially the part of the moon that is visible
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |