apathy
1 use
Certainly this news excited people intensely, whatever their previous apathy.
apathy = lack of interest and enthusiasm
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.14 |
contrast (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 9 uses
1 —4 uses as in:
contrast their writing styles
Close on its apparition, and blindingly violet by contrast, danced out the first lightning of the gathering storm, and the thunder burst like a rocket overhead.
by contrast = in a comparison that shows differences
Definition
Generally this sense of contrast means:point to differences between; or compare to show differences
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.10 |
2 —5 uses as in:
there is a contrast
Across the Thames, except just where the boats landed, everything was quiet, in vivid contrast with the Surrey side.†
contrast = difference
Definition
Generally this sense of contrast means:a difference — especially a notable difference; or the side-x-side arrangement of things that draws attention to an unmissable difference
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.1 |
convey (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 4 uses
1 —1 use as in:
convey her thoughts
Plenty of Londoners did not hear of the Martians until the panic of Monday morning. Those who did took some time to realise all that the hastily worded telegrams in the Sunday papers conveyed.†
conveyed = communicated
Definition
Generally this sense of convey means:communicate or express
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.14 |
2 —3 uses as in:
convey her safely to
Carts, carriages everywhere, the most astonishing miscellany of conveyances and horseflesh.†
conveyances = means of transport
Definition
Generally this sense of convey means:transport
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.12 |
copious
1 use
I prayed copiously.
copiously = a lot
Definition
Generally copious means:abundant (large in quantity or number)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.4 |
fugitive
14 uses
Here we found an excited and noisy crowd of fugitives.
fugitives = people fleeing an unpleasant situation
Definition
Generally this sense of fugitive means:someone who is running away or hiding to avoid arrest or an unpleasant situation
Word Statistics
| Book | 14 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.11 |
gesticulate
3 uses
It is commonly supposed that they communicated by sounds and tentacular gesticulations;
gesticulations = movements
(editor's note: The suffix "-tions", converts a verb into a plural noun that denotes results of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in actions, illustrations, and observations.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-tions", converts a verb into a plural noun that denotes results of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in actions, illustrations, and observations.)
Definition
Generally gesticulate means:to make gestures (hand or body movements) while speaking or to express something
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.2 |
grotesque
8 uses
Grotesque gleam of a time no history will ever fully describe!
grotesque = distorted and unnatural in shape or size — especially in a disturbing way
Definition
Generally grotesque means:distorted and unnatural in shape or size — especially in a disturbing way
or:
ugly, gross, or very wrong
or:
ugly, gross, or very wrong
Word Statistics
| Book | 8 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.11 |
hypothesis
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a study to test her hypothesis
It must be, if the nebular hypothesis has any truth, older than our world; and long before this earth ceased to be molten, life upon its surface must have begun its course.†
hypothesis = a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea
Definition
Generally this sense of hypothesis means:a seemingly reasonable, but unproven idea or explanation based upon known facts
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.1 |
inclined (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
I'm inclined to
I am inclined to think that...
inclined = tending (having an attitude favoring)
Definition
Generally this sense of inclined means:a tendency, mood, desire, or attitude that favors something; or making someone favor something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.1 |
2 —1 use as in:
on an incline or incline his head
I rose and walked unsteadily up the steep incline of the bridge.
incline = hill (angle)
Definition
Generally this sense of incline means:to be at an angle or to bend
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.7 |
novel
1 use
The second handling-machine was now completed, and was busied in serving one of the novel contrivances the big machine had brought.
novel = new and original
Definition
Generally this sense of novel means:new and original — typically something considered good
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.3 |
remonstrate
1 use
After some ineffectual remonstrance I kept away from him, staying in a room—evidently a children's schoolroom—containing globes, forms, and copybooks.
remonstrance = argument in protest or opposition
Definition
Generally remonstrate means:argue, complain, or criticize
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.1 |
resolve (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 5 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
I resolved to stop drinking.
I resolved to leave him—would that I had!
resolved = decided
Definition
Generally this sense of resolve means:to decide — typically a firm or formal decision
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.5 |
2 —2 uses as in:
Her resolve weakened.
I stopped to look at them, drawing a lesson from their stout resolve to live.
resolve = determination (firmness of purpose)
Definition
Generally this sense of resolve means:firmness of purpose (strong determination to do something)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.7 |
tumult
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
tumult in financial markets
I splashed through the tumultuous water,
tumultuous = turbulent (confused and disordered)
Definition
Generally this sense of tumult means:confusion or disorder — often noisy
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.12 |
twilight
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
pink clouds in a twilight sky
The sunset faded to twilight before anything further happened.
twilight = the time of day immediately following sunset
Definition
Generally this sense of twilight means:the time of day between daylight and darkness (just after sunset or just before sunrise); or the light from the sky at that time
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.5 |
wanton
1 use
He had swept it out of existence, as it seemed, without any provocation, as a boy might crush an ant hill, in the mere wantonness of power.
wantonness = something excessively bad (in this case cruelty)
(Editor's note: The suffix "-ness" converts an adjective to a noun that means the quality of. This is the same pattern you see in words like darkness, kindness, and coolness.)
(Editor's note: The suffix "-ness" converts an adjective to a noun that means the quality of. This is the same pattern you see in words like darkness, kindness, and coolness.)
Definition
Generally wanton means:of something considered bad: excessive, thoughtless indulgence — such as waste, cruelty, violence, and (especially in the past) sexual promiscuity
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.9 |
yield
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
will yield valuable data
I learned nothing fresh except that already in one week the examination of the Martian mechanisms had yielded astonishing results.†
yielded = produced
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 2.9 |