anarchy
2 uses
What evils are not wrought by Anarchy!
anarchy = the absence of political authority
Definition
Generally anarchy means:the complete absence of political authority; or more generally, complete absence of order
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
deemed
6 uses
Of all these Thebans none so deems but thou.
deems = believes or judges
Definition
Generally deemed means:believed or judged
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
defer
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
deferred to her wishes
deferring to a father's will
deferring = submitting
Definition
Generally this sense of defer means:submit or yield (typically to another person's opinion because of respect for that person or their knowledge)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
deprecate
1 use
We offered first a prayer To Pluto and the goddess of cross-ways, With contrite hearts, to deprecate their ire.
deprecate = to belittle (diminish the value of) or express disapproval of something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
disdain
1 use
Thus Dryas' child, the rash Edonian King,
For words of high disdain
Did Bacchus to a rocky dungeon bring,
To cool the madness of a fevered brain.
For words of high disdain
Did Bacchus to a rocky dungeon bring,
To cool the madness of a fevered brain.
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 | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
divine (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
to forgive is divine
She was sprung of gods, divine,
divine = wonderful (as though having come from the gods)
Definition
Generally this sense of divine means:wonderful; or god-like or coming from God
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
2 —1 use as in:
divined from tea leaves
The divination of my arts shall tell.
divination = the act of predicting or discover something supernaturally (as if by magic)
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 |
forbearance
2 uses
Sister, forbear, or I shall hate thee soon, And the dead man will hate thee too, with cause.
forbear = refrain (hold back) from acting
Definition
Generally forbearance means:refraining (holding back) from acting
or:
patience, tolerance, or self-control
or:
patience, tolerance, or self-control
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
grievous
6 uses
the obstinate soul that fights with Fate, is smitten grievously.
grievously = very badly (causing grief)
(editor's note: smitten is a synonym for stricken — as with a blow or with defeat)
(editor's note: smitten is a synonym for stricken — as with a blow or with defeat)
Definition
Generally grievous means:very serious; or very bad; or causing grief
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
heed
6 uses
I will heed.
heed = pay close attention to; or to do what is suggested
Definition
Generally heed means:pay close attention to; or to do what is suggested — especially with regard to a warning or other advice
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
immutable
1 use
Nor did I deem that thou, a mortal man, Could'st by a breath annul and override The immutable unwritten laws of Heaven.
immutable = not subject or susceptible to change
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
lament
6 uses
SECOND MESSENGER Hearing the loud lament above her son With her own hand she stabbed herself to the heart.
lament = expressing grief or regret
Definition
Generally lament means:to express grief or regret
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
mortal
5 uses
1 —5 uses as in:
mortal body
Poor mortals, how we labor all in vain!
mortals = people (who lack the power of gods)
Definition
Generally this sense of mortal means:human (especially merely human); or subject to death
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
obstinate
2 uses
No fool, the saw goes, like the obstinate fool.
obstinate = stubbornly unyielding to other's wishes
(editor's note: saw is a way of saying familiar saying)
(editor's note: saw is a way of saying familiar saying)
Definition
Generally obstinate means:stubbornly not doing what others want
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
perish
6 uses
CREON The patriot perished by the outlaw's brand.
perished = died, was destroyed, or ceased to exist
Definition
Generally perish means:to die — especially in an unnatural way
or:
to be destroyed or cease to exist
or:
to be destroyed or cease to exist
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
pious
3 uses
O sister, scorn me not, let me but share Thy work of piety, and with thee die.
piety = highly moral behavior
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 | 3 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
resolve
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
I resolved to stop drinking.
Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, the late king of Thebes, in defiance of Creon who rules in his stead, resolves to bury her brother Polyneices, slain in his attack on Thebes.
resolves = decides
Definition
Generally this sense of resolve means:to decide — typically a firm or formal decision
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
wrought (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
wrought iron
a well-wrought brazen urn
wrought = worked (in this case decoratively)
Definition
Generally this sense of wrought means:worked — as when iron is shaped to fit by bending or beating
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
2 —1 use as in:
the damage she has wrought
In what wise was her self-destruction wrought?
wrought = made to happen
Definition
Generally this sense of wrought means:caused to happen or occurred as a consequence
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
Zeus
13 uses
Thy might, O Zeus, what mortal power can quell?
Zeus = Greek mythology: the most supreme of the gods
Word Statistics
| Book | 13 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |