abysmal
2 uses
At home she wondered if the little beast might not be suggesting himself as a rival to Erik, but that abysmal bedragglement she would not consider.†
abysmal = very bad
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 31 |
contempt
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
feels contempt towards her
He looked through her with a contemptuousness such as she could not have imagined.
contemptuousness = lack of respect
Definition
Generally this sense of contempt means:lack of respect — often accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike or disgust
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 33 |
denizen
2 uses
It's you who encourage the denizens not to change.†
denizens = people or animals that inhabit or frequently visit a particular place
Definition
Generally denizen means:a person or animal that inhabits or frequently visits a particular place
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 23 |
deride
2 uses
She could not go on enduring the hidden derision.
derision = treatment as inferior and unworthy of respect
Definition
Generally deride means:laugh at or make fun of—while showing a lack of respect
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
endure
5 uses
1 —5 uses as in:
endured the pain
She could not endure it.
endure = suffer through
Definition
Generally this sense of endure means:to suffer through (or put up with something difficult or unpleasant)
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 18 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
fallacy
2 uses
Whenever she was restless she dodged her thoughts by the familiar vagabond fallacy of running away from them, of moving on to a new place, and thus she persuaded herself that she was tranquil.†
fallacy = a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning; or a common form of incorrect reasoning
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 21 |
incredulous
3 uses
Kennicott was incredulous.
incredulous = not believing
Definition
Generally incredulous means:unbelieving; or having difficulty accepting something so unexpected
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 18 |
indifferent
7 uses
She wanted to hide in the generous indifference of cities.
indifference = lack of interest (in this case, people lacking interest in the strangers around them)
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 | 7 uses |
| Library | 19 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
indignant
12 uses
She was indignant that Carol should not be utterly fulfilled in having borne Kennicott's child.
indignant = angered or annoyed at something unjust or wrong
Word Statistics
| Book | 12 uses |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 16 |
inquire
15 uses
Carol inquired, "What experience did you have with college dramatics?"
inquired = asked
Definition
Generally inquire means:to ask about or look into something
Word Statistics
| Book | 15 uses |
| Library | 21 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
minuteness
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
keep the minutes
She hinted that they ought to have (as at the committee-meetings of the Thanatopsis) a "regular order of business," and "the reading of the minutes," but as there were no minutes to read, and as no one knew exactly what was the regular order of the business of being literary, they had to give up efficiency.†
minutes = formal notes
Definition
Generally this sense of minutes means:a written record of what happened at a meeting
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 18 |
novel
1 use
In Gopher Prairie the only ardent new topics were prohibition, the place in Minneapolis where you could get whisky at thirteen dollars a quart, recipes for home-made beer, the "high cost of living," the presidential election, Clark's new car, and not very novel foibles of Cy Bogart.†
novel = new and original
Definition
Generally this sense of novel means:new and original — typically something considered good
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 39 |
resignation
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
submitted her resignation
Won't you stand by Fern, and threaten to resign from the board if they try to discharge her?
resign = quit (in this to quit in protest)
Definition
Generally this sense of resignation means:to quit — especially a job or position; or a document expressing such an act
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 32 |
revere
9 uses
reverently asked Kennicott.
reverently = with feelings of deep respect and admiration — sometimes with a mixture of wonder and awe or fear
Definition
Generally revere means:regard with feelings of deep respect and admiration — sometimes with a mixture of wonder and awe or fear
Word Statistics
| Book | 9 uses |
| Library | 12 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
sanctimonious
2 uses
"Sweating sanctimonious bully—my husband's uncle!" thought Carol.†
sanctimonious = acting morally superior to others
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 21 |
speculate
17 uses
"Guess we're about in for a blizzard," speculated Kennicott
speculated = to guess without certainty
Definition
Generally this sense of speculate means:to guess without certainty
or:
to think about or consider something
or (more rarely):
to risk money in a financial venture
or:
to think about or consider something
or (more rarely):
to risk money in a financial venture
Word Statistics
| Book | 17 uses |
| Library | 14 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
spurious
3 uses
That institution is reserved for men like Kennicott who, after devoting fifty years to "putting aside a stake," incontinently invest the stake in spurious oil-stocks.†
spurious = false; or not genuine — often seeming plausible, or intentionally deceptive
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
supercilious
5 uses
Carol apologized for her superciliousness.†
superciliousness = arrogant (acting as if better, more important, and superior in ideas than others)
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
timorous
5 uses
When the sheep had been penned up, in the darkness the timorous wolves crept into the living-room, squealing, halting, thrown out of their habit of stolidity by the strangeness of advancing through nothingness toward a waiting foe, a mysterious foe which expanded and grew more menacing.†
timorous = timid (fearful) or shy
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 29 |
zeal
2 uses
Carol did not recover her zeal till two days after, when she tried Mrs. George Edwin Mott, wife of the superintendent of schools.
zeal = active interest and enthusiasm
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 22 |