agitate
2 uses
PISCHIN. [Agitated] What? Why to town?
agitated = emotionally upset
Definition
Generally agitate means:to stir up or shake — emotionally (as when people are angered or upset) or physically (as when a washing machine cleans clothes)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
Caligula
1 use
My dead father, who liked a joke, peace to his bones, used to say, talking of our ancestors, that the ancient stock of the Simeonov-Pischins was descended from that identical horse that Caligula made a senator....†
Caligula = the 3rd Roman Emperor; noted for his cruelty, extravagance, sexual perversity, and apparent insanity; assassinated (12-41)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
cease
1 use
The house in which we live has long ceased to be our house; I shall go away.
ceased = stopped or discontinued
Definition
Generally cease means:to stop or discontinue
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 26 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
confound
1 use
[Breathes heavily] Even finer-looking .... dressed in Paris fashions .... confound it all.†
confound = confuse or frustrate
Definition
Generally confound means:to confuse, prove wrong, frustrate, or express frustration
in various senses, including:
confuse or surprise — sometimes specifically to confuse one thing with another
- "confounded by the puzzle" — confused or perplexed
- "Test results confounded the experts." — surprised and confused
- "Do not confound confidence with correctness." — mistake one thing for another
prove wrong, defeat, or frustrate
- "The test results confounded my theory." — proved wrong
- "Their defense confounded our offense." — defeated or frustrated
make worse
- "She confounded the problem by painting without sanding." — made worse
- "The task is complicated by other confounding factors." — making worse
an exclamation expressing anger or frustration
- "Confound it! Will I ever get this thing to work?"
- "I don't understand the confounded directions!"
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 1 |
deceive
2 uses
Be calm, dear, you shouldn't deceive yourself, for once in your life at any rate you must look the truth straight in the face.†
deceive = lie or mislead
Definition
Generally deceive means:to lie to or mislead someone — occasionally to lie to oneself by denying reality
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
direct
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
directed her question to
I congratulate you on your existence, which has already for more than a hundred years been directed towards the bright ideals of good and justice; your silent call to productive labour has not grown less in the hundred years [Weeping] during which you have upheld virtue and faith in a better future to the generations of our race, educating us up to ideals of goodness and to the knowledge of a common consciousness.†
directed = aimed or focused
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:to indicate direction; or to cause movement or focus in a direction or towards an object
The exact meaning of this sense of direct is subject to its context. For example:
- "intentionally directed fire at unarmed civilians" — aimed a gun
- "directed the question to her" — aimed a question
- "directed her north" — pointed in a particular direction
- "directed attention to the 3rd paragraph" — focused attention on a particular object
- "The sound of her voice directed him to the kitchen." — guided or gave directions to someone to help them move to a particular place
- "She directed him to the airport." — gave directions to send someone to a particular place
- "She directed the boat north." — steered it
- "directed the letter to" — send a letter to a particular person by putting a name and address on it
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 36 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Act 1 |
distinct
1 use
In the distance is a row of telegraph poles, and far, far away on the horizon are the indistinct signs of a large town, which can only be seen on the finest and clearest days.†
indistinct = not clear or easily identifiable
(Editor's note: The prefix "in-" in indistinct means not and reverses the meaning of distinct. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.)
(Editor's note: The prefix "in-" in indistinct means not and reverses the meaning of distinct. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.)
Definition
Generally distinct means:clear, easily noticed, and/or identifiable as different or separate
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 30 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
entreat
1 use
[Entreatingly] Uncle, dear!†
entreatingly = in a pleading manner
Definition
Generally entreat means:to ask — especially while trying hard to overcome resistance
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
expulsion
1 use
He's already been expelled twice from the university.
expelled = forced out of an organization
Definition
Generally expulsion means:the act of forcing out
especially in 2 primary senses:
- kicking someone out of an organization — such as a school or country
- squeezing something to eliminate a liquid or gas
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 12 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
infinite
1 use
Sometimes, when I can't sleep, I think: "Oh Lord, you've given us huge forests, infinite fields, and endless horizons, and we, living here, ought really to be giants."†
infinite = unlimited; without boundaries; or too numerous to count
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 14 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
intellectual
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
She is an intellectual.
The vast majority of those intellectuals whom I know seek for nothing, do nothing, and are at present incapable of hard work.†
intellectuals = highly educated people interested in learning and exploring ideas — sometimes while ignoring practical considerations
Definition
Generally this sense of intellectual means:a highly educated person interested in learning and exploring ideas — sometimes while ignoring practical considerations
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
magnanimous
1 use
be just a little magnanimous, and have mercy on me.
magnanimous = kind and generous in spirit
Definition
Generally magnanimous means:kind and generous in spirit — especially toward those defeated in battle
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
Nietzsche
2 uses
And have you read Nietzsche?
Nietzsche = influential German philosopher remembered for his concept of the superman and for his rejection of Christian values; considered, along with Kierkegaard, to be a founder of existentialism (1844-1900)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
paraphernalia
1 use
By the door that leads out of the house and at the back of the stage, portmanteaux and travelling paraphernalia are piled up.
paraphernalia = items that accompany a given activity or object
(editor's notes: portmanteaux is a synonym for large trunks or suitcases)
(editor's notes: portmanteaux is a synonym for large trunks or suitcases)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 4 |
peasant
11 uses
they treat the peasants like animals
peasants = used historically or possibly in relation to a very poor country: people of low income, education, and social standing
Definition
Generally peasant means:used historically or possibly in relation to a very poor country: a person of low income, education, and social standing — especially one who raises crops or livestock
Word Statistics
| Book | 11 uses |
| Library | 12 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 1 |
presentiment
1 use
But my soul is always my own; every minute of the day and the night it is filled with unspeakable presentiments.
presentiments = premonitions (supernatural feelings about what is to come)
Definition
Generally presentiment means:a premonition (a supernatural feeling about what is to come) — especially of something evil or bad
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
prevent
1 use
To escape all the petty and deceptive things which prevent our being happy and free, that is the aim and meaning of our lives.†
prevent = stop (something from happening)
Definition
Generally prevent means:to stop (something from happening)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 38 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 2 |
recite
2 uses
The STATION-MASTER stands in the middle of the drawing-room and recites "The Magdalen" by Tolstoy.
recites = to say aloud something previously memorized
Definition
Generally recite means:to say or read something aloud — especially something previously memorized such as a poem
or:
to say in detail — especially a list of things
or:
to say in detail — especially a list of things
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 23 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |
utter
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
utter stupidity
How utterly absurd!†
utterly = completely or totally
Definition
Generally this sense of utter means:complete or total (used as an intensifier—typically when stressing how bad something is)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 26 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Act 1 |
vex
1 use
LUBOV. [Slightly vexed] Why do you laugh?
vexed = annoyed
Definition
Generally vex means:to annoy or disturb
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Act 3 |