credulous
1 use
He was open-minded, but not credulous.
credulous = too willing to believe
Definition
Generally credulous means:gullible (being too willing to believe)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
deliberate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
deliberate insult
They might have had some natural cause, or they might be due to deliberate censorship by the Overlords.
deliberate = intentional
Definition
Generally this sense of deliberate means:to do something intentionally (do it on purpose)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
descend (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 3 uses
1 —1 use as in:
descend the mountain
Their summits were streaked with snow, and the clouds above them were turning to fire as the sun descended on the last few minutes of its daily journey.†
descended = moved down
Definition
Generally this sense of descend means:move or slope downward
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
2 —2 uses as in:
thieves descended upon us
Silence descended on the murmuring crowd
descended = came suddenly
Definition
Generally this sense of descend means:to come or arrive — especially suddenly or from above or as an attack
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 14 |
disdain
1 use
He felt, like all the Colonists, a slight disdain for the rest of mankind.
disdain = 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 | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 17 |
ebullient
1 use
By turns he could be affectionate or morose, reserved or ebullient.
ebullient = happy and energetic
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 17 |
elaborate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
an elaborate design
A simple face-mask and oxygen set would take care of that: there was no need for anything elaborate.
elaborate = complex
Definition
Generally this sense of elaborate means:having details and complexity — sometimes fancy or ornate
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
ingenious
6 uses
Human beings are remarkably ingenious,
ingenious = inventive and skillful
Definition
Generally ingenious means:showing cleverness and originality
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
latent
3 uses
To all outward appearances, she was still a baby, but round her now was a sense of latent power so terrifying that Jean could no longer bear to enter the nursery.
latent = potentially existing but not presently active
Definition
Generally latent means:potentially existing but not presently evident or active
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
ostentatious
1 use
...his jailer was now wearing, very ostentatiously, a huge pistol that had never been in evidence before.
ostentatiously = in a manner intended to attract notice
Definition
Generally ostentatious means:intended to attract notice and impress others — especially with wealth in a vulgar way
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
phenomenon
7 uses
All down the ages there have been countless reports of strange phenomena—poltergeists, telepathy, precognition—which you had named but never explained.
phenomena = interesting observable things
Definition
Generally phenomenon means:something that exists or happened — especially something of special interest — sometimes someone or something that is extraordinary
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
profound (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
profound idea
The mild alcoholic fog prevented any profound analysis of what had happened,
profound = deep or far-reaching in intellect or insight
Definition
Generally this sense of profound means:deep or far-reaching in intellect or consequence
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
2 —1 use as in:
profound sadness
...such natural catastrophes as earthquakes or floods, which might have a profound effect on large numbers of people...
profound = very intense
Definition
Generally this sense of profound means:of greatest intensity or emotional depth
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
rectify
1 use
I hope you can rectify that, Mr. Supervisor.
rectify = correct, fix, or make right
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 14 |
relevant
1 use
The relevant statistics are attached, and it will be seen that there are still no signs of any unusual development.
relevant = relating in a meaningful way to the issue in question
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 10 |
| 1st use | Chapter 17 |
resignation
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
accepted it with resignation
...with a contented resignation that comes normally to a man only at the end of a long and busy life,
resignation = acceptance of something undesired as unavoidable
Definition
Generally this sense of resignation means:acceptance of something undesired as unavoidable or the lesser of evils
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 23 |
speculate
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
don't know, but I'll speculate
Their origin was still no-known, their biology a source of endless speculation.
speculation = guesses and theories
(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 this sense of speculate means:to think about, wonder, guess or theorize with much uncertainty
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
subtle (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
a subtle poison
But behind that display of sleeping force were other and much subtler weapons.
subtler = working in an indirect or hidden way
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
2 —1 use as in:
a subtle difference or thinker
The Supervisor did not use those actual words, of course, and the thoughts he really expressed were far more subtle.
subtle = difficult to understand — often due to slight distinctions
Definition
Generally this sense of subtle means:not obvious, but understandable by someone with adequate sensitivity and relevant knowledge (perhaps depending upon fine distinctions)
or:
capable of understanding things that require sensitivity and relevant knowledge (perhaps understanding fine distinctions)
or:
capable of understanding things that require sensitivity and relevant knowledge (perhaps understanding fine distinctions)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
ubiquitous
3 uses
...the ubiquitous little air-cars had washed away the last barriers between the different tribes of mankind.
ubiquitous = present everywhere
Definition
Generally ubiquitous means:being present everywhere or all the time
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |