acquaint
1 use
How was I to know that a highly respected psychoexperimentalist like Nemur was unacquainted with Hindustani and Chinese?
unacquainted = not familiar
(Editor's note: The prefix "un-" in unacquainted means not and reverses the meaning of acquainted. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.)
(Editor's note: The prefix "un-" in unacquainted means not and reverses the meaning of acquainted. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.)
From page 14.2 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally acquaint means:to cause to know; or to cause to be familiar with
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.14.2 |
analysis
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
analysis of relevant data
I have included in my report all of my formulae, as well as mathematical analysis in the appendix.
analysis = detailed examination
From page 17.4 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of analysis means:the process or result of examining and thinking about something to better understand it
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Section 4, p.17.4 |
approach
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
use the best approach
I suspect I'm approaching her on the wrong level. No matter what I try to discuss with her, I am unable to communicate.
approaching = speaking to (in a particular way) (in this case, communicating)
From page 14.6 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of approach means:a way of doing something; or a route that leads to a particular place
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.14.6 |
artificial
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
an artificial heart
Artificially increased intelligence deteriorates at a rate of time directly proportional to the quantity of the increase.
artificially = done with technology rather than occuring naturally
Definition
Generally this sense of artificial means:made by humans — often to replace something that can be found in nature
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Section 4, p.18.2 |
cerebral
1 use
His brain had decreased in weight and there was a general smoothing out of cerebral convolutions as well as a deepening and broadening of brain fissures.
cerebral = brain
From page 18.4 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally cerebral means:relating to the brain — especially the cerebrum (front of the brain)
or:
involving careful thinking rather than emotions or instinct
or:
involving careful thinking rather than emotions or instinct
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 4, p.18.4 |
conflict
1 use
I just looked up the word in the dictionary Dr Strauss gave me. the word is subconscious. adj. Of the nature of mental operations yet not present in consciousness; as, subconscious conflict of desires.
conflict = struggle (between two opposing ideas)
From page 6.3 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally conflict means:a struggle or disagreement
in various senses, including:
- a serious disagreement — as in "political conflict"
- the tension from two opposing ideas or feelings — as in "I'm conflicted about where I should go to college."
- a violent fight or war — as in "the Israeli-Palestinian conflict"
- an idiom that refers to tension between responsibilities to different entities — "conflict of interest"
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 21 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Section 2, p.6.3 |
cower
1 use
When the owner came to see what the excitement was about, the boy cowered as if he expected to be struck and threw up his arms as if to ward off the blow.
cowered = showed fear
From page 14.9 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally cower means:show fear by positioning the body as though afraid of being hit
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.14.9 |
deceive
1 use
It was as if he'd hidden this part of himself in order to deceive me, pretending—as do many people I've discovered—to be what he is not. No one I've ever known is what he appears to be on the surface.
deceive = mislead (give the wrong impression)
From page 14.1 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally deceive means:to lie to or mislead someone — occasionally to lie to oneself by denying reality
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.14.1 |
fissure
1 use
His brain had decreased in weight and there was a general smoothing out of cerebral convolutions as well as a deepening and broadening of brain fissures.
fissures = long narrow creases
From page 18.4 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally fissure means:a long, narrow crack; or its creation — especially in the ground or in rock
or:
a crack in the unity of a group; or its creation
or:
a crack in the unity of a group; or its creation
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 4, p.18.4 |
hypothesis
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a study to test her hypothesis
The hypothesis here proven may be described simply in the following terms: Artificially increased intelligence deteriorates at a rate of time directly proportional to the quantity of the increase.
hypothesis = theory or belief (based upon limited evidence)
From page 18.1 Typical Usage
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 | Section 4, p.18.1 |
intellectual
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
intellectual stimulation
A child may not know how to feed itself, or what to eat, yet it knows of hunger. This then is what I was like, I never knew. Even with my gift of intellectual awareness, I never really knew.
intellectual = related to education or intelligent thought
Definition
Generally this sense of intellectual means:related to intelligence — such as requiring, appealing to, or possessing intelligence
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.14.5 |
mock
1 use
I thought he was mocking me and I'm oversensitive at being made fun of.
mocking = ridiculing (making fun of)
From page 14.2 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally mock means:making fun of
or:
not real
or:
not real
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 31 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.14.2 |
neurology
2 uses
He was educated in the tradition of narrow specialization; the broader aspects of background were neglected far more than necessary-even for a neurosurgeon.
neurosurgeon = brain surgeon
Definition
Generally neurology means:the branch of medicine that deals with the nervous system (including the brain)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.13.9 |
opportunist
1 use
Dr. Nemur said that Dr. Strauss was nothing but an opportunist who was trying to ride to glory on his coattails.
opportunist = someone who takes advantage of unplanned circumstances in an unethical way
From page 11.7 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally opportunist means:someone who takes advantage of unplanned circumstances — possibly unethically
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 2, p.11.7 |
progressive
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
progressive decline
There are also strong indications of progressive amnesia.
progressive = gradually getting more severe
From page 17.9 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of progressive means:gradually advancing or becoming more severe
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 4, p.17.9 |
Web Links
proportional
1 use
Artificially increased intelligence deteriorates at a rate of time directly proportional to the quantity of the increase.
proportional = related in amount
From page 18.2 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally proportional means:appropriate or related in size, amount, or degree
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Section 4, p.18.2 |
refute
1 use
I asked Dr. Strauss how Nemur could refute Rahajamati's attack on his method and results if Nemur couldn't even read them in the first place.
refute = prove false
From page 14.3 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally refute means:to disprove or argue against
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.14.3 |
stimulus
1 use
The surgical stimulus to which we were both subjected has resulted in an intensification and acceleration of all mental processes.
stimulus = something that causes a reaction
From page 18 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally stimulus means:something that creates growth or excitement, or something that causes an action
in various senses, including:
- economic stimulus — something that makes the economy grow
- biological or psychological stimulus — something that makes the body react in a particular way such as when more light make the eye pupil shrink, or when lack of sleep causes stress
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 4, p.18 |
tradition
1 use
He was educated in the tradition of narrow specialization; the broader aspects of background were neglected far more than necessary—
tradition = a long-established practice
From page 13.9 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally tradition means:a long-established or previously long-established practice or belief
and/or:
one or more practices, beliefs, or stories passed down through generations within a specific culture or group
and/or:
one or more practices, beliefs, or stories passed down through generations within a specific culture or group
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 40 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.13.9 |
vacuous
1 use
His vacant eyes moved across the crowd of amused onlookers, he slowly mirrored their smiles and finally broke into an uncertain grin at the joke which he obviously did not understand. I felt sick inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile—the wide, bright eyes of a child, uncertain but eager to please.
vacuous = lacking intelligent thought
From page 15.3 Typical Usage
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Section 3, p.15.3 |