astute
1 use
Very astute, Harry, but...
astute = smart & perceptive
Definition
Generally astute means:smart and perceptive
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
confide
13 uses
It had been here, in this very room, that Dumbledore had told him that he was to confide the contents of their lessons to nobody but Ron and Hermione.
confide = tell confidentially
Definition
Generally confide means:tell with the understanding that what is told will be kept secret
Word Statistics
| Book | 13 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
contempt
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
feels contempt towards her
"You're right, Draco," said Narcissa, with a contemptuous glance at Hermione, "now I know the kind of scum that shops here..."
contemptuous = showing disgust and a 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 | 1 use |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
contrary (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 7 uses
1 —5 uses as in:
on the contrary
Ginny did not seem at all upset about the breakup with Dean; on the contrary, she was the life and soul of the team.
on the contrary = in opposition to what was just said
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
2 —2 uses as in:
to the contrary
Harry had wondered whether Dumbledore would return from wherever he had been in time for Monday night's lesson, but having had no word to the contrary, he presented himself outside Dumbledore's office at eight o'clock, knocked, and was told to enter.
to the contrary = with a different effect
Definition
Generally this sense of to the contrary means:with an opposite or different effect; or something with an opposite or different effect
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
deviate
1 use
For or the rest of the week's Potions lessons Harry continued to follow the Half-Blood Prince's instructions wherever they deviated from Libatius Borage's, with the result that by their fourth lesson Slughorn was raving about Harrys abilities, saying that he had rarely taught anyone so talented.
deviated = differed
Definition
Generally this sense of deviate means:differ or change
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
divine
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
divined from tea leaves
Perfect deliberation, divination, and desperation
divination = the act of predicting something 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 |
| 1st use | Chapter 21 |
engender
1 use
envy engenders spite [ill will]
engenders = gives rise to
Definition
Generally engender means:cause — usually a feeling (possibly a situation)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 20 |
flourish (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
the business is flourishing
many flourishing potted plants
flourishing = thriving (growing well)
Definition
Generally this sense of flourish means:to thrive (grow or develop well)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 20 |
2 —1 use as in:
dismissed them with a flourish
Seized with an immediate desire to reveal himself, Harry pulled off the cloak with a flourish.
flourish = a showy gesture
Definition
Generally this sense of flourish means:a showy gesture
or:
the act of waving — a hand or an item
or:
the act of waving — a hand or an item
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 22 |
incantation
10 uses
So you just decided to try out an unknown, handwritten incantation and see what would happen?
incantation = words or sounds believed to have a magical effect
Definition
Generally incantation means:words believed to have a magical effect when they are said aloud; or the saying of such words
Word Statistics
| Book | 10 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
inclined (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 3 uses
1 —1 use as in:
I'm inclined to
Personally, I am inclined to think that she used a love potion.
inclined = favoring (tending toward)
Definition
Generally this sense of inclined means:a tendency; in the mood; or an attitude that favors something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
2 —2 uses as in:
on an incline or incline his head
Voldemort inclined his head, unsmiling, and took another sip of wine.
inclined = angled
Definition
Generally this sense of incline means:to be at an angle or to bend
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
incredulous
10 uses
...read it through looking increasingly incredulous.
incredulous = like it was unbelievable
Definition
Generally incredulous means:unbelieving; or having difficulty accepting something so unexpected
Word Statistics
| Book | 10 uses |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
indignant
11 uses
To general indignation, a sign went up on all common-room noticeboards that the next trip into Hogsmeade had been cancelled.
indignation = anger at something unjust
Definition
Generally indignant means:angered or annoyed at something unjust or wrong
Word Statistics
| Book | 11 uses |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
loathe
8 uses
Gryffindor and Slytherin students loathed each other on principle.
loathed = detested or intensely disliked
Definition
Generally loathe means:detest or intensely dislike
Word Statistics
| Book | 8 uses |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
ominous
7 uses
His powers, as you heard, were surprisingly well-developed for such a young wizard and — most interestingly and ominously of all — he had already discovered that he had some measure of control over them
ominously = foreshadowing evil
Definition
Generally ominous means:threatening (suggestive of, or foreshadowing bad things to come)
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
resignation (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
submitted her resignation
The whole Wizarding community has been screaming for my resignation for a fortnight.
resignation = quitting (from a job)
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 1 |
2 —1 use as in:
accepted it with resignation
I think we must resign ourselves to the fact that they will, at some point, realize we are not Lord Voldemort.
resign = accept something undesired as unavoidable or the lesser of evils
Definition
Generally this sense of resignation means:acceptance of something undesired as unavoidable or the lesser of evils
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 26 |
tentative
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
said it tentatively
Quietly, tentatively, Harry spoke into the darkness.
tentatively = in a careful or unsure way (indicating a lack of confidence in exactly what will happen)
Definition
Generally this sense of tentative means:done in a careful or unsure way (indicating a lack of confidence in exactly what will happen)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |