abominable
3 uses
She described the abominable treatment of prisoners.
abominable = exceptionally bad
Definition
Generally abominable means:exceptionally bad or detestable
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3, p.18.1 |
aesthetic
1 use
It was not aesthetically pleasing.
aesthetically = related to beauty or good taste
Definition
Generally aesthetic means:related to beauty or good taste — often referring to one's appreciation of beauty or one's sense of what is beautiful
or:
beautiful or tasteful
or:
beautiful or tasteful
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 35, p.279.7 |
affectation
1 use
She is comfortable in her own skin and meets strangers without affectation.
affectation = behaving in an artificial way to make an impression
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 30, p.235.6 |
aphorism
1 use
She often quotes St. Augustine's aphorism, "Love the sinner and hate the sin."
aphorism = short saying intended to impart wisdom
Definition
Generally aphorism means:a short saying intended to impart wisdom
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 34, p.269.2 |
appropriate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
Congress will appropriate funds
The money has been appropriated, but it hasn't yet been spent.
appropriated = set aside for a particular use
Definition
Generally this sense of appropriate means:to set aside for a particular use
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 6, p.41.6 |
bombastic
1 use
The media relishes her bombastic style.
bombastic = pompous or pretentious talk or writing
(often using difficult words to make something sound more important than it is or to make the speaker sound more intelligent)
(often using difficult words to make something sound more important than it is or to make the speaker sound more intelligent)
Definition
Generally bombastic means:pompous or pretentious talk or writing
(often using difficult words in an attempt to make something sound more important than it is or to make the speaker sound more intelligent)
(often using difficult words in an attempt to make something sound more important than it is or to make the speaker sound more intelligent)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9, p.56.5 |
convoluted
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
convoluted thinking
It's hard to follow her convoluted reasoning.
convoluted = very complex
Definition
Generally this sense of convoluted means:complex — often more complex than necessary
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 30, p.227.6 |
enigma
1 use
As Churchill said about Russia, it is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.
enigma = something mysterious that seems unexplainable
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 26, p.203.1 |
explicit
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
explicit instructions
She gave us explicit instructions.
explicit = precisely and clearly expressed
Definition
Generally this sense of explicit means:clear and with enough detail so there is no confusion
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 23, p.177.4 |
florid
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
florid color
Symptoms include loss of concentration and a florid face.
florid = a reddish complexion
Definition
Generally this sense of florid means:a reddish color — (especially about someone's complexion or in various medical contexts)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 28, p.215.8 |
forfeit
2 uses
We had to forfeit the deposit.
forfeit = lose
Definition
Generally forfeit means:to lose or surrender something — often as a penalty
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13, p.86.8 |
haughty
4 uses
It is a story about a haughty princess who has a great fall.
haughty = arrogant or condescending (acting superior or self-important)
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 30, p.226.3 |
incessant
2 uses
She grew annoyed by the child's incessant questions.
incessant = continuous
Definition
Generally incessant means:continuous — often in an annoying way
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15, p.95.3 |
positive (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 3 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
I'm absolutely positive!
I'm positive I've seen her before.
positive = certain
Definition
Generally this sense of positive means:certain (having no doubt; or used for emphasis)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 22 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 25, p.196.1 |
2 —1 use as in:
a positive attitude
With a positive attitude and some effort, I'm sure we can make this work.
positive = optimistic
Definition
Generally this sense of positive means:optimistic (expecting or focusing good things); or agreeable
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 34, p.265.9 |
righteous
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
a righteous cause
The extremism is fed by unquestioned belief in the righteousness of their cause.
righteousness = moral correctness
Definition
Generally this sense of righteous means:morally correct; or morally justified
or:
acting or feeling morally superior — especially when it isn't true (this meaning is more typically seen as a compound word beginning with "self-")
or:
acting or feeling morally superior — especially when it isn't true (this meaning is more typically seen as a compound word beginning with "self-")
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 18, p.131.5 |
servile
1 use
We expect our waiters to give world-class service, but not to be so servile they sacrifice their human dignity.
servile = excessively submissive
Definition
Generally servile means:submissive — typically excessively so (so submissive or eager to serve and please that one seems to have no self-respect)
or:
relating to the work that requires obeying demeaning commands
or:
slave-like or relating to slaves
or:
relating to the work that requires obeying demeaning commands
or:
slave-like or relating to slaves
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5, p.28.9 |
supercilious
1 use
I have come to hate her supercilious smile.
supercilious = arrogant
Definition
Generally supercilious means:arrogant (acting as if better, more important, and superior in ideas than others)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 34, p.266.6 |
tedious
5 uses
I'll have to endure one of her tedious lectures.
tedious = boring
Definition
Generally tedious means:boring — especially because something goes on too long or without variation
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 22, p.160.4 |
tithe
2 uses
Although she no longer attends services, she still tithes.
tithes = donates 10% of income to a church
Definition
Generally tithe means:to donate a portion of one's income — especially a tenth of income to a church; or the amount given
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 22, p.161.1 |