agitate
5 uses
It took them days to get the story properly blown up and themselves agitated and then to calm down and assess the situation.
agitated = stirred up (excited)
Definition
Generally agitate means:to stir up — emotionally (such as anxiety) or physically (such as shaking)
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
appropriate
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
it is appropriate
So they did it appropriately and well.
appropriately = in a suitable way
Definition
Generally this sense of appropriate means:suitable (fitting) for a particular situation
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 15 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
arbor
6 uses
Yonder, not far, was a grape arbor Mr. Garner made.
arbor = a framework that supports climbing plants
Definition
Generally this sense of arbor means:a framework that supports climbing plants; or a shady rest area made by such a framework or by trees and shrubs
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
cajole
1 use
cajoling her mother to eat a little now and then,
cajoling = gently persuading
Definition
Generally cajole means:gently persuade
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
chastise
5 uses
Schoolteacher had chastised that nephew,
chastised = scolded or criticized
Definition
Generally chastise means:to scold or criticize
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
defer
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
deferred to her wishes
Deferring to his slaves' opinions did not deprive him of authority or power.
deferring = submitting or yielding
Definition
Generally this sense of defer means:submit or yield (typically to another person's opinion because of respect for that person or their knowledge)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
deliberate (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
deliberate insult
Instead of sighs and accidents there was pointed and deliberate abuse.
deliberate = intentional
Definition
Generally this sense of deliberate means:to do something intentionally
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
2 —1 use as in:
a deliberate thinker
Braced and heartened by that easy encounter, she picked up speed and began to look deliberately at the neighborhood surrounding her.
deliberately = with great care
Definition
Generally this sense of deliberate means:done with great care — often slowly
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
devious
1 use
Unfortunately her brain was devious.
devious = deceitful (not honest and straightforward) — often in a complicated, clever manner
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
dominate
2 uses
she noticed neither competition between the two nor domination by one.
domination = control (of the other)
Definition
Generally dominate means:to control; or to be most influential, powerful, or conspicuous
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 15 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
exhort
1 use
he exhorted her, pleaded with her not to quit, no matter what.
exhorted = strongly urged
Definition
Generally exhort means:to urge strongly
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 2 |
fugitive
9 uses
his rifle ready, his eyes trained away from the house to the left and to the right, because likely as not the fugitive would make a dash for it.
fugitive = someone who flees from law enforcement officers
Definition
Generally this sense of fugitive means:someone who flees from an unpleasant situation — especially fleeing law enforcement officers
Word Statistics
| Book | 9 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
impregnable
1 use
The impregnable strength of him—earthing his feet near her shoulders.
impregnable = strong (able to withstand attack)
Definition
Generally this sense of impregnable means:able to withstand attack
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
oblige (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 7 uses
1 —6 uses as in:
I am obliged by law.
Perhaps it was the smile, or maybe the ever-ready love she saw in his eyes—easy and upfront, the way colts, evangelists and children look at you: with love you don't have to deserve—that made her go ahead and tell him what she had not told Baby Suggs, the only person she felt obliged to explain anything to.
obliged = required (obligated) to do something
Definition
Generally this sense of oblige means:require (obligate) to do something
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
2 —1 use as in:
I obliged her every request.
And Sethe would oblige her with anything from fabric to her own tongue.
oblige = grant a favor to someone
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
render (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 3 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
rendered her unconscious
The barker called them and their children names ... but the food on his vest and the hole in his pants rendered it fairly harmless.
rendered = to make or cause to become
(editor's note: According to Wikipedia, Pickaninny is a potentially offensive derogatory term which refers to children of black descent or a racial caricature thereof.)
(editor's note: According to Wikipedia, Pickaninny is a potentially offensive derogatory term which refers to children of black descent or a racial caricature thereof.)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
2 —1 use as in:
rendered with, or rendered from
churned butter, rendered fat, laid fires....
rendered = extracted from (in this case melting fat down to lard)
Definition
Generally this sense of render means:to portray or create something in a particular way; or to interpret, translate, or extract from
(see word notes for more detailed definitions based on context)
(see word notes for more detailed definitions based on context)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
righteousness
5 uses
with righteous resentment at what could have been his cowardice, or stupidity or bad luck
righteous = morally justified
Definition
Generally righteousness means:morally correct
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
tentative (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
said it tentatively
tentative greetings
tentative = cautious (done in a careful way indicating a lack of confidence)
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 | Part 2 |
2 —1 use as in:
a tentative plan
It was April and everything alive was tentative.
tentative = with an expectation that there may be changes
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Part 3 |