Snow Falling on Cedars — Vocabulary
David Guterson
(Auto-generated)

Word Set

Samples

Sort By

Further limit words

by chapter of first use

to Show all

by difficulty

to (9 is most difficult)

by interest

underline any show only

Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	102	top 2000
defendanta person (or institution) legally accused or sued in court The defendant is confident she will be found innocent.more Show sample from book the defendant's motive for committing murder101 more the person accused of a crime in court
	21	top 2000
testifytestify → testified:provided oral evidence in court She testified against the robber.more Show sample from book When you were testifying.†20 more testify → testifying:providing evidence of something -- especially oral evidence in court Show general definition provide evidence of something -- especially to say something under oath in a court of law
	19	top 2000
testimonythe statement of a witness at a trial Her emotional testimony moved the jury.more Show sample from book I have to ask about something else that confused me during your testimony.†18 more something that serves as evidence -- especially a statement at a trial or hearing Show general definition something that serves as evidence -- especially a statement at a trial or hearing
	10	top 500
recollectremember I think I recollect that she was away at college that year.more Show sample from book He could not recollect his reason for being there—why he had enlisted to fight in the marines, what the point of it was.†9 more Show general definition to remember -- especially experiences from long ago Show editor's word notes Synonym Comparison (if you're into word choice): Relative to its synonyms, recollect brings to mind a leisurely piecing together of distant memories. It may be used in a less formal manner than remember and is almost always less formal than recall.
	1	top 100
yieldproduce (lead to) The discovery could yield a more effective treatment for diabetes.more Show sample from book Snow fell that morning outside the courthouse windows, four tall, narrow arches of leaded glass that yielded a great quantity of weak December light.3 more yield → yielded:gave or produced Show general definition for yield (as in: will yield valuable data) to produce (usually something wanted); or the thing or amount produced
	3	top 100
yield#2give in The country vowed not to yield to pressure from its larger neighbors.more Show sample from book Your task as you deliberate together on these proceedings is to ensure that you do nothing to yield to a universe in which things go awry by happenstance.3 more give in, give way, or give up Show general definition for yield (as in: yield to pressure) to give in, give way, or give up
	7	top 100
precedeprecede → preceded:were before in time Stone tools preceded bronze tools.more Show sample from book The preceding night a fog as palpable as cotton had hung suspended over Island County.†6 more precede → preceding:prior (in time or space) Show general definition to go or do before
	6	top 10
inferfigure out or guess by reasoning Which of the following facts can you infer from the first paragraph?more Show sample from book "It's my job to infer," insisted Horace Whaley.†5 more conclude or guess by reasoning Show general definition to figure out or guess by reasoning
	8	top 1000
deceivemislead The plan was to deceive the Germans into believing the main attack would take place further north.more Show sample from book She confessed to experiencing a moral anguish over meeting him so secretly and deceiving her mother and father.†7 more deceive → deceiving:lying or misleading Show general definition to lie to or mislead someone -- occasionally to lie to oneself by denying reality
	5	top 10
relevantimportant (related in a meaningful way) Shannon tells an interesting story, but it's not relevant to the decision we have to make.more Show sample from book If you determine that he is guilty of something else—of hatred, of assault, of manslaughter, of murder in self-defense, of coldness, of passion, of second-degree murder—none of that will be relevant.4 more relating in a meaningful way to the issue in question Show general definition relating in a meaningful way to the issue in question
	6	top 200
plausiblesounding reasonable She offered a plausible excuse.more Show sample from book Is that part plausible—so far?†5 more apparently reasonable, but unproven Show general definition apparently reasonable, but unproven
	7	top 500
contemplatethink deeply about After the meeting, she needed some time alone to contemplate her next move.more Show sample from book The violence might at last die out of him and set him free to contemplate his destiny and his next life on the Great Wheel.†6 more consider or ponder Show general definition consider or ponder
	8	top 1000
prejudiceunreasonable and unfair belief or feeling The group works to eliminate racial prejudice.more Show sample from book Let us remember what is so easy to forget in the mad intensity of wartime: that prejudice and hatred are never right and never to be accepted by a just society.†7 more bias that prevents objective consideration Show general definition bias that prevents objective consideration -- especially an unreasonable belief that is unfair to members of a race, religion, or other group
	6	top 500
indulgeindulge → indulges:allows them to get their way She indulges her children more than is good for them.more Show sample from book She wanted to believe this, and so she indulged herself and tried to be swept up in it.†5 more indulge → indulged:enjoyed to excess Show general definition to give in to a desire or allow someone to enjoy or experience something -- especially something pleasurable
	7	top 1000
cordialfriendly The countries share a long border and have cordial relations.more Show sample from book It could be that their cordiality and handshaking had been nothing but stiff formality, that underneath they hated each other.†6 more cordial → cordiality:friendliness Show general definition for cordial (as in: a cordial reception) friendly -- usually warm and heartfelt, but possibly only polite
	5	top 500
pettypetty → petty officer:non-commissioned officer She's a petty officer second class.more Show sample from book Ishmael Chambers, in the last light of day, found himself seated in the office of the lighthouse chief petty officer, a large man named Evan Powell.4 more Show general definition for petty (as in: petty officer) a non-commissioned officer Show editor's word notes Petty officer typically refers to a Navy or Coast Guard officer who is subordinate to commissioned officers and chief petty officers.
	1	top 1000
discordconflict There is too much discord in the team.more Show sample from book discordant with the sinewy length of his jawline1 more discord → discordant:seeming different or wrong together Show general definition for discord (as in: discord amongst the group) conflict or disagreement -- especially among those expected to cooperate or (especially in the form discordant): seeming different or wrong in context
	1	top 1000
discord#2discord → discordant:unpleasant sounding She described the loud discordant music as a form of torture.more Show sample from book the two of them sounded at the same moment, a clash of sound, discordant.1 more discord → discordant:unpleasant sounding together Show general definition for discord (as in: discordant music) unpleasant sound -- especially a combination of sounds that sound wrong together (though sometimes done intentionally in music)
	5	top 2000
equivocalunclear in meaning Her equivocal answer left everyone wondering what she really meant.more Show sample from book But the cause of death--unequivocally--was drowning.4 more equivocal → unequivocally:clearly and unmistakably Show context notes The prefix "un-" in unequivocally means not and reverses the meaning of equivocally. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky. Show general definition unclear in meaning -- especially where opposing interpretations are reasonable (sometimes intentionally)
	5
cullselect for elimination They cull the deer twice a year to assure their numbers can be sustained.more Show sample from book Then he went and put five acres into raspberries and dumped money into that experiment—wire and cedar posts, labor to build trellises—it set them back until he figured how to cull the canes and train them to produce.†4 more select from among many Show general definition to select from among many -- sometimes what is desired; sometimes to eliminate that which is not wanted