altercation
1 use
As the Americans were waiting to move on, an altercation broke out in their rear-most rank.
altercation = a noisy argument or fight
Definition
Generally altercation means:a noisy argument, confrontation, or fight
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
anecdote
2 uses
Billy Pilgrim had not heard this anecdote.
anecdote = a short story that is true — often told for amusement or to make a point
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
bronze
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
bronze won't corrode in salt water
An officer was congratulating the Three Musketeers, telling them that he was going to put them in for Bronze Stars.
bronze = made of a brownish metal
(editor's note: The bronze Star is a medal awarded to selected members of the United States military for heroism or other merit.)
(editor's note: The bronze Star is a medal awarded to selected members of the United States military for heroism or other merit.)
Definition
Generally this sense of bronze means:a brownish-colored metal with red or yellow hues that is made of copper and (usually) tin
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
condensation
1 use
His one-volume history of the Army Air Force in the Second World War was supposed to be a readable condensation of the twenty-seven-volume Official History of the Army Air Force in World War Two.
condensation = a shortened version (more dense)
Definition
Generally condensation means:water that forms from warm air that comes in contact with a cold surface — such as the outside of a glass of ice water; or the process of the liquid forming
or:
an abridgement (shortened version of writing)
or:
anything made smaller, more compressed
or:
an abridgement (shortened version of writing)
or:
anything made smaller, more compressed
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
contempt
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
feels contempt towards her
I have also told them not to work for companies which make massacre machinery, and to express contempt for people who think we need machinery like that.
contempt = dislike and disrespect
Definition
Generally this sense of contempt means:lack of respect for someone or something thought inferior — often accompanied by a feeling of dislike or disgust
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
diffident
1 use
There were diffident raps at the factory window.
diffident = hesitant and unassertive due to a lack of self-confidence
Definition
Generally diffident means:hesitant and unassertive — often due to a lack of self-confidence
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
gospel
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
gospel of the Bible
He supposed that the intent of the Gospels was to teach people, among other things, to be merciful, even to the lowest of the low.
gospels = one of the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that Christians believe tell the story of Jesus Christ's life and teachings
Definition
Generally this sense of gospel means:the religious teachings of Jesus
or:
one of the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that Christian's believe tell the story of Jesus Christ's life and teachings
or:
one of the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that Christian's believe tell the story of Jesus Christ's life and teachings
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
harangue
1 use
The boys were harangued by a man in a full beard.
harangued = verbally harassed by someone trying to persuade them
Definition
Generally harangue means:to try to persuade, or to criticize in an impassioned and often annoying manner; or a speech with such an intent
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
impudent
1 use
He was happy and loud and impudent.
impudent = improperly bold or disrespectful
Definition
Generally impudent means:improperly bold or disrespectful — especially toward someone who is older or considered to be of higher status
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
lament
2 uses
He wondered what tragedy so many had found to lament out of doors.
lament = grieve (or express grief about)
Definition
Generally lament means:to express grief or regret
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
listless
5 uses
They would inevitably surface within a rectangle of barbed wire, would find themselves greeted listlessly by dying Russians who spoke no English, who had no food or useful information or escape plans of their own.
listlessly = with a lack of energy and normal enthusiasm
Definition
Generally listless means:lacking energy and normal enthusiasm
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
massacre
7 uses
And Billy had seen the greatest massacre in European history, which was the firebombing of Dresden.
massacre = the savage and excessive killing of many people
Definition
Generally massacre means:the savage and excessive killing of many people
or:
to defeat an opponent by a wide margin
or:
to defeat an opponent by a wide margin
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
mitigate
1 use
their motives were those of bigotry unmitigated
unmitigated = complete (not diminished)
(editor's note: The prefix "un-" in unmitigated means not and reverses the meaning of mitigated. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.)
(editor's note: The prefix "un-" in unmitigated means not and reverses the meaning of mitigated. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.)
Definition
Generally mitigate means:make less harmful or unpleasant
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
prescribe
3 uses
He was doing nothing less now, he thought, then prescribing corrective lenses for Earthling souls.
prescribing = recommending or requiring what should be done
or more specifically:
of a medical doctor: giving medical instructions — such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics
or more specifically:
of a medical doctor: giving medical instructions — such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics
Definition
Generally prescribe means:to recommend or require what should be done
or more specifically:
of a medical doctor: to give medical instructions — such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics
or more specifically:
of a medical doctor: to give medical instructions — such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
render (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
rendered service or a verdict
...and the great services they rendered to Christianity.
rendered = gave
Definition
Generally this sense of render means:to give or supply something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
2 —1 use as in:
rendered interpretation
...and another pamphlet of German phrases rendered in English phonetics,
rendered = translated
Definition
Generally this sense of render means:to portray or create something in a particular way; or to interpret, translate, or extract from
The exact meaning of this sense of render depends upon its context. For example:
- "Each artist will render a different interpretation when painting a portrait." — create in a particular way
- "A Supreme Court judge may render his own interpretation of the Constitution." — interpret in a particular way
- "The computer you are using, rendered this page from software instructions." — created through interpretation
- "A graph is rendered from the underlying data." — made
- "Fat can be rendered (extracted) by cooking meat slowly." — extracted from
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
reproach
2 uses
His daughter Barbara was reproaching him for writing ridiculous letters to the newspapers.
reproaching = criticizing
Definition
Generally reproach means:a criticism; or to express criticism — especially where a relationship makes the disapproval result in disappointment or shame
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
serene
3 uses
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom always to tell the difference.
serenity = peace and calm
(editor's note: This is a version of a popular prayer called The Serenity Prayer which has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous amongst others.)
(editor's note: This is a version of a popular prayer called The Serenity Prayer which has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous amongst others.)
Definition
Generally serene means:calm and untroubled
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
simulate
2 uses
The head zoo keeper ordered a crane operator, who was standing by, to drop a navy blue canopy over the dome, thus simulating Earthling night inside.
simulating = imitating
Definition
Generally simulate means:make an imitation or representation of
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
tentative
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
said it tentatively
'Doctor,' said the patient tentatively.
tentatively = 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 | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |