adjacent
7 uses
It was Tariq and Zaman who built the classroom by knocking down the wall between two adjacent rooms.
adjacent = beside each other
Definition
Generally adjacent means:very near — often directly beside
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Part 2 |
amiable
3 uses
When she saw her friend at the door, his white beard and his amiable, toothless smile, Mariam felt tears stinging the corners of her eyes again.
amiable = friendly and kindly
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
contempt
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
feels contempt towards her
But when one group rules over the others for so long... There's contempt. Rivalry.
contempt = dislike 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 | Part 2 |
convey
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
convey her thoughts
He put down his pencil, laced his fingers together, and leaned forward the way parents do when they want to convey something to a toddler.†
convey = communicate or express
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
demonstrate (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 4 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
It demonstrates my point.
Every night, there were demonstrations.†
demonstrations = displays
Definition
Generally this sense of demonstrate means:to show
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 19 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
2 —1 use as in:
demonstrate to protest
On April 17, 1978, the year Mariam turned nineteen, a man named Mir Akbar Khyber was found murdered. Two days later, there was a large demonstration in Kabul. ... Rasheed said that Mir Akbar Khyber had been a prominent communist, and that his supporters were blaming the murder on President Daoud Khan's government.†
demonstration = public protest
Definition
Generally this sense of demonstrate means:a public display supporting a cause — usually joining with others in a political protest
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
disdain
1 use
Mariam knew that she and Laila had become one and the same being to him, equally wretched, equally deserving of his distrust, his disdain and disregard.
disdain = a lack of respect
Definition
Generally disdain means:a lack of respect — often suggesting distaste and an undeserved sense of superiority
or:
to reject as not good enough
or:
to reject as not good enough
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
guile
3 uses
His look was one of conviction, of guileless yet ironclad earnestness.
guileless = without cunning (shrewdness, cleverness) or deceit
Definition
Generally guile means:cunning (shrewdness and cleverness) and deceitful
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
Kabul
133 uses
ISAF, an international peacekeeping force, has been sent to Kabul.
Kabul = the capital and largest city of Afghanistan; located in eastern Afghanistan
Word Statistics
| Book | 133 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
mullah
67 uses
He began to say more, about going to a mosque, finding a mullah,
mullah = a Muslim trained in the doctrine and law of Islam
Definition
Generally mullah means:a Muslim trained in the doctrine and law of Islam
or:
a term of respect for a Muslim male who is thought to be especially wise
or:
a term of respect for a Muslim male who is thought to be especially wise
Word Statistics
| Book | 67 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
perfunctory
3 uses
At the house, Rasheed covered her with a quilt when she lay on the couch, but there was a stiff, perfunctory air about this gesture.
perfunctory = done without much interest — as when dispensing with a formality
Definition
Generally perfunctory means:done without much interest or effort — especially as when dispensing with a formality
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
perspective (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
Look at it from her perspective
I'll give you one: perspective.†
perspective = way of seeing and thinking about things
Definition
Generally this sense of perspective means:a particular way of seeing or thinking about things
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
2 —1 use as in:
Keep it in perspective
Making sure you don't lose perspective.†
perspective = a sensible view of a situation
Definition
Generally this sense of perspective means:a sensible view of a situation that considers its different parts in a balanced way
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
positive
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
positive feedback from my boss
Women have always had it hard in this country, Laila, but they're probably more free now, under the communists, and have more rights than they've ever had before, Babi said, always lowering his voice, aware of how intolerant Mammy was of even remotely positive talk of the communists.†
positive = indicating approval or agreement
Definition
Generally this sense of positive means:approval or agreement
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Part 2 |
pragmatic
1 use
She said this in a pragmatic, almost indifferent, tone, and Mariam understood that this was a woman far past outrage.
pragmatic = practical (without concern for niceties)
Definition
Generally pragmatic means:concerned with practical matters — especially where quick results and/or practical experience triumph over theory
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Part 3 |
reproach
5 uses
Over the years, Mariam had learned to harden herself against his scorn and reproach, his ridiculing and reprimanding.
reproach = criticism
Definition
Generally reproach means:a criticism; or to express criticism
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 1 |
resignation (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
submitted her resignation
the American president Richard Nixon had resigned over a scandal.
resigned = quit (his 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 | Part 1 |
2 —1 use as in:
accepted it with resignation
And so Laila has resigned herself to moving on.
resigned = accepted 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 | Part 4 |
revere
4 uses
The women eyed her with a reverent, almost awestruck, expression.
reverent = feelings of deep respect and admiration
Definition
Generally revere means:regard with feelings of deep respect and admiration — sometimes with a mixture of wonder and awe or fear
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 12 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Part 2 |
Taliban
53 uses
Already Laila sees something behind this young girl's eyes, something deep in her core, that neither Rasheed nor the Taliban will be able to break.
Taliban = a fundamentalist Islamic militia; between 1996 and 2001, the Taliban militia took over Afghanistan and set up an Islamic government
Definition
Generally Taliban means:a fundamentalist Islamic militia; between 1996 and 2001, they took over Afghanistan and set up an Islamic government
Word Statistics
| Book | 53 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Part 3 |