acquit
46 uses
1 —46 uses as in:
she was acquitted
Moreover, you said earlier that the judges can be influenced personally but now you insist that an absolute acquittal, as you call it, can never be attained through personal influence.
acquittal = official finding of "not guilty"
Definition
Generally this sense of acquit means:to officially find "not guilty" of criminal charges; or (informally) to find someone innocent of a charge of having done wrong
Word Statistics
| Book | 46 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
arrogant
5 uses
... "the way I behaved must have seemed very arrogant to you."
arrogant = having an excessive sense of superiority
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 12 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
augment
3 uses
he could do it without K.'s taking part, and K.'s presence would do nothing to augment the effect of it.
augment = enlarge or increase
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
complacent
1 use
he himself had carelessly - with a certain, inexplicable complacency - mentioned it to acquaintances
complacency = contentment (unworried satisfaction)
Definition
Generally complacent means:contented (unworried and satisfied) — often to a fault
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
contempt
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
feels contempt towards her
He no longer felt the contempt for the trial that he had had earlier.
contempt = lack of respect
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 | 3 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
contemptible
5 uses
Perhaps you've already heard how Dr. Huld talks about the petty lawyers, he probably made them sound very contemptible to you,
contemptible = bad (deserving no respect)
Definition
Generally contemptible means:very bad (deserving no respect)
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
defendant
28 uses
Not a single innocent defendant in so many cases?
defendant = someone legally accused in court
Definition
Generally defendant means:a person or institution legally accused or sued in court
Word Statistics
| Book | 28 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
defer
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
deferred the decision
...deferment consists of keeping proceedings permanently in their earliest stages.
deferment = postponement
Definition
Generally this sense of defer means:delay or postpone (hold off until a later time)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
deference
2 uses
He bowed slightly, intending it also for K., and then went over to Miss Montag and deferentially kissed her hand.
deferentially = with polite respect
Definition
Generally deference means:polite respect — often when submitting to another's wishes
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
deliberate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
deliberate insult
Kaminer got to the hat and K., as he often had to do at the bank, forcibly reminded himself that the grin was not deliberate,
deliberate = intentional
Definition
Generally this sense of deliberate means:to do something intentionally (do it on purpose)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
depravity
2 uses
Her youth and her bodily defects had done nothing to stop her being already quite depraved.
depraved = immoral or evil
Definition
Generally depravity means:complete immorality or evilness
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
disconcerting
3 uses
K. was disconcerted to notice that he understood no more than fragments of what the Italian said.
disconcerted = disturbed or unsettled
Definition
Generally disconcerting means:disrupt composure — such as to confuse or worry
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
dispose
6 uses
1 —6 uses as in:
disposed the troops along...
Even my studio is actually one of the court offices but the court put it at my disposal.†
disposal = command
(editor's note: When something is "at someone's disposal" it is "at their command," or "available for their use." They can use it as they please.)
(editor's note: When something is "at someone's disposal" it is "at their command," or "available for their use." They can use it as they please.)
Definition
Generally this sense of dispose means:the arrangement, positioning, or use of things
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
diverse
1 use
A medium sized, two windowed room was filled with the most diverse crowd of people
diverse = varied (having variety with differences)
Definition
Generally diverse means:varied (having variety amongst things of the same kind) — especially with regard to ideas or members of a population group
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
indifferent
4 uses
The way you're so indifferent about it, it's driving me mad.
indifferent = unconcerned (without interest)
Definition
Generally indifferent means:without interest
in various senses, including:
- unconcerned — as in "She is indifferent to what is served to eat."
- unsympathetic — as in "She is indifferent to his needs."
- not of good quality (which may imply average or poor quality depending upon context) — as in "an indifferent performance"
- impartial — as in "We need a judge who is indifferent."
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 15 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
refute
1 use
The logic cannot be refuted,
refuted = proved false
Definition
Generally refute means:to disprove or argue against
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
relevant
3 uses
finally he reproached himself for staying so long without having done anything relevant to his own affair.
relevant = relating in a meaningful way
Definition
Generally relevant means:relating in a meaningful way to the issue in question
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 10 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
reproach
4 uses
but finally he reproached himself for staying so long without having done anything relevant to his own affair.
reproached = criticized
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 | 4 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
scrutiny
2 uses
It was not possible to learn anything by looking at him, even though K. was scrutinizing him quite brazenly.
scrutinizing = looking at very carefully
(editor's note: The suffix "-ive" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-ive" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize.)
Definition
Generally scrutiny means:careful examination of something
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
superficial
2 uses
And that's not just a superficial guarantee, it's a real one and it's binding.
superficial = relating to a surface rather than to anything deep or penetrating
Definition
Generally superficial means:relating to a surface rather than to anything deep or penetrating (often of injuries or thinking)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |