acute
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
acute sense of smell
You ARE acute.
acute = sharp (highly perceptive or intelligent)
Definition
Generally this sense of acute means:sharp (highly perceptive in some area or mentally sharp)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
agitate
9 uses
...she had passed a night of extreme unrest, a night agitated above all by fears that...
agitated = disturbed
Definition
Generally agitate means:to stir up or shake — emotionally (as when people are angered or upset) or physically (as when a washing machine cleans clothes)
Word Statistics
| Book | 9 uses |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
allude
9 uses
NEVER, by a slip of the tongue, have they so much as alluded to either of their old friends,
alluded = indirectly referenced
Definition
Generally allude means:to make an indirect reference
Word Statistics
| Book | 9 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
austere
1 use
It was a dreadfully austere inquiry, but levity was not our note,
austere = having a notable absence of luxury, comfort, or fun
Definition
Generally austere means:a notable absence of luxury, comfort, or decoration
or:
of a person: stern in manner; or practicing great self-denial
or:
of a person: stern in manner; or practicing great self-denial
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
blasphemy
1 use
...it seemed blasphemous not to thank God.
blasphemous = disrespectful of something sacred
Definition
Generally blasphemy means:something said or done that is disrespectful of something considered sacred — especially God or religion
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
candid
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
your candid opinion
She stood there in so much of her candor and so little of her nightgown, with...
candor = honesty and directness
Definition
Generally this sense of candid means:honest and direct
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
defer
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
deferred to her wishes
continue to defer to the old tradition of
defer = submit (in this case, to submit to the old tradition rather than try other things)
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 |
depravity
2 uses
...my full vision—on the evidence—of our employer's late clever, good-looking "own" man; impudent, assured, spoiled, depraved.
depraved = completely immoral or evil
Definition
Generally depravity means:complete immorality or evilness
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
divine
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
to forgive is divine
He found the most divine little way to keep me quiet while she went off.
divine = wonderful
Definition
Generally this sense of divine means:wonderful; or god-like or coming from God
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
forbearance
2 uses
I forbore, for the moment, to analyze this description further...
forbore = refrained (held back) from acting
Definition
Generally forbearance means:refraining (holding back) from acting
or:
patience, tolerance, or self-control
or:
patience, tolerance, or self-control
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
hideous
10 uses
For there again, against the glass ... was the hideous author of our woe—the white face of damnation.
hideous = extremely ugly, offensive, and/or frightening
Word Statistics
| Book | 10 uses |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
impudent
2 uses
...our employer's late clever, good-looking "own" man; impudent, assured, spoiled, depraved.
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 | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
indifferent
2 uses
No doubt, though his indifference must have been awful.
indifference = lack of 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 | 2 uses |
| Library | 15 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
infamous
4 uses
Miss Jessel—WAS infamous.
infamous = having an exceedingly bad reputation
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
literally (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 10 uses
1 —5 uses as in:
literally--not figuratively
It literally made me bound forward.
literally = actually (not figuratively; not an exaggeration)
Definition
Generally this sense of literally means:actually true using the basic meaning of the words (not an exaggeration, metaphor, or other type of figurative speech)
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
2 —5 uses as in:
literally at death's door
I seemed literally to be running a race with some confusion to which he was about to reduce me, but I felt that he had got in first when, before we had even entered the churchyard, he threw out— "I want my own sort!"
literally = an intensifier (to intensify what is said)
Definition
Generally this sense of literally means:an intensifier (to intensify what is said — especially a metaphor)
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
perceive
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
though blind, can perceive light
I perceived an agitation of the window blind,
perceived = saw (became aware of)
Definition
Generally this sense of perceive means:to become aware of — especially by using the senses (to see, hear, smell, feel, or taste)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
reproach
5 uses
There was a unanimous groan at this, and much reproach;
reproach = criticism
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 | 5 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
scanty
5 uses
The scene had a greatness that made it a different affair from my own scant home,
scant = small
Definition
Generally scanty means:small in amount — often inadequate
or:
of clothes: barely covering the area on which they are worn
or:
of clothes: barely covering the area on which they are worn
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
scarcity
9 uses
I scarce know how to put my story into words...
scarce = hardly (by a small margin)
Definition
Generally scarcity means:shortage (having an amount that is less than desired)
Word Statistics
| Book | 9 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |