aesthetic
5 uses
esthetic judgments feel superficial when you share them with a stranger,
esthetic = one's sense of what is beautiful
Definition
Generally aesthetic means:related to beauty or good taste — often referring to one's appreciation of beauty or one's sense of what is beautiful
or:
beautiful or tasteful
or:
beautiful or tasteful
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
complacent
5 uses
This was the challenge he craved, the assault on his complacency
complacency = satisfaction (often unworried to a fault)
Definition
Generally complacent means:contented (unworried and satisfied) — often to a fault
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
defer (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
deferred the decision
He had his teacher's pension and a small tax-deferred annuity [income source]
deferred = postponed (in this case, so taxes don't have to be paid on it yet)
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 |
2 —1 use as in:
deferred to her wishes
He deferred to Klara in a number of ways,
deferred = yielded (or submitted to her preferences)
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 |
deride
6 uses
they admire the clarity of his wit, the fine edge of insult and derision.
derision = treatment of others (or possibly things) as inferior and unworthy of respect
(editor's note: The suffix "-sion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in admission from admit, discussion from discuss, and invasion from invade.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-sion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in admission from admit, discussion from discuss, and invasion from invade.)
Definition
Generally deride means:to criticize with strong disrespect — often
with humor
with humor
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
descend
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
in descending order
And when you're a man who is variously described as dutiful, deferential, obsequious, slavish and brown-nosingly corrupt, in descending order of distinction, you need to make a show of character now and then.†
descending = moving downward on a scale from most to least distinct
Definition
Generally this sense of descend means:move down a scale — as from larger numbers to smaller, or higher notes to lower
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
discord
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
discord amongst the group
Nick could not look at his brother without wanting to pop him a shot across the mouth. ... The deep discordance, the old muscling of wills, that ungiving thing in the idea of brothers.
discordance = conflict
Definition
Generally this sense of discord means:conflict or disagreement — especially among those expected to cooperate
or (especially in the form discordant):
seeming different or wrong along with everything else
or (especially in the form discordant):
seeming different or wrong along with everything else
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
disdain
2 uses
In fact the dog didn't leap at all but only watched the frisbee sail past, more or less disdainfully.
disdainfully = with a lack of respect; or with a sense of superiority (in this case, as though the Frisbee is not worthy of the dog's effort)
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 | 2 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
dispose
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
disposed the troops along...
Need to oil the hinges when our mind's all clear and we have a little free time at our 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 | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
eccentric
5 uses
You're turning into an old eccentric.
eccentric = someone who is unconventional or strange
Definition
Generally eccentric means:unconventional or strange; or a person with such traits
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
elated
7 uses
I listened to Sims recite the numbers, how much methane we would recover to light how many homes, and I felt a weird elation, a loyalty to the company and the cause.
elation = sense of being filled with happiness and excitement
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in action, education, and observation.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in action, education, and observation.)
Definition
Generally elated means:full of happiness and excitement
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
epiphany
1 use
A place riddled with epiphanies, that's what it was.
epiphanies = sudden realizations
Definition
Generally epiphany means:a sudden realization — especially one of importance
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
however
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
However much she tried...
They're just ordinary alphabet-soup O's, however beautifully formed.†
however = regardless of how
Definition
Generally this sense of however means:to whatever degree (regardless of how much; or whatever unspecified amount)
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
incessant
6 uses
She talked and laughed incessantly,
incessantly = continuously
Definition
Generally incessant means:continuous — often in an annoying way
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
innocuous
4 uses
What am I, innocuous?
innocuous = harmless
Definition
Generally innocuous means:unlikely to harm or disturb
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
nuance
7 uses
In cities you build a language of circumspection and tact, a thousand little intimations, the nuance that has a shimmer of rubbed bronze.
nuance = subtle difference
Definition
Generally nuance means:a subtle difference (a minor difference not obvious or important to most people)
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
redundant
2 uses
A range of one thousand kilometers, which is redundant from our viewpoint
redundant = more than is needed
Definition
Generally redundant means:more than is needed — often something that is unnecessarily repeated
or in technical usage: a secondary component designed to work if the primary component fails; or of such a system
or in technical usage: a secondary component designed to work if the primary component fails; or of such a system
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
somber
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a somber mood
Ismael Munoz, dark and somber, watching people come aboard.
somber = serious—not cheerful or lighthearted
Definition
Generally this sense of somber means:serious and without humor or fun — perhaps sad
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
vendor
16 uses
Vendors move along the lines of stalled traffic selling flowers, soft drinks and live kittens.
vendors = people who sells goods or services
Definition
Generally vendor means:someone who sells goods or services
Word Statistics
| Book | 16 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
venerate
3 uses
The way the Indians venerate this terrain now, we'll come to see it as sacred in the next century.
venerate = regarding with feelings of respect and reverence
Definition
Generally venerate means:regard with feelings of respect and reverence
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |