abstruse
1 use
Here the class was reciting a lesson from an abstruse text-book on economics, reciting it by rote, with so obvious a failure to assimilate it that the waste of labour was pitiful.
abstruse = difficult to understand
Definition
Generally abstruse means:difficult to understand; or not known by the great majority of people
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Intr. |
beseech
1 use
In the midst of the difficulty I summoned a great deal of courage and wrote to my friend General J.F.B. Marshall, the Treasurer of the Hampton Institute, putting the situation before him and beseeching him to lend me the two hundred and fifty dollars on my own personal responsibility.
beseeching = asking or begging
Definition
Generally beseech means:to ask strongly or beg for something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
cease
15 uses
This, it seems to me, is unwise and unreasonable, and should cease.
cease = stop or discontinue
Definition
Generally cease means:to stop or discontinue
Word Statistics
| Book | 15 uses |
| Library | 26 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
deference
1 use
[of England:] I was impressed, too, with the deference that the servants show to their "masters" and "mistresses,"—terms which I suppose would not be tolerated in America.
deference = polite respect
Definition
Generally deference means:polite respect — often when submitting to another's wishes
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 16 |
despondent
1 use
The General would usually pay a visit to the tents early in the morning, and his earnest, cheerful, encouraging voice would dispel any feeling of despondency.
despondency = depression
Definition
Generally despondent means:emotionally depressed — especially a feeling of grief and hopelessness after a loss
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
discriminate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
suffered discrimination
...forgetting, for the time being, the unjust discrimination that law and custom make against them in their own country.
discrimination = unfair treatment (in this case, due to race)
(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 this sense of discriminate means:to treat people of different groups differently — especially unfair treatment due to race, religion or gender
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
dispose
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
disposed the troops along...
One lecture bureau offered me fifty thousand dollars, or two hundred dollars a night and expenses, if I would place my services at its disposal for a given period.†
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 |
| 1st use | Chapter 14 |
diverge
1 use
The race divergence under the system of miseducation was fast getting wider.
divergence = difference
Definition
Generally diverge means:to move apart; or be or become different
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Intr. |
earnest
35 uses
the men and women who come to us for an education are in earnest;
in earnest = serious
Definition
Generally earnest means:characterized by sincere belief
or:
intensely or excessively serious
or:
intensely or excessively serious
Word Statistics
| Book | 35 uses |
| Library | 19 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Intr. |
establish
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
establish a positive tone
His was the enthusiasm and enterprise which made its steady progress possible and established in the institution its present high standard of accomplishment.†
established = created
Definition
Generally this sense of establish means:create, start, or set in [a] place
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 25 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 17 |
novel
1 use
The whole thing was so novel and surprising that the General was completely overcome with happiness.
novel = pleasantly new and original
Definition
Generally this sense of novel means:new and original — typically something considered good
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 17 |
pathos
2 uses
...and the inexpressible pathos of his life found expression in these songs as I had never before felt it.
pathos = a quality that arouses pity or sorrow
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Intr. |
pervasive
1 use
Was it any wonder that within a few hours the wild rejoicing ceased and a feeling of deep gloom seemed to pervade the slave quarters?
pervade = spread throughout
Definition
Generally pervasive means:existing throughout something; or generally widespread
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
prudent
1 use
The man who was the innocent cause of the excitement, though, found it prudent after that not to speak English.
prudent = sensible and careful
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
stagnate
2 uses
a veritable body of death, stagnating, depressing, retarding every effort to advance the body politic.
stagnating = stopping movement and development
Definition
Generally stagnate means:staying still or not developing
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 14 |
superficial
5 uses
to disregard the superficial for the real, the appearance for the substance,
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 | 5 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
tangible
3 uses
When Mr. Huntington gave me the first two dollars, I did not blame him for not giving me more, but made up my mind that I was going to convince him by tangible results that we were worthy of larger gifts.
tangible = easily recognized as valuable
Definition
Generally tangible means:capable of being touched, or easily understood so there is no question of its value or reality
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
tremulous
1 use
A ragged, ebony giant, squatted on the floor in one of the aisles, watched the orator with burning eyes and tremulous face until the supreme burst of applause came, and then the tears ran down his face.
tremulous = quivering
Definition
Generally tremulous means:quivering (shaky) — usually from weakness or fear — especially of the voice
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
vindicate
1 use
I knew that I was right, and that time and the sober second thought of the people would vindicate me.
vindicate = show to be right or justified
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 14 |
zeal
2 uses
they will teach others with a missionary zeal that puts all ordinary philanthropic efforts to shame,
zeal = active interest and enthusiasm
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Intr. |