assuage
2 uses
Over this great expanse there is no disturbance but it is thus at once gently smoothed away and assuaged, as, when a vase of water is jarred, the trembling circles seek the shore and all is smooth again.
assuaged = soothed
Definition
Generally assuage means:to soothe (make something less unpleasant or frightening)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
austere
2 uses
If by living thus reserved and austere, like a hermit in the woods, so long, it has acquired such wonderful purity,
austere = practicing great self-denial
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 | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 11 |
capacious
2 uses
...in this deep and capacious spring ... this great gold and emerald fish swims.
capacious = large in capacity
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 16 |
deter
5 uses
They passed over the pond ... seemingly deterred from settling by my light,
deterred = discouraged
Definition
Generally deter means:try to prevent; or prevent
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
discern
6 uses
Through our own recovered innocence we discern the innocence of our neighbors.
discern = understand (something that is not obvious)
Definition
Generally discern means:to notice or understand something — often something that is not obvious
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
discord
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
discordant music
At length the jays arrive, whose discordant screams were heard long before,
discordant = unpleasant sounding
Definition
Generally this sense of discord means:unpleasant sound — especially a combination of sounds that sound wrong together (though sometimes done intentionally in music)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
dwell (3 meanings)
3 meanings, 9 uses
1 —1 use as in:
Don't dwell on it.
—loving to dwell long upon these themes.
dwell = think (about something for a long time)
Definition
Generally this sense of dwell means:to think, communicate, or let attention stay on (or return to) something for a prolonged period
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
2 —1 use as in:
It dwells in the forest.
When the warmer days come, they who dwell near the river hear the ice crack at night with a startling whoop as loud as artillery,
dwell = live (make their home)
Definition
Generally this sense of dwell means:make one's home in; or to live in; or to stay (in a place)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 17 |
3 —7 uses as in:
a modest dwelling
in the war of 1812, her dwelling was set on fire by English soldiers ... when she was away,
dwelling = house
Definition
Generally this sense of dwelling means:a house or shelter in which someone lives
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
endeavor
23 uses
Let every one mind his own business, and endeavor to be what he was made.
endeavor = try or attempt
Definition
Generally endeavor means:to attempt; or a project or activity attempted
Word Statistics
| Book | 23 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
incessant
8 uses
Instead of singing like the birds, I silently smiled at my incessant good fortune.
incessant = continuous
Definition
Generally incessant means:continuous — often in an annoying way
Word Statistics
| Book | 8 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
indolent
1 use
The natural day is very calm, and will hardly reprove his indolence.
indolence = laziness
(editor's note: reprove is a synonym for criticize)
(editor's note: reprove is a synonym for criticize)
Definition
Generally this sense of indolent means:lazy; disinclined to work
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
minute
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
minute size
There are many furrows in the sand where some creature has travelled about and doubled on its tracks; and, for wrecks, it is strewn with the cases of caddis-worms made of minute grains of white quartz.†
minute = small
Definition
Generally this sense of minute means:small, exceptionally small, or insignificant
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
philanthropy
12 uses
Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind.
philanthropy = Helping others
Definition
Generally philanthropy means:helping others — especially donating money to worthy causes; or an organization that does so
Word Statistics
| Book | 12 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
pious (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 5 uses
1 —4 uses as in:
a good, pious woman
The words which express our faith and piety are not definite;
piety = religious or moral belief
Definition
Generally this sense of pious means:religious or highly moral
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 18 |
2 —1 use as in:
a pious hypocrite
It is the pious slave-breeder devoting the proceeds of every tenth slave to buy a Sunday's liberty for the rest.
pious = self-righteous (believing oneself to be highly moral when it is not true)
Definition
Generally this sense of pious means:self-righteous (acting as though one is, or believing one is highly moral when it is not true)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
prudent
2 uses
and they thought that a prudent man would carefully select the safest position,
prudent = sensible and careful
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
repudiate
1 use
Bankruptcy and repudiation are the springboards from which much of our civilization vaults and turns its somersaults,
repudiation = strong rejection
(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 repudiate means:strong rejection — especially when the idea or thing being rejected was once embraced
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
superfluous
7 uses
Most men ... are so occupied with the ... superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them.
superfluously = (extra) more than is needed
Definition
Generally superfluous means:more than is needed, desired, or required
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
sustain
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
sustained by her faith
When I consider how our houses are built and paid for ... and their internal economy managed and sustained,
sustained = supported
Definition
Generally this sense of sustain means:provide support or necessities
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |