The Color Purple — Vocabulary
Alice Walker
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Exemplary sample Uses ACT/SAT
5 top 500
indifferentwithout interest
About a third are in favor of the change, a third are opposed, and a third are indifferent.more
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The worst we have had to endure here is indifference and a certain understandable shallowness in our personal relationships excluding...4 more
indifferent → indifference:lack of interest
Show general definition 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."
4 top 500
initiateinitiate → initiated:accepted into the group in a special ceremony
The photo is from the ceremony when she was initiated into the sorority.more
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She's going to have the female initiation ceremony too, she said.3 more
initiate → initiation:a procedure or ceremony where someone is admitted into a group
Show context notes In this case, female genital mutilation or female circumcision is performed at the ceremony.
Show general definition for initiate (as in: initiate into the fraternity) to accept someone's membership into an organization -- typically in a ceremony -- sometimes including a period of instruction and/or test
2 top 500
abundantpresent in great quantity
Farmers in the region enjoy good soil, moderate temperatures, and an abundant supply of water.more
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Samuel married them, of course, and all the people left in the compound came to wish them happiness and an abundance of roofleaf forever.1 more
abundant → abundance:large amount or quantity
2 top 500
cultivatedevelop or grow
We encourage our representatives to cultivate a close relationship with their clients.more
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And so she cultivated a pious interest in heathens.1 more
cultivate → cultivated:developed
Show general definition enhance growth or development
in various senses, including:
  • to grow crops or prepare land for them
  • enhance a relationship -- especially for a purpose
  • develop discernment (better recognition of differences) in taste or judgment
  • to grow a culture in a petri dish
3 top 2000
harassharass → harasses:persistently bothers
This man harasses his female co-workersmore
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All we know is that they are said to live deep in the forest, that they welcome runaways, and that they harass the white, man's plantations and plan his destruction?2 more
repeatedly attack to weaken
Show general definition to repeatedly bother or attack
3 top 2000
serpentsnake
There was a picture of a serpent eating its tail.more
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Then they will become the new serpent.†2 more
Show general definition a snake
1 top 10
illustratemake clear
Pictures of flooding help to illustrate the problem of global warming.more
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The pictures that illustrate the words.
help make clear
Show general definition for illustrate (as in: as illustrated by this example) to help make clear -- typically by example
2 top 1000
repentto feel regret for having done wrong and to firmly decide to be a better person in the future
Prisoners who repent are more likely to be released on parole.more
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I was too big a fool to repent.1 more
feel regret
1 top 100
sufficientadequate (enough)
We have sufficient supplies.more
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Left without a sufficient supply of yams, the people?†
adequate (enough -- often without being more than is needed)
Show general definition adequate (enough -- often without being more than is needed)
1 top 100
yieldproduce (lead to)
The discovery could yield a more effective treatment for diabetes.more
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And this spot has been good to them, they plant cassava fields that yield huge crops.
produce
Show general definition for yield (as in: will yield valuable data) to produce (usually something wanted); or the thing or amount produced
2 top 2000
conjuresummon into action or bring into existence
She fears his black magic will conjure up evil spirits.more
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Conjure up flowers, wind, water, a big rock.†1 more
Show general definition summon into action or bring into existence -- often as if by magic
1 top 200
conflictstruggle
Violent conflict has broken out again in the Middle East.more
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The real reason, of course, is he can no longer bear his conflicting feelings about Tashi, who is beginning, I think, to appreciate the magnitude of her mistake.
conflict → conflicting:opposing (struggling against each other)
Show general definition a struggle or disagreement
in various senses, including:
  • a serious disagreement -- as in "political conflict"
  • the tension from two opposing ideas or feelings -- as in "I'm conflicted about where I should go to college."
  • a violent fight or war -- as in "the Israeli-Palestinian conflict"
  • an idiom that refers to tension between responsibilities to different entities -- "conflict of interest"
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inclinedhave a tendency; or an attitude or mood that favors something
I'm inclined to believe him.more
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I hope when you receive this news of your sister's forward behavior you will not be shocked or inclined to judge me harshly.
have a tendency
Show general definition for inclined (as in: I'm inclined to) a tendency, mood, desire, or attitude that favors something; or making someone favor something
1 top 500
perishbe destroyed or cease to exist
...government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.Abraham Lincoln  —  Gettysburg Addressmore
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Good-bye until the next time, dear Celie, from a pitiful, cast-out woman who may perish during the rainy season.†
die, be destroyed, or cease to exist
Show general definition to die -- especially in an unnatural way

or:

to be destroyed or cease to exist
Show editor's word notes You may encounter an informal expression, "Perish the thought."  It means that the speaker hopes the thought will cease to exist and the thing it represents will never happen.
4 top 2000
dotingdemonstrating love and uncritical affection
She has doting parents.more
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She dote on Henrietta.3 more
doting → dote:show love
Show general definition demonstrating love and uncritical affection
Show editor's word notes Doting may also imply that the doter tends to hover around the person they love to help attend to any needs.
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seminarya school for training ministers, priests, or rabbis
Princeton Theological Seminary has the largest theological library in the United States.more
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And when Corrine was old enough, she sent her to Spelman Seminary where Aunt Theodosia had gone.3 more
a school for training ministers
Show general definition a school for training clerics -- usually ministers, priests, or rabbis
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heathenheathen → heathens:people who do not believe in Christianity
The crusaders called them heathens and they called the crusaders infidels.more
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And so she cultivated a pious interest in heathens.2 more
Show general definition an often offensive (sometimes humorous) word for someone seen as uncivilized or immoral, especially because she does not share the speaker’s religion or comes from a culture unfamiliar with it
Show editor's word notes This word is usually judgmental or insulting, so today it is used mostly in joking contexts or when describing older attitudes.
2 top 2000
blasphemydisrespect of something considered sacred
The government of the Muslim nation monitors major websites for blasphemy.more
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She talk and she talk, trying to budge me way from blasphemy.1 more
Show general definition something said or done that is disrespectful of something considered sacred -- especially God or religion
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validategive evidence for the truth of something
To further validate their results, researchers did a larger study the following year.more
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As Aunt Theodosia got closer to the part about her surprise and joy over receiving this medal--which validated her service as an exemplary missionary in the King's colony--DuBoyce's foot began to pat the floor rapidly and uncontrollably.
validate → validated:gave evidence for the value of
Show general definition give evidence for the truth or value of; or declare as legally approved
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cumbersomedifficult to handle
Can you help me move this box? It's not heavy, but it is cumbersome.more
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They used to wear very little, but the ladies of England introduced the Mother Hubbard, a long, cumbersome, ill-fitting dress, completely shapeless, that inevitably gets dragged in the fire, causing burns aplenty.†
difficult to handle or awkward
Show general definition difficult to handle or awkward