amnesia
1 use
You think you want to know something, and then once you do, all you can think about is erasing it from your mind. From now on when people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I planned to say, Amnesiac.
amnesiac = someone who has lost their memory
(editor's note: This is when Lily learned that she was an unplanned baby and that her mother would not have married her father had she not become pregnant.)
(editor's note: This is when Lily learned that she was an unplanned baby and that her mother would not have married her father had she not become pregnant.)
From page 249.6 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally amnesia means:loss of memory (partial or total)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 12, p.249.6 |
apparent
4 uses
When it was apparent Mr. Hazelwurst wasn't leaving, August began to speak.
apparent = clear
Definition
Generally apparent means:clear or obvious; or appearing as such but not necessarily so
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 66 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 8, p.157.6 |
cease
2 uses
I said to myself, Will wonders never cease?
cease = stop
Definition
Generally cease means:to stop or discontinue
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 26 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1, p.22.7 |
cloister
1 use
1 —1 use
religious sense
A hive suggests cloister more than bordello.
cloister = residence that is a place of religious seclusion (such as a monastery)
From page 115.1 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of cloister means:residence that is a place of religious seclusion (such as a monastery); or the act of entering into such a residence
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7, p.115.1 |
contemptible
1 use
Inside, I felt small and contemptible, abandoned.
contemptible = worthless or of bad quality
From page 268.6 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally contemptible means:very bad (deserving no respect)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13, p.268.6 |
deliberate (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 3 uses
1 —1 use as in:
deliberate insult
He got to his feet and walked over to me, deliberately stopping four or five feet away, like the pin had some kind of voodoo curse on it.
deliberately = intentionally
From page 292.4 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of deliberate means:to do something intentionally (do it on purpose)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 14, p.292.4 |
2 —2 uses as in:
a deliberate thinker
Lunelle pressed her fingers to Mary's heart, then kissed each one of them in a slow, deliberate way, a way that brought tears to my eyes.
deliberate = done with great care
Definition
Generally this sense of deliberate means:done with great care — often slowly
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2, p.38.3 |
eclectic
2 uses
My mother was a good Catholic—she went to mass twice a week at St. Mary's in Richmond, but my father was an Orthodox Eclectic.
eclectic = one who selects a mix of styles or ideas rather than selecting a common set from a single source
Definition
Generally eclectic means:a distinctive mix of styles or ideas selected from various sources
or:
one who selects a distinctive mix of styles or ideas rather than adopting a common set from a single source
or:
one who selects a distinctive mix of styles or ideas rather than adopting a common set from a single source
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5, p.90.4 |
focus (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
Turn your focus to question #2.
August focused her eyes on the stone wall.
focused = concentrated (looked with)
From page 96.2 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of focus means:verb: to concentrate, look at, or pay attention to
noun: the act of concentration, or the ability to concentrate
(to concentrate is to direct attention or effort towards a single thing)
noun: the act of concentration, or the ability to concentrate
(to concentrate is to direct attention or effort towards a single thing)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 75 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5, p.96.2 |
2 —1 use as in:
bring into focus; or out of focus
I stared back, trying to make her face come into focus.
focus = a state where something has come into view or can be seen clearly
From page 261.4 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of focus means:a state where something has come into view or can be seen clearly
(Typically this is said of the appearance of an image or picture, but it can also be said of something that get's attention, or of an understanding that become clear.)
(Typically this is said of the appearance of an image or picture, but it can also be said of something that get's attention, or of an understanding that become clear.)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13, p.261.4 |
forage
3 uses
During spring and summer—the most strenuous periods of foraging—a worker bee, as a rule, does not live more than four or five weeks...
foraging = searching for and gathering food or desired things
Definition
Generally forage means:to search for and gather — often food and provisions
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10, p.189.1 |
immune
4 uses
August had been stung so many times she had immunity.
immunity = not in danger of suffering from something
Definition
Generally immune means:not in danger of being affected by something — especially a disease
or:
relating to disease resistance
or:
relating to disease resistance
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5, p.92.8 |
initiate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
initiate into the fraternity
"Count yourself initiated," she said. "You can't be a true beekeeper without getting stung."
initiated = accepted as a member of a group through special procedures
From page 167.3 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of initiate means:to accept someone's membership into an organization — typically in a ceremony — sometimes including a period of instruction and/or test
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 9, p.167.3 |
lament
2 uses
If you see bees loafing and lamenting, you can bet their queen is dead.
lamenting = expressing grief
Definition
Generally lament means:to express grief or regret
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 14, p.287 |
literally
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
literally--not figuratively
And then other things, like this one, happen in a not-literal way, but they still happen.
literal = true using the most basic meaning of the words
(editor's note: This followed August saying, "Well, one time Big Mama told me she went out to the hives on Christmas Eve and heard the bees singing the words of the Christmas story right out of the gospel of Luke." When Lily asks if the story is true, August says "Yes and no... What I mean is that the bees weren't really singing the words from Luke, but still, if you have the right kind of ears, you can listen to a hive and hear the Christmas story somewhere inside yourself.")
(editor's note: This followed August saying, "Well, one time Big Mama told me she went out to the hives on Christmas Eve and heard the bees singing the words of the Christmas story right out of the gospel of Luke." When Lily asks if the story is true, August says "Yes and no... What I mean is that the bees weren't really singing the words from Luke, but still, if you have the right kind of ears, you can listen to a hive and hear the Christmas story somewhere inside yourself.")
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 | 2 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 8, p.144.1 |
nevertheless
1 use
A worker [bee] is just over a centimeter long and weighs only about sixty milligrams; nevertheless, she can fly with a load heavier than herself.
nevertheless = in spite of that (used to connect contrasting ideas)
From page 257.1 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally nevertheless means:in spite of that (Used to connect contrasting ideas. Other synonyms could include words and phrases such as nonetheless, all the same, still, and however.)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 14 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 13, p.257.1 |
pious
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a pious hypocrite
Pious people have always gotten on my nerves.
pious = self-righteous (acting holier-than-thou)
(editor's note: In other contexts, pious can refer to someone who is highly religious without a connotation of self-righteousness.)
(editor's note: In other contexts, pious can refer to someone who is highly religious without a connotation of self-righteousness.)
From page 44.2 Typical Usage
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 2, p.44.2 |
strenuous
1 use
During spring and summer—the most strenuous periods of foraging—a worker bee, as a rule, does not live more than four or five weeks.
strenuous = physically demanding
From page 189.1 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally strenuous means:energetic; or physically or mentally difficult or requiring endurance
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10, p.189.1 |
theme (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 3 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
theme of the novel
Rosaleen offered to bake the wedding cake layers, and Violet and Queenie were going to decorate it with a "rainbow theme."
theme = unifying idea
(editor's note: Often such an idea is found in a literary or artistic work, but it could be for something as simple as a party or, in this case, a single cake.)
(editor's note: Often such an idea is found in a literary or artistic work, but it could be for something as simple as a party or, in this case, a single cake.)
Definition
Generally this sense of theme means:a basic idea that underlies what is being said or done — especially in a literary or artistic work
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4, p.78.4 |
2 —1 use as in:
wrote a 2-page theme on my summer
"I bet you like to write themes," he said, rolling his eyes.
themes = essays written by students
From page 120.5 Typical Usage
Definition
Generally this sense of theme means:an essay written by a student
(This sense of theme is much rarer in recent decades than in the past.)
(This sense of theme is much rarer in recent decades than in the past.)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7, p.120.5 |