attain
1 use
Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained.
attained = reached (with effort)
Definition
Generally attain means:to gain or reach something with effort
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
attribute
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
It is an attribute of...
those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him?
attributes = characteristics
Definition
Generally this sense of attribute means:a characteristic (of something or someone)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
avert
1 use
All dreaded it, all sought to avert it.
avert = prevent from happening
Definition
Generally avert means:prevent from happening
or:
turn away or aside — often to turn your eyes away from something
or:
turn away or aside — often to turn your eyes away from something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
cease
2 uses
...before the conflict itself should 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 |
conflict
2 uses
Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease.†
conflict = struggle or disagreement
Definition
Generally conflict means: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"
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 21 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
constant
1 use
Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented.†
constantly = in a manner that is unchanging, continuous, or happens repeatedly
Definition
Generally constant means:unchanging, continuous, or happening repeatedly
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 64 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
correspond
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
corresponding time period
On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago,
corresponding = matching (similar)
Definition
Generally this sense of correspond means:connect or fit together by being equivalent, proportionate, or matched
(Two things are equivalent if they have the same or very similar value, purpose, or result.)
(Two things are equivalent if they have the same or very similar value, purpose, or result.)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
deprecate
1 use
Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.
deprecated = disapproved of
Definition
Generally deprecate means:to diminish or treat something as unimportant or of low quality; or to express disapproval
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
divine
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
to forgive is divine
those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him
divine = God-like
Definition
Generally this sense of divine means:wonderful; or god-like or coming from God
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
engrossed
1 use
...which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation,
engrosses = takes all
(editor's note: This word is most commonly used to indicate that all attention is focused or taken, but in this case it refers to energies or actions.)
(editor's note: This word is most commonly used to indicate that all attention is focused or taken, but in this case it refers to energies or actions.)
Definition
Generally this sense of engrossed means:with all attention focused
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
fervent
1 use
Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away.
fervently = with intense emotion
Definition
Generally fervent means:characterized by intense emotion or passionate belief
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
impending
1 use
...all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war.
impending = about to happen
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
insurgent
1 use
...the insurgents would rend the Union even by war,
insurgents = rebels (people who are rebelling)
(editor's note: In this context, rend means to tear into two and cause great pain.)
(editor's note: In this context, rend means to tear into two and cause great pain.)
Definition
Generally insurgent means:a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
invoke
1 use
Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other.
invokes = calls upon
Definition
Generally invoke means:to call upon
The exact meaning of invoke can depend upon its context. For example:
- "invoking God's help"; or "invoking the spirit of the dead" — to call upon a great or magical power
- "I invoke the First Amendment"; or "I invoke the words of Thomas Jefferson" — to cite or call upon for validation
- "She invoked his sympathy and family memories." — to call upon someone's feelings or memories
- "She invoked his assistance." — to call earnestly for
- "The program invokes the subroutine" — to call up a computer program
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
malicious
1 use
With malice toward none, with charity for all...
malice = wanting to see others suffer
Definition
Generally malicious means:wanting to see others suffer; or threatening evil
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
perish
1 use
Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.
perish = be destroyed
Definition
Generally perish means:to die — especially in an unnatural way
or:
to be destroyed or cease to exist
or:
to be destroyed or cease to exist
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
perpetuate
1 use
To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest...
perpetuate = cause to continue
Definition
Generally perpetuate means:to cause to continue
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
providence
1 use
If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom...
providence = plan of God
Definition
Generally this sense of providence means:resulting from God's intervention or plan; or lucky — especially with regard to when something happened
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
righteous
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a righteous cause
...as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."
righteous = good (morally correct, or adhering to moral principles)
Definition
Generally this sense of righteous means:morally correct; or morally justified
or:
acting or feeling morally superior — especially when it isn't true (this meaning is more typically seen as a compound word beginning with "self-")
or:
acting or feeling morally superior — especially when it isn't true (this meaning is more typically seen as a compound word beginning with "self-")
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
unrequited
1 use
two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil
unrequited = unrewarded (not returned)
Definition
Generally unrequited means:not returned in kind
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |