beguile
2 uses
Then the ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"†
beguiling = charming or enchanting; or deceiving through charm
Definition
Generally beguile means:to charm, enchant, or entertain someone; or to deceive — especially through charm
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
countenance
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a pleasant countenance
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
countenance = facial expression (and posture and other visible features)
Definition
Generally this sense of countenance means:facial expression; or face; or composure or manner
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
craven
1 use
Then the ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"†
craven = exceedingly cowardly; or someone who is exceedingly cowardly
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
daunt
1 use
— Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted— On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore— Is there—_is_ there balm in Gilead?†
undaunted = not discouraged or intimidated
(Editor's note: The prefix "un-" in undaunted means not and reverses the meaning of daunted. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.)
(Editor's note: The prefix "un-" in undaunted means not and reverses the meaning of daunted. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.)
Definition
Generally daunt means:to discourage or intimidate
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
decorum
1 use
Then the ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"†
decorum = proper manners and conduct
Definition
Generally decorum means:manners and conduct considered to be proper and in good taste
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
distinct
1 use
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.†
distinctly = in a manner that is clear, easily noticed, and/or identifiable as different or separate
Definition
Generally distinct means:clear, easily noticed, and/or identifiable as different or separate
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 30 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT®* | top 500 |
divine
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
divined through intuition
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
divining = trying to discover through reflection (thinking)
Definition
Generally this sense of divine means:to discover something — usually through intuition or reflection
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
entreat
2 uses
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating " 'tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door— Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door; This it is and nothing more."†
entreating = asking earnestly
Definition
Generally entreat means:to ask — especially while trying hard to overcome resistance
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
melancholy
1 use
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, "Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store, Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore— Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore Of 'Never—nevermore.'†
melancholy = a sad feeling or manner
Definition
Generally melancholy means:a sad feeling or manner — sometimes thoughtfully sad
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
mortal
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
mortal body
...dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
mortals = humans
Definition
Generally this sense of mortal means:human (especially merely human); or subject to death
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
ominous
2 uses
" But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door; Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore— What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore Meant in croaking "Nevermore."†
ominous = threatening (suggestive of, or foreshadowing bad things to come)
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
pallid
1 use
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
pallid = pale and/or lacking liveliness
Definition
Generally pallid means:abnormally pale (lacking healthy skin color); or anything that lacks energy or liveliness
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
placid
1 use
But the Raven, sitting lonely on that placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if its soul in that one word he did outpour Nothing farther then he uttered; not a feather then he fluttered— Till I scarcely more than muttered: "Other friends have flown before— On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."†
placid = calm and not easily excited
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
ponder
1 use
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.†
pondered = thought deeply or carefully about
Definition
Generally ponder means:to think deeply or carefully about something
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 15 uses in 10 avg bks |
quaint
1 use
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.†
quaint = unusual in an interesting or pleasing way — especially when old-fashioned
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
relevant
1 use
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door— Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as "Nevermore."†
relevancy = relating in a meaningful way to the issue in question
Word Statistics
Book | 1 use |
Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
SAT®* | top 10 |
ungainly
2 uses
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door— Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as "Nevermore."†
ungainly = lacking grace in movement or appearance; or difficult to handle or manage
Definition
Generally ungainly means:lacking grace in movement or appearance; or difficult to handle or manage — especially because of shape
Word Statistics
Book | 2 uses |
Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |