Ceremony — Vocabulary
Leslie Marmon Silko
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Exemplary sample Uses ACT/SAT
6 top 1000
endureendure → endured:suffered through
I endured insult and injury without complaint.more
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Tayo could not endure it any longer.6 more
put up with
Show general definition for endure (as in: endured the pain) to suffer through (or put up with something difficult or unpleasant)
1 top 1000
endure#2continue to exist
She is gone, but her teachings endure through the ages.more
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Their memory of people endured long after all other traces of domestication were gone;6 more
endure → endured:continued to exist
Show general definition for endure (as in: endure through the ages) to continue to exist
15 top 2000
reinrein → reined in:restrained
The court reined in agency power--describing it as out of control.more
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He reined the mare in tight and kept his heels hard against her sides to let her know he meant business.14 more
rein → reined:restrained or controlled
Show general definition for rein (as in: to rein in their activities) to restrain or control; or a means of control
The meaning of rein depends upon its context. For example:
  • "keep a tight rein on the new employee," or "rein in a horse" -- to control or restrain
  • "give the new employee free rein," or "give the horse full rein" -- do not restrain
  • "the reins of government" -- means of control
  • "the reins of the horse" -- leather straps used with a bit to control a horse (You might like to think of other senses of rein as being figurative derivations from this sense.)
10 top 2000
sagea popular spice
He served leg of lamb with sage and thyme.more
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...a great variety of herb and root odors were almost hidden by the smell of mountain sage and something as ordinary as curry powder.9 more
any of various plants including one used as a popular spice and another that is a type of brush with a strong scent
Show general definition for sage (as in: the growing sage) a name for various plants including one used as a popular spice and another commonly called sagebrush

or: the color of such plants (a shade of green with some hint of gray)
10 top 2000
twilightthe light from the sky in the time of day between daylight and darkness (just after sunset or just before sunrise)
It is a beautiful picture taken in twilight.more
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Twilight was giving way to darkness.9 more
the light from the sky between daylight and darkness
Show general definition for twilight (as in: pink clouds in a twilight sky) the time of day between daylight and darkness (just after sunset or just before sunrise); or the light from the sky at that time
6 top 1000
debrispieces of something that has been destroyed; or trash that is lying around
She swept up the debris.more
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Squatting close to the ground, he followed the long shadow cast by the continuous mounds of mining debris.5 more
Show general definition pieces of something that has been destroyed; or trash that is lying around
2 top 200
novelnew and original
We're looking for novel marketing ideas.more
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May the readers and listeners of this novel be likewise blessed, watched over, and protected by their beloved ancestors.†1 more
Show general definition for novel (as in: a novel situation) new and original -- typically something considered good
4 top 1000
relentlesscontinues in an extreme manner without stopping
My headache is relentless.more
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There was a chill in the wind during the last days the sun occupied a summer place in the sky—and something relentless in the way the wind drove the sand and dust ahead of it.†3 more
to continue without stopping in an extreme manner
Show general definition to continue without stopping in an extreme manner -- often of something that is harsh or oppressive
4 top 1000
recedediminish (decrease)
Interest in the story is beginning to recede.more
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The sickness had receded into a shadow behind him, something he saw only out of the corners of his eyes, over his shoulder.†3 more
recede → receded:move away or diminished (became less)
Show general definition to move away or diminish (become less)
The exact meaning of recede depends upon its context. For example:
  • "We can't move back in until the floodwaters recede." -- diminish and move away
  • "Her fear receded." -- diminished
  • "The waves first advance and then recede." -- move away
  • "The news story receded into the background as it was replaced by new stories." -- received diminished attention
  • "a receding hairline" -- diminished hair (each year the line where hair stops growing is higher on the forehead)
  • "She has a receding chin." -- sloping back (as contrasted to sticking out)
3 top 1000
clarityclearness (the quality of being clearly expressed)
The speaker presented her argument with such clarity that even those unfamiliar with the topic could easily understand her main points.more
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It had the clarity of the sky after a summer rainstorm, when the dust was washed away, and the colors of the hills and the shadows of the mesas had an intensity which made everything he saw accessible, as if he could touch all of it, even the little green rabbit weed growing close to the sand, its tiny leaves clustered like stars.†2 more
seen, expressed, or understood clearly…
Show general definition seen, expressed, or understood clearly; or a degree of transparency such as the quality of clear water
3 top 1000
vulnerablevulnerable → vulnerable to:easily hurt by
The computers are vulnerable to cyberattacks.more
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The early storm had caught the tree vulnerable with leaves that caught the snow and held it in drifts until the branches dragged the ground.†2 more
easily hurt or in need of help; OR  easily influenced or subject to temptation
Show general definition easily hurt or in need of help; or easily influenced or subject to temptation
2 top 500
evokeevoke → evoked:aroused
Her story evoked sympathy.more
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I indulged myself with the old-time stories because they evoked a feeling of comfort I remembered from my childhood at Laguna.†1 more
evoke → evoked:called forth or caused
Show general definition to call forth or cause -- typically to arouse an emotion or bring a memory to mind
2 top 500
deceptiondeceiving or misleading
The law is intended to defeat denial and deception strategies.more
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But the mare stumbled and threw him hard against the saddle horn, and he realized how deceptive the moonlight was; exposed root tips and dark rocks waited in deep shadows cast by the moon.†1 more
deception → deceptive:misleading
Show general definition the act of lying to or misleading someone; or something that misleads
2 top 500
parcheddried out
Nothing will grow in this parched soil.more
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He ate another piece of jerky and a handful of parched corn, waiting for the dark.1 more
Show general definition dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight; or very thirsty
3 top 1000
protagonistmain character in a work of fiction
Harry Potter was the protagonist and  Voldemort was the antagonist.more
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Besides, I thought, male novelists write about female protagonists all the time, so I will write about men.†2 more
protagonist → protagonists:the main character in a work of fiction; OR  more rarely:…
Show general definition the main character in a work of fiction

or more rarely:

an important supporter or main figure of someone or something
2 top 1000
diffusespread out
When the United States focused on terrorism, the movement went further underground and became more diffuse.more
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As the sun went higher and left the eastern sky, the square of sunshine on the wall grew larger and diffuse, and the bright yellow color of early morning was gone.1 more
more spread out and softer (less concentrated or less bright)
Show general definition to spread; or to soften or calm

or:

to be spread out (not concentrated) -- sometimes implying a lack of organization
2
dissolutionformal ending or termination
After years of growing apart, they finally agreed that the dissolution of their marriage was the healthiest choice for both of them.more
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In the dark he could cry for all the dreams that Rocky had as he stared out of his graduation picture; he could cry for Josiah and the spotted cattle, all scattered now, all lost, sucked away in the dissolution that had taken everything from him.†1 more
breaking something up or bringing it to an end
Show general definition the act or process of breaking something up or bringing it to an end—for example, ending a relationship or meeting, or a substance breaking apart as it mixes into a liquid
Show editor's word notes In everyday and legal use, dissolution can mean ending a relationship, meeting, or legal body, such as the dissolution of a marriage or a company.
In chemistry, it refers to a substance breaking apart and spreading evenly through a liquid (for example, salt in water), or a compound separating into its parts by chemical action.
2
weanwean → weaned:adapt to the removal of breastmilk
Worldwide, most babies are weaned much later, but in the US, fewer than 20% of babies are still nursing when they are six months old.more
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When I was weaned, my grandmother came and took me.†1 more
wean → weaned:adapted
Show general definition to adapt to
in various senses, including:
  • "She was weaned at 3 months." -- a mammal's adaption to the removal of breastmilk (note this is the unqualified sense)
  • "I weaned myself from cigarettes." -- adapted to the gradual removal of
  • "I was weaned on progressive principals" -- raised on or adapted to at a very early age.
2
pimathematics:  an important constant representing the circumference of any circle divided by its diameter (about 3.14)
Many schools celebrate Pi Day on March 14th.more
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She nodded in the direction of the mountain, Tse-pi'na, the woman veiled in clouds.†1 more
Show general definition mathematics:  an important constant representing the circumference of any circle divided by its diameter (about 3.14)
Show editor's word notes Pi is about 3.14, but is an irrational number; i.e., with infinite decimals providing a closer approximation.
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coincidecoincide → coincided:happened at the same time
The two events coincidedmore
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If she had not been so young, she would have realized that he was nothing, that the power she was feeling had always been inside her, growing, pushing to the surface, only its season coinciding with her new lover.†
coincide → coinciding:to be similar -- especially to happen at the same time or place
Show general definition to be similar -- especially to happen at the same time or place