9/11
4 uses
The Federal Emergency Management Agency had been its own freestanding agency for decades, but after 9/11 had been folded into the Department of Homeland Security.
9/11 = September 11, 2001; when suicide bombers hijacked US airliners and used them as missiles to kill about 3,000 people
Definition
Generally 9/11 means:September 11, 2001; when Al Qaeda suicide bombers hijacked United States airliners and used them as bombs to destroy the World Trade Center in New York City and to attack the Pentagon; about 3,000 innocents (mostly civilians) were killed
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.1 |
anarchy
2 uses
It was chaos, anarchy.
anarchy = the complete absence of political authority; or more generally, complete absence of order
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.17 |
assuage
1 use
for the time being her kids' fears had been assuaged
assuaged = soothed
Definition
Generally assuage means:to soothe (make something less unpleasant or frightening)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.16 |
condescending
2 uses
He failed to show up for work, and when he did, he worked listlessly, and condescended to his father's employees.
condescended = treated others as inferiors
Definition
Generally condescending means:treating others as inferior; or doing something considered beneath one's position or dignity
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.1 |
defer
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
deferred to her wishes
She deferred to her husband,
deferred = submitted (her opinion to his)
Definition
Generally this sense of defer means:submit or yield (typically to another person's opinion because of respect for that person or their knowledge)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.11 |
despondent
3 uses
And even when he could eat what was offered, he was often too agitated or despondent to do so.
despondent = depressed
Definition
Generally despondent means:emotionally depressed — especially a feeling of grief and hopelessness after a loss
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.11 |
disdain
1 use
He stared at Zeitoun and Todd, his face curious and disdainful.
disdainful = full of disrespect
Definition
Generally disdain means:a lack of respect — often suggesting distaste and an undeserved sense of superiority
or:
to reject as not good enough
or:
to reject as not good enough
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4.24 |
disparage
1 use
He made disparaging remarks about the United States.
disparaging = criticizing or making seem less important
Definition
Generally disparage means:to criticize or make seem less important — especially in a disrespectful or contemptuous manner
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4.25 |
ebullient
1 use
One day the manager of Webster Clothes, a menswear store across the road, had come into the drugstore and, admiring Kathy's ebullient personality, asked her if she'd be willing to quit KB or, if not, take a second job at Webster.
ebullient = happy and energetic
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.2 |
incarcerate
12 uses
And so they came to know the strange rules of their incarceration.
incarceration = captivity (or imprisonment)
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in action, education, and observation.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in action, education, and observation.)
Definition
Generally incarcerate means:put in prison, or otherwise confine
Word Statistics
| Book | 12 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4.44 |
incredulous
4 uses
When Kathy told him that Zeitoun was still in New Orleans, Rob was incredulous.
incredulous = unbelieving; or having difficulty accepting something so unexpected
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2.7 |
Islam
29 uses
Kathy began borrowing books about Islam.
Islam = the Muslim religion; second most practiced religion in the world
Definition
Generally Islam means:the monotheistic religious system of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran; the world's second most practiced religion
Word Statistics
| Book | 29 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.1 |
mitigate
1 use
the misunderstanding ... would be mitigated.
mitigated = made less harmful or unpleasant
Definition
Generally mitigate means:make less harmful or unpleasant
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4.25 |
positive
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
had a positive effect
He took this as a positive sign, or a darkly comic one.†
positive = good
Definition
Generally this sense of positive means:good or beneficial
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 4.27 |
profound
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
profound sadness
The guilt Zeitoun now felt was profound and growing.
profound = of greatest intensity or emotional depth
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4.25 |
rectify
1 use
It would take some time before it could be rectified.
rectified = corrected, fixed, or made right
Definition
Generally this sense of rectify means:correct, fix, or make right
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4.38 |
relevant
2 uses
Since the attacks in New York, he would say, every time a crime was committed by a Muslim, that person's faith was mentioned, regardless of its relevance.
relevance = meaningful relation to the issue in question
Definition
Generally relevant means:relating in a meaningful way to the issue in question
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 10 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.1 |
resignation (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 2 uses
1 —1 use as in:
submitted her resignation
He had resigned in 2005, a few months after the storm.
resigned = quit (his job)
Definition
Generally this sense of resignation means:to quit — especially a job or position; or a document expressing such an act
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 12 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5.47 |
2 —1 use as in:
accepted it with resignation
She seemed to swing between worry and fatalistic resignation.
resignation = accepted something undesired as unavoidable
Definition
Generally this sense of resignation means:acceptance of something undesired as unavoidable or the lesser of evils
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 3.17 |
ubiquitous
1 use
On the side was their ubiquitous logo, the words ZEITOUN A. PAINTING CONTRACTOR next to a paint roller resting at the end of a rainbow.
ubiquitous = seemingly present everywhere
Definition
Generally ubiquitous means:being present everywhere or all the time
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1.1 |