The Girl Who Played with Fire — Vocabulary
Stieg Larsson
translated by: R. Keeland
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	43	top 500
motivereason (for doing something) She believes the profit motive encourages people to satisfy other people's needs.more Show sample from book You'll take care of that part, looking for a motive for the murders in all the material Dag gave us.†42 more Show general definition for motive (as in: What is her motive?) a reason for doing something
	15	top 100
establishestablish → established:created Which word choice best maintains the tone established in the first paragraph?more Show sample from book Unlike the police, however, Blomkvist was not primarily interested in establishing a reasonable scenario for why Salander might have gone down to Enskede and murdered two of his friends.18 more establish → establishing:creating Show general definition for establish (as in: establish a positive tone) create, start, or set in [a] place
	4	top 100
establish#2establish → establishing:showing or demonstrating The passage is primarily about establishing the relationship between the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and global temperature.more Show sample from book Your assignment, although I may be formulating it a bit vaguely, is to 'establish the truth' about Lisbeth Salander.†18 more show, determine, or understand Show general definition for establish (as in: establish that there is a need) show or determine (cause to be recognized or figure out)
	31	top 500
competentsufficiently capable She is a competent student and I have no doubt she will be a competent lawyer one day.more Show sample from book But she'll always survive...She's the most competent person I've ever met.†30 more Show general definition capable (able to do something in a generally satisfactory manner) -- sometimes specifically to have legal capability
	27	top 2000
blanddull (lacking flavor) While adequate nutritiously, her diet is bland.more Show sample from book George Bland was sixteen and a student.†26 more dull or lacking stimulating characteristics -- especially in the flavor of food Show general definition dull or lacking stimulating characteristics -- especially in the flavor of food
	17	top 2000
crypticdifficult to understand I didn't understand her cryptic reply.†more Show sample from book Gradually she was getting a good overview, even though it was based on cryptic fragments that she had to piece together from their various documents.†16 more secretive or difficult to understand Show general definition secretive or difficult to understand
	14	top 1000
provokeprovoke → provoked:caused Her remarks provoked a public outcry.more Show sample from book She had provoked him to rape her.†13 more provoke → provoked:caused (a reaction) Show general definition to cause a reaction — often an emotional reaction like anger, and sometimes done on purpose
	8	top 100
evaluateevaluate → evaluating:thinking carefully and making a judgment about I'm evaluating colleges and deciding which I want to apply to.more Show sample from book Two men who knew her, and the same evaluation.†7 more evaluate → evaluation:the process of thinking carefully and making a judgment about something Show general definition to think carefully and make a judgment about something
	14	top 2000
psychoticsomeone who suffers from a psychosis (any severe mental disorder in which contact with reality is lost or highly distorted) She is borderline psychotic.more Show sample from book I haven't followed her development in several years, and I don't know what stage of psychosis she's in at present.†13 more psychotic → psychosis:any severe mental disorder in which contact with reality is lost or highly distorted Show general definition related to psychosis or someone who suffers from a psychosis (any severe mental disorder in which contact with reality is lost or highly distorted)
	9	top 500
scrutinyscrutiny → scrutinized:looked very carefully at She scrutinized her reflection in the mirror.more Show context notes The suffix "-ize" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize. Show sample from book Now, as she scrutinized the woman by the pool, she could see a faint bruise on her shoulder and a scrape on her hip, but no other injury.†8 more scrutiny → scrutinized:looked at very carefully Show context notes The suffix "-ize" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize. Show general definition careful examination of something
	4	top 500
implicationsomething implied (said indirectly) I object to her implication that my work was sub-standard.more Show sample from book It took her several minutes to grasp the implications. ... His wording was irreproachable, but between the lines he was saying that it would be all right with him if Salander were locked up in an asylum for the rest of her life.6 more implication → implications:things suggested indirectly or that logically follow Show general definition for implication (as in: the implication is that...) Something that follows from something else. The thing that follows could be: something suggested indirectly (not said directly) something that can be concluded (often a logical consequence) something that results from something else
	3	top 500
implication#2involvement She is suspected of implication in three burglaries.more Show sample from book A gabby street dealer who had found out far too much about the supply chain had almost implicated Svavelsjö MC.6 more implication → implicated:caused to be accused of involvement in a crime Show general definition for implication (as in: Her implication in the crime) involvement in or the suggestion that someone was involved in something -- especially a crime
	4	top 200
tentativetentative → tentatively:in a careful way (indicating a lack of confidence) The puppy approached us tentatively until it knew we wouldn't harm it.more Show sample from book Paolo Roberto had not become a world-famous boxer by being tentative in the ring.4 more cautious Show general definition for tentative (as in: said it tentatively) done in a careful or unsure way (indicating a lack of confidence in exactly what will happen)
	1	top 200
tentative#2subject to change (likely or possibly going to change) My plans are still tentative.more Show sample from book Tentative plans for the next issue were outlined, and decisions about the content of the magazine were made for several months in advance.4 more subject to change (possibly going to change)
	8
dissertationlengthy academic paper She wrote her dissertation on T.S. Eliot.more Show sample from book She's working on her doctorate and she'll be defending her dissertation this year.7 more a scholarly paper required for an advanced academic degree Show general definition a lengthy academic paper -- especially a scholarly work required for an advanced academic degree
	3
agendaa list of items to be discussed at a meeting Everyone received a copy of the agenda the day before the meeting.more Show sample from book They had reached the point in the agenda over which he and Ekström had disagreed, namely the question of whether they should name their suspect.3 more Show general definition for agenda (as in: on the agenda) a list of items to be discussed at a meeting
	1	top 2000
agenda#2list of objectives Slowing climate change is at the top of their agenda.more Show sample from book Armansky's investigation was formally subordinate to the police investigation, and he had his own agenda.3 more Show general definition for agenda (as in: has his own agenda) a list of objectives; or an overriding goal or plan
	6
cerebralrelating to the brain Moderate exercise increases cerebral blood volume which improves thinking.more Show sample from book The last fourteen years of Agneta Sofia Salander's life had been punctuated by small cerebral haemorrhages which left her unable to take care of herself.†5 more Show general definition relating to the brain -- especially the cerebrum (front of the brain) or: involving careful thinking rather than emotions or instinct
	1	top 2000
minutetiny Don't eat a lot of poppy seeds for a few days before a drug test. They have a minute amount of a chemical that can cause a false positive when testing for heroin use.more Show sample from book Her background was charted, scrutinized, and published down to the most minute detail, from her outbursts in elementary school to her being committed to St. Stefan's Psychiatric Clinic for Children, outside Uppsala, where she spent more than two years.1 more minor Show general definition for minute (as in: minute size) small, exceptionally small, or insignificant
	1
minute#2including even small considerations We discussed it in minute detail.more Show sample from book The murders of Dag Svensson and Mia Johansson were not a national trauma on the scale of the murder of Olof Palme, and the investigation would not be minutely followed by a grieving nation.1 more minute → minutely:carefully Show general definition for minute (as in: minute description) detailed (including even small considerations); and/or careful (done with care)