Good Country People — Vocabulary
Flannery O'Connor
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Exemplary sample Uses ACT/SAT
3 top 100
genuinegenuine → genuinely:sincerely
I am genuinely sorry for what I did.more
Show sample from book
"I know," she said, "real genuine folks!"†2 more
real
Show general definition real (as when a person is sincere or an object is not a replica or fake)
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earnestearnest → in earnest:in a serious manner
I began training in earnest the summer before high school.more
Show sample from book
He paused and gave her a straight earnest look and said, "Lady, I've come to speak of serious things."1 more
sincere or serious
Show general definition characterized by sincere belief

or:

intensely or excessively serious or determined
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reveredeeply respect and admire
Many fans revere Michael Jordan as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.more
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The boy's face and his voice were entirely reverent as he uncovered it and said, "Now show me how to take it off and on."1 more
revere → reverent:with feelings of deep respect and admiration
Show general definition regard with feelings of deep respect and admiration -- sometimes with a mixture of wonder and awe or fear
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seduceseduce → seduced:persuaded to do something
She was seduced by the temptation of easy money.more
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She had seduced him without even making up her mind to try.2 more
seduce → seduced:enticed to fall in love
Show general definition to persuade someone to do something by tempting them with something pleasurable or desired -- often to make them want to participate in sexual activity
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remorseregret for doing something wrong
There was no sign of remorse until the police caught her.more
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She imagined that she took his remorse in hand and changed it into a deeper understanding of life.1 more
regret for doing something that was wrong
Show general definition a feeling of deep regret for doing something that was wrong
Show editor's word notes Synonym comparison (if you're into word choice):

Many consider the word remorse stronger than the word regret. Also, it is more personal. One might regret that their team lost the game, but feel remorse that they missed the bus and weren't there to help the team.
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directinstruct
On the SAT test, some questions direct you to look at an underlined or numbered portion of a passage.more
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Even Glynese and Carra-mae were useful when they occupied attention that might otherwise have been directed at her.†more
direct → directed:aimed, or intended for
Show general definition for direct (as in: direct a question; or direct a film) to guide, aim, or manage -- such as actions, attention, speech, a project or company
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emergeemerge → emerged:became prominent
China emerged as a world power.more
Show sample from book
...saw him emerge a little later from the woods and head across the meadow toward the highway.
come out of
Show general definition to come out, appear, or become prominent
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inclinedhave a tendency; or an attitude or mood that favors something
I'm inclined to believe him.more
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...showed an inclination to leave.
inclined → inclination:desire (an attitude of mind favoring)
Show general definition for inclined (as in: I'm inclined to) a tendency, mood, desire, or attitude that favors something; or making someone favor something
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indignantindignant → indignantly:with anger or annoyance at something unjust or wrong
"I am not a fool," she said indignantly.more
Show sample from book
"I hope you don't think," he said in a lofty indignant tone, "that I believe in that crap!"
angered or annoyed at something unjust or wrong
Show general definition angered or annoyed at something unjust or wrong
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enableenable → enables:makes possible
The test enables earlier identification of autism.more
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The kiss, which had more pressure than feeling behind it, produced that extra surge of adrenalin in the girl that enables one to carry a packed trunk out of a burning house, but in her, the power went at once to the brain.†
Show general definition to make possible
in various senses, including:
  • to give someone the ability, knowledge, or authority to do something -- as in "The study will enable an informed discussion."
  • to activate a computer system for use -- as in "You can enable the feature in the Settings Page."
  • to permit someone to repeat bad behavior, so they reinforce the bad pattern -- as in "I don't want to enable her drug addiction."
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implicationsomething implied (said indirectly)
I object to her implication that my work was sub-standard.more
Show sample from book
She had started thinking of it as a great joke and then she had begun to see profound implications in it.
implication → implications:consequences or results
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
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perceivesee (become aware of)
I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon.more
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She could perceive her mother's eye on her.
see
Show general definition for perceive (as in: though blind, can perceive light) to become aware of -- especially by using the senses (to see, hear, smell, feel, or taste)
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presumepresume → presumed:assumed
I presumed she was an expert since she spoke so confidently.more
Show sample from book
She had a vision of the name working like the ugly sweating Vulcan who stayed in the furnace and to whom, presumably, the goddess had to come when called.
presume → presumably:probably
Show context notes The suffix "-ably" is a combination of the suffixes "-able" and "-ly". It means in a manner that is capable of being. This is the same pattern you see in words like agreeably, favorably, and comfortably.
Show general definition for presume (as in: presumption of innocence) to think of something as true or likely, even though it is not known with certainty
Show editor's word notes Something can be presumed because it seems reasonable or because there is a rule or law demanding such an assumption. For example, in the United States someone charged with a crime is presumed by law to be innocent unless they are proven guilty at a trial.
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resentresent → resents:feels angry or unhappy (due to a sense of injustice)
A Canadian from Toronto, she resents it when she is mistaken for an American while traveling.more
Show sample from book
Mrs. Freeman would take on strange resentments and for days together she would be sullen but the source of her displeasure was always obscure; a direct attack, a positive leer, blatant ugliness to her face-these never touched her.†
resent → resentments:things about which one feels angry or unhappy due to having to accept them
Show general definition to feel anger or unhappiness about something seen as unjust or something that creates jealousy
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assertassert → asserts:says
The defense also asserts that the defendant has no previous record of crime.more
Show sample from book
Science, on the other hand, has to assert its soberness and seriousness afresh and declare that it is concerned solely with what-is.
say (that something is true)
Show general definition for assert (as in: asserted her opinion that...) to say that something is true -- especially something disputed
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profounddeep or far-reaching in intellect or consequence
She shared a profound way of thinking about the problem.more
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...she had begun to see profound implications in it.
deep or far reaching
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prominentprotruding (sticking out)
The skull resembles that of modern humans, but was smaller with a sloped forehead, larger teeth, and a prominent jaw.more
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He had prominent face bones and a streak of stickylooking brown hair falling across his forehead.
Show general definition for prominent (as in: a prominent jaw) sticking out and easily noticed
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forlornhopeless
She energized the previously forlorn team.more
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She saw him grab the leg and then she saw it for an instant slanted forlornly across the inside of the suitcase with a Bible at either side of its opposite ends.†
forlorn → forlornly:sad, hopeless, pitiful and/or abandoned
Show general definition sad, hopeless, pitiful and/or abandoned
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gauntvery thin
She looked gaunt from the chemotherapy.more
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He was a tall gaunt hatless youth who had called yesterday to sell them a Bible.
very thin and bony
Show general definition very thin and bony -- often from hunger or as though having been worn to the bone
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obliterateobliterate → obliterated:completely destroyed
The explosion obliterated the building, leaving only rubble.more
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...the large hulking Joy, whose constant outrage had obliterated every expression from her face,
obliterate → obliterated:completely done away with (removed)
Show general definition to completely destroy or wipe out so that nothing remains -- either physically or figuratively