The Poisonwood Bible — Vocabulary
Barbara Kingsolver
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	7	top 100
consequenceconsequence → consequences:results Your decision will have three major consequences.more Show sample from book She fails to see that Anatole is breaking rules for her, and this will have consequences.10 more consequence → consequences:results (unintended side-effects) Show general definition for consequence (as in: a direct consequence of) a result of something (often an undesired side effect)
	4	top 1000
consequence#2consequence → consequential:important Think carefully. This is a consequential decision.more Show sample from book I guess that is about as consequential as it gets.10 more Show general definition for consequence (as in: of little consequence) importance or relevance
	23	top 500
congregationpeople who worship together in the same building It's a casual congregation where many people wander into services late.more Show sample from book He turned toward the congregation with the air of a preacher himself.22 more Show general definition for congregation (as in: the congregation voted) people who worship together in the same building
	28	top 2000
baptismbaptism → baptized:"spiritually renewed" in a Christian ceremony She was baptized at the same church as her grandmother.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 My own baptism, and every one I have witnessed so far, took place in something like a large bathtub or small swimming pool in the Baptist Church.27 more a Christian ceremony signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth Show general definition a Christian ceremony signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth or: a challenging experience that initiates or purifies Show editor's word notes Most churches baptize infants, but some require an adult to request baptism, and a few (such as the Quakers) require no baptism at all. Typically, water is used as part of the ceremony, such as sprinkling a little water on a baby's head; though some churches use complete submersion in water.
	8	top 2000
positivecertain I'm positive I've seen her before.more Show sample from book I can tell you with absolute positivity that I am soon going to be Mrs. Daniel Attaché-to-the-Ambassador DuPrée.8 more positive → positivity:certainty Show general definition for positive (as in: I'm absolutely positive!) certain (having no doubt; or used for emphasis)
	1	top 100
positive#2positive → positively:in a good or beneficial manner Lower interest rates positively affected home sales.†more Show sample from book He views Leah's bow and arrows as a positive development in our household after so many other discouraging ones, such as the death, for all practical purposes, of Ruth May.8 more good Show general definition for positive (as in: had a positive effect) good or beneficial
	2	top 1000
interprettranslate Can she interpret Spanish to English for us?more Show sample from book More and more, mistrusting his interpreters, he tries to speak in Kikongo.6 more interpret → interpreters:people who translate spoken words into another language Show general definition for interpret (as in: interpret Spanish to English) to translate someone’s words into spoken words of another language while they are speaking
	5	top 10
interpret#2understand (In this case: Why did she smile? What does it mean?) I don't know how to interpret her smile.more Show sample from book Our Father probably interpreted Broca's aphasia as God's Christmas bonus to one of His worthier employees.6 more interpret → interpreted:understood (in a particular way) Show general definition for interpret (as in: her interpretation of the data) to understand or explain something in a particular way -- often the meaning or significance of something
	19	top 2000
communisman economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society A challenge with communism is that it is harder to know how to allocate capital when prices are subjective rather than the product of individual valuations.†more Show sample from book Besides, Angola is an extremely Communistic nation if you ask me.18 more communism → communistic:having an economic system that abolishes private ownership of property
	14	top 1000
dismaydismay → dismayed:sad, disappointed, or worried Don't be dismayed. I have a solution.more Show sample from book Oh, it rains, it pours, Noah himself would be dismayed.13 more dismay → dismayed:saddened, worried, or discouraged Show general definition to feel sadness, disappointment, or worry -- typically in response to something surprising
	15	top 2000
righteousrighteous → righteousness:moral correctness The extremism is fed by unquestioned belief in the righteousness of their cause.more Show sample from book Bravery and righteousness--those are two things that cannot go unrewarded in the sight of the Lord.14 more righteous → righteousness:morally correct behavior Show general definition for righteous (as in: a righteous cause) morally correct; or morally justified or: acting or feeling morally superior -- especially when it isn't true (this meaning is more typically seen as a compound word "self-righteous")
	9	top 500
abundantpresent in great quantity Farmers in the region enjoy good soil, moderate temperatures, and an abundant supply of water.more Show sample from book He would not believe that the Jesus Bible, with its absolutely ... abundance of words, gave no specific instructions to mothers of newborn twins.8 more abundant → abundance:large quantity
	15
parablea short story told to teach a moral lesson Many people have heard the parable of The Prodigal Son.more Show sample from book My father mopped his brow again and launched into the parable of the one mustard seed falling on a barren place, and the other one on good soil.14 more Show general definition a short story told to teach a moral lesson -- especially those told by Jesus in the New Testament
	5
delugeoverwhelming amount The mayor declared a state of emergency after the deluge of 10'' of rain.more Show sample from book The deluge finally stopped just before sunset.†4 more an overwhelming amount; or to overwhelm -- especially said of water Show general definition a large amount of something -- especially water or: to overwhelm with a large amount of something -- especially water
	4
complicitguilty of helping She is accused of being complicit in the crime.more Show sample from book I wonder what you'll name my sin: Complicity?†3 more complicit → complicity:act of helping in a crime or offense Show general definition act of helping in a crime or offense
	3	top 2000
forbearancetolerance She won the children over with patience and forbearance.more Show sample from book I'm sure the Congolese heard it every day for a hundred years while they had to forbear the Belgians.2 more forbearance → forbear:tolerate; or refrain from acting Show general definition patient tolerance or self-control; or holding back from taking action or enforcing a right Show editor's word notes Today, the word, forbearance, is most commonly seen in the field of law to indicate that a legal right, claim or privilege is not being enforced.
	3
progenychildren The famous singer's progeny will likely follow her footsteps into the music business.more Show sample from book I saw a family of weaver birds work together for months on a nest that became such a monstrous lump of sticks and progeny and nonsense that finally it brought their whole tree thundering down.†2 more someone's child or children… Show general definition someone's child or children or less commonly: anything that develops from something else
	3
exodusdeparture by a lot of people She refers to the departure of domestic migrants form California as the California exodus.more Show sample from book I have only the haziest recollection of waving at my mother and sister in a rising cloud of diesel exhaust and mosquitoes as they began their slow, permanent exodus from the Congo.2 more Show general definition a departure by a lot of people Show editor's word notes When used as a proper noun (capitalized), "Exodus" typically references the second book of the Old Testament or the story it includes about the departure of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.
	3	top 500
dispositionnormal mood or typical way of behaving She has a cheerful disposition.more Show sample from book So feel I. Living in the Congo shakes open the prison house of my disposition and lets all the wicked hoodoo Adahs run forth.3 more normal way of behaving Show general definition for disposition (as in: a kind disposition) someone's personality, nature, or typical way of behaving
	1	top 500
disposition#2positioning They met to discuss the best disposition of border control agents along the southern border.more Show sample from book —from a roomful of white men who held in their manicured hands the disposition of armies and atomic bombs, the power to extinguish every life on earth.3 more Show general definition for disposition (as in: strategic troop disposition) the arrangement, positioning, or use of things