baptism
28 uses
She was baptized at the same church as her grandmother.
baptized = "spiritually renewed" in a Christian ceremony
(editor's note: The suffix "-ive" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-ive" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize.)
Definition
Generally baptism means:a Christian ceremony signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth
or:
a challenging experience that initiates or purifies
or:
a challenging experience that initiates or purifies
Word Statistics
| Book | 28 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
belligerent
2 uses
She spoke to her teacher in a belligerent tone and was sent to the office.
belligerent = hostile or combative
Definition
Generally belligerent means:hostile (the attitude of one eager to fight); or one already engaged in a fight or war
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
congregation
1 use
It's a casual congregation where many people wander into services late.
congregation = people who worship together in the same building
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
consequence (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 11 uses
1 —7 uses as in:
a direct consequence of
Your decision will have three major consequences.
consequences = results
Definition
Generally this sense of consequence means:a result of something (often an undesired side effect)
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 28 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
2 —4 uses as in:
of little consequence
Think carefully. This is a consequential decision.
consequential = important
Definition
Generally this sense of consequence means:importance or relevance
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
direct (4 meanings)
4 meanings, 10 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
depart directly
I walked directly to work.
directly = without interruption in the straightest or quickest possible manner
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:without delay, or in the quickest manner, or without going somewhere else first
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
2 —5 uses as in:
directly above; or buy direct from
This flower does best in direct sunlight.
direct = without intervention from anything (in this case, not sun that is partially blocked or reflected)
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:straight (exactly where stated); or without involvement of anything in between
The exact meaning of this sense of direct is subject to its context. For example:
- "The road runs directly to Las Vegas." — straight (without varying from a straight line)
- "It was a direct hit." — exact
- "The plant is in direct sunlight." — unobstructed (without anything in between)
- "She wants a direct meeting with him." — personal (without other people in between)
- "She paid direct attention to what he was reading." — close
- "a direct gaze" — straight, steady, or focused—not a brief glance taken while generally looking at other things; not a sideways look
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 62 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
3 —2 uses as in:
directed her question to
The sprinkler head needs to be fixed so it directs water away from the house.
directs = aims
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:to indicate direction; or to cause movement or focus in a direction or towards an object
The exact meaning of this sense of direct is subject to its context. For example:
- "intentionally directed fire at unarmed civilians" — aimed a gun
- "directed the question to her" — aimed a question
- "directed her north" — pointed in a particular direction
- "directed attention to the 3rd paragraph" — focused attention on a particular object
- "The sound of her voice directed him to the kitchen." — guided or gave directions to someone to help them move to a particular place
- "She directed him to the airport." — gave directions to send someone to a particular place
- "She directed the boat north." — steered it
- "directed the letter to" — send a letter to a particular person by putting a name and address on it
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 36 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
4 —1 use as in:
directed the jury to...
On the SAT test, some questions direct you to look at an underlined or numbered portion of a passage.
direct = instruct
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:give instructions or commands
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
doleful
1 use
It was another year of a doleful Detroit economy.
doleful = very sad; or causing sadness or misfortune
Definition
Generally doleful means:expressing or causing sadness
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
focus (3 meanings)
3 meanings, 8 uses
1 —5 uses as in:
Turn your focus to question #2.
I find that studying in the library helps me to focus.
focus = concentrate
Definition
Generally this sense of focus means:verb: to concentrate, look at, or pay attention to
noun: the act of concentration, or the ability to concentrate
(to concentrate is to direct attention or effort towards a single thing)
noun: the act of concentration, or the ability to concentrate
(to concentrate is to direct attention or effort towards a single thing)
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 75 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
2 —2 uses as in:
The focus of our study is...
Since we're running out of time, let's narrow our focus to just what needs to be done tomorrow.
focus = area where attention is concentrated
Definition
Generally this sense of focus means:where attention is concentrated or directed
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
3 —1 use as in:
The camera focuses automatically
I have to give the camera a little while to focus before I shoot the picture.
focus = adjust its lens to get a clear picture
Definition
Generally this sense of focus means:to adjust a lens to make an image clear
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
forbearance
3 uses
She recommended regulatory forbearance while the banks repair their balance sheets.
forbearance = refraining (holding back) from acting
Definition
Generally forbearance means:refraining (holding back) from acting
or:
patience, tolerance, or self-control
or:
patience, tolerance, or self-control
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
illustrate
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
as illustrated by this example
Pictures of flooding help to illustrate the problem of global warming.
illustrate = make clear
Definition
Generally this sense of illustrate means:to help make clear — typically by example
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 10 |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
latent
1 use
She is unschooled, but I think she has latent talent as an engineer.
latent = potentially existing but not presently active
Definition
Generally latent means:potentially existing but not presently evident or active
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
malaria
24 uses
Malaria is one of the areas of focus for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
malaria = a tropical disease spread by mosquitoes that, while nonexistent in wealthy nations, strikes hundreds of millions of people a year in developing nations — killing over a million each year
Definition
Generally malaria means:a tropical disease spread by mosquitoes that, while nonexistent in wealthy nations, strikes hundreds of millions of people a year in developing nations — killing over a million each year
more technically: an infective disease caused by sporozoan parasites that are transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito; marked by paroxysms of chills and fever
more technically: an infective disease caused by sporozoan parasites that are transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito; marked by paroxysms of chills and fever
Word Statistics
| Book | 24 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
parable
15 uses
Many people have heard the parable of the prodigal son.
parable = a short story told to teach a moral lesson — especially those told by Jesus in the New Testament
Word Statistics
| Book | 15 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
penitent
1 use
When her anger passed, she was penitent.
penitent = sorry for having done wrong
Definition
Generally penitent means:feeling or expressing sorrow for having done wrong; or a person who does such
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
positive
9 uses
1 —8 uses as in:
I'm absolutely positive!
I'm positive I've seen her before.
positive = certain
Definition
Generally this sense of positive means:certain (having no doubt; or used for emphasis)
Word Statistics
| Book | 8 uses |
| Library | 22 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |