The Crying of Lot 49 — Vocabulary
Thomas Pynchon
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	8	top 500
monopolycomplete control of a product The company was accused of trying to create a monopoly by buying out all its competitors.more Show sample from book Delivering the mail is a government monopoly.†7 more complete control over a product, service, or resource Show general definition complete control over a product, service, or resource -- usually by a single person, company, or group
	8	top 1000
metaphormetaphor → metaphorically:with a figure of speech in which a similarity between two things is highlighted by using a word to refer to something that it does not literally denote He was speaking metaphorically when he referred to being mugged by reality.more Show sample from book Heretofore the naming of names has gone on either literally or as metaphor.†7 more a figure of speech in which a similarity between two things is highlighted by using a word to refer to something that it does not literally mean Show general definition a figure of speech in which a similarity between two things is implied by using a word to refer to something it does not literally mean—as in, "All the world’s a stage." Show editor's word notes When Shakespeare wrote, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players." he was not saying the world is really a stage and all people are actors. But he was pointing to the similarities he wants us to recognize. While metaphors and similes are both techniques of figurative language. The distinction is that a simile explicitly shows that a comparison is being made, by using words such as "like" or "as". A metaphor simply substitutes words assuming the reader will understand the meaning should not be take literally. "She is like a diamond in the rough" is a simile; while "She is a diamond in the rough" is a metaphor.
	8	top 1000
revelationsomething surprising and previously unknown It was a revelation to me. Until they gave us those tests, I had no idea that I was better than most people at clerical accuracy.more Show sample from book As things developed, she was to have all manner of revelations.†7 more revelation → revelations:something that was previously unknown (and typically surprising)… Show general definition something that was previously unknown (and typically surprising); or making such a thing known
	4	top 10
relevantimportant (related in a meaningful way) Shannon tells an interesting story, but it's not relevant to the decision we have to make.more Show sample from book Despair came over her, as it will when nobody around has any sexual relevance to you.†3 more relevant → relevance:importance (meaningful relation to the issue in question) Show general definition relating in a meaningful way to the issue in question
	6	top 1000
anonymousby someone whose name is not known The police arrested her after an anonymous tip told them where to find the stolen diamonds.more Show sample from book "The artist is anonymous," Bortz said,5 more unknown (people don't know who created the art) Show general definition for anonymous (as in: an anonymous author) an unknown person, or of an unknown person -- such as an unknown author, or donation of an unknown person
	7	top 2000
exileeviction from one's home country She fled Tibet and is living in exile in India.more Show sample from book Now, drinking thick lukewarm coffee from a clay pot on the back burner of the yucateco's stove and listening to Jesus talk conspiracy, she wondered if, without the miracle of Pierce to reassure him, Jesus might not have quit his CIA eventually and gone over like everybody else to the majority priistas, and so never had to go into exile.†6 more to force someone to live outside of their homeland… Show general definition to force someone to live outside of their homeland; or living in such a condition or more rarely: voluntary absence from a place someone would rather be
	6	top 1000
moleculechemical substance They want to genetically engineer bacteria or yeast to produce the molecule required to replace gasoline.more Show sample from book The Demon could sit in a box among air molecules that were moving at all different random speeds, and sort out the fast molecules from the slow ones.†5 more molecule → molecules:chemical substance comprised of the smallest amount of a chemical substance that can exist by itself Show general definition the smallest amount of a chemical substance that can exist by itself -- usually consisting of 2 or more atoms
	4	top 500
legacya gift left in a will She left her vacation home as a legacy for her family.more Show sample from book What would the probate judge have to say about spreading some kind of a legacy among them all, all those nameless, maybe as a first installment?3 more gift left after death Show general definition coming from the past or left to the future in various senses including: in law -- a gift given through a will -- "She left a legacy of $10,000 to her niece." of a situation -- resulting from the past -- "Today's debt problem is a legacy of profligate spending by prior administrations." of culture -- a practice passed from one generation to the next -- "The city has along legacy of bribes and corruption." of technology -- something that still uses old technology -- "We're using a legacy software that only the old-timers know how to update." of a member or potential member of an organization -- the child of a previous member -- "She is a legacy candidate."
	3	top 200
sinisterevil They created a sinister plan to recruit terrorists.more Show sample from book So began, for Oedipa, the languid, sinister blooming of The Tristero.2 more evil, harmful, or frightening Show general definition evil or harmful; or making an evil or frightening impression
	2	top 100
correlatecorrelate → correlation:a relationship between two things so that one can be predicted from the other My opponent is confusing correlation with causation. Just because kids who play violent video games are also more likely to behave violently, doesn't mean the video games cause the violence.more Show context notes Just because you can guess 'A' from 'B' doesn’t mean 'A' changes 'B.' Something else, like 'C,' might affect both, and that’s why 'A' can be guessed from 'B.' For example, children with larger shoe sizes are likely to know more math. It's not that shoe size helps with math, it's that older children tend to have larger feet and know more math. Show sample from book There's no way to trace it, unless you want to follow up an accidental correlation, like you got from the old man.†1 more correlate → correlation:relationship such that a change in one thing helps predict a change in another Show context notes Just because you can guess 'A' from 'B' doesn’t mean 'A' changes 'B.' Something else, like 'C,' might affect both, and that’s why 'A' can be guessed from 'B.' For example, children with larger shoe sizes are likely to know more math. It's not that shoe size helps with math, it's that older children tend to have larger feet and know more math. Show general definition to find or have a connection or relationship between two things, such that a change in one helps predict a change in the other Show editor's word notes Just because you can guess 'A' from 'B' doesn’t mean 'A' changes 'B.' Something else, like 'C,' might affect both, and that’s why 'A' can be guessed from 'B.' For example, children with larger shoe sizes are likely to know more math. It's not that shoe size helps with math, it's that older children tend to have larger feet and know more math.
	3	top 500
adversaryopponent She is his greatest adversary.more Show sample from book He did, but not about their dark adversaries.†2 more adversary → adversaries:opponents Show general definition an opponent
	3	top 500
ambiguousunclear because it could be interpreted in different ways The detective found the suspect’s statement ambiguous, unsure whether it was a confession or a denial.more Show sample from book Its quiet ambiguity shifted over, in the months after the call, to what had been revived: memories of his face, body, things he'd given her, things she had now and then pretended not to've heard him say.†2 more ambiguous → ambiguity:lack of clarity -- unclear because there could be two or more interpretations Show general definition unclear -- because there could be two or more interpretations
	2	top 100
precedeprecede → preceded:were before in time Stone tools preceded bronze tools.more Show sample from book Certain things, it is made clear, will not be spoken aloud; certain events will not be shown onstage; though it is difficult to imagine, given the excesses of the preceding acts, what these things could possibly be.†1 more precede → preceding:prior (in time or space) Show general definition to go or do before
	4	top 1000
usurpusurp → usurping:taking without authority The lawsuit claims that the Federal Government is usurping rights reserved by the Constitution for state governments.more Show sample from book Evil Duke Angelo, meanwhile, is scheming to amalgamate the duchies of Squamuglia and Faggio, by marrying off the only royal female available, his sister Francesca, to Pasquale the Faggian usurper.†3 more usurp → usurper:one who seizes or takes control without authority Show general definition seize or take control without authority
	7
anarchistsomeone who opposes government or authority At the protest, one anarchist set off fireworks and shouted that all rules were meant to be broken.more Show sample from book Like the church we hate, anarchists also believe in another world.†6 more anarchist → anarchists:someone who favors eliminating all government or authority Show general definition someone who favors eliminating all government or authority
	3	top 1000
poignantarousing deep emotion It is a poignant story about a girl who is paralyzed in a car accident.more Show sample from book "How poignant," Oedipa said.†2 more sharp or intense Show general definition sharp or intense -- typically arousing deep emotion such as sadness, but possibly having or creating a sharp smell, taste, or insight
	4
secularnon-religious Many countries of the Middle East and North Africa maintain a dual system of secular courts and religious courts, in which the religious courts mainly regulate marriage and inheritance.more Show sample from book Afterward it is only this signal, really dross, this secular announcement, and never what is revealed during the attack, that he remembers.†3 more not religious Show general definition for secular (as in: a secular organization) not religious
	4
continuityconsistency Despite maintaining continuity in an alternate world, each episode can stand alone as a complete story.more Show sample from book There was the true continuity, San Narciso had no boundaries.†3 more Show general definition consistency or lacking interruption
	4
forgerya fake (a copy meant to look like the original) The painting is a forgery.more Show sample from book The other forgeries run back to 1893.†3 more forgery → forgeries:things that are represented as real even though they are fake; or the making of such fake items Show general definition something that is represented as real even though it is a fake; or the making of such a fake item
	3	top 2000
tacitimplied (not directly said, but understood) There was a tacit understanding that Jessica would play good cop and Tyler would play bad cop.more Show sample from book And Tacit lies the gold once-knotted horn, Oedipa remembered.†2 more implied Show general definition implied or understood, but not expressed directly