approach
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
approached her with the proposal
I wish I could apologize but ... I don't know how to approach them.†
approach = begin communication with
Definition
Generally this sense of approach means:to begin communication with someone about something — often a proposal or a delicate topic
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
appropriate
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
it is appropriate
It didn't seem appropriate to be joking like that, Will, Miss Mattie Lou being so recently dead.
appropriate = proper
Definition
Generally this sense of appropriate means:suitable (fitting) for a particular situation
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 28 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
discord
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
discordant music
discords in the bass
discords = unpleasant sounds
Definition
Generally this sense of discord means:unpleasant sound — especially a combination of sounds that sound wrong together (though sometimes done intentionally in music)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
divine
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
to forgive is divine
what she heard wasn't "Holy Spirit, Truth Divine."
divine = wonderful; or coming from God
Definition
Generally this sense of divine means:wonderful; or god-like or coming from God
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
frugal
1 use
You know how frugal he is.
frugal = tends to avoid waste
Definition
Generally frugal means:avoiding waste — typically being careful not to spend much money
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
impudent
1 use
Her voice was impudent, but Papa told Mama she looked tired and her lips trembled.
impudent = improperly bold or disrespectful
Definition
Generally impudent means:improperly bold or disrespectful — especially toward someone who is older or considered to be of higher status
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
indignant
2 uses
God was indignant as all get-out.
indignant = angered or annoyed at something unjust or wrong
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
lockjaw
4 uses
It was six months after my best friend, Bluford Jackson, got firecrackers for Christmas and burned his hand on one and died of lockjaw ten days latter.
lockjaw = a deadly bacterial infection that results in a spasm of the jaw muscles so that the jaw remains tightly closed
Definition
Generally lockjaw means:a bacterial infection typically contracted through a puncture wound with a dirty object; causes a spasm of the jaw muscles so that the jaw remains tightly closed; prevented by the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccine and by subsequent booster shots every 10 years
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
oration
2 uses
Every June during the time of our school exhibition, the graduating class gave orations and dialogues on Friday night.
orations = speeches
Definition
Generally oration means:giving a speech to an audience
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
parched
2 uses
"Pa, try to take some water," she'd say, lifting his head and holding a glass to his cracked, parched lips.
parched = dried out
Definition
Generally parched means:dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight; or very thirsty
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
pious
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a pious hypocrite
By next morning Grandpa had found a way to thumb his nose at the whole Bang town, so pious and hypocritical:
pious = self-righteous (acting as though highly moral when it is not true)
Definition
Generally this sense of pious means:self-righteous (acting as though one is, or believing one is highly moral when it is not true)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
ponder
3 uses
But what I wanted to do was ponder what all Grandpa had just said.
ponder = think deeply or carefully about something
Definition
Generally ponder means:to think deeply or carefully about something
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 15 uses in 10 avg bks |
prescribe
1 use
His room smelled of turpentine, which Doc had prescribed as a liniment for the pulled ligament.
prescribed = given medical instructions to use
Definition
Generally prescribe means:to recommend or require what should be done
or more specifically:
of a medical doctor: to give medical instructions — such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics
or more specifically:
of a medical doctor: to give medical instructions — such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
recite
5 uses
Her voice had got mechanical, like she was reciting a story she'd read in the newspaper -one that didn't have anything to do with her.
reciting = saying or reading something aloud
Definition
Generally recite means:to say or read something aloud — especially something previously memorized such as a poem
or:
to say in detail — especially a list of things
or:
to say in detail — especially a list of things
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 23 uses in 10 avg bks |
remorse
2 uses
But for once I was soaked through with honest remorse.
remorse = deep regret for doing something that was wrong
Definition
Generally remorse means:a feeling of deep regret for doing something that was wrong
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
revere
1 use
Just a quiet and reverent place.
reverent = respectful or filling with respect
Definition
Generally revere means:regard with feelings of deep respect and admiration — sometimes with a mixture of wonder and awe or fear
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
scanty
1 use
Scant hope of finding a mechanic here.
scant = little
Definition
Generally scanty means:small in amount — often inadequate
or:
of clothes: barely covering the area on which they are worn
or:
of clothes: barely covering the area on which they are worn
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
speculate
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
don't know, but I'll speculate
Uncle Buson was the one I liked to speculate on. He didn't die. He just disappeared.
speculate = think (in this case, to wonder what might have become of him)
Definition
Generally this sense of speculate means:to think about, wonder, guess or theorize with much uncertainty
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
squander
1 use
her brother had squandered everything.
squandered = wasted
Definition
Generally squander means:to waste — money, resources, or opportunities
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
wistful
2 uses
What Granny had also said, so wistful, was how she used to dream of going to New York with Grandpa, but he never saw why she wanted to.
wistful = showing longing or unfulfilled desire
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |