afflict
1 use
He asked God to go with all the sick and afflicted, both at home and in the hospitals across this land.
afflicted = people suffering — often from disease
Definition
Generally afflict means:cause suffering — such as illness, pain, or unhappiness
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
agitate
1 use
Each time she returned from the library, Inez seemed more agitated.
agitated = not calm (emotionally upset)
Definition
Generally agitate means:to stir up or shake — emotionally (as when people are angered or upset) or physically (as when a washing machine cleans clothes)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
anthology
1 use
an anthology of short stories
anthology = collection
Definition
Generally anthology means:a collection of literary works or music
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 12 |
approach
2 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
approached the city
She was afraid to approach me physically, because I might leave and not come back.†
approach = get near
Definition
Generally this sense of approach means:to get closer to (near in space, time, quantity, or quality)
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 104 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
chaos
1 use
And there was nothing but chaos.
chaos = extreme confusion and disorder
Definition
Generally chaos means:a state of extreme confusion and disorder
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 26 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 12 |
deliberate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
deliberate insult
The minister and my aunt looked at me, and both seemed angry, as if I had kept them waiting deliberately.
deliberately = intentionally
Definition
Generally this sense of deliberate means:to do something intentionally (do it on purpose)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 24 |
demonstrate
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
It demonstrates my point.
One of the men backed away from the bar to demonstrate how slow the pitcher was in throwing the ball, which gave Jackie the opportunity to steal home plate.†
demonstrate = show or exhibit
Definition
Generally this sense of demonstrate means:to show
The exact meaning of this sense of demonstrate can depend upon its context. For example:
- "I will demonstrate how to throw a Frisbee." — show how to do something
- "I will demonstrate how much quicker the new computer is than the old one." — show how something works
- "Her questioned demonstrated that she was listening and thinking deeply about what was said." — showed to be true or proved
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 22 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 12 |
direct (4 meanings)
4 meanings, 17 uses
1 —1 use as in:
depart directly
I was sorry now that I had come directly home, because Miss Emma was the last person I wanted to see.†
directly = immediately
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:without delay, or in the quickest manner, or without going somewhere else first
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
2 —13 uses as in:
directly above; or buy direct from
Paul looked directly at me, his gray-blue eyes more intense than I had ever seen them before.†
directly = straight (exactly where stated; used for emphasis)
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 | 13 uses |
| Library | 62 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
3 —2 uses as in:
directed her question to
One of the teachers was directing the children onto the bus, and Vivian and another teacher stood by the flagpole, talking.†
directing = guiding
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 18 |
4 —1 use as in:
directed the movie
The choir of a dozen boys and girls moved down below the altar to sing "Silent Night." Irene Cole directed them.†
directed = conducted (the actions of the person in charge of the performance)
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:supervise, control, or to be in charge of
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 29 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
dominate
1 use
But how could I not think about something that had dominated my thoughts for nearly six months?
dominated = was most influential in
Definition
Generally dominate means:to control; or to be most influential, powerful, abundant, important, or conspicuous
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 17 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 31 |
focus
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
Turn your focus to question #2.
Her mind was still far away. ... Now her focus became closer, much closer. She was looking at me now.†
focus = attention
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 | 1 use |
| Library | 75 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
inclement
2 uses
But since the weather had been so inclement—to use one of Reverend Ambrose's words—they had had more time for practice.
inclement = bad (stormy, wet, or cold)
Definition
Generally inclement means:describing bad weather — such as stormy, wet, or cold
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
inquisitor
1 use
She looked at me the way an inquisitor must have glared at his poor victims.
inquisitor = a questioner who is excessively harsh
Definition
Generally inquisitor means:a questioner who is excessively harsh
or:
an officer of the Inquisition
or:
an officer of the Inquisition
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
midwife
1 use
a midwife had visited a young woman twice
midwife = a woman skilled in aiding the delivery of babies
Definition
Generally midwife means:a non-doctor who practices the profession of assisting women in childbirth; or to assist in childbirth
or:
someone who helps bring something into existence; or the act of helping to bring something into existence
or:
someone who helps bring something into existence; or the act of helping to bring something into existence
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
mock
4 uses
There were mock fights.
mock = pretend (not real)
Definition
Generally mock means:making fun of
or:
not real
or:
not real
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 31 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
modicum
2 uses
A man with a modicum of intelligence would have seen that those racketeers meant no good.
modicum = a small amount
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
recite
3 uses
Odessa Freeman's Twas the Night before Christmas followed, and it was more than a simple recitation; it was a dramatic performance.
recitation = saying from memory
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in action, education, and observation.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-tion", converts a verb into a noun that denotes the action or result of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in action, education, and observation.)
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 | 3 uses |
| Library | 23 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
refrain
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a repeated refrain
Miss Emma repeated the old refrain I had heard about a hundred times the day before.
refrain = something repeated regularly
Definition
Generally this sense of refrain means:something repeated regularly
especially:
- lines repeated after each verse of a song
- a phrase or idea often repeated by someone or within a poem
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |