Our Town — Vocabulary
Thornton Wilder
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Exemplary sample Uses ACT/SAT
3 top 500
legacya gift left in a will
She left her vacation home as a legacy for her family.more
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Well, I did beat about the bush a little and said that if I got a legacy—that's the way I put it—I'd make him take me.2 more
cash from a will
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 1000
languidslow, unhurried
No urging could increase his languid pace.more
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At once he starts eating sleepily, she to eat languidly, staring vaguely out.2 more
languid → languidly:in a slow, relaxed manner without much energy
Show general definition lacking energy or relaxed or moving slowly
4 top 2000
sentinelperson who stands guard or looks out for something
A sentinel watched our approach.more
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In those days our newspapers came out twice a week— the Graver's Corners Sentinel—and this (Indicating furniture L. C., Xing L. of C.) is Editor Webb's house.†3 more
a person who stands guard or looks out for something
Show general definition a person who stands guard or looks out for something
2 top 500
congregationpeople who worship together in the same building
It's a casual congregation where many people wander into services late.more
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...the very soft singing of the hymns by the congregation.1 more
Show general definition for congregation (as in: the congregation voted) people who worship together in the same building
3 top 2000
respectiverelating separately to the people or things just mentioned
Our salespeople are paid in accordance with their respective sales.more
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Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb enter by their respective stairs†2 more
Show general definition relating separately to the people or things just mentioned
2 top 1000
perplexperplex → perplexed:confused
She was perplexed by the rules of the game.more
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(More perplexed than ever)1 more
perplex → perplexed:confused or puzzled
Show general definition to confuse
2 top 2000
ecstaticecstatic → ecstatically:with feelings of intense happiness
They are ecstatically in love.more
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Emily, ecstatic at seeing her father, watches him from the moment he...1 more
feeling intense happiness and excitement
Show general definition feeling intense happiness and excitement (as when in a state of ecstasy)
2 top 2000
stimulateencourage activity or development
At the beginning of her lectures, she typically starts with a question to try to stimulate curiosity.more
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It has already been proven that absence of scenery does not constitute a difficulty and that the cooperative imagination of the audience is stimulated by that absence.†1 more
stimulate → stimulated:encouraged growth or excitement, or caused something to happen
Show general definition to encourage growth, interest or excitement, or to cause something to happen
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precedeprecede → preceded:were before in time
Stone tools preceded bronze tools.more
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During preceding scene the lights have gradually dimmed to late afternoon†
precede → preceding:prior (in time or space)
Show general definition to go or do before
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placidcalm
The sky is clear and the lake placid.more
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They remain placid throughout the act,1 more
Show general definition calm and not easily excited
2
ravenousextremely hungry
After a long day of hiking, she was ravenous and couldn’t wait to eat dinner.more
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Emily puts her books carefully at her L., Wally opens a book and at once starts to read while both eat ravenously.†1 more
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scornscorn → scorned:rejected
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.more
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The scorn of verisimilitude throws all the greater emphasis on the ideas which the play hopes to offer.†
disrespect or reject as not good enough
Show general definition disrespect or reject as not good enough
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diligentcareful and hardworking
She's the kind of diligent worker we want to hire.more
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I guess we're all huntin' like everybody else for a way the diligent and sensible can rise to the top and the lazy and quarrelsome sink to the bottom.
hard workers
Show general definition for diligent (as in: she is diligent) working carefully and steadily with effort and attention to detail
1 top 500
abundantpresent in great quantity
Farmers in the region enjoy good soil, moderate temperatures, and an abundant supply of water.more
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The second act concerns the love affair between young George Gibbs and little Emily Webb, and thus culminates in a moving wedding scene, which contains all those elements of poignant sorrow and abundant happiness that make for solemnity and impressiveness.†
Show general definition present in great quantity
2 top 1000
poignantarousing deep emotion
It is a poignant story about a girl who is paralyzed in a car accident.more
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...all those elements of poignant sorrow and abundant happiness that make for...1 more
intensely touching the emotions
Show general definition sharp or intense -- typically arousing deep emotion such as sadness, but possibly having or creating a sharp smell, taste, or insight
2
weanwean → weaned:adapt to the removal of breastmilk
Worldwide, most babies are weaned much later, but in the US, fewer than 20% of babies are still nursing when they are six months old.more
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They get weaned away from earth—that's the way I put it, weaned away.†
wean → weaned:adapted
Show general definition to adapt to
in various senses, including:
  • "She was weaned at 3 months." -- a mammal's adaption to the removal of breastmilk (note this is the unqualified sense)
  • "I weaned myself from cigarettes." -- adapted to the gradual removal of
  • "I was weaned on progressive principals" -- raised on or adapted to at a very early age.
1 top 2000
alacrityquickness
She completed each assignment with alacrity.more
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(With alacrity, suddenly looking at George) Oh, yes!
eagerness
Show general definition quickness; and/or cheerful eagerness
1 top 2000
banaluninteresting due to a lack of anything original or unusual
The movie was banal, but it led to a fascinating conversation.more
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(Finally she forces herself to speak a banality:) Oh, Mama, you shouldn't have.
banal → banality:something uninteresting due to a lack of anything original or unusual
Show general definition uninteresting due to a lack of anything original or unusual
Show editor's word notes Pronunciation:  Banal is correctly pronounced differently by various educated speakers of American English.
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deprecatetreat as unimportant
You should not deprecate her efforts.more
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Stage Manager now looks over the audience, puffs his pipe, consults watch, deprecates late-comers, etc.
deprecate → deprecates:expresses disapproval of
Show general definition to diminish or treat something as unimportant or of low quality; or to express disapproval
1
fervorintense feelings
The school has a lot of fervor for football.†more
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(With increasing fervor) and sleeping and waking up!— (She flings her arms wide in an ecstasy of realization) Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anyone to realize you!
intensity of feeling