The History of Love — Vocabulary
Nicole Krauss
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	14	top 1000
speciesa group of similar animals or plants It is an endangered species.more Show sample from book It also said that an average of seventy-four species of insects, plants, and animals become extinct every day.13 more a similar group of animals or plants Show general definition a group of animals or plants that are similar -- typically identified as belonging to the same group when they are of a kind that can reproduce new members of the group together
	3	top 2000
positivecertain I'm positive I've seen her before.more Show sample from book After two hours, the woman said she was absolutely one-hundred-percent positive there was no Alma Mereminski who died in New York City after 1948.†3 more Show general definition for positive (as in: I'm absolutely positive!) certain (having no doubt; or used for emphasis)
	1	top 100
positive#2positive → positively:in a good or beneficial manner Lower interest rates positively affected home sales.†more Show sample from book I saw this as a positive thing, but when Henry Lavender called that afternoon my mother was at the supermarket and didn't call him back.†3 more good Show general definition for positive (as in: had a positive effect) good or beneficial
	7
accordioncharacterized by narrower parallel folds when closed and wider when open An accordion wall can be closed to divide the room.†more Show sample from book When he died, he left Svetya the eighteen volumes of The History of the Jews, and Misha the accordion.†6 more Show general definition for accordion (as in: an accordion door) characterized by narrower parallel folds when closed and wider when open -- such as a door or musical instrument with that characteristic Show editor's word notes When unqualified, accordion generally refers to a musical instrument. See the related Google Images to see pictures of the musical instrument, doors, folds, and pleats that have accordion characteristics.
	1	top 1000
obscurenot clearly understood For some obscure reason that goes back many years, they don't like each other.more Show sample from book After Uncle Julian left, my mother became more withdrawn, or maybe a better word would be obscure, as in faint, unclear, distant.1 more not easily detected (not easily seen, heard, understood...) Show general definition for obscure (as in: the view or directions are obscure) not clearly seen, understood, or expressed Show editor's word notes Although this meaning of obscure typically refers to seeing or understanding, it can refer to difficulty with any type of detection as when something is hard to hear. It can also more specifically mean vague, or mysterious, or unknown by anyone. Much more rarely, it can mean secretive.
	1	top 1000
obscure#2not known to many people The obscure battle is hardly mentioned in history books.more Show sample from book But, with a dreadful feeling, she remembered how it had been her who'd insisted that he publish the book. He'd argued with her, saying it was too personal, a private matter, but she'd pushed and pushed, softening his resistance until he finally broke down and agreed. Because wasn't that what wives of artists were meant to do? Husband their husbands' work into the world, which, without them, would be lost to obscurity?1 more obscure → obscurity:a condition of not being known by many people Show general definition for obscure (as in: the famous and the obscure) not known to many people; or unimportant or undistinguished Show editor's word notes More rarely, this meaning of obscure can be used for:<ul><li>seemingly unimportant -- as in "I want her on the team. She always seems to ask obscure questions that reveal problems in a different light."</li><li>humble (typically only found in classic literature) -- as in "Nobody at the table would have guessed of her obscure family background."</li></ul>
	5	top 1000
immigrateimmigrate → immigrated:came to live (from another country) About 1 of each 8 people in the United States immigrated from somewhere else.more Show sample from book My parents had immigrated to Chile from Krakow when I was very young,4 more immigrate → immigrated:moved to (a new country) Show general definition come to live in a new country
	6
obituarya notice of someone's death with a short biography Her eldest daughter wrote an obituary that was published in the local paper and online.more Show sample from book THE LAST WORDS ON EARTH When they write my obituary.†5 more published notice of death with a short biography Show general definition a published notice of someone's death -- usually printed in a newspaper with a short biography Show editor's word notes The section of the newspaper that reports deaths is called the "Obituaries".
	5
sprainsprain → sprained:joint injury from twisting She couldn’t play in the soccer game because of a sprained ankle from practice.more Show sample from book Not long after that, during the first week of April, he climbed up onto the roof at Hebrew School, fell, and sprained his wrist.†4 more sprain → sprained:injured the ligaments of a joint by stretching them too far (ligaments are the tough, fibrous bands that connect bones across joints) Show general definition injury to the ligaments of a joint caused by stretching them too far -- most commonly injuring the ankle (ligaments are the tough, fibrous bands that connect bones across joints) Show editor's word notes Note that a strain is a similar injury caused by stretching the muscle until it rips.
	3	top 1000
nucleusthe center (in this case, key central members) They have the nucleus of a good team.†more Show sample from book Even though I don't think there is going to be a nuclear bomb just in case I read it very carefully.†2 more nucleus → nuclear:relating to the central or most important part of something Show general definition the center (or most important part) of something such as: in physics: the center of an atom where protons & neutrons are found in biology: the center of a cell where DNA is found in sociology: the closest family (mother/father/children in contrast to the extended family)
	2	top 500
nostalgianostalgia → nostalgic:with a longing for something past The music makes me feel nostalgic.more Show sample from book attacks of nostalgia1 more longing for something past Show general definition happiness that come with the memory of good times combined with a hint of sadness that those times are over
	2	top 500
reminiscerecall fond memories My parents like to reminisce about their college days.more Show sample from book Then we reminisced about a water fight we'd had a hundred years ago, and I felt a pang of sadness that next year Herman would be gone to start his life.†1 more reminisce → reminisced:to talk or think fondly about past experiences Show general definition to talk or think fondly about past experiences
	2	top 500
spontaneoussudden and unplanned Her spontaneous decision to take a road trip led to one of the best weekends of her life.more Show sample from book The fifth time they met, under the spell of Rosa's youthful spontaneity—halfway through a heated discussion...—Litvinoff surprised himself by proposing they go hear a concert together.1 more spontaneous → spontaneity:behaving in an instinctive, uninhibited manner Show general definition happening naturally, suddenly, or without outside planning or action
	2	top 500
intuitionintuition → intuitive:able to understand things from feeling or instinct rather than conscious reasoning They were perfect partners--one highly intuitive and the other highly analytical.more Show sample from book He learned to decipher the meaning of certain silences, which is like solving a tough case without any clues, with only intuition.1 more the ability to known instinctively rather than through reasoning Show general definition something known based on feeling or instinct rather than conscious reasoning; or the ability to know things in such a manner
	3
subsistsurvive Fortunately, the museum doesn't have to subsist entirely on admission charges.more Show sample from book Sometimes she subsists for days on water and air.†2 more subsist → subsists:survives Show general definition to survive or exist -- especially without being able to manage comforts or luxuries
	2
indelibleunforgettable or permanent The trip left an indelible impression on her, shaping the way she saw the world.more Show sample from book I knew that the way others had lost a leg or an arm, I'd lost whatever the thing is that makes people indelible.†1 more impossible to remove, forget, or erase Show general definition impossible to remove, forget, or erase -- can refer to physical marks or lasting memories
	2
posthumousafter death The author’s final novel was released as a posthumous publication, two years after her death.more Show sample from book When Henry Lavender called a third time, she was engrossed in a book of stories, repeatedly exclaiming that the author should be given a Posthumous Nobel.†1 more occurring, awarded, or published after a person’s death Show general definition occurring, awarded, or published after a person’s death
	2
asteroida large rock that moves around the sun and is smaller than a planet Many believe that many dinosaurs became extinct when a large asteroid hit the earth millions of years ago.more Show sample from book The last mass extinction happened about 65 million years ago, when an asteroid probably collided with our planet, killing all the dinosaurs and about half of the marine animals.†1 more one of the millions of rocks that move around the sun, are smaller than a planet… Show general definition one of the millions of rocks that move around the sun, are smaller than a planet, and larger than a meter in diameter
	2
shambleshamble → shambled:walked in an awkward, shuffling way She shambled about the house in over-sized slippers.more Show sample from book THE WALL OF DICTIONARIES BETWEEN MY MOTHER AND THE WORLD GETS TALLER EVERY YEAR Sometimes pages of the dictionaries come loose and gather at her feet, shallon, shallop, shallot, shallow, shalom, sham, shaman, shamble, like the petals of an immense flower.†1 more walk in an awkward, shuffling way Show general definition for shamble (as in: she shambled along) to walk in an awkward, shuffling way
	1	top 500
acclaimacclaim → acclaimed:popularly and enthusiastically praised It's a critically acclaimed movie.more Show sample from book Isaac Moritz, acclaimed author of six novels including The Remedy, which won the National Book Award, died Tuesday night. Show general definition to praise enthusiastically and publicly -- sometimes choosing without opposition or a formal vote