The Bonesetter's Daughter — Vocabulary
Amy Tan
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	36	top 2000
immortalto live forever Zeus and the other gods were supposed to be immortal.more Show sample from book And because the dead tree was no longer immortal, it was no longer famous, nor was our village.35 more living forever Show general definition living or existing forever or: someone famous throughout history or: someone who will never die -- such as a mythological god
	23	top 2000
communisman economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society A challenge with communism is that it is harder to know how to allocate capital when prices are subjective rather than the product of individual valuations.†more Show sample from book As for the Chang father, well, in 1950, the Communists cracked down on all the landlords.22 more communism → communists:people who support an economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society
	20
opiuma powerful narcotic Today, other drugs have replaced opium for most medical uses.more Show sample from book A little opium, a little herbs, and a special kind of dragon bone we dig out from a secret place only our family knows.†19 more Show general definition a powerful drug made from a type of poppy; relieves pain and aids sleep, but highly addictive and dangerous when abused recreationally
	9	top 2000
accordaccord → accordance:keeping She will get a fair trial in accordance with the law.more Show sample from book According to a park pamphlet, "During the peak of the Perseids, around August 12th, hundreds of 'shooting' or 'falling' stars streak the sky every hour."9 more accord → according to:as stated by Show general definition for accord (as in: according to, or in accord with) in keeping with; or in agreement/harmony/unity with This meaning of accord is often seen in the form according to or accordingly where it can take on more specific meanings. For example: "According to Kim, ..." -- as stated by "To each according to her ability." -- based upon "Points are scored according to how well they perform." -- depending upon "The dose is calculated according to body weight." -- in proportion to "We got a flat tire. Accordingly, I pulled to the side of the road." -- because of what was just said; or as a result
	1	top 2000
accord#2accord → own accord:own mind -- voluntarily (without anyone asking) She was not forced. She did it of her own accord.more Show sample from book She stopped talking two days before her voice faded of its own accord.9 more accord → own accord:own mind Show general definition for accord (as in: done of her own accord) mind Show editor's word notes This sense of accord is typically seen in the form own accord or one accord.
	17	top 2000
ravinedeep, narrow, steep-sided valley The car plunged into a 15-foot ravine.more Show sample from book The cliff broke off again last year during the rainstorms, a ledge the length of five men. Collapsed all at once and buried everything along that side of the ravine with rocks and dirt three stories deep.16 more a deep narrow steep-sided valley Show general definition a deep, narrow, steep-sided gorge or valley -- especially one formed by running water
	7	top 100
reviseimprove (change) How can you revise that paragraph to improve the expression of ideas?more Show sample from book But the idea of revising her life also frightened her, as if by imagination alone she were condemning what she did not like about herself or others.†6 more revise → revising:changing Show general definition to change (and hopefully improve) -- most frequently to improve a written document, but it can be any intentional change such as a change in an estimated amount, a plan, or a series of procedures
	11	top 2000
monka male member of a religious order typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience The Tibetan monk wore an orange robe.more Show sample from book Not a wail or a whimper, which is strange, since that Catcher of Ghosts turned out to be a fake, not a monk at all.†10 more a male member of a religious order typically living under vows of poverty, chast…
	8
manora large house that belongs to a wealthy person Bletchley Manor was converted into a home for code breakers during World War II.more Show sample from book The Mira Mar Manor—'located near your current residence,' it says, 'with amenities typical of a five-star hotel.'†7 more a large house of a wealthy person; OR historically:… Show general definition a large house of a wealthy person or historically: the main house of a lord and the land around it that was worked by tenant farmers
	8
monasterymonastery → monasteries:residences of religious communities Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries was the largest legally enforced transfer of property in English history since the Norman Conquest.more Show sample from book The orphanage was an abandoned monastery near Dragon Bone Hill, a hard climb up a zigzag road from the railway station.†7 more the residence of a religious community Show general definition the residence of a religious community
	5	top 1000
collaboratework together on a common enterprise or project The websites lets you collaborate with others on documents.†more Show sample from book "You're a dream when it comes to collaboration," Gideon went on.†4 more collaborate → collaboration:the act of working together Show general definition work together on a common enterprise or project or more rarely and especially in the form collaborator: cooperate with the enemy as a traitor
	3	top 500
nonchalantcalm and unconcerned I could tell she was nervous, but she was trying to look nonchalant.more Show sample from book Ruth was shaking but shrugged as nonchalantly as she could.2 more nonchalant → nonchalantly:calmly (trying to appear unconcerned) Show general definition calm in manner -- appearing unconcerned
	10
dementiadeterioration of mental abilities She suffered from drug induced dementia.more Show sample from book They could, as could Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.†9 more Show general definition the deterioration of mental abilities Show editor's word notes Dementia is not a disease itself, but rather a group of symptoms that are caused by various diseases or conditions.
	5	top 2000
divinepredict supernaturally She claims she can divine the future with a crystal ball.more Show sample from book She took back the divining bone.4 more divine → divining:used to discover something supernaturally (as if by magic) Show general definition for divine (as in: divined from tea leaves) to discover or predict something supernaturally (as if by magic)
	5
latticecrisscross frame Vines climbed up the wooden lattice along the fence, threading through the crisscrossed slats as they grew taller.more Show sample from book Close by was an open-air pavilion made of dark wood lattice screens and rows of column posts supporting its heavy tiled roof.†4 more regular crisscross grid that repeats in a pattern of squares or diamonds Show general definition regular crisscross pattern of lines or points that forms a repeating grid of squares or diamonds Show editor's word notes regular crisscross grid that repeats in a pattern of squares or diamonds
	4
dowrymoney or property given by a woman's family to the husband at marriage She was given her inheritance in the form of a dowry.more Show sample from book As to the matter of a dowry, the coffin-maker was willing to be more than generous.†3 more in some societies, money or property given by a woman's family to the husband at… Show general definition in some societies, money or property given by a woman's family to the husband at marriage or less formally: money or property a bride brings to a marriage
	2	top 1000
constraintlimitation I will devote my full energy to the project, without constraint.more Show sample from book "Stop thinking in terms of constraints," he told her.†1 more constraint → constraints:limitations Show general definition limitation (something that limits something else)
	3
meteormeteor → meteors:a streak of light in the night sky that results from a space rock burning in the earth's atmosphere Most meteors come from rocks that are about the size of a pebble.more Show sample from book They are actually fragments of meteors penetrating the earth's atmosphere, burning up in their descent.†2 more meteor → meteors:streaks of light in the sky caused by small space rocks burning up in Earth’s atmosphere Show general definition a streak of light in the sky caused by a small space rock (a meteoroid) burning up in Earth’s atmosphere
	1	top 500
assessevaluate Your job is to assess the situation and make recommendations.more Show sample from book It comes from the soil and rocks under the house, and they need to have you move out for three months while they do an environmental assessment and hazard removal via intensive ventilation.1 more assess → assessment:judgment of something after consideration Show general definition for assess (as in: assess the situation) to evaluate (consider something and make one or more judgements)
	1	top 500
assess#2assess → assessed:a monetary value is determined for it The property is assessed and then a tax is charged based on that value.more Show sample from book When Ruth bought flowers, she had to assess their value in several ways to justify what she bought.1 more determine (monetary value) Show general definition for assess (as in: assess the monetary value) determine a numeric value of something -- such as a property's value or a truck's weight