anatomy
1 use
Over millions of years, the bird has developed an anatomy that enables it to fly.
anatomy = body structure
Definition
Generally anatomy means:the medical study of the structure of the body — as in "to study anatomy"
or more rarely: the structure of a body — as in "a part of the anatomy"
or still more rarely: any detailed analysis — as in "anatomy of the disaster"
or more rarely: the structure of a body — as in "a part of the anatomy"
or still more rarely: any detailed analysis — as in "anatomy of the disaster"
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 17 |
apparent
1 use
She talked about the way spring made the world burst into life after months of apparent death.
apparent = seeming (appearing as such)
Definition
Generally apparent means:clear or obvious; or appearing as such but not necessarily so
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 66 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 38 |
ascend
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
ascend the mountain
We ascended three stairways, passed three landings.
ascended = climbed
Definition
Generally this sense of ascend means:to move or slope upward — sometimes figuratively as when climbing the corporate ladder
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
beckon
2 uses
She grinned and beckoned me over the wall when she saw me standing there.
beckoned = called (to come nearer by using a hand gesture or a nod)
Definition
Generally beckon means:to call — typically to ask or tell someone to come nearer by using a hand gesture or a nod of the head
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 13 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 16 |
derelict
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
derelict ship
We should never have come to this stinking derelict place.
derelict = in terrible condition
Definition
Generally this sense of derelict means:in terrible condition and/or abandoned
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 12 |
descend
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
descend from royalty
Do you believe we're descended from apes?
descended = evolved
Definition
Generally this sense of descend means:figuratively, to have come down a path from the past; i.e., to originate or come from — such as in reference to ancestors or evolutionary origins
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
despair
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
she felt despair
Sometimes she gave up in despair and she just lay weeping in the pitch darkness.
despair = hopelessness
Definition
Generally this sense of despair means:hopelessness; or distress (such as extreme worry or sadness from feeling powerless to change a bad situation)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 38 |
dismay
1 use
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.
In sighing and dismay.
dismay = to feel sadness, disappointment, or worry
Definition
Generally dismay means:to feel sadness, disappointment, or worry — typically in response to something surprising
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 12 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 16 |
flexible
2 uses
I touched the baby's shoulder blades, felt how tiny and flexible they were.
flexible = bendable
Definition
Generally flexible means:bendable or adaptable
in various senses, including:
- easily bent without physical damage or injury — as of a hose or gymnast
- able to adjust readily to different conditions — as of a plan
- willing to make concessions — as of a negotiator or a boss
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
hobbled
1 use
She hobbled away, singing "Lord of the Dance" to herself.
hobbled = walked with difficulty
Definition
Generally this sense of hobbled means:walked with difficulty (due to injury or physical impediment)
or:
hindered (made the action or progress of something difficult)
or:
hindered (made the action or progress of something difficult)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 25 |
inflexible
2 uses
"It is linked to another process," she said, "by which the mind too, becomes inflexible."
inflexible = not flexible (not adaptable)
Definition
Generally inflexible means:not bendable or adaptable
in various senses, including:
- not willing to compromise or make concessions — as when a boss says "Do it my way or you're fired."
- not able to adjust well to different conditions — as of a schedule that cannot be changed
- not easily bent without physical damage or injury — as of brittle steel or person with stiff joints
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 20 |
inhibit
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
inhibited the growth of...
We believe that schools inhibit the natural curiosity, creativity, and intelligence of children.
inhibit = keep from developing
Definition
Generally this sense of inhibit means:to limit the activity of someone or something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
nettle
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
beware of nettles near the river
There were just nettles and thistles and weeds and half-bricks and lumps of stone.
nettles = a type of plant that often has fine irritating hairs
Definition
Generally this sense of nettle means:a type of plant with stinging or irritating hairs
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
oblivious
1 use
I wanted to be all alone in an attic like Skellig, with just the owls and the moonlight and an oblivious heart.
oblivious = unaware
Definition
Generally oblivious means:unaware of
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 36 |
ossified
1 use
This process is ossification.
ossification = the process of becoming rigid and inflexible
(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 ossified means:of ideas: rigid and inflexible
of body tissue: hardened into bone
of body tissue: hardened into bone
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 20 |
plunder
1 use
They'll dream about vicious children plundering the nest.
plundering = stealing from
Definition
Generally plunder means:to steal — often after conquering the location with the goods
or:
the goods stolen
or:
the goods stolen
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 36 |
protrude
1 use
She leaned over and drew a skinny black tongue protruding from Coot's mouth.
protruding = sticking out
Definition
Generally protrude means:to stick out from
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 34 |
recoil
1 use
"Gotcha," he said, and his hand recoiled like he'd fired.
recoiled = moved back suddenly
Definition
Generally recoil means:to move backward suddenly (sometimes figuratively)
especially:
- the backward jerk of a gun or cannon when it is fired
- when a person flinches (suddenly draws back) from someone or something, as with fear, disgust, or pain
- when a person is emotionally repulsed, as by disgust
- when something intended to go in one direction figuratively falls back in the opposite direction; for example, a story told to hurt someone that comes back to hurt the teller
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 28 |
remnant
1 use
It was long after dusk when Mina and I went out with the remnants of 27 and 53 and a bottle of brown ale in a paper bag.
remnants = small amounts that remains after the rest is gone
Definition
Generally remnant means:a small amount that remains after the rest is gone — sometimes specifically of cloth
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 42 |
transparent
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
transparent shower door
Transparent, ghostly, hardly visible, but there they were.
transparent = easily seen through
Definition
Generally this sense of transparent means:able to be seen through with clarity
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 41 |