abrupt
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
an abrupt change
Panic is abrupt.
abrupt = sudden and unexpected
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 15 uses in 10 avg bks |
apparent
1 use
I'm not sure, Andy, but it certainly is apparent in literature.
apparent = clear or obvious
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 |
assets
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
it's one of her best assets
But that name turned out to be a detriment rather than an asset to me.
asset = positive trait or thing of value
(editor's note: Detriment is a synonym for liability—something that is negative or a disadvantage.)
(editor's note: Detriment is a synonym for liability—something that is negative or a disadvantage.)
Definition
Generally this sense of assets means:a positive trait or thing of value
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
assimilate
1 use
That's the only way to make it in this world—to assimilate into the society in which we live.
assimilate = fit into (become a part of by being similar to the other parts)
Definition
Generally assimilate means:take in, transform, or fit in
The exact meaning of assimilate can depend upon its context. For example:
- "assimilate to a new country" — fitting into a prevailing culture
- "assimilate the information" — transform information within the mind into understanding
- "assimilate the food" — transform nutrients within the body for its use
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
bias
1 use
Let me give you another example of how color bias can be changed—and this one is racial in nature.
bias = a personal preference — especially a prejudice that prevents objective consideration
Definition
Generally bias means:a personal preference — especially a prejudice that prevents objective consideration
or:
any tendency to move in a particular direction — such as a car that tends to want to swerve toward the right
or:
any tendency to move in a particular direction — such as a car that tends to want to swerve toward the right
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
depravity
1 use
We've watched Macbeth change from a noble, trusted, dedicated soldier, willing to sacrifice his life for king and country, to a wretched, depraved, corrupt murderer who no longer has feelings of guilt or morality.
depraved = completely immoral or evil
Definition
Generally depravity means:complete immorality or evilness
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
forfeit
2 uses
The team decided to forfeit the next two games and to dedicate the rest of the season to Rob and to try to win the title as a tribute to him.
forfeit = lose or surrender something (in this case, to not play scheduled games and treat them as losses to the other teams when calculating competitive standings)
Definition
Generally forfeit means:to lose or surrender something — often as a penalty
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
hypnotize
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
hypnotized by her performance
And the longer I stood there, the more I became like-sorta hypnotized by the slick whistlin' of the cars as they rushed beneath us.
hypnotized = fascinated so much that awareness of other surrounding things was lost
Definition
Generally this sense of hypnotize means:fascinate so much that awareness of other surrounding things is lost or too much trust is granted
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
inevitable
1 use
He's got one little spark left—his refusal to surrender to Macduff and the forces of good—but don't you think his death is inevitable, Marcus?
inevitable = certain to happen
Definition
Generally inevitable means:certain to happen (even if one tried to prevent it)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 23 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
intrusion
1 use
Let me ask you this—and please don't misunderstand my intentions or think that I'm trying to intrude into the personal life of your family—but wasn't Andy seeing a counselor about possible problems that may have been caused by his involvement in that accident?
intrude = involve oneself without welcome
Definition
Generally intrusion means:an involvement or interruption that is unwelcome
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
luscious
1 use
Chocolate is ... brown and luscious!
luscious = very desirable
Definition
Generally luscious means:very desirable
in various senses, including:
- delicious — especially sweet and juicy — as in "a luscious peach"
- pleasing or delightful — as in "the luscious scenery"
- sexually appealing — as in "Can you introduce me to that luscious woman in the skimpy bikini?"
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
metaphor
1 use
"the bad guy is always a black-hearted villain. ... The tones of black and white have the greatest amount of contrast between them, therefore writers and poets, who have always dealt with extremes in passion and people, use black and white to create those images of contrast. Can you think of any other example where color is used as a metaphor to express an idea?"
metaphor = a figure of speech in which a word is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity — as when Shakespeare wrote, "All the world's a stage."
Definition
Generally metaphor means:a figure of speech in which a similarity between two things is highlighted by using a word to refer to something that it does not literally denote — as when Shakespeare wrote, "All the world's a stage."
When Shakespeare wrote, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players." he was not saying the world is really a stage and all people are actors. But he was pointing to the similarities he wants us to recognize.
When Shakespeare wrote, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players." he was not saying the world is really a stage and all people are actors. But he was pointing to the similarities he wants us to recognize.
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
opera
1 use
That sweet little Donna Correlli was booed off the stage when she tried to sing opera.
opera = a classical music play in which most of the dialogue is sung
Definition
Generally opera means:a musical play with orchestra in which most dialogue is sung — (typically associated with classical music and often in a language foreign to the audience)
or:
the art form (or describing something as related to it) that consists of musical plays with orchestra in which most dialogue is sung
or:
the art form (or describing something as related to it) that consists of musical plays with orchestra in which most dialogue is sung
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |
Puritans
1 use
In Puritan England, about 300 years ago, it was against the law to wear the color red.
Puritan = any of the English Protestants who in the 16th and 17th centuries thought there were too many rituals in worship and who stressed hard work above pleasure
Definition
Generally Puritans means:English Protestants who in the 16th and 17th centuries wanted more purity and less ritual in worship, and who stressed hard work above pleasure
(a Protestant is any of the Western Christian religious denominations that broke off from the Catholic Church. In the US, the bets known are Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians.)
(a Protestant is any of the Western Christian religious denominations that broke off from the Catholic Church. In the US, the bets known are Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians.)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
rehabilitate
1 use
Don't you have to go to the Health Clinic for your Alcohol Rehabilitation classes?
rehabilitation = to restore someone to good condition
(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 rehabilitate means:to restore someone (or more rarely, something) to a state of good condition — such as recovery from addiction, illness, prison, or poor reputation
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
reprehensible
1 use
But back to the subject at hand—this absolutely reprehensible report card!
reprehensible = bad and unacceptable
Definition
Generally reprehensible means:bad — deserving severe criticism
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
resilient
1 use
I just know that time heals all wounds, and that you're young and strong and resilient.
resilient = able to withstand strain and/or quickly recover from it
Definition
Generally resilient means:able to withstand strain and/or quickly recover from it — such as a person retaining a positive attitude, or a material returning to its shape after being bent, stretched, or pressed
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
revoke
1 use
I ended up gettin' my license revoked until I'm twenty-one, and a two-year suspended sentence.
revoked = cancelled (taken back)
Definition
Generally this sense of revoke means:to void, cancel, or take back — especially to do so in an official manner
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
righteous
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a righteous cause
All I ask for is a little of your time, and you want to get all righteous on me.
righteous = morally correct (concerned with moral behavior)
Definition
Generally this sense of righteous means:morally correct; or morally justified
or:
acting or feeling morally superior — especially when it isn't true (this meaning is more typically seen as a compound word beginning with "self-")
or:
acting or feeling morally superior — especially when it isn't true (this meaning is more typically seen as a compound word beginning with "self-")
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
Shakespeare
3 uses
See, Shakespeare isn't so bad.
Shakespeare = Writer of plays and poetry frequently cited as the greatest writer in the English language (1564-1616)
Definition
Generally this sense of Shakespeare means:English dramatist and poet frequently cited as the greatest writer in the English language and who wrote such works as Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet (1564-1616)
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 11 uses in 10 avg bks |