approach (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 5 uses
1 —1 use as in:
approached the city
For example, the author of the book of Hebrews urges believers to "approach the throne of grace with confidence," and says that after Jesus had completed his work on earth, he "sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."†
approach = get near
Definition
Generally this sense of approach means:to get closer to (near in space, time, quantity, or quality)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 104 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 18 |
2 —4 uses as in:
use the best approach
One year, this gentleman decided he could sell more of his delicious beverage using what you might call the Hooters approach to marketing.†
approach = technique (way of doing something)
Definition
Generally this sense of approach means:a way of doing something; or a route that leads to a particular place
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 9 |
congregation
1 use
Some were in our congregation and some from other churches, but they had all come together to pray for our son.
congregation = people who worship together in the same building
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
context
2 uses
Instead, each time I walked into Colton's room, I saw my little boy slipping deeper into the grip of whatever mysterious monster held him. Not only was he not getting better; he was getting worse faster. ... I had seen this look many times, but in a context where you might expect it, in a patient suffering from terminal cancer or in the final phases of old age.
context = situation
Definition
Generally context means:the setting or situation in which something occurs
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
diagnose
9 uses
Without a diagnosis, they couldn't treat our son.
diagnosis = determination of the nature of a problem or an illness
Definition
Generally diagnose means:determine or identify the nature of a problem or an illness
Word Statistics
| Book | 9 uses |
| Library | 13 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
direct (4 meanings)
4 meanings, 12 uses
1 —2 uses as in:
depart directly
But Colton's recent revelation that my raging prayers had ascended directly to heaven—and had received an equally direct response—made me feel like I had some additional confessing to do.†
direct = without delay, or without going somewhere else first
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:without delay, or in the quickest manner, or without going somewhere else first
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 16 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
2 —5 uses as in:
directly above; or buy direct from
It was the same likeness I'd seen before, but this time with Jesus looking directly "into the camera," so to speak.†
directly = straight (exactly where stated; used for emphasis)
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:straight (exactly where stated); or without involvement of anything in between
The exact meaning of this sense of direct is subject to its context. For example:
- "The road runs directly to Las Vegas." — straight (without varying from a straight line)
- "It was a direct hit." — exact
- "The plant is in direct sunlight." — unobstructed (without anything in between)
- "She wants a direct meeting with him." — personal (without other people in between)
- "She paid direct attention to what he was reading." — close
- "a direct gaze" — straight, steady, or focused—not a brief glance taken while generally looking at other things; not a sideways look
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 62 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 27 |
3 —3 uses as in:
was direct in my instructions
But they will answer direct questions, usually with direct answers.†
direct = straightforward (specific and clear)
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:straightforward (uncomplicated or simple — perhaps also indicating openness and honesty)
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 13 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
4 —2 uses as in:
directed the movie
I peeked into the sanctuary and caught the funeral director's eye.†
director = supervisor (person in charge)
(editor's note: The suffix "-or" often converts a verb to a noun that means "a person who." This is the pattern you see in words like actor, editor, and visitor.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-or" often converts a verb to a noun that means "a person who." This is the pattern you see in words like actor, editor, and visitor.)
Definition
Generally this sense of direct means:supervise, control, or to be in charge of
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 29 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 11 |
earnest
5 uses
"Daddy?" Colton looked at me earnestly.
"What?"
He gazed at me and didn't move his eyes from mine. "Daddy, you know I almost died."
"What?"
He gazed at me and didn't move his eyes from mine. "Daddy, you know I almost died."
earnestly = seriously
Definition
Generally earnest means:characterized by sincere belief
or:
intensely or excessively serious
or:
intensely or excessively serious
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 19 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Pro. |
exonerate
1 use
When I get to heaven, you are exonerated.
exonerated = freed from blame
Definition
Generally exonerate means:to free someone from blame
or more rarely:
to free someone from an obligation
or more rarely:
to free someone from an obligation
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
gospel
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
gospel of the Bible
The story is told in the gospel of John:
gospel = one of the four books in the New Testament that Christian's believe tell the story of Jesus Christ's life and teachings (in this case, with a connotation of being uncomfortable and worried by the confusion)
Definition
Generally this sense of gospel means:the religious teachings of Jesus
or:
one of the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that Christian's believe tell the story of Jesus Christ's life and teachings
or:
one of the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that Christian's believe tell the story of Jesus Christ's life and teachings
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 27 |
guile
2 uses
What is childlike humility? It's not the lack of intelligence, but the lack of guile. The lack of an agenda.
guile = cunning (shrewdness and cleverness), and deceit
Definition
Generally guile means:cunning (shrewdness and cleverness) and deceitful
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Pro. |
heresy
1 use
As he was being accused of heresy before a Jewish court, they saw that "his face became as bright as an angel's."
heresy = opinions or actions most people consider immoral (in this case, accused of making false claims about God)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
illustrate (2 meanings)
2 meanings, 3 uses
1 —1 use as in:
as illustrated by this example
For one thing, a pastor's wife has to put up with being used as a sermon illustration a lot.†
illustration = example (to help clarify or demonstrate)
(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 this sense of illustrate means:to help make clear — typically by example
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 10 |
| 1st use | Chapter 17 |
2 —2 uses as in:
an illustrated children's book
Or a kid with a brand-new box of crayons illustrating his science lesson: ROY G BIV.†
illustrating = drawing pictures to accompany
Definition
Generally this sense of illustrate means:to draw pictures (or provide photographs) to accompany a book or other writing
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
interpret
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
her interpretation of the data
Some interpret that as a literal exchange, as in, two days equals two thousand years.†
interpret = understand (something in a particular way)
Definition
Generally this sense of interpret means:to understand or explain something in a particular way — often the meaning or significance of something
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 14 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 14 |
passage
2 uses
And I remembered a passage from Daniel in which an angel visits Daniel in answer to prayer, but says he was delayed for twenty-one days because he was engaged in a battle with the King of Persia.†
passage = a short part of a longer written work
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 26 |
perseverance
1 use
. . . let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
perseverance = continued effort to achieve something despite difficulties
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 18 |
perspective
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
Look at it from her perspective
From a kid's perspective, maybe the best thing that happened in 2005 was the release of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
perspective = way of seeing and thinking about things
Definition
Generally this sense of perspective means:a particular way of seeing or thinking about things
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 25 |