acute
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
acute pain
—she had to admit that the situation made her feel acutely vulnerable.
acutely = severely (exceedingly)
Definition
Generally this sense of acute means:sharp (severe or strong) — usually negative
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 32 |
approach
3 uses
1 —3 uses as in:
approached the city
—and didn't hear Elizabeth approach.†
approach = get near
Definition
Generally this sense of approach means:to get closer to (near in space, time, quantity, or quality)
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 104 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 1 |
bronze
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
bronze won't corrode in salt water
He'd picked up a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts in Vietnam and over the years had served in Grenada, Panama, Bosnia, and the First Gulf War.
bronze = made of a brownish metal
(editor's note: The bronze Star is a medal awarded to selected members of the United States military for heroism or other merit.)
(editor's note: The bronze Star is a medal awarded to selected members of the United States military for heroism or other merit.)
Definition
Generally this sense of bronze means:a brownish-colored metal with red or yellow hues that is made of copper and (usually) tin
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
deter
1 use
...no matter what she said to him, it didn't seem to deter his overtures.
deter = prevent
(editor's note: In this context, overtures is referring to attempts to develop a closer relationship.)
(editor's note: In this context, overtures is referring to attempts to develop a closer relationship.)
Definition
Generally deter means:try to prevent; or prevent
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
diligent
1 use
Someone had diligently gone through his drawers and cleaned up afterward.
diligently = with hard work and care
Definition
Generally this sense of diligent means:hard work and care in tasks — often continuing when others might quit because of difficulties
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 19 |
dwell
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
Don't dwell on it.
Gramps had a way of dwelling on the negative.
dwelling = letting attention stay on (or return to) something for a prolonged period
Definition
Generally this sense of dwell means:to think, communicate, or let attention stay on (or return to) something for a prolonged period
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
eccentric
1 use
Eccentric or not, she was intelligent—no doubt about that.
eccentric = unconventional or strange
Definition
Generally eccentric means:unconventional or strange; or a person with such traits
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 8 |
emerge
7 uses
Outside, the first stars were beginning to emerge, and the car's headlights swept the curves of the road.
emerge = come out; or appear
Definition
Generally emerge means:to come out, or to appear
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 58 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 28 |
factor
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
factor it into your thinking
And that didn't factor in all the feeding, kennel maintenance, phone calls, dealing with clients, and paperwork.†
factor = consider (the affect on a result or outcome)
Definition
Generally this sense of factor means:include consideration of
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
immune
4 uses
Thibault wasn't completely immune to the escalating tension, and like everyone else, he'd needed an outlet.
immune = not susceptible (unaffected by)
Definition
Generally immune means:not in danger of being affected by something — especially a disease
or:
relating to disease resistance
or:
relating to disease resistance
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 9 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
implication
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
the implication is that...
"Ask him about the photograph," he said. ...
Clayton knew by her expression that he had her attention but wasn't sure she understood the implications.
... "He was obsessed with you even though you'd never met... He hunted you down, ... to become part of your life. That's what dangerous stalkers do, Beth."
Clayton knew by her expression that he had her attention but wasn't sure she understood the implications.
... "He was obsessed with you even though you'd never met... He hunted you down, ... to become part of your life. That's what dangerous stalkers do, Beth."
implications = things that can be concluded from knowing something else
Definition
Generally this sense of implication means:Something that follows from something else.
The thing that follows could be:
- something suggested indirectly (not said directly)
- something that can be concluded (often a logical consequence)
- something that results from something else
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 5 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 27 |
monologue
1 use
She didn't like the sound of his rambling monologue, but she was afraid to cut him off.
monologue = a long uninterrupted speech
Definition
Generally monologue means:a (usually long) dramatic speech by a single actor
or:
a long speech by one person — especially one that prevents others from talking
or:
a continuous series of jokes and stories by a single comedian
or:
a long speech by one person — especially one that prevents others from talking
or:
a continuous series of jokes and stories by a single comedian
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 36 |
nonchalant
3 uses
Caught off guard, Clayton tried to sound nonchalant.
nonchalant = calm and unconcerned
Definition
Generally nonchalant means:calm in manner — appearing unconcerned
Word Statistics
| Book | 3 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
obscure
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
it obscured my view
The current crashed over his face, obscuring his vision, making it difficult to breathe, making it difficult to think of anything but survival.
obscuring = making it harder to see
Definition
Generally this sense of obscure means:to block from view or make less visible or understandable
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 2000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 38 |
plausible
4 uses
The story was plausible, but she sensed that he was either lying or leaving something out.
plausible = sounded reasonable on the surface (though unproven)
Definition
Generally plausible means:apparently reasonable, but unproven
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
preoccupied
4 uses
Water from the river now stretched across the road, but in her preoccupied state, she didn't realize it until she plowed into the water.
preoccupied = took up the attention of
Definition
Generally preoccupied means:busy thinking about or doing something so that other things are not noticed or done
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
rectify
1 use
That he seemed to be simply working on the project, rectifying Ben's mistakes without frustration or anger, made her feel a burst of gratitude and affection toward him.
rectifying = correcting, fixing, or making right
Definition
Generally this sense of rectify means:correct, fix, or make right
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
scrutiny
4 uses
He nodded, uncomfortable under her scrutiny.
scrutiny = careful look or inspection
Definition
Generally scrutiny means:careful examination of something
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 10 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 33 |
stagnate
1 use
If you didn't exercise enough, your muscles stagnated.
stagnated = stopped developing
(editor's note: This is a less common sense of stagnated. More commonly, it describes water that does not flow and gets smelly and unhealthy. The word was probably chosen in part because of that connotation.)
(editor's note: This is a less common sense of stagnated. More commonly, it describes water that does not flow and gets smelly and unhealthy. The word was probably chosen in part because of that connotation.)
Definition
Generally stagnate means:staying still or not developing
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 0 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 5 |
volatile
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
a volatile situation
Logan said nothing, sensing her volatile state.
volatile = emotionally explosive
Definition
Generally this sense of volatile means:quick to change; or emotionally explosive
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 28 |