The Red Pyramid — Vocabulary
Rick Riordan
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Exemplary sample Uses Broad Use
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serpentsnake
There was a picture of a serpent eating its tail.more
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It lunged at the fiery man, who effortlessly grabbed the serpent by its neck.†26 more
Show general definition a snake
8 top 1000
banishbanishbanished:forced to leave
He was banished from his own country.more
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For the last two thousand years or so, we magicians have spent much of our time binding and banishing them whenever they appear.†7 more
banishbanishing:expelling or getting rid of
Show general definition to expel or get rid of
in various senses, including:
  • to force someone to leave a country as punishment
  • to push an idea from the mind
8 top 2000
abyssseemingly bottomless pit
At the end of the story, Gandalf falls with the demon into the abyss.more
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The dagger should've impaled me in the chest, but somehow I deflected it with my blade and sent it sailing into the abyss.†7 more
a hole or dropoff so deep the bottom cannot be seen -- often used figuratively to imply a frightening bottomless pit
Show general definition a hole or dropoff so deep the bottom cannot be seen -- often used figuratively to imply a frightening bottomless pit
8 top 2000
deflectturn aside
The shield was designed to deflect arrows away from the body.more
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The dagger should've impaled me in the chest, but somehow I deflected it with my blade and sent it sailing into the abyss.†7 more
deflectdeflected:turned aside from a fixed direction or line of interest
Show general definition turn aside from a fixed direction or line of interest
8 top 2000
chidechidechides:corrects or criticizes
She constantly chides me for my grammar.more
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"An old trick, Julius," the fiery man chided.†7 more
chidechided:scolded or criticized
Show general definition to tell someone they have done wrong -- sometimes in a gentle way to encourage better behavior
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aurasurrounding feeling or atmosphere
The place has an aura of romance.more
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The residual life aura can interfere with spells?†7 more
A distinctive quality, mood, or feeling that seems to surround a person, place, …
Show general definition A distinctive quality, mood, or feeling that seems to surround a person, place, or thing; or, more literally, a glowing light shown around someone's head or body in spiritual or artistic images
8 top 2000
exileeviction from one's home country
She fled Tibet and is living in exile in India.more
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He was exiled, I suppose you would say.†7 more
exileexiled:forced to leave one's homeland
Show general definition to force someone to live outside of their homeland; or living in such a condition

or more rarely:  voluntary absence from a place someone would rather be
7 top 2000
avengeget revenge for
He swore to avenge his father's murder no matter how long it took.more
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I thought about the myths I knew—how Horus, the son of Osiris, had to avenge his father by defeating Set.†6 more
take revenge for
Show general definition take revenge for a perceived wrong
7 top 2000
chasma large, deep, and steep-sided opening on the earth's surface
You can't leap a twenty-foot chasm with two 10-foot jumps.more
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We were standing at the edge of a chasm.†6 more
a large gap or divide
Show general definition a large and deep and steep-sided opening on the earth's surface; or (more rarely) any large gap

or:

a very large difference -- often of opinion
7 top 2000
insistentfirm and continuing
We questioned her repeatedly and she remained insistent that she knew nothing of the event.more
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Muffin said, more insistently.†6 more
insistentinsistently:in a persistent or firm manner
Show general definition persistent or continuing or firm -- especially in maintaining a view or demanding something
7 top 2000
bronzea brownish metal that is made of copper and (usually) tin
The sculpture of a bull on Wall Street is made of bronze.more
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On the right was a massive set of bronze doors with fires blazing on either side; on the left, a twenty-foot-tall sphinx carved into the wall.6 more
made of a type of high-quality metal
Show general definition for bronze (as in: bronze won't corrode in salt water) a brownish-colored metal with red or yellow hues that is made of copper and (usually) tin
Show editor's word notes Bronze metals in the Olympics and many other contests are awarded for third place.

With the discovery of bronze (about 3,000 BC), people could make tools and weapons that were harder and more durable than those made of copper and stone that preceded bronze.
6 top 2000
dissipatedissipatedissipates:gradually disappears
Airborne radiation dissipates over time and distance.more
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The black haze was no longer dissipating.†5 more
dissipatedissipating:gradually wasting; or gradually disappearing
Show general definition to gradually disappear; or to gradually waste
6 top 1000
writhewrithewrithed:moved in a twisting or contorted motion
The patient writhed in pain.more
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Zia twisted her staff, and Serget fell sideways, writhing and smoking.†5 more
writhewrithing:moving in a twisting or contorted motion
Show general definition to move in a twisting or contorted motion -- often of a person when struggling or in pain
43
obeliskstone pillar with a pyramidal top
The Washington Monument, a towering obelisk in the National Mall, is a tribute to the first President of the United States.more
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In case you've never seen it: the Needle is an obelisk, not a needle, and it doesn't have anything to do with Cleopatra.†42 more
a stone pillar with a pyramidal top erected as a monument to remember a person o…
Show general definition a stone pillar with a pyramidal top erected as a monument to remember a person or event
7 top 1000
cruxmost important part
I see the crux as whether you trust people to make those kinds of decisions for themselves.more
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I will arrange to be in Las Cruces, New Mexico, tonight.†6 more
cruxcruces:the most important or difficult part of a problem, argument, or situation
Show general definition the most important or difficult part of a problem, argument, or situation
8
initiateinitiateinitiates:new members
Initiates will be formally accepted and presented at the ceremony on Friday.more
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"Our initiates," Zia said, "learning to scry."7 more
initiateinitiates:potential new members
Show general definition for initiate (as in: She is a new initiate.) someone who has formally started in an organization, or been introduced to or attained some expertise in a particular field
3 top 100
narratoran actor who helps to tell a story by talking directly to the audience (breaking the imaginary barrier between the performers and the audience)
The narrator in the play, Our Town talks to characters in the play as well as to the audience.more
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It seems impossible that the two young narrators are telling the truth, but you, the reader, must decide for yourself.†2 more
narratornarrators:storytellers
Show general definition someone who tells a story--especially the main voice in a documentary, or a character who talks directly to the audience in a movie, play or other performance
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auspiciousfavorable
With good weather and no traffic, we had an auspicious start on our journey.more
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sunrise is the most auspicious moment for magic.3 more
Show general definition favorable; or suggestive of good things to come
1
highlighthighlighthighlights:best parts
Did you watch the video highlights?more
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ESPN was on the television, and Khufu was watching highlights from the games the night before.1 more
Show general definition for highlight (as in: highlights of the year) something that stands out
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highlight#2highlighthighlights:strips of hair that are lighter in color
The salon added highlights to her hair.more
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My sister, with her ratty red-highlighted hair and her linen pajamas and her combat boots—how could she possibly worry about being possessed by a goddess?1 more
highlighthighlighted:with strips of hair lighter in color
Show general definition for highlight (as in: highlights in hair) noun:  a strip of hair that is lighter

verb:  making strips of hair lighter