Live Free or Die — Vocabulary
John Ringo
(Auto-generated)

Word Set

Samples

Sort By

Further limit words

by part of first use

to Show all

by difficulty

to (9 is most difficult)

by interest

underline any show only

Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	16
benefactorfinancial supporter She is the largest benefactor of the museum.more Show sample from book Now our Horvath benefactors receive the pearls as an honorarium for their defense of our system.†p.32.615 more benefactor → benefactors:people who help a person or organization Show general definition someone who helps a person or organization -- especially financially
	14
solar systeman area that includes a star and everything that revolves around it Our solar system includes the Sun, eight planets, their moons, and many smaller objects like asteroids.more Show sample from book Most of the "stuff" in the inner Solar System lay along a vaguely flat plane called the "plane of ecliptic."†p.9.113 more the area that includes the sun (or any star) and everything that revolves around… Show general definition the area that includes the sun (or any star) and everything that revolves around it
	10	top 500
componentcomponent → components:parts It has only three major components.†more Show sample from book The quarters had been shipped in vacuum-scaled components that would fit through the cargo hatches on the Business.†p.388.79 more component → components:a self-contained part of something that when combined with other parts makes som… Show general definition a self-contained part of something that when combined with other parts makes something that is larger or more complex
	13
proprietaryowned and controlled The company protects its proprietary software with strict security measures.more Show sample from book "I'll let the term 'proprietary' hang in the air," Tyler said, sipping his coffee.†p.63.312 more relating to ownership, or something that is owned and controlled by a specific p… Show general definition relating to ownership, or something that is owned and controlled by a specific person or company
	8	top 1000
variablechangeable The weather in this region is highly variable, shifting from sunshine to thunderstorms within hours.more Show context notes The suffix "-able" in variable means able to be. This is the same pattern you see in words like breakable, understandable, and comfortable. Note that when "-able" is placed at the end of a word that ends in "Y", the "Y" is often replaced with "I" as in enviable and deniable. Show sample from book There was, of course, a huge outcry amongst "real" researchers who had grants to study oxygen production of Mira Variables that, naturally, were more important than anything else that could possibly be happening especially with those bunglers at Skywa—A WHAT?†p.10.57 more variable → variables:things that are able to change Show general definition able to change, or something that is able to change Show editor's word notes A variable in mathematics refers more specifically to a symbol that represents a value or a set of values.
	9	top 2000
bacteriamicroorganisms (living creatures so small it takes a microscope to see them) The infection is caused by a bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics.more Show sample from book "There's definitely a suite of bacteria there, but I don't think that's the central problem."p.309.48 more Show general definition microorganisms (living creatures so small it takes a microscope to see them) that can both cause disease and be beneficial. (Bacteria are different and larger than viruses.) Show editor's word notes A single bacteria is called a bacterium and consists of a single cell that reproduces by splitting. (This is unlike a virus that uses cells in the body to reproduce.) Bacteria are found virtually everywhere. For example, there are typically 40 million bacterial cells in a gram of soil and a million bacterial cells in a milliliter of fresh water. Many bacteria reside on our skin and in our bodies. For example, bacteria in the stomach help animals digest food.
	7	top 1000
habitathabitat → habitats:the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives They are endangered due to destruction of their rainforest habitats.more Show sample from book "I want to make a habitat eventually," Tyler said, shrugging.†p.291.96 more Show general definition the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives
	7	top 1000
continuousconstant (uninterrupted) The national power grid is under almost continuous attack.more Show sample from book To achieve even that degree of efficiency will require solid and continuous transfer, which requires a low rotational period to prevent convection transfer.†p.117.56 more continuing in time or space without interruption or irregularity Show general definition continuing in time or space without interruption or irregularity
	5	top 100
redundantmore than is needed or desired What is clarifying for one reader can be a redundant distraction for another.more Show sample from book If the gray drive goes out, which is pretty unlikely given the redundancy, it's going to have exactly the flight characteristics of a brick.†p.207.44 more redundant → redundancy:more than is needed Show general definition more than is needed -- often something that is unnecessarily repeated or in technical usage: describing a secondary component designed to work if the primary component fails
	6	top 500
intuitionintuition → intuitive:able to understand things from feeling or instinct rather than conscious reasoning They were perfect partners--one highly intuitive and the other highly analytical.more Show sample from book Some of it is intuitive but that takes a lot of explanation.†p.224.95 more intuition → intuitive:known instinctively rather than through reasoning Show general definition something known based on feeling or instinct rather than conscious reasoning; or the ability to know things in such a manner
	8	top 2000
trajectorypath or route High winds will alter the rocket's trajectory.more Show sample from book He looked at the angle and trajectory again and shrugged.†p.7.17 more the path followed by an object moving through space… Show general definition the path followed by an object moving through space or: the path of any sequence of events
	5	top 200
inherentbuilt-in or natural The Declaration of Independence began by recognizing the inherent dignity and rights of each person.more Show sample from book It is always wise to look beyond the immediate and contemplate the realm of possibilities inherent in the future.†p.103.34 more existing as an inseparable part or characteristic Show general definition existing as an inseparable part or characteristic Show editor's word notes Synonym Comparison (if you're into word choice): Less-common, but more specific synonyms include "innate" and "intrinsic." You might choose "innate" when referring to a living entity's inherent characteristic since birth (e.g., an innate intelligence) or to a characteristic that is not obvious at first glance (e.g., "Government has an innate tendency to grow.") You might choose "intrinsic" when referring to an inherent characteristic upon which other characteristics depend (e.g., "Steel beams were intrinsic to the design.")
	138
asteroida large rock that moves around the sun and is smaller than a planet Many believe that many dinosaurs became extinct when a large asteroid hit the earth millions of years ago.more Show sample from book A carbonaceous asteroid with a twenty-five megaton airburst yield like Tunguska was unlikely to occur over anything important.†p.5.3137 more one of the millions of rocks that move around the sun, are smaller than a planet… Show general definition one of the millions of rocks that move around the sun, are smaller than a planet, and larger than a meter in diameter
	14
information technologycomputer-related She has a high-paying information technology job.more Show sample from book Efforts to duplicate their information technology had so far been unsuccessful and most experts put humans as at least five hundred years behind current Glatun technology.p.16.913 more relating to computers or telecommunications Show general definition for information technology (as in: IT or Information Technology) the branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store and transmit information
	2	top 100
factorthing (that influenced a result) Cost was an important factor in our decision.more Show sample from book There were a bunch of people predisposed to cancer and other factors that weren't caught in time that were ...gainfully employed and productive members of society?†p.348.13 more factor → factors:things that affect a result or outcome Show general definition for factor (as in: It was the deciding factor.) something that affects a result or outcome Show editor's word notes You also may encounter x-factor or x factor--meaning "the most important thing that influences a result or outcome."
	2
factor#2include consideration of Did you factor maintenance costs into your budget?more Show sample from book Given that the current output of the Very Large Array is only eight point six times ten to the sixth joules per second, even factoring for the projected rate of increase, subtracting anticipated heat dissipation, it will require some six months to observe noticeable heating, much less melting, of the material.p.117.33 more factor → factoring:considering (the affect on a result or outcome)
	7
gradientslope That section of the road has a five-degree gradient.more Show sample from book "The plates create a gravitational gradient," Diw said.†p.245.86 more a slope or gradual change in something, often measured in size, height, strength… Show general definition a slope or gradual change in something, often measured in size, height, strength, or another quantity
	4
kineticcharacterized by motion It is a kinetic sculpture.more Show sample from book The Horvath have kinetic: bombardment systems and heavy lasers.†p.152.43 more
	1
writan order issued by a court or judicial officer Her attorney filed for a writ of habeas corpus.more Show sample from book In general, absent sonic overriding requirement, the writ of the DoD starts at our borders, not within them.p.438.71 more authority
	1
writ#2writ → writ large:made obvious The artist’s love for vibrant colors was writ large in every painting he created.more Show sample from book I know, I know, it's nothing more than Archimedes' Mirror writ large.p.231.51 more Show general definition for writ (as in: writ large) written large an idiom meaning made obvious (as though written in large print)