Just Mercy — Vocabulary
Bryan Stevenson
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	80	top 2000
testimonythe statement of a witness at a trial Her emotional testimony moved the jury.more Show sample from book Walter thought the testimony was so nonsensical he couldn't believe that people were taking it seriously.†p.65.979 more something that serves as evidence -- especially a statement at a trial or hearing Show general definition something that serves as evidence -- especially a statement at a trial or hearing
	61	top 2000
incarcerateincarcerate → incarcerated:in prison or jail About 7 out each 1,000 Americans is incarcerated.more Show sample from book This book is about getting closer to mass incarceration and extreme punishment in America.p.14.860 more incarcerate → incarceration:imprisonment Show general definition put in prison, or otherwise confine
	8	top 100
criticalhighly important It is of critical importance.more Show sample from book Mr. Houston says that Hooks is lying, which makes his testimony a critical issue that should be heard in court.p.112.217 more important Show general definition for critical (as in: a critical problem) important, serious, or dangerous
	10	top 100
critical#2tends to find fault She is critical of everything he does.more Show sample from book By the end of the decade, some justices had become openly critical of the review that death penalty cases received.p.78.817 more expressing unfavorable opinions Show general definition for critical (as in: don't be so critical) finding fault and telling others; or tending to have unfavorable opinions
	49	top 2000
paroleconditional early release from imprisonment Being home by 10 pm is one of the conditions of my parole.more Show sample from book There are nearly six million people on probation or on parole.†p.15.248 more conditional early release from imprisonment in which a person is required to com… Show general definition for parole (as in: released on parole) conditional early release from imprisonment in which a person is required to comply with special conditions
	44	top 2000
testifytestify → testified:provided oral evidence in court She testified against the robber.more Show sample from book He began a whispered dialogue with me, imploring me to get the testifying expert to say things about his intent that were really outside the expert's knowledge.†p.79.943 more testify → testifying:providing evidence of something -- especially oral evidence in court Show general definition provide evidence of something -- especially to say something under oath in a court of law
	3	top 100
reflectreflect → reflects:expresses Which choice best reflects the overall sequence of events in the passage?more Show sample from book Although being smart and sensitive made his extended time in solitary confinement especially destructive, he had managed to educate himself, read hundreds of books, and write poetry and short stories that reflected an eager, robust intellect.p.161.58 more reflect → reflected:showed or demonstrated Show general definition for reflect (as in: reflect American Values) to show something -- such as to demonstrate, express, or represent The exact meaning of this sense of reflect depends upon its context. For example: "She says the immorality in the movie reflects American values." -- expresses or represents "It reflects the selfishness she had seen growing for years." -- demonstrates "She did not reflect the panic that surrounded her." -- demonstrate or show indication of
	6	top 100
reflect#2reflect → reflects:thinks carefully At the beginning of this passage, the author reflects on her life as a waitress.more Show sample from book The more I reflected on the experience, the more I recognized that I had been struggling my whole life with the question of how and why people are judged unfairly.p.13.28 more reflect → reflected:thought Show general definition for reflect (as in: I want to reflect on it.) think carefully -- possibly aloud or in writing
	23	top 2000
defendanta person (or institution) legally accused or sued in court The defendant is confident she will be found innocent.more Show sample from book Tom Robinson, the wrongly accused black defendant, is found guilty.†p.23.922 more a person or institution legally accused or sued in court
	2	top 100
advocateadvocate → advocates:publicly supports She advocates stricter gun control.more Show sample from book Marsha held on despite these challenges and started advocating for some of the younger women.p.240.26 more advocate → advocating:supporting and speaking out Show general definition for advocate (as in: to advocate) to recommend or publicly support (someone or something)
	5	top 100
advocate#2a person who publicly supports and works to advance a cause She is a passionate advocate for children's welfare.more Show sample from book Victims' advocates were added to parole boards, and in most states they were given a formal role in state and local prosecutors' offices.p.141.86 more advocate → advocates:supporters Show general definition for advocate (as in: an advocate supporting) a person who publicly supports and works to advance a cause or more rarely: someone acting in the role of a defense lawyer in England's past and in some jurisdictions today
	14	top 500
biasbias → biased:has a prejudice that prevents objective consideration Everyone knows she is too biased to act as an impartial judge.more Show sample from book In the 60 Minutes interview with Chapman, he dismissed as silly the suggestion of any racial bias in Walter McMillian's prosecution.†p.213.513 more a personal preference; or any tendency to move in a particular direction Show general definition a tendency to favor one side -- in people, a prejudice that affects fair judgment; more generally, any built-in lean to move or behave in a particular way (like a car that pulls right)
	1	top 500
implicationsomething implied (said indirectly) I object to her implication that my work was sub-standard.more Show sample from book We argued that the ban on the death penalty had implications because a death-in-prison sentence is also a terminal, unchangeable, once-and-for-all judgment on the whole life of a human being that declares him or her forever unfit to be part of civil society.p.270.113 more implication → implications:consequences or impact Show general definition for implication (as in: the implication is that...) 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
	13	top 500
implication#2involvement She is suspected of implication in three burglaries.more Show sample from book Diane had been wrongly implicated in a drug-trafficking operation that involved her former boyfriend.p.238.613 more implication → implicated:accused of involvement Show general definition for implication (as in: Her implication in the crime) involvement in or the suggestion that someone was involved in something -- especially a crime
	20	top 2000
litigatego to court to settle I'm hoping we won't have to litigate the matter.more Show sample from book I piled up courses on constitutional law, litigation, appellate procedure, federal courts, and collateral remedies.†p.12.819 more litigate → litigation:the process of a engaging in a lawsuit Show general definition use a court to settle a disagreement with force of law
	17
recantsay he no longer believed (something previously said) According to popular legend, after being forced to recant his theory that the Earth moved around the Sun, Galileo whispered, "And yet it moves."more Show sample from book At this point, Tate and his investigators had little interest in Myers's recantation.†p.52.616 more recant → recantation:a statement that formally rejects or disavows a formerly held belief Show general definition for one to say they no longer believe a previously made statement or belief -- often while under pressure
	15
perjurythe criminal offense of telling lies in court after formally promising to tell the truth They did not charge her with theft. They charged her for perjury during her testimony to the grand jury.more Show sample from book A perjury indictment seems like a tactic designed to intimidate and discourage people from coming forward with evidence that contradicts the State's case.p.111.214 more making false statements Show general definition the criminal offense of telling lies after formally promising to tell the truth -- such as when testifying in a court trial
	13
exonerateexonerate → exonerated:freed (of blame) The jury exonerated her of all charges.more Show sample from book Scores of innocent people have been exonerated after being sentenced to death and nearly executed.†p.16.312 more exonerate → exonerated:freed from blame OR (more rarely) freed from an obligation Show general definition to free someone from blame or more rarely: to free someone from an obligation
	3	top 500
elaboratecomplicated It's part of her elaborate plan for getting accepted at Harvard.more Show sample from book I was subjected to an elaborate admission process and given a beeper to activate if I was ever threatened or distressed while inside the prison.p.261.13 more with many details or features Show general definition for elaborate (as in: an elaborate design) having details and complexity -- sometimes fancy or ornate Show editor's word notes Depending upon it's context, this sense of elaborate can additionally imply that details make something either:<ul><li>more special than others of its kind in a good way</li></ul>or:<ul><li>more complicated than necessary in a bad way</li></ul>
	1
elaborate#2exaggerated He gave her a slow elaborate wink.more Show sample from book Ralph believed that everything he said had to be epic, shocking, and elaborate.p.32.23 more exaggerated (or with lots of detail) Show general definition for elaborate (as in: an elaborate wink) to exaggerate an action Show editor's word notes At times, this sense of elaborate can further imply that an action was exaggerated by prolonging it (performing it more slowly than normal).