In the Unlikely Event — Vocabulary
Judy Blume
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	13	top 1000
expelexpel → expulsion:the act of forcing out (in this case, kicking someone out of school) Her records show expulsion from two schools.more Show sample from book I hope I won't be expelled.†p.331.112 more expel → expelled:forced out Show general definition force out especially in 2 primary senses: kicking someone out of an organization -- such as a school or country squeezing something to eliminate a liquid or gas
	3	top 100
positivepositive → positively:in a good or beneficial manner Lower interest rates positively affected home sales.†more Show sample from book At least they were doing something positive.p.223.93 more good or beneficial Show general definition for positive (as in: had a positive effect) good or beneficial
	1
positive#2optimistic With a positive attitude and some effort, I'm sure we can make this work.more Show sample from book Hard work and a positive attitude paid off.p.274.73 more optimistic or agreeable Show general definition for positive (as in: a positive attitude) optimistic (expecting or focusing on good things); or agreeable
	7	top 500
confideconfide → confided:placed trust (in someone) by talking about private things She confided in me. I won't repeat what was said.more Show sample from book Irene had once confided to Rusty she'd had the opportunity, when she was young, to marry into the family who'd started Volupte.†p.17.56 more Show general definition to place trust (in someone) by talking about private things or telling secrets
	8
polioa viral disease that causes paralysis Polio paralyzed and killed thousands of Americans a year before vaccination began in 1955.more Show sample from book Ronald T. Stein was today named chairman of the Union County division of the Annual March of Dimes Polio Drive.†p.158.17 more viral disease that causes muscle paralysis Show general definition a viral disease that can cause paralysis and sometimes death
	7	top 2000
monka male member of a religious order typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience The Tibetan monk wore an orange robe.more Show sample from book Yours, Dad (Mike Monk)†p.259.86 more a male member of a religious order typically living under vows of poverty, chast…
	4	top 200
indignantindignant → indignantly:with anger or annoyance at something unjust or wrong "I am not a fool," she said indignantly.more Show sample from book A few days after the crash, a "Public Indignation" meeting was held at City Hall, demanding authorities shut down Newark Airport.†p.214.73 more indignant → indignation:anger or annoyance at something unjust or wrong Show general definition angered or annoyed at something unjust or wrong
	4	top 500
perishbe destroyed or cease to exist ...government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.Abraham Lincoln — Gettysburg Addressmore Show sample from book Stewardess Who Perished in Crash Warned Sister†p.127.13 more perish → perished:died, was destroyed, or ceased to exist Show general definition to die -- especially in an unnatural way or: to be destroyed or cease to exist Show editor's word notes You may encounter an informal expression, "Perish the thought." It means that the speaker hopes the thought will cease to exist and the thing it represents will never happen.
	2	top 100
evaluateevaluate → evaluating:thinking carefully and making a judgment about I'm evaluating colleges and deciding which I want to apply to.more Show sample from book You never knew when the chief stewardess might show up to run a checklist, observing the dress and work habits of the girls, an evaluation procedure most of them dreaded.†p.276.41 more evaluate → evaluation:the process of thinking carefully and making a judgment about something Show general definition to think carefully and make a judgment about something
	2	top 500
controversialtends to arouse strong disagreement The issue of the death penalty is highly controversial in some states.more Show sample from book As principal he has a veto over controversial stories.†p.324.31 more tending to arouse strong disagreement Show general definition tending to arouse strong disagreement
	4	top 2000
communisman economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society A challenge with communism is that it is harder to know how to allocate capital when prices are subjective rather than the product of individual valuations.†more Show sample from book Could it be caused by Communists?†p.328.83 more communism → communists:people who support an economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society
	2	top 1000
durationtime (during which something continues) I take zinc tablets to help shorten the duration of a cold.more Show sample from book She brushed out her hair, cut in a becoming style that never touched the collar of her suit jacket, and fastened her jaunty cap, which she had to leave on for the duration of the flight, not that she minded.†p.275.91 more the time during which something continues Show general definition the time during which something continues
	2	top 1000
sereneserene → serenely:calmly and peacefully While I lie awake worrying, she sleeps serenely.more Show sample from book THE WORLD MAY HAVE BEEN falling apart but at Dr. O's office everything was serene.†p.184.11 more calm and untroubled Show general definition calm and untroubled
	2	top 1000
debrispieces of something that has been destroyed; or trash that is lying around She swept up the debris.more Show sample from book When they started separating the debris, a few bodies, or parts of them, became distinguishable.†p.55.11 more Show general definition pieces of something that has been destroyed; or trash that is lying around
	2	top 1000
recuperaterecuperate → recuperating:regaining health The patient is recuperating.more Show sample from book Gene Kelly had his appendix removed in Paris and was recuperating in Switzerland.†p.197.51 more recuperate → recuperating:regaining health or strength Show general definition to regain good health or strength
	2	top 1000
lobbyistlobbyist → lobbyists:people paid to influence legislation through persuasion of public officials Critics argued that the bill favored corporate interests due to pressure from powerful lobbyists.more Show sample from book She'd lobbied for a dog when she was a girl, when they'd lived on Westfield Avenue in a single-family house with a backyard, close to her father's shop, Ammerman's Fine Food Emporium.†p.14.21 more lobbyist → lobbied:someone who is paid to influence legislation through persuasion of public offici… Show general definition someone who is paid to influence legislation through persuasion of public officials
	3
vagabondperson who wanders from town to town with no fixed home or job She describes him as a vagabond storyteller.†more Show sample from book The owner of the Vagabond in Miami, where Ruby was heading, said there was no replacing Ruby.†p.84.62 more a person who wanders from town to town with no fixed home or job Show general definition a person who wanders from town to town with no fixed home or job
	3
synagoguesynagogue → synagogues:Jewish houses of worship They were arrested for planning to bomb a series of synagogues.more Show sample from book He was active in the community, philanthropic, giving money to synagogues and other Jewish charities.†p.87.12 more synagogue → synagogues:places where members of the Jewish faith worship Show general definition a place of worship for a people of the Jewish faith
	2
dissuadepersuade someone not to do something The ad features a woman dying of lung throat cancer in an attempt to dissuade people from starting to smoke cigarettes.more Show sample from book No wonder Dana had tried to dissuade her from taking the non-scheduled flight to Tampa, then Miami.†p.42.81 more Show general definition persuade someone not to do something
	2
vetoveto → vetoed:blocked (prevented it from taking effect) Congress passed the legislation, but the President vetoed it.more Show sample from book He vetoed it, said it was inflammatory.†p.325.51 more veto → vetoed:blocked (prevented) an action Show general definition to exercise the right to override another's decision by preventing their intended action