Okay for Now — Vocabulary
Gary D. Schmidt
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	6	top 2000
operaa classical music play in which most of the dialogue is sung She is a popular opera singer.more Show sample from book Can you imagine Joe Pepitone ever going to an opera?†p.46.35 more a musical play with orchestra in which most of the dialogue is sung (or the art form that consists of such musicals; or describing something as related to that art form) Show general definition a form of musical theater with orchestra in which most of the words are sung, often in a classical style and sometimes in a foreign language
	5	top 2000
hordevery large number A horde of reporters descended on the small town.more Show sample from book Mr. McElroy in world history, who announced that we were going to start by studying the barbarian hordes of western Russia, and then looked at me.†p.99.14 more horde → hordes:large numbers Show general definition a very large number -- typically of people, animals, or insects on the move
	1	top 10
illustratemake clear Pictures of flooding help to illustrate the problem of global warming.more Show sample from book Are you trying to illustrate a principle of randomness, Doug Swieteck?p.124.9 help make clear Show general definition for illustrate (as in: as illustrated by this example) to help make clear -- typically by example
	2
climaxmost exciting or important part The deathbed scene is the climax of the play.more Show sample from book Then he told us that the next day would be the stunning climax of the Wrestling and Volleyball Units.†p.215.31 more the most exciting or important part of a story, musical piece, or other thing th… Show general definition for climax (as in: climax of the story) the most exciting or important part of a story, musical piece, or other thing that has a series of events
	1	top 500
austerelacking luxury (and stern) He took a vow of silence and leads an austere life at the monastery.more Show sample from book After that, when even the ninth-graders who had Caught the Stupid Spirit were pretty much drooping, Principal Peattie announced that parents were to stay in the auditorium for an informational session on school expectations as well as a discussion of what supplies they were to provide in a year of austerity budgets.†p.79.7 austere → austerity:a government policy in which significantly less money is spent than normal; or any notable absence of luxury, comfort, or decoration Show general definition a notable absence of luxury, comfort, or decoration or: of a person: stern in manner; or practicing great self-denial
	1	top 500
underminegradually weaken She has taken every opportunity to undermine my influence with the team.more Show sample from book I don't think we'll undermine all law and order in the state of New York if I let you in early.†p.35.8 weaken gradually Show general definition weaken gradually
	1	top 1000
naivenaive → naïve:lacking the understanding or sophistication that comes from experience She criticized America's naïve foreign policy.more Show sample from book Miss Cowper in English, whose first words were "This fall, we will be reading Jane Eyre by Miss Charlotte Bronte, and I am not naive enough to believe that you will all like it."†p.99.2 lacking experience or sophistication, and the understanding that comes from them Show general definition lacking experience or sophistication, and the understanding that comes from them -- often too trusting or optimistic
	1	top 1000
scrupulouscareful and thorough You can count on her. She is scrupulous in her work.more Show sample from book And since Marysville's public library is not so scrupulous as its historical society, this is the only volume that is missing any of its pages.†p.117.9 careful to behave ethically and/or diligently Show general definition careful to behave ethically and/or diligently (with great care and attention to detail)
	1	top 2000
distraughtextremely distressed She's too distraught to know what she's saying.more Show sample from book She doesn't have anything to do with it, and even though she doesn't show it, she's distraught.†p.117.6 Show general definition extremely distressed--typically with worry or grief that interferes with clear thinking
	1	top 1000
prescribeprescribe → prescribed:gave medical instructions instructing that the patient should take The doctor prescribed an antibiotic for the infection.more Show sample from book My mother did the best she could by calling up the doctor's office and asking what to do and filling the prescription for the ointment for Lucas's eyes and checking the stumps every day to be sure there was no redness or smell of infection.†p.238.1 prescribe → prescription:a recommendation or requirement OR (from a medical doctor) an instruction -- such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics Show general definition to recommend or require what should be done or more specifically: of a medical doctor: to give medical instructions -- such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics
	1	top 2000
rendezvousmeet at an agreed time and place We're going to rendezvous at Starbucks.more Show sample from book And so what that Apollo 7 successfully detached from the Saturn rocket to practice the rendezvous they would have to perform perfectly for a moon shot?†p.151.3 to meet at a specific time and place; OR the meeting itself Show general definition to meet at a specific time and place; or the meeting itself
	1	top 2000
patronpatron → patrons:customers The café was filled with patrons enjoying coffee and studying for exams.more Show sample from book And I think we could have filled a whole bunch more if Mrs. Merriam hadn't come up and reminded Mr. Powell that there were other patrons of the Marysville Free Public Library, not to mention all the cataloging for those new books from Houghton Mifflin, and she couldn't do that by herself and check books in and out also, could she?†p.74.6 patron → patrons:a regular customer… Show general definition for patron (as in: a patron of the arts) a regular customer; or someone who gives money or support to an organization, cause, or person
	1
regentregent → regental:members of a governing board The California Board of Regents voted to increase student fees at all University of California schools.more Show sample from book If we kept up our studies, we would all find next year's algebra Regents exams to be well within our abilities, and we would fare quite well against all the other algebra students in the great State of New York.†p.356.6 regent → regents:a member of a governing board Show general definition a member of a governing board -- especially at a state university or: someone who rules a country temporarily while the king or queen is too young, too sick, or away
	1	top 2000
specimenspecimen → specimens:examples representative of their type The museum holds over a million insect specimens.more Show sample from book "That's how Audubon got his specimens," he said.†p.115.7 specimen → specimens:examples regarded as typical of their class Show general definition an example thought to represent its type; or a bit of tissue, blood, or urine that is taken for diagnostic purposes
	7
triviafacts or details that are generally considered unimportant The game show places a premium on remembering trivia.†more Show sample from book The only reason we were going, he said, was the Trivia Contest.†p.153.46 more Show general definition facts or details that are generally considered unimportant
	3
abridgeabridge → abridged:shortened The first commercially available audiobook was a 1981 abridged version of the Doctor Who story, State of Decay.more Show sample from book The original novel is over four hundred pages long—no groaning, please, you are not cattle being led to slaughter—but you will be reading an abridgment.†p.99.42 more abridge → abridgment:shortened book; or something reduced in scope while retaining essential elements Show general definition reduce in scope while retaining essential elements -- especially to a book
	2
down paymenta partial payment made at the time of purchase We're saving money for a down payment on a home.more Show sample from book You don't get a whole lot for a hundred-dollar down payment, I guess.†p.204.81 more Show general definition a partial payment made at the time of purchase (the rest to be paid later)
	1	top 1000
cruxmost important part I see the crux as whether you trust people to make those kinds of decisions for themselves.more Show sample from book Mr. Powell wanted me to work on the bills and the feet, since they were at crux points in the composition, he said.†p.103.8 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
	1
anthologycollection of writings It's an anthology of 50 essays by 50 writers, each highlighting what makes one of the 50 states unique.more Show sample from book Would we please pass forward our poetry anthologies?†p.301.1 anthology → anthologies:a collection of literary works or music Show general definition a collection of literary works or music
	1
transistor radiotransistor radio → transistor radios:small portable radios made with transistors Transistor radios were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s.more Show sample from book One with a transistor radio on—except it was the stupid Mets and not the Yankees.†p.15.1 a type of small portable radio Show general definition a small portable radio that was popular in the past and made with transistors rather than vacuum tubes