M. Butterfly — Vocabulary
David Henry Hwang
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	27	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 In order for you to understand what I did and why, I must introduce you to my favorite opera: Madame Butterfly.p.10.126 more 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
	2	top 10
implyimply → implied:hinted or suggested She wouldn't make a direct statement, but she implied that she supported our position.more Show sample from book But how can it face the one sin that implies all others?p.68.91 more imply → implies:suggests Show general definition to suggest or say indirectly -- possibly as a logical consequence
	2	top 100
precedeprecede → preceded:were before in time Stone tools preceded bronze tools.more Show sample from book In the preceding scene, I played Pinkerton, the womanizing cad, and my friend Marc from school ….p.11.91 more precede → preceding:previous Show general definition to go or do before
	4	top 1000
arrogantwith an excessive sense of superiority She is rude and arrogant.more Show sample from book It takes arrogance, really—to believe you can will, with your eyes and your lips, the destiny of another.p.64.13 more arrogant → arrogance:having an excessive sense of superiority Show general definition having an excessive sense of superiority
	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 Do you think they like Communism?p.37.33 more Show general definition an economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society
	2	top 1000
simultaneousat the same time On Super Tuesday a large number of states have simultaneous primary elections.more Show sample from book (Simultaneously:) I don't care to recall how Butterfly and I said our hurried farewell†p.53.71 more Show general definition at the same time
	1	top 100
advocateadvocate → advocates:publicly supports She advocates stricter gun control.more Show sample from book It's what you've been advocating.p.45.6 advocate → advocating:recommending or publicly supporting Show general definition for advocate (as in: to advocate) to recommend or publicly support (someone or something)
	2	top 2000
pretensepretending Nobody is fooled by her pretense.more Show sample from book But the pretense—going on your arm to the embassy ball, visiting your office and the guards saying, "Good morning, good morning, Madame Gallimard" — the pretense ...was very good indeed.†p.57.8 a false appearance or action to help one pretend Show general definition a false appearance or action to help one pretend Show editor's word notes This is sometimes seen in the expression "false pretense" or "false pretenses" which is just emphasizing that behavior or actions do not reflect the true situation.
	2	top 2000
obnoxiousvery rude or unpleasant An obnoxious woman was making a scene.more Show sample from book This, from a contemporary critic's commentary on Madame Butterfly: "Pinkerton suffers from ...being an obnoxious bounder whom every man in the audience itches to kick."†p.35.21 more rude or unpleasant
	2	top 2000
postponepostpone → postponed:delayed until a later time Due to her illness, we postponed our vacation for a week.†more Show sample from book Postponed the inevitable.†p.64.91 more Show general definition delay until a later time
	2	top 2000
treasonbetraying one's own country He was executed for treason in a time of war.more Show sample from book We now return to my version of Madame Butterfly and the events leading to my recent conviction for treason.†p.13.11 more an act of betrayal Show general definition betraying someone or something -- typically betraying one's own country (in this context, to betray is to not be loyal--often by helping enemies)
	2	top 2000
suburbanin an area located near the outer edge of a city where it isn't so crowded I want a suburban home with a white picket fence and a big yard.more Show sample from book Somehow I knew I'd end up in the suburbs working for Renault and you'd be in the Orient picking exotic women off the trees.†p.28.91 more suburban → suburbs:residential areas located near the outer edge of a city where it isn't as crowded Show general definition relating to a residential area located near the outer edge of a city where it isn't as crowded
	1	top 200
objectivefact-based (not influenced by personal feelings or preferences) By any objective analysis, you would have to agree that...more Show sample from book How can you objectively judge your own values?p.21.3 objective → objectively:in an unbiased manner Show general definition for objective (as in: an objective viewpoint) fact-based without the influence of personal feelings or preferences Show editor's word notes Objective is often contrasted with subjective--which means "influenced by personal belief, feelings, or preferences (rather than being based purely upon fact)."
	1	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 In Madame Butterfly, Cio-Cio-San fears that the Western man who catches a butterfly will pierce its heart with a needle, then leave it to perish.†p.28.3 die, be destroyed, or cease 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.
	1	top 500
contemporarylived at the same time Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were contemporary artists who competed for some projects.more Show sample from book This, from a contemporary critic's commentary on Madame Butterfly: "Pinkerton suffers from …. being an obnoxious bounder whom every man in the audience itches to kick."p.35.1 something occurring in the same period of time as something else Show general definition for contemporary (as in: they are contemporaries) living at the same time or: something occurring in the same period of time as something else
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inhibitedunable to act naturally due to being overly self-conscious She's personable and funny with her friends, but she tends to be inhibited with strangers.more Show sample from book But is it possible for a woman to be too uninhibited, too willing, so as to seem almost too ...masculine?†p.43.4 inhibited → uninhibited:acting naturally without being overly self-conscious Show context notes The prefix "un-" in uninhibited means not and reverses the meaning of inhibited. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.
	1	top 2000
anarchythe complete absence of political authority It's not the government I want, but it's better than anarchy.more Show sample from book The doctrine of the Cultural Revolution implied continuous anarchy.p.52.7 absence of order Show general definition the complete absence of political authority; or more generally, complete absence of order
	1	top 2000
capitulatesurrender The Romans induced many enemy armies to capitulate by offering good terms of surrender.more Show sample from book That drawing back at the moment of my capitulation was the most brilliant strategy she could have chosen.†p.52.4 Show general definition to stop resisting something -- such as surrendering to someone else's decision or accepting a military defeat
	1	top 2000
capriciousunpredictable Nothing seems more capricious than a tornado.more Show sample from book And children ruled the Middle Kingdom with complete caprice.†p.52.7 capricious → caprice:impulsiveness or unpredictability Show general definition impulsive or unpredictable or tending to make sudden changes -- especially impulsive behavior
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deferdelay The weather forced us to defer our departure another day.more Show sample from book The truth, long deferred, has come up to her door.p.17.3 defer → deferred:postponed or delayed Show general definition for defer (as in: deferred the decision) delay or postpone (hold off until a later time)