Ghosts
Definitions and Samples
1. astrological adj. Related to the study of the position of stars, the sun,
and the planets in the belief that they influence earthly events
Every day, Mona read her astrological forecast in the newspaper,
and she was careful if the horoscope predicted trouble.
Parts of speech astrology n, astrologer n, astrologically adv
2. divination n. Foretelling the future by finding patterns in physical
objects
In Turkey, women offer divinations by reading the dregs from a coffee
cup.
Parts of speech divine v
3. haunt v. To continually appear (in the form of a ghost) in the same
place or to the same person
Some say the ghost of Princess Hilda haunts this castle, appearing
as a headless form while she plays the piano.
The pictures of children dying in war have haunted me for a long
time.
4. horror n. Strong fear mixed with disgust
On Halloween night, all the horror movies were rented out.
Parts of speech horrify v, horrific adj
5. intermediary n. Acting as an agent between people or things
The plaintiff’s lawyer suggested that they hire an intermediary to
help them discuss their case.
Usage tips Intermediary comes from the Latin words meaning
“between the ways.”
6. invoke v. To call on for support
In many religions, believers invoke their god by holding out their
hands.
Parts of speech invocation n
7. meditate v. To reflect; to think quietly and deeply for a long time
Every morning, the monks meditated for three hours in complete
silence.
Parts of speech meditation n
8. phantom n. A dimly visible form, usually thought to be the spirit of a
dead person, a sunken ship, etc.
Many visitors reported seeing a phantom who appeared around the
lake.
Usage tips Phantom originates in a word meaning “dream”; like a
dream, a phantom leaves an observer wondering whether it’s real or
not.
9. psychic adj. Relating to the supposed ability of the human mind to
sense things that cannot be observed
The governor’s assistant claimed to have unique psychic abilities
enabling him to read people’s minds.
Parts of speech psychic n, psychically adv
10. self-perpetuating adj. Having the power to renew oneself for an indefinite
period of time
It is difficult to escape from a lie, as they are often self-perpetuating.
Parts of speech self-perpetuation n