SAT Vocabulary Level 1 — Set 215

Set 215 of SAT Vocabulary Level 1 covers 5 words: reject, oblige, pertain, mislead, discourage. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. reject · verb/rɪˈdʒɛkt/

   to refuse to accept, consider, or use something

   The committee decided to reject the proposal after reviewing it thoroughly.

   Synonyms: refuse, dismiss, decline

   Origin: from Latin 'rejectus', past participle of 'rejicere', meaning 'to throw back'

2. oblige · verb/əˈblaɪdʒ/

   to bind or compel someone to do something, often by moral or legal necessity

   The new regulations oblige companies to provide a safe working environment for all employees.

   Synonyms: compel, require, bind

   Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'obliger', from Latin 'obligare', meaning 'to bind' or 'to tie' together.

3. pertain · verb/pɚˈteɪn/

   to be related to or connected with something

   The regulations that pertain to safety must be followed by all employees.

   Synonyms: relate, concern, apply

   Origin: Late Middle English: from Old French 'partenir', from Latin 'pertinere' meaning 'to reach, to pertain', from 'per-' meaning 'through' + 'tenere' meaning 'to hold'.

4. mislead · verb/mɪsˈliːd/

   to lead someone to believe something that is not true

   The advertisement was designed to mislead consumers into thinking they were getting a better deal than they actually were.

   Synonyms: deceive, misguide, misinform

   Origin: From Middle English 'misleden', from Old English 'misleadan', where 'mis-' means 'wrongly' and 'lead' means 'to guide'.

5. discourage · verb/dɪsˈkɜrɪdʒ/

   to cause someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm

   The coach's harsh criticism seemed to discourage the young player, making him doubt his abilities.

   Synonyms: dissuade, depress, demoralize

   Origin: From Middle English 'discouragen,' from Old French 'descourager,' from 'des-' (expressing reversal) + 'courager' (to encourage).