SAT Vocabulary Level 2 — Set 10

Set 10 of SAT Vocabulary Level 2 covers 5 words: purport, blanch, revive, defray, misinterpret. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. purport · verb/pərˈpɔrt/

   to claim or appear to be something, often when this may not be true

   The article purports to reveal the truth behind the scandal, but many believe it is biased.

   Synonyms: claim, imply, intend

   Origin: From Middle French 'purporter', from Latin 'purportare', meaning 'to carry through' (pur- 'through' + portare 'to carry')

2. blanch · verb/blæntʃ/

   to scald briefly in boiling water to loosen the skin or stop enzyme action

   To prepare the tomatoes for the sauce, you should blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes to make peeling easier.

   Synonyms: scald, parboil, heat

   Origin: Middle English 'blanche', from Old French 'blanchir' meaning 'to make white', from 'blanc' meaning 'white'.

3. revive · verb/rɪˈvaɪv/

   to bring back to life or consciousness

   The team worked tirelessly to revive the community's interest in local traditions.

   Synonyms: reawaken, restore, rejuvenate

   Origin: from Old French 'revivre', from Latin 'revivere', meaning 'to live again'

4. defray · verb/dɪˈfreɪ/

   to provide money to pay for something

   The foundation plans to defray the costs of the community project with donations from local businesses.

   Synonyms: pay, bear, cover

   Origin: Middle English 'defrayen', from Old French 'desfraier', from 'de-' (from) + 'fraier' (to break up, to pay)

5. misinterpret · verb/ˌmɪs.ɪnˈtɝː.prɪt/

   to understand or interpret something incorrectly

   Even the best of friends can misinterpret comments made in jest as serious criticism.

   Synonyms: misread, misconstrue, misapprehend

   Origin: The word 'misinterpret' is formed from the prefix 'mis-' meaning 'wrongly' and 'interpret' from the Latin 'interpretari' which means 'to explain or understand'.