tome, subpoena, accost, diatribe, scintilla: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Master set 5. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. tome · noun/toʊm/

   a large, heavy book

   She found an old tome on the history of dinosaurs in the library.

   Synonyms: volume, book, work

   Origin: from the Latin word 'tomus', meaning 'a section or a piece'.

2. subpoena · noun/səˈpiː.nə/

   a legal order requiring a person to testify or produce evidence in court

   The lawyer received a subpoena to bring the documents to court.

   Synonyms: summons, citation, order

   Origin: The word 'subpoena' comes from the Latin term 'sub poena', meaning 'under penalty'.

3. accost · verb/əˈkɔst/

   to approach and address someone boldly or aggressively

   The man decided to accost (verb) the stranger in the park and ask for directions.

   Synonyms: approach, confront, address

   Origin: from Middle French 'acoster', from 'a-' (to) + 'coster' (to approach, to be next to)

4. diatribe · noun/ˈdaɪəˌtraɪb/

   a bitter and prolonged verbal attack

   The teacher gave a harsh diatribe against students who did not do their homework.

   Synonyms: tirade, denunciation, harangue

   Origin: from Greek 'diatribē', meaning 'a spending of time, discourse' or 'critical discourse'

5. scintilla · noun/sɪnˈtɪl.ə/

   a tiny or scarcely detectable amount

   There wasn't a scintilla of doubt in her mind that she would win the race.

   Synonyms: trace, spark, bit

   Origin: from Latin 'scintilla', meaning 'spark'