Solicit - verb

to ask for (something, such as money or help) from people, companies, etc.

Definition:
1: a)  to make petition to :  entreat
b)  to approach with a request or plea e.g. <solicited Congress for funding>

2: to urge (as one’s cause) strongly

3: a) to entice or lure especially into evil
b) to proposition (someone) especially as or in the character of a prostitute

4: to try to obtain by usually urgent requests or pleas e.g. <solicited donations>

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solicit

Encounter:
I was reading “G.O.P. Angst Over 2016 Led to Provision on Funding”on the New York Times.  “what appears to be an effort to help meet such costs, Democrats demanded that the added provision also allow all party committees, including the House and Senate campaign committees, to solicit additional large contributions to cover the costs of buying, renting or renovating real estate. ” I have no idea what the word had meant, I’ve heard of soliciting before but never really understood the word, so essentially here they are just asking for more money.

Geopolitics - noun plural but singular in construction

the study of how geography and economics have an influence on politics and on the relations between nations

Definition:
1: a study of the influence of such factors as geography, economics, and demography on the politics and especially the foreign policy of a state

2: a governmental policy guided by geopolitics

3: a combination of political and geographic factors relating to something (as a state or particular resources)

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geopolitical

Encounter:
I encountered the word when I was reading “Israel’s Natural Gas Supply Offers Lifeline for Peace”on the New York Times.  “Natural gas is both a geopolitical tool and a target in Israel, where a new found bonanza of resources has the potential to improve ties with energy-hungry Egypt, Jordan and even the Palestinian Authority. ” the use of context clues allows me to get a grasp of the meaning of this word, I had understood it to mean that this geographic area is desired in politics due to its resources. And as I looked it up it had meant that because the natural gas is valuable it moves economies and politics.

Prevalent - adjective

accepted, done, or happening often or over a large area at a particular time

Definition:
1: archaic :  powerful

2: being in ascendancy :  dominant

3: generally or widely accepted, practiced, or favored : widespread

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prevalent

Encounter:
I encountered the word when I reading the article “Patients Prescribed Narcotic Painkillers Use More of Them for Longer, Study Finds” on the New York Times. “Other aspects of the report mirrored previous research on opioid painkillers. Their use is more prevalent among women and the elderly.” prevalent is another one of those words I recognize but the actual definition was not clear to me therefore I looked it up it had three different definitions, and in this context it had meant widespread.

Scrutiny - noun

the act of carefully examining something especially in a critical way

Definition:
1: a searching study, inquiry, or inspection

2: a searching look

3: close watch

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrutiny

Encounter:
I encountered this word when I reading the article “Uber’s Background Checks for Drivers Come Under Scrutiny” on the New York Times. Scrutiny is a word that’s around I see it and I have the jist of what it means but I did not know the definition with precision, so I looked it up. This clarified the word for me quite a bit, this article was talking about investigating their investigations on people cause that is essentially what a background check is.

Referendum - noun

an event in which the people of a county, state, etc., vote for or against a law that deals with a specific issue : a public vote on a particular issue

Definition:
1: a) the principal or practice of submitting to popular vote a measure passed on or proposed by a legislative body or by popular initiative
b) a vote on a measure so submitted

2: a diplomatic agent’s note asking for government instructions

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/referendum

Encounter:
I was reading this article “Congressional Leaders Reach Deal on Spending” on New York Times. “For instance, the bill would nullify the District of Columbia’s referendum to legalize marijuana, but it would allow Washington to decriminalize the drug, meaning possession of small amounts would no longer be punished.” In the sentence, I have made predictions of what the word means, since it has to do with laws and trying to pass it but that is still not enough for me to know the actual meaning of the word. After looking up the word I now understand referendum means a popular vote of something and in this case it has to deal with marijuana.

Rectal - adjective

medical : relating to, affecting, or located near the rectum

Definition:
1:  relating to, affecting, or being near the rectum e.g. <rectal cancer, rectal walls>

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rectal

Encounter:
I was reading an article on the New York Times about C.I.A. torture reports, their faults and brutality of it and I came across this word as I was reading the article, not knowing what it meant I searched it up on Webster and I did not know that the C.I.A. was doing such gruesome torture to people and violating their bodies you can most likely guess what it was about from the definition of the word so I’d rather not say.