substantive(SUB stin tiv orsub STAN tiv) adj. 1. considerable in amount or
quantity; 2. having real existence; actual; 3. of or relating to legal rights, as distin-
guished from procedural matters
•A substantivequantity is the same as a substantial quantity.- For a matter to be substantiveit must be actual rather than theoretical, for
example, an error of commission rather than one of omission. - A person who has invested money in a company has a substantiveinterest
in the success of that organization.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. actual]
subsume(suhb SOOM) vt. 1. to include within a larger group or class; 2. to
demonstrate or show that something is covered by an existing rule or law - No law is required to allow you the freedom to speak in a public park
because that is subsumedby the First Amendment to the Constitution. - If the Pennsylvania state legislature tried to pass a capital punishment law
instituting drawing and quartering, any opposing legislator could prove
that such a law is subsumedby the Constitution’s prohibition of cruel or
unusual punishment.
[-d, subsuming]
summarily(suh MER i lee) adv. 1. promptly and without formality; expeditious;
- hastily and arbitrarily
- The libel case was dismissed by the court summarily.
- Randy summarilyjumped to the conclusion that his brother had damaged
his car.
[summary adj.] [Syn. expeditiously]
superimpose(SOO poer im POHZ) vt. to place or lay one thing on top of
something else; stack; overlay - Many striking photographic images have been obtained by superimposing
two or more different images. - It is a mistake to superimpose your moral code on somebody else.
[-d, superimposing]
sympathetic(SIM puh THET ik) adj. 1. of, showing, feeling, or expressing sym-
pathy; 2. in agreement with one’s feelings, tastes, and so on; congenial; 3. showing
favor, agreement, or approval - It is never out of style to be sympatheticto another person’s loss.
- Mary was sympathetictoward Joseph’s love of red cars.
- Tom’s parents were sympatheticto his desire to continue his education in
graduate school.
[-ally adv.] [Syn. tender, congenial]
334 Essential Vocabulary