A Flashcards
Abet
abet\ə-ˈbet\ transitive verb 1 : to actively second and encourage (as an activity or plan) 2 : to assist or support in the achievement of a purpose synonyms see incite Other forms: abet·ted; abet·ting abet·ment -mənt\ noun abet·tor also abet·ter \ə-ˈbe-tər\ noun Examples She abetted the thief in his getaway. Did he abet the commission of a crime? Their actions were shown to abet terrorism. Origin: Middle English abetten, from Anglo-French abeter, from a- (from Latin ad-) + beter to bait, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English bǣtan to bait. First use: 14th century
Abdicate
1 : to cast off : discard 2 : to relinquish (as sovereign power) formallyintransitive verb : to renounce a throne, high office, dignity, or function
Abjure
1 a : to renounce upon oath b : to reject solemnly 2 : to abstain from : avoid Other forms: ab·jured; ab·jur·ing ab·jur·er noun Examples abjured some long-held beliefs when she converted to another religion a strict religious sect that abjures the luxuries, comforts, and conveniences of the modern world
Ablution
1 a : the washing of one’s body or part of it (as in a religious rite) b plural : the act or action of bathing 2 plural British : a building housing bathing and toilet facilities on a military base
Abnegation
: denial; especially : self-denial Examples the couple’s sudden abnegation of life in the fast lane for work as missionaries stunned everyone
Abrasive
1 : tending to abrade 2 : causing irritation
Abrogate
1 : to abolish by authoritative action : annul 2 : to treat as nonexistent synonyms see nullify
Abut
intransitive verb 1 : to touch along a border or with a projecting part 2 a : to terminate at a point of contact b : to lean for supporttransitive verb 1 : to border on 2 : to cause to abut
Accede
intransitive verb 1 a : to become a party (as to an agreement) b : to express approval or give consent : give in to a request or demand 2 archaic : approach 3 : to enter upon an office or position synonyms see assent Other forms: ac·ced·ed; ac·ced·ing Examples finally acceded to their pleas for more time to complete the project
Accolade
1 a : a ceremonial embrace b : a ceremony or salute conferring knighthood 2 a : a mark of acknowledgment : award b : an expression of praise 3 : a brace or a line used in music to join two or more staffs carrying simultaneous parts Examples for their exceptional bravery the firefighters received accolades from both local and national officials winning the Nobel Prize for Physics is generally regarded as the highest accolade for a physicist a screen performance that won virtually every accolade that the film world has to offer
Acclivity
noun : an ascending slope (as of a hill) Other forms: plural ac·cliv·i·ties Examples the steep acclivity was especially daunting for the novice hikers
Accost
transitive verb : to approach and speak to often in a challenging or aggressive way
Accoutre
transitive verb : to provide with equipment or furnishings : outfit synonyms see furnish Other forms: ac·cou·tred or ac·cou·tered; ac·cou·tring or ac·cou·ter·ing-ˈkü-tə-riŋ, -ˈkü-triŋ\ Examples hikers accoutred with walking sticks, water bottles, trail maps, and compasses
Accretion
noun 1 : the process of growth or enlargement by a gradual buildup: as a : increase by external addition or accumulation (as by adhesion of external parts or particles) b : the increase of land by the action of natural forces 2 : a product of accretion; especially : an extraneous addition
Accrue
intransitive verb 1 : to come into existence as a legally enforceable claim 2 a : to come about as a natural growth, increase, or advantage b : to come as a direct result of some state or action 3 : to accumulate or be added periodically transitive verb : to accumulate or have due after a period of time
Acme
noun : the highest point or stage; also : one that represents perfection of the thing expressed synonyms see summit Examples the acme of their basketball season was their hard-won victory over last year’s state champs a movie that has come to be regarded as the acme of the Hollywood musical
Acquiesce
intransitive verb : to accept, comply, or submit tacitly or passively — often used with in and sometimes with to synonyms see assent Other forms: ac·qui·esced; ac·qui·esc·ing Examples apparently the contractor expected me to acquiesce to my own fleecing
Acquittal
noun : a setting free from the charge of an offense by verdict, sentence, or other legal process Examples confidently predicted that his client’s trial would result in a full acquittal
Acrid
adjective 1 : sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor : irritating 2 : deeply or violently bitter : acrimonious synonyms see caustic
Acrimonious
adjective : caustic, biting, or rancorous especially in feeling, language, or manner ac·ri·mo·ni·ous·ly adverb ac·ri·mo·ni·ous·ness noun Examples an acrimonious parting between the two former friends
abate
subside or moderate
Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate.
abscond
depart secretly and hide
The teller absconded with the bonds and was not found.
aberrant
abnormal or deviant
Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the validity of the entire experiment.
abeyance
suspended action
The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.
adamant
hard, inflexible
He was adamant in his determination to punish the wrongdoer.
adulterate
make impure by mixing with baser substances
It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer.
abase
lower; degrade; humiliate
Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to cast herself down on the ground before him, however she refused to abase herself.
abash
embarrass
He was not at all abashed by her open admiration.
abdicate
renounce; give up
When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world.
abet
assist, usually in doing something wrong
She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.
abject
wretched; lacking pride
On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind.
abjure
renounce upon oath
He abjured his allegiance to the king.
ablution
washing
His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled “Opera in the Bath.”
abnegation
renunciation; self-sacrifice
Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom.
abominate
loathe; hate
Moses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe because he abominated the custom.
abrasive
rubbing away; tending to grind down
Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear away a listener’s patience.
abrogate
abolish
He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.
absolve
pardon (an offense)
The father confessor absolved him of his sins.
abstain
refrain; withhold from participation
After considering the effect of alcohol on his athletic performance, he decided to abstain from drinking while he trained for the race.
abut
border upon; adjoin
Where our estates abut, we must build a fence.
accede
agree
If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands.
acclivity
sharp upslope of a hill
The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear.
accolade
award of merit
In Hollywood, an “Oscar” is the highest accolade.
accost
approach and speak first to a person
When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me.
accoutre
equip
The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply
acidulous
slightly sour; sharp; caustic
James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
acme
peak; pinnacle; highest point
Welles’s success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor; never again did he achieve such popular acclaim.
acquiesce
assent; agree passively
Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer’s suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about the changes he wanted made.
acquittal
deliverance from a charge
His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty.
acrid
sharp; bitterly pungent
The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired.
acrimonious
stinging, caustic
His tendency to utter acrimonious remarks alienated his audience.
actuarial
calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago.
actuate
motivate
I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily.
acumen
mental keenness
His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed.
adage
wise saying; proverb
There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money.
addle
muddle; drive crazy
This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone.
adjunt
something attached to but holding an inferior position
I will entertain this concept as an adjunct to the main proposal.
adjuration
solemn urging
\Her adjuration to tell the truth did not change the witnesses’ testimony.
adjutant
staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made all major decisions.
admonish
warn; reprove
He admonished his listeners to change their wicked ways.
adulation
flattery; admiration
The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-men.
advent
arrival
Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima reached them.
adventitious
accidental; casual
He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely fortunate.
adverse
unfavorable; hostile
adverse circumstances compelled him to close his business.
advert
refer to
Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important.
aegis
shield; defense
Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured freedoms.
affable
courteous
Although he held a position of responsibility, he was an affable individual and could be reached by anyone with a complaint.
affidavit
written statement made under oath
The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it in the form of an affidavit.
affinity
kinship
She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains.
affix
attach or add on; fasten
First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he had to affix his official seal.
affront
insult; offend
Accustomed to being treated with respect, Miss Challoner was affronted by Vidal’s offensive behavior.
agape
openmouthed
She stared, agape, at the many strange animals in the zoo.
aghast
horrified
He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his host.
agog
highly excited; intensely curious
We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a monastery.
alacrity
cheerful promptness
He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master.
alcove
nook; recess
Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple.
alias
an assumed name
John Smith’s alias was Bob Jones.
alimony
payments make to an ex-spouse after divorce
Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award him $500 a month in alimony.
allay
calm; pacify
The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been controlled.
allege
state without proof
It is alleged that she had worked for the enemy.
allegory
story in which characters are used as symbols; fable
Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul.
alliteration
repetition of beginning sound in poetry
“The furrow followed free” is an example of alliteration.
allude
refer indirectly
Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic annoys him.
allusion
indirect reference
the allusions to mythological characters in Milton’s poems bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin.
alluvial
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile.
aloof
apart; reserved
Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed.
aloft
upward
The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging.
altercation
noisy quarrel
Throughout the altercation, not one sensible word was uttered.
