“A” Flashcards
Abdicate (v)
To give up a position, usually one of leadership
Abject (adj)
- of sth: (Extreme) pain/ disappointment eg. ~ poverty ; ~ misery
- of a person/behaviour: completely without pride or dignity; self-abasing eg. ~ apology
Synonyms: Obsequious, grovelling, crawling, creeping, fawning, toadyish, servile, cringing, snivelling, ingratiating
Abject (adj)
Abjure (v)
To reject, renounce
Eg. To prove his honestly, the president abjured the evil policies of his wicked predecessor.
Abridge (v)
- shorten (a book, film, speech etc.) without losing the sense eg. An abridged text of his speech
- LAW curtail (a right or privilege) eg. Even the right to free speech can be abridged.
Synonyms: shorten, cut, cut short/down, curtail, truncate
Abridged (v)
Abrogate (v)
To abolish, usually by authority
Eg. The Bill of Rights assures that the government cannot abrogate our right to a free press.
Abstemious (adj)
Indulging only very moderately in something esp. food and drinks
Eg. We only had a bottle. Very abstemious of you.
Synonyms: Temperate, Abstinent, Ascetic
Abstemious (adj)
Abstruse (adj)
Difficult to understand, obscure
Eg. An abstruse philosophical inquiry
Synonyms: obscure, arcane, esoteric, little known, recherché
Abstruse (adj)
Abysmal (adj)
Having immense or fathomless extension downward, backward or inward
Eg. ~ ignorance
Acerbic (adj)
Biting, bitter in tone or taste
Eg. Jill became extremely ~ and began to cruelly make fun of all her friends.)
Acrimony (n)
Bitterness, discord (hostile)
Eg. Bill and Trevor could not keep ~ from overwhelming their friendship after they both fell in love with the lovely Teresa.
Acrid (adj)
Unpleasantly bitter or pungent
Eg. ~ smoke
Synonyms: pungent, bitter, sharp
Acrid (adj)
Acumen (n)
Keen/ sharp insight
Eg. Because of his mathematical ~, Larry was able to figure out in minutes problems that took other students’ hours.
Acquiesce (v)
To agree without protesting
Adroitness (n)
Cleverness or skill
Eg. He lacks political adroitness
Synonyms: skill, prowess, expertise, adeptness, handiness, nimbleness, dexterity, dextrousness, deftness
Adroitness (n)
Adduce (v)
To mention or provide (sth, such as a fact or example) as evidence or proof to support an argument
Eg. In support of a 12-month school year, the committee adduced data from other school districts.
Synonyms: quote, cite, instance, mention
Adduce (v)
Adumbrate (v)
To sketch out in a vague way (lacks details)
Eg. The coach adumbrated a game plan, but none of the players knew precisely what to do.
Adulation (n)
High praise
Eg. He found it difficult to cope with the adulation of the fans.
Agrarian (adj)
Relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land
Eg. Brazil is rapidly diversifying its agrarian economy.
Alacrity (n)
Eagerness, speed
Eg. Do something with alacrity
Altruistic (adj)
Showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish
Eg. It was an entirely altruistic act.
Synonyms: unselfish, selfless, self-sacrificing
Altruistic (adj)
Amenable (adj)
- open and responsiveness to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled; compliant, acquiescent
Eg. Parents who have amenable children. - capable of being acted upon in a particular way; susceptible, receptive, responsive
Eg. Cardiac failure not amenable to medical treatment.
Anachronistic (adj)
Out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period
Analogous (adj)
Comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared
Eg. They saw the relationship between a ruler and his subjects as analogous to that of father and children.
Synonyms: comparable, parallel, similar
Analogous (adj)
Anathema (n)
A cursed, detested person (enemy)
Eg. I never want to see that murderer. He is an anathema to me.
Anodyne (adj)
- not likely to cause offence or disagreement and somewhat dull eg. ~ music
Eg. She tired to keep the conversation as anodyne as possible.
(n) a painkilling drug or medicine
Eg. She had even refused anodynes.
Synonyms: bland, inoffensive, innocuous, neutral, unobjectionable, unexceptionable, unremarkable, commonplace, dull, tedious, run-of-the-mill
Anodyne (adj)
Antediluvian (adj)
- of or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood; Rare primigenial Eg. Gigantic bones of antediluvian animals
- humorous: ridiculous old-fashioned
Eg. They maintain antediluvian sex-role stereotypes
Synonyms: before the flood, prehistoric, primeval, primordial, primal, earliest, ancient, early
Antediluvian (adj)
Synonyms: out of date, outdated, outmoded, antiquated, ancient
Antediluvian (adj)
Synonyms: painkiller, painkilling drug, analgesic, pain reliever, palliative
Antediluvian (adj)
Antipathy (n)
A strong dislike, repugnance
Eg. I know you love me, but because you are a liar and a thief, I feel nothing but ~ for you.
Apathy (n)
Lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern
Eg. Widespread ~ among students
Synonyms: indifference, lack of interest
Apathy (n)
Ape (v)
Imitate (someone or something), especially in an absurd or unthinking way
Eg. New architecture can respect the old without aping its style.
Apocryphal (adj)
(Of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
Eg. An ~ story about a former president.
Synonyms: fictitious, made-up, untrue
Apocryphal (adj)
Apprise (v)
Inform or tell (someone)
Eg. I thought it right to ~ Chris of what had happened.
Synonyms: inform, notify, tell, let know
Apprise (v)
Approbation (n)
Praise
Eg. The crowd welcomed the heroes with ~.
Ardent (adj)
Very enthusiastic or passionate
Eg. An ~ supporter of the conservation cause
Synonyms: passionate, avid, impassioned, fervent, fervid
Ardent (adj)
Armamentarium (n)
The medicines, equipment and techniques available to medical practitioner.
Eg. The leeches of the medieval ~ are making a comeback in modern medicine.
Arrogate (v)
To take without justification
Eg. The king arrogated the right to order executions to himself exclusively.
Artifice (n)
Clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others
Eg. An industry dominated by ~.
Synonyms: trickery, deviousness, deceit
Artifice (n)
Ascendancy (n)
Occupation of a position of dominant power or influence
Eg. The ~ of good over evil.
Synonyms: dominance, domination, supremacy
Ascendency (n)
Ascetic (adj)
Practicing restraint as a means of self-discipline, usually religious
Eg. The priest lives an ~ life devoid of television, savoury foods and other pleasures.
Aspersion (n)
A curse, expression of ill-will
Eg. The rival politicians repeatedly cast aspersions on each other’s integrity.
Assiduous (adj)
Hardworking, diligent
Eg. The construction workers erected the skyscraper during two years of ~ labour.
Astringent (adj)
Very critical in a sharp and often clever way
Eg. An ~ critic of modern movies
Atrophy (n)
Gradually decline in effectiveness or vigour due to underuse or neglect
Eg. The imagination can ~ from lack of use.
Synonyms: peter out, taper off , tail off, dwindle, deteriorate
Atrophy (n)
Attest (v)
Provide or serve as clear evidence of; certify
Eg. His status is attested by his becoming an alderman.
Astute (n)
Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one’s advantage Eg. An ~ businessman
Synonyms: shrewd, sharp, sharp-witted, razor-sharp, acute
Astute (n)
Auspice (n)
A divine or prophetic token
Austere (adj)
-severe or strict in manner or attitude.
Eg. He was an ~ man, with rigid puritanical outlook
- having no comfort or luxuries
Eg. Conditions in the prison could hardly be more ~ - having a plain and unadorned appearance
Eg. The cathedral is impressive in its ~ simplicity
Synonyms: severe, stern, strict, harsh (of living conditions or a way of life)
Austere (adj)
Synonyms: strict, self-denying, self-abnegating, frugal, Spartan, restrained, ascetic, puritanical, hairshirt, abstemious, abstinent, celibate, chaste, continent
Austere (adj)
Synonyms: plain, simple, basics
Austere (adj.)
Aversion (n)
A strong dislike or disinclination (stay away)
Eg. They made plain their ~ to the use of force
Synonyms: dislike of, distaste for, disinclination
Aversion (n)
Acquiescence
agreement to do what someone wants, or acceptance of what they do even though you do not agree with it; reluctant agreement
