A-2 Flashcards
1
Q
annuity
A
yearly allowance (Eg: The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements his social security benefits so that he can )
2
Q
annul
A
make void (Eg: The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage. )
3
Q
anodyne
A
drug that relieves pain; opiate (Eg: His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it. )
4
Q
anoint
A
consecrate (Eg: The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil- crowning him king of Israel. )
5
Q
anomalous
A
abnormal; irregular (Eg: He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures that he despised. )
6
Q
anomaly
A
irregularity (Eg: A bird that cannot fly is an anomaly. )
7
Q
anonymity
A
state of being nameless; anonymousness (Eg: )
8
Q
antagonistic
A
hostile; opposed (Eg: Despite his lawyers’ best efforts to stop him- the angry prisoner continued to make antagonistic remarks to )
9
Q
antecede
A
precede (Eg: The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century. )
10
Q
antecedents
A
preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; early life; ancestors (Eg: Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella- Miss Havisham had a few questions about the )
11
Q
antediluvian
A
antiquated; ancient (Eg: The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years. )
12
Q
anthropoid
A
manlike (Eg: The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals. )
13
Q
anthropologist
A
student of the history and science of humankind (Eg: Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric humans in this area. )
14
Q
anthropomorphic
A
having human form or characteristics (Eg: Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics. )
15
Q
anticlimax
A
letdown in thought or emotion (Eg: After the fine performance in the first act- the rest of the play was an anticlimax. )
16
Q
antipathy
A
aversion; dislike (Eg: His extreme antipathy to dispute caused him to avoid argumentative discussions with his friends. )
17
Q
antiquated
A
obsolete; outdated (Eg: Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors- Philip thought typewriters were too antiquated for )
18
Q
antiseptic
A
substance that prevents infection (Eg: It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound- no matter how slight or insignificant. )
19
Q
antithesis
A
contrast; direct opposite of or to (Eg: This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for- and he fought it with all his strength. )
20
Q
anvil
A
iron block used in hammering out metals (Eg: After heating the iron horseshoe in the forge- the blacksmith picked it up with his tongs and set it on the )
21
Q
apathetic
A
indifferent (Eg: He felt apathetic about the conditions he had observed and did not care to fight against them. )
22
Q
apathy
A
lack of caring; indifference (Eg: A firm believer in democratic government- she could not understand the apathy of people who never )
23
Q
ape
A
imitate or mimic (Eg: He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school. )
24
Q
aperture
A
opening; hole (Eg: She discovered a small aperture in the wall- through which the insects had entered the room. )
25
apex
tip; summit; climax (Eg: He was at the apex of his career. )
26
aphasia
loss of speech due to injury or illness (Eg: After the automobile accident- the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could )
27
aphorism
pithy maxim (Eg: An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical or scientific. )
28
apiary
a place where bees are kept (Eg: Although he spent many hours daily in the apiary- he was very seldom stung by a bee. )
29
aplomb
poise; composure (Eg: Wellington's nonchalance and aplomb in the heat of battle always heartened his followers. )
30
apocalyptic
prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster (Eg: His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild surmises. )
31
apocryphal
untrue; made up (Eg: To impress his friends- Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city. )
32
apogee
highest point (Eg: When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth- it is at its apogee. )
33
apoplexy
stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis (Eg: He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy. )
34
apostate
one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs (Eg: Because he switched from one party to another- his former friends shunned him as an apostate. )
35
apothecary
druggist (Eg: In Holland- apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and pills. )
36
apothegm
pithy- compact saying (Eg: Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings. )
37
apotheosis
deification; glorification (Eg: The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she- too- )
38
appal
dismay; shock (Eg: We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails. )
39
apparition
ghost; phantom (Eg: Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had appeared and spoken to him. )
40
appease
pacify; soothe (Eg: We have discovered that- when we try to appease our enemies- we encourage them to make additional )
41
appellation
name; title (Eg: He was amazed when the witches hailed him with his correct appellation. )
42
append
attach (Eg: I shall append this chart to my report. )
43
application
diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply (Eg: Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence- Aunt Polly praised him for his application. )
44
apposite
appropriate; fitting (Eg: He was always able to find the apposite phrase- the correct expression for every occasion. )
45
appraise
estimate the value of (Eg: It is difficult to appraise old paintings; it is easier to call them priceless. )
46
appreciate
be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of (Eg: Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks ave her- whose value appreciated )
47
apprehend
arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive (Eg: The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long. )
48
apprehensive
fearful; discerning (Eg: His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness. )
49
apprise
inform (Eg: When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions- he decided to postpone his trip. )
50
approbation
approval (Eg: Wanting her parents' regard- she looked for some sign of their approbation. )
51
appropriate
acquire; take possession of for one's own use (Eg: The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been set aside for the Indians' use. )
52
appurtenances
subordinate possessions (Eg: He bought the estate and all its appurtenances. )
53
apropos
with reference to; regarding (Eg: I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and pertinent. )
54
aptitude
fitness; talent (Eg: The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about the career he should follow. )
55
aquiline
curved- hooked (Eg: He can be recognized by his aquiline nose- curved like the beak of the eagle. )
56
arable
fit for plowing (Eg: The land was no longer arable; erosion had removed the valuable topsoil. )
57
arbiter
person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge (Eg: As an arbiter in labor disputes- she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers. )
58
arbitrary
unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical (Eg: The coach claimed the team lost because the umpire made some arbitrary calls. )
59
arbitrate
act as judge (Eg: She was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between the union and the management. )
60
arboretum
place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited (Eg: Walking along the treelined paths of the arboretum- Rita noted poplars- firs- and some particularly fine )
61
arcade
a covered passageway- usually lined with shops (Eg: The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the )
62
arcane
secret; mysterious (Eg: What was arcane to us was clear to the psychologist. )
63
archaeology
study of artifacts and relics of early mankind (Eg: The professor of archaeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins. )
64
archaic
antiquated (Eg: ''Methinks-'' ''thee-'' and ''thou'' are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary. )
65
archetype
prototype; primitive pattern (Eg: The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island )
66
archipelago
group of closely located islands (Eg: When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas- he longed to visit them. )
67
archives
public records; place where public records are kept (Eg: These documents should be part of the archives so that historians may be able to evaluate them in the )
68
ardor
heat; passion; zeal (Eg: Katya's ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow demonstrators were busily making posters and handing )
69
arduous
hard; strenuous (Eg: Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy. )
70
argot
slang (Eg: In the argot of the underworld- she ''was taken for a ride.'' )
71
aria
operatic solo (Eg: At her Metropolitan Opera audition- Marian Anderson sang an aria from Norma. )
72
arid
dry; barren (Eg: The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment. )
73
aristocracy
hereditary nobility; privileged class (Eg: Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy: )
74
armada
fleet of warships (Eg: Queen Elizabeth's navy was able to defeat the mighty armada that threatened the English coast. )
75
aromatic
fragrant (Eg: Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to Europe. )
76
arraign
charge in court; indict (Eg: After his indictment by the Grand Jury- the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court. )
77
array
marshal; draw up in order (Eg: His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him. )
78
array
clothe; adorn (Eg: She liked to watch her motherarray herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening. )
79
arrears
being in debt (Eg: He was in arrears with his payments on the car. )
80
arrogance
pride- haughtiness (Eg: The arrogance of the nobility was resented by the middle class. )
81
arroyo
gully (Eg: Until the heavy rains of the past spring- this arroyo had been a dry bed. )
82
articulate
effective; distinct (Eg: Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers. )
83
artifacts
products of primitive culture (Eg: Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to )
84
artifice
deception; trickery (Eg: The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military )
85
artisan
a manually skilled worker (Eg: Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a culture. )
86
artless
without guile; open and honest (Eg: Red Riding Hood's artless comment- ''Grandma- what big eyes you have!'' indicates the child's innocent )
87
ascendancy
controlling influence (Eg: President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendency over Philippines. )
88
ascetic
practicing self-denial; austere (Eg: The wealthy young man could not understand the ascetic life led by the monks. )
89
asceticism
doctrine of self-denial (Eg: We find asceticism practiced in many monastries. )
90
ascribe
refer; attribute; assign (Eg: I can ascribe no motive for her acts. )
91
asceptic
preventing infection; having a cleansing effect (Eg: Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced asceptic conditions. )
92
ashen
ash-colored; deadly pale (Eg: Her face was ashen with fear. )
93
asinine
stupid (Eg: Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration. )
94
askance
with a sideways or indirect look (Eg: Looking askance at her questioner- she displayed her scorn. )
95
askew
crookedly; slanted; at an angle (Eg: When he placed his hat askew upon his head- his observers laughed. )
96
asperity
sharpness (of temper) (Eg: These remarks- spoken with asperity- stung the boys to whom they had been directed. )
97
aspersion
slanderous remark (Eg: Do not cast aspersions on her character. )
98
aspirant
seeker after position or status (Eg: Although I am as aspirant for public office- I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses. )
99
aspiration
noble ambition (Eg: )
100
assail
assault (Eg: He was assailed with questions after his lecture. )
101
assay
analyze; evaluate (Eg: When they assayed the ore- they found that they had discovered a very rich vein. )
102
assent
agree; accept (Eg: It gives me great pleasure to assent to your request. )
103
assert
state strongly or positively; insist on or demand recognition of (rights- claims- etc). (Eg: When Jill asserted that nobody else in the junior class had such an early curfew- her parents Asserted )
104
assessment
estimation; appraisal (Eg: I would like to have your assessment of the situation in South Africa. )
105
assiduous
diligent (Eg: It took Rembrandt weeks of assiduous labor before he was satisfied with his portrait of his son. )
106
assimilate
absorb; cause to become homogenous (Eg: The manner in which the United States was able to assimilate the hordes of immigrants during the )
107
assuage
ease; lessen(pain) (Eg: Your messages of cheer should assuage her suffering. )
108
assumption
something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of (Eg: The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent would not object to her Assumption of )
109
assurance
promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence (Eg: When Gutherie gave Guiness his assurance that rehearsals were going well- he spoke with such assurance )
110
asteroid
small planet (Eg: asteroids have become commonplace to the readers of interstellar travel stories in science fiction )
111
astigmatism
eye defect that prevents proper focus (Eg: As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism- they took him to the )
112
astral
relating to the stars (Eg: She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed. )
113
astringent
binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe (Eg: The astringent quality of unsweetened lemon juice made swallowing difficult. )
114
astronomical
enormously large or extensive (Eg: The government seemed willing to spend astronomical sums on weapons development. )
115
astute
wise; shrewd (Eg: That was a very astute observation. )
116
asunder
into parts; apart (Eg: Their points of view are poles asunder. )
117
asylum
place of refuge or shelter; protection (Eg: The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land. )
118
asymmetric
not identical on both sides of a dividing central line (Eg: Because one eyebrow was set markedly higher than the other- William's face had a particularly asymmetric )
119
atavism
resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; (Eg: throwback )
120
atheistic
denying the existence of God (Eg: His atheistic remarks shocked the religious worshippers. )
121
atone
make amends for; pay for (Eg: He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime. )
122
atrocity
brutal deed (Eg: In time of war- many atrocities are committed by invading armies. )
123
atrophy
wasting away (Eg: Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of affected limbs. )
124
attenuate
make thin; weaken (Eg: By withdrawing their forces- the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines. )
125
attest
testify; bear witness (Eg: Having served as a member of a grand jury- I can attest that our system of indicting individuals is in need )
126
attribute
essential quality (Eg: His outstanding attribute was his kindness. )
127
attribute
ascribe; explain (Eg: I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she received from her parents. )
128
attrition
gradual wearing down (Eg: They decided to wage a war of attrition rather than to rely on all-out attack. )
129
audacious
daring; bold (Eg: Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made their audacious- death-defying leap to )
130
audit
examination of accounts (Eg: When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual audit- they discovered the embezzlements of the )
131
augment
increase (Eg: How can we hope to augment our forces when our allies are deserting us? )
132
augury
omen; prophecy (Eg: He interpreted the departures of the birds as an augury of evil. )
133
august
impressive; majestic (Eg: Visiting the palace at Versailes- she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself. )
134
aureole
sun's corona; halo (Eg: Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureols around their heads. )
135
auroral
pertaining to the aurora borealis (Eg: The auroral display was particularly spectacular that evening. )
136
auspicious
favoring success (Eg: With favorable weather conditions- it was an auspicious moment to set sail. )
137
austere
strict- stern (Eg: His austere demeanor prevented us from engaging in our usual frivolous activities. )
138
austerity
sternness; severity; lack of luxuries (Eg: The austerity and dignity of the court were maintained by the new justices- who were a strict and solemn )
139
authenticate
prove genuine (Eg: An expert was needed to authenticate the original Van Gogh painting- distinguishing it from its imitation. )
140
authoritarian
favoring or exercising total control; non-democratic (Eg: The people had no control over their destiny; they were forced to obey the dictates of the authoritarian )
141
authoritative
having the weight of authority; dictatorial (Eg: We accepted her analysis of the situation as authoritative. )
142
autocrat
monarch with supreme power (Eg: He ran his office like an autocrat- giving no one else any authority. )
143
automaton
mechanism that imitates actions of humans (Eg: Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots- writers were creating stories of automation )
144
autonomous
self-governing (Eg: This island is a colony; however- in most matters- it is autonomous and receives no orders from the mother )
145
autopsy
examination of a dead body; postmortem (Eg: The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. )
146
auxiliary
offering or providing help; additional or sub-sidiary (Eg: To prepare for the emergency- they built an auxiliary power station. )
147
avarice
greed for wealth (Eg: King Midas's avarice has been famous for centuries. )
148
aver
state confidently (Eg: I wish to aver that I am certain of success. )
149
averse
reluctant (Eg: He was averse to revealing the sources of his information. )
150
aversion
firm dislike (Eg: Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to one another. )
151
avert
prevent; turn away (Eg: She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway. )
152
aviary
enclosure for birds (Eg: The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds. )
153
avid
greedy; eager for (Eg: He was avid for learning and read everything he could get. )
154
avocation
secondary or minor occupation (Eg: His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation )
155
avow
declare openly (Eg: I must avow that I am innocent. )
156
avuncular
like an uncle (Eg: Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's shortcomings. )
157
awe
solemn wonder (Eg: The tourists gazed with awe at the tremendous expanse of the Grand Canyon. )
158
awl
pointed tool used for piercing (Eg: She used an awl to punch additional holes in the leather belt she had bought. )
159
awry
distorted; crooked (Eg: )
160
axiom
self-evident truth requiring no proof (Eg: Before a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean geometry- he must accept certain )
161
azure
sky blue (Eg: azure skies are indicative of good weather. )
