A Flashcards
abase
Degrade or humble; to lower in rank, status, or esteem
abeyance
Temporary suspension; inactivity
abreast
Side-by-side (with preposition “of”); keeping up with, staying aware of, or remaining equal in progress with
abscission
Cutting off; sudden termination; the separation of leaves, petals, or other parts from a plant or animal
abscond
Depart suddenly and secretively
abyss
A deep and vast space or cavity; anything profound or infinite
accede
Agree, give consent; assume power (usually as “accede to”)
accretion
Gradual increase; an added part or addition
acerbic
Sour; harsh or severe
acidulous
Slightly acid or sour; sharp or caustic
acumen
Keen, quick, accurate insight or judgement
adulterate
Make impure by adding inappropriate or inferior ingredients
adumbrate
Give a rough outline of; foreshadow; reveal only partially; obsure
aerie
Dwelling or fortress built on a high place; the nest of a bird of prey, such as an eagle or hawk, built on a mountain or cliff
ableit
Although, even though
aloof
Distant physically or emotionally; reserved; indifferent
amalgamate
Blend, merge, or unite
ameliorate
Improve; make better or more bearable
amortize
Gradually pay off a debt, or gradually write off an asset
anachronism
Something that is not in its correct historical time; a mistake in chronology, such as by assigning a person or event to the wrong time period
analgesia
Pain relief; inability to feel pain
annul
Make void or null, cancel, abolish (usually of laws or other established rules)
anodyne
Medicine that relieves pain (noun); soothing, relieving pain (adj)
antedate
Be older than, precede in time; assign to an earlier date
anthithetical
Directly opposed, opposite; involving antithesis (the rhetorical act of placing two phrases opposite one another for contrast, as in “love me or hate me”)
apostate
Person who deserts a party, cause, religion, etc.
apostle
Pioneer of a reform movement (originally, an early follower of Jesus)
apposite
Highly appropriate, suitable, or relevant
apprise
Inform, give notice to
approbation
Praise or approval, especially formal approval
appropriate
Set aside or authorize (such as money) for a particular purpose; take for one’s own use
arbiter
Judge, umpire, person empowered to decide matters at hand
ardent
Very passionate, devoted, or enthusiastic
arrogate
Claim or take presumptuously or without the right to do so
ascribe
Assign or credit to a certain cause or source
aseptic
Free from germs
asperity
Rigor, severity; harshness or sharpness of tone; roughness of surface
aspersions
Damaging remarks, defamation, slander
assail
Attack violently, assault
assiduous
Persevering, diligent, constant
attentuate
Weaken or thin out
attuned
In harmony; in sympathetic relationship
augury
Telling the future, such as through supernatural means
august
Venerable, majestic; inspiring admiration
avarice
Insatiable greed; a miserly desire to hoard wealth
axiom
Self-evident truth requiring no proof; universally or generally accepted principle
