A1: Mnemonics Flashcards
abase
(verb) to humiliate or degrade “uh base”
Think: give up a base
When you’re making out with someone, if you give up a base to quickly, then you just abase yourself
abashed
(adjective) embarrassed. “uh bashed”
Think: bashful the dwarf
When Snow White kisses him, bashful gets so abashed that he blushes
abate
(verb) to reduce “uh bate”
Think: rebate
It may be annoying to have to mail it in, but the rebate on the new cell phone will abate its costs
aberration
(noun): an exception or departure from the norm. “ah (rhymes with “nah”) burr A shun”
Think: a bare Asian
Seeing a bare Asian would be an aberration- most people in Asia wear clothes
abeyance
(noun): temporary inactivity; suspension. “uh BAY ants”
Think: “obey” ends
When our lieutenant’s command to obey ends, our work plans are held in abeyance because we are lazy
abhor
(verb): to hate. “ab WHORE”
Think: ab-whore
Daria abhors the tube-top-wearing blonde who stole her boyfriend and refers to her as an “ab-whore”
abject
(adjective):miserable; wretched. “ab-JEKT”
Think: rejects
If she rejects my marriage proposal, I’ll be abject, with nothing to live for
`abnegate
(verb): to give up something; to deny oneself something. “ab nuh Gate”
Think: abs negated
If you abnegate food, the fat covering your abs will negated
abomination
(noun): something awful. “uh BOM in A shun”
Think: bomb a nation
It is an abomination to bomb a nation: civilians get killed
aboriginal
(adjective): existing since the beinning “AB or IDGE in ul”
Think: original
In Australia, the original natives are Aborigines- they are aboriginal since they were its first inhabitants
abort
(verb): to end prematurely “uh BORT”
Think: abortion
An abortion can abort a pregnancy
abound
(verb): to be numerous. “uh BOUND”
Think: abundant
Kangaroos abound in Australia; they’re abundant, bouncing around wherever you look
abrasive
(adjective): causing irritation. “uh BRAY sive”
Think: braying donkey
Adopting a homeless donkey seemed great until I realized it would wake me up every morning with its abrasive braying
abridge
(verb): t oshorten “uh BRIJ”
Think: a bridge
A bridge would abridge my commute, which involves dirving around the canyon
abrogate
(verb): to get rid of; to abolish. “AB roh gate”
Think: a broken gate
After my 120 lb. Mastiff decided to abrogate the barrier to the kitchen and eat from the garbage, we were left with a broken gate
abscission
(noun): the shedding of leaves, flowers, or fruits. “ab SIZH un”
Think: scissors
Instead of waiting for the grapes to drop off of the vines, speed up the abscission by getting out there with a pair of scissors
absolute
(adjective) complete and total. “ab so LUTE”
Think: absolut Vodka
The reason Absolut Vodka is more expensive than most brands is its superior purity; it is literally absolute vodka
absolve
(verb); to free from guilt; to forgive. “ub SOLVE”
Think: dissolve
Catholics believe that confessing to a priest will dissolve their guilt and absolve them from sin
abstemious
sparing; moderate
“ab STEM ee us”
Think: abstinence
The health teacher knew that if he told students to be abstemious, some of them would still get pregnant, so he urged them to practice abstinence
abstruse
(adjective): hard to comprehend. “ab StrOOS”
Think: abstract and confusing
The abstract strudel directions will confuse the new cook because they are abstruse
abysmal
(adjective): awful. “uh BIZ mull”
Think: Pepto-Bismol
When I had food poisoning, my stomach felt so abysmal that I had to drink a bottle of Pepto-Bismol
accede
(verb): to express approval for; to give into. “uh SEED”
Think agreed
Since we all accede to the plan to seed the garden, it looks like we’re agreed
accolade
(noun): an expression of praise. “AK oh lade”
Think: Escalade
I received many accolades for my service, buy my favorite was the gift of a brand- new cadillac Escalade
accretion
(noun): growth via a gradual buildup. “uh CREE shun”
Think: creeps up on
Gaining weight creeps up on a lot of people since they don’t notice the slow accretion of fat
