Abate - Cogent Flashcards
Abate
To reduce or lessen
ex) After blowing fiercely for hours, the hurricane winds at last began to __________.
Aberration
A deviation or departure from the norm
ex) Harry’s low grades in chemistry are an __________; he is typically an A student.
Abeyance
Temporary inactivity or suspension
ex) For some time now, the dissenters have been held in __________; they have suspended all protests.
Abjure
To forswear or abstain from; to give up
ex) Once King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry a commoner, he __________ all of his former titles.
Abrade
To wear down or run away the surface of something ex) Years of exposure to the sea spray had __________ed the face of the cliffs.
Abridge
To reduce the length of or diminish in scope ex) The author recently published an __________ed version of his original 600-page novel.
Abrogate
To end or do away with something ex) It is unlikely that the senator’s push to __________ any rights regarding free speech will be supported.
Abscond
To withdraw and hide, typically to avoid arrest ex) The fugitive __________ed to Canada in an attempt to avoid arrest in the United States.
Absurd
Extremely ridiculous or completely lacking reason ex) The idea that Samantha would fail her test was completely __________; she had studied for hours and was completely prepared.
Abysmal
Very profound or deep; very bad ex) Despite all of the advertisements promoting the new product, its firstquarter sales were __________.
Accretion
A gradual increase in the amount or size of something ex) Increased organic matter accumulation has led to an increase in the __________ rate in the Mississippi Delta.
Acquisitive
Characterized by strong desire to gain or retain information or objects ex) The __________ nature of the chimpanzee makes it appear almost human.
Acrid
Harsh or bitter taste or smell ex) Sean immediately turned the engine off when he smelled __________ smoke billowing from beneath the hood of his car.
Acute
Quick and precise; intense; sharp, keen ex) The __________ pain in Sarah’s wrist kept her from performing even the simplest activity.Henry was an acute observer; he quickly learned the rules of the game.
Adhere
To stick fast; to remain in support of ex) In order to maintain order in his classroom, Mr. Blume required strict __________nce to the code of conduct.
Adjacent
In the nearest position; next to ex) Chase took a new job in downtown Chicago, but purchased a house in an __________ suburb.
Adroit
Showing skill and experience ex) Steve was considered an __________ negotiator; he was often able to settle disputes when others had failed.
Aesthetic
Appealing to the senses because it is beautiful ex) The __________ quality of the painting was more appealing than its historical significance.
Affinity
Natural attraction; inherent similarity ex) Michelle’s __________ for getting straight to the point made her a popular editor at the publishing house.
Alienate
To isolate oneself from others or another person from oneself ex) Gregg often felt __________ed from his classmates because of his illness.
Ambiguous
Unclear or capable of having more than one meaning ex) The student’s __________ answer left the professor wondering whether the student had studied the assigned material.
Ambivalent
Characterized by uncertainty; unable to decide between opposites ex) unable to decide between opposites; His inability to show emotion left her feeling __________ about their relationship.
Amenable
Responsive to suggestion; willing ex) Josh was __________ to eating dinner early; he was ravenous.
Amiable
Friendly and pleasant ex) Joe was very __________; as a result, he made friends easily at his new school.
Anachronism
Something existing or happening out of it’s time in historical order ex) Her yearning to be nothing more than a housewife seemed an __________ in today’s society.
Annotate
To provide with extra notes or comments ex) In order to ensure the credibility of his students’ sources, the professor asked the students to __________ their bibliographies.
Anomaly
Something that is different from the norm ex) The botanists were excited when they discovered the unique flower; it was a complete __________.
Apathy
A lack of any emotion or concern ex) Mary appeared quite __________ at her trial; she seemed unconcerned by the jury’s guilty verdict.
Ardor
Intense feelings; passion ex) Scott’s __________ for Julianne increased as he spent more and more time with her.
Articulate
V. To clearly explain Adj. The quality of being able to speak clearly ex) Young children often find it difficult to __________ exactly what they are thinking.
Ascribe
To attribute to a specific source; to assign a characteristic ex) It is not unusual to __________ jealousy and pettiness to one’s critics.
Asperity
Roughness or severity ex) The __________ of the desert climate in Death Valley prevents many people from visiting for extended periods of time.
Assay
N. An analysis or examination V. To subject to analysis; to examine ex) The diplomat carefully __________ed the situation prior to making a decision.
Assert
To demonstrate power; to defend a statement as true ex) It is often necessary for a parent to __________ his or her authority over an unruly child.
Assiduous
Characteristic of careful and persistent effort ex) The journey to earning good grades is an _________ one; consistent effort must be put forth.
Assimilate
To incorporate into; to make similar ex) Many immigrants desire to _________ quickly into their new community.
Assuage
To lessen or ease ex) Mandy often used food to _________ her loneliness, a habit that led to her problem with obesity.
Aver
To declare as true; to maintain ex) The politician continued to __________ that he was more experienced than his opponent, despite evidence to the contrary.
Aversion
Strong dislike ex) Kelly has such an __________ to strenuous exercise that she never goes to the gym.
Banish
To force to leave ex) The deposed dictator was __________ed from his native country.
Benevolence
An inclination to be kind or charitable ex) Mr. Horn’s __________ made him a beloved school principal; his generosity and understanding far exceeded that of his predecessor.
Benign
Kind, mild, harmless ex) Katherine was relieved to discover that her tumor was __________; she would not require surgery after all.
Bequest
The act of passing on; something that is passed on ex) This collection of rare manuscripts was donated to the library as a __________ from Professor Austin.
Bereft
Deprived or despondent ex) Jill was __________ when she discovered that the coveted role had been offered to another actress.
Blithe
Carefree or joyous ex) casual Ellen’s __________ and outgoing attitude made her one of the most popular students on campus.
Bolster
N. a narrow cushion V. To support or strengthen ex) The small business owner secured a low-interest loan to __________ his financial situation during a period of expansion.
Brazen
Bold or shameless; insolent ex) His often __________ behavior at work led to his being reprimanded on a regular basis.
Burgeoning
Thriving or growing rapidly ex) Although it was completely undeveloped a year ago, the vacant land is now home to a __________ commercial area, complete with a new shopping mall.
Cadge
To beg ex) The destitute man was relegated to __________ing meals from local restaurants.
Capricious
Impulsive, prone to sudden change ex) Jill’s sudden move to Hollywood was considered __________ by the rest of her family.
Castigate
To punish or criticize severely ex) Jason was __________ed by his teacher for turning in his assignment late.
Catalyst
Something that causes something else to happen, usually without being directly involved in or changed by the process; a trigger for an event ex) Our classmate’s recent job offer served as a __________ for the rest of us to update and submit our resumes.
Censure
N. A formal criticism or intense disapproval V. To express a formal criticism ex) The prosecuting attorney was __________ed for a conflict of interest arising from his personal relationship with the plaintiff.
Chronicle
N. a detailed narrative V. To document or record ex) Several biographers have __________ed the life of Albert Einstein, one of the world’s greatest physicists.
Circumspect
Mindful if potential consequences; prudent ex) A wise investor is __________ about fluctuations in the market.
Cite
To quote as an example or proof ex) The company __________ed a 10 percent increase in sales as evidence that their new advertising campaign was achieving the predicted results.
Coerce
To force or threaten someone into acting a certain way; to compel ex) The jury did not hear the man’s taped confession during the trial because police had __________ed him into admitting that he had committed the crime.
Cogent
Convincing and reasonable ex) The teenager’s __________ argument for a later curfew persuaded his parents to push it back to midnight.
