Day 5 Flashcards
arcane
/secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated. Secret brotherhoods surround
themselves with arcane rituals and trappings to mystify outsiders. So do doctors. Consider the arcane
terminology they use and the impression they try to give that what is arcane to us is obvious to them.
aria
/operatic solo. At her Metropolitan Opera audition, Marian Anderson sang an aria from
Norma.
armada
/fleet of warships. Queen Elizabeth’s navy defeated the mighty armada that threatened the
English coast.
arraign
/charge in court; indict. After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was
arraigned in the County Criminal Court.
arrears
/being in debt. He was in arrears with his payments on the car
arroyo
/a trench which was originally worn in the earth by running water and through which water often runs after rains. Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a dry bed.
artless
/without guile; open and honest. Sophisticated and cynical, Jack could not believe Jill
was as artless and naive as she appeared to be.
ascendancy
controlling influence; domination. Leaders of religious cults maintain ascendancy over
their followers by methods that can verge on brainwashing.
asinine
stupid. Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious
consideration.
askance
/with a sideways or indirect look. Looking askance at her questioner, she
displayed her scorn.
asperity
/sharpness (of temper). These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom
they had been directed.
assail
/assault. He was assailed with questions after his lecture.
assay
/analyze; evaluate. When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered a
very rich vein. also N.
assiduous
diligent. He was assiduous, working at this task for weeks before he felt satisfied with his
results. assiduity, N.
asunder
/into parts; apart. A fierce quarrel split the partnership asunder: the two partners finally
sundered their connections because their points of view were poles asunder.
