Frequently Asked Words Flashcards
abase
(v.) - to humiliate ; belittle.
- “i watched my colleagues abasing themselves before the boss.”
aberration
(n.) - departure from what is normal ; deviation.
- “he was regarded as an aberration among his peers.”
abet
(v.) - assist and encourage someone to do something wrong, esp. a crime.
- “he was guilty of abetting others.”
abjure
(v.) - solemnly renounce (a belief/cause/claim).
- “the MPs were encouraged to abjure their allegiance.”
ablution
(n.) - the act of washing oneself ; cleansing.
- “the priests performed their ablutions.”
abscond
(v.) - leave quickly and secretly, esp. to avoid arrest ; take flight.
- “the butler absconded with the week’s savings.”
abstruse
(adj.) difficult to understand ; obscure.
- “an abstruse philosophical theory.”
accost
(v.) - to approach someone in an aggressively/boldly.
- “the reporters accosted him.”
accredit
(v.) to give official authorization to or approval of ; certify.
- “discovery of distillation is accredited to the arabs.”
acquit
(v.) - free someone from criminal charges by a verdict of not guilty.
- “the jury acquitted him on all counts.”
acrid
(adj.) unpleasantly bitter or pungent.
- “acrid smoke.”
acrimony
(n.) bitterness or ill-feeling ; resentment.
- “the dispute continued with increasing acrimony.”
acumen
(n.) keenness of mind in a particular field, like business ; insight
- “she hides a shrewd business acumen.”
acuity
(n.) sharpness or keenness of thought, vision or hearing.
- “intellectual acuity.”
adage
(n.) a proverb/short statement expressing a general truth ; old saying
- “the old adage ‘out of sight, out of mind’.”
addle
(v.) - make someone confused.
- (of an egg) become rotten
- “being in love must have addled your brain.”
adduce
(v.) to offer as example, reason or proof.
- “adduce evidence in support of a theory.”
adjudicate
(v.) to make formal judgement on a dispute.
- “the committee adjudicates on all betting issues.”
adjure
(v.) to ask/order someone to do something ; beseech
- “the judge adjured him to answer truthfully.”
admonitory
(adj.) advising or warning someone about their behaviour.
- “she raised an admonitory finger at me.”
adroit
(adj.) clever or skillful
- “he was adroit at evading tax.”
advent
(n.) the beginning of an event, the invention of something, or the arrival of a person.
- “the advent of the gramophone changed the musical world.”
adventitious
(adj.) happening as a result of an external factor or chance rather than design or inherent nature ; unplanned.
- “an adventitious event”
advert
(n.) an advertisement
OR (v.) refer to in speaking or writing
- “he adverted briefly about the news.”
agog
(adj.) excited and eager to know or see more
- “we waited agog for news.”
alacrity
(n.) speed and eagerness
- “she accepted the money with alacrity.”
alcove
(n.) a recess in the wall of a room or garden
OR (in nature) large, arched recessions formed in a cliff wall.
- “the cottage rested upon a little alcove in the mountainside”
allay
(v.) diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry)
- "”the report attempted to educate the public and allay fears.”
alleviate
(v.) make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe.
- “he couldn’t prevent her pain, only alleviate it.”
allocate
(v.) to give a particular amount of time, money, etc. to someone or something, so that it can be used in a particular way
- “salesmen should allocate time for work in each area of their business.”
allure
(n.) the quality of being attractive, interesting, or exciting.
- “the allure of being on stage.”
aloof
(adj.) removed or distant either physically or emotionally.
- “he was an aloof man.”
ambient
(adj.) (especially of environmental conditions) existing in the surrounding area.
- “ambient lighting/sounds.”
amble
annuity
ancillary
anoint
appraise
apprise
anon
(adv.) soon ; shortly
- “i’ll see you anon.”
