Set 1 Flashcards
Aberrant; aberration
Deviating from the norm
Jim’s aberrant behavior at the dance raised some eyebrows; he was certainly the only one who spent the night walking (and dancing) on his hands
Abjure
To renounce or reject solemnly; to recant; to avoid
The reformed socialite abjured her former lifestyle and all those with whom she had previously associated
Abrogate
To abolish or annul by authority; put down
Darren abrogated his responsibility to the paper when he went on vacation without submitting his article before the deadline
Abscission
Act of cutting off or removing
When she called for the resignation of key legislators, the congresswoman claimed that it was the only way to abscise the corruption before it spread
Abscond
To depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
Doug was left penniless when the two con men absconded with his life savings
Abstain
To refrain from an activity
Sheryl chose to abstain from eating chocolate, her favorite treat, for the season of lent
Abstemious
Marked by moderation, particularly where food and drink are concerned
Though some regard the diet as a fad, in fact it recommends some very traditional habits, such as consuming sugar and alcohol abstemiously
Abstruse
Hard to understand
While the book received great praise in academic circles, it was too abstruse for the average person to comprehend
Accolade
An expression of praise; an award
The diva received her accolades graciously, blowing kisses to her adoring fans
Accretion
Growth, increase by successive addition, build up
Limestone is formed by the accretion of tiny particles from objects such as shells and coral over a very, very long time
Acerbic
Having a sour or bitter taste or character
Dorothy Parker was famous for her wit, which could be quite acerbic; Parker could be devastating when she wanted to be
Acumen
Quick, keen, or accurate knowledge or insight
Her acumen in anticipating her opponents strategy is legendary; it’s what makes her so hard to beat
Abate
To lessen in intensity or degree
Attempts by the administration to abate the intensity of the controversy were mostly unsuccessful; it continued to consume everyone’s attention