Unit 2 Flashcards
abysmal
adj. very bad
The abysmal failure of the free market system in Russia has led some people to argue that the planned economy of the Soviet Union, while not perfect, was better suited to Russia’s history and culture than Western-style capitalism.
accretion
n. growth in size or increase in amount
In the 1960s, the American geophysicist Harry Hess conceived the idea of sea-floor spreading, a process in which the new crust in the ocean is continually generated by igneous processes at the crests of the mid-oceanic ridges, causing a steady accretion of the crust.
accrue
v. to accumulate; grow by additions
Don’t let credit card interest accrue.
adamant
adj. uncompromising; unyielding
Despite widespread opposition to his plan, the political party’s leader is adamant that the party must move to the center to appeal to moderate voters.
adjunct
n. something added, attached, or joined
Speed walking, cross country running, and marathons are normally regarded as adjuncts of track and field athletics since races in these sports are not normally held on a track.
admonish
v. to caution or reprimand
The judge admonished the jury to discount testimony that had been ruled inadmissible.
adulterate
v. to corrupt or make impure
The unscrupulous company sells an adulterated version of the drug, and doesn’t inform consumers that they are getting a less efficacious drug than they think they are getting.
aesthetic
adj. relating to beauty or art
The gothic aesthetic dominated European art and architecture from approximately the twelfth to the fifteenth century.
affected
adj. pretentious, phony
It has been argued that the emphasis on so-called “proper English” leads to unnatural and affected speech.
affinity
n. fondness; liking; similarity
The female students in the class felt an affinity for the ancient Greek playwright Euripides because he sympathized with women, slave, and other despised members of society.
