Word List 4 Flashcards
Arraign (adj)
charge in court; indict
After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court
Array (v)
marshal; draw up in order
His actions were bound to array public sentiments against him
Array (v)
clothe; adorn
She liked to watch her mother array herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening
Arrears (n)
being in debt
Because he was in arrears with his car payments, the repo men repossessed his Porsche
Arrhythmic (adj)
lacking rhythm or regularity
The doctors feared his arrhythmic heartbeat might be the first symptom of an imminent heart attack problem (arrhythmia n)
Articulate (adj)
effective; distinct
Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed he employers (also v)
Artifice (n)
deception; trickery
The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military might
Artisan (n)
manually skilled worker
Artless (adj)
without guile; open and honest
Red Riding Hood’s artless comment, “Grandma, what big eyes you have!”
Ascendancy (n)
controlling influence
President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendancy over the Philippines
Ascetic (adj)
practicing self-denial; austere
The wealthy, self-indulgent young man felt oddly drawn to the strict, ascetic life led by members of some monastic orders (asceticism n)
Ascribe (v)
refer; attribute; assign
Asperity (n)
sharpness (of temper)
He said it with a line of asperity, “you are the worst of them all”
Aspersion (n)
slanderous remark
His opponent resorted to casting aspersions on the president’s moral character
Assail (v)
assault
Assay (v)
analyse; evaluate
When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered a very rich vein
Assent (v)
agree; accept
Assiduous (adj)
diligent
It took Rembrandt weeks of assiduous labor before he was satisfied with his portrait of his son
Assuage (v)
ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)
Jilted by Jane, Dick tried to assuage his heartache by indulging in ice cream. One gallon later, he had assuaged his appetite but not his grief (assuagement n)
Astringent (adj)
binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe
Atrophy (n)
wasting away
Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of affected limbs
Attrition (n)
gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment
In the 1960s urban churches suffered from attrition as members moved from the cities to the suburbs. Rather than fire staff members, church leaders followed a policy of attrition, allowing elder workers to retire without replacing them
Atypical (adj)
not normal
Auspicious (adj)
favouring success
Austere (adj)
forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unornamented
