| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abbreviate | (v) to shorten, abridge |
| abstinence | (n) the act of refraining from pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking |
| adulation | (n) high praise |
| adversity | (n) misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events |
| aesthetic | (adj) pertaining to beauty or the arts |
| amicable | (adj) friendly, agreeable |
| anachronistic | (adj) out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period |
| anecdote | (n) short, usually funny account of an event |
| anonymous | (adj) nameless, without a disclosed identity |
| antagonist | (n) foe, opponent, adversary |
| arid | (adj) extremely dry or deathly boring |
| assiduous | (adj) persistent, hard-working |
| asylum | (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge |
| benevolent | (adj) friendly and helpful |
| camaraderie | (n) trust, sociability amongst friends |
| censure | (v) to criticize harshly |
| circuitous | (adj) indirect, taking the longest route |
| clairvoyant | (adj) exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future |
| collaborate | (v) to cooperate, work together |
| compassion | (n) sympathy, helpfulness or mercy |
| compromise | (v) to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides |
| condescending | (adj) possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing |
| conditional | (adj) depending on a condition, e.g., in a contract |
| conformist | (n) person who complies with accepted rules and customs |
| congregation | (n) a crowd of people, an assembly |
| convergence | (n) the state of separate elements joining or coming together |
| deleterious | (adj) harmful, destructive, detrimental |
| demagogue | (n) leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice |
| digression | (n) the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument |
| diligent | (adj) careful and hard-working |
| discredit | (v) to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace |
| disdain | (v) to regard with scorn or contempt |
| divergent | (adj) separating, moving in different directions from a particular point |
| empathy | dentification with the feelings of others |
| emulate | (v) to imitate, follow an example |
| enervating | (adj) weakening, tiring |
| enhance | (v) to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity |
| ephemeral | (adj) momentary, transient, fleeting |
| evanescent | (adj) quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image |
| exasperation | (n) irritation, frustration |
| exemplary | (adj) outstanding, an example to others |
| extenuating | (adj) excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors |
| florid | (adj) red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate |
| fortuitous | (adj) happening by luck, fortunate |
| frugal | (adj) thrifty, cheap |
| hackneyed | (adj) cliched, worn out by overuse |
| haughty | (adj) arrogant and condescending |
| hedonist | (n) person who pursues pleasure as a goal |
| hypothesis | (n) assumption, theory requiring proof |
| impetuous | (adj) rash, impulsive, acting without thinking |
| impute | (v) to attribute an action to particular person or group |
| incompatible | (adj) opposed in nature, not able to live or work together |
| inconsequential | (adj) unimportant, trivial |
| inevitable | (adj) certain, unavoidable |
| integrity | (n) decency, honesty, wholeness |
| intrepid | (adj) fearless, adventurous |
| intuitive | (adj) instinctive, untaught |
| jubilation | (n) joy, celebration, exultation |
| lobbyist | (n) person who seeks to influence political events |
| longevity | (n) long life |
| mundane | (adj) ordinary, commonplace |
| nonchalant | (adj) calm, casual, seeming unexcited |
| novice | (n) apprentice, beginner |
| opulent | (adj) wealthy |
| orator | (n) lecturer, speaker |
| ostentatious | (adj) showy, displaying wealth |
| parched | (adj) dried up, shriveled |
| perfidious | (adj) faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy |
| precocious | (adj) unusually advanced or talented at an early age |
| pretentious | (adj) pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured |
| procrastinate | (v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off |
| prosaic | (adj) relating to prose; dull, commonplace |
| prosperity | (n) wealth or success |
| provocative | (adj) tending to provoke a response, e.g., anger or disagreement |
| prudent | (adj) careful, cautious |
| querulous | (adj) complaining, irritable |
| rancorous | (adj) bitter, hateful |
| reclusive | (adj) preferring to live in isolation |
| reconciliation | (n) the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute |
| renovation | (n) repair, making something new again |
| resilient | (adj) quick to recover, bounce back |
| restrained | (adj) controlled, repressed, restricted |
| reverence | (n) worship, profound respect |
| sagacity | (n) wisdom |
| scrutinize | (v) to observe carefully |
| spontaneity | (n) impulsive action, unplanned events |
| spurious | (adj) lacking authenticity, false |
| submissive | (adj) tending to meekness, to submit to the will of others |
| substantiate | (v) to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence |
| subtle | (adj) hard to detect or describe; perceptive |
| superficial | (adj) shallow, lacking in depth |
| superfluous | (adj) extra, more than enough, redundant |
| suppress | (v) to end an activity, e.g., to prevent the dissemination of information |
| surreptitious | (adj) secret, stealthy |
| tactful | (adj) considerate, skillful in acting to avoid offense to others |
| tenacious | (adj) determined, keeping a firm grip on |
| transient | (adj) temporary, short-lived, fleeting |
| venerable | (adj) respected because of age |
| vindicate | (v) to clear from blame or suspicion |
| wary | (adj) careful, cautious |
| Ambivalence | lack of clarity; wavering; being undecided |
| Cantankerous | bad-tempered; quarrelsome |
| Derogatory | uncomplimentary |
| Exemplify | to serve as a good example |
| Impecunious | having no money |
| Lucid | clear |
| Ornate | highly decorated |
| Precipice | steep slope |
| Salubrious | health-giving |
| Truant | shirker; someone absent without permission |
| Ambulatory | able to walk around (used of hospital patients) |
| Capacious | spacious |
| Desecrate | to damage or pollute a holy place |
| Exhaustive | complete and thorough |
| Impious | wicked; profane |
| Ludicrous | ridiculous; silly |
| Orthodox | conventional |
| Precipitous | done in a hurry |
| Salutary | something which teaches you a lesson; beneficial |
| Truncate | cut short |
| Ameliorate | make better |
| Capitulate | surrender; give in to |
| Desecration | spoiling something holy |
| Exonerates | acquits; absolves; removes blame |
| Impoverished | destitute; poor |
| Lukewarm | 1. unenthusiastic; 2. neither hot nor cold |
| Ossify | 1. turn to bone; 2. become fixed and rigid |
| Preclude | prevent or make impossible |
| Sanctimonious | hypocritically holy |
| Tumult | uproar; noise |
| Amelioration | improvement |
| Carping | constant criticism |
| Desist | stop; discontinue; cease |
| Exorcism | getting free/rid of; eliminating (especially demons) |
| Impromptu | unrehearsed; spontaneous |
| Lummox | clumsy person |
| Ostentatious | showy |
| Precocious | developing early |
| Sanction | give approval to |
| Turpitude | depravity |
| Amiable | friendly |
| Cartographer | person who makes maps |
| Despondent | having no hope; miserable |
| Expatriate | refugee; emigrant; someone living away from his own country |
| Inadvertent | not intentional |
| Luscious | juicy; moist; succulent |
| Oust | push out of a position |
| Predecessor | one who came before |
| Sanguinary | bloodthirsty; bloody |
| Tyro | novice; beginner |
| Amity | friendship |
| Castigate | scold strongly |
| Destitution | hardship; poverty; misery |
| Expedient | convenient; practical |
| Incantation | chant; invocation; prayer |
| Lynch | assassinate; kill; illegal hanging |
| Overt | obvious; not hidden |
| Predicament | dilemma; difficult situation |
| Sanguine | optimistic; cheerful |
| Ubiquitous | found everywhere; omnipresent |
| Amorphous | lacking in shape |
| Catharsis | purging of pent-up emotions |
| Deter | put off; prevent |
| Expedite | make faster |
| Incarceration | putting in prison |
| Machinations | plots and plans |
| Overwrought | worked up; in an emotional state |
| Preeminent | famous; outstanding |
| Sardonic | mocking |
| Unalloyed | undiluted; total |
| Analgesic | medicine to combat pain |
| Caucus | type of private political meeting |
| Deteriorate | worsen; decline |
| Exposition | clear explanation |
| Incessant | without stopping |
| Maelstrom | whirlpool; storm in the ocean |
| Palatable | good to eat; agreeable |
| Prerogative | right or privilege |
| Savant | person with knowledge |
| Unctuous | oily; using excessive flattery |
| Analogous | comparable |
| Caustic | burning |
| Detrimental | harmful |
| Extol | praise |
| Incipient | just beginning |
| Magnanimous | generous; big-hearted |
| Palisade | fence made of posts |
| Prescient | having fore-knowledge |
| Scale | to climb |
| Undermined | damaged; attacked |
| Anarchy | chaos; lack of government |
| Cavalcade | procession of vehicles |
| Devoured | greedily eaten/consumed |
| Extradite | deport from one country back to the home country |
| Inclination | tendency; a leaning toward |
| Magnate | powerful businessman |
| Palliative | a remedy that improves but doesn't cure |
| Presentiment | a feeling that something might happen |
| Scapegoat | person on whom blame is placed for faults of others |
| Underscore | emphasize |
| Anecdote | a brief amusing story |
| Celerity | speed |
| Dexterous | skilful with hands |
| Extraneous | irrelevant |
| Incoherent | not clear |
| Maladroit | clumsy; unskillful |
| Pallid | pale |
| Presumptuous | assuming too much; arrogant |
| Scrupulous | careful; diligent; painstaking |
| Unequivocal | clear; obvious |
| Animosity | hatred; antagonism |
| Censorious | disapproving; critical |
| Dichotomy | a division into two parts |
| Extrapolate | extend; predict on the basis of known data |
| Incongruous | not fitting in; out of place |
| Malady | illness |
| Palpable | easily felt; easily perceived |
| Pretentious | pompous; self-important |
| Scrutinize | examine carefully |
| Unfetter | set free |
| Annex (n) | a building which is an addition to an existing building |
| Censure | blame |
| Didactic | intended to teach; instructive |
| Extrinsic | irrelevant; on the outside |
| Inconsequential | unimportant; insignificant; negligible |
| Malediction | a curse |
| Panacea | remedy for all ills |
| Prevaricate | speak misleadingly and evasively |
| Scuttle | sink |
| Unfrock | to remove a priest from his position |
| Annex (v) | take possession of; seize; capture |
| Cerebral | intellectual |
| Diffident | lacking confidence |
| Fallacious | FALSE |
| Inconspicuous | not easily seen; subtle; not noticeable |
| Malefactor | a wrong-doer |
| Paradigm | 1. example; 2. model; 3. way of looking at things |
| Pristine | unspoiled |
| Seminary | an institution in which priests are trained |
| Unprecedented | never having happened before |
| Anomaly | something which does not fit in a pattern; irregularity |
| Certitude | certainty |
| Digress | wander off the subject |
| Falter | hesitate; waver |
| Indelible | cannot be wiped out |
| Malinger | deliberately avoid work; shirk |
| Paradox | apparently contradictory statement |
| Proclivity | tendency towards |
| Sensuous | appealing to the senses |
| Unscathed | unharmed; intact; without a scratch |
| Antagonism | hostility; strong opposition |
| Charlatan | trickster who claims knowledge he doesn't have |
| Dike | dam; embankment |
| Fanatical | obsessive; fixated |
| Indifferent | 1. neutral; 2. not outstanding |
| Malingerer | person who deliberately tries to avoid work |
| Paragon | a perfect example |
| Procrastinate | delay; put off |
| Sentinel | guard; sentry |
| Unwitting | not deliberate; unconscious |
| Antagonistic | opposed; hostile; aggressive |
| Chary | wary of; cautious about; reluctant to give |
| Dilatory | slow; falling behind with one's work |
| Fanaticism | passion; excessive devotion |
| Indigenous | native to a particular area |
| Malleable | flexible; can be shaped |
| Paramount | of supreme importance |
| Prodigal | wasteful; extravagant |
| Sequester | isolate |
| Upbraid | scold; tell off; reprimand |
| Antediluvian | outdated; prehistoric; very old-fashioned |
| Chastises | punishes |
| Dilemma | puzzling situation |
| Fastidious | overly particular; finicky |
| Indolence | laziness |
| Mallet | 1. wooden hammer; 2. stick used for polo |
| Parasite | 1. scrounger; 2. animal which takes digested food from another |
| Prodigious | very large |
| Serendipity | fortunate coincidence; unsought discovery |
| Uproarious | hilarious; hysterical; very funny |
| Anthology | a book which is a collection of poems or stories |
| Chicanery | trickery |
| Dilettante | person who dabbles in a subject without serious study |
| Fatuous | silly; foolish |
| Inductee | novice; beginner |
| Manipulatable | influencable; controllable |
| Parched | dried up |
| Profane | unholy |
| Serene | calm; peaceful |
| Upshot | outcome |
| Anthropocentrism | putting man at the center of one's philosophy |
| Chimerical | changeable; unstable |
| Diligent | hard-working |
| Feasible | possible and practicable |
| Indulgent | pampering; satisfying desires |
| Marred | damaged; spoiled |
| Pariah | an outcast from society |
| Profanity | swearing; cursing |
| Serrated | jagged; saw-like |
| Urbane | sophisticated; suave |
| palpable | capable of being handled, touched, or felt; easily perceived |
| obstinate | unreasonably stubborn |
| surmise | to infer something by intuition or with slender evidence; such an inference |
| debilitated | showing impairment of energy or strenth |
| affluence | wealth |
| elicit | to draw out; to invoke |
| salient | important, prominent, most noticable |
| acrid | harsh; sarcastic; bitter to the taste |
| gustatory | relating to the sense of taste |
| noisome | disgustingly offensive; foul |
| palatable | pleasant or acceptable to the taste |
| abstract | without reference to specific instance or concrete existence; theoretical; to remove |
| contract | to reduce in size by drawing together |
| detract | to take away a desirable part; to diminish |
| protract | to extend the duration of; prolong |
| retract | to take back; to pull back |
| tract | an area of land or water; a brief written work, usu. on a religious or political topic |
| traction | the ability (as of a tire or wheel) to stay on a surface wihtout sliding; the act of pulling |
| bristle | to react in an angry or offended manner |
| husband | to use sparingly; to conserve |
| just | honorable and fair; consistent with what is right |
| quail | to draw back in fear; lose heart or courage |
| retire | to retreat, as from battle |
| table | to postpone consideration of |
| till | to prepare the soil for planting |
| wax | to become larger |
| weather | to survive |
| arable | suitable for growing crops |
| belated | delayed; postponed; detained |
| callous | lacking pity or mercy; unfeeling |
| chaste | pure; not engaging in sexual activity |
| collateral | parallel; serving to support; of a secondary nature |
| collude | to plot secretly for a deceitful or illegal purpose |
| condone | to pardon or overlook voluntarily |
| corroborate | to strengthen; confirm; support |
| crestfallen | feeling disappointment; feeling shame or humiliation |
| decisive | conclusive; beyond doubt; showing determination |
| deride | to ridicule |
| diffident | lacking self-confidence; timid; shy |
| diffuse | to spread around or scatter; widely scattered |
| dilemma | a situation in which one must choose between two equally bad alternatives |
| disparate | entirely unlike |
| dowdy | lacking in neatness or style; shabby |
| dupe | to deceive; to trick; a person easily tricked |
| duress | strain or hardship, often illegally applied |
| embezzle | to take money for one's own use, in violation of a trust |
| epigram | a short, cleverly-worded statement |
| ethereal | delicate; soft; airy; intangible |
| extant | currently or actually existing |
| flighty | unstable or easily excited |
| foible | a minor weakness of character |
| frivolous | of little importance |
| gestate | evolve, as in prenatal growth |
| groggy | confused, sluggish, or dizzy, as from lack of sleep or drunknness |
| hangar | a structure used for housing aicraft |
| harrowing | very distressing; painful |
| impute | to assign credit, often of guilt or blame |
| insensible | not able to feel or perceive; unresponsive |
| insular | narrowing in outlook; provincial |
| junta | a group of military officers ruling a country after seizing power |
| legerdemain | trickery; deception; sleight of hand |
| lethargic | dull; sluggish; moving slowly |
| manumit | to grant freedom to slaves; to emancipate |
| pervade | to spread through, or be present throughout |
| pique | to arouse (interest, curiosity, etc); to irritate |
| poise | self-assurance; composure; equilibrium |
| proliferate | to grow or reproduce rapidly |
| quotidian | daily; customary |
| regale | to delight or entertain |
| repel | to drive or force back; to drive off |
| scapegoat | one who takes blame |
| schism | a division; a split; a break |
| sediment | a residue that settles in the bottom of something |
| temperate | consistent; moderate; without extremes |
| tortuous | winding; twisted |
| unpretentious | modest; not showy |
| wane | to decrease; lessen |
| testy | irritable; touchy |
| stoic | apparently indifferent to joy, grief, pleasure, or pain |
| sentinel | one who keeps watch |
| scour | to wash by scrubbing vigorously |
| revere | to honor |
| remunerate | to pay or compensate |
| pulverize | to crush; to grind into powder or dust |
| jargon | the specialized terminology of a profession; incoherent speech |
| knell | to ring in a slow, solemn way. the sound of a bell esp. of one rung at a funeral |
| maim | to cipple; mutilate; disable |
| manifesto | a public delcaration of principles, often political |
| dediocre | ordinary to inferior in quiality; not stnading out from the average |
| morbid | gruesome; awful |
| nemesis | one who inflicts justified or great punishment; a source of harm or ruin |
| ovation | enthusiastic and lengthy applause |
| pittance | a small amount, esp. of money |
| plethora | an excessive amount |
| inexorable | not able to be persuaded |
| incumbent | necessary or obligatory; a person who currently holds a particular position |
| incongruous | lacking agreement; incompatible |
| impugn | challenge; call into question |
| impalpable | that which cannot be flet by touching; not easily understood |
| heinous | extremely wicked; abominable |
| grovel | to beg; to lower oneself to please another |
| grimace | a facial expression that shows disapproval or pain; to make such an expression |
| glut | an oversupply |
| fractious | disruptive or irritable |
| foliage | leaves |
| flounder | to proceed with clumsiness and confusion |
| fastidious | not easy to please; very critical or discriminating |
| etymology | the study of origins of words |
| entail | to have as a necessary result |
| ensue | to happen subsequently |
| dissent | to disagree |
| dictum | an authoritatives, often formal, pronouncement |
| demagogue | a leader who obtains power by appealing to the emotions and passions of the people |
| debonair | easy and carefree in manner |
| daunt | to make afraid; intimidate |
| crony | a long-time friend or close companion |
| cordial | warm and friendly; hearty |
| complaisant | showing a desire to please; cheerfully obliging |
| complacent | too pleased with oneself; self-satisfied |
| cavil | to argue in a petty fashion; make trifling objections |
| ambivalence | simultaneous existence of opposing feelings; uncertainty as to what to do |
| affable | friendly; easy to talk to |
| averse | opposed, reluctant; repelled |
| broach | to raise for discussion |
| pallet | a narrow, hard bed or straw-filled mattress |
| stanch | to stop the flow of something |
| staunch | strongly loyal |
| scribe | a professional copyist of manuscrips and documents; esp. in ancient times |
| proscribe | to prohivit or forbid.. to denounce |
| prescribe | to set down as a rul |
| postscript | additional informaiton added to the end of a letter or other document |
| nondescript | lacking distinction or individual character |
| inscribe | to write, carve or engrave words or letters on or in a surface |
| conscript | to draft compulsorily, esp. into military service |
| circumscribe | to define the limits of |
| ascribe | to attribute to a specific source |
| diurnal | daily; occurring during the daytime |
| antediluvian | very old; oudated |
| anachronism | something not belonging to a certain time period |
| desultory | lacking a plan or purpose; unmethodical |
| foment | to stir up negative feeligns, esp. those that lead to violent action |
| commensurate | equal in proportion; having the same size, duration, etc. |
| predileciton | a preference |
| dissipate | to scatter; to spend wastefully |
| surreptitious | done secretly, often of something unseemly or unethical |
| serendipity | unexpected gift or discovery |
| poignant | sharply painful to the feelings |
| attrition | gradual reduction |
| abbreviate | shorten, abridge |
| abstinence | act of refraining from |
| adulation | high praise |
| adversity | misfortune |
| aesthetic | pertaining to beauty |
| amicable | agreeable |
| anachronistic | out-of-date |
| anecdote | short account of event |
| anonymous | nameless |
| antagonist | opponent |
| arid | extremely dry |
| assiduous | hard-working |
| asylum | sanctuary |
| benevolent | friendly, helpful |
| camaraderie | trust among friends |
| censure | to criticize harshly |
| circuitous | indirect, roundabout |
| clairvoyant | able to see the future |
| collaborate | to work together |
| compassion | sympathy, mercy |
| compromise | to settle differences |
| condescending | patronizing |
| conditional | provisional, contingent |
| conformist | follower of customs |
| congregation | crowd of people |
| convergence | joining of parts |
| deleterious | harmful |
| demagogue | rabble-rousing leader |
| digression | straying from main point |
| diligent | hard-working |
| discredit | dishonor, disgrace |
| disdain | to regard with scorn |
| divergent | variant, moving apart |
| empathy | sharing of feelings |
| emulate | follow an example |
| enervating | tiring, weakening |
| enhance | improve, augment |
| ephemeral | momentary, fleeting |
| evanescent | short-lived, as an image |
| exasperation | irritation, frustration |
| exemplary | outstanding |
| extenuating | guilt diminishing |
| florid | flushed, ornate |
| fortuitous | lucky |
| frugal | thrifty |
| hackneyed | overused, cliched |
| haughty | arrogant, condescending |
| hedonist | pleasure seeker |
| hypothesis | theory requiring proof |
| impetuous | rash, impulsive |
| impute | to attribute to someone |
| incompatible | unable to work together |
| inconsequential | trivial |
| inevitable | unavoidable, certain |
| integrity | honesty, decency |
| intrepid | fearless, adventurous |
| intuitive | instinctive, untaught |
| jubilation | joy, exultation |
| lobbyist | persuader of legislators |
| longevity | long life |
| mundane | ordinary, common |
| nonchalant | calm, casual |
| novice | beginner |
| opulent | wealthy |
| orator | speaker |
| ostentatious | displaying wealth |
| parched | dried up |
| perfidious | disloyal |
| precocious | talented beyond one's age |
| pretentious | pompous, self-important |
| procrastinate | to delay unnecessarily |
| prosaic | run-of-the-mill |
| prosperity | wealth, success |
| provocative | inflammatory |
| prudent | wise, careful, cautious |
| querulous | irritable |
| rancorous | hateful |
| reclusive | withdrawn, hermit-like |
| reconciliation | agreement after a quarrel |
| renovation | state of being renewed |
| resilient | quick to recover |
| restrained | controlled, restricted |
| reverence | profound respect |
| sagacity | wisdom |
| scrutinize | to observe carefully |
| spontaneity | impulsive action |
| spurious | phony, false |
| submissive | meek |
| substantiate | to verify, confirm |
| subtle | elusive, sly, ambiguous |
| superficial | lacking in depth |
| superfluous | more than enough |
| suppress | to end an activity |
| surreptitious | secret, stealthy |
| tactful | diplomatic, polite |
| tenacious | persistent, resolute |
| transient | temporary, fleeting |
| venerable | respectable due to age |
| vindicate | to clear from blame |
| wary | watchful, alert |
| abase | lower, humiliate |
| abash | embarrass |
| abate | subside, decrease, lessen |
| abbreviate | shorten |
| abdicate | renounce, give up |
| abduction | kidnapping |
| aberrant | abnormal or deviant |
| abet | aid, usually in doing womething wrong, encourage |
| abeyance | suspended action |
| abhor | detest, hate |
| abject | wretched, lacking pride |
| abjure | renounce upon oath |
| ablution | washing |
| abnegation | repudiation, self sacrifice |
| abolish | cancel, put an end to |
| abominable | detestable, extremely unpleasant, very bad |
| aboriginal | being the first of its kind in a region, primitive, native |
| abortive | unsuccessful, fruitless |
| abrade | wear away by friction, scrape, erode |
| abrasive | rubbing away, tending to grind down |
| abridge | condense or shorten |
| abrogate | abolish |
| abscond | depart secretly and hide |
| absolute | completely, totally unlimited, certain |
| absolve | pardon an offense |
| absorb | assimilate or incorporate, suck or drink up, wholly engage |
| abstain | refrain, hold oneself back voluntarily from an action or practice |
| abstemious | sparing in eating and drinking, temperate |
| abstinence | restraint from eating and drinking |
| abstract | teoretical, not concrete, nonrepresentational |
| abstruse | obscure, profound, difficult to understand |
| abundant | plentiful, possessing riches or resources |
| abusive | coarsely insulting, physically harmful |
| abut | border upon, join |
| abysmal | bottomless |
| abyss | enormous chasm, vast bottomless pit |
| academic | related to a school, not practical or directly useful |
| accede | agree |
| accelerate | move faster |
| accentuate | emphasize, stress |
| accessible | easy to approach, obtainable |
| accessory | additional object, useful but not essential thing |
| acclaim | applaud, announce with great approval |
| acclimate | adjust to climate |
| acclivity | sharp upslope of a hill |
| accolade | award of merit |
| accomodate | oblige or help someone, adjust or bring into harmony, adapt |
| accomplice | partner in crime |
| accord | agreement |
| accost | approach and speak first to a person |
| accoutre | equip |
| accretion | growth, increase |
| accrue | come about by addition |
| acerbity | bitterness of speech and temper |
| acetic | vinegary |
| acidulous | slightly sour, sharp, caustic |
| acknowledge | recognize, admit |
| acme | top, pinnacle |
| acoustics | science of sound, quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in |
| acquiesce | assent, agree without protesting |
| acquire | obtain, get |
| acquittal | deliverance from a charge |
| acrid | sharp, bitterly pungent |
| acrimonious | bitter in words or manner |
| acrophobia | fear of heights |
| actuarial | calculating, pertaining to insurance statistics |
| actuate | motivate |
| acuity | sharpness |
| acumen | mental keenness |
| acute | quickly perceptive, keen, brief and severe |
| adage | wise saying, proverb |
| adamant | hard, inflexible |
| adapt | alter, modify |
| addendum | an addition or supplement |
| addiction | compulsive, habitual need |
| addle | muddle, drive crazy, become rotten |
| address (v) | direct a speech to, deal with or discuss |
| adept | expert at |
| adhere | stick fast |
| adherent | supporter, follower |
| adjacent | adjoining, neighboring, close by |
| adjunct | something added on or attached (generally nonessential or inferior) |
| admonish | warn, reprove |
| adorn | decorate |
| adroit | skillful |
| Abase | lower; huniliate |
| Abate | subside; decrease; lessen |
| Adbicate | renounce; give up |
| Aberration | deviation from the expected or the normal; mental irregularity or disorder |
| Abet | encourage; aid |
| Abeyance | suspended action |
| Abject | hopeless and crushed; servile and spiritless; wretched |
| Abrade | wear away by friction; scrap; erode |
| Abscond | depart secretly to avoid capture |
| Absolute | complete; totally unlimited; certain |
| Absolve | pardon (an offense); free from blame |
| Abstain | refrain; hold oneself back voluntarily from an action or practice (especially one regarded as improper or unhealthy) |
| Sbstract | theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational |
| Abstruse | obscure; profound; difficult to understand |
| Accelerate | move faster |
| Accessible | easy to approach; obtainable |
| Accessory | additional object; useful but not essential thing |
| Acclaim | applaud; announce with great approval |
| Accolade | award of merit |
| Accommodate | provide lodgings |
| Accommodate | oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt |
| Accomplice | partner in crime |
| Acknowledge | recognize; admit |
| Acquittal | declaration of innocence; deliverance from a charge |
| Acrimony | bitterness of words or manner |
| Acumen | mental keenness |
| Adamant | hard; inflexible |
| Adapt | alter; modify |
| Addiction | compulsive, habitual need |
| Adhere | stick fast to |
| Adjacent | adjoining; neighboring; close by |
| Adjudicate | pass legal judgment on; sit in judgment |
| Admonish | warn; scold |
| Adroit | skillful; nimble |
| Adulation | flattery; admiration |
| Adulterate | make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances |
| Adversary | opponent |
| Adverse | unfavorable; hostile |
| Adversity | poverty ; misfotune |
| Advocate | urge; plead for |
| Aesthetic | artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciation of the beautiful |
| Affable | easily approachable; warmly friendly |
| Affected | artificial; pretended; assumed in order to impress |
| Affinity | kinship; attraction to |
| Affirmation | positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath |
| Affix | add on; fasten; attach |
| Affluence | wealth; prosperity; abundance |
| Affront | insult; offend |
| Aggregate | gather; accumulate |
| Agility | nimbleness |
| Agitate | stir up; disturb |
| Alacrity | cheerful promptness |
| Alias | an assumed name |
| Alienate | make hostile; separate |
| Alleviate | relieve; lessen |
| Alloy | mis; make less pure; lessen or moderate |
| Allude | refer indirectly |
| Allure | entice; attract |
| Allusion | indirect reference |
| Aloft | upward |
| Aloof | apart; reserved; standoffish |
| Altercation | noisy quarrel; heated dispute |
| Altruistic | unselfishly generous; concerned for others |
| Amalgam | mixture of different elements; alloy |
| Ambiguous | unclear or doubtful in meaning |
| Ambivalence | having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes |
| Ambulatory | able to walk; not bedridden |
| Ameliorate | improve; make more satisfactory |
| Amenable | readily managed; willing to give in; agreeable;submissive |
| Amiable | agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly |
| Amorous | moved by secual love; loving |
| Amorphous | formless; lacking shape or fdefinition |
| Ample | abundant |
| Amplify | broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger |
| Anachronism | something regarded as outmoded; something or someone misplaced in time |
| Analogy | similarity; parallelism |
| Anarchist | person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority |
| Anarchy | absence of governing body; state of disorder |
| Ancillary | serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary |
| Disseminate | To scatter widely, as in sowing seed. |
| Raconteur | a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly. |
| Admonish | to warn |
| Vacillate | to waver |
| Didactic | inclined to teach or lecture others too much: a boring, didactic speaker. |
| Autonomy | independence or freedom, |
| Philistine | a person who is lacking in or hostile or smugly indifferent to cultural values, |
| Aberrations | A deviation from the proper or expected course. |
| Ambivalent | uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things. |
| Prosaic | Dull; uninteresting; |
| Proclivity | natural or habitual inclination or tendency; |
| Ineffable | incapable of being expressed or described in words |
| Acumen | keen insight; shrewdness |
| Penury | the willful giving of false testimony under oath or affirmation, before a competent tribunal, upon a point material to a legal inquiry. |
| Tepid | moderately warm; lukewarm |
| Averse | having a strong feeling of opposition, antipathy, |
| Innocuous | innocent |
| Despondent | feeling or showing profound hopelessness |
| Fidelity | strict observance of promise |
| Subpoena | the usual writ for the summoning of witnesses |
| Extol | to praise highly; laud; eulogize: |
| Effusive | unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve |
| Sporadic | appearing in scattered or isolated instances |
| Irreproachable | not reproachable; free from blame. |
| Din | a continued loud or tumultuous sound; |
| Sot | a drunkard. |
| Irk | to irritate, annoy, or exasperate |
| Rife | of common or frequent occurrence |
| Raze | to tear down; demolish |
| Glib | readily fluent, often thoughtlessly, |
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