- abase: "To lower in position, estimation, or the like; degrade."
- abbess: The lady superior of a nunnery.
- abbey: The group of buildings which collectively form the dwelling-place of a society of monks or nuns.
- abbot: The superior of a community of monks.
- abdicate: To give up (royal power or the like).
- abdomen: "In mammals, the visceral cavity between the diaphragm and the pelvic floor; the belly."
- abdominal: "Of, pertaining to, or situated on the abdomen."
- abduction: "A carrying away of a person against his will, or illegally."
- abed: In bed; on a bed.
- aberration: "Deviation from a right, customary, or prescribed course."
- abet: "To aid, promote, or encourage the commission of (an offense)."
- abeyance: A state of suspension or temporary inaction.
- abhorrence: The act of detesting extremely.
- abhorrent: Very repugnant; hateful.
- abidance: An abiding.
- abject: Sunk to a low condition.
- abjure: "To recant, renounce, repudiate under oath."
- able-bodied: Competent for physical service.
- ablution: "A washing or cleansing, especially of the body."
- abnegate: To renounce (a right or privilege).
- abnormal: Not conformed to the ordinary rule or standard.
- abominable: Very hateful.
- abominate: To hate violently.
- abomination: A very detestable act or practice.
- aboriginal: Primitive; unsophisticated.
- aborigines: The original of earliest known inhabitants of a country.
- aboveboard adv. &: "Without concealment, fraud, or trickery."
- abrade: To wear away the surface or some part of by friction.
- abrasion: That which is rubbed off.
- abridge: "To make shorter in words, keeping the essential features, leaning out minor particles."
- abridgment: A condensed form as of a book or play.
- abrogate: "To abolish, repeal."
- abrupt: "Beginning, ending, or changing suddenly or with a break."
- abscess: A Collection of pus in a cavity formed within some tissue of the body.
- abscission: "The act of cutting off, as in a surgical operation."
- abscond: "To depart suddenly and secretly, as for the purpose of escaping arrest."
- absence: The fact of not being present or available.
- absent-minded: Lacking in attention to immediate surroundings or business.
- absolution: "Forgiveness, or passing over of offenses."
- absolve: To free from sin or its penalties.
- absorb: "To drink in or suck up, as a sponge absorbs water."
- absorption: The act or process of absorbing.
- abstain: To keep oneself back (from doing or using something).
- abstemious: "Characterized by self denial or abstinence, as in the use of drink, food."
- abstinence: Self denial.
- abstruse: Dealing with matters difficult to be understood.
- absurd: Inconsistent with reason or common sense.
- abundant: Plentiful.
- abusive: Employing harsh words or ill treatment.
- abut: To touch at the end or boundary line.
- abyss: Bottomless gulf.
- academic: "Of or pertaining to an academy, college, or university."
- academician: "A member of an academy of literature, art, or science."
- academy: Any institution where the higher branches of learning are taught.
- accede: To agree.
- accelerate: To move faster.
- accept: To take when offered.
- access: A way of approach or entrance; passage.
- accessible: Approachable.
- accession: "Induction or elevation, as to dignity, office, or government."
- accessory: A person or thing that aids the principal agent.
- acclaim: To utter with a shout.
- accommodate: To furnish something as a kindness or favor.
- accompaniment: "A subordinate part or parts, enriching or supporting the leading part."
- accompanist: One who or that which accompanies.
- accompany: "To go with, or be associated with, as a companion."
- accomplice: An associate in wrong-doing.
- accomplish: To bring to pass.
- accordion: A portable free-reed musical instrument.
- accost: To speak to.
- account: "A record or statement of receipts and expenditures, or of business transactions."
- accouter: To dress.
- accredit: To give credit or authority to.
- accumulate: To become greater in quantity or number.
- accuracy: Exactness.
- accurate: Conforming exactly to truth or to a standard.
- accursed: "Doomed to evil, misery, or misfortune."
- accusation: "A charge of crime, misdemeanor, or error."
- accusatory: "Of, pertaining to, or involving an accusation."
- accuse: "To charge with wrong doing, misconduct, or error."
- accustom: To make familiar by use.
- acerbity: "Sourness, with bitterness and astringency."
- acetate: A salt of acetic acid.
- acetic: "Of, pertaining to, or of the nature of vinegar."
- ache: To be in pain or distress.
- Achillean: Invulnerable.
- achromatic: "Colorless,"
- acid: A sour substance.
- acidify: To change into acid.
- acknowledge: To recognize; to admit the genuineness or validity of.
- acknowledgment: Recognition.
- acme: "The highest point, or summit."
- acoustic: Pertaining to the act or sense of hearing.
- acquaint: To make familiar or conversant.
- acquiesce: To comply; submit.
- acquiescence: Passive consent.
- acquire: To get as one's own.
- acquisition: "Anything gained, or made one's own, usually by effort or labor."
- acquit: "To free or clear, as from accusation."
- acquittal: A discharge from accusation by judicial action.
- acquittance: "Release or discharge from indebtedness, obligation, or responsibility."
- acreage: "Quantity or extent of land, especially of cultivated land."
- acrid: Harshly pungent or bitter.
- acrimonious: Full of bitterness.
- acrimony: Sharpness or bitterness of speech or temper.
- actionable: "Affording cause for instituting an action, as trespass, slanderous words."
- actuality: Any reality.
- actuary: "An officer, as of an insurance company, who calculates and states the risks and premiums."
- actuate: To move or incite to action.
- acumen: "Quickness of intellectual insight, or discernment; keenness of discrimination."
- acute: Having fine and penetrating discernment.
- adamant: Any substance of exceeding hardness or impenetrability.
- addendum: "Something added, or to be added."
- addle: To make inefficient or worthless; muddle.
- adduce: To bring forward or name for consideration.
- adhere: To stick fast or together.
- adherence: Attachment.
- adherent: Clinging or sticking fast.
- adhesion: The state of being attached or joined.
- adieu: Good-by; farewell.
- adjacency: The state of being adjacent.
- adjacent: That which is near or bordering upon.
- adjudge: To award or bestow by formal decision.
- adjunct: "Something joined to or connected with another thing, but holding a subordinate place."
- adjuration: A vehement appeal.
- adjutant: Auxiliary.
- administrator: One who manages affairs of any kind.
- admissible: Having the right or privilege of entry.
- admittance: "Entrance, or the right or permission to enter."
- admonish: To warn of a fault.
- admonition: Gentle reproof.
- ado: unnecessary activity or ceremony.
- adoration: Profound devotion.
- adroit: Having skill in the use of the bodily or mental powers.
- adulterant: An adulterating substance.
- adulterate: To make impure by the admixture of other or baser ingredients.
- adumbrate: To represent beforehand in outline or by emblem.
- advent: "The coming or arrival, as of any important change, event, state, or personage."
- adverse: Opposing or opposed.
- adversity: Misfortune.
- advert: To refer incidentally.
- advertiser: "One who advertises, especially in newspapers."
- advisory: Not mandatory.
- advocacy: The act of pleading a cause.
- advocate: "One who pleads the cause of another, as in a legal or ecclesiastical court."
- aerial: "Of, pertaining to, or like the air."
- aeronaut: "One who navigates the air, a balloonist."
- aeronautics: the art or practice of flying aircraft
- aerostat: A balloon or other apparatus floating in or sustained by the air.
- aerostatics: "The branch of pneumatics that treats of the equilibrium, pressure, and mechanical properties."
- affable: Easy to approach.
- affect: To act upon
- affectation: A studied or ostentatious pretense or attempt.
- affiliate: Some auxiliary person or thing.
- affirmative: Answering yes; to a question at issue.
- affix: To fasten.
- affluence: A profuse or abundant supply of riches.
- affront: An open insult or indignity.
- afire adv. &: "On fire, literally or figuratively."
- afoot: In progress.
- aforesaid: Said in a preceding part or before.
- afresh: "Once more, after rest or interval."
- afterthought: A thought that comes later than its appropriate or expected time.
- agglomerate: To pile or heap together.
- aggrandize: To cause to appear greatly.
- aggravate: "To make heavier, worse, or more burdensome."
- aggravation: "The fact of being made heavier or more heinous, as a crime , offense, misfortune, etc."
- aggregate: "The entire number, sum, mass, or quantity of something."
- aggress: To make the first attack.
- aggression: An unprovoked attack.
- aggrieve: To give grief or sorrow to.
- aghast: Struck with terror and amazement.
- agile: "Able to move or act quickly, physically, or mentally."
- agitate: To move or excite (the feelings or thoughts).
- agrarian: "Pertaining to land, especially agricultural land."
- aide-de-camp: An officer who receives and transmits the orders of the general.
- ailment: Slight sickness.
- airy: "Delicate, ethereal."
- akin: Of similar nature or qualities.
- alabaster: A white or delicately tinted fine-grained gypsum.
- alacrity: Cheerful willingness.
- albeit: Even though.
- albino: "A person with milky white skin and hair, and eyes with bright red pupil and usually pink iris."
- album: A book whose leaves are so made to form paper frames for holding photographs or the like.
- alchemy: "Chemistry of the middle ages, characterized by the pursuit of changing base metals to gold."
- alcohol: "A volatile, inflammable, colorless liquid of a penetrating odor and burning taste."
- alcoholism: A condition resulting from the inordinate or persistent use of alcoholic beverages.
- alcove: A covered recess connected with or at the side of a larger room.
- alder: "Any shrub or small tree of the genus Alumnus, of the oak family."
- alderman: "A member of a municipal legislative body, who usually exercises also certain judicial functions."
- aldermanship: "The dignity, condition, office, or term of office of an alderman."
- alias: An assumed name.
- alien: One who owes allegiance to a foreign government.
- alienable: "Capable of being aliened or alienated, as lands."
- alienate: To cause to turn away.
- alienation: Estrangement.
- aliment: That which nourishes.
- alkali: "Anything that will neutralize an acid, as lime, magnesia, etc."
- allay: To calm the violence or reduce the intensity of; mitigate.
- allege: "To assert to be true, especially in a formal manner, as in court."