 | Term | Definition |
| |
abate |
to decrease; reduce |
| |
abdicate |
to give up a position, right, or power |
| |
aberrant |
deviating from what is normal |
| |
abeyance |
temporary suppression or suspension |
| |
abject |
miserable; pitiful |
| |
abjure |
to reject; abandon formally |
| |
abscission |
the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant |
| |
abscond |
to depart secretly |
| |
abstemious |
moderate in appetite |
| |
abstinence |
the giving up of certain pleasures |
| |
abysmal |
very bad |
| |
accretion |
growth in size or increase in amount |
| |
accrue |
to accumulate; grow by additions |
| |
adamant |
uncompromising; unyielding |
| |
adjunct |
something added, attached, or joined |
| |
admonish |
to caution or reprimand |
| |
adulterate |
to corrupt or make impure |
| |
aesthetic |
relating to beauty or the arts |
| |
affected |
pretentious; phony |
| |
affinity |
fondness; liking; similarity |
| |
aggrandize |
to make larger or greater |
| |
aggregate |
amounting to a whole; total |
| |
alacrity |
cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed |
| |
alchemy |
medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold; a seemingly magical power or process of transmutation |
| |
allay |
to lessen; ease; soothe |
| |
alleviate |
to relieve; improve partially |
| |
alloy |
a combination; a mixture of two or more metals |
| |
allure |
the power to entice by charm |
| |
amalgamate |
to combine into a unified whole |
| |
ambiguous |
unclear or doubtful in meaning |
| |
ambivalence |
the state of having conflicting emotional attitudes |
| |
ambrosia |
something delicious; the food of the gods |
| |
ameliorate |
to improve |
| |
amenable |
agreeable; cooperative; suited |
| |
amenity |
something that increases comfort |
| |
amulet |
ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits |
| |
anachronism |
something out of the proper time |
| |
analgesic |
medication that reduces or eliminates pain |
| |
analogous |
comparable |
| |
anarchy |
absence of government; state of disorder |
| |
anodyne |
something that calms or soothes pain |
| |
anomalous |
irregular; deviating from the norm |
| |
antecedent |
something that comes before |
| |
antediluvian |
prehistoric |
| |
antipathy |
dislike; hostility |
| |
apathy |
indifference |
| |
apex |
the highest point |
| |
apogee |
the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point |
| |
apothegm |
a terse, witty saying |
| |
appease |
to calm, pacify, placate |
| |
appellation |
name |
| |
apposite |
strikingly appropriate and relevant |
| |
apprise |
to inform |
| |
approbation |
praise, approval |
| |
appropriate |
to take possession of for one's own use; confiscate |
| |
apropos |
relevant |
| |
arabesque |
ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body |
| |
archeology |
the study of material evidence of past human life |
| |
ardor |
great emotion or passion |
| |
arduous |
extremely difficult; laborious |
| |
argot |
a specialized vocabulary used by a group |
| |
arrest |
to stop; to seize |
| |
artifact |
item made by human craft |
| |
artless |
guileless; natural |
| |
ascetic |
one who practices self-denial |
| |
asperity |
severity; harshness; irritability |
| |
aspersion |
slander; false rumor |
| |
assiduous |
diligent; hard-working |
| |
assuage |
to make less severe |
| |
astringent |
harsh; severe |
| |
asylum |
place of refuge or shelter |
| |
atavism |
in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence |
| |
attenuate |
to weaken |
| |
audacious |
bold; daring |
| |
austere |
stern; unadorned; simple |
| |
autonomous |
self-governing; independent |
| |
avarice |
greed |
| |
aver |
to affirm; declare to be true |
| |
avocation |
secondary occupation |
| |
avuncular |
like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant |
| |
axiomatic |
taken for granted; self-evident truth |
| |
bacchanalian |
pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry |
| |
banal |
commonplace; trite |
| |
banter |
playful conversation |
| |
bard |
poet |
| |
bawdy |
obscene |
| |
beatify |
to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to |
| |
bedizen |
to dress in a vulgar, showy manner |
| |
behemoth |
huge creature; anything very large and powerful |
| |
belie |
to contradict; misrepresent; give a false impression |
| |
beneficent |
kindly; doing good |
| |
bifurcate |
to divide into two parts |
| |
blandishment |
flattery |
| |
blase |
bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned |
| |
bolster |
to give a boost to; prop up; support |
| |
bombastic |
pompous; using inflated language |
| |
boorish |
rude; insensitive |
| |
bovine |
cowlike |
| |
brazen |
bold; shameless |
| |
broach |
to mention for the first time |
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