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512 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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ascetic
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(n.; adj.) one who leads a simple life of self-denial; rigorously abstinent
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aseptic
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(adj.) germ free
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askance
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(adv.) a sideways glance of disapproval
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asperity
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(n.) harshness
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aspersion
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(n.) slanderous statement; a damaging or derogatory criticism
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aspirant
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(n.) a person who goes after high goals
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assay
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(n.) to determine the quality of a substance.
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assess
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(v.) to estimate the value of
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assiduous
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(adj.) carefully attentive; industrious
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assuage
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(v.) to relieve; ease; make less severe
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astringent
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(n.; adj.) a substance that contracts bodily tissues; causing contraction; tightening; stern, austere
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astute
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(adj.) cunning; sly; crafty
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atrophy
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(v.; n.) to waste away, as from lack of use; to wither; failure to grow
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attenuate
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(v.) to thin out; to weaken
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atypical
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(adj.) something that is abnormal
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audacious
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(adj.) fearless; bold
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augment
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(v.) to increase or add to; to make larger
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august
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(adj.) to be imposing or magnificent
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auspicious
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(adj.) being of a good omen; successful
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austere
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(adj.) having a stern look; having strict self-discipline
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authentic
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(adj.) real; genuine; trustworthy
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authoritarian
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(n.; adj.) acting as a dictator; demanding obedience
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autocracy
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(n.) an absolute monarchy; government where one person holds power
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autocrat
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(n.) an absolute ruler
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avarice
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(n.) inordinate desire for gaining and possessing wealth
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aver
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(v.) to affirm as true
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awry
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(adj; adv.) crooked(ly); uneven(ly); wrong; askew
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azure
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(adj.) the clear blue color of the sky
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baleful
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(adj.) harmful, malign, detrimental
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banal
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(adj.) trite; without freshness or originality
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baneful
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(adj.) deadly or causing distress, death
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baroque
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(adj.) extravagant; ornate; embellished
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bastion
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(n.) a fortified place or strong defense
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batten
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(v.) to gain
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bauble
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(n.) a showy yet useless thing
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beget
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(v.) to bring into being
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beholden
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(adj.) indebted to
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behoove
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(v.) to be advantageous; to be necessary
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belittle
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(v.) to make small; to think lightly of
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bellicose
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(adj.) quarrelsome; warlike
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bemuse
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(v.) to preoccupy in thought
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benefactor
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(n.) one who helps others; a donor
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beneficent
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(adj.) conferring benefits; kindly; doing good
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benevolent
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(adj.) kind; generous
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benign
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(adj.) mild; harmless
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berate
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(v.) scold; reprove; reproach; criticize
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bereft
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(v.; adj.) to be deprived of; to be in a sad manner; hurt by someone's death
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beseech
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(v.) to ask earnestly
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besmirch
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(v.) to dirty or discolor
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bestial
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(adj.) having the qualities of a beast; brutal
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betroth
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(v.) to promise or pledge in marriage
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biased
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(adj.) prejudiced; influenced; not neutral
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biennial
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(adj.; n.) happening every two years; a plant which blooms every two years
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bilateral
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(adj.) pertaining to or affecting both sides or two sides; having two sides
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blasphemous
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(adj.) irreligious; away from acceptable standards; speaking ill of using profane language
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blatant
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(adj.) obvious; unmistakable; crude; vulgar
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blighted
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(adj.) causing frustration or destruction
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blithe
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(adj.) happy; cheery; merry; a cheerful disposition
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bode
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(v.) to foretell something
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bombast
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(n.) pompous speech; pretentious words
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bombastic
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(adj.) pompous; wordy; turgid
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boor
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(n.) a rude person
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breadth
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(n.) the distance from one side to another
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brevity
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(n.) briefness; shortness
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brindled
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(adj.) mixed with a darker color
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broach
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(v.) to introduce into conversation
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brusque
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(adj.) abrupt in manner or speech
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bucolic
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(adj.) having to do with shepherds or the country
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bumptious
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(adj.) arrogant
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bungler
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(n.) a clumsy person
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burgeon
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(v.) to grow or develop quickly
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burlesque
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(v.; n.) to imitate in a non-serious manner; a comical imitation
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burly
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(adj.) strong; bulky; stocky
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burnish
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(v.) to polish by rubbing
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cabal
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(n.) a group of persons joined by a secret
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cache
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(n.) stockpile; store; heap; hiding place for goods
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cacophonous
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(adj.) sounding jarring
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cacophony
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(n.) a harsh, inharmonious collection of sounds; dissonance
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cajole
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(v.) to coax with insincere talk
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calamity
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(n.) disaster
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caliber
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(n.) quality
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callow
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(adj.) being young or immature
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calumny
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(n.) slander
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canard
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(n.) a false statement or rumor
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candid
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(adj.) honest; truthful; sincere
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cant
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(n.) insincere or hypocritical statements of high ideals; the jargon of a particular group or occupations
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caprice
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(n.) a sudden, unpredictable or whimsical change
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capricious
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(adj.) changeable; fickle
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captious
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(adj.) disposed to find fault
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carte blanche
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(n.) unlimited authority
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cascade
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(n; v.) waterfall; pour; rush; fall
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castigate
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(v.) to punish through public criticism
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cataclysm
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(n.) an extreme natural force
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catalyst
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(n.) anything which creates a situation in which change can occur
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catharsis
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(n.) a purging or relieving of the body or soul
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caustic
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(adj.) eating away at; sarcastic words
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cavil
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(v.) to bicker
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censor
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(v.) to examine and delete objectionable material
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censure
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(n.; v.) a disapproval; an expression of disapproval; to criticize or disapprove of
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ceremonious
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(adj.) very formal or proper
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cessation
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(n.)ceasing; a stopping
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chafe
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(v.) to annoy, to irritate; to wear away or make sore by rubbing
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chaffing
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(n.) banter; teasing
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chagrin
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(n.) a feeling of embarrassment due to failure or disappointment
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charisma
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(n.) appeal; magnetism; presence
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charlatan
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(n.) a person who pretends to have knowledge; an impostor; fake
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chary
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(adj.) cautious; being sparing in giving
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chaste
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(adj.) virtuous; free of obscenity
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chastise
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(v.) to punish; discipline; admonish
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cherish
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(v.) to feel love for
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chicanery
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(n.) trickery or deception
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chimera
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(n.) an impossible fancy
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choleric
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(adj.) cranky; cantankerous; easily moved to feeling displeasure
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chortle
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(v.) to make a gleeful, chuckling sound
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churlishness
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(n.) crude or surly behavior; behavior of a peasant
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circumlocution
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(n.) a roundabout or indirect way of speaking; not to the point
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circumlocutory
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(adj.) being too long, as in a description or expression; a roundabout, indirect, or ungainly way of expressing something
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circumspect
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(adj.) considering all circumstances
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citadel
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(n.) a fortress set up high to defend a city
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clandestine
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(adj.) secret
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clemency
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(n.) mercy toward an offender; mildness
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cloture
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(n.) a parliamentary procedure to end debate and begin to vote
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cloying
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(adj.) too sugary; too sentimental or flattering
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coagulate
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(v.) to become a semisolid, soft mass; to clot
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coalesce
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(v.) to grow together
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coda
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(n.) in music, a concluding passage
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coddle
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(v.) to treat with tenderness
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codify
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(v.) to organize laws or rules into a systematic collection
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coffer
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(n.) a chest where money or valuables are kept
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cogent
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(adj.) to the point; clear; convincing in its clarity and presentation
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cogitate
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(v.) to think hard; ponder; meditate
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cognate
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(adj.; n.) having the same family; a person related through ancestry
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cognitive
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(adj.) possessing the power to think or meditate; meditative; capable of perception
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cognizant
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(adj.) aware of; perceptive
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coherent
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(adj.) sticking together; connected; logical; consistent
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cohesion
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(n.) the act of holding together
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cohort
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(n.) a group; band
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collaborate
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(v.) to work together; cooperate
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colloquial
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(adj.) having to do with conversation; informal speech
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collusion
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(n.) secret agreement for an illegal purpose
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comeliness
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(n.) beauty; attractiveness in appearance or behavior
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commiserate
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(v.) to show sympathy for
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commodious
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(adj.) spacious and convenient; roomy
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communal
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(adj.) shared or common ownership
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compatible
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(adj.) in agreement with; harmonious
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complacent
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(adj.) content; self-satisfied; smug
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complaisance
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(n.) the quality of being agreeable or eager to please
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compliant
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(adj.) complying; obeying; yielding
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comport
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(v.) fitting in
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comprehensive
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(adj.) all-inclusive; complete; thorough
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compromise
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(v.) to settle by mutual adjustment
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concede
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(v.) to acknowledge; admit; to surrender; to abandon one's position
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conceit
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(n.) an exaggerated personal opinion
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conciliation
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(n.) an attempt to make friendly or placate
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conciliatory
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(adj.) to reconcile
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concise
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(adj.) in few words; brief; condensed
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conclave
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(n.) any private meeting or closed assembly
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condescend
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(v.) to come down from one's position or dignity
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condone
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(v.) to overlook; to forgive
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confluence
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(n.) a thing which is joined together
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confound
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(v.) to lump together, causing confusion; to damn
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conglomeration
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(n.) a collection or mixture of various things
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conjoin
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(v.) to combine
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conjure
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(v.) to call upon or appeal to; to cause to be, appear, come
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connivance
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(n.) secret cooperation in wrongdoing
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connoisseur
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(n.) expert; authority (usually refers to a wine or food expert)
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connotative
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(adj.) containing associated meanings in addition to the primary one
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consecrate
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(v.) to declare sacred; to dedicate
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consequential
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(adj.) following as an effect; important
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consort
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(n.; v.) a companion, spouse; to associate
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conspicuous
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(adj.) easy to see; noticeable
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consternation
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(n.) amazement or terror that causes confusion
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constrain
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(v.) to force, compel; to restrain
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consummation
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(n.) the completion; finish
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contemporary
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(adj.) living or happening at the same time; modern
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contempt
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(n.) scorn; disrespect
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contentious
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(adj.) quarrelsome
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contest
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(v.) to attempt to disprove or invalidate
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contiguous
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(adj.) touching; or adjoining and close, but not touching
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contravene
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(v.) to act contrary to; to oppose or contradict
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contrite
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(adj.) regretful; sorrowful; having repentance
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contumacious
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(adj.) resisting authority
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contusion
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(n.) a bruise; an injury where the skin is not broken
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conundrum
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(n.) a puzzle or riddle
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conventional
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(adj.) traditional; common; routine
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converge
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(v.) to move toward one point (opposite: diverge)
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conviviality
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(n.) a fondness for festiveness or joviality
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convoke
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(v.) a call to assemble
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copious
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(adj.) abundant; in great quantities
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corpulence
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(n.) obesity
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correlate
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(v.) to bring into mutual relation
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corroborate
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(v.) to confirm the validity
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coterie
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(n.) a clique; a group who meet frequently, usually socially
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covenant
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(n.) a binding and solemn agreement
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covetous
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(adj.) greedy; very desirous
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cower
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(v.) to huddle and tremble
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coy
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(adj.) modest; bashful; pretending shyness to attract
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crass
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(adj.) stupid or dull; insensitive; materialistic
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craven
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(n.; adj.) coward; abject person; cowardly
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culpable
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(adj.) deserving blame; guilty
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curb
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(n.) a restraint or framework
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curmudgeon
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(n.) an ill-tempered person
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cursory
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(adj.) hasty; slight
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cynic
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(n.) one who believes that others are motivated entirely by selfishness.
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dais
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(n.) a raised platform at one end of a room
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dally
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(v.) to loiter; to waste time
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dank
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(adj.) damp and chilly
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dauntless
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(adj.) fearless; not discouraged
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dearth
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(n.) scarcity; shortage
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debacle
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(n.) disaster; collapse; a rout
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debase
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(v.) to make lower in quality
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debauchery
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(n.) indulgence in one's appetites
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debilitate
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(v.) to enfeeble; to wear out
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debonair
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(adj.) having an affable manner; carefree; genial
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decadence
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(n.) a decline in morals or art
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deciduous
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(adj.) shedding; temporary
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decisiveness
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(n.) an act of being firm or determined
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decorous
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(adj.) showing decorum; propriety, good taste
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decry
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(v.) to denounce or condemn openly
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defamation
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(n.) to harm a name or reputation; to slander
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deference
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(n.) a yielding of opinion; courteous respect for
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deferential
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(adj.) yielding to the opinion of another
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defunct
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(adj.) no longer living or existing
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deign
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(v.) condescend; stoop
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deleterious
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(adj.) harmful; hurtful; noxious
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deliberate
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(v.; adj.) to consider carefully; weigh in the mind; intentional
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delineate
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(v.) to outline; to describe
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deliquesce
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(v.) to dissolve
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delusion
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(n.) a false belief or opinion
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demise
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(n.) ceasing to exist as in death
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demur
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(v.; n.) to object; objection; misgiving
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denigrate
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(v.) to defame, to blacken or sully; to belittle
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denounce
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(v.) to speak out against; condemn
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depict
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(v.) to portray; describe
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deplete
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(v.) to reduce; to empty, exhaust
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deposition
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(n.) a removal from office or power; a testimony
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depravity
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(n.) moral corruption; badness
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deprecate
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(v.) to express disapproval of; to protest against
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depredation
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(n.) a plundering or laying waste
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deride
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(v.) to laugh at with contempt; to mock
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derision
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(n.) the act of mocking; ridicule, mockery
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derisive
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(adj.) showing disrespect or scorn for
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derogatory
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(adj.) belittling; uncomplimentary
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descant
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(v.) lengthy talking or writing
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desecrate
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(v.) to profane; violate the sanctity of
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desist
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(v.) to stop or cease
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desolate
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(adj.) to be left alone or made lonely
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despoil
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(v.) to take everything; plunder
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despotism
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(n.) tyranny; absolute power or influence
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destitute
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(adj.) poor; poverty-stricken
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desultory
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(adj.) moving in a random, directionless manner
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detached
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(adj.) separated; not interested; standing alone
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deter
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(v.) to prevent; to discourage; hinder
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determinate
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(adj.) distinct limits
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devoid
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(adj.) lacking; empty
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dexterous
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(adj.) skillful, quick mentally or physically
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diatribe
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(n.) a bitter or abusive speech
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dichotomy
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(n.) a division into two parts or kinds
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dictum
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(n.) a formal statement of either fact or opinion
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didactic
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(adj.) instructive; dogmatic; preachy
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diffidence
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(n.) a hesitation in asserting oneself
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diffident
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(adj.) timid; lacking self-confidence
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diffuse
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(adj.) spread out; verbose (wordy); not focused
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digress
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(v.) stray from the subject; wander from topic
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dilettante
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(n.) an admirer of the fine arts; a dabbler
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diligence
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(n.) hard work
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diminutive
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(adj.; n.) smaller than average; a small person; a word, expressing smallness, formed when a suffix is added
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din
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(n.) a noise which is loud and continuous
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dint
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(n.) strength
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dirge
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(n.) a hymn for a funeral; a song or poem expressing lament
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disapprobation
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(n.) disapproval
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disarray
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(n.) (state of) disorder
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disavow
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(v.) to deny; to refuse to acknowledge
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discerning
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(adj.) distinguishing one thing from another; having good judgment
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discomfit
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(v.) to frustrate the expectations of
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discord
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(n.) disagreement; lack of harmony
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discourse
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(v.) to converse; to communicate in an orderly fashion
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discreet
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(adj.) showing good judgment in conduct; prudent
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discrete
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(adj.) separate; individually distinct; composed of distinct parts
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discriminate
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(v.) distinguish; demonstrate bias
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disdain
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(n.; v.) intense dislike; look down upon; scorn
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disentangle
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(v.) to free from confusion
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disheartened
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(adj.) discouraged; depressed
|
|
|
disingenuous
|
(adj.) not frank or candid; deceivingly simple (opposite: ingenious)
|
|
|
disinterested
|
(adj.) neutral; unbiased (alternate meaning; uninterested)
|
|
|
disparage
|
(v.) to belittle; undervalue; to discredit
|
|
|
disparate
|
(adj.) unequal; dissimilar; different
|
|
|
disparity
|
(n.) difference in form, character, or degree
|
|
|
dispassionate
|
(adj.) lack of feeling; impartial
|
|
|
disperse
|
(v.) to scatter; separate
|
|
|
disputatious
|
(adj.) argumentative; inclined to disputes
|
|
|
dissemble
|
(v.) to pretend; to feign; to conceal by pretense
|
|
|
disseminate
|
(v.) to circulate; scatter
|
|
|
dissent
|
(v.) to disagree; differ in opinion
|
|
|
dissonance
|
(n.) musical discord; a mingling of inharmonious sounds; nonmusical; disagreement; lack of harmony
|
|
|
dissonant
|
(adj.) not in harmony; in disagreement
|
|
|
distant
|
(adj.) having separations or being reserved
|
|
|
distention
|
(n.) inflation or extension
|
|
|
dither
|
(v.; n.) to act indecisively; a confused condition
|
|
|
diverge
|
(v.) separate, split
|
|
|
diverse
|
(adj.) different; varied
|
|
|
divestiture
|
(n.) being stripped
|
|
|
docile
|
(adj.) manageable; obedient; gentle
|
|
|
document
|
(n.; v.) official paper containing information; to support; substantiate; verify
|
|
|
doggerel
|
(n.) verse characterized by forced rhyme and meter
|
|
|
dogma
|
(n.) a collection of beliefs
|
|
|
dogmatic
|
(adj.) stubborn; biased; opinionated
|
|
|
dormant
|
(adj.) as if asleep
|
|
|
doting
|
(adj.) excessively fond of
|
|
|
doughty
|
(adj.) brave and strong
|
|
|
dowdy
|
(adj.) shabby in appearance
|
|
|
dubious
|
(adj.) doubtful; uncertain; skeptical; suspicious
|
|
|
duplicity
|
(n.) deception
|
|
|
duress
|
(n.) imprisonment; the use of threats
|
|
|
earthy
|
(adj.) unrefined
|
|
|
ebullience
|
(n.) an overflowing of high spirits; effervescence
|
|
|
eccentric
|
(adj.) odd; peculiar; strange
|
|
|
ecclesiastic
|
(adj.) pertaining or relating to a church
|
|
|
eclectic
|
(adj.) picking from various possibilities; made up of material from various sources
|
|
|
economical
|
(adj.) not wasteful; thrifty
|
|
|
edifice
|
(n.) a large building
|
|
|
edify
|
(v.) to build or establish; to instruct and improve the mind
|
|
|
educe
|
(v.) to draw out; to infer from information
|
|
|
efface
|
(v.) to erase; to make inconspicuous
|
|
|
effeminate
|
(adj.) having qualities attributed to a woman; delicate
|
|
|
effervescence
|
(n.) liveliness; spirit; enthusiasm; bubbliness
|
|
|
effigy
|
(n.) the image or likeness of a person
|
|
|
effluvium
|
(n.) an outflow of vapor of invisible particles; a noxious odor
|
|
|
effrontery
|
(n.) arrogance
|
|
|
effusive
|
(adj.) pouring out or forth; overflowing
|
|
|
egocentric
|
(adj.) self-centered, viewing everything in relation to oneself
|
|
|
egress
|
(n.) a way out; exit
|
|
|
elaboration
|
(n.) act of clarifying; adding details
|
|
|
elegy
|
(n.) a poem of lament and praise for the dead
|
|
|
ellipsis
|
(n.) omission of words that would make the meaning clear
|
|
|
eloquence
|
(n.) the ability to speak well
|
|
|
elucidate
|
(v.) to make clear; to explain
|
|
|
elusive
|
(adj.) hard to catch
|
|
|
emanate
|
(v.) to emit
|
|
|
embarkation
|
(v.) to engage or invest in
|
|
|
embellish
|
(v.) to improve by adding details
|
|
|
eminence
|
(n.) a lofty place; superiority
|
|
|
emollient
|
(adj.) softening or soothing to the skin; having power to soften or relax living tissues
|
|
|
emulate
|
(v.) to try to equal or excel
|
|
|
enamored
|
(adj.) filled with love and desire
|
|
|
encomium
|
(n.) formal expression of high praise
|
|
|
encroach
|
(v.) to trespass or intrude
|
|
|
encumber
|
(v.) to hold back; to hinder; to burden, load down
|
|
|
endemic
|
(adj.) native to a particular area; constantly present in a particular country or locality
|
|
|
endorse
|
(v.) support; to approve of; recommend
|
|
|
enervate
|
(v.) to weaken; to deprive of nerve or strength
|
|
|
enfeeble
|
(v.) to make weak
|
|
|
enfranchised
|
(v.) to free from obligation; to admit to citizenship
|
|
|
engender
|
(v.) to bring about; beget; to bring forth
|
|
|
enhance
|
(v.) to improve; compliment; make more attractive
|
|
|
enigma
|
(n.) mystery; secret; perplexity
|
|
|
enigmatic
|
(adj.) baffling
|
|
|
ennui
|
(n.) boredom; apathy
|
|
|
eon
|
(n.) an indefinitely long period of time
|
|
|
ephemeral
|
(adj.) very short-lived; lasting only a short time
|
|
|
epicure
|
(n.) a person who has good taste in food and drink
|
|
|
epigram
|
(n.) a witty or satirical poem or statement
|
|
|
epilogue
|
(n.) closing section of a play or novel providing further comment.
|
|
|
epiphany
|
(n.) an appearance of a supernatural being
|
|
|
epitaph
|
(n.) an inscription on a monument; in honor or memory of a dead person
|
|
|
epitome
|
(n.) model; typification; representation
|
|
|
equanimity
|
(n.) the quality of remaining calm and undisturbed
|
|
|
equinox
|
(n.) precise time when day and night is of equal length
|
|
|
equivocal
|
(adj.) doubtful; uncertain
|
|
|
equivocations
|
(n.) a purposely misleading statement
|
|
|
eradication
|
(n.) the act of annihilating, destroying, or erasing
|
|
|
errant
|
(adj.) roving in search of adventure
|
|
|
erratic
|
(adj.) unpredictable; irregular
|
|
|
erroneous
|
(adj.) untrue; inaccurate; not correct
|
|
|
erudite
|
(adj.) having a wide knowledge acquired through reading
|
|
|
eschew
|
(v.) to shun; to avoid
|
|
|
esoteric
|
(adj.) understood by only a chosen few; confidential
|
|
|
estimable
|
(adj.) deserving respect
|
|
|
ethereal
|
(adj.) very light; airy; heavenly; not earthly
|
|
|
ethnic
|
(adj.) pertaining to races or peoples and their origin classification, or characteristics
|
|
|
eulogy
|
(n.) words of praise, especially for the dead
|
|
|
euphemism
|
(n.) the use of a word or phrase in place of one that is distasteful
|
|
|
euphony
|
(n.) pleasant combination of sounds
|
|
|
evanescent
|
(adj.) vanishing quickly; dissipating like a vapor
|
|
|
evasion
|
(n.) the avoiding of a duty
|
|
|
evoke
|
(v.) to call forth; provoke
|
|
|
exculpate
|
(v.) to free from guilt
|
|
|
execute
|
(v.) to put to death; kill; to carry out; fulfill
|
|
|
exemplary
|
(adj.) serving as an example; outstanding
|
|
|
exhaustive
|
(adj.) thorough; complete
|
|
|
exhume
|
(v.) to unearth; to reveal
|
|
|
exigent
|
(adj.) a situation calling for immediate attention; needing more than is reasonable
|
|
|
exonerate
|
(v.) to declare or prove blameless
|
|
|
exorbitant
|
(adj.) going beyond what is reasonable; excessive
|
|
|
exotic
|
(adj.) unusual; striking; foreign
|
|
|
expedient
|
(adj.) convenient in obtaining a result; guided by self-interest
|
|
|
expedite
|
(v.) to hasten the action of
|
|
|
explicit
|
(adj.) specific; definite
|
|
|
exposition
|
(n.) setting forth facts
|
|
|
expunge
|
(v.) to blot out; to delete
|
|
|
extant
|
(adj.) existing; refers especially to books or documents
|
|
|
extemporize
|
(v.) to improvise; to make it up as you go along
|
|
|
extol
|
(v.) to give great praise
|
|
|
extraneous
|
(adj.) irrelevant; not related; not essential
|
|
|
extricable
|
(adj.) capable of being disentangled
|
|
|
exultation
|
(n.) the act of rejoicing
|
|
|
abaft
|
(adv.) on or toward the rear of a ship
|
|
|
abandon
|
(v.; n) to leave behind; to give something up; freedom; enthusiasm; impetuosity
|
|
|
abase
|
(v.) to degrade; humiliate; disgrace
|
|
|
abbreviate
|
(v.) to shorten; compress; diminish
|
|
|
abdicate
|
(v.) to reject, renounce, or abandon
|
|
|
aberrant
|
(adj.) abnormal; straying from the normal or usual path
|
|
|
abeyance
|
(n.) a state of temporary suspension or inactivity
|
|
|
abhor
|
(v.) to hate
|
|
|
abject
|
(adj.) of the worst or lowest degree
|
|
|
abjure
|
(v.) to give up
|
|
|
abnegation
|
(n.) a denial
|
|
|
abominate
|
(v.) to loathe; to hate
|
|
|
abridge
|
(v.) to shorten; to limit
|
|
|
abrogate
|
(v.) to cancel by authority
|
|
|
abrupt
|
(adj.) happening or ending unexpectedly
|
|
|
abscond
|
(v.) to go away hastily or secretly; to hide
|
|
|
absolve
|
(v.) to forgive; to acquit
|
|
|
abstemious
|
(adj.) sparing in use of food or drinks
|
|
|
abstinence
|
(n.) the act or process of voluntarily refraining from any action or practice; self-control; chastity
|
|
|
abstruse
|
(adj.) hard to understand; deep; recondite
|
|
|
abysmal
|
(adj.) very deep
|
|
|
accede
|
(v.) to comply with; to consent to
|
|
|
acclaim
|
(n.) loud approval; applause
|
|
|
accolade
|
(n.) approving or praising mention; a sign of approval or respect
|
|
|
accomplice
|
(n.) co-conspirator; partner; partner-in-crime
|
|
|
accretion
|
(n.)growth by addition; a growing together by parts
|
|
|
accrue
|
(v.) a natural growth; a periodic increase
|
|
|
acerbic
|
(adj.) tasting sour; harsh in language or temper
|
|
|
acquiesce
|
(v.) to agree without protest
|
|
|
acrid
|
(adj.) sharp; bitter; foul smelling
|
|
|
acrimony
|
(n.) sharpness or bitterness in language or manner.
|
|
|
adage
|
(n.) an old saying now accepted as being truthful
|
|
|
adamant
|
(adj.) not yielding, firm
|
|
|
addled
|
(adj.) rotten
|
|
|
adept
|
(adj.) skilled; practiced
|
|
|
adjure
|
(v.) solemnly ordered
|
|
|
adroit
|
(adj.) expert or skillful
|
|
|
adulation
|
(n.) praise in excess
|
|
|
adulterate
|
(v.) to corrupt, debase, or make impure
|
|
|
adversary
|
(n.) an enemy; foe
|
|
|
adverse
|
(adj.) negative; hostile; antagonistic; inimical
|
|
|
advocate
|
(v.; n.) to plead in favor of; supporter; defender
|
|
|
aesthetic
|
(adj.) of beauty; pertaining to taste in art and beauty
|
|
|
affable
|
(adj.) friendly; amiable; good-natured
|
|
|
affiliate
|
(v.) to connect or associate with; to accept as a member
|
|
|
affinity
|
(n.) a connection; similarity of structure
|
|
|
aggrandize
|
(v.) to make more powerful
|
|
|
aghast
|
(adj.) astonished; amazed; horrified; terrified; appalled
|
|
|
agrarian
|
(adj.) of the land
|
|
|
alacrity
|
(n.) eager readiness or speed
|
|
|
alchemist
|
(n.) a person who studies chemistry
|
|
|
alchemy
|
(n.) any mysterious change of substance or nature
|
|
|
allegory
|
(n.) a symbolic description
|
|
|
alleviate
|
(v.) to lessen or make easier
|
|
|
allocate
|
(v.) set aside; designate; assign
|
|
|
allude
|
(v.) to refer indirectly to something
|
|
|
allure
|
(v.; n.) to attract; entice; attraction; temptation; glamour
|
|
|
allusion
|
(n.) an indirect reference (often literary); a hint
|
|
|
aloof
|
(adj.) distant in interest; reserved; cool
|
|
|
altercation
|
(n.) controversy; dispute
|
|
|
altruism
|
(n.) unselfish devotion to the welfare of others
|
|
|
altruistic
|
(adj.) unselfish
|
|
|
amalgam
|
(n.) a mixture or combination (often of metals)
|
|
|
amalgamate
|
(v.) to mix, merge, combine
|
|
|
amass
|
(v.) to collect together; accumulate
|
|
|
ambiguous
|
(adj.) not clear; uncertain; vague
|
|
|
ambivalent
|
(adj.) undecided
|
|
|
ameliorate
|
(v.) to improve or make better
|
|
|
amendment
|
(n.) a positive change
|
|
|
amiable
|
(adj.) friendly
|
|
|
amiss
|
(adj.; adv.) wrong; awry; wrongly; in a defective manner
|
|
|
amity
|
(n.) friendly relations
|
|
|
amorphous
|
(adj.) with no shape; unorganized; having no determinate form
|
|
|
amortize
|
(v.) to put money into a fund at fixed intervals
|
|
|
anachronism
|
(n.) something out of place in time (e.g., an airplane in 1492)
|
|
|
analogy
|
(n.) similarity; correlation; parallelism
|
|
|
anaphylaxis
|
(n.) an allergic reaction
|
|
|
anarchist
|
(n.) one who believes that a formal government is unnecessary
|
|
|
anchorage
|
(n.) something that can be relied on
|
|
|
anecdote
|
(n.) a short account of happenings
|
|
|
animosity
|
(n.) a feeling of hatred or ill will
|
|
|
anoint
|
(v.) to crown; ordain;
|
|
|
anomaly
|
(n.) an oddity, inconsistency; a deviation from the norm
|
|
|
anonymous
|
(adj.) nameless; unidentified
|
|
|
antagonism
|
(n.) hostility; opposition
|
|
|
antipathy
|
(n.) a strong dislike or repugnance
|
|
|
apathy
|
(n.) lack of emotion or interest
|
|
|
apocalyptic
|
(adj.) pertaining to a discovery or new revelation
|
|
|
apocryphal
|
(adj.) counterfeit; of doubtful authorship or authenticity
|
|
|
appease
|
(v.) to satisfy; to calm
|
|
|
apposite
|
(adj.) suitable; apt; relevant
|
|
|
apprehensive
|
(adj.) fearful; aware; conscious
|
|
|
approbatory
|
(adj.) approving or sanctioning
|
|
|
arable
|
(adj.) suitable (as land) for plowing
|
|
|
arbiter
|
(n.) one who is authorized to judge or decide
|
|
|
arbitrary
|
(adj.) based on one's preference or judgment
|
|
|
arcane
|
(adj.) obscure; secret; mysterious
|
|
|
archetype
|
(n.) original pattern or model; prototype
|
|
|
ardent
|
(adj.) with passionate or intense feelings
|
|
|
arduous
|
(adj.) laborious, difficult; strenuous
|
|
|
arid
|
(adj.) extremely dry, parched; barren, unimaginative
|
|
|
aromatic
|
(adj.) having a smell which is sweet or spicy
|
|
|
arrogant
|
(adj.) acting superior to others; conceited
|
|
|
arrogate
|
(v.) to claim or demand unduly
|
|
|
articulate
|
(v.; adj.) to utter clearly and distinctly; clear, distinct; expressed with clarity; skillful with words
|
|
|
artifice
|
(n.) skill in a craft
|
