| A | B |
|---|
| abandon (n) | total lack of inhibition |
| abase | to humble, disgrace |
| abatement | decrease, reduction |
| abdicate | to give up a position, right, or power |
| aberration | something different from the usual or normal |
| abet | to aid, act as accomplice |
| abhor | to loathe, detest |
| abject | miserable, pitiful |
| abjure | to reject, abandon formally |
| ablution | act of cleansing |
| abnegate | to deny, renounce |
| abolitionist | one who opposes the practice of slavery |
| abortive | interrupted while incomplete |
| abridge | to condense, shorten |
| abrogate | to abolish or invalidate by authority |
| abscond | to depart secretly |
| absolve | to forgive, free from blame |
| abstemious | moderate in appetite |
| abstract (adj) | theoretical; complex, difficult |
| abstruse | difficult to comprehend |
| accede | to express approval; agree to |
| accessible | attainable, available; approachable |
| accessory | attachment, ornament; accomplice, partner |
| accolade | praise, distinction |
| accost | to approach and speak to someone |
| accretion | growth in size or increase in amount |
| accrue | to accumulate, grow by additions |
| acerbic | bitter, sharp in taste or temper |
| acme | highest point; summit |
| acquiesce | to agree, comply quietly |
| acquittal | release from blame |
| acrid | bitter, harsh |
| acrimony | bitterness, animosity |
| acuity | sharpness |
| acumen | sharpness of insight |
| acute | sharp, pointed |
| adage | old saying or proverb |
| adamant | uncompromising, unyielding |
| adapt | to accommodate, adjust |
| adhere | to cling to or follow without deviation |
| adjacent | next to |
| adjunct | something added,attached, or joined |
| admonish | to caution or reprimand |
| adroit | skillful, accomplished, highly competent |
| adulation | high praise |
| adulterate | to corrupt or make impure |
| adumbrate | to sketch, outline in a shadowy way |
| advantageous | favorable, useful |
| adversarial | antagonistic, competitive |
| adverse | unfavorable, unlucky, harmful |
| aerial | having to do with the air |
| aerie | nook or nest built high in the air |
| aerodynamic | relating to objects moving through the air |
| aesthetic | pertaining to beauty or art |
| affable | friendly, easy to approach |
| affected (adj) | pretentious, phony |
| affinity | fondness, liking; similarity |
| affluent | rich, abundant |
| affront (n) | personal offense, insult |
| agenda | plan, schedule |
| aggrandize | to make larger or greater in power |
| aggregate | collective mass of sum; total |
| aggrieve | to afflict, distress |
| agile | well-coordinated, nimble |
| agitation | commotion, excitement; uneasiness |
| agnostic | one doubting that God exists |
| agrarian | relating to farming or rural matters |
| alacrity | cheerful willingness, eagerness; speed |
| alchemy | medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold |
| algorithm | mechanical problem-solving procedure |
| alias | assumed name |
| alienated | distanced, estranged |
| aligned | precisely adjusted; committed to one side |
| allay | to lessen, ease, or soothe |
| allegory | symbolic representation |
| alleviate | to relieve, improve partially |
| alliteration | repetition of the beginning sounds of words |
| allocation | allowance, portion, share |
| allure (v) | to entice by charm, attract |
| allusion | indirect reference |
| allusiveness | quality of making many indirect references |
| aloof | detached, indifferent |
| altercation | noisy dispute |
| altruism | unselfish concern for others' welfare |
| amalgam | mixture, combination, alloy |
| ambidextrous | able to use both hands equally well |
| ambiguous | uncertain; subject to multiple interperations |
| ambivalence | attitude of uncertainity; conflicting emotions |
| ameliorate | to make better, improve |
| amenable | agreeable, cooperative |
| amend | to improve or correct flaws in |
| amenity | pleasantness; something increasing comfort |
| amiable | friendly, agreeable |
| amity | friendship |
| amoral | unprincipled, unethical |
| amorphous | having no definite form |
| amortize | to diminish by installment payments |
| amphibian | creature equally at home on land or in water |
| amphitheater | arena theater with rising tires around a central open space |
| ample | abundant, plentiful |
| amplify | increase, intensify |
| amulet | ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits |
| anachromish | something chronologically inappropriate |
| anachronistic | outdated |
| analogous | comparable, parallel |
| anarchy | ansence of government or law; chaos |
| anathema | ban, curse; something shunned or disliked |
| ancillary | accessory, subordinate, helping |
| anecdote | short, usually funney account of an event |
| angular | characterized by sharp angles; lean and gaunt |
| animation | enthusiasm, excitement |
| animosity | hatred, hostility |
| annul | to cancel, nullify, delare void, or make legally invalid |
| anodyne | something that calms or soothes pain |
| anoint | to apply oil to, especially as a sacred rite |
| anomaly | irregularity or deviation from the norm |
| antagonist | foe, opponent, adversary |
| antecedent (adj) | coming before in place or time |
| antediluvian | prehistoric, ancient beyond measure |
| antepenultimate | third from last |
| anterior | preceding, revious, before, prior (to) |
| anthology | collection of literary works |
| anthropomorphic | attributing human qualities to nonhumans |
| antipathy | dislike, hostility; extreme opposition or aversion |
| antiquated | outdated, obsolete |
| antiquity | ancient times; the quality of being old or ancient |
| antithesis | exact opposite or direct contrast |
| apathetic | indifferent, unconcerned |
| apathy | lack of feeling or emotion |
| aphasia | inability to speak or use words |
| aphelion | point in a planet's orbit that is farthest from the sun |
| aphorism | old saying or short pithy statement |
| apocryphal | not genuine; fictional |
| apostate | one who renounces a religious faith |
| apostrophe | an address to the reader or someone not present |
| apotheosis | glorification; glorified ideal |
| appease | to satisfy, placate, calm, pacify |
| approbation | praise; official approval |
| appropriate (v) | to take possession of |
| aquatic | belonging or living in water |
| arable | suitable for cultivation |
| arbitrary | depending solely on individual will; inconsistent |
| arbitrator | mediator, negotiator |
| arboreal | relating to trees; living in trees |
| arboretum | place where trees are displayed and studied |
| arcane | secret, obscure, known oly to a few |
| archaic | antiquated, from an earlier time; outdated |
| archipelago | large group of islands |
| ardent | passionate, enthuiastic, fervent |
| ardor | great emotion or passion |
| arduous | extremely difficult, laborious |
| arid | extremely dry or deathly boring |
| arraign | to call to court to anser an indictment |
| arrogate | to demand, clain arrogantly |
| arsenal | ammunition storehouse |
| articulate (adj) | well-spoken, expressing oneself clearly |
| artifact | historical relic, item made by human craft |
| artisan | craftperson; expert |
| ascend | to rise or climb |
| ascendancy | state of rising, ascending; power or control |
| ascertain | to determine, disocer, make certain of |
| ascetic | self-denying, abstinent, austere |
| ascribe | to attribute to assign |
| ashen | resembling ashes; deathly pale |
| askew | cooked, tilted |
| aspersion | false rumor, damaging report, slander |
| aspire | to have great hopes; to aim at a goal |
| assail | to attack, assault |
| assent | to express agreement |
| assert | to affirm, attest |
| assiduous | diligent, persistent, hard-working |
| assignation | appointment for lovers' meeting; assignment |
| assimilation | act of blending in, becoming similar |
| assonance | resemblance in sound, especially in vowel sounds; partial rhyme |
| assuage | to meke less severe, ease, relieve |
| astrigent | harsh, severe, stern |
| astute | having good judgment |
| asunder (adv) | into different parts |
| asymmetrical | not corresponding in sice, shape, posiotion |
| atone | to make amends for a wrong |
| atrocious | monstrous, shockingly bad, wicked |
| atrophy | to waste away, wither from disuse |
| attain | to accomplish, gain |
| attenuate | to make thin or slender; weaken |
| attest | to testify, stand as proog of, bear witness |
| audacious | bold, daring, fearless |
| audible | capable of being heard |
| audit | formal examination of finacial records |
| auditory | having to do with hearing |
| augment | to expand, extend |
| augury | propecy, prediction or events |
| august | dignified, awe-inspiring, venerable |
| auspicious | having favorable prospects, promising |
| austere | stern, strict, unadorned |
| authoritarian | extremely strict, bossy |
| autocrat | dictator |
| autonomous | separate, independent |
| auxiliary | supplementary, reserve |
| avarice | greed |
| avenge | to retaliate, take revenge for an injury or crime |
| aver | to declare to be ture, affirm |
| aversion | intense dislike |
| avert | to turn (something) away; prevent hinder |
| aviary | large enclosure housing birds |
| avow | to state openly or declare |
| awry | crooked, askew, amiss |
| axiom | premise, postulate, self-evident truth |
