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Abet
to help or encourage someone to perform an act, typically wrongdoing
abhor
to despise something, to find it repellent
Abject
Dire or extreme in a bad way, can also be used to describe something in a desperate or extremely basic condition.
Abound
To be somewhere in an impressively large quantity or number; to have something in an impressively large quantity or number
Abridge
To shorten something - usually a text or speech - by removing the parts which could be considered to be unnecessary to the overall meaning
Accede
To agree to a request or accept an argument with which you were not predisposed to agree
Acclaim
- Enthusiastic praise of an accomplishment; to enthusiastically praise an accomplishment to an audience
Accolade
An award granted in recognition of some great honor or special achievement
Accord
An agreement between two or more parties; or, to fit in neatly with another idea
Acerbic
A dry, almost hostile manner of communicating with others
Acquiesce
Quiet agreement to a proposition or idea that does not appeal to you.
Acquit
To behave in such a way as to excuse yourself from criticism; or to judge as innocent after a courtroom trial
Acrid
- Bitter and harsh in smell; typically associated with synthetic chemicals
Acrimonious
A harsh, angry way of communicating
Acumen
A skill set required to make sound strategic decisions in a certain field such as business or finance
Adage
A saying orproverb containing a widely accepted truth, frequently intended to serve as a guide to behavior in certain situations
Adamant
Absolutely firm in your position on something
Adept
So skilled at something that doing it well comes easily
Admonish
To scold or criticize; to strongly encourage a particular course of action and discourage alternatives
Adroit
To be highly competent or skillful at a certain task
Advent
The highly anticipated arrivalof an important person or event
Advocate
A person who represents a defendant in a court of law or who performs this role in an informal setting; to argue for a position on behalf of someone else.
Affable
A warm and friendly, if not necessarily intimate, way of communicating
Affluent
Having a large amount of material wealth
Affront
An action that makes someone feel threatened or insulted
Aghast
The state of being completely shocked, horrified, or taken aback by something.
Allocate
To assign resources to users, typically done with the goal of efficiency.
Altruism
A desire to work for the well- being of others, even at the expense of your own convenience
Amalgam
Something that has been created by seamlessly blending several distinct components
Ambiguity
A lack of clarity, typically of a word or phrase.
Ambivalent
- Having no preference regarding the outcome of a decision.
Ameliorate
To lessen the negative impacts of something
Amenable
Friendly or open to a particular argument or course of action.
Amiable
Having a generally friendly and polite nature.
Amicable
Free of discord and nastiness, usually used to describe relationships
Amid
Surrounded by something
Amoral
Having a decision-making process which acknowledges no moral standard
Amorous
Having to do with love or passion
Anachronism
Something which appears out of its historical context
Analogy
A comparison made between two unlike things, frequently when explaining a concept.
Anathema
Something which utterly repels a person
Ancillary
Secondary, yet inseparably associated with the carrying out of the primary objective
Anguish
Emotional or physical torment
Animosity
Strong personal dislike of or opposition to someone else
Annex
To take over a space previously belonging to another party; an independent unit part of a larger conglomeration.
Anomaly
Something that does not fit an established pattern of events.
Antedate
To come earlier in time than something else.
Antediluvian
Incomprehensibly old; literally, "before the [Biblical] flood."
Anterior
Nearer to the front end of something.
Anthology
A collection of literary works.
Antipathy
A strong, deeply held dislike for something.
Antipodal
Something completely opposite to something else; literally "from the other side of the earth."
Antiquated
- So old as to be obsolete.
Antithetical
Embodying the exact opposite of a proposition.
Apartheid
A system of government based on brutally enforced racial segregation.
Apathy
A lack of interest in something.
Apex
The highest point of something
Aphorism
A brief statement widely believed to contain a nugget
of truth.
Aplomb
Confidence, style and good technique
Apocryphal
An unconfirmed or doubtful account of something which may be believed true
Apoplectic
Physically overcome with anger.
Appalling
So dismaying as to shock the viewer
Apprehensive
Uncertain and tense about a situation
Apprise
To tell someone about an event
Apropos
Related to, or referring to, the subject of a
conversation.
Apt
Fitting or appropriate at the moment
Aptitude
Potential to succeed in a particular subject or field
Arbiter
Decision maker with a power to officially settle things
Arbitrary
Decided in a certain fashion for no discernible
reason
Arcade
A covered pathway lined witharches.
Arcane
Mysterious and difficult to access; frequently refers to
the occult
Archipelago
A group of small islands.
Archives
A place where texts, videos, works of art, and other media
are stored
Ardent
Passionately determined
Arduous
Difficult and taxing
Arid
- Dry and desert-like in climate
Arrest
To stop or seize something; to detain officially, as by the police
Artifice
Human skill as opposed to natural aesthetics.
Ascribe
To credit something to some agent.
Assert
To state or claim something in a firm manner
Assiduous
Painstakingly precise about a task.
Assuage
To calm or reduce the intensity of an emotion
Astute
Very quick to pick up and use information.
Audacious
So bold as to be risky; can also connote rudeness.
Augment
To add to with the goal of improving
Auspicious
Promising of good fortune
Austere
Conscientiously lacking of excess
Auxiliary
Supplemental to or supportive of the primary goal
Avail
To make use of an advantage or to act to the benefit of
something
Avarice
- Excessive greed
Avert
To shift focus away from or to avoid by prevention.
Avid
Having a dedicated, almost obsessive interest in something
Avow
To publicly assert something.
Avuncular
Describing a display of platonic affection or
benevolence towards a young person.
Awry
Not as intended, incorrect.
Axiom
A statement widely accepted as truth.
Baleful
Threatening or indicating a desire to harm
Balk
To suddenly hesitate before doing or accepting something.
Balm
Something which soothes or comforts an unpleasant feeling;
literally, a salve used to soothe irritated skin.
Banal
- Tediously boring and unimaginative
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Flashcard (59)