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abdicate

formally remove oneself from; give up; relinquish; renounce; resign

abduct

carry off or lead the way by force; kidnap

abhor

shrink from; detest; loathe; hate

abnormal

deviating from the normal; unusual; irregular

abrasion

scraping or wearing away of the skin by friction; irritation

abrupt

broken off; sudden; unexpected

abscond

steal off and hide; depart secretly; flee; escape

absolve

1. set free from some duty or responsibility; exempt; excuse

2. declare free from guilt or blame; exculpate; exonerate

absorbing

fully taking away one’s attention; extremely interesting; engrossing

abstain

withhold oneself deliberately from doing something; refrain; desist

averse

(literally, “turned down”) opposed; disinclined; unwilling

avert

turn away; ward off; prevent; forestall

avocation

occupation away from one’s customary occupation; hobby

adapt

(literally, “fit to”) adjust; suit; fit

addicted

given over (to a habit); habituated; devoted

adequate

equal to, or sufficient for, a specific need; enough; sufficient

adherent

one who sticks to a leader, party, etc.; follower; faithful supporter

adjacent

lying near; nearby; neighboring; bordering

adjoin

be next to; be in contact with; border; abut

adjourn

put off to another day; suspend a meeting to resume at a future time; defer; recess

advent

a “coming to”; arrival; approach

adversary

person “turned toward” or facing another as an opponent; foe; antagonist

adverse

in opposition to one’s interests; hostile; unfavorable

antecedents

ancestors; forebears; predecessors

antedate

1. assign a date before the true date

2. come before in date; predate; precede

postdate

assign a date after the true date

ante meridiem

before noon

post meridiem

after noon

anteroom

room placed before and forming an entrance to another; antechamber; waiting room

postgraduate

having to do with study after graduation, especially after graduation from college

postmortem

1. thorough examination of a body after death; autopsy

2. detailed analysis or discussion of an event just ended

postscript

note added to a letter after it has been written

bicameral

consisting of two chambers or legislative houses

bicentennial

two-hundredth anniversary

biennial

occurring every two years

semiannual

occurring every half year, or twice a year; semiyearly

bimonthly

occurring every two months

semimonthly

occurring every half month, or twice a month

bilateral

having two sides

bilingual

1. speaking two languages equally well

2. written in two languages

bipartisan

representing two political parties

bisect

divide into two equal parts

semicircle

half of a circle

semiconscious

half conscious; not fully conscious

semidetached

partly detached; sharing a wall with an adjoining building on one side, but detached on the other

semiskilled

partly skilled

emigrate (v.)

move out of a country or region to settle in another

immigrate (v.)

move into a foreign country or region as a permanent resident

eminent (adj.)

standing or jutting out; conspicuous; famous; distinguished; noteworthy

imminent (adj.)

hanging over one’s head; threatening; about to occur; impending

enervate (v.)

(literally, “take out the nerves or strength”) lessen the strength of; enfeeble; weaken

erosion (n.)

gradual wearing away; deterioration; depletion

evoke (v.)

bring out; call forth; elicit; produce

invoke (v.)

call on for help or protection; appeal to for support

excise (v.)

cut out; remove by cutting out

incise (v.)

cut into; carve; engrave

exclusive (adj.)

1. shutting out, or tending to shut out, others

2. not shared with others; single; sole

inclusive (adj.)

1. (literally, “shutting in”) including the limits (dates, numbers, etc.) mentioned

2. broad in scope; comprehensive

exhibit (v.)

(literally, “hold out”) show; display

inhibit (v.)

(literally, “hold in”) hold in check; restrain; repress

expel (v.)

drive out; force out; compel to leave; banish; eject

impel (v.)

drive on; force; compel

implicate (v.)

(literally, “fold in or involve”) show to be part of or connected with; involve; entangle

impugn (v.)

(literally, “fight against”) call in question; assail by words or arguments; attack as false; contradict; attack; malign

incarcerate (v.)

put in prison; imprison, confine

inscribe (v.)

(literally, “write on”) write, engrave, or print to create a lasting record; imprint; autograph

insurgent (n.)

one who rises in revolt against established authority; rebel; mutineer

extracurricular

outside the regular curriculum or course of study

extraneous

coming from or existing outside; foreign; not essential; not pertinent; irrelevant

extravagant

1. outside or beyond the bounds of reason; excessive

2. spending lavishly; wasteful

intramural

within the walls or boundaries (of a school, college, etc.); confined to members (of a school, college, etc.)

intraparty

within a party

intrastate

within a state

intravenous

within or by way of the veins

con

(short for contra) against; on the negative side

contraband

merchandise imported or exported contrary to law: smuggled goods

contravene

go or act contrary to; violate; disregard; infringe

controversy

(literally, “a turning against”) dispute; debate; quarrel

counter

(followed by to) contrary; in the opposite direction

countermand

cancel (an order) by issuing a contrary order; revoke

incontrovertible

not able to be “turned against” or disputed; unquestionable; certain; indisputable

intercede

(literally, “go between”) interfere to reconcile differences; mediate; plead in another’s behalf; intervene

intercept

(literally, “catch between”) stop or seize on the way from one place to another; interrupt; catch

interlinear

inserted between lines already printed or written

interlude

anything filling the time between two events; interval; break; intermission

intermediary

go-between; mediator

intermission

pause between periods of activity; interval; interruption

intersect

(literally, “cut between”) cut by passing through or across; divide; cross

interurban

between cities or towns

intervene

1. come between

2. come in to settle a quarrel; intercede; mediate