abase

degrade

abate

lessened

aberrant

diverging from the normal or accepted standard

abdicate

fail to fulfill a role

abash

to shame or embarrass someone

abjure

to formally and sincerely reject

abashed

past tense of abash (to embarrass someone)

abet

encourage/assist a criminal

aberration

an unwelcomed deviation from the standard

abrogate

1. to remove a law

2. to evade responsibility

abhor

hate (and disgust)

abeyance

temporarily out of commission

abscission

natural falling of plant parts (eg dead leaves, ripe fruit)

abject

1. bad, to the maximum degree or badly experienced ("she fell into abject misery")

2. without pride or dignity

abrasive

1. rough texture

2. harsh and insensitive personality

abtain

to self-deny an action or posession

abstemious

to moderate and discipline oneself (especially in cases of eating and drinking)

abstruse

hard to understand from ordinary knowledge; obsure

abscond

leave stealthily, quickly, and secretly

acumen

ability to make quick, sound judgements

abreast

alongside; next to each other

admonish

warn or scold firmly

abysmal

1. extremely bad; appalling

2. very deep

accretion

gradual accumulation of growth

accolade

award or privilege as a special honor or as acknowledgment of merit (being good/worthy)

advocate

1. person who publicly supports a specific cause or policy

2. publicly recommend or support

adulterate

render something with poorer quality substance

acidulous

harsh and cutting in taste or manner

acerbic

1. sharp and direct in speak

2. sour or bitter in taste

acquiesce

reluctantly accept but without protest

abridge

1. shorten without losing essence

2. right/privilege

aesthetic

1. relating to beauty

2. particular theory or conception of beauty or art

acrid

1. strong, unpleasant taste or smell

2. angry and bitter

acme

the best, perfect, or most successful

affectation

artificial behavior, speech, or writing designed from imitation to impress

aboveboard

a legit, honest, and open way

acrimony

bitterness or in ill will

adamant

unwilling to change mind or be swayed

abyss

1. deep or seemingly bottomless pit

2. wide or significant difference between people

3. catastrophic situation likely to occur

adherent

a person adhering to a party, person, or set of ideas

adroit

clever or skillful in using the hands or mind

adversity

difficulties

alacrity

quick and cheerful readiness

alleviate

to make less severe (a suffering, deficiency, or a problem)

accede

to approve or give consent

admonitory

conveying warning or scolding

aesthete

a person who has or affects to have a special appreciation or beauty

aggrandize

increase the power, status, or wealth

affable

friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to

affluent

1. wealthy; having a great deal of money (especially group or area)

2. (of water) flowing freely or in great quantity

afford

1. have enough money to pay

2. provide or supply (an opportunity or facility); e.g. the rooftop affords beautiful views

altruism

belief/practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others (even at one's own expense)

amalgam

mix or blend

ambiguous

1. open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning

2. unclear or inexact due to an undecided choice between alternatives

ambivalent

having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about someone or something

ameliorate

make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better

amenable

1. a person open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled

2. (of a thing) capable of being acted upon in a certain way; susceptible

amiable

friendly and pleasant mannerism

amorphus

1. without a clearly defined shape or form

2. lacking a clear structure or focus

3. a solid mineral not crystalline

amply

enough or more than enough; plentifully

amuck

a state of wild excitement or without self-control; of chaos and disorder

anachronism

1. a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned

2. an act of attributing a custom, event, or object to a period to which it does not belong

analogous

comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared.

e.g. they saw the relationship between a ruler and his subjects as analogous to that of father and children

anathema

1. a thing or person that one passionately dislikes. e.g, "racial hatred was anathema to her"

2. a formal curse by a pope of council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine. e.g. "the Pope laid a special emphasis on the second of these anathemas"

anemic

a health condition - low healthy RBCs (red blood cells).

- not enough oxygen-rich blood and can make you feel weak or tired

animosity

strong hostility

anodyne

1. purposefully inoffensive

2. a painkilling drug or medicine

anomalous

deviating from the standard or norm

anomaly

1. something that deviates from the standard or norm

2. the angular distance of a planet or satellite from its last perihelion (the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is closest to the sun) or perigee (the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is nearest to the earth)

.

antedated

come before (something) in date

antic

1. an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action

2. grotesque, bizarre

antipathy

a deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion.

antiquated

old-fashioned or outdated

antithetical

1. directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible

2. connected with, containing, or using the rhetorical device of antithesis (a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else)

apathetic

showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern

(adjective)

apathy

lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

(noun)

apex

highest point; peak

aphorism

1. brief but comprehensive observation containing a general truth. e.g. "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "the child is father to the man"

2. a concise statement of scientific principle, typically by an ancient classical author

aphoristic

concise, witty, and full of aphorisms

aplomb

self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation

apocryphal

1. (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

2. of or belonging to the Apocrypha (books that are not part of the Bible's canon scripture)

apogee

1. the climax in the development of something

2. the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is furthest from the earth

apostate

(noun) a person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle

(adj) abandoning a religious or political belief or principle