A formal resignation and renouncement of power

I abdicated the crown

Nixon abdicated his position

A state or condition markedly different from the norm

His delusions were an aberration.

The aberration of youth

Temporary cessation

It's raining, let's hold our swim plans in abeyance for a while.

To formally reject a belief, usually under pressure

If Anne Frank had abjured her beliefs, perhaps she'd still be alive.

like abrasive...to have the skin scraped off

her knees were abraded after the fall

Revoke formally

The Slave Law was abrogated

to run away, usually taking someone with

The kidnapper will abscond with her if we let him.

difficult to penetrate or comprehend to those of general knowledge

A deep metaphysical theory is abstruse.

Producing no fruit

The tree was acarpous.

An award.

David receives many accolades for his acting

A growth or increase

When my husband dies an accretion of my funds will occur.

Serving to warn

She shook an admonitary finger at him.

Liveliness and eagerness

He accepted his degree with alacrity.

Anything added that reduces quality

Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper

To combine together

I amalgamated english and math and became a psych major.

To get or make better

Wine ameliorates with age

A social policy involving political, economical and legal discrimination against non-whites.

The former policy in south america was apartheid.

Great coolness and composure under strain

The queen possessed great aplomb.

A disloyal person who deserts their cause or party.

If Hilary became McCain's VP, she'd be an apostate.

Apotheosis

The elevation of a person to the status of God.

The christians think of Jesus as an apotheosis.

To increase or make aware of

The dollar needs to apprise soon.

Are the students apprised of the apprise in tuition?

Official approval

The gay kids mom finally gave him approbation.

Of an appropriate nature, time or btw

That comment was not apropos.

Your email arrived appropos.

Apropos, I hate you.

An act with a view to settle differences

The counselour is attempting to arbitrate the couples' disagreement

"arbor"=tree 

inhabiting, resembling or relating to trees

Ardour

Difficult to accomplish

The arduous work of doing these flashcards

The state that exsists when a person or group has power over another

Germany only awaits trade revival to gain an immense mercantile ascendancy" (Winston S. Churchill).

To make sure of

Open heart surgeons generally ascertain that their patients do not have tools still inside of them

Self-denial for religious purposes

Phillips ascetic practices often leave him hungry.

or Phillip is an ascetic.

To credit to

This book is ascribed to my mother.

Harshness of manner or something to endure

The asperity of the winters down here is redic.

The asperity of her tone scared the children.

An abusive attack on a person's character or sprinkling baptism water on someone

My aspersion on Ryan's character seems not to bother him.

Marked by care and persistent effort.

My assiduous attempts to do good on the GRE led me to make these cards.

To provide relief or satisfy or gain the good will of

This cold water assauged my thirst.

She managed to assauge the angry customer.

A drug that causes the contraction of body tissues and canals (To draw together)

The astringent body lotion makes her skin tight.

Practical hardheaded intelligence

The man wanted her to come into the woods with him, but she was astute and knew something was wrong.

Weaken

The attenuated notes of an old record

Disposed to adventure, no fear

The audacious little girl jumped into the spring just to see if someone would save her.

An event experienced as a sign of important things to come, usually religious

The flower on the window sill must've been an augury.

A favorable sign, patronage/ support

Under the auspices (support) of the Department of Education, we built Evergreen hall.

Attended by favorable circumstances.

My birth was auspicious--on the rainy day a rainbow came out when I was born.

Practicing great self-denial, a stern demeanor or severely simple.

A desert nomads austere life.

The strict knight always had an austere expression.

The austere, or stark, room.

To declare or maintain

Before God I aver I am innocent or He avered his innocence. 

threatening, foreshadowing or sinister

The Cubs are a baleful team.

His baleful look