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| To reduce in amount, degree, or severity |
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| Concerning the appreciation of beauty |
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| To reduce in amount, degree or severity. "As the hurricane's force abated, the winds dropped and the sea became calm." |
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| To leave secretly. "The patron absconded from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door." |
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| To choose not to do something, "She abstained from sex until she was married." |
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| An extremely deep hole, "The submarine dove into the abyss to chart the previously unseen depths." |
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| To make impure, "The restauranteur made his ketchup last longer by adulterating it with water." |
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| To speak in favor of, "The vegetarian advocated a diet containing no meat." |
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| A person who speaks in favor of something, "The students were advocates for a lower tuition rate." |
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| Concerning the appreciation of beauty, "Followers of the aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art." |
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| To Increase in power, influence, and reputation, "The supervisor sought to aggrandzie herself by claiming claiming that the ahievements of her staff were actually her own." |
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| To make more bearable, "Taking aspirin will help to alleviate a headache." |
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| To combine, to mix together; "Giant Industries amalgamated with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products." |
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| Doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted in several ways, "The directions she gave were so ambiguous that we disagreed on which way to turn." |
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| Something out of place in time, "The aged hippie used anachronistic phrases like 'groovy' and 'far out' that had not been popular for years." |
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| Similar or alike in some way; equivalent to, "In a famous argument for the existence of God, the universe is analogous to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divenely intelligent 'clockmaker'." |
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| Deviation from what is normal, "Albino animals may display too great an anomaly in their coloring to attract normally colored mates." |
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| deviating from or inconsistent with the common order, form, or rule; irregular; abnormal: "Advanced forms of life may be anomalous in the universe." |
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| to annoy or provoke to anger, "The child discovered that he could antagonize the cat by pulling its tail." |
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| Extreme dislike, "The antipathy between the French and the English regularly erupted into open warfare." |
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| Lack of interest, showing no emotion "The apathy of the voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so." |
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| To judge a dispute between two opposing parties. "Since the couple could not come to agreement, a judge was forced to arbitrate their divorce proceedings." |
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| Ancient, Old-Fashioned, "Her archaic computer could not run the latest software." |
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| Intense and passionate feeling, "Bishop's ardor for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley." |
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| Able to speak clearly and expressively, "She is such an articulate defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters." |
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| To make something unpleasant or less severe; alleviate, "Serena used aspirin to assuage her pounding headache." |
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| To reduce in force or degree; to weaken, "The Bill of Rights attenuated the traditional power of government to change laws at will." |
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| Fearless and daring, "Her audacious nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of of skydiving." |
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| Severe or stern in appearance; undecorated, "The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seeem austere to the untrained eye." |
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| Predictable, cliched, boring; "He used banal phrases like 'Have a nice day', or 'Another day, another dollar." |
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| To support, prop up, "The presence of giant footprints bolstered the argument that Bigfoot was in the area." |
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| Pompous in speech and manner; "The dictator's speeches were mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact." |
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| Harsh, jarring noise. "The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments." |
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| Impartial and honest in speech; "The observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and unpretentious." |
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| Changing one's mind quickly and often; fickle, "Queen Elizabeth I was quite capricious. Her courtiers could never be sure which of their group would catch her fancy." |
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| To punish or criticize harshly, excoriate; "Americans are amazed at how harsly the authorities in Singapore castigate perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the U.S." |
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| Something that brings about a change in something else, "The imposition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on the revolution." |
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| Biting in wit, "Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for caustic wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults." |
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| Great Disorder or Confusion, "In most religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from chaos." |
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| Someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs, "The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male chauvinists." |
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| Deception by means of craft or guile; trickery, "Dishonest used car sales people often use chicanery to sell their beat-up old cars." |
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| Convincing and well-reasoned, "Swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant." |
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| To overlook, pardon, or disregard; "Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as condoning lawlessness." |
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| Intricate and Complicated; "Although many people bought 'A Brief History of Time', few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories." |
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| To provide supporting evidence, "Fingerprints corroborated the witness's testimony that he saw the defdant in the victim's apartment." |
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| Too trusting, gullible; "Although some four-year olds believe in the Easter bunny, only the most credulous of nine-year-olds also believe in him." |
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| Steadily increasing volume or force, "The crescendo of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses." |
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| Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety, "The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the palace." |
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| Respect, courtesy; "The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court Justice with the utmost deference." |
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| To speak of or treat with contempt; to mock, "The awkward child was often derided by his 'cooler' peers." |
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| To dry out thoroughly, "After a few weeks of lying on the desert's baking sands, the cow's carcass became completely desiccated. |
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| Jumping from one thing to another; disconnected, "Diane had a desultory academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years." |
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| An abusive, condemnatory speech; harangue "The trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off." |
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| Lacking self-confidence, "Steve's diffident manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field." |
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| To make larger; to expand, "When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes dilate to let in more light." |
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| Intended to delay, "The Congressman used dilatory measures to filabuster the passage of the bill." |
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| Someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic, "Jerry's friends were such dilettantes that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week." |
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| A funeral hymn or mournful speech; elegy, "Melville wrote the poem "A dirge for James McPherson" for the funeral of a Union General who was killed in 1864." |
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| To set right; to free from error, "Galileo's observations disabused scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the earth." |
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| To perceive, recognize; "It is easy to discern the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping." |
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| fundamentally different; entirely unlike, "Although the twins appeared identical physically, their personalities are disparate." |
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| To present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions of character, "The villain could dissemble to the police no longer -- he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man." |
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| A harsh and disagreeable combination (often of sounds), "Cognitive dissonance is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence." |
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| A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief; "Linus's central dogma was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded." |
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| Dictatorial in one's opinions, "The dictator was dogmatic -- he, and only he, was right." |
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| To deceive; a person who is easily deceived, "Bugs Bunny was able to dupe Elmer Fudd by dressing up in disguises." |
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| Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources, "Budapest's architecture is an eclectic mix of Eastern and Western styles." |
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| Effectiveness, "The efficacy of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered." |
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| Persuasive and moving, especially in speech, "The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its eloquent words." |
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| To copy; to try to equal or excel, "The graduate student sought to emulate his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class." |
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| A sorrowful poem or speech, "Although Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality." |
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| To reduce in strength; "The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would enervate the regular army." |
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| To produce, cause, or bring about; "His fear and hatred of clowns was engendered when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown." |
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| A puzzle; a mystery, "Russia is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma" - Winston Churchill |
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| To count, list or itemize, "Moses returned from the mountain with the tablets on which the Commandments were enumerated." |
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| Lasting a short time, "The lives of mayflies seem ephemeral to us, since the flies' average life span is a matter of hours." |
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| To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead, "When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician equivocated and left all parties thinking she agreed with him." |
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| Wandering and unpredictable; "The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of erratic turns that surprised the audience." |
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| Learned, scholarly, bookish "The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most erudite, well-published individuals in the field." |
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| Known or understood by only a few, "Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the esoteric world of particle physics." |
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| Admirable, "Most people consider it estimable that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India." |
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| Speech in Praise of Someone, "His best friend gave the eulogy, outlining his many achievements and talents." |
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| Use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distateful one, "The funeral director used the euphemism 'passed away' instead of 'died'." |
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| To Make Worse; "It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only exacerbate the pain." |
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| to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally: "He was excoriated for his mistakes." |
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| To clear from blame; prove innocent "The adversarial legal system is intended to convinct those who are guilty and exculpate those who are innocent." |
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| Urgent, requiring immediate action "The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was exigent to stop the source of bleeding." |
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| To clear of blame; exculpate "The fugitive was exonerated when another criminal confessed to committing the crime." |
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| Clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression, "The owners of the house left a list of explicit instructions detailing their house-sitter's duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants." |
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| to set forth or state in detail; to give examples, "The professor was asked to expound on a topic many of the students in the classroom failed to grasp." |
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| Acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion "Many liberals in the media mistakenly paint evangelical Christians as fanatical zealots." |
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| to grovel; to adulate, "The understudy fawned over the director in hopes of getting a permanent role in the play." |
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| Intensely emotional; feverish, "The fans of Maria Callas were unusually fervid, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer." |
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| Excessively decorated or embellished; "The palace had been decorated in an excessivvely florid style; every surface had been carved and gilded." |
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| To abuse or incite "The protestors tried to foment feeling against the war through their speeches and demonstrations." |
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| A tendency to be thrifty or cheap "Scrooge McDuck's frugality was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse with money." |
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| Tending to talk a lot; loquacious, "The garrulous parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking." |
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| Outgoing, socialable "She was so gregarious that when she found herself alone, she felt quite sad." |
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| Deceit or Trickery; chicanery, "Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to guile in an effort to trap his enemy." |
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| Easily Deceived, Dupe "The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool gullible bank customers into giving him their account information." |
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| Of a similar kind, "The class was fairly homogenous since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors." |
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| One who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions "His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an iconoclast." |
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| not capable of being disturbed |
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| Impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected |
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| Quick to act without thinking |
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| unable to be calmed down or made peaceful |
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| Not fulled formed; disorganized |
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| Showing innocence or childlike simplicity; dupe, naive |
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| Lacking interest or flavor |
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| Uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled |
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easily made angry
Kemal is irascible when he hasn't had enough sleep. |
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| to express sorrow; to grieve |
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| to give praise; to glorify |
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to give unsparingly (v);
extremely generous or extravagant (adj) |
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| acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner |
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| clear and easily understood |
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| bright, brilliant, glowing |
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| to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill |
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| A figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol |
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| extremely careful about details |
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| A person who dislikes others |
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| to soften, to lessen; to assuage |
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| to calm or make less severe |
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| Lacking sophistication or experience |
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| Hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion |
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| Overly submissive and eager to please |
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| To prevent, to make unnecessary |
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| To stop up, to prevent the passage of. To clog. |
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| Troublesome and oppressive, burdensome |
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| Impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light |
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| Public disgrace; extreme shame |
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| a contradiction or dilemma |
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| Model of excellence or perfection; exemplar |
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| Someone who shows off learning |
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| Willing to betray the trust someone has placed in you |
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| Done in a routine way; indifferent |
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| charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness |
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| (adj) Able to be molded, altered, or bent |
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| practical as opposed to idealistic |
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| to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation |
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| to lie or deviate from the truth |
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| Fresh and clean; uncorrupted |
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| to increase in number quickly |
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| To conciliate; to appease |
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| Correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs; good decorum |
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| Wisdom, caution, or restraint |
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| Sharp and irritating to the senses (esp. odor) |
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| to make thinner or sparser |
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| To reject the validity of |
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| Silent, reserved, disposed to being silent or not capable of speaking |
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| effective writing or speaking |
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| to satisfy fully, to sate, to slake; (sèchièt) |
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| causing sleep or lethargy |
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| deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious |
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| A mark of shame or discredit |
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| Unemotional; lacking sensitivity |
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| Lofty or grand; impressing the mind and inspiring awe |
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| Silent, not talkative; reticent, sententious |
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| Long, harsh speech or verbal attack; a harangue |
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| Extreme mental and physical sluggishness |
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| Temporary; lasting a brief time |
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| To sway physically, to be indecisive |
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| Filled with truth and accuracy |
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| easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive |
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to fluctuate between choices
(Waver is different from waiver; the former means to fluctuate between choices and the latter means an exception to a rule or requirement) |
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| Acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable; erratic |
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Term
(n - thing) Zeal
(n - person) Zealot
(adj) Zealous |
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Definition
| Extreme passion or excitement |
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