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Definition
to reduce, lessen
The rain poured down for a while, then abated. |
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to humiliate, degrade
After being overthrown and abased, the deposed leader offered to bow down to his conqueror. |
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Definition
to give up a position of leadership
When he realized that the
revolutionaries would surely win, the king abdicated his throne. |
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Definition
something that differs from the norm
In 1918, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, but the success turned out to be an aberration, and the Red Sox have not won a World Series since. |
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Definition
to aid, help, encourage
The spy succeeded only because he had a friend on the inside to abet him |
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Definition
to hate, detest
Because he always wound up kicking himself in the head when he tried to play soccer, Oswald began to abhor the sport. |
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Definition
wretched, pitiful
After losing all her money, falling into a puddle, and breaking her ankle, Eloise was abject. |
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Definition
to reject, renounce
To prove his honesty, the President abjured the evil policies of his wicked predecessor. |
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Definition
denial of comfort to oneself
The holy man slept on the floor, took only cold showers, and generally followed other practices of abnegation. |
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Definition
to give up on a half-finished project or effort
After they ran out of food, the men, attempting to jump rope around the world, had to abort and go home. |
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Definition
to cut down, shorten
he publisher thought the dictionary was too long and abridged it. |
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Definition
to abolish, usually by authority
The Bill of Rights assures that the government cannot abrogate our right to a free press. |
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Definition
to sneak away and hide
In the confusion, the super-spy absconded into the night with the secret plans. |
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Definition
freedom from blame, guilt, sin
Once all the facts were known, the jury gave Angela absolution by giving a verdict of not guilty. |
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Definition
hard to comprehend
Everyone else in the class understood geometry easily, but John found the subject abstruse. |
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Definition
to agree
When the class asked the teacher whether they could play baseball instead of learn grammar they expected him to refuse, but instead he acceded to their request. |
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Definition
to confront verbally
Though Antoinette was normally quite calm, when the waiter spilled soup on her for the fourth time in 15 minutes she stood up and accosted the man. |
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Definition
slow growth in size or amount
Stalactites are formed by the accretion of minerals from the roofs of caves. |
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Definition
biting, bitter in tone or taste
Jill became extremely acerbic and began to cruelly make fun of all her friends. |
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Definition
to agree without protesting
Though Mr. Correlli wanted to stay outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had better come in to dinner, he acquiesced to her demands. |
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Definition
bitterness, discord
Though they vowed that no girl would ever come between them, Biff and Trevor could not keep acrimony from overwhelming their friendship after they both fell in love with the lovely Teresa. |
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Definition
keen insight
Because of his mathematical acumen, Larry was able to figure out in minutes problems that took other students hours. |
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Definition
sharp, severe, or having keen insight
Because she was so acute, Libby instantly figured out how the magician pulled off his “magic.” |
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Definition
impervious, immovable, unyielding
Though public pressure was intense, the President remained adamant about his proposal. |
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Definition
extremely skilled
Tarzan was adept at jumping from tree to tree like a monkey. |
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Definition
to caution, criticize, reprove
Joe’s mother admonished him not to ruin his appetite by eating cookies before dinner. |
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Definition
skillful, dexterous
The adroit thief could pick someone’s pocket without
attracting notice. |
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Definition
extreme praise
Though the book was pretty good, Marcy did not believe it deserved the adulation it received. |
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Definition
to sketch out in a vague way
The coach adumbrated a game plan, but none of the players knew precisely what to do. |
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Definition
antagonistic, unfavorable, dangerous
Because of adverse conditions, the hikers decided to give up trying to climb the mountain. |
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Definition
to argue in favor of something (or a person)
Arnold advocated turning left at the stop sign, even though everyone else thought we should turn right. |
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Definition
artistic, related to the appreciation of beauty
We hired Susan as our interior decorator because she has such a fine aesthetic sense. |
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Definition
friendly, amiable
People like to be around George because he is so affable and good-natured. |
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Definition
spontaneous feeling of closeness
Jerry didn’t know why, but he felt an incredible affinity for Kramer the first time they met. |
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Definition
rich, wealthy
Mrs. Grebelski was affluent, owning a huge house, three cars, and an island near Maine |
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Definition
an insult
Bernardo was very touchy, and took any slight as an affront to his honor |
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Definition
to increase or make greater
Joseph always dropped the names of the famous people his father knew as a way to aggrandize his personal stature. |
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Definition
a whole or total
The three branches of the U.S. Government form an aggregate much more powerful than its individual parts |
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Definition
distressed, wronged, injured
The foreman mercilessly overworked his aggrieved employees. |
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Definition
| believing that the existence of God can't be proven or disproven Joey’s parents are very religious, but he is agnostic. |
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Term
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Definition
eagerness, speed
For some reason, Chuck loved to help his mother whenever he could, so when his mother asked him to set the table he did so with alacrity. |
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Term
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Definition
to soothe, ease
The chairman of the Federal Reserve gave a speech to try to allay investors’ fears about an economic downturn. |
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Definition
to assert, usually without proof
The policeman had alleged that Marshall committed the crime, but after the investigation turned up no evidence, Marshall was set free. |
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Definition
to distribute, set aside
The Mayor allocated 30 percent of the funds for improving the town’s schools. |
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Definition
reserved, distant
The scientist could sometimes seem aloof, as if he didn’t care about his friends or family, but really he was just thinking about quantum mechanics. |
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Definition
a dispute, fight
Jason and Lionel blamed one another for the car accident, leading to an altercation. |
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Definition
to bring together, unite
Because of his great charisma, the presidential candidate was able to amalgamate all democrats and republicans under his banner. |
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Definition
uncertain, variably interpretable
Some people think Caesar married Cleopatra for her power, others believe he was charmed by her beauty. His actual reasons are ambiguous. |
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Definition
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to improve
The tense situation was ameliorated when Sam proposed a solution everyone could agree upon. |
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Definition
having opposed feelings
My feelings about Calvin are ambivalent because on one hand he is a loyal friend, but on the other, he is a cruel and vicious thief |
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Definition
willing, compliant
Our father was amenable when we asked him to drive us to the farm so we could go apple picking. |
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Definition
an item that increases comfort
Bill Gates’s house is stocked with so many amenities, he never has to do anything for himself. |
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Definition
friendly
An amiable fellow, Harry got along with just about everyone. |
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friendly
Claudia and Jimmy got divorced, but amicably and without
hard feelings. |
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Term
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Definition
showing love, particularly sexual
Whenever Albert saw Mariah wear her slinky red dress, he began to feel quite amorous. |
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Definition
without definite shape or type
The effort was doomed from the start, because the reasons behind it were so amorphous and hard to pin down. |
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Definition
being out of correct chronological order
In this book you’re writing, you say that the Pyramids were built after the Titanic sank, which is anachronistic. |
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Definition
something that reduces pain
Put this analgesic on the wound so that the poor man at least feels a little better. |
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Definition
similar to
Though they are unrelated genetically, the bone structure of whales and fish is quite analogous. |
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Definition
one who wants to eliminate all government
An anarchist, Carmine wanted to dissolve every government everywhere. |
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Definition
a cursed, detested person
I never want to see that murderer. He is an anathema to me. |
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Definition
a short, humorous account
After dinner, Marlon told an anecdote about the time he got his nose stuck in a toaster. |
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Definition
to incorporate territory or space
After defeating them in battle, the Russians annexed Poland |
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Definition
to make void or invalid
After seeing its unforeseen and catastrophic effects, Congress sought to annul the law. |
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Definition
something that doesn't fit the normal order
“That rip in the space- time continuum is certainly a spatial anomaly,” said Spock to Captain Kirk. |
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Definition
hostility
Superman and Bizarro Superman shared a mutual antagonism, and often fought. |
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Term
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Definition
something that came before
The great tradition of Western culture had its antecedent in the culture of Ancient Greece |
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Definition
ancient
The antediluvian man still believed that Eisenhower was president of the United States and that hot dogs cost a nickel. |
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Term
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Definition
a selected collection of writings, songs, etc.
The new anthology of Bob Dylan songs contains all his greatest hits and a few songs that you might never have heard before. |
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Definition
a strong dislike, repugnance
I know you love me, but because you are a liar and a thief, I feel nothing but antipathy for you. |
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Term
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Definition
old, out of date
That antiquated car has none of the features, like power windows and steering, that make modern cars so great. |
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Definition
the absolute opposite
Your values, which hold war and violence in the highest esteem, are the antithesis of my pacifist beliefs. |
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Term
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Definition
lacking concern, emotion
Uninterested in politics, Bruno was apathetic about whether he lived under a capitalist or communist regime. |
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Definition
fictitious, false, wrong
Because I am standing before you, it seems obvious that the stories circulating about my demise were apocryphal. |
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Definition
to calm, satisfy
When the child cries, the mother gives him candy to appease him. |
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Definition
praise
The crowd welcomed the heroes with approbation. |
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Definition
suitable for growing crops
The farmer purchased a plot of arable land on which he will grow corn and sprouts. |
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Term
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Definition
one who can resolve a dispute, make a decision
The divorce court judge will serve as the arbiter between the estranged husband and wife. |
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Definition
based on factors that appear random
The boy’s decision to choose one college over another seems arbitrary. |
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Term
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Definition
the process or act of resolving a dispute
The employee sought official arbitration when he could not resolve a disagreement with his supervisor. |
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Term
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Definition
of or relating to trees
Leaves, roots, and bark are a few arboreal traits. |
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Term
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Definition
obscure, secret, known only by few
The professor is an expert in arcane Lithuanian literature. |
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Term
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Definition
the most representative or typical example of something
Some believe George Washington, with his flowing white hair and commanding stature, was the archetypal politician. |
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Definition
extreme vigor, enthusiasm, energy
The soldiers conveyed their ardor with impassioned battle cries. |
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Definition
to take without justification
The king arrogated the right to order executions to himself exclusively. |
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Term
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Definition
to perceive, learn
With a bit of research, the student ascertained that
some plants can live for weeks without water |
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Definition
| practicing restraint as a means of self-discipline, usually religious The priest lives an ascetic life devoid of television, savory foods, and other pleasures. |
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Term
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Definition
to assign, credit, attribute to
Some ascribe the invention of fireworks and dynamite to the Chinese. |
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Definition
a curse, expression of ill-will
The rival politicians repeatedly cast aspersions on each others’ integrity. |
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Definition
to attack
At dawn, the war planes assailed the boats in the harbor. |
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Definition
hard-working, diligent
The construction workers erected the skyscraper during two years of assiduous labor. |
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Definition
very clever, crafty
Much of Roger’s success in politics results from his ability to provide astute answers to reporters’ questions. |
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Term
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Definition
a place of refuge, protection, a sanctuary
For Thoreau, the forest served as an asylum from the pressures of urban life. |
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Definition
to repent, make amends
The man atoned for forgetting his wife’s birthday by buying her five dozen roses. |
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Definition
to wither away, decay
If muscles do not receive enough blood, they will soon atrophy and die. |
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Definition
unusual
Screaming and crying is atypical adult behavior. |
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Definition
excessively bold
The security guard was shocked by the fan’s
audacious attempt to offer him a bribe. |
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Term
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Definition
add to, expand
The eager student seeks to augment his knowledge of French vocabulary by reading French literature. |
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Term
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Definition
favorable, indicative of good things
The tennis player considered the sunny forecast an auspicious sign that she would win her match. |
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Definition
very bare, bleak
The austere furniture inside the abandoned house made the place feel haunted. |
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Definition
excessive greed of money
The banker’s avarice led him to amass a tremendous personal fortune. |
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Definition
particular dislike of something
Because he’s from Hawaii, Ben has an aversion to autumn, winter, and cold climates in general. |
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