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n. lacking restraint or control; feeling of extreme emotional intensity; unbounded enthusiasm
With her parents out of town, Kelly danced all night with abandon. |
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n. criminal act of capturing and carrying away by force
The movie Ransom describes the attempts to rescue a multimillionaire's son after the child's abduction by kidnappers. |
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a. being of the most miserable kind; wretched; lacking pride; brought low in condition or status
On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind. |
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Definition
a. perfect in quality or nature; complete; totally unlimited; certain
Although the King was an absolute monarch, he did not want to behead his unfaithful wife without certain evidence. |
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v. let off hook; relieve of requirement or obligation
I absolve you from this responsibility. |
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v. pronounce clear of guilt or blame; grant remission of sin to; acquit
The priest will absolve him and tell him how to say in party. |
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v. assimilate or incorporate; suck or drink up; occupy full attention
By contrast, what students can absorb from a one-day visit to a college are the tangibles. |
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Definition
n. restraint from eating or drinking; refraining from indulging appetite or desire
The doctor recommended total abstinence from salted foods. |
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a. theoretical; not concrete; not applied or practical; difficult to understand
To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a meal. |
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a. coarsely insulting; physically harmful; characterized by improper or wrongful use
There has been abusive language on both sides that never want to get agreement from beginning. |
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n. enormous chasm; vast bottomless pit; any deep, immeasurable space; hell
So, are we to believe that the only thing between us and the abyss is the size of the deficit, and the more the government borrows and spends, the better off |
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Definition
a. related to school; not practical or directly useful; relating to scholarly organization; based on formal education
The dean's talk about reforming the college admissions system was only an academic discussion. |
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Definition
v. move faster; cause to develop or progress more quickly; occur sooner than expected
Demand for Taiwanese goods likely will accelerate from the second quarter, as strong Asian demand offsets the effects of a U.S. slowdown. |
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Definition
a. easily approached or entered; obtainable; easy to talk to or get along with
Simon and James will no longer be posting to The Hearing; however, all previous posts will remain accessible here. |
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Definition
n. additional object; useful but not essential thing; subordinate or supplementary item
Another accessory is a tripod, which is needed to prevent camera shake especially when the shutter speed drops below tenth second at a wide angle shot. |
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v. do a favor or service for; provide for; supply with; make suitable; adapt; allow for
As for the stage in the public auditorium, it can easily be adjusted to accommodate from a full-scale musical production to one by a solo vocalist. |
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n. partner in crime; associate in wrongdoing
Because your accomplice is an anonymous stranger, it's safer than asking a friend to participate in your ruse. |
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Definition
n. settlement or compromise of conflicting opinions; written agreement between two states
Although the accord is a small step forward, politicians around the world have their work cut out for them. |
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v. declare to be true or admit; express obligation, thanks
Although I acknowledge that the Beatles' tunes sound pretty dated today, I still prefer them to the songs my brothers play. |
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Definition
n. the highest point or level, as of achievement or development; maturity or perfection of animal
His success in this role marked the acme of his career as an actor. |
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v. gain through experience or effort; gain possession of; locate with tracking system
As Norman Mailer once said to me, "One of the hardest things to acquire is a persona, and you've got one." |
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Definition
n. state of being found or proved not guilty; judgment of not guilty
His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty. |
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a. quickly perceptive; keen; having a sharp point or tip; extremely sharp or severe
Her early writing was grounded in acute observation of the natural world. |
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n. wise saying; brief familiar proverb; expression of popular wisdom
So, after reflecting on how I felt a year ago during the election itself and how I feel now, I do have to say that the old adage is true: governing is harder than campaigning. |
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Definition
a. extremely hard; inflexible; stubbornly unyielding
Speaker Pelosi came out of that meeting, and she was once again adamant about saying a public option must be in the bill. |
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Definition
n. compulsive physiological and psychological need for a substance; being abnormally dependent on something
No matter what form we find it in, addiction is not fun; drugs, alcohol, overeating, overworking, smoking or sex. |
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Definition
v. make a formal speech to; deal with or discuss; direct efforts or attention of
Brown planned to address the issue of low-income housing in his speech. |
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Definition
a. expert at; very skilled; having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
Mr. Williams was known as an adept improviser who effortlessly switched between classical, jazz and pop styles. |
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v. stick fast; stick to firmly; be compatible or in accordance with
That is why the claying is necessary; it makes the grain adhere to the earth, otherwise it would float. |
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a. adjoining; neighboring; close to; lying near
Philip's best friend Jason lived only four houses down the block, close but not immediately adjacent. |
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Definition
n. management; supervision; people who are in charge for management; activity of government for powers and duties
Obviously, the key person in administration is the man in the White House. |
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Definition
n. state of growing up from childhood to manhood or womanhood; transitional period between youth and maturity
The big issue in adolescence is that all kids strive for independence |
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n. opponent in contest; someone who offers opposition
The young wrestler struggled to defeat his adversary. |
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Definition
a. in opposing direction; harmful or unfavorable; acting or serving to oppose
The recession had a highly adverse effect on father's investment portfolio: he lost so much money that he could no longer afford the house. |
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Definition
n. state of misfortune, hardship, or affliction; misfortune
A young boy who's strength in adversity is an inspiration to all who know him. |
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Definition
v. speak, plead, or argue in favour of; plead for; push for something
The some doctors advocate a smoking ban in the entire house. |
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Definition
a. elegant or tasteful; of or concerning appreciation of beauty or good taste
Kenneth Cole, the American designer known for his modern, urban aesthetic, is hawking $35 T-shirts. |
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Definition
a. speaking or behaving in artificial way; emotionally stirred or moved; infected or attacked
The other boys laughed so unmercifully at what they termed my affected accent. |
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n. written statement made under oath
This is an official affidavit from the court and it is saying that the whole thing was a hoax. |
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Definition
n. partnership; alliance; association in the same family or society
This affiliation is a way for us to be able to provide our clients with the full spectrum of services and expertise they need. |
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Definition
n. cause or condition of pain, suffering, or distress
Even in the midst of her affliction, Elizabeth tried to keep up the spirits of those around her. |
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Definition
n. outcome; consequence, especially of a disaster or misfortune
The most critical lesson Barbara has learned from her diagnosis and the aftermath is the importance of selecting a good facility and sticking with it. |
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Term
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Definition
n. outcome; consequence, especially of a disaster or misfortune
The most critical lesson Barbara has learned from her diagnosis and the aftermath is the importance of selecting a good facility and sticking with it. |
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Term
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Definition
n. items of business at a meeting; list or program of things to be done or considered
His agenda is certainly different from the President's and the administration's, but we will seek additional opportunities to work together with him. |
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Definition
n. one that acts on behalf of other persons or organizations
As to whether your agent is acting in your best interests, I posed that question to spokesman for the National Association of Realtors. |
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Definition
n. one that engages in aggression; person who first attacks
The most violent reactions arise when the aggressor is the stepfather of the child, the mother's new boyfriend or her new husband. |
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Definition
n. assumed name; another name; name that has been assumed temporarily
Since the alias is already defined in our management pack it should work fine. |
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Definition
a. dissimilar, inconsistent, or opposed in nature; very different place, society, or person
If you think about it, that's totally alien to what a drug company might be expected to do, because if you eradicate a disease, there's no need for that drug at all. |
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Definition
v. cause to become unfriendly or hostile; transfer property or ownership; isolate or dissociate emotionally
We could not see what should again alienate us from one another, or how one brother could again oppress another. |
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Definition
n. payment by a husband to his divorced wife, or vice versa
Also, payer and payee can't file joint tax returns in the same year alimony is paid. |
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Definition
n. loyalty to a nation, sovereign, or cause; fidelity to any person or thing; devotion
They didn't want to salute the flag, saying that kind of allegiance is only for God. |
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Definition
v. provide physical relief, as from pain; make easier; remove in part
This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use stronger drugs. |
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Definition
v. combine; mix; make less pure; lessen or moderate
Our concern for Dwight Gooden, who injured his pitching arm in the game, will alloy our delight at the Yankees' victory. |
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Definition
v. attract with something desirable; be highly, often subtly attractive
Promises of quick profits allure the unwary investor. |
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Definition
a. apart; remote in manner; distant physically or emotionally; reserved and remote
In this age of information and communication, no sector can remain aloof from the revolution in these fileds. |
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Definition
n. noisy quarrel; contention in words; dispute carried on with heat or anger; controversy
So loud were their voices raised in altercation that the storm without was scarce heeded. |
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Definition
v. change for the better; improve; remove faults or errors
Would McCain amend executive orders to ensure that communications between persons outside government and White House staff are disclosed to the public? |
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Definition
a. out of proper order; not in perfect shape; faulty
I knew that weapons would not come in amiss, and I re-entered his room to get his rifle and shot-gun. |
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Definition
n. military stores or provisions; articles used in weapons, as powder, balls, shot, shells
I will carry these two rifles myself; the ammunition is all there except that bag in the corner. |
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Definition
n. partial or total loss of memory, usually resulting from shock or illness
Selective amnesia is a politically valuable trait. |
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Term
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Definition
n. general pardon granted by government, especially for political offenses
If the amnesty is approved by parliament, it will apply to capital stashed in off-shore tax havens up to the end of last year. |
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Definition
a. lacking moral sensibility; not caring about right and wrong.
Compared with evil immorality, being amoral is more like being naughty. |
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Definition
a. more than enough in size or scope or capacity; fairly large
They insist that food are being provided to the Palestinians in ample supplies, and that the only way to weaken Hamas is to maintain the blockade. |
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Definition
n. object worn, especially around neck, as a charm against evil or injury; charm
In Thailand, the Jatukam Ramathep amulet is popular with everyone from Bangkok bankers to village taxi drivers. |
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Definition
n. similarity in some respects; comparison based on similarity
This analogy is almost always noted without further comment, although in fact it may be taken further |
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Definition
n. absence of governing body; state of disorder; political disorder and confusion
One might say that eastern Congo is already in anarchy, but Congo has faded from the headlines in recent months. |
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Definition
v. secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place; narrate or coordinate
We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place. |
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Definition
n. short account of amusing or interesting event; short narrative; secret story of history or biography
Of all the millions who are moved by this historic occasion, while I am amongst these, my anecdote is and would be far less remarkable. |
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Definition
n. condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; deficiency of red blood cells; lack of vitality
Long standing illnesses often result in anemia, loss of weight and occasional bleeding from the stomach. |
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Definition
n. substance that causes loss of sensation; producing temporary loss or impairment of feeling
His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep. |
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Definition
n. agonizing physical or mental pain; extreme suffering
Visiting the site of the explosion, the governor wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families. |
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Definition
a. having life or vigor or spirit; filled with activity; in form of cartoon
On entering his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men. |
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Definition
n. bitter hostility; active hatred; hostile feeling or act
I will also say, though, I've worked for Bill Clinton for years, and Bill Clinton, another Democrat who pushed socially responsible programs, got a lot of animosity from the right. |
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Definition
v. append or attach; take possession of; incorporate into an existing political unit
Mexico objected to the United States' attempts to annex the territory that later became the state of Texas. |
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Definition
n. irregularity; person or something that is unusual; departure from normal or common order
No doubt, this anomaly is the result of the uncertain international environment and high interest rates. |
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Definition
n. state of being nameless; one that is unknown or unacknowledged
In my view, death in anonymity is the ultimate insult to human dignity. |
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Definition
a. having no name; having unknown or unacknowledged name
The buyer, who wished to remain anonymous, is a foreigner with homes in Europe. |
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Definition
n. song of praise or patriotism; song of devotion or loyalty
Let us now all join in singing the national anthem. |
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Definition
n. one who studies history and science of mankind
Eighty-three years ago, an anthropologist from the Field Museum dug up the remains of 22 people from marked graves in Labrador, Canada. |
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Definition
n. medicine to counteract a poison or disease; agent that relieves or counteracts
They believe that because this anti-heroin antidote is what finally worked with some of the victims. |
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Definition
a. too old to be fashionable, suitable, or useful; obsolete; aged
We are tolerably conversant with the early English poets; and can discover no resemblance whatever, except in antiquated spelling and a few obsolete words. |
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Definition
n. substance that prevents infection; substance that restricts the growth of disease-causing microorganisms
Regular washing with antiseptic is often enough to heal a skin infection. |
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Definition
v. imitate; mimic, as an ape imitates human actions
You would be suspended for a week, if you ape the principal in front of the whole school like Tom. |
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Definition
a. prophetic; involving or portending widespread devastation
The crowd jeered preacher's apocalyptic predictions of doom at the street. |
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Definition
n. a group of parts that work together to perform given function; appliance or device for particular purpose
When the apparatus is at work, this gas becomes luminous, giving out a white and continuous light. |
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Definition
v. bring peace, quiet, or calm to; satisfy or relieve
Tom and Jody tried to appease the crying baby by offering him one toy after another, but he would not calm down until they pacified his hunger by giving him a bottle.
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Definition
n. close attention; work of applying something; verbal or written request for assistance
Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt Polly praised him for his application to the task. |
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Definition
v. be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of
I am truly thankful for the stocks, which would appreciate in value considerably in future years. |
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Definition
v. take into custody; arrest a criminal; grasp mentally; perceive
The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him. |
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Definition
v. acquire; take possession of for one's own use; set apart for specific use
The ranch owners appropriate the lands that have originally been set aside for the Indians' use. |
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Definition
n. inherent ability; quickness in learning and understanding
The counselor gave him an aptitude test before advising him about the career he should follow. |
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Definition
a. randomly chosen; determined by chance or impulse, and not by reason or principle
He threw an arbitrary assortment of clothes into his suitcase and headed off, not caring where he went. |
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Definition
n. someone chosen to judge and decide disputed issue; one having ability or power to make authoritative decisions
Claimants in these cases would choose a single public arbitrator from a list of qualified individuals. |
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Definition
n. covered passageway, usually lined with shops; simple arched opening in a wall; vault or vaulted place
The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the winter rain.
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Term
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Definition
n. public records; place where public records are kept
These documents should be part of the archives so that historians may be able to evaluate them in the future. |
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Definition
n. operatic solo; solo vocal piece with instrumental accompaniment
Of course, throwing a pop star at an aria is a particularly uninspired solution. |
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Definition
v. set out for display or use; place in orderly arrangement
He requested to array the whole regiment on the parade ground. |
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Definition
v. dress in finery; cloth to envelop; set out for display or use; place in an orderly arrangement
She liked to watch her mother array herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening. |
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Term
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Definition
v. stop or slow down; catch someone's attention; take into custody
The trapeze artists plunge from the heights until a safety net luckily arrest their fall. |
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Definition
n. overbearing pride; haughtiness; manifest feeling of personal superiority in rank, power, or estimation
I also think his arrogance is also turning people off. |
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Definition
a. arising from feeling or assumption of one's superiority toward others
He often speaks in an arrogant tone, which doesn't encourage others to discuss with him. |
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Definition
n. storage place for military equipment; stock of weapons
People are forbidden to smoke in the arsenal for fear that a stray spark might set off the munitions stored there. |
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Term
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Definition
a. expressing oneself easily in clear and effective language
Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers. |
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Definition
n. object made by human beings; inaccurate observation, effect, or result
Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifact discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor but came to no conclusion. |
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Term
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Definition
v. find out for certain; discover with certainty; make sure of
Please ascertain her present address. |
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Term
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Definition
a. utterly stupid or silly; inanely foolish
Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration. |
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Term
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Definition
v. seek to attain; long for; strive toward an end
If you aspire to a career in professional sports, please enroll in a graduate program in sports management. |
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Term
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Definition
v. declare or state with confidence; put oneself forward boldly
If you quit acting like a wimp and assert yourself a bit more, you'd improve your chances of getting a date. |
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Term
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Definition
n. act of judging or assessing; amount determined as payable
Key to this assessment is the critical geographical fact that North Korea is adjacent to South Korea, an affluent democracy. |
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Term
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Definition
n. something taken for accepted as true without proof; taking over or taking possession of
The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent would not object to power. |
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Term
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Definition
n. promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence; freedom from doubt
Even in BP CEO Tony Hayward's new television commercial his assurance is an ambiguous. |
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Term
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Definition
n. small planet; any small celestial bodies that revolve around the sun
With Vista at opposition, the asteroid is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit. |
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Term
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Definition
a. relating to stars; star-shaped
She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed. |
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Term
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Definition
a. enormously large or extensive; relating to astronomy
The government seems willing to spend astronomical sums on weapons development. |
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Term
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Definition
a. wise or keen; shrewd; with sharp intelligence
The painter was an astute observer, noticing every tiny detail of her model's appearance and knowing exactly how important each one was. |
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Term
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Definition
n. place of refuge or shelter; protection
The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land. |
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Term
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Definition
n. a bound volume of maps, charts, or tables
Embarrassed at being unable to distinguish Slovenia from Slovakia, George W. finally consulted an atlas |
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Term
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Definition
v. make amends, as for sin or fault; pay for; turn away from sin
He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime. |
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Term
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Definition
v. achieve or accomplish; gain
The scarecrow sought to attain one goal: he wished to obtain a brain. |
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Term
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Definition
a. alert and watchful; considerate; thoughtful
Spellbound, the attentive audience watched the final game of the tennis match, never taking their eyes from the ball. |
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Term
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Definition
v. testify; authenticate, affirm to be true
Having served as a member of the Grand Jury, I can attest that our system of indicting individuals is in need of improvement. |
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Term
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Definition
v. relate to particular cause or source; ascribe; explain
I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she received from her parents. |
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Term
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Definition
n. essential quality; reputation; honor
His outstanding attribute was his kindness. |
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Term
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Definition
n. examination of accounts; adjustment or correction of accounts
When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual audit, they discovered the embezzlements of the chief cashier. |
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Term
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Definition
n. area of theater or concert hall where audience sits
A seat in the stalls or in one of the elaborate boxes surrounding the horseshoe-shaped auditorium now costs nearly 700 pounds. |
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Term
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Definition
a. impressive; majestic; inspiring awe or admiration
Visiting the palace at Versailles, she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself. |
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Term
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Definition
n. examination of dead body; post-mortem
The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. |
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Term
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Definition
a. helper, additional or subsidiary
To prepare for the emergency, they built an auxiliary power station. |
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Term
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Definition
v. turn to advantage of; be of service to; profit; promote
Such a statement will not avail. |
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Term
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Definition
n. value; benefit or advantage in general sense
Your efforts will not come to no avail, if you can achieve something at last. |
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Term
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Definition
n. great mass of falling snow and ice
The park ranger warned the skiers to stay on the main trails, where they would be in no danger of being buried beneath a sudden avalanche. |
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Term
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Definition
v. take vengeance for something, or on behalf of someone
Hamlet vowed he would avenge his father's murder and punish Claudius for his horrible crime. |
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Term
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Definition
n. firm dislike; turning away; avoidance of a thing, situation, or behavior because of dislike
Risk aversion is one of the most serious problems and largest cost of our human space flight. |
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Term
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Definition
v. prevent; turn or cause to turn off or away
She had to avert her eyes from the dead cat on the highway. |
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Term
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Definition
a. greedy; eager for; marked by keen interest and enthusiasm
He was avid for learning and read everything he could get. |
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Term
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Definition
n. mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder; fear, as of something evil
The tourists gazed with awe at the tremendous expanse of the Grand Canyon. |
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