collins1 Flashcards
abacus
an ancient counting device
abstain
do without voluntarily
acrophobia
fear of heights
advocate
argue a certain point of view, offer support
aerie
a man-made habitat for birds
aficionado
an enthusiast
agile
moves easily like an athlete, nimble
alchemist
an early [medieval] practitioner of chemistry
alchemy
early [medieval] chemistry
allergy
extreme sensitivity to a particular substance [such as dust]
alliteration
repetition of same first letter or sound in a line of poetry
altercation
a dispute that has gotten out of hand
anecdote
short account of an interesting incident or event
anvil
hard metal surface upon which a blacksmith hammers
arbiter [or arbitrator]
one who settles a dispute, one who mediates
arouse
awaken, stir to action, excite
article
an essay usually appearing in a newspaper or a magazine, note that an editorial is an example of an article
astrologer
person who claims to interpret the influence of the stars on events and persons
astronomer
one who studies astronomy
astronomy
science that studies the motion of celestial bodies
atlas
book of maps
ballad
a story, note that a drama is a type of ballad
banal
commonplace, trite
boulder
a very large stone
