Deck A Flashcards
(33 cards)
abash
cause to feel embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed :she was not abashed at being caught.
abate
verb [ no obj. ]
(of something perceived as hostile, threatening, or negative) become less intense or widespread: the storm suddenly abated.
• [ with obj. ] cause to become smaller or less intense: nothing abated his crusading zeal.
• [ with obj. ] Law lessen, reduce, or remove (esp. a nuisance): this action would not have been sufficient to abate the odor nuisance.
abdicated
(of a monarch) renounce one’s throne: in 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor
abducted
take (someone) away illegally by force or deception; kidnap: the millionaire who disappeared may have been abducted.
abhor
regard with disgust and hatred: professional tax preparers abhor a flat tax because it would dry up their business.
abides by
accept or act in accordance with (a rule, decision, or recommendation): I said I would abide by their decision.
abjure
solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim): his refusal to abjure the Catholic faith.
abominable
causing moral revulsion: the uprising was suppressed with abominable cruelty.
• very bad or unpleasant: a cup of abominable tea
abounds
exist in large numbers or amounts: rumors of a further scandal abound.
abrupt
sudden and unexpected: I was surprised by the abrupt change of subject | our round of golf came to an abrupt end on the 13th hole.
abstain from
restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something: abstaining from chocolate.
• refrain from drinking alcohol: most pregnant women abstain or drink very little.
abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure: an abstruse philosophical inquiry.
abyss
a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm: a rope led down into the dark abyss.
• a wide or profound difference between people; a gulf: the abyss between the two nations.
accelerate
(of a vehicle or other physical object) begin to move more quickly: the car accelerated toward her.
• increase in amount or extent: inflation started to accelerate | [ with obj. ] : the key question is whether stress accelerates aging
accomplice
a person who helps another commit a crime.
accosted
approach and address (someone) boldly or aggressively: reporters accosted him in the street | he was accosted by a thief, demanding his money or his life | a man tried to accost the girl on her way to school.
acme
the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful: physics is the acme of scientific knowledge.
Infuriate
to make furious; enrage.
Augment
to make larger; enlarge in size, number, strength, or extent; increase: His salary is augmented by a small inheritance.
Music.
to raise (the upper note of an interval or chord) by a half step.
to double the note values of (a theme): In the fugue’s development the subject is augmented.
Grammar. to add an augment to.
Heraldry. to grant an augmentation to (a coat of arms).
—verb (used without object)
to become larger.
—noun
Grammar. a prefixed vowel or a lengthening of the initial vowel that characterizes certain forms in the nonpresent inflection of verbs in Greek, Sanskrit, Armenian, and Phrygian.
Usurped
—verb (used with object)
to seize and hold (a position, office, power, etc.) by force or without legal right: The pretender tried to usurp the throne.
to use without authority or right; employ wrongfully: The magazine usurped copyrighted material.
—verb (used without object)
to commit forcible or illegal seizure of an office, power, etc.; encroach.
Deviation
the act of deviating.
departure from a standard or norm.
Statistics. the difference between one of a set of values and some fixed value, usually the mean of the set.
Navigation. the error of a magnetic compass, as that of a ship, on a given heading as a result of local magnetism. Compare variation (def 8).
Optics.
Also called deflection. the bending of rays of light away from a straight line.
angle of deviation.
departure or divergence from an established dogma or ideology, especially a Communist one.
Conformity
action in accord with prevailing social standards, attitudes, practices, etc.
correspondence in form, nature, or character; agreement, congruity, or accordance.
compliance or acquiescence; obedience.
(often initial capital letter) compliance with the usages of an established church, especially the Church of England.
Geology. the relationship between adjacent conformable strata. Compare unconformity
Scorn
open or unqualified contempt; disdain: His face and attitude showed the scorn he felt.
an object of derision or contempt.
a derisive or contemptuous action or speech.
—verb (used with object)
to treat or regard with contempt or disdain: They scorned the old beggar.
to reject, refuse, or ignore with contempt or disdain: She scorned my help.
—verb (used without object)
to mock; jeer.
Adheres to
to stay attached; stick fast; cleave; cling (usually followed by to ): The mud adhered to his shoes.
Physics. (of two or more dissimilar substances) to be united by a molecular force acting in the area of contact.
to be devoted in support or allegiance; be attached as a follower or upholder (usually followed by to ): to adhere to a party.
to hold closely or firmly (usually followed by to ): to adhere to a plan.
Obsolete. to be consistent.
—verb (used with object)
to cause to adhere; make stick: Glue will adhere the tiles to the wallboard.
