abase (v.) –lower; degrade;
humiliate
a capella (n.) – (of music) for
singing voices alone, without musical instruments
a la (adj.) - (from
french) in the same style
a la carte (adj.) – (from French)
(also) –
a la mode (adj.) (from French) (also
adv.) fashionable; served with ice cream
a. m. abbr. (Latin) (also AM)
ante meridiem (time from 12 o'clock at night to 11.59 at noon)
a posteriori (adj.) (also adv.) analysing
sth by starting from known facts and then thinking about the possible causes of
the facts
a priori (adj.) (also adv.) using
facts or principles that are known to be true in order to decide what the
probable effects or results of sth will be
aardvark ( n.) an animal from
Southern Africa with a long nose and tongue which eats insects -
abash (v.) Embarrass and ashamed
because of something that you have done.
abate ( v.) Subside or moderate
abattoir (n.) slaughterhouse
abbreviate ( v.) Shorten
abdicate (v.) Renounce; give up
aberrant (Adj.) Abnormal or deviant
aberration (n.) Abnormality;
departure from norm; mental irregularity or disorder
abet (v.) Assist, usually in
doing something wrong; encourage
abeyance (n.) Suspended action
abhor (v.) Detest; hate
abject ( Adj.) Wretched; lacking
pride
abjure (v.) Renounce upon oath;
disavow
ablaze (adj.) burning quickly and
strongly; full of bright colors or light
able seaman (n.) a sailor of lower
rank in the British Navy
ablutions (n.) Washing
abnegation (n.) Renunciation;
self-sacrifice
abolish (v.) Cancel; put an end to
abominable (Adj.) Detestable;
extremely unpleasant; very bad
abominate (v.) Loathe; hate
aboriginal (Adj.) being the first of
its kind in a region; primitive; native –
abortive (adj.) unsuccessful;
fruitless
About-turn (n.) a complete change of opinion, plan or
behavior
about-face (n.) about turn
abrade ( v.) to rub the surface of sth, such as
rock or skin, and damage it or make it rough -
abrasive (adj.) rubbing away; tending to grind down –
abridge (v.) condense or shorten – she has been
asked to abridge the noble for radio.
abrogate (v.) abolish
abscess (n.)- a swollen and infected area on skin or
body; full of thick yellowish liquid called pus
abscission (n.)- removal by cutting off, as in surgery;
separation -
abscond (v.) depart secretly and hide
abseil (v.)- to go down a steep cliff or rock while
attached to a rope, pushing against the slope or rock with your feet
absolute (Adj.) complete; totally unlimited; certain
-
absolution (n.) (especially in the Christian Church) a
formal statement that a person is forgiven for what he/she has done wrong
absolve (v.) pardon (an offense)
abstain (v.) refrain; withhold from participation
abstemious (Adj.) sparing in eating and drinking;
temperate
abstinence (n.) restraint from eating or drinking –
abstract (Adj.) theoretical; not concrete;
nonrepresentational
abstruse (Adj.) obscure; profound; difficult to
understand
abusive (Adj.) coarsely insulting; physically harmful
abut (v.) border upon; adjoin.
abysmal (Adj.) bottomless
abyss (n.) enormous chasm; vast, bottomless pit-
academic (Adj.) related to school; not practical or
directly useful
accede (v.) agree
accelerate (v.) move faster
accessible (Adj.) easy to approach; obtainable
accessory (n.) additional object; useful but not essential
thing- fashion accessories to dress
up your wardrobe .
acclaim (v.) applaud; announce with great approval
acclimate (v.) adjust to environment or climate; adapt
acclivity (n.) sharp upslope of a hill
accolade (n.) award of merit
accommodate v. oblidge or help someone; adjust or bring
into harmony; adapt
accomplice (n.) partner in crime
accord (n.) agreement
accost (v.) approach and speak first to a person
accoutre (v.) equip
accretion n. growth; increase
accrue v. come about by addition
acerbic adj. bitter or sour in nature
acerbity n. bitterness of speech or temper
acetic adj. vinegary Achilles
tendon n. the tendons that connects the muscles at the
back of the lower part of the leg to the heel
acidulous adj. slightly sour; sharp;
caustic acknowledge v. recognize;
admit acme n. peak; pinnacle; highest point
acne n. a skin condition, common among young people, that
produces many pimples, especially on the face and neck
acolyte n. a person who follows the leader/priest
aconite n. a wild plant with yellow or blue flowers and a
poisonous root that is sometimes used to make drugs
acorn n. the small brown nut of the oak tree, that grows
in a base shaped like a cup
acoustics n. science of sound; quality that makes a room
easy or hard to hear in
acquiesce v. assent; agree passively
acquittal n. deliverance from a charge
acrid adj. sharp; bitterly pungent
acrimonious adj. bitter in words or manner
acronym n. a word formed from the first letters of the
words that make up the name of sth (ex.: AIDS)
acrophobia n. fear of heights
actuarial adj. calculating; pertaining to insurance
statistics
actuate v. motivate
acuity n. sharpness
acumen n. mental keenness
acute adj. quickly perceptive; keen; brief and severe
ad hoc adj. (from Latin) arranged or happening when
necessary and not planned in advance
ad infinitum adv. (from Latin) without ever coming to an
end; again and again
ad nauseum adv. (from Latin) doing or saying sth
repeatedly so that it becomes boring
adage n. wise saying; proverb
adagio n. (music) a piece of music to be played in a slow
and graceful manner
adamant adj. hard; inflexible
adapt v. alter; modify
addendum n. addition; appendix to book
Adder n. a small poisonous snake often with a
diamond-shaped marks on its back
addiction n. compulsive, habitual need
addle v. muddle; drive crazy; become rotten
address v. direct a speech to; deal with or discuss
adduce n. to provide evidence in order to explain
adenoids n. piece of soft tissue at the back of the nose
and throat that can swell up and cause breathing difficulties
adept adj. expert at
adhere v. stick fast
adherent n. supporter; follower adieu exc. (old use or
literary) goodbye
adjacent adj. adjoining; neighbouring; close by
adjunct n. something (generally nonessential or inferior)
added on or attached
adjuration n. solemn urging
adjure v. to ask or to order sb to do sth
adjutant n. staff officer assisting the commander;
assistant
adlib v. to say sth in a speech or a performance that you
have not prepared or practiced
admonish v. warn; reprove
ado adj. (old-fashioned) IDM: without further/more ado:
without delay, immediately
adobe n. mud that is dried in the sun, mixed with straw
and used as a building material
adolescence n. the time in a person's life whtn he/she
develps from a chlild into an adult
adorn v. decorate
adrift adj. (boat or man) without control or aim
adroit adj. skillful
adulation n. flattery; admiration
adulterate v. make impure by adding inferior or tainted
substances
adumbrate n. outline
advent n. arrival
adventitioius adj. accidental; casual
adversary n. opponent; enemy
adverse adj. unfavorable; hostile
adversity n. poverty; misfortune
advert v. refer (to sth)
advocacy n. support; active pleading on behalf of someone
or something
advocate v. urge; plead for
adze n. a heavy tool with a curved blade at Right angles
to the handle, used for cutting or shaping large pieces of wood
aegis n. shield; defence
aerate v. to make it possible for air to become mixed
with soil, water, etc.
aerie n. nest of a large bird of pray (eagle, hawk etc.)
aerogramme n. a sheet of light paper that can be folded
as sent by air as a letter
aesthetic adj. artistic; dealing with or capable of
appreciating the beautiful
aetiology n. the scientific study of the causes of the
disease
afar adj. from a long distance away
affable adj. easily approachable; warmly friendly
affected adj. artificial; pretended; assumed in order to
impress
affidavit n. written statement made under oath
affiliation n. joining; associating with
affinity n. kinship
affirmation n. positive assertation; confirmation; solemn
pledging by one who refuses to take an oath
affix v. attach or add on; fasten
affliction n. state of distress; cause of suffering
affluence n. abundance; wealth
affray n. a fight or violent behavior in a public place
affront n. insult; offense
aficionado n. a person who likes a particular subject,
sport or activity and knows a lot about it
afoot adj. being plannned, happening
Afrikaans n. a language that has developed from Dutch,
spoken in South Africa
aft adj. in near or towards the back of a ship/aircraft
agape adj. openmouthed
agate n. a hard stone with bands or areas of colors
(Jewellery)
agenda n. item of business at a meeting
agglomeration n. collection; heap
aggrandize v. increase of intensify; raise in power,
wealth, rank or honor
aggravate v. to make an illness or a bad or unpleasant
situation; to annoy
aggregate v. gather; accumulate
aggressor n. attacker
aghast adj. horrified; dumbfounded
agility n. nimbleness
agitate v. stir up; disturb
agnostic n. one who is skeptical of the existence of a
god or any ultimate reality
agog adj. highly excited; intensely curious
agony n. extreme physical/mental pain agony
aunt n. advice columnist
agoraphobia n. a fear of being in public places where
there are many other people
agrarian adj. pertaining to land or its cultivation
aground n. ship touching ground in shallow water and
cannot move ahem exc. caughing to get attention ahoy exc. exclamation used by
people in boats to attract attention
ail v. to cause problem; to become ill
aileron n. a part of the wing of a plane that moves up
and down to control the plane's balance
ailment n. non-serious disease
airy fairy adj. not practical and clear
aisle n. a
passage between rows of seats of theatre, Church, train, etc.
ajar
adj.
slightly open akimbo n. hands touching hips and elbows pointing outward
alabaster n. a
type of white stone that is often carved to make statues
alarcity n. cheerful promptness; eagerness
albeit conj.
although
albino n.
colorless state
alchemy n. medieval form of speculative thought that
aimed to transform base metals such as copper or lead into silver or gold and
to discover a means of prolonging life
alcopop n. a
sweet fizzy drink containing alcohol
alcove n. nook; recess
alder n. a tree like Burch that grows usually in
wet ground
alderman n.
(in England and Wales) a senior member of the town; (in Australia, US, Canada)
elected person of a town
ale
house n.
a place where people used to drink beer
alfalfa
n.
a plant with small divided leaves and purple flowers, used for farm food and
salad
alfresco adj. in the open air
alias n. an assumed name
alienate v. make hostile; separate
alimentary adj. supplying nourishment
alimony n. payment made to an ex-spouse after
divorce
allay v. calm; pacify; make less strong
allege v. state without proof
allegiance n. loyalty
allegory n. story in which characters are used as
symbols; fable
allegrro n. a piece of music to be played in a
fast and lively manner
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