to decrease; reduce

Nasa announced that it would delay the launch of the manned spacecraft until the radiation from the solar flares abated

to give up a position, right or power

Romulus Augustus, the last Western Roman emperor, was forced to abdicate the throne in 476 A.D., and the Germanic chieftain Odovacar became the de facto ruler of Italy

deviating from what is normal

When a person's behavior becomes aberrant, his or her peers may become concerned that the individual is becoming a deviant

temporary suppression or suspension

A good judge must hold his or her judgement in abeyance until all the facts in a case have been presented

miserable; pitiful

John Steinbeck's novel the Grapes of Wrath portrays the abject poverty of many people during the Great Depression

to reject; abandon formally

Most members of the Religious Society of Friends (commonly known as the Quakers or Friends) abjure the use of violence to settle disputes between nations

the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant

Two scientists, Alan G. Williams and Thomas G. Whitham, have hypothesized that premature leaf abscission is an adaptive plant response to herbivorous attack

abscond

to depart secretly

A warrant is out for the arrest of a person believed to have absconded with three million dollars

abstemious

moderate in appetite

Some research suggests that people with an abstemious lifestyle tend to live longer than people who indulge in their appetites

the giving up of certain pleasures

The monk's vow of abstinence includes all intoxicating substances

very bad

The abysmal failure of the free market system in Russia has led some people to argue that the planned economy of the Soviet Union, while not perfect, was better suited to Russia's history and culture than Western-style capitalism

growth in size or increase in amount

In the 1960s, the American geophysicist Harry Hess conceived the idea of sea-floor spreading, a process in which the new crust in the ociean is continually generated by igneous processes at the crests of the mid-oceanic ridges, causing a steady accretion of the crust

to accumulate; grow by additions

If a person continues to accrue debt, it will be harder for him to get approved for a home loan.

uncompromising; unyielding

Despite widespread opposition to his plan, the party's leader is adamant that it must move to the center to appeal to moderate voters.

something added, attached, or joined

Speed walking, cross-country running, and marathons are normally regarded as adjuncts of track and field athletics since races in these sports are not normally held on a track.

to caution or reprimand

The judge admonished the jury to discount testimony that had been ruled inadmissible

to corrupt or make impure

The unscrupulous company sells an adulterated version of the drug, and doesn't inform consumers that they are getting a less efficacious drug than they think they are getting

relating to beauty or art

Members of the English aesthetic movement, such as Oscar Wilde, were proponents of the doctrine of art for art's sake, which is the belief that art cannot and should not be useful for any purpose other than that of creating beauty.

pretentious, phony

It has been argued that the emphasis on so-called "proper English" leads to unnatural and affected speech

fondness; liking; similarity

The female students in the class felt an affinity for the ancient Greek playwrite Euripides because he sympathized with women, slaves, and other despised members of his society

to make larger or greater

One of the concerns of the framers of the U.S. Constitution was that one branch of government would try to aggrandize itself at the expense of the others.

amounting to a whole; total

the aggregate wealth of a country includes private as well as public resources and possesions.

cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed

The football coach was pleased to see the team get to work on the task of improving its tackling skills with alacrity

to lessen; ease; soothe

Improvements in antivirus software have allayed many people's fears of having their computers "infected" with malicious software.

to relieve; improve partially

a combination; a mixture of two or more metals

Scientists formulate alloys to create properties that are not possessed by natural metals or other substances.

the power to entice by charm

Political groups in the US often lobby Congress to use the allure of America's vast market as an incentive for countries to pursue policies in accordance with America policies

to combine into a unified whole

In early 1999, six municipalities were amalgamated into an enlarged city of Toronto, Canada

unclear or doubtful in meaning

The gender of the Mahayana Buddhist deity Avalokitesuara, the god of infinite mercy, is ambiguous in both China and Japan, where the god is sometimes called a goddess

the state of having conflicting emotional attitudes

John felt some ambivalence about getting married before finishing college

something delicious; the food of the gods

the combination of flavors in the Moroccan baked eggplant was pure ambrosia

to improve

Knowing they could not stop the spread of a contagion in a few days, health authorities worked to inhibit its spread and to ameliorate its effects by issuing warnings to the public and initiating immunization programs.

agreeable; cooperative; suited

The young writer is anenable to suggestions for improving her prose style to make it more interesting

something that increases comfort

Many amenities considered normal and necessary by people in developed countries, such as indoor plumbing, were luxuries only a few generations ago

something out of the proper time

Some experts regard the retirement age of 65 as an anachronism at a time when people in the developed world have much longer life expectancies than previously

medication that reduces or eliminates pain

Aspirin is a powerful analgesic

comparable

the psychology researcher's experiment postulates that the brain is analogous to a digital computer

absence of government; state of disorder

The American philospher Robert Nozick does not advocate anarchy; rather, he argues for the merits of a minimal state that would not violate the natural rights of individuals

something that calms or soothes pain

Some people use alcohol as an anodyne to numb their emotional pain

irregular; deviating from the norm

The psychologist discounted the anomalous behavior of the soldier, saying it was merely a short-term effect of the stress of battle

something that comes before

Historical factors, such as increased emphasis on the individual, the invention of printing, and the rise of the bourgeoisie, contributed to make the Reformation, which had its antecedents in the reform movement within the Roman Catholic Church, into a much broader phenomenon that created powerful churches that grew to rival the original church.

prehistoric

Most of our knowledge of antediluvian times has been built up as a result of one of humanity's grandest collaborative endeavors-the gathering, identification, dating, and categorization of fossils as they are discovered

dislike; hostility

Heathcliff, the protaganist of Emily Bronte's novel Wurthering Heights, feels great antipathy for Edgar Linton, the man who marries the woman he loves

indifference

Apathy was high in the election because there was not major controversy or issue to arouse voter interest

the highest point

In English literature, classicism reached its apex in the poetry of Alexander Pope and the other Augustans

the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point

The Ottoman Empire reached its apogee in the seventeenth century, when it controlled a territory running from Budapest to North Africa

a terse, witty saying

One of the best-known political apothegms was written by the British historian, Lord Acton: "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

to calm; pacify; placate

Many historians have criticized British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain for trying to appease Adolf Hitler in the 1930s

name

The discovery of the bones of a person with the appellation Kennewick Man in the state of Washington in 1996 has raised important questions about who the earliest people to populate America were.

strikingly appropriate and relevant

The writer searched two dictionaries and a thesaurus before finding the perfectly apposite word he was looking for

to inform

Nadine Cohoda's biography of the blues singer Dinah Washington keeps the reader apprised of the racism black Americans had to endure

praise; approval

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest approbation an American Soldier can receive

to take possession for one's own use; confiscate

The invading army appropriated supplies from the houses of the local people

relevant

Apropos of nothing, the speaker declared that the purpose of life is love

ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body

The ballerina stunned the audience with her perfectly executed arabesque

the study of material evidence of past human life

Carbon-14 dating is of great use in archeology because it can determine the age of specimens as old as 35,000 years, but it is of less use in geology because most of the processes studied in this field occurred millions of years ago.

great emotion or passion

The twentieth-century American Poet Wallace Stevens said, "It is the unknown that excites the ardor of scholars, who, in the known alone, would shrivel up with boredom."

extremely difficult; laborious

The task of writing a research paper is arduous, but if it is broken down into logical steps it becomes less daunting.

specialized vocabulary used by a group

Writers of crime fiction often use the argot of criminals and detectives to create a realistic atmosphere

item made by human craft

Marxists contend that appreciation of art has declined because capitalism has trained people to perceive human artifacts as commodities, and has alienated people from nature, their true humanity, and their creations

guiless; natural

The source of the meaning of artless as guiless is the poet John Dryden, who wrote of William Shakespeare in 1692: "Such artles beauty lies in Shakespeare's wit...".

one who practices self-denial

Muslim ascetics consider the internal battle against human passions a greater jihad than the struggle against infidels

severity; harshness; irritability

In his autobiography Gerald Trywhitt, the British writer, composer, artist, and aesthete, recounts a humorous incident: "Many years later when I was sketching Rome, a grim-looking Englishwoman came up to me and said with some asperity, 'I see  you are painting MY view.'"

slander; false rumor

The Republic of Singapore is a young democracy, and its leaders often respond strongly to journalists and other who cast aspersions on their integrity.

diligent; hard-working

The assiduous people of Hong Kong live in a territory with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

to make less severe

harsh; severe

Bob tends to nick himself when he shaves, so he uses an astringent aftershave to stop the bleeding

place of refuge or shelter

The Stoic, accused of seeking asylum in the consolations of philosophy, rebutted this charge, saying that Stoicism is simply the most prudent and realistic philosophy to follow.

in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence

Some modern political theorists reject nationalism as a tribal atavism

to weaken

Modern digital radio equipment allows even signals tha have been greatly attentuated to be transmitted by one station and received by another station

bold; daring

The German army commander Erwin Rommel was known as the "Desert Fox" as a result of his audacious surprise attacks on Allied forces in WWII

Stern; unadorned

deism is an austere belief that reflects the predominant philosphy of the Age of Enlightenment: a universe symmetrical and governed by rationality.

self-governing; independent

Some biologists have theorized that our belief in our ability to act as autonomous agents is in conformity with the theory of evolution because it gives us a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives that helps us to survive.

avarice- n.

greed

Successful investment bankers are sometimes accused of avarice; their defenders, however, say that they are simply very good at what they do and should be rewarded accordingly.

to affirm; declare to be true

Yogis aver that everyone has a guru, whether it be a person, God, or the experiences of the world, that helps him or her practice the yoga that is in accordance with his or her nature, and assists on the path toward enlightenment.

secondary occupation

Dan became so proficient at his avocation-computer programming-that he is thinking of giving up his job as a teacher to do it full time.

like an uncle; benevolent and tolerant

Walter Cronkite, who was the anchorman of CBS News during much of the 1970s and 1980s, had an avuncular manner that made him one of America's most trusted personalities.

taken for granted

In 19th century geology, uniformitarianism was the antithesis of catastrophism, asserting that it was axiomatic that natural law and processes do not fundamentally change, and that what we observe now is essentially the same as what occured in the past.

pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry

For some people New Year's Eve is an occasion for bacchanalian revelry.

commonplace; trite

The writer has a gift for making even the most banal observation seem important and original.

playful conversation

The governer engaged in some banter with reporters before getting to the serious business of the news conference.

poet

The great bards of English literature have all been masters of the techniques of verse.

obscene

Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is the story of a group of Christian pilgrims who entertain one another with stories, ranging from the holy to the bawdy, on their journey to Canterbury Cathedral.

to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virture to

in the year 2000 Pope John Paul II traveled to Fatima in Portugal to beatify two of the three children who said they saw the appearance of the Virgin Mary there in 1917.

to dress in a vulgar, showy manner

Paul went to the costume party bedizened as a seventeenth century French aristocrat.

huge creature; anything very large and powerful

In the 1980s, the trend in American business was toward increased privitization of government industries (such as power generation), partly because it was believed that private industry is more efficient and partly because foreign private companies were becoming commercial behemoths, outstripping government owned companies in competitiveness.

to contradict; misrepresent; give a false impression

 The boxer's childlike face belies the ferocity with which he can attack opponents in the ring.

kindly; doing good

The theologian discussed the question of why a beneficent and omnipotent God allows bad things to happen to good people.

to divide into two parts

Contemporary physicists generally bifucate their discipline into two parts-classical physics and modern physics; the former are the fields of study that were already well developed before the momentous breakthroughs of the early twentieth century by scientists such as Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, and Werner Heisenber, which inaugurated the age of modern physics.

flattery

Despite the salesperson's blandishments,  Donna did not buy the car.

bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned

We were amazed by John's blasé attitude toward schools; he seemed to have made it a rule never to open a book.

to give a boost to; prop up; support

The president has visited the state several times to bolster his sagging popularity there.

pompous; using inflated language

Nearly lost in the senator's long, bombastic speech were several sensible ideas.

rude; insensitive

Bob apologized for his boorish behavior at the party, saying he hadn't realized that it was such a formal occasion.

cowlike

Following the slow-moving group of students up the long path to the school's entrance, the "bovine" popped into the English teacher's mind.

bold; shameless

The brazen student irritated his teacher by saying that he could learn more from a day spent "surfing" the web than a day spent in school.

broach (v)

to mention for the first time

Steve's boss knew that she couldn't put off warning him about his poor performance and decided to broach the subject the next time she saw him.

characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral

The south end of Toronto's beautiful High Park is a bucolic expanse of land that is perfect for anyone wanting a quiet walk.

to flourish

After WWI, the increased speed of industrialization and the burgeoning world population resulted in such an increase in pollution that it began to be recognized by some people as a threat to the human habitat, Earth.

to polish

The poet T.S. Eliot burnished his reputation as one of the master poets of the 20th century with Four Quartets, four long poems published between 1936 and 1942.

to reinforce; support

Some critics of the American legal system argue that the requirement of proving guilt "beyond reasonable doubt" is too difficult a criterion to use, and buttress their case by citing the fact that objective studies suggest that only a very small number of criminals are successfully prosecuted.

to beg; sponge

An enduring image of the Great Depressing in America is the out-of-work man cadging money with the line, "Hey, mister, can you spare a dime for a cup of coffee?"

thick-skinned; insensitive

Jim's terrible experiences in the war have made him callous about the suffering of others.

false and malicious accusation; slander

"Be though chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny."

false, deliberately misleading story

Most politicians do not want to be associated with the old canard that big government in Washington can solve all of America's problems.

an established principle; a basis or standard for judgement; a group of literary works

Canons of aesthetic taste vary over the years; the Rococo period, for example, valued ornate art.

insincere talk; language of a particular group

Many of the beat artists of the 1950s reacted against what they regarded as the cant of bourgeois society.

irritable; ill-humored

Many of us have in our minds the stereotype of the cantankerous old man who is constantly complaining about something or other.

fickle

The rule of las is regarded by many historians as one of humanity's great achievements because since its inception citizens are no longer subject to capricious decisions and penalites of rulers.

faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument

The pedantic and captious critic seems incapable of appreciating the merits of even the most highly regarded books.

of foremost importance

The cardinal rule of any weight-loss diet must be limiting the intake of calories.

of the flesh or body; related to physical appetites

The yogi's goal is to achieve nirvana through, among other things, the overcoming of carnal desires.

to find fault; complain

Cost-benefit analysis owes much of its origin to utilitarian thought; despite the carping of critics that such analysis is based on faulty premises, the technique has proved useful in many areas.

science of making maps

Satellites in Earth orbit take pictures of topography that have greatly aided cartography

any of the hereditary social classes of Hindu society; social stratification

The dalits, formerly know as untouchables, are at the bottom of the thousands of castes that make up Indian society.

punishment; chastisement; criticism

Many British writers recall with loathing the castigation they received at school.

a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change

The French Revolution of 1789 was a cataclysm whose effects are still felt today.

something that causes change

Among the catalysts of the Romantic movement were the libertarian ideals of the French revolution.

absolute; without exception

Although incest is categorically forbidden by every state, recent evidence that marriage between cousins is no more likely to produce abnormal offspring than "normal" marriages may allow the constitutionality of bans on marriage between cousins to be challenged.

smaller group within an organization

The workers formed an informal caucus to discuss their difficulties

involving a cause

The philospher Plato believed there is a causal relationship between income inequality, on the one hand, and political discontent and crime, on the other hand; in his Laws he quantified his argument, contending that the income of the rich should be no more than five times that of the poor, and he proposed policies to limit extremes of wealth and poverty.

sarcastically biting; burning

The columnist's caustic comments on government policy did not win her any friends among government officials.

concerning the sky or heavens; sublime

Astronomers make use of the Doppler effect to measure the velocities and distance from Earth of stars and other celestial objects.

moving away from a center

As the empire expanded, there was an ever-increasing centrifugal objects.

movign or directed toward a center

Astronomers calculate that the centripetal force exerted by the Earth's gravity on the Moon will keep in orbit around the Earth for billions of years.

to defend or support

Robin Hood is famous for championing the underdogs of England.

to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue

The child's behavior improved after she had been chastened by punishment.

trickery; fraud

The governor ordered an audit to investigate alleged financial chicanery.

the qualities in idealized by knighthood such as bravery and gallantry toward women

Chivalry was rooted in Christian values, and the knight was bound to be loyal to Christian ideals; the Crusades enhanced this idea, as knights vowed to uphold Christianity against heathens.

rude; boorish

According to the chivalric code, a knight was never supposed to be churlish, especially toward noble ladies, to whom he was supposed to be unfailingly gentle and courteous.

roundabout

According to Hindu philosphy, some souls take a circuitous path through many births to reach God.

one who can predict the future; psychic

Edgar Cayce was a famous clairvoyant who some people believed was able to go into a trance during which he was in touch with a spiritual realm.

noisy outcry

Over the past 12 years or so the voices clamoring  for better protection over the Earth's rain forests have increased dramatically.

a small, exclusive group

The principal of the high school is concerned that one clique of students is dominating the student council.

to confine; seclude

The writer cloistered herself in a country house to finish her novel.

cloistered (adj): shut away from the world

The journalist described the large American philanthropic foundations as arrogant, elitist, and cloistered

Cloister (n): monastery or convent

thicken; congeal

In normal individual, blood begins to coagulate about 20 seconds after a wound is sustained, thus preventing further bleeding.

to cause to become one

President John F. Kennedy said that Americans must be vigilant so that the interests of business and the military do not coalesce and thus undermine those of society as a whole.

concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that summarizes or concludes

The coda of the Danish composer Per Norgard's Sixth Symphony seems to return to the serene sounds of the opening.

to systematize

The state legislature voted to codify regulations governing banking fraud.

informed; conscious; aware

O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is a simple evocation of a young couple's love for one another; a story in which a husband and wife in straitened circumstances each sacrifices to buy a Christmas present for the other, not cognizant of what the other is doing.

artistic composition of materials pasted over a surface; an assemblage of diverse elements

The couple's wedding reception was decorated with pictures collages of the two of them.

proporational

In the US, malpractice suits have raised the cost of medicine because doctors must pay more for insurance, and thus increase their fees commensurately.

brief, comprehensive summary

The Mozart Compendium: A guide to Mozart's Life and Music by H.C. Robbins Landon is a convenient reference for finding information about the life and music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

self-satisfied

Although Tom received an "A" on his midterm exam, Professor Donovan warned him not to become complacent since the work in the second term would be harder.

overly polite; willing to please; obliging

Although France and Germany have a close relationship, neither would consider the a complaisant ally.

something that completes or makes up a whole

Some people envision chess developing into a game played at the highest levels between teams of humans and computers, each complementing the other and providing investigators with insight into the cognitive processes of each.

act of cleansing, esp. as a religious ritual

The Prophet went with him for the prayer without performing a new ablution.

to deny, renounce, give up (claims, rights, etc)

The minister abnegated the luxuries of life.

to abolish or invalidate by authority

to abrogate a law

hard to understand/comprehend

obsolete, secret, hidden

The professor's long, abstruse theory confused the entire class

to touch, be in contact with

to lie adjacent to one another or share a boundary

This piece of land abuts on a street. Canada abuts upon the US

bitter, sharp in taste or temper

Lemon juice is acerbic. The editor delivered acerbic criticism to the unskilled writer.

highest point, summit

The young business man was at the acme of his career.

to agree or comply in silence

Synonyms:
accede, concur; capitulate.

The board acquiesced halfheartedly in the new business plan.

to sketch, outline in a shadowy way

foreshadow, prefigure

to darken or conceal partially, obscure

Synonyms: foretell, indicate, obfuscate, obscure, blur, outline, insinuate

On the first day of class, Professor Smiley decided to adumbrate the course expectations and assignments, while also making a mental tally of which girls were “hot” and which were “not.”

nook or nest buit high in the air

a house, fortress, or the like, located high on a hill or mountain

Synonyms: Brood, penthouse

Joe lives in a sleek, 20th-floor aerie with a spectacular view of the city.

unselfish concern for others' welfare

Synonyms: benevolence, charity, humanitarianism, kindness,magnanimity, philanthropy, public spirit, selflessness, social conscience

Julian’s altruism is evident in the way he spends his time, including the ten hours per week that he spends volunteering at the homeless shelter.

itinerant; walking around

not stationary

Synonyms: ambulant, itinerant, nomadic, perambulant, perambulatory, peripatetic, roving, vagabond, vagrant

The couple went on an abulatory exploration of the French countryside

to diminish by installment payments

liquidate gradually

He obtained a mortgage with the interest payments amortized over the life of the loan.

accessory; subordinate; helping; secondary

Synonyms:  additional, adjuvant, appurtenant, attending, coincident, collateral, concomitant, contributory, incident,  subservient, subsidary

Your arguments are ancillary to the central theme of this discussion.

attributing human qualities to non-humans; having human qualities

Synonyms: anthropoid, anthropomorphous, humanlike, humanoid; characteristic of people

the Holy Bible, as well as the Quran, often uses anthropomorphic language to describe God's relations with man. 

poise; confidence

one who forsakes a religious faith

Paul's speeches show him to be a pious Israelite and no apostate from the Law

a short, instructive saying

Nothing hits harder, or sticks longer in the memory, than an apothegm.

Synonyms: aphorism, apophthegm

deification; glorified ideal

Their leader was the apotheosis of courage

Synonyms:  deification (n), exaltation (n), ideal (n), nonesuch (n), nonpareil (n), nonsuch (n), paragon (n), saint (n).

pertaining to trees; living in trees

Koalas are arboreal; they spend most of their time in trees

Synonyms: arborary, arborical, arborous, arboreous, tree-living

to refuse, shirk; prevent

He balked at making the speech.

Synonyms: check, retard, obstruct, impede, prevent

saintly, angelic

the baby had a beatific smile.

Synonyms:  serene, exalted, angelic, rapturous.

easily irritated, relating to bile; extremely distateful or unpleasant

Molly's bilious demeanor made her ill-suited for a job in customer service, and she was let go from the position after two weeks.

Synonyms: grumpy, crabby, cross, grouchy, dyspeptic.

blessing

The travelers stopped at the tiny country church and sought the benison of the priest before continuing their arduous journey.

Synonyms: blessing, benediction, consecration, grace, approval

defense wall; anything serving as a defense

The new dam was a bulwark against future floods.

synonyms: support, buttress, mainstay, barrier.

good-natured manner; atmosphere of good cheer; friendliness; geniality

We look forward every year to champagne and eggs benedict, served up with
plenty of bonhomie, at our friend's annual New Year's Day brunch.

Synonyms: affability, affableness, amiability, amiableness, geniality

to flatter, coax, persuade

The athlete cajoled a signing bonus out of the team's owner.

synonyms: blarney, coax, inveigle, palaver, sweet-talk

disastrous; catasrophic

The Romans faced a calamitous defeat

synonyms: catastrophic, ruinous, devastating.

to strike and rebound

The car caromed off the guardrail into the ditch.

synonyms: glance, ricochet

a procession; a succession or series

The Macy's Thanksgiving day parade is a cavalcade of floats, marching bands, and performance artists.

synonyms: parade, retinue

shame, embarrassment, humiliation

To her chagrin, the party ended just as she arrived.

quack, fake

The charlatan was able to trick all but the most wise people of the town

Synonyms: impostor, mountebank, fraud, fake, phony

piece of personal property

People do not like to be treated like chattel.

Synonyms: belongings, capital, effects, gear, goods, slave, wares

fanciful, imaginary, visionary, impossible

The young man made chimerical plans to becoming wildly successful.

easily angered, short-tempered

The choleric old man yelled at the children who walked on his lawn.

Synonyms: wrathful, testy, impatient, touchy, bilious

tank for rainwater, reservoir

In the corner of the room there is an iron cistern filled with water.

strongbox, large chest for money