gre vocabulary a
Terms
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- avuncular
- like an uncle. Avnucular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's shortcomings
- avow
- declare opnly. Lana avowed that she enver meatn to steal Debbie's bf, but no one believed her avowal of innocence
- avocation
- secondary or minor occupation. his hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation and concentrate on his avocation
- avid
- greedy; eager for. He was avid for learning and read everything he could get. avidity N
- aviary
- enclosure for birds. The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds
- avert
- prevent; turn away. She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway
- aversion
- firm dislike. bert had an aversion to yuppies; alex had an aversion to punks.
- averse
- reluctant; disinclined. The reporter was averse to revealing the sources of his information
- aver
- assert confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact. The self-proclaimed psychic averred that, because he had extrasensory perception on which to base his predicitons, he needed no seismographs or other gadgets in order to foretell earthquakes
- avenge
- 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
- avarice
- greediness for wealth. avaricious gold digger
- avalanche
- great mass of falling snow and ice
- auxilliary
- offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary. To prepare for the emregency, they built an auxiliary power station
- autopsy
- examination of a dead body; postmortem. The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death
- autonomous
- self-governing
- automaton
- mechanism that imitates actions of humans. Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots, writers were creating storeis of automations who could outperform humans
- autocratic
- having absolute; unchecked power; dictatorial. A person accustomed to exercising authority may become autocratic if his or her power is unchecked
- authoritative
- having the weight of authority; peremptory and dictatorial, Impressed by the young researcher's well documented presentation, we accepted her analysis of the experiment as authoritative
- authoritarian
- subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another's will.
- authenticate
- prove genuine. An expert was needed to authenticate the original Van Gogh painting, distinguishing it fro its imitation
- austere
- forbiddingly stern; severly simple and unornamented. The headmaster's austere demeanor tended to scare off the more timid students
- auspicious
- favoring success. With favorable weather conditions, it was an auspicious moment to set sail
- auroral
- pertaining to the aurora borealis. (sunlight) The auroral display was paritcilary spectacular that evening
- aureole
- the sun's corona; halo. many medieval paintins depict saintly characters with aureoles around their heads.
- august
- impressive; majestic. Visitng the palace at versailles, she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself
- augury
- ormen; prophecy. he interpreted the departure of the birds as an augury of evil. augur v
- augment
- increase; add to. Armies augment their forces by calling up reinforcements; teachers augment their salaries by taking odd jobs
- audit
- examination of accounts. When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual aduit, they discovered the embezzlements of the chief cashier
- audacious
- daring; bold. Audiences cheered as Lucke SKywalker and princess Leia made their audacious death defying leap to freedom and escaped darth Vader's troops. audacity N
- atypical
- not normal.
- attrition
- gradual decrease in no. reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment. In the 1960s urban churches suffered from attrition as members moved from the cities to the suburbs
- attribute
- essential quality. his outstanding attribute was his kindness
- attest
- testify; bear witness. Havin served as a member of a grand jury, I can attest that our system of indicting indiviauls is in need of improvement
- attenuate
- make thinner; weaken or lessen (in density, force, degree). The long, dry spell attenuated the creek to the merest trickle.
- attentive
- alert and watchful; considerate; thougthful. Spellbound, the attentive audience watched the final game of the tennis match, never taking their eyes from the ball
- atrophy
- wasting away. Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of affected limbs
- atrocity
- brutal deed. In time of war, many atrocities are committeed by invading armies
- atone
- make amends for; pay for. He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime
- atheist
- one who denies the existence of God.
- atavism
- resemblance to remote ancestors rather to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback. in his Tuscan ancestors who lavished great are on their small plots of soil. atavistic adj
- asymmetric
- not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
- asylum
- place of refuge or shelter; protection
- asunder
- into parts; apart. A fierce quarrel split the partnership asunder; the two partners finally sundered their connections because their points of view were poles asunder
- astute
- wise; shrewd; keen. Teh painter was an astute observer, notcing every tiny detail of her model's appearance and knowing exactly how important each one is
- astronomical
- enormously large or extensive. The governmentseemed wiling to spend astronomical sums on weapons development
- astringent
- bidnign; causing contractio; harsh or severe. The astringent quality of the unsweetened lemon juice made swallowing difficult
- astral
- relating to te stars. She was amazed at the no. of astral bodies the new telescope revealed
- astigmatism
- eye defect that prevents proper focus. As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism, they took him to the optometrist for correct glasses
- asteroid
- small planet. Asteroids have become commonplace to the readers of interstellar travel stories in science fiction magazines
- assurance
- promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence. When Harry gave James his assurance that rehearsals were going well, he spoke with such assurnance that James was convinced. assure
- assuage
- ease or lessen pain_; satisfy hunger; soothe anger. Jilted by Jane, Dick tried to assuage his heartache by indulging in ice cream
- assimilate
- absorb; cause to become homogenous. The manner in which the United states was able to assimilate the hordes of immigrants during the 19th C and early part of the 20C the will always be a source of a pride
- assessment
- estimation; appraisal. I would like to have your assessment of the situation in south africa
- assert
- state strongly or positvely; insist on or demand recognition of (rights, claims). WHen Jill asserted that nobody else in the junior class had such an early curfewe, her parents asserted themselves telling her that if she didn't get home by nine o clock, she would be grounded for the week. assertion N
- assent
- agree; accept. It gives me great pleasure to assent to your request
- assay
- analyze; evaluate. When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered a very rich vein.
- assail
- attack; assault. He was assailed with questions after his lecture
- aspice
- seek to attain; long for. Because he aspired to a career in professional sports, Philip enrolled in a graduate program in sports management, aspiration N
- aspirant
- seek after position or status. Although I am an aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses.
- aspersion
- slanderous remark. Rather than attacking President Cleveland's arguments with logic, his oppoent resorted to causing aspersions ont he president's moral character
- asperity
- sharpness (of temper). These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed
- askew
- crooked; slanted; at an angle. When the clown placed his hat askew upon his head, the children in the audience laughed
- asinine
- ass/stupid. Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration
- ashen
- ash-colored' deadly pale. Her face was ashen with fear.
- aseptic
- preventing infection; having a cleansing effect. HOspitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced aspetic conditions
- ascribe
- refer; attribute; assign. I can ascribe no motive for her acts.
- ascertain
- find out for certain. Please ascertain her present address
- ascendancy
- controlling influence. President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendancy over the PHilippines
- artless
- without guile; open and honest. Red Riding Hood's artless comment, 'Grandma, what big eyes you have!' indicates the hcild's innocent surprise at her 'grandmother's changed appearance
- artisan
- manually skilled worker; craftsman, as opposed to artist. Eldlery artisans from Italy trained Harlem teenagers to carve the stone figures that would decorate the new wing of the cathedral
- artifice
- deception; grickery. The Trojan war proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military might
- artifact
- object made by human beings; either handmade or mass produced. Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in th ruins of Asia Minor but came to no conclusion about the culture they represented
- artful
- cunning; crafty; sly. By using accurate details to suggest a misleading picture of the whole, the artful propagandist turns partial truths into more effective instruments of deception than lies
- arsenal
- storage place for military equipment. People are forbidden to smoke in the arsenal lest a stray spark set off the munitions stored there
- arroyo
- gully. Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this royo had been a dry bed
- arrogance
- prid; haugtiness. convninced that Emma thought she was better than anyone else in the class, Ed rebuked her for her arrogance
- arrhythimic
- lacking rhythm or regularity. The doctors feared his arrhythmic hearbeat might be the first symptom of an imminent heart attack. arrhythimia N
- arrest
- stop or check; seize or catpu(the attention) According to Chonnolly's theory of permanent adolescent, the triumps and disappointments that boys experiene at the great British public schools are so intense as to dominate their lives and to arrest their development
- arrears
- being in debt. Because he was in arrears with his car payments, the repo men repossessed his Porsche
- array
- marshal; draw up in order. His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him
- arraign
- charge in court; indict. After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court.
- aromatic
- fraggrant. Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from china to europe
- armada
- fleet of warships. Spanish armada
- aristocracy
- hereditary nobilit; priviledge class. Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy; we say all men are created equal , but we describe particularly outstanding people as natural aristocrats
- arid
- dry; barren. The cactus has adapted to survive in an arid environment
- aria
- operatic solo. At her Metropolitan Opera audition, Marian Anderson sang an aria from Norma
- argot
- slang; in the argot of the underworld, she 'was taken for a ride'
- arduous
- hard; strenuous. Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy
- ardor
- heat; passion; zea;. Katya's ardor was contagous; soon al her fellow demonstrtors were busily making posters and handing out flyers, inspired by her ardent enthusiasm for the cause. ardent adj
- archives
- 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
- archipelago
- group of closely located islands. When he looked at hte mpa and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas, he longed to visit them
- archetrype
- prototype; primitive pattern. The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Iasland and New Jersey
- archaic
- antiquated. 'Methinks' 'thee' 'thou' are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary. eg. archaic gaffer= old man
- archaeology
- the study of artifacts and relics of early mankind.
- arcane
- secret; mysterious; known only to the intiated. Secret brother hoods surround themselves with arcane rituals and trappings to mystify outsiders
- arcade
- a covered passageway, usually lined with shops. The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and winter rain
- arboretum
- place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited. Walking along the treelined paths of the arboretum, Rita noted polars, firs, and some particularly fine sycamores
- arbitrate
- act as judge. She was calle dupong to arbitrate the dispute between the union and the management
- arbitrary
- unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical. The coach claimed the team lost because the umpire made some arbitrary calls
- arbiter
- person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge. As an arbiter in labor idsputes, she has won the confidence of the worekers and the employers
- arable
- fit for growing crops. The first settlers wrote home glowing reports of the New World, praising its vast acres of arable land ready for the plow.
- arabesque
- style of decoration involving intertwined plants and abstract curves; ballet position wiht one leg supporting the weight of the body, whie the other leg is extended in back.
- aquiline
- curved hook. Tan tan has an aquiline nose that curved like the beak of the eagle
- apropos
- to the point and timely. When Bob spoke out against drunnk driving, some of our crowd calle dhim a spoilsport, but the rest of us found his comemnts extremely apropos
- appurtenances
- subordinate possessions. He bough the estate and all its appurtenances
- appropriate
- acquire; take possession of for one's own use. The ranch owners appropritated the lands that had originally been set aside fot the Indians' use.
- approbation
- approval. Wanting her parents' regard, she looked for some sign of their approbation. Benjamin Franklin, that shrewd observer of mankind, once wrote, 'we must not in the course of public life expect immedite approbation and immediate grateful acknowledgement of our service.'
- apprise
- inform/ notify. When NASA was apprised of the dangerou weather conditions, the head of the space agency decided to postpone the shuttle launch
- apprehensive
- fearful; discerning. his apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness.
- apprehend
- arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive. The police wll apprehend the culprit and convict him before long
- appreciate
- be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of.
- appraise
- estimate value of. It is difficult to appraise old paintings; it is easier to call them priceless. appraisal N
- apposite
- appropriate; fitting. she was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion
- application
- diligent attention. Pleased with how ell Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt polly praised him for his application. (Tom had applied himself to applying the paint). secondary meagning apply v
- append
- attach. When you append a bibliography to a text, you have created an appendix
- appellation
- name; title. Macbeth was startled when the witches greeted him with an incorrect applelation.
- appease
- pacify or soothe; relieve. Tom and Jody tried to appease the crying baby by offering him one toy after another
- apparition
- ghost; phantom. On the castle battlement,s an apparition materialized and spoke to Hamlet, warning him of his uncle's treachery. In Ghostbusters, hordes of apparitions materialized, only to be dematerialized byt he specialized apparatus wielded by Bill Murray
- appall
- dismay; shock. We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails
- apotheosis
- elevation to godhood; an idea; exampple of something. The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor Augustus his apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too would be exlated to the ranks of the gods
- apothegm
- pithy, compact saying. Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings
- apothecary
- druggist. In Holland, apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and pills
- apostate
- one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs. Because he switched from one party to antoher, his former friends shunned him as an apostate.
- apologist
- one who writes in defense of a cuase of institute. Rather than act as an apologist for the current regime in Beijing andd efend tis brutal actions, the young dplomat decided to defect to the West
- apolitical
- having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs. It was hard to remain apolitical during the Vietna war; even people who generally ignored public issue felt they had to take political stands
- apogee
- highest point.
- apocryphal
- spurious; not authentic; invented rather thant rue. Although many versions exist of the famous story of Emerson's visit to Thoereau in jail, in his writings, Thoreau never mentions any such visit by Emerson, and so the tale is mostly apocryphal
- apocralyptic
- prophetic; pertaining to revelations. The crowd jeered at the street preacher's apocalyptic predictiosn of doom.
- aplomb
- poise; assurance. Gwen's aplomb in handling potentially embarrassing moments was legnedary around the office; when one of her clients broke a piece of her best crystal, she coolly picked up her own goblet and hurled it into the fireplace
- apiary
- place where bees are kept. Although he spent many horus daily in the apiary, he was very seldom stung by a bee
- aphorism
- pithy maxim or saying. An aphorism is usually philosophic or scientifc, as compare to an adage, which is usally more homely and concrete
- aphasia
- loss of speech due to injury or illness. After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or oculd only mumble incoherently
- aperture
- opening; hole. She discovered a small aperture int he wall, through which the insects had entered the room
- ape
- imitate or mimic. In the comeday Young Frankenstein, when the servan lgor limps off, saying 'walk thi way, the hero apes him, hobbling after lgor in an imitation of his walk
- apathy
- lack of caring; indifference. eg. John.M.
- anvil
- iron block used in hammering out metas. After heating the iron horseshoe in the forge, the blacksmith picked it up with his tongs and set it on the anvil
- antithesis
- contrast; direct opposite of or to. This tyranny was the antitthesis of all that he had hoped for, and h fought it with all his strength, antitthetical or antithetic adj
- antiseptic
- substance that prevents infection. IT si advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no atter how slight or insignificant
- antiquated
- obsolete; outdated. Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip thought typewriters were too antiquated for him to use
- antipathy
- aversion; dislike. John's extreme antipathy for disputes keeps him from getting into arguments with his temperamental wife
- antidote
- remedy to cunteract a poison or disease. When Marge's child accidentally swallowed some cleaning fluid, the local poison control hotline instructed Marge how to administer the antidote
- anticlimax
- letdown in thought or emotion
- antic
- extravagantly odd. Putting on an antic disposition, Hamlet acts so odd that the Danish court thinks him mad
- anthropomorphic
- having human form or charateristics. Primitive religions often have deities with antrhopomorphic characteristics
- anthropologist
- student of the history and science of humankind. Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric humans in this area
- anthropoid
- manlike. The gorilal is the strongest of the anthropoid animals
- anthology
- book of literary selections by various authors. This anthology of scince ficiton was compiled by the late Isaac Asimov. anthologize v
- anthem
- song of praise or patriotism. let us now all join in singing the national anthem
- antediluvian
- antiquated; extremely ancient. Looking at his great aunt's antique furniture, which must have been cluttering u her attic since before Noah's flood, the young heir exlciamed, 'Heavens! how positevely antediluvian!'
- antecedents
- preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background. Susi Bachhofer's ignorance of her Jewish backgground had its antecedents in the choas of WWII
- antecede
- precede. The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century
- antagonism
- hostility; active resistanec. Barry showed his antagonism toward his new stepmother by ignoring her whenever she tried talking to him. antagonistic adj
- anonymity
- state of being naeless; anonymousness.
- anomaly
- irregularly; abnormal
- anomalous
- abnormal; irregular. She was placed in the anomalous position of seeing to approve procedures that she despised
- anoint
- consecrate. The propher samuel anointed David with oi, crowning him king of Israel
- anodyne
- drug that relieves pain; opiate. His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it
- annul
- make void. The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage
- annuity
- yearly allowance. The annuity she set up with the insurance company supplements her social security benefits so that she canlive very comfortably without working
- annotate
- comment; make explanatory notes. In the appendix to the novel, the critic soughtt o annotate many of them ore esoteric references
- annex
- attach; take possession of. Mexico objected to the United States' attempts to annex the territory that later became the state of Texas
- anneal
- reduce brittleness and improve toughtness by heating and cooling. After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking
- annuals
- records; history. In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements
- animus
- hostile feeling or intent. The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks
- animosity
- active enmity. He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he advocated limitations of their power
- animated
- lively; spirited. Jim Carrey's facial expressions are highly animated; when he played Ace Ventura he was practically rubber faced
- animadversion
- critica; remark. He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly because he realized they were true
- angular
- sharp cornered; stiff in manner. Mr.Mak's features, though angular, were curiously attracitve, in a Vulcan way
- anguish
- acute; pain; extreme suffering. Visitng the site of the explosion, the president wept to see the angusih of the victims and their families
- anesthetic
- substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness. His monotonous voice acted like an anestehetic; his audience was soon asleep. anesthesia N
- anemia
- condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles. The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia. anemic adj
- anecdote
- short account of an amusing or interesting event. Rather than make concrete proposals for welfare reform, President Reagan told anecdotes about poor people who becaeme wealthy despite their impoverished backgrounds
- ancilliary
- serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary. In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, HOlmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on his own
- anchor
- secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place. We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place. anchorage N
- ancestry
- family descent. David can trace his acestry as far back as the 17th C, when one of his ancestors was a court trumpeter somewhere in Germany. ancestral adj
- anathema
- solemn curse; someone or soemthing regarded as a curse. The Ayatolla Khomeini heaped anathema upon 'the great satan' that is, the united states
- anarchy
- absence of governing body; state of disorder. The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy
- anarchist
- person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority. Denying she was na anarchist, Katy maintained she wishe donly to make changes in our government, not to destroy it entirely
- analogy
- similarity; paralleism.
- analogous
- comparable; she called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous sistuation and recommended that we do the same
- analgesic
- causing insensitivity to pain. The analgesic qualities of this lotion will provide temporary relief
- anachronisim
- something or someone misplaced in time. Shakespear's reference to clocks in Julius caesar is an anachronism; no clocks existed in Caesar's time. anachronistic adj
- amulet
- charm; talisman. Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her
- amok (also amuck)
- in a state of rage. The police had to be called in to restrain him after he ran amok in the department store
- amputate
- cut off party of body; prune
- amplify
- broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify, make stronger.
- ample
- abundant. Bond had ample opportunity to escape. Why, then did he let us capture him?
- amphitheater
- oval building with tiers of seats. Mountainview has an amphitheater
- amphibian
- able to live both on land and in water. Frogs are classified as amphibian
- amorphous
- formless; lacking shape or definition. As soon as we have decided on our itenierary, we shall send you a copy; right now, our plans are still amorphous
- amorous
- moved by sexual love; loving. 'love them and leave them' was the motto of the amorous Don Juan
- amoral
- nonmoral. The amoral individual lacks a code of ethics; he cannot tell right from wrong.
- amnesty
- pardon. When his first child was born, the king granted amnesty to all in prison
- amnesia
- loss of memory. because she was suffering form amnesia, the police could not get the young girl to identify herself
- amity
- friendship. Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote international amity
- amiss
- wrong; faulty. seeing her frown, he wondered if naything were amiss
- amicable
- politely; fridnly; not quarrelsome. Beth's sister Jo is the hot tempered tomboy who has a hard time maintaining amicable relationships with those around her
- amiable
- agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly. In Little Women, Beth is the amiable daughter whose loving disposition endears her to all who know her
- amenities
- convenient features; courtesies. In addition to the customary amenities for the business traveler-fax machines, moderns, a health club=the hotel offers the services of abutler versed in the social amenities.
- amend
- correct; change. generally for th better. Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United states
- amenable
- readily managed or willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally. Although the ambassador was usually amenable to friendy suggestions, he blaked when we hinted he should pay his parking tickets
- ambulatory
- able to walk; not bedridden. Calvin was a higly ambulatory patient; not only did h refuse to be confined to bed, but also he insisted on riding his skateboard up and down the halls
- ambrosia
- food of the gods. Ambrosia was supposed to give immorality to any human who ate it
- ambe
- moving at an easy pace. When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble
- ambivalence
- the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes. Torn betwen loving her parents one minute and hating them the next, she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings. ambivalent adj
- ambiguous
- unclear or doubtful in meaning. His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which road to take. ambiguity N
- ambience
- environment; atmosphere. she went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambience
- ambidextrous
- capable of using either hand with equal ease. A switch hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous
- amazon
- female warrior. Ever since the days of Greek mythology we refer to strong and aggerssive women as amazons
- amass
- collect. The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible
- amalgamate
- combine; unite in one body. The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body
- altrustic
- unselfishly generous; concerned for others. IN proviing tutorial assistance and college scholarships for hundreds of economically disadvantaged yourths, Eugene Lang performed a truly altruistic deed. altruism N
- altercation
- noisy quarrel; heated dispue. In that hot tempered houshold, no meal ever came to a peaceful conculsion; the inevitable altercation sometimes even ended in blows
- aloft
- upward; the sailor clibed aloft into the rigging
- aloof
- apart; reserved. Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed
- alluvial
- pertaining to soil deposits left by running water. The farmers found the aluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile
- allusion
- indirect reference. When Amanda said to the ticket scalper 'one hundered bucks? what do you want a pound of flesh?' she was making an allusion to Shakespeare's merchant of Venice
- allure
- entice; attract. Allured by the song of the sirens. the helmsman steered the ship toward the reef
- allude
- refer indirectly. Try not to mention divorce in Jack's presence because he will think you are alluding to his marital problems with Jill
- alloy
- a mixture as of metals. Alloys of gold are used more frequently than the pure metal
- allocate
- assign. Even tho the Red Cross had allocated a large sum for the relief of the sufferers of the disaster, many people perished
- alliteration
- repetition of begininign sound in poetry. 'The furrow followed free' is an example of alliteration
- allevate
- relive. This should alleviate the pain; if it does not,we shall have to use stronger drugs.
- allegory
- story in which characters are used as aymbols; fable. Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul. allegorical
- allegiance
- loyalty. not even a term in prison could shake Lech Walesa's allegiance to Solidarity, the Polish trade union he had helped to found
- allege
- state without proof. Although it is alleged that she has worked for the enmy, she denies the allegation and , legally, we can take no action against her witout proof. Allegation N
- allay
- calm; pacify. The crew tried to allay fhe fears of the passengers by annoucing that the fire had been controlled
- alimony
- payments made to an ex spouse after divoce. Because John had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award him 5000 a month in alimony
- alimentary
- supplying nourishment. The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there.
- alienate
- make hostile; separate. Her attempts to alienate the two friends failed because they had complete faith in each other
- alias
- an assumed name. John Smith's alias was Bob marley
- alcove
- nook;recess. Though their aparment lacked a full scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple
- alchemy
- medieval form of speculative though that aimed to transform base metals (lead or copper) into silve or gold and to discover a means of prolonging life
- alarcrity
- cheerful promptness; eagerness. Phil and Dave were raring to get off to the mountains; they packed up their ski gear and clibed int the van with alacrity
- agrarian
- pertaining to land or its cultivation. As a result of its recent iustrialization, the country is gradually losing its agrarian traditions
- agog
- highly exicted; intensely curious. We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a monastery