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Aabandonment (~ban'danmant) n. wrongdoing: to lid the kidnapers was a serious I The act of deserting or giving up a person, offensG.-abet'ior, a.bel'menl, abel'laln. thing, or principle; the abandonment of a b'lby Syn. help, promote, encourage, on Ihe church steps. 2 :I:'reedom from reBtraint Ant. hinder, "lop, preVt'nL or ~elf-control: At the cumivul, the usually abeyance (dba'Jllti) 11. quiet people celebrated with abandonment. A holding up or pulling aside for future 8yn. I desertion, leaving. 2 unrestraint. action: He is holding his decision in aveyance Allt. I care, protection, concern. 2 propriety, until he /ws 1111 the facts. constraint. abhor (ahhor') v. allhorred. ailhorrinl! abase (abll~') v. abased, abasjug To feel mpugnallce or loathing fur; hat.e: To lower in position, rank, or esUmation; l\luny people abllor spi(lers.~~abllOr'rence, Their cowardice under fire abased the soldiers. ab-hor'rer n.; aLhor'rellt adi. 8yn. humble, demean, degrade. 8yn. detest, abominate, loathe. Ant. exalt, honor. Ant. love. like, admire, enjoy. abash (a-bash') v. ab,ject (ah'jckl or abjekt') (((tj. To shame or embarrass: lie was uuas/wd (d his I Sunk to a low cOlldilioll; despicahle: an brolher's rudeness. abject cuward. 2 Hopelessly low; wretched; 8yn. disconcert, faze. abject poverty. Ant. encourage, embolden. Syn. 1 contemptible, dc;{raded, shameful. 2 miberaLle, squalid. abate (a-bat') v. a.bated. aballng Ani. 1 dignified, noLle. ;;\ comfortable, pros To reduce in value, force, or intensity: The perous. next morning the storm abated. 8yn. decrease, lessen, subside. ablution (oLliJO'shun) It. Allt. increase, intensify. A washiug Of cleansing of tile body ur purl of the body, cSIJecially in a religiuus ceremony: abo brevi,ate (a-bre'vtHil) v. abbreviat-ed. 10 perfom, one's mornillg ablutiuns; lJTicstly abbrevi.al.ing aulutions before the al/ar. I To shorten a word or expression by leaving Usage; A.bl1dion is usually in the plural. The out part of it; ".Mister" is abbrel'iated "11fr," word tends to SOUIlU high-flown and literary, 2 To make shorter: to abbreviate the visit. but lnUllY people USe it htunoi'ou;sly a;; a 8yn. I reuucc, curt"il, ahriuge. synonym for washiny or vilil/iuf}. Ant. 2 increase. enlarge, extend. abornjna!e (,,-bom'anat) v. ,,bond-nal-cd. abbre vialion (abre've.a'shan) n. a.bom.i.nal.ing I A shortened form of a word or phrase, used To di:diiu~ HLrong)y; loatil\': to afw/llilialc dirl to rcpfCHI!nt the full form: "N..I." is th" uhd uttlidt"w'SI.L ,,uutn'i,nu'liou. 1l. abbreviation for "New Jersey." 2 The ad of Syn. hute. abhor, detest. making briefer: an abbreviation of a long AnI. like, admire. speech. Usage: "U.S.A." is an abbreviatioH, but abo o rigi nes (ab',)rij'u'llez) 1i.J!1. "NATO" is an acronym. An acronym is an The origiual and earliest jJeople, plants, (}r abbrcviaLion that may IJC pronounced a" a animals of u country ur af\:a: The; .!\laOl is ure word rather than as a series of letters. See the aburigilWd of New Zenlalld. ACRONYM. SYI!. native. 8yn. 2 abridgement, reduction. Ant. emigrant, outsider, alien. Ant. 2 extension, enlargement. abor.live (a-bOr'tiv) adj. I Resulting in llothing; failing: an abortive ab.di,eate (ab'dakat) v. aL-di.cated. ab-di ealjng revvl!. 2 Dorn Loo pWlllalHr"ly to Le able to live: an ulwr!ive fd1 al)CX, dimax. apolo.g)' (apol',,je) n., a.pol.ogies pl. l A statement or explanation expressing regret for some error or offense. 2 A justifica tion or defense, either written or spoken: to offer all apology for one's 'I'hilusophy of life. a A poor SUbstitute: The snack",,,s only an apulogy Jor a flllZ meal. nposia.s)' (0-pos'laso) n . u.posta;;ics '1'1. Desertion of one's faith, religion, party, principles, etc. a.pos!le (apos'vl) n. 1 A preacher or missionary, as one of Christ's twelve disciples. 2 An early or important advocate of a cause: one oj the apostles of lhe ban-i/w-Dumo uwvemeut. Syn. 1 evangelist, revivalist. 2 espouser, promoter, supporter.

apostrophe.

apprehend

a.postro.phe (apos/trafe) n. appelldage (apen'dij) n. 1 A symbol (') used to mark the omission of Anything that is added or attached to some thing larger or more important, as a leg to a a letter or letlers, or io indicate the posses sive case, as in Gene's hause. 2 A digression torso or a leaf to a tree. from a discourse, consisting of an address to Syn. addition, accessory, supplement. an imaginary or absent person: 'The speaker appen.dix (lumption Ihat the 'Durld was l/at. asterisk (as'tar.isk) n. A starlike figure (*) used in printing or writing to indicate footnotes, references, or something that has been left out. astcraid (us'tJrohl) n., adj. n. Any of seven'! humlred Sl1laU pIn nets between 11,'1 urs and Jupiter. adj _ Shaped lihe a star. aslhma (az'mil) n. A chronic canuition of the bronchial tubes that makes breathing difiicult and brings on wheezing and coughing.-asth.mat.ic (az mat'ik) 71., adj. astrill.gent (astrin'jont) n., adj. n. A substance such as alum that draws body tissues together. It is sometimes used to stop bleeding and to tighten the skin. adj. 1 Having the ability to draw body tissues together: aH a"frillljCn( lution for thc skin. 2 \lamh; stern: lIis "'trilluntl lWT:l()ltaf criticisms uii",wl"d itis friend:;. as.trin'gell. cy n., as.lrin'gent.!y ad. Syu. adj. 2 strict, sharp, biting. Ant. adj. 2 gentle, kindly. aiitronaut (a~'tru'liol) 11. A person who lra vels in space. Etymology: .4slronaut comes from two Greek roots, nautes meaning sailor and astro meaning (among the) stars. IIslule ("'st(y)(fuL') ",Ij. Having or coming from a ~hrewd, dever mind: Psychiatrists are astule observers of people. The drama critic rnade a"tute cow ments.- lls.lule'ly ode. astute'neS!< n. Syn. ~harp, kH'n. Ant. stupitl. uninLelltgenL. atom at'um) 11. ( 1 The smallest uniL of all element that is capable of existing alone or in comtlination, and that cannot be changeti or destroyed 111 any chemical reaction. 2 A very small quantity or particle; the least bit: She doesn't lwu; tlil ulOIif. of corn-mOlL sense. Syn. 2 hit, iota. fragment, modicum. atrue.ily (.Jtros'Qte) 11., atrodtie>! 1'1. 1 A very evil or horrible act: atrocities CUlli mitted against civilians in wartime. 2 Cruelty or evil: the jailer's atrocity in dealing with /.. ,' prisoners. 3 Informal Something in ver,' ~c ~ taste: FIer feathered purple Iwi !L'l!~ , (1b~()lute atrocily. Syn. I crime, outrage. 2 infamy, vilL:,.' Ant. 2 kindne:;s, mercy, humanity.

vy

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atrophy

austerity

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atrophy (at'rafe) 11. at.To.phled, atTo.phy to establish correctness: The accounting firm jng; n., at'To'phles pI. audited the financial statement. v. '1'0 waste away or cause to waste away or n. An examination of accounts. as of u decline: Prolonged bed rest will cause lite business or other organization, to establish muscles 10 atrophy. Boredom will atrophy Ihe correctness: a bank audit. mind. augcr (o'gar) n. n. 1 A wasting away or withering of the body A tool for boring into wood or into the or any of its parts: the atrophy oj a p(lralyzed ground. arm. 2 A stoppage of any growth or develop ment: tlte atrophy oj the ancient Roman aught (ot) n. The figure zero; naught; nothing. Empire. Spelling lip: Aught may also be spelled ought. Syn. v. weaken, shrink, wane, deteriorate. augment (oIP11cnt') v. n. 1 weakening, deterioration. 2 decline, 'ro makt; or becom.e grea ler as in gize. deterioration, decay, crumbling. number, or amount: He augmented his small attache (at'asha') n. income by driving a taxi on weekends. A person officially attached to a diplomatic Syn. increase enlarge. mission or staff for a specific assignment: a Ant. decrease, reduce. military attache. augur (6'gur or 6'gy"r) n., v. atten.dant (aten'dant) n., adj. n. A person who foretells the future. n. One who serves or accompanies; the v. To be a sign Or omen of: lIer good nalaer queen's retinue oj attendants. augurs UJelallg popularity. adj. Accornpanying: a war and its altelldant Syn. n. soothsayer. prophet. destruction. Syn. n. follower, servant. adj. associated, augu:;t (oguoll') adj. I Inspiring awo or reverence; imposing: tl,c connected. august beauty oj tile 01,1 cathedral. 2 Of high attor.ner (atur'ne) n. rank or birth: an allgustjustice oj the Supreme A persoll empowered by another to act in Caurl.-au.gust'ly ".lv., au.gust'ness 11. his stead; especially, a lawyer: Consult an SYI1. 1 mujesLie, stately, awesollle. 2 hon(;red, allorney about a libel suit. eminent. Syn. advocate, counsel. auld lang sync (01: ller auxiliary (ogzil'yar.{l or ogzil'ar!':) adj., n.; figure was padded w-ith considerable avoirdu auxi1\aries n.pl. pois. adj. Furnishing aid; subsidiary; supplemen Syn. 2 fat, bulk, flesh, adiposity. tary: He kept an auxiliary set of keys in his Ant. 2 leanness, thinness, trimness. briefcase. ayow (avou') v. n. Someone or something that aids or helps; To assert openly as fact; admit: He avowed assistant. his part in the crime.-avow'al rI. Syn. adj. reserve, spare, extra. Syn. declare, acknowledge, assert. a.vantgarde (a.vant'gard'; French aviin' An!. disavow, disown, deny. gard') n., adj. l1wrul (6'fa\) adj. n. The group, especially in the arts, regarded 1 Informal Exceedingly bad or unpleasant: as being the most experimental: Op art and an awflt! haircJo. 2 'ferrifying; dreadful: the pop art were the rage among the avant'garde. awful destruction of a tornado. adj. Having to do with the bold, new, or Spelling tip: If you experimental: New novels oJten exhibit avantawful.write awe + full, your spelling will lw yarde tendencies: Syn. 2 appalling, horrible, terrible. Etymology; In French, this word literally awkward (ok'ward) lC) 11. bunk.rupt.cy (bangk'rupt'se or bangle'rd!'se) n., lHlllk,rupi.cics pI. A state in which a jJerson is declared unable to pay his d~bts, and his remaining as"cis are divided Ul110ng: his creditors; finandal ruin. ban.quet (bang'kwit) n., v. n. A feast or ceremonial dinner, often in cluding speeches. v. 'fo entrtuin at a baIH!Uet: We banqaeted our vi"itor~. 2 To eat wd: We b"ltCludeit 011

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or

going to a football game wit" him. Syn. v. pester, pressure, irritate, hound. baf.fle (lJuf'"I) v. bar,lIed, bafl!inli; n.

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v. To confuse, bewilder, or perplex: The Url s(lll'cd crime batfletl Ihl' j)O/i,,