═══ 1. abase - adage ═══

 1. abase V. to lower in position or reputation; to humble. The newsgroup 
    moderator on the computer network abased the user for violating the rules. 

 2. abash V. to embarrass and perturb. When she abashed his ability, he lost 
    his confidence to speak effectively. 

 3. abate V. to lessen the degree or amount of. When the tornado moved out of 
    the area, the violent winds abated. 

 4. abbot N. head of a monastery. The abbot called a meeting of all the monks 
    to discuss topics for meditation. 

 5. abbreviate V. to shorten, especially words or phrases. Frequency Modulation 
    is abbreviated FM. 

 6. abdicate V. to voluntarily give up a right, privilege, or throne. The king 
    abdicated the throne dishonorably after his deed was made public. 

 7. abduct V. to secretly carry off illegally. The divorced father abducted his 
    son from the playground. 

 8. aberrant ADJ. straying. The artist's aberrant style was not appreciated by 
    many. 

 9. aberration N. act of straying. The student's aberration from the rules of 
    conduct led to his dismissal from school. 

10. abettor N. supporter, especially in crime. The spy was an abettor of the 
    thief, who aided him with critical information. 

11. abeyance N. a cease from activity. The abeyance of business activity was 
    due to the holiday. 

12. abhor V. to regard as strongly objectionable. He abhorred soap operas 
    because of their vacuity. 

13. abject ADJ. hopeless; wretched. Generations of servitude left them in 
    abject despair and ineffectiveness. 

14. abjure V. to renounce with seriousness. The boy abjured his habit of 
    procrastination and pledged to do his homework early. 

15. ablution N. cleansing with water. The ablution of the new converts was a 
    symbolic demonstration of their personal decision. 

16. abnegation N. the denying of one's rights or conveniences; renouncement. 
    His abnegation of a luxurious lifestyle invigorated his outlook on life. 

17. abolish V. to do away with. Slavery was abolished in the United States 
    after the Civil War. 

18. abominate V. to regard with intense disgust. The people abominated him as a 
    national traitor, such as Benedict Arnold. 

19. aboriginal ADJ.,N. primitive. The athropologist studied the variations of 
    aboriginal practices throughout the world. 

20. abortive ADJ. unsuccessful. The abortive attempts by the inventor were 
    costly, but nevertheless instructive. 

21. abrade V. to wear away. Constant rubbing was necessary to abrade the 
    corrosion on the metallic statue. 

22. abrasive ADJ. causing to wear away, or annoy. Given his abrasive style, he 
    was often at odds with at least a few people. 

23. abridge V. to shorten, retaining essential information. The editor abridged 
    the lengthy classic for students' reading. 

24. abrogate V. to abolish officially. The Moslem cleric abrogated the book 
    from the nation, siting the blasphemous language. 

25. abscond V. to quickly depart in secret. The bank robber absconded to the 
    next state with the bundle of cash. 

26. absolute ADJ. perfect; complete. The architect demanded absolute attention 
    to detail in his projects. 

27. absolution N. release from consequences. The absolution from the charges 
    brought against him was a cause of celebration. 

28. absolve V. to release from blame. He was absolved of any previous 
    accusations or charges brought against him in the past. 

29. abstain V. to choose to refrain from participation. He abstained from 
    voting on a controversial bill. 

30. abstemious ADJ. eats and drinks sparingly. He adopted abstemious habits 
    which were of benefit to his health. 

31. abstinence N. the controlling of one's own indulgences, especially alcohol. 
    The reformed alcoholic pledged a life of abstinence. 

32. abstract ADJ. theoretical; apart from concrete realities. His abstract 
    ideas were not easily understood by many people. 

33. abstruse ADJ. hard to understand. After missing several classes, the 
    college professor's lectures were abstruse to him. 

34. abusive ADJ. using harshly insulting language. His abusive attitude 
    contributed to the hostility in their relationship. 

35. abut V. to be adjacent to. The property of the library abuts to that of the 
    old museum. 

36. abysmal ADJ. bottomless; deep without limit. They doubted whether or not be 
    could ever come out of his abysmal depression. 

37. abyss N. a deep, vast space or chasm. His donkey wandered in the abyss, 
    never to be found again. 

38. accede V. to agree; give consent. The minority party consented to the 
    demands of the majority party. 

39. accelerate V. to cause increased activity. The drug accelerated fruit 
    production in certain trees. 

40. accessible ADJ. ease of entry or admission. The library was accessible to 
    the people. 

41. accessory N. supporting object to complete an arrangement. She purchased 
    the accessories to complete her wardrobe. 

42. acclaim V. to salute joyously with shouts. His bestselling book was 
    acclaimed by the critics. 

43. acclimate V. to get used to a new environment. It took a while to acclimate 
    himself to his new office. 

44. acclivity N. upward slope. Only parts of the marathon course were 
    acclivity. 

45. accolade N. an award; approval. He received accolades for his research. 

46. accomodate V. to oblige. He accomodated her request for a reading lamp. 

47. accomplice N. one who helps another commit a crime. The fingerprints reveal 
    he was an accomplice to the crime. 

48. accord N. in agreement. They were of one accord at the time they signed the 
    contract. 

49. accost V. to approach with a greeting. He was accosted by the travelling 
    salesman. 

50. accoutre V. to equip or apparel. The military unit was accoutred with 
    suits, flags and boots. 

51. accredit V. to ascribe. He was formally accredited with saving the child's 
    life. 

52. accretion N. an increase due to natural growth or causes. The rise in the 
    lizard population was due to accretion not bringing in outside lizards. 

53. accroach V. to assume a position illegitimately. The clerk accroached the 
    manager's position in his absence. 

54. accrue V. to happen because of natural growth. He accrued more 
    responsibility the longer he stayed in the department. 

55. acculturation N. one group adopting cultural traits of another. As an 
    immigrant, though he resisted assimilation to the native culture, he 
    eventually blended in through a process of acculturation. 

56. acephalous ADJ. without a head. When the nation's ruler stepped down, the 
    nation was acephalous, until his successor was appointed. 

57. acerbic ADJ. sour; harshly. The acerbic comments of the opposition 
    ironically motivated them to action. 

58. acetic ADJ. vinegary. The beverage, which appeared to be sweet, turned out 
    to be acetic. 

59. acidulate V. to increase acidity or sourness. The wine acidulated naturally 
    over time. 

60. acidulous ADJ. sour. The acidulous taste was not appealing to him. 

61. acknowledge V.. to admit to be true; recognize. He acknowledged the 
    existence of angels. 

62. acme N. high point. The acme of his career was when he won the 
    championship. 

63. acolyte N. attendant, follower (originally altar boy). As an acolytes of 
    the famous personality he gained valuable insights into his secrets of 
    success. 

64. acoustics N. having to do with sound propagation. The acoustics of the hall 
    were suitable for public speakers at large conventions. 

65. acquiesce V. to comply passively; to agree. The athletes acquiesced in the 
    commissioner's decision about equipment on the playing field. 

66. acquittal N. release from a charge. Due to lack of evidence, they had no 
    other alternative but to issue an acquittal. 

67. acrid ADJ. sharp or bitter taste. The acrid item on the menu titillated his 
    taste buds. 

68. acrimonious ADJ. bitterness; caustic. The acrimonious remarks of his 
    opponent enraged him. 

69. acronym N. word formed from initial letters of words. RISC is an acronym 
    for Reduced Instruction Set Chip. 

70. actuarial ADJ. having to do with computing insurance risks and premiums. 
    His math skills suited him to actuarial tasks. 

71. actuate V. to incite to action. Up until that period in his life he had 
    never actuated himself to action. 

72. acuity N. sharpness. That specie of vulture was known for its visual 
    acuity. 

73. acumen N. excellent mental sharpness. The scholar impressed the uninformed 
    with his acumen. 

74. acute ADJ. sharp at the end; severe. He lapsed into acute sorrow. 

75. adage N. traditional saying accumulated from experience. He remembered 
    Franklin's adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned."