Adapt

make something suitable for new use or a new situation; modify something

alter or modify the text to suit television or stage

become adjusted to new conditions

e.g.: I adapted myself quickly to the new climate.She has adapted herself to college life quite easily.The camera has been adapted for underwater use.The clock was adapted to run on batteries.The movie was adapted from the book of the same title.

Adopt

to take by choice into a relationship;especially, to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) as one's own child

to take up and practice or use to accept formally and put into effect to choose (a textbook) for required study in a course

to sponsor the care and maintenance of

e.g.: As he has no child of his own, he decided to adopt an orphan.They adopted our production methods. He was adopted as an infant.Did he adopt your point of view?We adopted some of the local customs.The author Samuel Clemens adopted the name Mark Twain.Adept

expert or skilled in somethingthoroughly proficient

e.g.: While Raj, and to a lesser extent Chitra, had solved cryptograms in the newspaper, neither were particularlyadeptat it.He's adept in several languages.He's an adept pitcher, and the team is lucky to have him.

Synonymsadjustchooseproficient

Antonyms

neglect, refusedeny, disregardincapable, unskilled

"anticipate"to see as a probable occurrenceto think of (a future event) with pleasure; look forward toto deal with beforehand; to foresee and act in advance ofto react to (someone) abruptly, especially to prevent someone fromcontinuing or progressingto serve as a forerunner to or previous indication ofto use in advance, as income not yet available.to pay (a debt) before it is due.to think, speak, or write about a matter in advance.to mention (something) before its proper timeto regard as likely; expect; foreseeto make use of in advance of possession(Banking & Finance) to pay (a bill, etc) before it falls due to cause tohappen sooner

e.g.:The organizers hadn't anticipated such large crowds at the cricket match.I anticipated that you might be in a hurry.She anticipated a pleasant hike in the country.We anticipated the storm by boarding up the windows.Her research in the previous decade anticipated these findings.He anticipated the fall in value by selling early.I anticipated his punch by moving out of reach.Don't anticipate the climax of the story.He anticipated that it would happen.He anticipated his salary in buying a house.The spread of nationalism anticipated the decline of the Empire.

"ascent"the act of ascending; climb or upward movement: the ascent of hot gases.an upward slope; incline or gradient movement back through time, as in tracing of earliergenerations (especially in the phrase line of ascent)

Synonyms: (upward) slope, incline, rise, climb

Antonym: descent

e.g.:It was a tough course over a gradual ascent.The ascent grew steeper.He pressed the button and the elevator began its slow ascent.We clipped our ropes onto a cable and began the ascent, a mixture ofhiking and climbing.My means of ascent and descent consist simply in dilating or contractingthe gas that is in the balloon ... (Five Weeks in a Balloon by JulesVerne)

"assent"the expression of approval or agreement as in a loud murmur of assentofficial agreement or sanction

Synonyms: (verb) accede, accept, acquiesce, agree, consent, concur (noun) agreement, accord, approval, permission,acceptance, consent, compliance, acquiescence, concurrence

Antonym: dissent

e.g.:Any amendment must receive the assent of a majority of those eligible tovote.Everyone respects our common law, our unwritten rules that do not needparliamentary assent.Faith is more than an intellectual assent to a set of ideas.The act was given the Royal assent.The Prime Minister assented to the change.He gave his assent to the proposed legislation.

"allay"

diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry); to make more bearableor less severe

relieve or alleviate (pain or hunger)

Synonyms: reduce, diminish, decrease, lessen, assuage, alleviate, mollify,mitigate, palliate,

Antonyms: increase, intensify, aggravate, exacerbate

e.g.:

A gentle breeze would allay the heat.

A small cupful of this medicine is to be taken once every morning to allaypain.

The press statement seems to allay earlier anxieties about the erosion offree speech.

Hopefully, the company's soaring stock price will allay the concerns ofnervous stockholders.

After the terrorist attack, the president made a speech to try and allay thenation's fears.

"articulate"

able to express ideas clearly and effectively; having or showing the abilityto speak

fluently and coherently; clearly expressed and easily understood

pronounce (something) clearly and distinctly

consisting of segments united by joints; jointed ( as in articulateanimals/plants )

Synonyms: (adjective) eloquent, fluent, communicative, effective,persuasive, vocal

(verb) vocalize, express, communicate, declare, state,proclaim, announce

Antonyms: inarticulate, hesitant, unintelligible, ineloquent

e.g.:

She's an intelligent and articulate speaker.

He was very articulate about his feelings on the subject.

The baby is beginning to form articulate words and phrases.

He articulated each word with precision.

The mandible is a solid piece articulating with the head.

"awesome"

extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring awe (as in anawesome sight)

expressing awe

(informal) extremely good; excellent

Synonyms: breathtaking, amazing, stunning, astounding, astonishing,awe-inspiring,

stupendous, staggering, extraordinary, incredible,unbelievable

Antonyms: unimpressive, unimportant, bad, trivial

e.g.:

The band is truly awesome!

They stood in awesome silence before the ancient ruins.

We marvel at the awesome spectacle of God 's creation.

This game features awesome 3D graphics.

With iconic bikes throughout most of the company's century old history,Harley Davidson has become a truly awesome marque.

"awful"

very bad or unpleasant; extremely shocking; horrific

(of a person) very unwell or troubled

used to emphasize the extent of something, especially somethingunpleasant or

negative; formidable in nature or extent (as in an awful burden/an awful risk)

Synonyms: unpleasant, disgusting, nasty, terrible, dreadful, ghastly,horrid, horrible, vile,

foul, abominable, appalling, horrendous, hideous,offensive, objectionable,

obnoxious, repulsive, repugnant, odious

Antonyms: lovely, wonderful, excellent

e.g.:

I felt awful for being so angry with him.

She met with an awful accident that left her badly injured.

The place smelled awful.

I've made an awful fool of myself.

He had an awful day at the office.

It's an awful nuisance.

He's an awful bore.

You look awful, are you all right?

"aged"

having lived for a specified length of time; of a specified age (as in youngpeople aged

14 to 18)

having lived or existed for a long time; of advanced age; very old (as inaged men

with white hair)

pertaining to or characteristic of old age (as in aged wrinkles)

brought to maturity or mellowness (as wine, cheese, or wood; maturewell-aged cheeses)

the aged: old people (collectively)

Synonyms: elderly, old, mature, older, senior, ancient, venerable

Antonyms: young, unripe, youthful, modern, new, recent

e.g.:

The University has a nursery facility for children aged six months to fiveyears.

Who's involved in Help the Aged campaign?

The handmade teak wood table has a wonderful aged patina.

She nurses her aged mother.

Ancient Greeks and Romans were aware of the potential of aged wines.

"ageless"

not ageing or appearing to age

lasting for a long time or forever

Synonyms: abiding, dateless, enduring, eternal, everlasting, immortal,imperishable, lasting,

perennial, perpetual, timeless, undying

Antonyms: impermanent, temporary, antiquated, archaic, dated, obsolete,outdated,

pass

e.g.:

The town retains an ageless charm.

This interest in radiating ageless beauty has given birth to a burgeoningbeauty industry focusing on ways to ease the effects of aging skin.

The ageless characteristic and durability of oak make it one of the mostpopular woods for furniture makers.

Both systems are more than 2500 years old but remain ageless in theirrelevance to modern times.

The ageless wisdom revealed through our scriptures has the power totransform our life.

"authoritarian"

favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at theexpense of personal

freedom

showing a lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others;dictatorial.

Synonyms: autocratic, dictatorial, totalitarian, despotic, tyrannical,autarchic, draconian,

absolute, arbitrary, oppressive, repressive, illiberal,undemocratic,

anti-democratic

Antonyms: democratic, liberal, lenient, permissive

e.g.:

He had an authoritarian manner.

The transition from an authoritarian to a democratic regime was verydifficult.

Our liberal and authoritarian instincts each struggle for attention.

In its place an increasingly authoritarian bureaucracy was gaining strength.

"authoritative"

able to be trusted as being accurate or true

reliable

commanding and self-confident

likely to be respected and obeyed

(of a text) considered to be the best of its kind and unlikely to beimproved upon

Synonyms: reliable, dependable, trustworthy, good, sound, authentic, valid,well founded,

attested, certified, verifiable, definitive

Antonym: unreliable

e.g.:

The information given is not an authoritative interpretation of the law.

This book provides a highly authoritative account and analysis of key issueswithin the rapidly burgeoning field of cyber crime.

This is likely to become the authoritative study of the subject.

His voice was calm and authoritative.

"affluent"

(especially of a group or area) having a great deal of money;wealthy

Synonyms: wealthy, rich, prosperous, opulent

Antonym: poor, impoverished

e.g.:

Here was a fine opportunity to ensure that the less affluent should benefitincreasingly from its wealth.

Young people from even the most deprived backgrounds were shown to outshinetheir more affluent peers if they regularly read outside school hours.

"effluent"

liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or the sea (as inindustrial effluent)

Synonyms: (liquid) waste, sewage, effluvium, outflow

e.g.:

To avoid the discharge of an excessively large liquid effluent stream, waterrecycling should be investigated.

Do you know the cost of waste and effluent disposal to your company eachyear?

Effluent discharges may be contaminated by antibiotics and disinfectantswith unknown consequences for the natural environment.

"agile"

able to move quickly and easily

able to think and understand quickly

relating to or denoting a method of project management, used especially forsoftware development, that is characterized by the division of tasks intoshort phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans

Synonyms: nimble, lithe, spry, supple, limber, sprightly, acrobatic,dexterous, deft, willowy,

graceful, light-footed, nimble-footed, light on one'sfeet, fleet-footed; More

Antonyms: clumsy, stiff, slow, dull

e.g.:

His vague manner concealed an agile mind.

Ravi was as agile as a monkey.

Agile methods replace high-level design with frequent redesign.

"ascetic"

characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms ofindulgence, typically for religious reasons

a person who follows an ascetic life

Synonyms: (adjective) austere, abstinent, abstemious, non-indulgent, simple,spartan,

monastic, monkish

(noun) recluse, hermit, monk

Antonym: sybaritic/ sybarite

e.g.:

An ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labour kept him in excellenthealth.

The monks lived a very ascetic life and their monastery became a seedbed ofsaints.

He was not, however an ascetic, practising self-denial to an extreme degreewithout regard for the circumstances at hand.

"alacrity"

brisk and cheerful readiness

Synonyms: eagerness, willingness, readiness

Antonym: apathy

e.g.:

She accepted the invitation with alacrity.

The curator pointed me to this book with alacrity, perhaps to deflectcriticism into a safe sphere.

The young soldiers responded with alacrity, and marched into the grounds.

"aesthetic"

concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty

giving or designed to give pleasure through beauty

a set of principles underlying the work of a particular artistor artistic movement as in

'the Cubist aesthetic'

Synonyms: graceful, elegant, exquisite, beautiful, attractive, stylish,artistic, tasteful

Antonyms: inaesthetic, unaesthetic, tasteless, unattractive

e.g.:

The pictures give great aesthetic pleasure.

The law applies to both functional and aesthetic objects.

Aesthetic considerations sometimes have great weight.

These defects will no doubt be overcome as concrete grows in popularity as abuilding material and its aesthetic treatment is better understood.

"alienate"

make (someone) feel isolated or estranged

make (someone) become unsympathetic or hostile

Synonyms: estrange, isolate, detach, distance

e.g.:

The association does not wish to alienate its members.

The country folk would not feel comfortable in an urban environment whichwould alienate its inhabitants.

(Law) transfer ownership of (property rights) to another person or group

pass on, hand over

Synonyms: transfer, convey, devolve

e.g.:

They defended the tribes against attempts to alienate their land.

They approached the government for aid in preventing the land from beingalienated.

"acute"

(of an unpleasant or unwelcome situation or phenomenon) present orexperienced to a severe or intense degree as in 'an acute housing shortage'

(of a disease or its symptoms) severe but of short duration as in 'acuteappendicitis'

having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight as in 'an acuteawareness of changing fashions'

Synonyms: severe, critical, dreadful, grave, serious, profound

astute, shrewd, sharp, ingenious, clever, intelligent,bright, brilliant, smart,

intuitive, discerning, perceptive, perspicacious,penetrating, insightful, incisive

Antonyms: negligible

e.g.:

His charming style and acute grasp of interesting detail gave him afront place among contemporary writers.

This is an acute-angled triangle.

He died of an acute illness.

His need for medical attention was acute.

She had an acute sense of honour.

Eagles have very acute vision.

"ambiguous"

open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning

not clear or decided

Synonyms: equivocal, ambivalent, arguable, debatable

Antonyms: unambiguous, clear

e.g.:

The statement was ambiguous.

By making the imagery ambiguous, the poet allowed space for individualinterpretation.

The recommendations of the committee are also weakened by lack of detail andby vague and ambiguous wording.

Unfortunately an ambiguous phrase about the possession of such weapons wentthrough, leading to years of argument about nuclear deterrence.

Words often confused:

ascribe

to attribute to; regard a quality as belonging to

regard something as being due to (a cause)

regard a text, quotation, or work of art as being produced by or belongingto (a particular person or period)

Synonyms: attribute, assign, accredit, credit, impute

e.g.:

She ascribed her feelings of jealousy to insecurity.

It is fairly common in mathematics to ascribe meaning to an object withrespect to the context in which it appears.

Tough-mindedness is a quality commonly ascribed to business leaders.

describe

give a detailed account in words

to show what something is by drawing a picture with words

mark out or draw (a geometrical figure)

Synonyms: report, narrate, recount, relate, chronicle

delineate, outline, sketch

e.g.:

He described his experiences in a letter to his parents.

On the diameter of a circle an equilateral triangle is described.

The tip of the light pen described a circle.

Capricious: Adj.: Showing sudden change in attitude or behaviour.

Synonyms: Unpredictable, Changeable

Antonyms: Stable, Consistent

A long face

If you have a long face, you look sad

He took one look at her long face and said "What's wrong?"

Words often confused:

aspersion

an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something

a damaging remark

Synonyms: disparagement, denigration, condemnation, censure, castigation,derogation

Antonyms: adulation, approval, commendation, compliment, flattery, praise

e.g.:

The campaign was filled with one aspersion after another.

I don't think anyone is casting aspersions on you.

dispersion

the act of scattering

the action or process of distributing things or people over a wide area

a mixture of one substance dispersed in another medium

(Ecology) the pattern of distribution of individuals within a habitat

(Physics) the separation of white light into colours or of any radiationaccording to

Wavelength

Synonyms: diffusion, distribution

Antonym: accumulation

e.g.:

The dispersion of seeds was irregular because he sowed the seeds by hand.

The study looks at the dispersion of earnings within OECD member countries.

Accurate prediction of pollutant dispersion is an important area ofenvironmental research.

If all the particles have a mutual repulsion then the dispersion will remainstable.

The word "OK" was coined by Charles Gordon Greene. He used OK as a jokingabbreviation for "Oll Korrect" in a satirical article about grammar.

Words often confused:

arcane

refers to things known and understood by few people

Synonyms: mysterious, secret, hidden, concealed, covert, clandestine,enigmatic, dark

Antonyms: common, known, commonplace

e.g.:

We are not a group of extremists dealing with arcane rituals.

Given Oxford's status as an international research institution, tutors canoften be found in quite arcane subject areas.

This seemingly arcane finding could be of significance in the research paperyou are working on.

archaic

very old or old-fashioned; out of date; behind the times

(of a word or a style of language) no longer in everyday use butsometimes used to impart an

old-fashioned flavour as in 'a term with a rather archaic ringto it'

Synonyms: obsolete, obsolescent, anachronistic, old-fashioned, outmoded,bygone, antiquated,

antique, superannuated, antediluvian

Antonyms: new, modern

e.g.:

The Oxford English Dictionary contains many words that are archaic.

The old mainframe was archaic; customized programs had been built piecemeal,with no way to share information.

Words often confused:

appraise

assess the value or quality of

assess the performance (of an employee) formally

Synonyms: assess, evaluate, estimate

e.g.:

They appraised the painting at 200,000.

There is a need to appraise existing techniques.

The artist painted a mural and stepped back to appraise his handiwork.

Some companies are considering team appraisals instead of appraisingindividuals.

apprise

inform or tell (someone); keep posted

Synonyms: inform, notify, brief, intimate

e.g.:

The officer apprised them of their rights.

I thought it right to apprise the manager of what had happened in hisabsence.

Cruciverbalist: someone skilled at doing crossword puzzles

Words often confused:

Amuse

cause (someone) to find something funny

provide interesting and enjoyable occupation (for someone)

Synonyms: entertain

e.g.:

The children were amused by watching the kittens play.

He amuses the audience with his deadpan wit.

Bemused

Bewildered, preoccupied or lost in thought

Synonyms: confused, puzzled, perplexed, baffled, muddled, befuddled,disconcerted

e.g.:

He was bemused by the unexpected ending to the movie.

After listening to the confusing lecture, the student looked bemused.

She wore a bemused expression on her face as she read a mystery novel.

A fool's heart is in his tongue, but a wiseman's tongue is in his heart.

Rich Man: If I start driving my car at sunrise, I'll not be able to covereven half of my estate by sunset. Friend: Even I had such a useless car butI sold it.

'Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your unguarded thoughts' -Buddha.

"altar"

the table in a Christian church at which the bread and wine are consecratedin communion

services

a table or flat-topped block used as the focus for a religious ritual,especially for making

sacrifices or offerings to a deity

e.g.:

He presented a pair of beautiful altar candlesticks to the old church in hishome town.

When the priest called them to come forward they knelt before the altar.

In the courtyard stood a sacrificial altar that had statues on either side.

"alter"

change in character or composition, typically in a comparatively small butsignificant way

make structural changes to (a building)

Synonyms: change, modify, convert, reshape, refashion, redesign, restyle,revamp, rework, remake,

remodel, reconstruct, reorganize, vary, transform

e.g.:

They have plans to alter the kitchen.

You will need to alter the settings on your particular software to gainaccess.

Genetic engineering techniques can alter the genetic makeup of plants.

Glance-Glimpse- Both words mean 'a quick look'. There is however adistinction-a glance is intentional, a glimpse is more by chance.

allude

suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at; refer to

(of an artist or a work of art) recall (an earlier work or style) in such away as to suggest a relationship with it

e.g.:

He alludes to Bernard Shaw in his paper.

The minister of finance only alluded to some of these points in his budgetspeech.

She had a way of alluding to Jane Austen but never saying her name.

elude

escape from or avoid (a danger, enemy, or pursuer),typically in a skilful or cunning way.

avoid compliance with (a law or penalty)

(of an achievement or something desired) fail to be attained by (someone)

Synonyms: evade, avoid

e.g.:

He tried to elude the security men by sneaking through a back door.

She was tired but sleep still eluded her.

They need to ensure that tax evaders do not elude tough penalties.

Success eluded him in spite of his best efforts.

adverse

preventing success or development; unfavourable,disadvantageous

e.g.:

Some of these developments have been very encouraging, but some have had avery adverse effect on all of us.

Her efforts to control the children have had an adverse effect on thefamily.

Newer anticonvulsants with less adverse effects may present better treatmentoptions.

averse

having a strong dislike of or opposition to something

e.g.:

The risk averse attitude of many local authorities is hampering thedevelopment of world class facilities.

The elderly leader is not averse to change.

'Sit on the fence' is an idiom used when someone does not want to choose ormake a decision.

aid

help, typically of a practical nature

financial or material help given to a country or area in need

(verb) help or support (someone or something) in the achievementof something

Synonyms: assistance, support; donations, funding

e.g.:

He saw the driver slumped in his seat and went to his aid.

It is illegal to aid and abet a suicide.

We have all seen over the years, aid pouring into some African countries,only to vanish into thin air.

aide

an assistant to an important person, especially a politicalleader

short for aide-de-camp

e.g.:

He was appointed as a presidential aide.

She worked as a nursing aide for several years.

The expression 'To knuckle down' originated from playing marbles. Playersused to put their knuckles to the ground for their best shots.

alternately

in reciprocal succession; succeeding by turns; in alternateorder; taking turns

e.g.:

We paddled alternately so neither of us would get too tired.

This episode was a sequence of alternately wry and emotionally-chargedconversations.

Arrange layers of cake and ice cream alternately in a glass dish beforechilling it.

alternatively

having or choosing another option

e.g.:

Some exposure to programming is useful; alternatively you should be able toshow some mathematical aptitude.

You could take a bus, or alternatively there are usually taxis availableimmediately outside the railway station.

Clich(clee-shay)is a phrase which has been used so much that it is nolonger interesting or effective. Eg.last but not the least.

assure

tell someone something positively to dispel any doubts;guarantee; promise

make sure of something

e.g.:

He assured me that there was a supermarket in the village.

She assured herself that the child was asleep before she left the room.

Victory was now assured and so the coach could relax.

ensure

make certain that (something) will occur

make certain of obtaining or providing (something)

make sure that (a problem) does not occur; safeguard, protect

e.g.:

The client must ensure that accurate records are kept.

Legislation must ensure equal opportunities for all.

It is vital to ensure that they are handled in such a way that gives nogrounds for accusations of favouritism.

To lead a meaningful life, u need to cherish others, pay attention to humanvalues and try to cultivate inner space-Dalai Lama.

What's a teacher's favourite nation? Expla - nation.

acme

the highest point; point of culmination; peak

the point at which something is at its best or most highly developed

e.g.:

She reached the acme of her career at a very young age.

That song seemed to her the acme of musical delight.

The Dutch school of painting is said to have reached its acme in Rembrandt.

accomplice

a person who helps another commit a crime

partner in crime

Synonym: abetter

e.g.:

He took the bait and offered himself as a willing accomplice in the transferof the funds.

Mr. X and his alleged accomplice were convicted for murder.

adulation

excessive admiration or praise

Synonyms: idolization, glorification, commendation, flattery

e.g.:

The popular singer found it difficult to cope with the adulation of thefans.

She expressed disdain at the adulation the industry gives to beauty overtalent, blaming it on the influence of the Academy Awards.

Newspapers lavished adulation on the winning team.

allege

claim or assert that someone has done something illegal orwrong, typically without proof

Synonyms: claim, insinuate, impute

e.g.:

He alleged that he had been assaulted.

Two lawsuits filed by former workers allege that the company made everyeffort to cover up environmental crimes.

allegiance

loyalty or commitment to a superior or to a group or cause

Synonyms: loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, obedience, fealty

e.g.:

Those wishing to receive citizenship must swear allegiance to the republic.

Qualifications rather than political or religious allegiance carried weight.

altruistic

showing a selfless concern for the well-being of others

selfless and intended to help others

Synonym: unselfish

e.g.:

It was an entirely altruistic act.

Some people practice self denial by putting moral restraints on themselvesfor altruistic motives.

ante-

(prefix) before in time or position; in front of; previous, existingbeforehand; introductory to; preceding

e.g.:

antechamber, antenatal, antebellum, antecedent, antediluvian

anti-

(prefix) against, opposite of, counteracting

e.g.:

antibody, antisocial, anticlockwise, antidote, anti-inflammatory,antibiotics, antipathy, anticlimax

antihistamine

armed

furnished with weapons, having an arm or arms

unarmed

not having a weapon

disarmed

to give up weapons, to take weapons from someone, to make harmless

e.g.:

The man was armed with a gun.

He was unarmed when he entered the building.

The police caught that unknown man and immediately disarmed him.

disarming

(of manner or behaviour) having the effect of allaying suspicion orhostility, especially through charm; charming

e.g.:

He gave her a disarming smile.

able

to have the skill, intelligence, opportunity etc. needed to do something

unable

not having the skill, knowledge, strength etc. to do something

disable

to cause something be unable to work the normal way (such as the part of thebody)

to make someone unable to do something

e.g.:

You must be able to speak English for this job.

He is unable to speak German.

His father was disabled in a car accident.

acquiesce

accept something reluctantly but without protest

e.g.:

Victims would not acquiesce in any process aimed at facilitating an amnestyfor the terrorists who have escaped justice.

The old man's opponents were not prepared to acquiesce simply because he wasa sick man.

acquiescence

the act or condition of acquiescing or giving tacit assent; agreement orconsent by silence or without objection; compliance

e.g.:

Their best hope of avoiding war lies in their acquiescence.

His great sin is acquiescence in this secrecy.

alacrity

brisk and cheerful readiness

Synonyms: amenability, willingness, eagerness, readiness

Antonym: apathy

e.g.:

She accepted the invitation with an alacrity that surprised me.

Having just acquired his driver's license that morning, the teen agreed withalacrity to drive his uncle to the airport.

abject

(of something bad) experienced or present to the maximum degree

(of a situation or condition) extremely unpleasant and degrading

(of a person or his/her behaviour) completely without pride or dignity;self-abasing

Synonyms: wretched, miserable, hopeless, pathetic, pitiful, pitiable,piteous, woeful, lamentable,

degrading

obsequious, grovelling, humiliating

Antonyms: commendable, noble, exalted, proud

e.g.:

The news of her husband's death plunged her into abject misery.

Most prisoners had dreadful childhoods, raised in abject poverty.

No words can express the contempt all decent people would feel for suchabject cowardice.

The abject apology given by him as the head of the organisation was hardlynecessary.

Root - a/an - not, without

Examples with meanings:

abyss - without bottom

achromatic - without colour

anhydrous - without water

Root - a - on

Examples with meanings:

afire - on fire

ashore - on the shore

aside - on the side

Root - ab/s - from, away, off

Examples with meanings:

abduct - carry away by force

abnormal - away from normal, not normal

absent - away, not present

Root - ac/ad - to, toward, near

Examples with meanings:

accelerate - to increase the speed of

accessible - easily entered, approached, or obtained

admittance - allowing into

Root - acro - top, height, tip, beginning

Examples with meanings:

acrobat - a skilled performer of gymnastic feats, as walkingon a tightrope or

swinging on a trapeze

acronym - an abbreviation formed from the initial letters ofother words and

pronounced as a word

acrophobia - fear of height

Root - act - do

Examples with meanings:

activity - something that a person does

react - to do something in response

interaction - communication between two or more things