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Wordlist A-1
(abase – acumen)
abase
•Behave in a very humble
way
The new servant hated behaving in an
abase manner in front of his royal
employers.
abash
• Embarrass
The writer felt abashed seeing the
amount of attention he was receiving.
abate
• Subside
• Moderate
By the next morning, the flood waters
had abated considerably.
abbreviate
• Shorten
Because she was running out of time,
the lecturer had to abbreviate her
speech.
abdicate
• Renounce
• Give up
He abdicated his entire estate and
retired into the forests, spending the rest
of his life in a log cabin.
aberration
• Abnormality
• Departure from the norm
It remains the consensus among investors
on Wall Street that current high oil prices
are a temporary aberration and that we
shall soon see a return to cheap oil.
abet
• Assist, usually in doing
something wrong
• Encourage
She was unwilling to abet him in the
swindle he had planned.
abeyance
•Suspended action
The storm showed no signs of abeyance.
abhor
•Detest
•Hate
She abhorred all forms of flattery.
abject
• Wretched
• Lacking pride
More than three million people in India
are said to live in abject poverty.
abjure
• Renounce upon oath
To save his skin, he simply abjured every
statement they made.
ablution
• Washing
It is the traditional custom to enter any
religious place after our ablutions.
abnegation
•Renunciation
•Self-sacrifice
The more they tried to make him
confess, the more he sank into
abnegation.
abolish
• Cancel
• Put an end to
The Principal of the college refused to
abolish the Physical Education
requirement.
abominable
• Detestable
• Extremely unpleasant
• Very bad
He is known for his abominable taste of
dressing and etiquette.
aboriginal
• Being the first of its kind in a region
• Primitive
• Native
Her studies of the primitive art forms of
the aboriginal Africans were widely
reported in the scientific journals.
abortive
•Unsuccessful
•fruitless
Attacked by armed troops, the Chinese
students had to abandon their abortive
attempt to democratize Beijing peacefully.
abrasive
•Rubbing away
•Tending to grind down
The builder explained that the material
was abrasive and hence would easily
crumble to powder.
abridge
•Condense
•Shorten
As the publishers felt that the public wanted
a shorter version of ‘War and Peace’, they
proceeded to abridge the novel.
abrogate
•Abolish
•Repeal
It was Abraham Lincoln who took the
initiative to abrogate slavery in America.
abscission
•Removed by sending off,
as in surgery
•Separation
Gangrene spreads so swiftly and is so
potentially deadly that doctors advise
abscission.
abscond
•Depart secretly and hide
The clerk who absconded with the cash was
not captured until someone recognized him
from his photograph on ‘India’s Most
Wanted’.
absolve
•Pardon an offense
•Forgive
•Acquit
The priest put his hand on Ned’s head
and said that he would pray to God and
ask him to absolve him of all his sins.
abstain
•Refrain
•Withhold from
participation
On every Tuesday, Jim abstains from
meat and alcohol.
abstemious
•Sparing in eating and
drinking
Concerned whether her son’s abstemious
diet provided sufficient protein, the worried
mother pressed food on him.
abstinence
•Restraint from eating or
drinking
The doctor recommended total
abstinence from salted food.
abstruse
•Obscure
•Profound
•Difficult to understand
The abstruse content of the
Shakespearean text completely baffled
him.
abusive
•Coarsely insulting
•Physically harmful
She has been coping for years with a
drunk and abusive husband.
abut
•Border upon
•Adjoin
Where our estates abut, we must build a
fence.
abysmal
•Bottomless
The abysmal performance of the team in
the recent tournament sorely
disappointed the coach.
abyss
•Enormous chasm
•Vast, bottomless pit
The hero of the film seized the evil
terrorist and hurled him into the abyss.
accede
•agree
If Jack accedes to the demand for
blackmail, he’s afraid that he’ll be the
victim of future demand.
accessible
•Easy to approach
We asked our guide whether the ruins
were accessible on foot.
accessory
•Additional object
•Useful but not essential
thing
Today, a trendy cell phone is not just a
gadget but also a fashion accessory to
flaunt in public.
acclaim
•Applaud
•Announce with great
approval
Her beautiful performance onstage was
greatly acclaimed by the audience.
acclimate
•Adjust to climate or
environment
•Adapt
One of the difficulties of our present age is
the need of travellers to acclimate
themselves to their new and often strange
environments.
acclivity
•Sharp upslope of a hill
The car could not go up the acclivity in
high gear.
accolade
•Award of merit
In Hollywood, an ‘Oscar’ is the highest
accolade.
accomplice
•Partner in crime
Because she had provided the criminal
with the lethal weapon, she was
arrested as an accomplice in the murder.
accord
•Agreement
She was in complete accord with the
verdict.
accost
•Approach and speak first
to a person
When the two young men accosted her,
she was frightened because she thought
they were going to attack her.
accoutre
•Equip
The fisherman was accoutred with the
best that the sporting goods store could
supply.
accretion
•Growth
•Increase
Over the years Bob put on weight,
because of this accretion of flesh, he
went from size M to size XL.
accrue
•Comes about by addition
You must pay the interest that has
accrued on your debt as well as the
principal sum.
acerbity
•Bitterness of speech and
temper
The meeting of the Parliament was marked
with such acerbity that little hope of
reaching a common consensus could be
seen.
acetic
•Vinegary
The pickle had an exceedingly acetic flavor.
acidulous
•Slightly sour
•Sharp
•Caustic
James was unpopular because of his
sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
acknowledge
•Recognize
•Admit
The greeting of the student was
acknowledged by a curt nod of the
professor.
acme
•Peak
•Pinnacle
•Highest point
The actor’s success in receiving the Oscar
award marked the acme of his career,
never again did he achieve such acclaim.
acoustics
•Science of sound
•Quality that makes a room
easy or hard to hear in
This auditorium is liked by music lovers
because of its fine acoustics.
acquiesce
•Assent
•Agree passively
Although she appeared to acquiesce to the
employer’s suggestions, one could tell she
had reservations about making the changes.
acquittal
•Deliverance from a charge
His acquittal by the judge surprised
those who had thought him guilty.
acrid
•Sharp
•Bitterly pungent
The acrid odour of burnt gunpowder
filled the room after the pistol had been
fired.
acrimonious
•Bitter in words or manner
The candidate attacked his opponent in
highly acrimonious terms.
acrophobia
•Fear of heights
A born salesman, he could convince
someone with acrophobia to sign up for
a membership in a sky-diving club.
actuarial
•Calculating
•Pertaining to insurance
•Statistics
According to recent actuarial tables, life
expectancy is greater today than it was a
century ago.
actuate
•Motivate
Jim failed to understand what actuated
Lisa to reply to his letter so nastily.
acuity
•Sharpness
In time, his youthful acuity of vision
failed him , and he needed glasses.
acumen
•Mental keenness
Her business acumen helped her to
succeed where others had failed.
Wordlist A-2
(adage-agrarian)
adage
•Wise saying
•Proverb
There is much truth in the old adage
about fools and their money.
addendum
•Addition
•Appendix to a book
This year, the company has put in a new
addendum to the existing set of rules
and regulations.
addle
•Muddle
•Drive crazy
Ken became addled by all this talk
because he just couldn’t understand
what Dorothy was saying.
adept
•Expert at
Stand up comedians are adept at the
fine at of imitating others.
adhere
•Stick fast
The accused said he would adhere to his
statement until proven guilty.
adherent
•Supporter
•Follower
The little puppy stuck to Jane like an
adherent.
adjacent
•Adjoining
•Neighbouring
•Close by
Philip’s best friend Jason lived in the
adjacent house, just five feet away.
adjunct
•Something attached to,
but holding an inferior
position
Lastly, the lawyer made another adjunct
to the will on the advice of the client.
adjuration
•Solemn urging
Broken hearted with the verdict, the
captain decided to make an adjuration
to a higher court.
adjutant
•Staff officer assisting the
commander
•Assistant
Jerry had secured a summer job as the
chemist’s adjutant.
admonish
•Warn
•Reprove
When her husband questioned her religious
beliefs, Mary admonished him, declaring
that she would worship as she pleased.
•
•
•
•
•
adorn
Decorate
Ornament
Beautify
Enhance
Embellish
The lady loved to adorn herself with gold
and diamond jewellery.
adroit
• Skillful
• Clever
• Adept
• Dexterous
Being an army officer’s daughter, she
was quite adroit at all the physical
exercises they asked her to do.
adulation
•Flattery
•Admiration
By now, the film star was sick of all the
adulation he was drawing.
adulterate
•Make impure by adding
inferior substances
It is a crime to adulterate food without
informing the buyer.
advent
•Arrival
Ever since the advent of mobile
telephones, the world of communication
has been completely revolutionized.
adventitious
•Accidental
•Casual
That they would meet like this at a coffee
shop after twenty years of being separated
was too adventitious to believe.
adversary
•Opponent
•Enemy
•Foe
One should never underestimate his
adversaries.
adversity
•Poverty
•Misfortune
We must learn to meet adversity
gracefully.
advert
•Refer to
Since you advert to this matter so
frequently, you must regard it as
important.
advocacy
•Support
•Active pleading on behalf
of someone or something
No threats could dissuade Peter from his
advocacy of the rights of the slum
dwellers.
advocate
•Urge
•Plead for
What was really shocking was that he
advocated the use of violence in their
protests.
aegis
•Shield
•Defense
Under the aegis of the local trade union,
a new community store was opened.
aerie
•Nest of a large bird of
prey like an eagle or hawk
The hunter was arrested for attacking an
aerie of a bald eagle, as they are an
endangered species.
aesthetic
•Artistic
•Dealing with or capable of
appreciating the beautiful
The beauty of Tiffany’s stained glass
appealed to Alice’s aesthetic sense.
affable
•courteous
Jim had seemed like an affable person
to Veronica, but his neighbour said he
was often rude to her family.
affidavit
•Written statement made
under oath
They made him sign an affidavit before
releasing him.
affiliation
•Joining
•Associating with
The local school seeked affiliation with a
foreign educator for bringing in new
innovations in the teaching methodology.
affinity
•Kinship
Angel has an affinity for street dogs and
puppies and often brings them home for
caring.
affirmation
•Confirmation
The audience were to signal their
affirmation by waving a green card.
affix
•Attach or add on
•Fasten
One has to affix stamps on the letters
before posting them or else they would
be returned back.
affliction
•State of distress
•Cause of suffering
Even in the midst of her affliction, Jane
tried to keep up the spirits of those
around her.
affluence
•Abundance
•Wealth
Even before entering the bungalow, the
family’s affluence was clearly obvious by the
number of imported cars parked outside.
affront
•Insult
•Offend
The businessman considered it a personal
affront when he was not seated in the front
row at the programme.
agape
•Open-mouthed
The crowd stared agape as the soldiers
broke open the store and dragged out
the shopkeeper.
agglomeration
•Collection
•Heap
John’s post-nuptial party boasted an
agglomeration of intellectuals, media
barons, industrialists and the like.
aggrandize
•Increase or intensify
•Raise in power, wealth,
rank or honor
His migraine was aggrandized to a peak
by the loud blaring music.
aggregate
•Gather
•Accumulate
Many politicians have allegedly managed
to aggregate great wealth because of
their corrupt ways.
aghast
•Horrified
She was aghast to hear that she had lost
her job.
agility
•Nimbleness
The agility of sportspersons is one of the
prime factors for winning the match.
agnostic
• One who is skeptical
(doubtful) of the existence of
God or any ultimate reality
There was no celebration for Christmas
in their house because they were
agnostics.
agog
•Highly excited
•Intensely curious
The audience was all agog with curiosity,
wanting to know more about the daily
schedule of the film star.
agrarian
•Pertaining to land or its
cultivation
His ancestral home was located in an
agrarian and rural part of the country.
Wordlist A-3
(alacrity – amputate)
alacrity
•Cheerful promptness
•Eagerness
The children were excited to go for the
picnic, and they packed their camping
gear in the jeep with alacrity.
alchemy
•Medieval chemistry
The old sage was skilled in alchemy and
occult sciences.
alcove
•Nook
•Recess
She sat quietly by the alcove with a book
in her hands.
alias
•An assumed name
His most commonly used alias was
‘Carlos’.
alienate
•Make hostile
•Separate
Her very attitude seemed to alienate
people instead of drawing them close to
her.
alimony
•Payments made to an exspouse after divorce
After the divorce, most of his income
was taken up by the hefty alimony he
had to send to his former wife.
allay
•Calm
•Pacify
Their fear of the tiger attacking them
was allayed when the zookeeper assured
them that the animal was well-trained.
allege
•State without proof
Later they even dared to allege that he
had helped the prisoner to escape.
allegiance
•Loyalty
The football fan maintained allegiance to
the club he had been supporting since
he was a child.
allegory
•Story in which characters
are used as symbols
•Fable
Gulliver’s Travels is an allegory wherein
the Lilliputians are symbolic of the
British government at that time.
alleviate
•Relieve
The painkillers were unsuccessful in
alleviating his stomach ache.
allocate
•Assign
The group members were allocated
different tasks according to their skills.
alliteration
• Occurrence of the same letter
or sound at the beginning of
words next to each other
‘Coca Cola’, is the best example of an
alliteration.
allude
•Refer indirectly
‘Which example are you alluding to?’
asked the professor.
allure
•Entice
•Attract
Jiah has a unique sense of charm and
allure which makes her extremely
popular among the men.
allusion
•Indirect reference
She was perhaps making a reference or
allusion to the incident that had taken
place five years ago.
aloft
•Upward
Beaming with pride, he held aloft the
trophy and kissed it before the roaring
crowds.
aloof
•Apart
•Reserved
He stood by himself aloof from the
crowd.
altercation
•Noisy quarrel
As per the eyewitnesses, the altercation
between the two men started because
of the lady accompanying them.
altruistic
•Unselfishly generous
•Concerned for others
Because of his altruistic nature, he has
no qualms about donating even millions
to charity.
amalgamate
•Combine
•Unite in one body
The unions will attempt to amalgamate
their groups into one national body.
amass
•Collect
Over the years, she has managed to
amass hordes of supporters for her
political party.
ambidextrous
•Capable of using either
hand with equal ease
To be skilled at that game, you need to
be ambidextrous and make use of both
your hands at equal ease.
ambience
•Environment
•Atmosphere
The restaurant had a relaxed ambience
and feel to it, you couldn’t help but feel
comfortable.
ambiguous
•Unclear or doubtful in
meaning
His ambiguous directions misled us ; we
did not know which road to take.
ambivalence
• The state of having
contradictory or conflicting
emotional attitudes
Torn between loving her parents one minute
and hating them the next, she was confused
by the ambivalence of her feelings.
amble
•Moving at an easy pace
Soaking in the lush greenery around
them, they ambled along behind the
guide on the long winding road.
ambrosia
•Food of the gods
After weeks of eating bland, tasteless
food, the dinner cooked by Zoya felt as
good as ambrosia to Neil.
ambulatory
•Able to walk
Being still in an ambulatory stage, Mr.
Rogers will not resume duty for another
fortnight or so.
ameliorate
•Improve
It was his deep-seated desire to
ameliorate and improve the condition of
his poorer relations.
amenities
•Convenient features
Even the most basic amenities were not
available in that village.
amenable
•Readily managed
•Willing to be led
Provided he finds the terms amenable,
he will sign the document.
amend
•Correct
•Change, generally for the
better
After twenty years of bitter quarrel, the
son now wanted to make amends and
patch up with his father.
amiable
•Agreeable
•Lovable
Lara has such a sweet, amiable
personality.
amicable
•Friendly
Jeremy seems to be an amicable person,
as he is always smiling and cheerful.
amiss
•Wrong
•Faulty
As soon as George entered the room
and saw the broken glass pieces on the
floor, he knew something was amiss.
amity
•Friendship
After years of conflict, the two countries
are now proceeding towards a feeling of
amity and harmony.
amnesty
•Pardon
On seeing the mayor arriving at the
court, the prisoners begged for amnesty.
amnesia
•Loss of memory
The doctor said that on account of the head
injury, Sara was afflicted with amnesia so
she wouldn’t remember anything for some
weeks or maybe months.
amok
•In a state of rage
The elephant ran amok among the
stunned and fearful people on the city
roads.
amoral
•Non-moral
Clara was stunned to discover that her
husband was such a corrupt, amoral man
that he wouldn’t even hesitate to cheat his
own best friend.
amorous
•Moved by love
•Loving
The pretty young lady rejected the man’s
amorous advances.
amorphous
•Shapeless
•Vague
•Indeterminate
Joan was such a drab, amorphous
character as compared to Vera.
amphibian
•Able to live both on land
and in water
Few people like to have an amphibian as
a pet as they are tough to keep.
amphitheater
•Oval building with tiers of
seats
In Rome, their primary tourist attraction
was the amphitheater.
amplify
•Enlarge
The blaring music at the party was
amplified even after repeated requests
by the neighbours.
amputate
•Cut off part of body
Jack’s leg had started to show signs of
gangrene, so the surgeon decided to
amputate his leg beyond the knee.
Wordlist A-4
(anachronism – aptitude)
anachronism
•Something or someone
misplaced in time
Shakespeare’s reference to clocks in
Julius Caesar is an anachronism, no
clocks existed in Caesar’s time.
analgesic
•Causing insensitivity to
pain
The pain was so severe that Peter had to
opt for an analgesic pill.
analogous
•Comparable
She called our attention to the things that
had been done in an analogous situation
and recommended that we do the same.
analogy
•Similarity
•Parallelism
To explain the concept of writing a program
in a simpler manner, Bob took an analogy of
cooking a dish and listed out each step.
anarchist
•Person who rebels against
the established order
The country was soon becoming
anarchist; it was so full of chaos and
disorganization.
anarchy
•Absence of governing
body
The assassination of the leaders led to a
period of anarchy.
anathema
•Solemn curse
•Someone or something
that is despised
Taxes are anathema to most people.
ancillary
•Serving as an aid or
accessory
•Auxilliary
There was an ancillary clause in the will,
which stated that unless she was
married, she wouldn’t inherit the estate.
anecdote
•Short account of an
amusing or interesting
event
Our old grandfather loved to tell funny
anecdotes from his past and make us all
laugh.
anemia
•Condition in which blood
lacks red corpuscles
The girl looked too pale, colourless and
thin; the doctor suspected she suffered
from anemia.
anesthetic
•Substance that removes
sensation with or without
loss of consciousness
Paul was so cold-hearted even about his
own self that he refused an anesthetic
before the surgery.
anguish
•Acute pain
•Extreme suffering
Daisy’s sudden disappearance caused a
lot of anguish to his family.
angular
•Sharp-cornered
•Stiff in manner
Dan was tall, slim-built with an angular
jaw and short brown hair.
animadversion
•Critical remark
She resented the animadversions of her
critics, particularly because she realised
that they were true.
animated
•Lively
•Spirited
The conversation at the party was lively
and animated.
animosity
•Active enmity
He confessed he did not bear any
animosity towards his opponent.
animus
•Hostile feeling or intent
Jim holds an unhealthy amount of
animus and dislike towards his
neighbours.
annals
•Records
•History
The movement led by Mahatma Gandhi
has found place in the annals of history.
anneal
•Reduce brittleness and
improve toughness by
heating and cooling
The metal was annealed before use in
the production, for improving durability.
annex
•Attach
•Take possession of
All the medieval kings increased the extent
of their empires by waging wars against
other countries and annexing their
territories after winning them.
annihilate
•Destroy
Filled with anguish and remorse at losing his
only son in an auto accident, he swore to
annihilate rash driving by promoting ‘If
drunk, don’t drive’ campaign.
annotate
•Comment
•Make explanatory notes
The book was filled with so many
annotates that it distracted him from
reading it.
annul
•Make void
The business was annulled barely one
month after its inception due to
incompatibility of the partners.
annuity
•Yearly allowance
The siblings began quarreling among
themselves for their annuity from their
dead father’s estate.
anodyne
•Drug that relieves pain
Her acute pain was considerably reduced
by taking the prescribed anodynes by
her doctor.
anoint
• Make or declare something holy
• Officially make someone a
bishop
• Consecrate
The senior priest anointed John as the
new bishop.
anomalous
•Abnormal
•Irregular
She was placed in the anomalous
position of seeming to approve
procedures that she despised.
anomaly
•Irregularity
Saying that Lance Armstrong, six-time
Tour-De-France champion, doesn’t like
cycling would be an anomaly.
anonymity
•State of being nameless
On being assured anonymity, the prime
witness confirmed seeing the minister
visiting the party hosted by the accused.
antagonism
•Hostility
•Active resistance
Emily showed her antagonism towards her
new governess by turning her head away
whenever she was addressed by her.
antecedents
• Preceding events or
circumstances that
influence what comes later
His rude behavior with his parents were
antecedents to his decision to put them
in an old age home.
antediluvian
•Antiquated
•Extremely ancient
While exploring the abandoned and
dilapidated house, they came across several
antediluvian pieces of furniture and
artifacts.
anthology
•Book of literary selections
by various authors
The anthology of literary lapses was
compiled by
anthropoid
•Man-like
The new-age scientists claim that there
are anthropoids on Pluto.
anthropologist
•Student of the history and
science of humankind
Neil is extremely interested in the history
of mankind and wants to become an
anthropologist.
anthropomorphic
•Having human form or
characteristics
Scientists have discovered
anthropomorphic features in certain
fossils.
antic
•Extravagantly odd
Because of her antics, they were
extremely embarrassed and hence left
the party hurriedly.
antidote
•Remedy to counteract a
poison or disease
An antidote has been prepared to
combat the fast-spreading epidemic.
antipathy
•Aversion
•Dislike
Jim’s severe antipathy for loud noises, not
just make him stay away from parties but
also from burial services and religious
congregations.
antiquated
•Obsolete
•Outdated
Everyone turned up in modern and
trendy attire except Mr. Gomes who
came in his brown, antiquated suit.
antithesis
•Contrast
•Direct opposite of
The movie was a complete antithesis to
the book from which it was inspired.
anvil
•Iron block used in
hammering out metals
The shoemakers use the anvil to make
shoes and sandals.
apathy
•Lack of caring
•Indifference
The young students were shocked to find
the apathy of the citizens who didn’t
bother to vote.
aperture
•Opening
•Hole
The camera’s aperture was too small to
admit sufficiently large amount of light.
apex
•Tip
•Summit
At the apex of the shrine was a golden
spire-like structure.
aphasia
•Loss of speech due to
injury or illness
The professor was diagnosed with aphasia,
which meant he would not be able to speak
and hence could not conduct any lectures.
aphorism
•A clear maxim or saying
Jeff blindly followed the aphorism of “All
is fair in love and war,” and behaved as
he deemed fit, creating many enemies.
apiary
•A place where bees are
kept
Jim’s new profession is to produce honey
from his apiary.
aplomb
•Poise
•Composure
Shelly walked into the meeting with
aplomb, full of confidence.
apocalyptic
•Prophetic
•Pertaining to revelations,
especially of disaster
Bad news started flowing in from all
directions; it felt like an apocalyptic
moment.
apocryphal
•Untrue
•Made up
The means by which he had secured the
driving license was in all probability,
apocryphal.
apolitical
•Having an aversion or lack
of concern for political
affairs
The attitude of remaining apolitical by the
young generation will lead to the decline of
the democratic setup of the government.
apogee
•Highest point
Sachin Tendulkar reached the apogee of
his career when he scored 100 centuries,
breaking all previous records.
apologist
•One who writes in
defense of a cause or
institution
Being an apologist, the young leader had to
face a lot of wrath of the governing body, as
he directly blamed it for poverty in the
country.
apostate
•A person who abandons a
belief or principle
After the priest’s death, many devout
followers turned apostates.
apothecary
•druggist
Harry was an apothecary, dealing with
rare and life-saving medicines.
apothegm
•Clear, concise and
compact saying
Every sentence spoken by the great
industrialist is so revered by all that they
treated it as if it were an apothegm.
apotheosis
•Elevation to godhood
A few years ago, David Beckham was the
object of apotheosis, but now he’s just
another fallen idol.
apparition
•Ghost
•Phantom
Rumours have always been doing the rounds
that every full moon night, apparitions are
seen near The Taj Mahal, but no concrete
proof has been found yet.
appease
•Pacify or soothe
•Relieve
The father always tried to appease his son by
gifting him expensive gadgets, to
compensate his inability to give him time.
appellation
•Name
•Title
Today, young children have to be taught
the real appellation of Mahatma
Gandhi.
append
•Attach
It was decided by the college authorities to
append the new clause of not wearing short
clothes, to the existing rules and regulations.
apposite
•Appropriate
•Fitting
Most women like to have apposite
accessories for their outfits, especially
when attending parties.
appraise
•Estimate value of
To appraise the real value of the
painting, the curator of a museum was
called for.
apprehend
•Arrest a criminal
•Dread
•Perceive
The culprit was apprehended minutes after
the crime was detected as he had dropped
his wallet which had his passport in it.
apprehensive
•Fearful
Jane was apprehensive of her marriage
to Steve as she barely knew him.
apprise
•Inform
After being apprised of the danger of
tsunami, the fishermen decided to stay
away from the sea for some time.
approbation
•Approval
He has gone out of town for some
business on approbation by his
physician as he is unwell.
appurtenances
•Subordinate possessions
To set up their new home, the young couple
decided to postpone the buying of
appurtenances due to shortage of funds.
apropos
•With reference to
•Regarding
Apropos the advertisement in the
newspaper, there was a rush for booking
of the seats.
aptitude
•Fitness
•Talent
Her aptitude for dancing has helped her
win many trophies and awards.
Wordlist A-5
(aquiline – azure)
aquiline
•Curved
•Hooked
The culprit was recognised and arrested
in a very short time, due to his
distinctive aquiline features.
arabesque
•Style of decoration
involving intertwined
plants and abstract curves
Janet loved the arabesque design of the
carpet and insisted on buying it in spite
of its high pricing.
arable
•Fit for ploughing
The alluvial soil near the delta region is
more arable for rice.
arbiter
• Person with power to
decide a matter in a dispute
• Judge
George acted as an arbiter in the bitter
battle of child custody in case of
divorces.
arbitrary
•Unreasonable
•Tyrannical
In many countries, brides are still
chosen on arbitrary grounds like fair
complexion.
arboretum
• Place where different
varieties of trees and
shrubs are studied and
exhibited
The college is planning to build a huge
arboretum for botany students.
arcane
•Secret
•Mysterious
The arcane matters of the government,
discussed behind closed doors, were
being leaked out.
archaeology
•Study of artifacts and
relics of early mankind
In spite of being highly interested in
archaeology, she chose to pursue
management studies due to parental
pressure.
archaic
•Antiquated
The interiors of the house were archaic
and not suitable for modern living.
archetype
•Prototype
•Primitive pattern
Tim was the archetypal professor who
refused to adapt his methodology to new
and modern techniques that could interest
today’s students.
archipelago
•Group of closely located
islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an
archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
archives
•Public records
•Place where public
records are kept
The detective searched for the
information in newspaper archives.
ardor
•Heat
•Passion
•Zeal
The new recruit showed tremendous ardor
for the project and completed it in two days
instead of the designated time of ten days.
arduous
•Hard
•Strenuous
Due to an arduous adult life, she now
suffered from various ailments, both
physical and emotional.
argot
•slang
Both the children developed a new kind
of argot so that their parents would not
understand their secretive talks.
aria
•A song for a solo voice in
an opera
The opera began with an exquisite aria
that moved people to tears.
armada
•A fleet of warships
An armada of warrior ships was seen in the
enemy waters, which alerted the fishermen
who in turn reported to the authorities.
aromatic
•Fragrant
Aromatic oils are very effective to
combat stress -related diseases.
arraign
•Charge in court
•Indict
Hardly a few days after reconciliation
with his estranged wife, Jeremy was
arraigned for domestic violence.
array
•Draw up in order
•Clothe
•Adorn
She was stunned at the beautiful array of
gowns at the new boutique.
arrears
•Being in debt
He was in deep depression as he was
stressed due to heavy arrears incurred
because of losses in his business.
arroyo
•gully
Feeling nostalgic, Tom went near the arroyo
behind his old house where he had spent
many hours playing with his friends.
arrythmic
•Lacking rhythm or
regularity
The doctors feared his arrythmic heart
beats might be the symptom of a
possible heart attack.
arsenal
•Storage place for military
equipment
Our soldiers discovered an arsenal at
the outskirts of the enemy territory and
destroyed it.
articulate
•Effective
•Distinct
Being very articulate in her speech, she
was selected to represent her school at
the international debate competition.
artifact
•Products of primitive
culture
Whenever they visit different countries,
they collect artifacts and the collection
has kept growing.
artifice
•Deception
•Trickery
Mary decided to call off their
relationship as it was based on artifice;
Tom was already married.
ascribe
•Refer
•Attribute
•Assign
The decline of the historical dynasty can
be correctly ascribed to the wayward
lifestyle of the last emperor.
aseptic
•Preventing infection
•Having a cleansing effect
The aseptic atmosphere of the house
made it feel like a hospital.
ashen
•Ash coloured
•Deadly pale
Her ashen face worried her family and
made her undergo a complete medical
check up.
asinine
•Stupid
Though she was beautiful, her reply
seemed very asinine to the judges and
dismissed her from the beauty contest.
askance
•With a sideways or
indirect look
Freida looked askance at Peter,
wondering how he would accomplish
the difficult task.
askew
•Crooked
•Slanted
•At an angle
The superstar had the habit of wearing
his cap askew, adhering to the latest
fashion trend.
asperity
•Sharpness of temper
It was not right on Susan’s part to use
such asperity while scolding Fiona; the
child was close to tears.
aspersion
•Slanderous remark
The manager cast aspersions on his
character, which led him to give in his
resignation.
assail
•assault
The controversial socialite was assailed
with all kinds of questions at the grand
party hosted by her.
assent
•Agree
•Accept
Henry waited impatiently for her assent
in response to his proposal.
assert
•State strongly or
positively
•Insist on
He strongly asserted himself while
voicing his argument against the rules
imposed by the authorities.
assimilate
•Absorb
•Cause to become
homogenous
Maria takes twice as much time as
others her age to assimilate the facts
presented to her.
assuage
•Ease or lessen pain
•Satisfy hunger
•Soothe anger
He tries to assuage the guilt of not spending
enough time with his children by giving
them expensive gifts all the time.
astigmatism
•Eye defect that prevents
proper focus
After the complaint of double vision, she
was tested by an opthalmologist who
diagnosed her with astigmatism.
astral
•Relating to the stars
The man claimed that he had seen an
astral body floating over his field.
astronomical
•Enormously large or
extensive
The new price of the air tickets are
astronomical, thus leading to
displeasure of the commuters.
astute
•Wise
•Shrewd
Despite Aryan’s young age, he was very
astute in all his dealings.
asunder
•Into parts
•Apart
The big, joint family was divided asunder
when a bitter quarrel ensued between
them on a trivial matter.
atavism
• Resemblance to remote
ancestors rather than to
parents
• Throwback
Suddenly, there was an atavism of good
fortune and he became extremely successful
in his career, rising from the rank of a clerk
to a manager.
atheistic
•Denying the existence of
God
Derek has shown an atheistic bend of
mind when he refused to participate in
the religious ceremonies .
atone
•Make amends for
•Pay for
The notorious dacoit wanted to atone
for his sins, so he decided to surrender
himself to the police.
atrocity
•Brutal deed
The island of Andaman was infamous for
the atrocities incurred on the prisoners.
atrophy
•Wasting away
Certain steroids cause skin atrophy,
leading to severe pain and discomfort to
the patients.
attentuate
•Make thinner
•Weaken or lessen
The recent recession attentuated the
cash flow to a mere trickle.
attrition
•Gradual wearing down
A large number of network marketing
companies are facing attrition and are
losing their consultants every day.
audacious
•Daring
•bold
The conservative party members squirmed
at the audacious remarks passed by the
young politician who was unaware of the
tricks of the trade.
augury
•Omen
•Prophecy
His sense of augury is so pronounced
that he can even predict events that
would occur hundred years later.
august
•Impressive
•Majestic
The pandemonium immediately fell to a
murmur when the audience felt the
august presence of the Queen.
augment
•Increase
Kevin was desperately looking for ways to
augment his income as his family was
continuously facing one health problem
after the other.
aureole
•Sun’s corona
•Halo
The devotees were so mesmerized by
the speech of the saint that they sensed
an aureole around his head.
auroral
•Pertaining to the aurora
borealis
There was an auroral glow in the skies as
they stared with wonder and
amazement at the beautiful spectacle.
authenticate
•Prove genuine
The judge asked Peter to authenticate
himself when he declared in the court that
he was the rightful claimant to the dead
man’s property.
authoritarian
•Favoring or exercising
total control
•Non-democratic
As Fiona’s father was a strict authoritarian,
he refused to acknowledge her marriage to
Sam, on the grounds of social disparity.
autocrat
•Having absolute,
unchecked power
•Dictatorial
The autocratic government failed to create a
peaceful environment to its citizens, rather
it caused discontent and discord.
automaton
•Mechanism that imitates
actions of humans
The scientists are hell-bent on building
an automaton as availability of human
labour is continually on the decline.
autonomous
•Self-governing
As the college is autonomous, it could
bring in revolutionary ideas to educate
young minds.
autopsy
•Examination of a dead
body
•Postmortem
An autopsy needs to be conducted to
ascertain the cause of the untimely
death of Jane.
auxiliary
•Offering or providing help
•Additional or subsidiary
They have added an auxiliary
department to the main store.
avalanche
•Great mass of falling
snow and ice
They were caught in an avalanche and
somehow managed to survive till help
came.
avarice
•Greed for wealth
Avarice is the sole reason for his
treachery.
avenge
•Take vengeance for
something ( or on behalf
of someone)
Tom vowed to avenge his father’s brutal
murder.
aver
•Assert confidently
•Declare
The Principal averred that the new
regulation of daily compulsory
attendance has been scrapped.
aversion
•Firm dislike
Dorothy had a strong aversion towards
flowers.
avert
•Prevent
•Turn away
Clint tried to avert the accident by
turning his car to the extreme left.
aviary
•Enclosure for birds
Jeremy has built a beautiful aviary in his
garden.
avid
•Greedy
•Eager for
Dave is an avid admirer of horror
movies.
avocation
•Secondary or minor
occupation
Playing guitar is her favourite avocation.
avuncular
•Like an uncle
Because of his avuncular nature,
Prof. Gordon attracts many young
students.
awry
•Distorted
•Crooked
Fred held his head awry, wondering at
the weird decoration at the party.
axiom
•Self-evident truth
requiring no proof
Strongly believing in the axiom of
“Practice what you preach”, Henry
always spent his days doing hard work.
azure
•Sky blue
The beauty queen’s azure eyes
captivated the whole world.