پيشوند هاي مهم انگليسي با مفهوم و مثال

PREFIXES

Prefix	Meaning	Examples
a-, an-	not, without	amoral, anesthetic, apolitical, asocial
ab-	away from	abduction, abstain, abnormal
ad-	to, toward	adjoin, adjacent (lying near to)
ambi-	both	ambidextrous, ambivalent
ana-	up, back, again	analogy, anatomy, anagram
anti-	against	antipathy, antiwar, antisocial
apo-	from, away from	apology, apologize
auto-	self	autobiography, automobile, autocracy, automaton
bene-	good	benediction benevolent benefactor
cata-, cat-	down, against	catastrophe--a turning down
centro, centri-	around, center	concentric, centrifugal
circum-	around	circumlocution circumference, circumvent
com-	with, together	communal, community
con-	with, together	connect, confide conspire
contra-	against	contradict, contravene
de-	down, away	descend, deject (cast down)
dia-, di-	through, across	diameter, division
dis-	apart, not	disengage, discord, discomfort
dys-	ill, difficult, bad	dysfunctional, dysentery
e-	out of, from	elect (choose out of), eject (throw out)
ecto-	on the outside	ectoderm--outer skin
en-, em-	in	empathy--feeling in
endo-	within, inside	endoscope--instrument for observing inside
epi-	upon	epitaph epidermis, epicenter
eso-	inward, within	esoteric--more inward, esophagus
eu-	well, good	euthanasia--good death
ex-	out of, from	exhume, exhale, exodus
hetero-	other, different	heterosexual, heterodoxy, heterodox heterogeneous
homo-	same	homosexual, homogeneous, homogenized
hyper-	over	hypertension, hypersensitive, hyperactivity
hypo-	under	hypotension, hypodermic
il-	not	illegitimate, illicit, illegal, illegible
im-	not	imperfect, impolite, impossible
im-	into	imbibe (drink in, take in)
in-	not	indiscreet, invisible
in-	into	incorporate (take into the body)
inter-	between	intervene (come between), interstate
intra-	within	intrastate, intramural
ir-	not	irregular, irrational, irredeemable
macro-	large	macrocosm, macroeconomics
mal, male-	bad, evil	malediction malevolent, malnutrition
meta-	beyond	metaphysical
micro-	small	microscope, microcosm, microeconomics
mono-	one, single	monologue, monotheism, monarchy, monogamy
neo-	new, recent	neologism, neo-liberal, neonatology. neolithic
ob-	against	object, obstruct (build against)
palin-, pali-	back, again	palindrome
pan-	all, every	pantheism, Pan-Hellenic, panorama, pandemic
para-	false	paramilitary, paralegal, parachute
per-	through	percolate (flow through) perforate (punch through)
peri-	around	perimeter, periscope
phil-, philo-	like, lover of	philosophy, Francophile, bibliophile, philanthropy
poly-	many, several	polygon, polygamy, polytechnic, polytheism
post-	after	postgraduate, posthumous postpone
pre-	before	precede, predict (tell before)
pro-	for, forward	promote, project
pros-	toward, in front	prospect—view in front, something coming up
proto-	first	prototype, protoplasm, protobiology
pseudo	false	pseudonym, pseudoscience
re-	again, back	repeat, recede, regress (step back)
retro-	back	retrogression, retroactive
se-	away from	seduce (lead away), secede
sub-	under	submarine, subject, subhuman subterranean
sur-, super-	over, above	superhuman, superego, superintend, surpass
syn-, sym-, syl-, sys-	with, together	symphony, synonym, system, syllable
tele-	distant, far off	telephone, telepathy, television, telegram
trans-	across	transient, Transatlantic, transport (carry across)

ريشه هاي لغات انگليسي با مفهوم و مثال

COMMON ROOT WORDS AND WORD ORIGINS

Roots	Meaning	Word
alter	other	alternate, alter ego
ami, amic-	love	amiable, amicable
amphi	both ends or all sides	amphibian
ann, enni	year	anniversary, annual, biennial, perennial
anthrop	human, man	anthropology, anthropomorphic, misanthrope
aqua, aque	water	aquatic, aquarium, aqueduct
arch	chief, leader, ruler	archangel, monarch, archaic, archenemy
arthro	joint	arthritis
aud	sound	auditorium, audible, audiologist, audiotape
bell	war	belligerent, bellicose
biblio	book	bibliography, bibliophile
bio-	life	biography, autobiography, biology, antibiotic
brev	short	brief, abbreviate
cap	take, seize	capture, captivate, capacity
carn	meat	carnivorous, chili con carne
ced	yield, go	recede, secede, proceed, intercede, concession
chrom-	color	chromatic, monochrome, polychrome
chron-	time	chronicle, chronology, chronometer, synchronize
cogn	know	recognize, cognitive, incognito
cord/chord	cord	harpsichord
corp	body	corpus, corpse, corporal
crac, crat	rule, ruler	autocrat, democracy, bureaucrat, democracy
cred	believe	credible, credulous, credibility, credit, credo
cruc	cross	crucifix, crucial
crusta	shell	crustacean
crypt	hidden	cryptogram, cryptology, cryptic
culp	guilt	culpable, culprit
dei	god	deity, deify
demo-	people	demography, democracy, epidemic
dent	tooth	dentist, dentifrice, dentin
derm-	skin	dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic
dic	speak, say	dictate, predict, diction, indict
dox	belief, opinion	orthodoxy, paradox, heterodoxy
duc, duct	lead	induce, deduce, seduction, conduct, abduct
duo	two	duo
dynam-	power	dynamo, hydrodynamics
ego	self	egotist, egomania
equ	equal	equal, equity, equanimity, equate, equidistant
fac	make, do	manufacture, factory, benefactor
fil	threadlike	filament
frater	brother	fraternal, fraternize
gam-	marriage	monogamy, polygamy, bigamy
geo-	earth	geopolitical, geology, geography, geothermal
glyph	vertical groove	Hieroglyphics—Egyptian “sky writing”
grad, gress	step	gradual, progression, transgression
graph-	writing, printing	graphology, biography, telegraph, geography
gym	naked	gymnasium
gyn-	woman	gynecologist, androgynous
hemo, hema, hem	blood	hemophilia, hematology, hemoglobin
holo	whole, entire	holograph
hydro, hydr	water	dehydrate, hydraulics, hydroelectric, hydroplane
iso	equal, identical	isolate
ject	throw	inject, reject, subject, projection
jud	judge	judicial, judge, adjudicate
leg, lect	read, choose	legible, lectern, lecturer, election
liter	letter	literature, illiterate, literal
loc	place	local, location
log	word	monologue, epilogue
luc	light	lucid, elucidate
magn	large	magnify, magnate, magnificent
man	hand	manufacture, manual, manuscript
mar	sea	marine, mariner
mater	mother	maternal, maternity, matriarchy, matricide
mere	part, segment	mere
meta, met	behind, between	metacognition—behind the thinking
metri, meter-	measure	geometric, thermometer, odometer
min	small	minority, minuscule, minute
mit, miss	send	permit, submission, mission, emit,
mob, mot, mov	move	mobile, automobile, motion, promote, movie
mon	warn	premonition, admonition
mor, mort	death	mortal, mortician, immortality
morph	form, structure	metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology
mut	change	mutant, mutability, mutate
neuro	nerve	neurology, neurosis, neurobiology
nomen /nomin	name	nominal, nominate, nomenclature
nov	new	novel, renovate, innovation, novella
nym, onym	word, name	synonym, acronym, anonymous, pseudonym
odonto	tooth	orthodontist—one who straightens teeth
ortho-	straight, correct	orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic
pac	peace	pacify, Pacific Ocean, pacifist
pater	father	paternal, paternity, patricide, patrilineal, patriotic
path	feeling, suffering	sympathy, apathy, empathy, telepathy, pathology
ped, pod	foot	pedal, pedometer, centipede, gastropod
pel, puls	push	pulsate, repulsive, impulse, compel, propel
pend	hang, weigh	pendulum, pendant, suspend, pending
phon-, phono-	sound, voice	telephone, euphony, cacophony, phonograph
plan	flat	planar, plantation, plane
pneum	lung	pneumatic
pod	feet	podiatrist
port	carry	portable, transport, portage, report,
pot	power	potent, omnipotent, potentate
psych-	soul, spirit, mind	psychology, psychic, psychobiography
pugna	fight	pugnacious, pugilist
quer, quis	ask	query, inquisition,
scent, scend	climb	ascend, ascent
schizo, schiz	division, split	schizophrenic
sci	know	scientific
sciss	cut	scissors
scrib, script	write	manuscript, scribe, proscribe, scripture
sec, sect	cut	dissect, section
sed, sess	sit	sedentary, session
sens, sent	feel, be aware	sensible, sentient
sequ, secu	follow	sequence, sequel, consecutive
serv	serve, protect	service
simil	same	similar, assimilate, simile, facsimile (fax)
siphon	tube	siphon
sol	sun	solar
son	sound	sonar, resonate, unison
soph	wisdom, knowledge	philosophy, sophisticated, sophomore (wise fool)
spec, spic	look, see	spectacles, spectator, inauspicious, prospect
spir	coil	spiral
spir	breathe	inspire, respiration, conspire, perspiration
spond, spons	promise, answer for	respond, responsible
spont	by one's own force	spontaneous
stat	stay, position	station
tang, tact	touch	tactile, tangible
temp	time	temporary, temporize
ten, tent	hold	tentative, tenable, tenuous
terr	earth	subterranean, terrain, terrestrial, disinter
theo	god, deity	theology, polytheism, atheist, monotheism
therm-	heat	thermal, thermos, thermometer
trophy	nutrition, food	atrophy—without nutrition
uro	urine	urologist
vac	empty	vacation, vacuum, vacuous, vacant
ven, vent	come, go	intervene, convene, contravene
ver	truth	veracity, verify, verity
vert	turn	introvert, irreversible, vertigo
vit	life	vital, revitalize, vitamin
voc	call	revoke, invocation, vocal, evocative, convocation
zoo	animal	zoo, zoology, zoolatry

 

phob

The word phob is derived from the Greek word 'to fear'.


Phobia is defined as a persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous. They are often seemingly normal for the average person, but strike terror in the heart of the poor soul suffering from them.


Here are some of the more unusual ones I came across:


Peladophobia- Fear of bald people

Phobophobia- Fear of phobias

Xanthophobia- Fear of the color yellow or the word yellow

Pupaphobia- Fear of puppets

Numerophobia- Fear of numbers

Lachanophobia- Fear of vegetables

Geniophobia- Fear of chins

Cyclophobia- Fear of bicycles

Alliumphobia- Fear of garlic

Alektorophobia- Fear of chickens

Ablutophobia- Fear of washing or bathing

Chirophobia- Fear of hands

 

پسوند هاي مهم انگليسي با توضيح و مثال

SUFFIXES

Suffix	Definition	Example
-agog, -agogue	leader	demagogue, pedagogue
-cide	kill(ing)	patricide, infanticide, herbicide. suicide
-ectomy	cutting	appendectomy, splenectomy
-ia, -y	act, state	amnesia, mania, democracy, anarchy
-ic, -tic, -ical, -ac	having to do with	anthropomorphic, dramatic, biblical, cardiac
-ics	things having to do with	optics, physics
-isk, -iscus	small	asterisk--a little star
-ism	the belief in	pacifism, terrorism, socialism, communism
-ist	one who believes in	pacifist, terrorist, socialist, communist
-ite	one connected with	meteorite, polite, cosmopolite
-logy	study field of	biology, geology, etymology, cardiology
-oid	resembling, like-shaped	asteroid, spheroid
-or, -er	one who takes part in	doctor, actor, teacher, driver
-phobia	exaggerated fear	photophobia, claustrophobia, agoraphobia
-sis	act, state, condition of	analysis

7

anarchy (AN er kee) n. 1. a complete lack of government; 2. characterized by political disorder and violence; lawlessness; 3. disorder in any area of activity or endeavor

•     With no government in power, anarchy reigned supreme.

•     In the current state of anarchy, looting and violence were the everyday state of affairs.

•     With no proven theory as to the mechanism of the Copelia virus, anarchy prevailed in the field of viral research.

[anarchic, anarchical adj., anarchist n., anarchically adv.]

ancestor (AN ses toer) n. 1. someone from whom one is descended, especially one earlier than a grandparent; forefather; forebear; 2. an earlier kind of animal from which later types have evolved; 3. anything regarded as a forerunner of a thing that developed later

•     My neighbor Bryan claims that Davey Crockett was his ancestor.

•     The saber-tooth tiger is thought to be an ancestor of today’s big cats as well as domesticated cats.

•     The British Morris Mini is considered the ancestor of all modern compact cars with sideways-mounted engines.

[ancestral adj.]

ancient (AYN shent) adj. 1. belonging to the distant past, especially prior to the end of the Western Roman Empire (476 a.d.); 2. having been in existence a long time; very, very old; 3. antiquated; old-fashioned —n. 1. a person who lived in ancient times; 2. a very old person

•     In ancient days, Athens and Sparta were great city-states.

•     Baltimore’s Fort McHenry is an ancient structure.

•     Barbara thinks her mom’s notions of proper behavior are totally ancient, dude.

•     Julius Caesar was an ancient; so is my grandfather. [Syn. old]

ancillary (AN sil er ee) adj. 1. underling or subordinate, often used with to; 2. that serves as an aid; auxiliary

•     On the Minnow, Gilligan was ancillary to the Skipper.

•     While the main body of a news article imparts primary information, side­bars usually contain ancillary or related facts.

anecdote (AN ik doht) n. 1. a short, entertaining account of something that happened, usually personal or biographical; 2. (obsolete) a little-known amusing fact

•     Jonah related the anecdote about himself and the whale.

•     Many are unaware of the fact that some social studies books once con­tained the anecdote that Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin that he’d built with his own hands.

[anecdotal adj., anecdotally adv.] [Syn. story]

animate (AN i mayt) vt. 1. to bring to life; to give life to; 2. to cause to be ener­getic or spirited; 3. to move to action; inspire

•     Skillful puppeteers are able to convincingly animate lifeless, wooden, marionettes.

•     You can rely on Harold to join in a dull discussion and, by so doing, to immediately animate it.

•     The group of soldiers sat around acting glum, until Sergeant Jones animated them to take action.

[-d, animating, animation n.]

antagonist* (an TAG uh nisst) n. 1. a person who competes against or opposes another; adversary; opponent; 2. a muscle, drug, etc. that acts to oppose another

•     The Boston Red Sox baseball team is the chief antagonist of the New York Yankees baseball team.

•     Afrasiab was Rustam's antagonist.

•     For every muscle in your body that causes a body part to move in a certain direction, an antagonist muscle exists to return the part to its original position.

[-ic adj., -ically adv., antagonism n.] [Syn. opponent]

 

 

anthology (an THOL i jee) n. a collection of short stories, songs, poems, excerpts, etc. compiled into a single book

•     Every poetry collection is an anthology if more than a single poet’s works are included.

•     Almost every CD of popular music is an anthology of songs. [-logies pl., -logize vt., -logizer, -logist n., -logistic adj.]

antiquated (an tik WAY tid) adj. 1. no longer useful or used; obsolete; out of date; old fashioned; 2. very aged

•     A very small part of this book was typed on an antiquated IBM Selectric typewriter—a very small part.

•     I usually drive an antiquated Toyota from the mid-1980s. [antiquate vt.] [Syn. old]

antiseptic (AN ti SEP tik) adj. 1. disallowing infection, decay, etc. by slowing the growth of microbes; 2. free from infectious agents or infection; 3. very clean; sterile; 4. untouched by life’s problems, emotions, etc. —n. a cleaning agent meant to prevent the growth of bacteria and viruses

•     When you get a cut, it’s a good idea to use an antiseptic cream to prevent its becoming infected.

•     An operating room should be in antiseptic condition.

•     You need not keep your room antiseptic; just neat will do.

•     The hermit led an antiseptic life, locked away in his penthouse apartment with no contact with the outside.

[-ally adv.]

anxiety (ang ZY i tee) n. 1. a state of uneasiness, apprehension, or worriedness about what the future might hold; 2. feeling powerless and unprepared to deal with threatening (usually imaginary) events; 3. an eager but often uneasy concern (to do well)

•     Karen always felt anxiety about her investments in the stock market and was nervous about losing money.

•     Lou’s biggest anxiety concerned earthquakes, which was especially unusual because he lived in New York City.

•     Anxiety hung heavily in the air of the SAT exam room. [anxieties pl.] [Syn. care]

apathetic (AP uh THET ik) adj. 1. feeling emotionless; unmoved; 2. disinterested; listless

•     That most Americans were apathetic to the election was evidenced by the very low turnout.

•     Football fans are rarely apathetic to the fortunes of their home teams; they yell and cheer for them, even on TV.

[-ally adv., apathy n.] [Syn. impassive]

 

 

QUICK REVIEW #7

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing.

 

1. anarchy	a. auxiliary
2. ancestor	b. impassive
3. ancient	c. clean
4. ancillary	d. aged
5. anecdote	e. collection
6. animate	f. care
7. antagonist	g. lawlessness
8. anthology	h. inspire
9. antiquated	i. story
10. antiseptic	j. forebear
11. anxiety	k. opponent
12. apathetic	l. obsolete

vocabulary 6

amicable (AM i kuh bl) adj. feeling friendly; demonstrating goodwill; peaceable

•     Alice and her husband Ted had an amicable discussion about putting in a flower garden in the spring.

•     Bob and Carol separated on amicable terms. [amicably adv., amicability n.]

among (uh MUHNG) prep. 1. In the midst of; surrounded by; included in a group of; 2. from place to place in; 3. in the number or group of; 4. by or with a lot of

•     You are among friends.

•     He passed among the crowd.

•     Ralph is included among the supporters of the president.

•     Machiavelli’s work is popular among business executives.

amorphous (uh MAWR fuhs) adj. 1. lacking definite form; shapeless; 2. of no specific type; anomalous; 3. indefinite; vague

•     Sulfur is a yellow, nonmetallic element that is found in crystal and amor­phous forms.

•     To one unfamiliar with the game of rugby the game appears to be gov­erned by amorphous rules.

•     When Gino tried to pin Hailee down to a specific time, all he could get from her was an amorphous response.

[amorphously adv.]

amphibian (am FIB ee en) n. 1. any one of a class of cold-blooded vertebrates without scales (including frogs, newts, salamanders, and toads) that starts life with gills, living in the water, and later develops lungs; 2. any plant or animal that is at home both on land and in water; 3. any aircraft or vehicle that can operate on land and in water

•     It is not unusual to find amphibians in and around a pond.

•     The early Pan American Airways Clippers were amphibians that loaded and unloaded their passengers on land but took off from and landed on water.

[amphibious adj.]

amplify* (AMP li fy) vt. 1. to make bigger and stronger; increase or extend (power, authority, etc.); 2. to strengthen by adding details, examples, etc.; 3. (electronics) to strengthen an audio signal or electrical current

•     Caesar Augustus amplified the reach of the Roman Empire.

•     The robbery victim amplified his story by providing the license plate num­ber of the felon’s car and a thorough description of his height, build, and clothing.

•     The sound of the lead singer’s voice is almost inaudible, but the sound engineer will amplify it to make it stand out.

[amplified, amplifying, amplification, amplifier n.]

amusement (uh MYOOZ mnt) n. 1. the condition of being entertained; 2. a thing or activity that amuses or entertains; entertainment

•     Randy’s amusement was Claire’s main occupation.

•     Marcia played solitaire for her own amusement.

•     The antics of the dancing bears was a source of great amusement for the audience.

amusing (uh MYOOZ eeng) adj. 1. entertaining; diverting; 2. causing laughter or merriment

•     The comedian’s stand-up routine was very amusing.

•     An amusing incident takes one’s mind off his or her woes.

•     Jose’s amusing facial contortions made everyone laugh. [Syn. funny]

anachronism (un AK ron i zm) n. 1. the putting forth of something as having happened outside its appropriate time, especially earlier; 2. anything that seems to be out of its proper time frame in history

•     The depiction in some movies of people interacting with dinosaurs is an often-portrayed anachronism.

•     Anachronism is a frequently used tool of literature because it allows all sorts of interactions that would be otherwise impossible.

•     Having a conversation with the founding fathers or interviewing Abe Lincoln or Marie Curie is but three literary uses for anachronism.

•     Showing Rustam with a gun is an anachronism.

 [anachronistic adj., anachronistically adv.]

analogy (uh NAL uh gee) n. 1. a likeness in some ways between things that are otherwise not alike; 2. the likening of one thing to another based on some shared similarity

•     There is an analogy between polar bears and humans, in that both are mammals and both live on earth.

•     Mork’s analogy convinced Mindy that her problem closely resembled the one Curtis had last month; the circumstances were the same although the names and locations differed.

[analogous adj., analogously adv.] [Syn. likeness]

analysis* (uh NA lis is) n. 1. breaking up or separating a whole into its parts so that they can be inspected to determine their nature, proportions, functions, etc.; any detailed inspection; 2. a statement of the results of this process

•     The statement is undergoing detailed analysis to determine its true meaning.

•     The specimen was sent to the laboratory for analysis.

•     The historian’s analysis of the spaghetti company’s battle for supremacy is available in his latest book, Pasta for You.

analytical (an uh LIT ik uhl) adj. 1. something that separates into constituent parts; 2. skilled at using analysis

•     Greg’s analytical mind breaks each problem into tiny parts and carefully examines each and every one.

•     The more one practices analytical procedures, the more skilled at them he or she is likely to become.

[analytic, analytically adv.] [Antonym: synthetic]

analyze (AN i LYZ) vt. 1. to separate into constituent parts so as to determine their nature, proportion, interrelationship, etc.; 2. to examine in detail to find out the nature, tendencies, etc. of something; 3. to psychoanalyze

•     Heat is often very handy as a tool to help analyze the composition of sub­stances, because once vaporized the substances’ unique light spectra can be recorded.

•     A microscope is a useful tool to analyze things that are invisible to the naked eye.

•     Some people need analyzing by a shrink. [-d, analyzing, analyzer n.]

 

QUICK REVIEW #6

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing.

1.      amicable                         a. entertainment

2.      among                            b. examine

3.      amorphous                      c. likeness

4.      amphibian                      d. examination

5.      amplify                          e. vague

6.      amusement                   f. untimely

7.      amusing                       g. separating

8.      anachronistic                h. friendly

9.      analogy                       i. funny

10.   analysis                        j. within

11.  analytical                       k. increase

12.  analyze                         l. caecilian

 

 

 

5

agreement (uh GREE mnt) n. 1. being in harmony or accord; 2. an understand­ing between two parties; 3. a contract

•     Tania and Ali came to an agreement on who’d bring what to the Cinco de Mayo party.

•     Canada and the U.S. have an agreement concerning the openness of their shared border.

•     Calling a strike would violate the union’s agreement with the automaker.

ailment (AYL mnt) n. disease; illness; any mental or physical disorder, especial­ly a mild but persistent one

•     Marley walked with a limp as a result of a bout with rickets, an ailment that had affected him as a puppy.

•     Delusions of grandeur describes an ailment that afflicts many teenaged boys.

alacrity (uh LAK ri tee) n. eager readiness or willingness, usually demonstrated by quick and lively action

•     Consuela ate her dinner with alacrity, eager to leave to go to the movie theater.

•     Willis wagged his tail rapidly indicating his alacrity to go for a walk when he heard Jim getting his leash.

alchemy (AL ku mee) n. 1. an early combination of magic, chemistry, and philosophy from the Middle Ages, the main purposes of which were to turn base metals into gold and to find the elixir for eternal youth; 2. a process or power for turning one thing into a better thing as if by miraculous means

•     Four-year-old Francesco was positive that his grandfather could practice alchemy to change his pennies into quarters.

•     Anyone who believes that a cottage sitting on a quarter acre of land can be turned into a mansion believes in the teachings of alchemy.

[alchemical adj., alchemically adv., alchemist n.]

alienate (AY lee en ayt) vt. 1. to transfer land ownership to another; 2. to estrange; make unfriendly; 3. to cause to be detached or withdrawn; 4. to cause a change of affection

•     That to sell a piece of property to another is to alienate it is a rarely used meaning of the word in the U.S.

•     When you ask a friend’s former girlfriend for a date, you’re likely to alien­ate that friend. Ask a friend’s current boyfriend for a date and you’re cer­tain to alienate her.

•     Snatching a dog’s food from his mouth is likely to alienate the dog—espe­cially if it’s not your own pet.

•     Sally told Suzie stories about Cheryl’s past dealings with her friends that were sure to alienate Suzie from Cheryl and, she hoped, gain Suzie’s friend­ship for herself.

[-d, alienation n.]
 

 ally* (uh LY for vt., A ly for n.) vt. 1. to unite or join with for a certain purpose; 2. to relate by similarity of purpose, structure, or other character —n. 1. a country, group, or individual joined with others for a common end; 2. plants or animals closely related by some characteristic

•     A marriage was often used to ally two royal European families during the Middle Ages and beyond.

•     The U.K. was our ally in both wars with Iraq.

•     The Lily and the onion are two closely allied bulbs. [allied, allying, allies pl., alliance n.] [Syn. associate]

alter (AWL ter) vt. 1. to cause to change in detail but not in substance; modify; 2. to take parts of a garment and resew them for a better fit; 3. to neuter (an animal) —vi. to change; become different

•     Mike and Alice altered their plans for the evening.

•     The tailor had to alter the gown to make it fit Jan better.

•     Alter your pet to keep down an overpopulation of strays.

•     The Fab Five altered Al’s style of dress and his lifestyle. [-ed, -ing, alteration n.] [Syn. change, vary]

although (awl THOH) conj. despite the fact that; granting that; though

•     Mike sat down to dinner, although he had eaten less than a half hour before.

•     Although Mary claimed to not care for opera, she had to admit that the music from Il Trovatore was exceptional.

altruism (AL troo i zm) n. unselfish concern for others’ well-being

•     It had to be altruism as well as bravery that caused Maria to run into the burning house to rescue the crying child.

•     It is uncommon to see a case of pure altruism, where there is no thought of personal gain.

[altruist n.] [Syn. selflessness]

ambiguous* (am BIG yoo uhs) adj. 1. having more than one possible meaning; 2. unclear; vague; indefinite

•     The third base coach’s ambiguous signals left the batter not knowing whether to swing away or bunt.

•     Roxane was ambiguous in her instructions for feeding the cat while she was away.

[-ly adv., -ness, ambiguity n., ambiguities pl.] [Syn. obscure]

ambivalence (am BIV uh lens) n. having conflicting feelings about a person or thing at the same time, such as love and hate

•     Karen had a real ambivalence about being invited to Uncle Bob’s cabin; she loved visiting but hated the four-hour trip.

•     She was in a state of ambivalence about having children.

•     David showed ambivalence about serving artichokes because, while they are delicious, they’re a pain to prepare.
 

 amenity (uh MEN i tee) n. 1. pleasing quality; attractiveness; 2. a pleasant or desirable feature; something that adds to one’s comfort —pl. the courteous manners and pleasant acts of polite social behavior

•     The tropical scenery is only one amenity of Hawaii.

•     Hawaii’s climate is an additional amenity of the place.

•     The restaurant’s servers and hostesses demonstrated all the amenities one would expect at those prices.

[amenities pl.]

 

QUICK REVIEW #5

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing.

 

1. agreement	a. magic
2. ailment	b. vary
3. alacrity	c. selflessness
4. alchemy	d. despite
5. alienate	e. conflict
6. ally	f. contract
7. alter	g. unclear
8. although	h. pleasantness
9. altruism	i. estrange
10. ambiguous	j. illness
11. ambivalence	k. associate
12. amenity	l. eagerness

 

4

adulate (AD joo let) vt. 1. to praise too highly or flatter in a servile manner; 2. to admire to an excessive degree

•     In the king’s presence, his subjects often adulate him.

•     Ali always adulates her husband Joe when she’s looking to get him to do something for her.

[-d, adulating, adulation, adulator n., adulatory adj.]

advantageous (AD van TAY juhss) adj. resulting in having an advantage; prof­itable; favorable

•     The outbreak of war in Europe was quite advantageous for American industry.

•     Because they get to bat last, the home team in a baseball game is in an advantageous position.

adversarial* (AD voer SER ee uhl) adj. of or characterized by disagreement, opposition, hostility, etc. (as would be the case between adversaries)

•     A prosecutor and a defense attorney have an adversarial relationship—at least while they are in court.

•     During the U.S. Civil War, the Union and the Confederacy were adversarial.

adversary (AD vuhr SER ee) n. a person who fights against another; one who is in opposition to something

•     Muhammad Ali was Joe Frasier’s adversary in the boxing ring on three sepa­rate occasions.

•     The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox are legendary adversaries in baseball’s American League.

•     In World War II, the U.S.’s Pacific adversary was Japan. [Syn. enemy, opponent]

 

adversity (ad VER si tee) n. a state of poverty and trouble; a condition of mis­fortune or wretchedness; an instance of calamity

•     Those who lived through the Great Depression of the early 1930s learned how to triumph over adversity.

•     The only solution to the adversity of those living in the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma in the 1930s was to move away.

•     The Japanese automobile and electronics industries helped the country to recover from the adversity of defeat.

aerate (AER ayt) vt. 1. to open to air or to cause air to circulate through; 2. to get oxygen to the blood (as in respiration); 3. to charge a liquid with gas (such as making soda pop)

•     To improve the taste of drinking water, huge plants aerate it before it is sent to your home.

•     Your lungs aerate the blood that is brought there from your heart as part of your pulmonary circulation.

•     Soft drink makers aerate their drinks by forcing carbon dioxide to dissolve under pressure.

[-d, aerating, aeration n.]

aesthetic* (es the tik) adj. 1. of beauty; 2. sensitive to art and beauty; demon­strating good taste; being artistic

•     Van Gogh’s Starry Night has an aesthetic quality that defies being expressed in words.

•     Aaron was touched by the aesthetic arrangement of the flowers blooming in the garden.

[aesthetically adv., aesthetical, aesthete n.]

affect (uh FEKT) vt. 1. to influence; to produce a change; 2. to move or cause an emotional response; 3. to pretend to be, have, feel, or like —n. an emotional response; an emotion or feeling attached to an idea

•     Both crosswind and current affect our ability to row straight across to the other side of the river.

•     Seeing the photos of the liberated concentration camp inmates affects many people.

•     As the voice of Shrek, Mike Meyers affects the role of a lovable green ogre. [-ed, -ing, affectable adj.] [Syn. assume (sense 3)]

affront (uhf RUHNT) vt. 1. to openly or purposefully insult; offend; slight; 2. to confront in a defiant manner —n. an open or deliberate insult

•     Don’t affront Bill’s mother by telling her the chicken she prepared tasted like the take-out chicken’s bucket.

•     When you tell your parents you’ll do anything you want regardless of what they think, you affront them.

•     Debbie’s not inviting Sally to her birthday party was a deliberate affront. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. offend]

 

agenda* (uh JEN duh) n. a list of things to be done; especially, a program of things to be done at a meeting

•           Jason wanted to settle down and have children, but his brother Dylan had a totally different agenda.

•           “Old Business” was the second thing on the agenda for the meeting, just after the reading of the minutes from the last meeting.

agile (A juhl) adj. 1. able to move quickly and easily; deft and active of body or mind; 2. keen and lively (of mind)

•     The ballerina showed how agile she was as she effortlessly danced and frol­icked about the stage.

•     The comedian was agile of mind as he moved from one quip seamlessly to the next.

[agilely adv., agility n.]

agrarian (uhg RAR ee uhn) adj. 1. relating to land in general; 2. relating to farms, farmers, and agriculture

•     The agrarian laws of the late twentieth century had the government paying farmers to not grow certain crops.

•     Agrarian schools teach farmers about crop rotation and how alternating certain crops replenishes soil nutrients.

 

QUICK REVIEW #4

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing.

 

1. adulate	a. hostile
2. advantageous	b. carbonate
3. adversarial	c. list
4. adversary	d. offend
5. adversity	e. fawn
6. aerate	f. agricultural
7. aesthetic	g. keen
8. affect	h. artistic
9. affront	i. profitable
10. agenda	j. calamity
11. agile	k. assume
12. agrarian	l. opponent

 

3

acknowledge (ak NAH lidzh) vt. 1. to admit to be true; confess; 2. to recognize the claims or authority of; 3. to answer a greeter, respond to an introduction, etc.; 4. to express thanks for; 5. to affirm the reception of something

•     Roxane acknowledged the charges against her.

•     The insuror acknowledged the claims of the victim.

•     The chair acknowledges the senator from Neverland.

•     I’d like to acknowledge both my parents for the gift of life. [-d, acknowledging, acknowledgment n.]

acquire (ak WYR) vt. 1. to gain or get something; 2. to take possession of; obtain

•     You would do well to acquire a good education.

•     We all acquire some of our parents’ traits by heredity.

•     The United States acquired the Louisiana Territory by purchasing it from France.

•     An appreciation for caviar is an acquired taste, unlike a love for creamed corn, which is, of course, innate.

[-d, acquiring] acquisition* (AK wuh zi shuhn) n. something or someone obtained

•     A developer’s acquisition of the old Bethlehem Corp.’s property is seen as a good thing for Easton.

•     Tania’s acquisition of a new PDA made her very happy.

•     Ali’s acquisition of a new chauffeur pleased him to no end. [acquisitive adj., acquisitively adv., acquisitiveness n.]

acrimony (AK ruh moh nee) n. bitterness, sharpness, or harshness of speech, manner, or temper

•     The acrimony of the temper of a scorned woman is legendary both in litera­ture and in life.

•     Dylan greeted the news that his new DVD player did not work at all with considerable acrimony in his oaths.

[acrimonious adj., acrimoniously adv.] [Syn. asperity]

acute (uh KYOOT) adj. 1. sharply pointed; 2. shrewd; quick of mind; 3. sensitive to something (like acute hearing); 4. severe and sharp (like acute pain); 5. serious; severe

•     An acute angle forms a sharp point.

•     Geoffrey’s acute mind made short work of the crossword.

•     The eagle’s acute eyesight can pick up a mouse on the ground from hun­dreds of meters in the air.

•     Certain pains, like John, are acute but of short duration.

•     There is an acute shortage of labor in some job categories. [-ly adv., acuity n.] [Syn. sharp, keen, critical]

adapt* (uh DAPT) vt. 1. to make suitable or to make fit by changing; 2. to change oneself to fit new or changed conditions

•     Jim thought it perfectly sensible to adapt his gas stove’s IN line to connect to the hot water line from his sink.

•     When Mary travels between Miami and Juneau, she adapts her wardrobe— especially uterwear—accordingly.

[-ed, -ing, -able adj., -ation, -er, adaptability n.]

adept (uh DEPT) adj. very skilled, expert —n. a person who is very skilled in some field of endeavor or knowledge

•     George Jetson will be a very adept widget maker.

•     When it comes to guarding those Academy Award winners, the accounting firm of Price Waterhouse has shown itself to be adept.

[adeptly adv., adeptness n.] [Syn. expert]

adhere* (ad HEER) vi. 1. to stick to something; stick to a plan; 2. to stay firm in support of a leader or a plan

•     Peanut butter will adhere to one’s teeth almost every time.

•     The candidate adhered to her promise to support the health plan, even after she was elected.

•     The secretary adhered to his boss’s story, even after the latter had changed it.

[-d, adhering, adherer, adherence n.] [Syn. stick]

adjudicate (uh JOO dik ayt) vt. to hear and decide a court case —vi. to serve as a judge to decide some dispute or problem

•     Judge Judy adjudicates cases on television five days a week.

•     Melissa agreed to adjudicate a dispute between two of her neighbors on how high to construct a fence between their backyards.

[-d, adjudicating]

admirable (AD muh ruh bl) adj. inspiring or deserving admiration or praise; excellent; splendid

•     Melissa’s success in totally renovating the house with limited available resources is admirable.

•     The varsity hockey team did an admirable job defending against their opponent’s star shooter.

•     The orchestra performed admirably at last night’s concert. [admirably adv.]

admire (ad MYR) vt. 1. to look upon with approval, wonder, and delight; 2. to have a high regard for

•     Any basketball fan has to admire the effortlessness with which Jason Kidd dishes the rock to his teammates.

•     Students of the Korean police action of the 1950s admire General MacArthur’s daring in landing his troops and equipment behind the enemy lines at Inchon.

[-d, admiring, admiration n.]

adorn (uh DAWRN) vt. 1. to be ornamental to; add beauty or distinction to; 2. put decorations on; ornament

•     Many ornaments are hung on a Christmas tree to adorn it.

•     Jewelry often adorns a woman’s arms and neck.

•     In summer, a house’s lawn is often adorned by colorful flowers. [-ed, -ing, adornment n.] [Syn. beautify, decorate, bedeck]

 

QUICK REVIEW #3

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing.

 

1. acknowledge	a. harshness
2. acquire	b. bedeck
3. acquisition	c. decide
4. acrimony	d. approve
5. acute	e. stick
6. adapt	f. confess
7. adept	g. splendid
8. adhere	h. gain
9. adjudicate	i. change
10. admirable	j. hire
11. admire	k. expert
12. adorn	l. serious

 

A2

acceptance (ak SEP tins) n. 1. being accepted; 2. an approval

•     Jack’s acceptance by Jill’s family made him very happy.

•     Ian’s acceptance of full responsibility for the telephone charges got Kira off the hook (so to speak).

access (AK ses) n. 1. the act of coming near to; approach; 2. a way of approach­ing something; 3. the right to enter or use something —vt. to gain or have use of a database

•     The access to the house was through the side door.

•     Sebastian gained access to his car through the driver’s window. [-ed, -ing]

accommodate (uh KOM uh dayt) vt. 1. to make fit; to adapt; adjust; 2. to rec­oncile; 3. to do a service or favor for; 4. to have room for

•     An adapter is needed for your sink to accommodate the dishwasher hose.

•     Even though I don’t want to do it, I’ll accommodate you.

•     The hotel accommodates its guests with room service.

•     The kitchen accommodates seating space for four. [-d, accommodating]

accommodation (uh kom uh DAY shun) n. 1. adjustment; adaptation to a cer­tain use; 2. reconciliation of differences; 3. a convenience; 4. living or traveling space

•     Myles made an accommodation to staying up all night and annoying his parents by sleeping most of the day.

•     The employee and his former boss reached an accommodation over the mat­ter of severance pay.

•     Having coffeemakers in each room was an accommodation for motel guests.

•     The train’s compartment had sleeping accommodations for up to four passengers.

accomplice (uh KOM plis) n. a person who knowingly assists in committing a crime; partner in crime

•           While Bob was robbing the bank, his accomplice, Louise, was behind the
wheel of the getaway car.

[Syn. associate]

accomplish (uh KOM plish) vt. 1. to do or succeed in doing; 2. to perfect; to complete

•     Rocio accomplished her task of bathing the dog.

•     The human fly never failed to accomplish its mission. [-ed, -ing, accomplishment n.] [Syn. perform, reach]

accord (uk AWRD) vt. 1. to make agree; to reconcile; 2. to grant or concede —vi. mutual agreement —n. 1. an informal agreement, as between two states or coun­tries; 2. consent; permission

•     Our objectives are in accord.

•     I intend to accord you every courtesy.

•     Jakob had his dad’s accord to use the family car. [-ed, -ing, (in) accordance n.]

accost (uh KAWST) vt. to approach and greet first (often in an intrusive way)

•     I wouldn’t be so bold as to accost someone who did not greet me first.

•     I was walking along, minding my own business, when I was accosted by a street peddler.

[-ed, -ing]

account (uh KOWNT) vt. to tell, consider, or judge —vi. 1. to furnish a reckon­ing of money collected and/or payed out; 2. to make acceptable amends for; 3. to give acceptible reasons for —n. 1. a counting or calculation; 2. a record of monetary funds; 3. a bank account; 4. a record of transactions

•     The detective asked Jim to account for his time on Sunday.

•     The cashier had to account for her daily receipts.

•     The criminal must account for his or her evil action.

•     Karen accounts for her funds in her checkbook register.

•     There’s no accounting for people’s tastes.

•     Jason keeps track of what is due to him in his accounts receivable ledger. [-ed, -ing, accountable n.] 

accuracy (AK yur isee) n. the quality of being correct or exact; exactness, preciseness

•     Weather forecasts are not renowned for their accuracy.

•     Robin Hood could shoot an arrow with great accuracy.

accurate (AK yur it) adj. 1. careful and precise; 2. free from errors; 3. sticking closely to a standard (like a scale)

•     Ian made an accurate drawing of his pet pug Willis.

•     Sarah had to be accurate in math to get a grade of 100%.

•     Making candy requires a very accurate thermometer. [accurately adv.] [Syn. precise]

achieve (uh CHEEV) vt. 1. to succeed in doing; 2. to get somewhere; to attain; to gain —vi. to succeed

•     Franklin Roosevelt achieved election to the U.S. presidency four separate times.

•     It is difficult to achieve the lead in the Tour de France bicycle race.

•     When Hillary tried to climb Everest, the goal was his to achieve. [-d, achieving, achievement n.] [Syn. reach, perform]

 

QUICK REVIEW #2

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing.

 

1. acceptance	a. adjust
2. access	b. perform
3. accommodate	c. careful
4. accommodation	d. judge
5. accomplice	e. precision
6. accomplish	f. approach
7. accord	g. gain
8. accost	h. approval
9. account	i. associate
10. accuracy	j. consent
11. accurate	k. adaptation
12. achieve	l. intrude

 

Advanced Vocabulary

abandon (uh BAN dn) vt. 1. to give up something forever; 2. to leave in a time of danger

•     Abandon all hope of seeing your family again.

•     We must abandon the boathouse until the storm is over.

[-ed, -ing, abandonment n.] [Syn. quit, desert, forsake (Each of these has a slightly differ­ent emotion attached to it.)]

abbreviate (uh BREE vee ayt) vt. to shorten something by leaving a part, or parts, out

•     We might abbreviate this word abbrev.

•     The student abbreviated most of the words in his or her class notes to keep up with the teacher’s lecture.

[-d, abbreviating, abbreviation n.]

ability (uh BIL etee) n. 1. being able; having power to do something; 2. skill, expertise, power

•     You have the ability to succeed at what you attempt.

•     Einstein had exceptional mathematical ability.

•     An automobile lacks the ablility to pull a freight train.

abridge (uh BRIJ) vt. 1. to reduce in scope; 2. to shorten while maintaining the essence

•     Condensed books abridge the original to appeal to a less than scholarly audience.

•     The 9-hour Lord of the Rings trilogy was abridged to 1 1/2 hours for its tele­vision broadcast.

[-d, abridging]

abscond (ab SKAHND) vi. to run away and hide; especially to avoid capture by law enforcers

•     Jesse James absconded just ahead of the sheriff.

•     To abscond often results in a false sense of security. [-ed, -ing, absconder n.]

absolve (ab ZAHLV) vt. 1. to declare free from guilt; 2. to free from duty or a promise

•     The Lord absolved the sinner and forgave him.

•     The jury absolved the accused of any wrongdoing.

•     Dad absolved Junior of his promise to wash the car. [-d, absolving, absolver n.] [Syn. pardon, forgive, acquit]

absorb (ab ZAWRB) vt. 1. to suck up; 2. to take up the full energy or attention of; engross; 3. to take in and incorporate; 4. to assume the full cost

•     The sponge absorbed the entire spill.

•     Learning fractions absorbed Hailee’s full attention.

•     If we fail to absorb the lessons of history, we are doomed to repeat them.

•     I’ll absorb the charge for the window replacement. [-ed, -ing, absorbant adj.]

abstain (ab STAYN) vi. to hold back (from); refrain from

•     I shall abstain from smoking or drinking.

•     Three voted for the bill, two against it, and one abstained. [-ed, -ing, abstention n.]

abstract (ab STRAKT for adj., AB strakt for n., v.) adj. 1. not concrete; thought of apart from any material object; 2. not easily understood —n. a brief statement of the content of a book, court case, article, etc.; a summary —vt. to remove or take away; to summarize

•     I had an abstract idea of what he meant, but nothing solid.

•     Frankie’s ideas were too abstract to fully comprehend.

•     We knew about the case from having read the abstract.

•     Abstract the story, stating only the relevant facts. [-ed, -ing, abstraction n., abstractly adv.]

absurd (ab SOERD or ab ZOEHRD) adj. 1. so obviously untrue as to be laugh­able; 2. laughably different from what is reasonable

•     The story that his arms were tired because he had just flown in from Los Angeles was absurd.

•     The outfit that Gino wore with the red and white striped shirt and the green and yellow checked pants was absurd.

[absurdly adv., absurdity n.]

accentuate (ak SEN choo ayt) vt. 1. to pronounce or mark with a stress or accent; 2. emphasize

•     When you tell people about your vacation, accentuate the high points and play down the low points.

•     Wear clothing that accentuates your youthful looks. [-d, accentuating, accentuation n.]

acceptable (ak SEPT ibl) adj. adequate; tolerable; bearable; okay

•     Eating peas at a restaurant using only your knife is not considered accept­able manners.

•     Dressing in a toga is considered acceptable at certain fraternity parties.

 

QUICK REVIEW #1

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing.

1.      abandon                        a. condense

2.      abbreviated                   b. refrain

3.      ability                           c. engross

4.      abridge                         d. theoretical

5.      abscond                        e. forsake

6.      absolve                         f. ridiculous

7.      absorb                          g. acquit

8.      abstain                         h. tolerable

9.      abstract                       i. emphasize

10.       absurd                     j. expertise

11.       accentuate                k. shortened

12.       acceptable               l. flee