Adapt

Adopt

Adept

make something suitable for

new use or a new situation;
modify something

to take by choice into a

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

expert or skilled in 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.

to take up and practice or

use <adopted a moderate
tone>
to accept formally and put
into effect <adopt a
constitutional amendment>

thoroughly proficient
e.g.: While Raj, and to a lesser
extent Chitra, had solved
cryptograms in the newspaper,
neither were particularly adept at
it.

He's adept in several

languages.
He's an adept pitcher, and the
team is lucky to have him.

to choose (a textbook) for

required study in a course
to sponsor the care and
maintenance of <adopt a
village>
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.

Synonyms
adjust

choose

proficient

deny, disregard

incapable, unskilled

Antonyms
neglect, refuse

"anticipate"
to see as a probable occurrence

to think of (a future event) with pleasure; look forward to

to deal with beforehand; to foresee and act in advance of
to react to (someone) abruptly, especially to prevent someone from
continuing or progressing
to serve as a forerunner to or previous indication of
to 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 time
to regard as likely; expect; foresee
to make use of in advance of possession
(Banking & Finance) to pay (a bill, etc) before it falls due to cause to
happen 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 earlier
generations (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 of
hiking and climbing.
My means of ascent and descent consist simply in dilating or contracting
the gas that is in the balloon ... (Five Weeks in a Balloon by Jules
Verne)
"assent"
the expression of approval or agreement as in a loud murmur of assent
official 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 to
vote.
Everyone respects our common law, our unwritten rules that do not need

parliamentary 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 bearable

or 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 allay
pain.
The press statement seems to allay earlier anxieties about the erosion of
free speech.
Hopefully, the company's soaring stock price will allay the concerns of
nervous stockholders.
After the terrorist attack, the president made a speech to try and allay the
nation's fears.

"articulate"
able to express ideas clearly and effectively; having or showing the ability
to speak
fluently and coherently; clearly expressed and easily understood
pronounce (something) clearly and distinctly
consisting of segments united by joints;
animals/plants )

jointed ( as in articulate

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 an
awesome 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 something
unpleasant 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 young
people aged
14 to 18)
having lived or existed for a long time; of advanced age;
aged men

very old (as in

with white hair)

pertaining to or characteristic of old age (as in aged wrinkles)
brought to maturity or mellowness (as wine, cheese, or wood; mature
well-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 five

years.
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 burgeoning
beauty industry focusing on ways to ease the effects of aging skin.
The ageless characteristic and durability of oak make it one of the most
popular woods for furniture makers.
Both systems are more than 2500 years old but remain ageless in their
relevance to modern times.
The ageless wisdom revealed through our scriptures has the power to
transform our life.

"authoritarian"
favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the
expense 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 very
difficult.
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 be
improved 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 issues
within 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 benefit
increasingly from its wealth.
Young people from even the most deprived backgrounds were shown to outshine
their more affluent peers if they regularly read outside school hours.

"effluent"
liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or the sea (as in
industrial effluent)
Synonyms: (liquid) waste, sewage, effluvium, outflow
e.g.:
To avoid the discharge of an excessively large liquid effluent stream, water
recycling should be investigated.
Do you know the cost of waste and effluent disposal to your company each
year?
Effluent discharges may be contaminated by antibiotics and disinfectants
with 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 for
software development, that is characterized by the division of tasks into
short 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's
feet, 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 of
indulgence, 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 excellent
health.
The monks lived a very ascetic life and their monastery became a seedbed of
saints.
He was not, however an ascetic, practising self-denial to an extreme degree
without 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 deflect
criticism 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 artist
or 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 a
building 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 which
would 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 being
alienated.

"acute"
(of an unpleasant or unwelcome situation or phenomenon) present or
experienced 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 'acute
appendicitis'
having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight as in 'an acute
awareness 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 a
front 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 individual
interpretation.

The recommendations of the committee are also weakened by lack of detail and
by vague and ambiguous wording.
Unfortunately an ambiguous phrase about the possession of such weapons went
through, 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 belonging
to (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 with
respect 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 radiation
according 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 of
environmental research.
If all the particles have a mutual repulsion then the dispersion will remain
stable.

The word "OK" was coined by Charles Gordon Greene. He used OK as a joking
abbreviation 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 can
often be found in quite arcane subject areas.
This seemingly arcane finding could be of significance in the research paper
you 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 but
sometimes used to impart an
old-fashioned flavour as in 'a term with a rather archaic ring
to 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 appraising
individuals.

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 his
absence.

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 cover
even half of my estate by sunset. Friend: Even I had such a useless car but
I 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 consecrated
in 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 his
home 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 but
significant 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 gain
access.
Genetic engineering techniques can alter the genetic makeup of plants.

Glance-Glimpse- Both words mean 'a quick look'. There is however a

distinction-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 a
way 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 budget
speech.
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 a
very adverse effect on all of us.
Her efforts to control the children have had an adverse effect on the
family.
Newer anticonvulsants with less adverse effects may present better treatment
options.

averse
having a strong dislike of or opposition to something

e.g.:
The risk averse attitude of many local authorities is hampering the
development 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 or
make 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 achievement
of 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 political
leader
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. Players
used to put their knuckles to the ground for their best shots.

alternately
in reciprocal succession; succeeding by turns; in alternate
order; 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-charged
conversations.
Arrange layers of cake and ice cream alternately in a glass dish before
chilling it.

alternatively
having or choosing another option
e.g.:
Some exposure to programming is useful; alternatively you should be able to
show some mathematical aptitude.
You could take a bus, or alternatively there are usually taxis available
immediately outside the railway station.

Clich(clee-shay)is a phrase which has been used so much that it is no

longer 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 no
grounds for accusations of favouritism.

To lead a meaningful life, u need to cherish others, pay attention to human

values 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 transfer
of 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 the
fans.
She expressed disdain at the adulation the industry gives to beauty over
talent, 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 or
wrong, 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 every
effort 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 themselves
for altruistic motives.

ante(prefix) before in time or position; in front of; previous, existing

beforehand; 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 or
hostility, 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 the
body)
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 amnesty
for the terrorists who have escaped justice.
The old man's opponents were not prepared to acquiesce simply because he was
a sick man.

acquiescence
the act or condition of acquiescing or giving tacit assent; agreement or

consent 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 with
alacrity 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 such
abject cowardice.
The abject apology given by him as the head of the organisation was hardly
necessary.

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 walking
on a tightrope or
swinging on a trapeze
acronym - an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of
other 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