surprise, flabbergast, dumbfound, startle, take aback,*bowl over, stupefy, boggle, ren- der speechless, electrify, stagger, confound, *blow one’s mind.
astounding a. astonishing, amazing, bewilder-
ing, shocking, surprising, startling, *eye- popping, stupefying, mind-boggling, electri- fying, staggering, confounding, *mind- blowing, wondrous.ANT.*ho-hum, boring,
ordinary.
astray a. adrift, off course, lost, afield, wrong,
*off the mark, *off in left field.ANT.*right-
on, accurate,*on the mark.
astringent a. biting, harsh, sharp, cutting,
acerbic, severe, rough, acrid.ANT.mild, soft. astrology n. horoscopy, reading of the stars,
divination. ‘‘The excellent foppery of the world.’’—Shakespeare.
WORD FIND
birth, zodiacal sign rising in the east at time of one’s: ascent
chart of positions of planets, stars, relation- ship to birth: horoscope
constellations and signs: Aries (The Ram); Taurus (The Bull); Gemini (The Twins); Cancer (The Crab); Leo (The Lion); Virgo (The Virgin); Libra (The Balance); Scorpio (The Scorpion); Sagi- ttarius (The Archer); Capricorn (The Goat); Aquarius (The Water Bearer); Pisces (The Fishes)
diagram: scheme
legendary astrologer: Merlin
one of twelve sectors in celestial sphere: house
pathway of planets, divided into twelve as- trological signs: zodiac
Astronaut–Atomize
table of positions of stars and planets at spe- cific times: ephemeris
transitional period from one zodiac sign to another: cusp
astronaut n. spaceman, cosmonaut, sailor of
the stars.
astronomer n. stargazer, cosmologist, astro-
physicist.
astronomy n. stargazing, cosmology, astrophys-
ics.
WORD FIND
eclipse, or passage of one celestial body in front of another: occultation
great circle spanning horizons: meridian location of celestial object in sky: azimuth,
declination, right ascension path of sun on celestial sphere: ecliptic point of sky directly overhead: zenith star motion unrelated to earth’s rotation:
proper motion
table showing future positions of celestial objects: ephemeris
unit of distance, by speed of light: light year, 5,880,000,000,000 miles; parsec, 3.26 light years
unit of distance, equal to that from the earth to the sun: astronomical unit, 92,900,000 miles
SEE COMET,CONSTELLATION,METEOR, MOON, PLANET,SPACE,STAR
ASTUTE a. [uh STOOT] clever, sharp or cun-
ning. The successful businessman must have an astute mind.SYN. clever, sharp, cunning,
crafty, shrewd, wily, quick, keen, intelligent, sagacious, brilliant, bright, *on the ball.
ANT.dumb, naive, retarded, slow, obtuse. asunder a. apart, separate, in pieces.
asylum n. 1.SANCTUARYrefuge, shelter, haven,
safe harbor, hospice. 2.HOSPITALpsychiatric
hospital, sanitarium, mental institution, in- sane asylum, *nut house, *booby hatch, *laughing academy, *loony bin, *madhouse.
ASYMMETRICAL a. [a si MET ri kul] un-
even, unbalanced, or lacking correspon- dence between two sides. He described the shape as asymmetrical, that is, a little different on each side.SYN.uneven, unbalanced, lack-
ing correspondence, lacking coordination, contrasting, not proportionate, not uniform, disproportional, unequal.ANT.symmetrical,
corresponding, matching.
ATHEISM n. [A thee iz um] disbelief in God.
Atheism is the disbelief or denial of the existence
of a higher power.SYN.disbelief, denial, skep-
ticism, rejection of God, impiety, rational- ism, freethinking, agnosticism, nihilism, ir- reverence. ‘‘The vice of a few intelligent people.’’—Voltaire.
atheist n. nonbeliever, agnostic, skeptic, free
thinker, infidel,*doubting Thomas, hea- then. ‘‘A man who has no invisible means of support.’’—John Buchan. ‘‘A man who believes himself an accident.’’—Francis Thompson. ‘‘An orphaned heart.’’—Jean Paul Richter. ANT.believer, the faithful.SEE AGNOSTIC
athlete n.*jock, competitor, sportsman, cham- pion.SEE SPORT
athletic a. strong, fit, skilled, muscular, meso-
morphic, sthenic, strapping, vigorous, ro- bust, hardy, staunch, brawny, stout, wiry, supple, coordinated.ANT.weak, feeble, sed-
entary, asthenic.
WORD FIND
competition combo of five track and field events: pentathlon
competition combo of skiing and rifle-ds- hooting: biathlon
competition combo of swimming, biking and long-distance running: triathalon, *iron man contest
competition combo of ten track and field events: decathlon
atmosphere n. 1.AMBIENCEaura, surroundings,
air,*vibes, feeling, environment. 2.SKYair,
heavens, smog, biosphere.
WORD FIND
ion-rich layer, reflects radio waves, in ther- mosphere: ionosphere
layer of oxygen in stratosphere, protects earth from ultraviolet radiation: ozone layer
rising column of warm air: thermal stratum from 0-10 miles up: troposphere stratum from 10-30 miles up: stratosphere stratum from 30-50 miles up: mesosphere stratum from 50-300 miles up: thermosphere stratum from 300 miles to space: exosphere trapping of solar radiation and heat by car- bon dioxide buildup: greenhouse effect
SEE AIR,RAIN,SNOW,WEATHER,WIND
atoll n. coral island.
atom n. particle, jot, bit, iota, scintilla, shred,
bit. ‘‘A specter threatening us with annihila- tion.’’—Max Born.SEE SCIENCE
atomic a.SEE NUCLEAR
atomic bomb n.SEE NUCLEAR BOMB
atomize v. separate, disintegrate, vaporize,
Atone–Attire
ATONE v. [uh TONE] to make up for a bad
deed; to make amends. Atone for your sins.
SYN. amend, make amends, redeem, do pen- ance, repent, confess, expiate, make repara- tions, shrive.
atonement n. amends, reparations, redemption,
expiation, penance, restitution, compensa- tion, redress. ‘‘The blood of Jesus Christ . . .’’—Bible, John 1:7.
atrium n. court.
atrocious a. evil, brutal, appalling, cruel, bad,
monstrous, unspeakable, vicious, despicable, horrible, abominable, heinous, outrageous.
ANT.good, pleasant, lovely, benevolent. ATROCITY n. [uh TRAW suh tee] a cruelty,
brutality or outrageous thing or act. The drive-by shooting is an atrocity that originated during prohibition. SYN. cruelty, brutality,
outrage, monstrosity, unspeakable act, hor- ror, savagery, barbarity, crime, abomination.
ANT.kindness, good deed.
atrophy n. degeneration, wasting, deteriora-
tion, withering, emaciation, decline, weak- ening.
atrophy v. degenerate, waste, deteriorate,
wither, emaciate, decline, weaken.
attach v. 1.FASTENtie, stick, secure, bind, link,
hook, affix, connect, tack, pin. 2.AFFILIATE
join, associate, enlist. 3.ASCRIBEattribute,
assign, accredit, apply, place.ANT.1. detach,
loosen, free. 2. drop out, quit, dissociate. 3. take, deflect.
attache´ n. consul, envoy, aide.SEE DIPLOMAT
attachment n. 1.FASTENINGtying, connection,
joining. 2. DEVOTION regard, affection,
crush, affinity, bond, esteem, fondness, love.
3.ACCESSORYappendage, appurtenance, fix-
ture, addition, extension, supplement.ANT.
1. detachment, separation. 2. repulsion, aver- sion.
attack n. 1.ASSAULToffensive, raid, invasion, siege, ambush, blitz, aggression, strike, in- cursion, onslaught. 2.ONSET OR RECURRENCE OF AN ILLNESS bout, relapse, throe, seizure, convulsion, spell, turn for the worse.
attack v. 1.ASSAULTstrike, jump on, raid, be-
siege, invade, ambush, assail, pounce on, molest, set upon, take the offensive, aggress, mug. 2. VERBALLY ASSAULT*rip into, *tear
apart, criticize, abuse, malign, bash, defame, scold,*rake over the coals, damn, censure, *dis, *jump down one’s throat, impugn, *bad-mouth, denounce, revile. 3.TO BEGIN WORK ONtackle, dive into, undertake,*jump
into with both feet.ANT.1. retreat, defend,
lay low. 2. flatter, compliment, praise. 3. pro- crastinate, avoid.
attacker n. assailant, aggressor, offender. attain v. achieve, accomplish, get, procure, se-
cure, acquire, obtain, realize, fulfill,*make it, win.ANT.fail, lose, fall short.
attainment n. achievement, accomplishment,
getting, procurement, securing, acquire- ment, obtaining, realization, fulfillment, winning, success, coup, skill.
attempt n. try, endeavor, shot,*crack, under- taking,*stab, *the old college try, venture, bid.
attempt v. try, endeavor, make an effort, under-
take, take a shot at it,*take a crack at it, *take a stab at it, *give it the old college try, venture, make a bid for it, strive.
attend v. 1.LOOK AFTERminister to, serve, tend,
take care of, nurse, assist, doctor. 2. TO BE PRESENTappear, show up, go to, turn up. 3. ACCOMPANY come with, go hand in hand, escort, be associated with.
attendance n. 1.PRESENCEappearance. 2.TURN- OUTcrowd, house, audience.
attendant n. servant, aide, assistant, orderly,
steward, valet, consort, escort.
attention n. 1.CONCENTRATIONmindfulness,
consciousness, awareness, heed, notice, thoughtfulness, regard. 2.OBSERVATIONno-
tice, recognition, regard, consideration, scrutiny.ANT.1. absent-mindedness, abstrac-
tion, inattention. 2. oversight, disregard.
attention deficit disorder n. ADD, learning dis-
order, short attention span, hyperactivity.
attentions n. consideration, courtesy, devotion,
civility, care, respect, service.
attentive a. 1. MINDFULobservant, alert, con-
scious, aware, sharp, thoughtful, noticing, keen, heedful, watchful. 2. CONSIDERATE
thoughtful, gracious, courteous, solicitous, accommodating, gallant.ANT.1. neglectful, unobservant, heedless. 2. inconsiderate, rude, negligent.
attenuate v. thin, dilute, weaken, rarefy, dilute,
lessen, decrease, water down, diminish.ANT.
fortify, strengthen, intensify.
attest v. bear witness, certify, verify, confirm,
substantiate, support, bear out, testify, war- rant, vouch for, pledge, affirm, swear, au- thenticate.ANT.refute, deny, belie. attic n. garret, loft, dormer, clerestory, storage
room.
attire n. dress, clothing, apparel, garb, costume,
raiment, *duds, *togs, outfit, garments, *threads.
Attire–Aurora attire v. dress, clothe, garb, deck out, fit out,
outfit,*doll up, costume, accoutre.
attitude n. 1.OUTLOOKmind, disposition, frame of mind, temperament, feeling, view, per- spective,*mindset, demeanor, bias. 2.POS- TUREstance, manner, bearing, pose, mien, carriage, air.
attitude problem n.*hair across the ass, *chip on one’s shoulder.
attorney n. counselor, legal representative,
DA, barrister, solicitor,*ambulance chaser.
SEE LAWYER, LAW, COURT
attract v. 1.DRAWpull, magnetize. 2. ALLURE
lure, invite, tempt, interest, charm, capti- vate, fascinate, beguile, bewitch,*turn on, *spellbind. ANT. 1. repel, repulse. 2. repel,
repulse, turn off.
attraction n. appeal, temptation, magnetism,
affinity, pull, charm, interest, allure, be- witchment, fascination, enticement, *chemistry, charisma.ANT. repellant, repul- sion, aversion.
attractive a. appealing, charming, enticing,
*nice, beautiful, handsome, winning, fasci- nating, magnetic, charismatic, tempting, al- luring, bewitching, fetching, cute, adorable, pretty, stunning, sexy, comely,*easy on the eyes.ANT.repulsive, repellant, ugly. attribute n. quality, characteristic, trait, fea-
ture, distinction, quirk, facet, virtue.
attribute v. assign, ascribe, credit, charge with,
blame, impute, account for.
ATTRITION n. [uh TRISH un] a wearing
away or reduction, loss by natural means. The company lost more employees by attrition than by forced layoffs.SYN. weakening, ero-
sion, reduction, decimation, disintegration, diminution, dwindling, decline. ANT.
buildup, reinforcement, fortification.
attune v. adapt, adjust, harmonize, acclimate,
assimilate.
atypical a. unusual, uncommon, untypical, odd,
irregular, abnormal.ANT.typical, usual.
AU COURANT a. [o koo RAHN] well-in-
formed, up-to-date. On the latest fashion, she was always au courant.SYN. informed, up-
to-date, current, *hip, enlightened, aware, *up to speed.ANT.behind the times. auction n. sale, vendue, sell-off.
auburn a. reddish-brown, golden-brown, nut
brown, chestnut brown, henna.
AUDACIOUS a. [aw DAY shus] brave, bold.
Also, not affected by shame or a sense of propriety. The soldiers made an audacious foray into enemy territory. SYN. 1.BRAVE,
bold, daring, plucky,*ballsy, courageous, dauntless, stalwart, unflinching,*gutsy, ad- venturous, intrepid. 2.SHAMELESS, brazen, outrageous, cheeky, brassy, impertinent, rude, forward, insolent, saucy,*ballsy.ANT.
1. cowardly, fearful, timid. 2. deferential, po- lite.
audacity n. 1.COURAGEbravery, daring, nerve,
pluck, backbone,*guts, *spine, grit, derring- do, mettle, boldness. 2. SHAMELESSNESS
brashness, impudence, effrontery, *gall, *nerve, *cheek, arrogance, impertinence, brass, presumption.ANT.1. cowardice, fear,
spinelessness. 2. courtesy, decorum, propriety.
audible a. perceptible, hearable, discernible, in-
telligible, clear.ANT.inaudible, silent, unin-
telligible.
audience n. spectators, crowd, onlookers, view-
ers, house, fans, patrons, turnout, market.
audit n. examination, accounting, review, in-
vestigation.
audition n. tryout, trial, hearing,*open mike.
auditor n. accountant, inspector, analyst, book-
keeper.
auditorium n. assembly room, hall, concert
hall, gallery, theater, ampitheater, play- house, lecture hall.
auger n. bore, tool.SEE TOOL