A vocabulary

Absorb (verb)

to occupy the full attention of, for example, to take in moisture or liquid.
Therapists who believe in the reality of Multiple Personality Disorder generally believe it to be caused by very severe abuse during childhood violence so extreme that the child cannot absorb the trauma in its entirety.

Abandon (verb)

to give up without intending to return or claim again.

Vinland was the first European Settlement in the New World but now was abandoned.

Abdomen (noun)

the part of the body containing the digestive and reproductive organs.

In the middle of the abdomen lies a 20 foot long small intestine.

Abduct (verb)

to seize or detain a person unlawfully.

Child molesters often abduct children within 200 feet of their home.

Abundant (adjective)

something that is large in number.

Discovered in the 1820s, aluminum is the most abundant metal on earth.

Accommodation (noun)

a place where one can sleep such as a hotel or campground.

In Death Valley, we find the national park headquarters and overnight accommodations in this area, including Furnace Creek Ranch and Furnace Creek Inn.

Accompany (verb)

to be added to another for completion or to be with or goes with another.

Landslides, mud flows and debris avalanches frequently accompany other natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes.

Accomplice (noun)

one associated with another especially in wrongdoing.

Besides the genetic testing, the investigation will examine whether an accomplice provided Kid with the pistol he used to kill two deputy sheriffs during the escape.

Accumulation (noun)

the result of something increases.

A landslide occurs when steep slopes are destabilized by excess water accumulation in the soil, the addition of excess weight to the top of a slope, the removal of support from the bottom of a slope, or a combination of the above.

Accuse (noun)

to make a charge against someone who one believes has done a misdeed.

John Adams’ innate conservatism made him determined in 1770 that the British soldiers accused of the Boston Massacre received a fair hearing.

Ache (noun)

a sensation of physical discomfort occurring as the result of disease or injury.

The athlete experienced aches in his right shoulder after pitching nine innings in yesterday’s baseball game.

Acoustic (adjective)

relating to the sound or the sense of hearing.

The acoustics of this auditorium are so remarkable that when one drops a pin on the stage, an audience member can hear it hit the floor while sitting in the back.

Acquisition (noun)

the act of successfully coming into possession of something

In considering the biology of language acquisition, consider that human language is made possible by special adaptations of the human mind and body that occurred in the course of human evolution, and which are put to use by children in acquiring their

mother tongue.

Acronym (noun)

NATO, radar, or snafu, formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by the Spanish acronym FARC, was seeking a $3 million ransom for the couple, who had three children, they said.

Activation (noun)

to make active or more active.

The learning theory is based on the assumption that although human aggression may be influenced by physiological characteristics, the activation of those characteristics

depends on learning and is subject to the person's control.

Activism (noun)

a policy of vigorous action in a cause, especially in politics.

College president Benjamin Mays and other proponents of Christian social activism influenced Martin Luther King's decision after his junior year at Morehouse to become a minister and thereby serve society.

Actualize (verb)

to make real or to put into effect.

From another perspective, we can also conclude that the village with the most resources is able to better actualize the cultural ideal of choosing marriage partners within the

same tribe.

Adaptability (noun)

to act of becoming suitable to particular situation or use.

The knowledge of key social factors and a firm grasp on research design and methods, all of which are learned upon completion of a B.A. in a sociology program, provides breadth and the potential for adaptability in the workplace.

Adjacent (adjective)

sharing a common boundary.

When a customer attempts to book hotel accommodations on the Internet, it is sometimes hard to find two adjacent rooms at a discounted rate.

Adolescent (noun)

the period between childhood and adulthood.

Because girls strongly relate their self worth to their  attractiveness, many adolescents are unhappy with their weight.

Adoption (noun)

the act of choosing a suitable course of action.

Adams helped draft the Declaration of Independence, secured its unanimous Adoption in Congress, and wrote his wife on July 3, 1776, that "the most memorable Epoch in the History of America has begun."

Advocate (noun)

one that defends or maintains a cause or proposal.

Advocates say walk-to-school programs are gaining new momentum from parents and teachers concerned about a childhood obesity epidemic.

Adverse (adjective)

acting against or in opposition; tending to discourage, retard, or make more difficult.

Adverse effects to smoking are lung cancer and an increased risk of heart attacks.

Advisory (noun)

a report giving information (as on the weather) and often recommending action to be taken.

The World Health Organization (WHO), an agency of the United Nations, lifted its advisory against unnecessary travel to Hong Kong because of the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Aesthetic (noun)

showing good taste.

The basic aesthetics of television are not that different from those of movies.

Affective (adjective)

that which affects or excites emotion.

If a learner has anxiety, the affective filters conducive to second language acquisition may be closed, thus making the input in the brain incomprehensible.

Affinal (adjective)

A kinsman or ally related by marriage.

Elbasi is the richer location and can draw upon wives from more marginal settlements, from families who seek out more favorable domestic conditions for their daughters aswell as affinal contacts in prominent communities.

Afford (verb)

to make available, give forth, or provide naturally or inevitably: give

If you're willing to spend $300 to $450, consider a 15-inch LCD. It affords the same viewable area as a 17-inch CRT and takes up far less space.

Agent (noun)

that by which something is accomplished or some end result achieved.

Possible causative agents for brain cancer in firefighters include vinyl chloride, acrylonitrile, and formaldehyde.

Aggregate (adjective)

formed by a collection of particulars into a whole mass or sum, united.

A machine travels through a certain path, resulting from the aggregate combination of the parts moving within it.

Aggression (noun)

the act of attacking.

The learning theory is based on the assumption that although human aggression may be influenced by physiological characteristics, the activation of those characteristics

depends on learning and is subject to the person's control.

Aglow (adjective)

glowing especially with warmth or excitement.

Three years later, Thomas Edison announced his invention of the incandescent light bulb, and on New Year's Eve in 1879 drew a crowd of 3,000 visitors to his Menlo Park, New Jersey, complex to see the buildings and grounds aglow in the softer light of his creation.

Alarming (adjective)

relating to a sudden sharp apprehension and fear resulting from the perception of imminent danger.

Brazil and Indonesia, which contain the world’s two largest surviving regions of rain forest, are being stripped at an alarming rate by logging, fires, and land-clearing for agriculture and cattle-grazing.

Albeit (conjunction)

conceding the fact that; even though

Saliva provides another example, albeit less exotic, of taste modification.

Alias (noun)

a false or assumed name.

Similar to past Russian revolutionaries, Joseph Stalin adopted many aliases to evade arrest.

Alien (noun)

A person coming from another country

During World War II, restrictions were imposed upon many aliens in the US, especially if they were of Japanese origin.

Alignment (noun)

the act of adjusting to a line; the state of being so adjusted

Due to the car accident, his back went out of alignment.

Allocate (verb)

to apportion for a specific purpose or to particular persons or things.

The industries affected -- including oil refineries, steel, cement, ceramics, glass and paper - will feel the pinch next March when European Union governments must say how they will allocate the 2 allowances firms will need to operate from 2005.

Alternative (noun)

the power or right of choosing.

Recently, wind power has become an appealing alternative to fossil based fuels, especially in countries with scarce petroleum and ample wind.

Alter (noun)

the act of changing some particular aspect of someone (i.e., personality) or something.

Various triggers can cause the brains alter to take control of the mental processes of the victim for periods of time.

Altitude (noun)

the distance of something from a given level, especially referring to sea level.

The summit of Mount Everest is at an altitude of 29,000 feet.

Amateur (noun)

one lacking professional skill.

It is learned that the impact might produce a sudden brightening of the comet visible to amateur astronomers with small telescopes.

Ambitious (adjective)

full of strong desire to achieve something.

George Washington was well informed, ambitious, and public spirited.

Amid (preposition)

in or into the middle of.

Fertile lands exist in the Midwest amid the rolling hills and low-lying valleys.

Amass (verb)

to collect for oneself; to gather or pile up especially little by little

Aubrey Huff had two hits and four RBI's, Marlon Anderson hit a three run homer, and Travis Lee and Ben Grieve had consecutive homers in a five run fifth for the Devil Rays, which amassed 18 hits. Every starter had at least one.

Amnesia (noun)

having partial or total loss of memory.

Lance suffered from temporary amnesia after his brain surgery.

Analogous (adjective)

possessing the same or almost the same characteristics.

Bats' wings are modifications of the hands of the common mammalian ancestor, whereas flying squirrels' wings are modifications of its rib cage, hence making the two structures

merely analogous: similar in function.

Anatomical (adjective)

resembling the bodily structure of animals and plants.

It's clear that these structures are not homologous to the wings of bats because they have a fundamentally different anatomical plan, reflecting a different evolutionary history.

Ancestor (noun)

a person from whom one is descended.

The scientific question is whether the chimps' abilities are homologous to human language; that is, whether the two systems show the same basic organization owing to

descent from a single system in their common ancestor.

Animator (noun)

one that contributes to the animation of a cartoon.

Disney employed many animators during the production of the movie, The Little Mermaid.

Anomaly (noun)

something different, abnormal, peculiar, or not easily classified.

Science-fiction writers may claim to have created warped space and light bending celestial anomalies, but these are, in fact, actual physical phenomena.

Antagonize (verb)

to act in opposition to; to incur or provoke the hostility of.

The summit was further complicated by France and Germany, which had spoken out against the U.S.-led attack on Iraq, choosing to concentrate on rebuilding relations with Washington rather than antagonizing it further.

Antic (noun)

an attention drawing often wildly playful or funny act or action.

The contestants on the African reality-television program may be divided, but their antics have united viewers across the continent and in the process created an unlikely cultural force.

Antiquity (noun)

ancient times, especially before the middle ages.

New York, Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong are similar to city states of antiquity (e.g. Athens, Rome, Carthage) or medieval times (e.g. the Hanseatic League), except that these modern city-states engage in instant electronic communication and capital transfer, and are the chief recipients of world population growth.

Apartheid (noun)

racial segregation; specifically: a policy of segregation and political and economic discrimination against non-European groups in the Republic of South Africa.

Mandela, 85 next month, received a Nobel Peace prize for his role in guiding South Africa from apartheid to multiracial democracy.

Apocryphal (adjective)

of doubtful authenticity.

More than simply a renowned Mississippi writer, the Nobel Prize winning novelist and short story writer, William Faulkner, is acclaimed throughout the world as one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century, one who transformed his "postage stamp" of native soil into an apocryphal setting in which he explored, articulated, and challenged the old truths of the heart.

Appalled at (verb)

to deprive of courage or the power to act as a result of fear, anxiety, or disgust.

Many voters were appalled at the misconduct of President Richard Nixon even though they had voted for him.

Apparatus (noun)

something, as a machine, devised for a particular function.

The right exercise apparatuses help an athlete to increase muscular strength and endurance.

Apparent (adjective)

readily seen, perceived, or understood.

Many inclusions in diamonds are not discernable to the naked eye and require magnification to become apparent.

Apparition (noun)

a sudden or dramatic appearance of an object or supernatural being.

Mercury, known since at least the time of the Sumerians (3rd millennium BC), was given two names by the Greeks: Apollo for its apparition as a morning star and Hermes as an evening star.

Application (noun)

a connection to the matter at hand; the condition of being put to use.

A Cognitive Psychology program is especially geared towards the application of formal and computational modeling and neuroscience methods to these basic questions.

Apprenticeship (noun)

a type of training in which one learns by practical experience under skilled workers in an art, trade, or calling.

A young worker bee’s apprenticeship includes taking care of the queen and her eggs, cleaning out the hive, cooling the hive by fanning its wings, and attacking intruders.

Apt (adjective)

having or showing a tendency or likelihood.

The thesis is apt to be stated somewhere in the last few paragraphs, in which case the preceding paragraphs gradually lead up to it, or else somewhere right after the introduction, in which case the balance of the essay justifies the statement and refers back to it.

Aquaculture (noun)

the cultivation of the natural produce of water such as fish or shellfish.

In response to the environmental risks associated with the aquaculture industry, the ndependent Pew Oceans Commission has called for a moratorium on the expansion of finfish aquaculture (including salmon) until national policies and standards are in place.

Aqueduct (noun)

artificial channel for carrying water, sometimes in the form of a bridge supported by tall columns across a valley.

Some of the water takes a different route, at which point it is carried off by an aqueduct before it reaches the canals.

Archive (noun)

collection of something, especially public or document documents.

Frozen archives, or ice cores, give scientists unprecedented views of global climate over the eons.

Aromatic (adjective)

having a pleasant odor.

Used as both a prevention and treatment to many illnesses, aromatic herbs in China were highly valued in ancient times.

Arrogantly (adverb)

with a conceited belief in one’s superiority to others.

Psychics realize that we arrogantly think of ourselves as unique and as more different than similar, when in fact it is just the opposite.

Artery (noun)

one of the tubular vessels that carry blood from the heart through the rest of the body.

High blood pressure is caused by a resistance to the flow of blood greater than that usually caused by constriction of small arteries throughout the human body.

Articulate (verb)

to put into words.

John Adams, in his speeches and writings, articulated the colonial cause and brilliantly championed American rights in Congress.

Artifact (noun)

manmade objects.

Vinland, the first European Settlement in the New World, was not believed to be true until archaeologists discovered ancient artifacts in 1960.

Artificially (adverb)

the manner in which something is produced by man; not natural.

Slab and other avalanches can be hard or soft, wet or dry and can be triggered naturally or artificially.

Assail (verb)

to attack with harsh, often insulting language; to set upon with violent force.

Professor Johnson, accusing the student of blatant plagiarism, assailed the student for several minutes.

Assassinate (verb)

the act of killing someone for political or religious reasons

It was unfortunate that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Assert (verb)

to state to be true; to put into words positively and with conviction

King sympathized with the student movement and spoke at the founding meeting of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in April 1960, but he soon became the target of criticisms from SNCC activists determined to assert their independence.

Assessment (noun)

the act or result of judging the worth or value of something or someone.

The instructor will write comments and suggestions on your final draft, and you may choose to keep the grade he gives you or you may revise and resubmit it for Assessment.

Associative (adjective)

resembling someone or something which is united in relationship with another.

An example of associative learning is classical conditioning, a form of learning in which two stimuli are associated so that the first evokes the response that normally follows the second.

Assume (verb)

to take something for granted without direct proof

Because of this, we can assume that formal instruction has less of an impact on one’s learning of English as compared with immersion in that culture or society.

Asteroid (noun)

any of the small celestial bodies orbiting around the sun, especially between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter.

In the late 1970s, James Arnold of the University of California, San Diego, suggested that impacting comets and water rich asteroids could add water to the lunar surface.

Atheist (noun)

one who denies the existence of a God.

Suggesting that there is no concrete proof for the existence of a supreme being, some people are atheists.

Atmospheric (adjective)

of or relating to air.

Turner and Crook are using a finer scale model built by NCAR scientist Terry Clark to look more closely at mountain convection and how it relates to the larger scale atmospheric flow.

Atom (noun)

smallest particle of a chemical element that can take part in a chemical reaction.

Most of the water was split by sunlight into its constituent atoms of hydrogen and oxygen and lost into space, but some migrated by literally hopping along to places where it was very cold.

Atrocity (noun)

a monstrous offense or evil.

Even though the gorilla has been attributed to many atrocities, it is usually a peace loving creature that would rather retreat than fight its enemy.

Attribute to (verb)

to regard as belonging to or resulting from another

Sulfates, which originate primarily in coal fired power plants, started rising around 1900, which is partially attributed to increased volcanic activity in the Caribbean around the turn of the century.

Audit (noun)

to methodically examine and review.

A recent audit by the inspector general at the Justice Department found ''significant problems'' with the detentions, including allegations of physical abuse.

Authentic (adjective)

worthy of belief because of precision, faithfulness to an original, etc.

These are not counterfeit dollar bills; rather they are authentic bills printed by the United States Treasury.

Autobiography (noun)

a written account of one’s life.

Mayu Angelou is best known for her autobiographies: All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986), The Heart of a Woman (1981), Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (1976), Gather Together in My Name (1974), and I Know Why the

Caged Bird Sings (1969), which was nominated for the National Book Award.

Aviation (noun)

airplane manufacture, development, and design.

Due to a deep recession and to recent terrorist attacks involving aircraft, the aviation industry is on the verge of economic collapse, with many businesses laying off 1/3 of their workforce.

Avalanche (noun)

mass of snow and ice tumbling down a mountain.

There are many different types of avalanches, but the one that worries us the most is the "slab" avalanche, in which a mass of cohesive snow releases as a unit.

Awkwardness (noun)

the state of being characterized by embarrassment and discomfort.
The awkwardness of the situation is evident since Alex had to meet with his ex-wife the day before he was to be married to a different woman.

Axis (noun)

imaginary line about which an object rotates

The Moon's axis of rotation is nearly perpendicular to the plane of its orbit around the Sun, so the Sun always appears at or near the horizon in the polar regions of the Moon.

Azure (adjective)

deep blue color.

The white sand and the azure sky entice many vacationers to Destin, Florida.