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arid
(adj.) extremely dry, parched; barren, unimaginative
The terrain was so arid that not one species of plant could survive.
Their thirst became worse due to the arid condition of the desert.
aromatic
(adj.) having a smell which is sweet or spicy
The aromatic smell coming from the oven made the man's mouth water.
arrogant
(adj.) acting superior to others; conceited
After purchasing his new, expensive sports car, the arrogant doctor refused
to allow anyone to ride with him to the country club.
arrogate
(v.) to claim or demand unduly
The teenager arrogated that he should be able to use his parent's car
whenever he desired.
articulate
(v.; adj.) to utter clearly and distinctly; clear, distinct; expressed
with clarity; skillful with words
It's even more important to articulate your words when you're on the phone.
You didn't have to vote for him to agree that Adlai Stevenson was articulate.
A salesperson must be articulate when speaking to a customer.
artifice
(n.) skill in a craft
The artifice of glass-making takes many years of practice.
ascetic
(n.; adj.) one who leads a simple life of self-denial; rigorously abstinent
The monastery is filled with ascetics who have devoted their lives to
religion.
The nuns lead an ascetic life devoted to the Lord.
aseptic
(adj.) germ free
It is necessary for an operating room to be aseptic.
askance
(adv.) a sideways glance of disapproval
The look askance proved the guard suspected some wrongdoing.
asperity
(n.) harshness
The man used asperity to frighten the girl out of going.
The asperity of the winter had most everybody yearning for spring.
aspersion
(n.) slanderous statement; a damaging or derogatory criticism
The aspersion damaged the credibility of the organization.
He blamed the loss of his job on an aspersion stated by his co-worker
to his superior.
aspirant
(n.) a person who goes after high goals
The aspirant would not settle for assistant director--only the top job
was good enough.
assay
(n.) to determine the quality of a substance.
Have the soil assayed.
assess
(v.) to estimate the value of
She assessed the possible rewards to see if the project was worth her
time and effort.
assiduous
(adj.) carefully attentive; industrious
It is necessary to be assiduous if a person wishes to make the most of
his time at work.
He enjoys having assiduous employees because he can explain a procedure
once and have it performed correctly every time.
assuage
(v.) to relieve; ease; make less severe
Medication should assuage the pain.
The medication helped assuage the pain of the wound.
astringent
(n.; adj.) a substance that contracts bodily tissues; causing contraction;
tightening; stern, austere
After the operation an astringent was used on his skin so that the stretched
area would return to normal.
The downturn in sales caused the CEO to impose astringent measures.
Her astringent remarks at the podium would not soon be forgotten.
astute
(adj.) cunning; sly; crafty
The astute lawyer's questioning convinced the jury of the defendant's
guilt.
atrophy
(v.; n.) to waste away, as from lack of use; to wither; failure to grow
A few months after he lost his ability to walk, his legs began to atrophy.
The atrophy of the muscles was due to the injury.
attenuate
(v.) to thin out; to weaken
Water is commonly used to attenuate strong chemicals.
The chemist attenuated the solution by adding water.
atypical
(adj.) something that is abnormal
The atypical behavior of the wild animal alarmed the hunters.
audacious
(adj.) fearless; bold
The audacious soldier went into battle without a shield.
augment
(v.) to increase or add to; to make larger
They needed more soup so they augmented the recipe.
They were able to augment their savings over a period of time.
august
(adj.) to be imposing or magnificent
The palace was august in gold and crystal.
auspicious
(adj.) being of a good omen; successful
It was auspicious that the sun shone on the first day of the trip.
The campaign had an auspicious start, foreshadowing the future.
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