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Putnam's Word Book / A Practical Aid in Expressing Ideas Through the Use of an Exact and Varied Vocabulary cover

Putnam's Word Book / A Practical Aid in Expressing Ideas Through the Use of an Exact and Varied Vocabulary

Chapter 6: A
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About This Book

The volume compiles synonyms, antonyms, and associated words in alphabetic order to aid precise expression, including abbreviations and usage notes. It emphasizes that listed words are similar but not always interchangeable and encourages consulting a dictionary for exact meanings. The collection includes technical and regional terms, memory-help associated-word lists, and an addenda of additional entries. Its practical organization targets students, writers, and specialists seeking alternatives and nuanced vocabulary.

A

Abandon, v. desert, forsake, forego, discard, relinquish, repudiate, waive, renounce, abdicate. Antonyms: retain, maintain, continue, cherish.

abandon, n. unrestraint, wantonness.

abandoned, a. forsaken, deserted, derelict, castaway, rejected; depraved, reprobate, incorrigible, arrant, graceless, irreformable.

abandonment, n. desertion, relinquishment, dereliction, reprobation, surrender, evacuation, rejection, abdication. Antonyms: retention, continuance, maintenance, persistence.

abase, v. humble, degrade, dishonor, reduce, humiliate.

abasement, n. humiliation, reduction, dishonor, degradation, ignominy.

abash, v. disconcert, confuse, discomfit, discompose, chagrin, mortify, embarrass.

abashment, n. discomfiture, confusion, mortification, chagrin, embarrassment.

abate, v. moderate, assuage, subside, diminish, intermit. Antonyms: See increase.

abatement, n. moderation, diminution, reduction, subsidence, decrease.

a b c. alphabet, symbols; rudiments, elements, first principles.

a b c book. primer, hornbook.

abdomen, n. belly, paunch. Associated words: abdominal, ventral, paunchy, abdominous, peritoneum, peritonitis, celiac, laparotomy, groin, eventration, abdominoscopy, hypogastric, hypogastrium.

abduction, n. kidnapping, child-stealing, man-stealing, defiliation. Associated words: abduct, abductor.

aberration, n. wandering, deviation; abnormity, irregularity; madness, mania.

abet, v. instigate, encourage, incite, egg on, foment, uphold.

abetment, n. instigation, incitement, encouragement.

abeyance, n. suspension, indetermination.

abhor, v. abominate, loathe, hate, detest.

abhorrence, n. detestation, loathing, repugnance, abomination.

abhorrent, a. repugnant, detestable, loathsome, repulsive.

abide, v. dwell, stay, sojourn, continue, remain; acquiesce, conform to.

abiding, a. continuing, lasting, stable.

ability, n. competence, efficiency, aptitude, capacity, skill, proficiency, capability. Antonyms: inability, incapability.

abject, a. degraded, groveling, servile, ignoble, contemptible base. Antonyms: noble, lofty, dignified, exalted.

able, a. competent, qualified, capable, talented, clever, gifted, efficient; effective, cogent, telling, potent. Antonyms: unable, incompetent, incapable, inefficient ineffective, impotent.

able-bodied, a. stalwart, brawny, robust, sturdy, strapping muscular.

abnormal, a. anomalous, irregular, exceptional, aberrant, erratic, unusual. Antonyms: See normal.

abnormality, n. variation, irregularity, anomaly, abnormity. Antonyms: regularity, naturalness.

abnormity, n. irregularity, abnormality, monstrosity, anomaly.

abode, n. residence, habitation, dwelling, domicile, sojourn.

abolish, v. annul, nullify, abrogate, invalidate, repeal, revoke, rescind, disannul, set aside, destroy. Antonyms: confirm, establish.

abolition, n. annulling, abrogation, destruction, abolishment, disestablishment, cancellation, extinction, nullification, rescission, revocation.

abominable, a. odious, execrable, detestable, loathsome, abhorrent, offensive.

abomination, n. detestation, execration, abhorrence, loathing, aversion, odiousness.

abortion, n. miscarriage, failure, frustration; castling, mooncalf, monster.

abortive, a. unsuccessful, unavailing, miscarrying, frustrate, ineffectual; rudimentary, undeveloped, sterile, imperfect.

abound, v. be plentiful, teem, swarm.

abounding, a. rife, plentiful, abundant, galore.

about, prep. concerning, anent, relative to, with regard to.

abridge, v. shorten, diminish, curtail; epitomize, condense.

abridgment, n. diminution, lessening, reduction, curtailment, condensation; epitome, compend, synopsis, digest, summary, breviary.

abrogate, v. annul, repeal, revoke, abolish, rescind, nullify, invalidate.

abrogation, n. repeal, abolition, revocation, annulment, defeasance.

abrupt, a. precipitous, steep, craggy, jagged, rugged; unceremonious, hasty, brusque, rough, rude, curt, discourteous; unconnected.

abscess, n. aposteme, imposthume, ulcer, fester.

absence, n. nonattendance; want, destitution, privation, lack; inattention, absent-mindedness. Associated words: furlough, parole.

absent-minded, a. preoccupied, distrait, inattentive, unmindful, abstracted.

absent-mindedness, n. preoccupation, abstraction, inattention.

absolute, a. unconditional, unrestricted, uncontrolled, supreme; consummate, faultless, ideal; actual, real; self-existent, self-sufficing; autocratic, despotic.

absolution, n. forgiveness, remission, discharge, pardon.

absolutism, n. autocracy, despotism.

absolve, v. release, remit, pardon, exonerate, acquit, exculpate.

absorb, v. engulf, overwhelm, swallow up; imbibe, suck up, assimilate; engross, occupy, monopolize.

absorbent, a. absorbtive, absorbing, bibulous.

absorbing, a. engrossing, engaging, fascinating.

absorption, n. imbibition; engrossment. Associated word: sorbefacient.

absquatulate, v. (Jocular) decamp, go away, depart.

abstain, v. forbear, refrain, withhold, deny one's self. Antonym: indulge.

abstaining, n. abstention, abstinence.

abstemious, a. abstinent, temperate, self-denying, frugal.

abstinence, n. forbearance, temperance, self-denial, abstemiousness.

abstinent, a. abstemious, temperate, continent. Antonyms: sensual, wanton, self-indulgent, intemperate.

abstract, n. summary, epitome, compendium, synopsis, brief, compend.

abstracted, a. separated, disconnected, withdrawn; absent-minded, preoccupied.

abstraction, n. separation, disconnection, withdrawal; inattention, absent-mindedness, preoccupation, musing; defiliation; purloining, seizure, stealing.

abstruse, a. recondite, obscure, incomprehensible.

absurd, a. ridiculous, preposterous, nonsensical, incongruous, foolish, irrational, inconsistent.

absurdity, n. inconsistency, fallacy, irrationality, ineptitude, foolishness.

abundance, n. sufficiency, plenty, profusion, copiousness, exuberance, plenteousness, overflow. Antonyms: deficiency, dearth, scarcity, poverty.

abundant, a. plentiful, copious, exuberant, galore, ample, lavish, plenteous, teeming, bountiful. Antonyms: deficient, inadequate, insufficient.

abuse, v. misapply, misuse, pervert, desecrate, violate, profane; maltreat, mistreat; revile, reproach, vilify, vituperate, malign, traduce; violate, ravish, rape.

abuse, n. misuse, misapplication, perversion, profanation, desecration; injury, maltreatment, mistreatment, outrage, offense; invective, contumely, reproach, scurrility, opprobrium, tirade, billingsgate, vilification; violation, rape.

abusive, a. reviling, scurrilous, opprobrious, reproachful, vituperative, insulting, rffensive, contumelious, outrageous.

abut, v. project, terminate, be contiguous, meet;—with on, upon, or against.

accent, n. stress, ictus; modulation, accentuation.

accent, v. emphasize, accentuate.

acceptance, n. approval, favorable reception; acceptableness. Antonyms: rejection, refusal.

accessory, a. accompanying, accessary, contributory, subservient, subsidiary.

accident, n. casualty, mishap, contretemps, mischance, contingency.

accidental, a. casual, fortuitous; incidental, nonessential, adventitious.

accidentally, adv. unintentionally, casually, fortuitously. Antonyms: intentionally, advisedly, deliberately.

acclimate, v. acclimatize.

acclimation, n. acclimatization.

accommodate, v. adapt, conform, adjust; oblige, favor.

accommodating, a. obliging, complaisant.

accommodation, n. adaptation, adjustment; complaisance; favor, kindness.

accompaniment, n. concomitant.

accompany, v. escort, attend, convoy; chaperon.

accomplice, n. abettor, ally, accessory, confederate, particeps criminis.

accomplish, v. achieve, effectuate, execute, complete, effect.

accomplished, a. completed, effected; practised, proficient.

accomplishment, n. completion, fulfillment, execution, effectuation; attainment, acquirement, acquisition, grace.

accord, n. agreement, concurrence, harmony, sympathy. Antonyms: variance, disagreement, inharmony.

accordance, n. conformity, unanimity, harmony, accord, rapport, concurrence.

according to. agreeably to, in accordance with, in conformity with, pursuant.

accost, v. greet, address, salute, hail.

accoucheur, n. obstetrician.

accoucheuse, n. midwife.

account, n. reckoning, computation, calculation, record, tab; registry, register; recital, relation, narrative, report, delineation, description, portrayal, explanation; reason, ground, consideration, motive, sake; estimate, valuation, judgment, estimation, opinion; importance, consequence, value, worth, reputation.

accountability, n. amenability, liability.

accountable, a. answerable, liable, amenable, responsible. Antonyms: unaccountable, irresponsible, exempt.

accumulation, n. accretion, hoard, aggregation, accrument, collection.

accumulative, a. cumulative.

accuracy, n. exactness, fidelity, correctness, precision. Antonyms: inaccuracy, incorrectness, error.

accurate, a. correct, exact, just, true, literal. Antonyms: inaccurate, incorrect, erroneous.

accusation, n. crimination, charge, indictment, impeachment, arraignment, allegation, incrimination.

accusative, a. incriminatory, inculpatory, accusatory.

accuse, v. indict, charge, impeach, incriminate, arraign, criminate.

accuser, n. complainant, plaintiff, informant, prosecutor.

accustom, v. habituate, familiarize, inure.

accustomed, a. customary, wonted, habitual, usual. Antonyms: unaccustomed, unfamiliar, unwonted.

achieve, v. accomplish, effectuate, realize, effect, attain.

achievement, n. accomplishment, attainment, effectuation feat, exploit.

acknowledge, v. admit, avow, concede, own, confess. Antonyms: repudiate, deny, disavow.

acknowledgment, n. admittance, avowal, concession, recognition.

acme, n. culmination, top, zenith, climax, apex, pinnacle.

acorns, n. pl. mast. Associated words: balaniferous, balanoid, cupule, cupuliferous, quercite, racahout.

acquaint, v. familiarize, inform, tell, apprise, notify.

acquaintance, n. familiarity; kith. Antonyms: ignorance, unfamiliarity, unacquaintance.

acquirement, n. acquisition, attainment.

acquit, v. discharge, release, exculpate, exonerate.

acquittal, n. release, discharge, exoneration, exculpation.

acrid, a. pungent, biting, corrosive, caustic.

acridity, n. pungency, bitterness, causticity, acrimony.

acrimonious, a. caustic, sarcastic, censorious, virulent, rancorous.

acrimony, n. asperity, bitterness, virulence, causticity, rancor, sharpness.

acrobat, n. equilibrist, tumbler, funambulist, vaulter.

across, prep. and adv. athwart, crosswise, traverse transversely.

act, n. performance, feat, stunt (Colloq.), exploit, achievement, deed, action, procedure, turn; decree, edict, law, statute, enactment, ordinance.

act, v. behave, deport one's self; play, personate, impersonate, mimic; feign, counterfeit, simulate, dissemble.