Descriptionary

acquiesce vb. (AK wee ESS) to yield; to give in. The opponents of the bill were in the majority, so we decided to acquiesce without a fight.

acquit vb. (uh KWIT) to free or clear one from legal charges. The jury voted to acquit the defendant.

acrid adj. (AK rid) sharp or bitter in flavor or odor. The toddler spit out the acrid-tasting vinegar.

activism n. (AK tiv iz um) involvement in a cause; work for political or social change. His activism in the environmental movement has raised awareness of air pollution.

acumen n. (AK yuh mun) sharp or intelligent judg­ment. She had exceptional business acumen and would soon rise to the corporation's top echelon.

adage n. (AD ij) a saying or proverb; a universal truth. "Honesty is the best policy" is a popular adage.

adamant adj. (AD uh munt) unyielding; refusing to give in. My brother refused to give me another slice of pizza; no matter how much I begged, he remained adamant.

adept adj. (uh DEPT) highly capable; skilled. With all forms of carpentry, she was impressively adept.

adherent n. (ad HEER unt) a supporter, of a cause or a person. She was an adherent of the Democratic Party.

ad hoc adj. (AD hok) assembled for a specific pur­pose. They formed an ad hoc committee to look into the matter.

ad infinitum adv. (ad in fi NITE um) infinitely; on and on forever. Alarmists are concerned that the human population will continue to grow ad infinitum.

adjudicate vb. (uh JOO di kayt) to judge and settle a legal case. It requires great patience and intelligence to adjudicate a dispute fairly.

ad lib vb. (AD LIB) to improvise or perform without preparation. Caught off guard, the congresswoman was forced to ad lib a speech.

admonish vb. (Ad MON ish) to criticize or warn in order to correct errant behavior. The boys were admonished for playing on the train tracks.

ad nauseam adv. (AD NAWZ ee um) to a sickening degree. He listed all his awards and accomplishments ad nauseam.

adroit adj. (uh DROYT) highly skilled with one's hands; also mentally agile. He was particularly adroit at playing scales on the piano.

adulterate vb. (uh DULT uh RAYT) to pollute or make impure. The protesters warned that the dis­charge from the planned paper mill would adulterate the nearby river.

adversary n. (AD vur ser ee) opponent; enemy. The champion boxer pummeled his adversary and won the match by a knockout.

adverse adj. (ad VURS) unfavorable or antagonis­tic. The show is cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

adversity n. (ad VUR sit ee) hardship or highly try­ing conditions. In losing several players to injuries, our team has suffered great adversity.