arduous Pronunciation: \ ˈ är-jə-wəs, -dyu ̇ -, -jü-əs\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin arduus high, steep, difficult; akin to Old Irish ard high Date: a: hard to accomplish or achieve : difficult difficult b: marked by great labor or effort : strenuous 2: hard to climb : steep strenuoussteep synonyms see hardhard

articulate Pronunciation: \är- ˈ ti-kyə-lət\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin articulatus jointed, past participle of articulare, from articulus Date: a: divided into syllables or words meaningfully arranged : intelligible b: able to speak c: expressing oneself readily, clearly, or effectively ; also : expressed in this manner intelligible 2 a: consisting of segments united by joints : jointed b: distinctly marked offjointed

assail Pronunciation: \ə- ˈ sāl\ Function: verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French assaillir, from Vulgar Latin *assalire, alteration of Latin assilire to leap upon, from ad- + salire to leap — more at sally Date: 13th centurysally : to attack violently with blows or words synonyms see attackattack

astute Pronunciation: \ə- ˈ stüt, a-, - ˈ styüt\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin astutus, from astus craft Date: 1565 : having or showing shrewdness and perspicacity ; also : crafty, wilycraftywily synonyms see shrewdshrewd

attune Pronunciation: \ə- ˈ tün, - ˈ tyün\ Function: transitive verb Date: : to bring into harmony : tune 2 : to make aware or responsivetune

audacious Pronunciation: \o ̇ - ˈ dā-shəs\ Function: adjective Etymology: Middle French audacieux, from audace boldness, from Latin audacia, from audac-, audax bold, from audēre to dare, from avidus eager — more at avid Date: 1550avid 1 a: intrepidly daring : adventurous adventurous b: recklessly bold : rash rash 2: contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum : insolentinsolent 3: marked by originality and verve

august Pronunciation: \o ̇ - ˈ gəst, ˈ o ̇ -( ˌ )gəst\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin augustus; akin to Latin augur Date: 1581 : marked by majestic dignity or grandeur

auspicious Pronunciation: \o ̇ - ˈ spi-shəs\ Function: adjective Date: : affording a favorable auspice : propitious 2 : attended by good auspices : prosperous auspicepropitiousauspicesprosperous synonyms see favorablefavorable

auxiliary Pronunciation: \o ̇ g- ˈ zil-yə-rē, - ˈ zil-rē, - ˈ zi-lə-\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin auxiliaris, from auxilium help; akin to Latin augēre to increase — more at eke Date: 15th centuryeke 1 a: offering or providing help b: functioning in a subsidiary capacity 2: accompanying another verb and typically expressing person, number, mood, or tense3 a: supplementary b: constituting a reservesupplementary

aversion Pronunciation: \ə- ˈ vər-zhən, -shən\ Function: noun Date: obsolete : the act of turning away 2 a : a feeling of repugnance toward something with a desire to avoid or turn from it b : a settled dislike : antipathy antipathy c : a tendency to extinguish a behavior or to avoid a thing or situation and especially a usually pleasurable one because it is or has been associated with a noxious stimulus 3 : an object of aversion