6/10/2009 Words of the Day

aback:

If you are taken aback by something, you are surprised or shocked by it and you cannot respond at once.
           Roland was taken aback by our strength of feeling...

 

abacus:

An abacus is a frame used for counting. It has rods with sliding beads on them.

 

abalone:

Abalone is a shellfish that you can eat and that has a shiny substance called mother-of-pearl inside its shell.

 

abandon:

If you say that someone does something with abandon, you mean that they behave in a wild, uncontrolled way and do not think or care about how they should behave.
           He has spent money with gay abandon...

If people abandon ship, they get off a ship because it is sinking.

 

abashed:

If you are abashed, you feel embarrassed and ashamed. (WRITTEN)
           He looked abashed, uncomfortable.

 

abate:

If something bad or undesirable abates, it becomes much less strong or severe. (FORMAL)
           The storms had abated by the time they rounded Cape Horn.