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as anachronistic, even anathema in an enlightened age." Samuel G. Freedman, "The Un-Reformation," New York, 6/21/99

annals

"He would begin these annals with Columbus, and he would keep on with them until his hand was too palsied to hold a pen." Catherine Drinker Bowen, Yankee from Olympus

anomaly

"My mother was American, my ancestors were officers in Washington's army, and I am an anomaly." Winston Churchill, speech, 1953

anthropologist

"Burning tobacco, anthropologists have found, was a religious practice over 2000 years ago in the Mayan culture."

Journal of Urban Health, 9/99

antipathy

"There is no need to anticipate any antipathy from your future in-laws when you plan a wedding." "Wedding Guide," Courier-Life Publications, 7/99

antiquated

"The custom of throwing rice at a newly married couple is an antiquated one, originally meaning a wish for many children." "Wedding Guide," Courier-Life Publications, 7/99

antithesis

"Drunkenness is the antithesis of dignity." Bergen Evans, "Now Everyone is Hip About Slang"

apathy

"The younger generation exhibits apathy toward the issue of freedom of the press." Herbert Brucker, Journalist

appalled

"A calm and steady temperament deserted him while he stared, appalled, at the contents." John Cheever, The Wapshot Chronicle

appellation

"He went under the appellation of 'Pretty Boy' but to his victims he was anything but that." Dexter Holcomb, Did the Roaring Twenties Really Roar? [adapted]

arbiter

"Sonja Henie became the supreme arbiter of skating fashions." Maribel Y. Vinson, "Ice Maiden"

arbitrary

"My arbitrary decision not to run puts Massachusetts at a disadvantage and probably was a mistake." Representative Martin Meehan in Newsday, 6/1/99

archaic

"Many procedures of the law have long seemed archaic to laymen." Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, quoted in San Francisco Examiner, 1/4/71

ardent

"There is no more ardent performer than Judy Garland as she allows her emotions to shine through." Penelope Houston, Sight and Sound, 1954

arrayed

"She arrayed herself in what seemed unbelievably beautiful clothes." Sherwood Anderson, Winesburg, Ohio

artifact

"In caves in Chile, remains of horses have been found along with human artifacts." A. Hyatt Verrill, The Strange Story of Our Earth

artifice

"The successful advertiser will use any artifice to get his message seen." E. S. Turner, The Shocking History of Advertising

artless

"Behind the naive, artless manner, there was a woman scheming for success." John Simon, Reverse Angle

ascended

"As he set himself to fan the fire again, his crouching shadow ascended the opposite wall." James Joyce, "Ivy Day in the Committee Room"

ascertain

"Scientists have been trying to ascertain why dinosaurs became extinct so suddenly." A. Hyatt Verrill, The Strange Story of Our Earth

ascetic

"You don't have to be an ascetic to wonder if there isn't something a bit manic about the pace of getting and spending in

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today's America." Paul Krugman, "Money Can't Buy Happiness. Er, Can It?," New York Times, 6/1/99

asinine

"We have developed what I believe is an asinine rating system for motion pictures." Harold Owen, Jr., The Motion Picture

asperity

"The path of beauty is not soft and smooth, but full of harshness and asperity." Havelock Ellis, The Dance of Life

aspirants

"A number of playwrights, small aspirants to the big screen, must already be pricing beach houses in Malibu." Ross Wetzsteon, Introduction to New Plays USA

aspire

"To humility indeed it does not even aspire." John Henry Newman, The Idea of a University

assets

"Berkshire Hathaway is a diversified holding company with assets in manufacturing, insurance, aircraft safety training, etc." "Warren's Buffet's Fabulous Fund," Mutual Funds Magazine, 6/99

assiduously

"Richard Greenberg is aiming here for big laughs at the expense of the generation he so assiduously chronicled in the past." Peter Marks, "Making Mincemeat of Boomer Values"

astute

From an astute standpoint, that's exactly what the ballplayers should do instead of running out to mob the other guy." Tim McCarver, Baseball for Brain Surgeons

atrophy

"Some people thought that too much reading would atrophy a girl's brain forever." Ann McGovern, The Secret Soldier

attenuated

"The players' strike resulted in an attenuated and boring season." Sports Illustrated, 10/96

attest

"Thousands of satisfied users can attest to the great features such as Voicemail and Caller ID that work the same way wherever you go on our network." Newspaper ad for Internet company, New York Times, 6/12/99

atypical

"He is an atypical candidate, without glamour, fame or wealth." New York Post, 8/15/99

aú courant

"He seemed to be aú courant with everything." Arnold Bennett, Lord Raingo

audacity

"Boldness be my friend! Arm me, audacity, from head to foot!" William Shakespeare, Cymbeline

augmented

"The Russian army was augmented by helicopters and rocket-launching tanks in its attack on the defenders." Newsday, 11/27/99

austere

"New York City was founded by austere puritan colonists who could never imagine the city as it is today." Moses Riechin, The Promised City

automaton

"She's an automaton; she has every quality in the world, and I've often wondered why it is with all that I'm so completely indifferent to her." W. Somerset Maugham, The Treasure

avarice

"He could not disguise his avarice under a cloak of religion." Ambrose Bierce

aversion

"During the last years of his administration the mayor showed an aversion to taking political risks." Jewell Bellush and Dick Netzer, Urban Politics

avid

"CUNY will have no more avid and fierce supporter for its mission than himself." Karen Arenson, "New ViceChairman of CUNY," New York Times, 6/10/99

awesome

"Africa has some of the most awesome jungles in the world." John Hersey, Into the Valley

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