amputate

cut off part of body; prune (a limb)

amulet

charm; talisman; an object worn believed to protect against evil, bad luck

anachronism

an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic

analgesia

condition of being unable to feel pain

analgesic

causing insensitivity to pain; N.

analogous

comparable; similar

analogy

similarity; parallelism; comparing two similar things

anarchist

person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority

anarchy

absence of governing body; state of disorder

anathema

solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize

ancestry

family descent; ADJ. ancestral

anchor

secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place; N. anchorage

ancillary

serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N.

anecdote

short story of an amusing or interesting event

anemia

condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic

anesthetic

substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia

anguish

acute pain; extreme suffering

angular

sharp-cornered; having an angle; not rounded (body); bony; lean; gaunt; stiff in manner

animadversion

critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval

animated

lively; spirited