A

Abate

to shorten
To cast down
To blunt
Abatement
diminution
Abhor
protest; disgust
Abide
to sojourn
to expiate
Able
to uphold
Abridgement
a short play
Abroad
away, apart
Abrook
to brook, abide
Absey-book
a primer
Absolute
positive, certain
Complete
Abuse
to deceive
Abuse
deception
Aby
to expiate a fault
Abysm
abyss
Accite
to cite, summon
Accuse
accusation
Achieve
to obtain
Acknown
'to be acknown' is to acknowledge
Acquittance
a receipt or discharge
Action-taking
litigious
Acture
action
Addition
title, attribute
Address
to prepare oneself
Addressed
prepared
Advance
to prefer, promote to honour
Advertisement
admonition
Advertising
attentive
Advice
consideration, discretion
Advise
sometimes neuter, sometimes reflective, to
consider, reflect
Advised
considerate
Advocation
pleading, advocacy
Afeared
afraid
Affect
to love
Affy
to affiance
To trust
Afront
in front
Agazed
looking in amazement
Aglet-baby
the small figure engraved on a jewel
Agnise
to acknowledge, confess
A-good
a good deal, plenteously
A-hold
a sea-term
Aierie
the nest of a bird of prey
Aim
a guess
Alder-liefest
most loved of all
Ale
alehouse
Allow
to approve
Allowance
approval
Ames-ace
two aces, the lowest throw of the dice
Amort
dead, dejected
An
if
Anchor
an anchorite, hermit
Ancient
an ensign-bearer
Angel
a coin, so called because it bore the image of
an angel
Anight
by night
Answer
retaliation
Anthropophaginian
a cannibal
Antick
the fool in the old plays
Antre
a cave
Apparent
heir-apparent
Appeal
accusation
Appeal
to accuse
Appeared
made apparent
Apple-john
a kind of apple
Appointment
preparation
Apprehension
opinion
Apprehensive
apt to apprehend or understand
Approbation
probation
Approof
approbation, proof
Approve
to prove
To justify, make good
Approver
one who proves or tries
Arch
chief
Argal
a ridiculous word intended for the Latin ergo
Argentine
silver
Argier
Algiers
Argosy
originally a vessel of Ragusa or Ragosa, a
Ragosine; hence any ship of burden
Argument
subject
Armigero
a mistake for Armiger, the Latin for Esquire
Aroint
found only in the imperative mood, get thee
gone
A-row
in a row
Articulate
to enter into articles of agreement
to exhibit in articles
Ask
to require
Aspect
regard, looks
Aspersion
sprinkling; hence blessing, because before the
Reformation benediction was generally accompanied
by the sprinkling of holy water
Assay
attempt
Assay
to attempt, test, make proof of
Assinego
an ass
Assubjugate
to subjugate
Assurance
deed of assurance
Assured
betrothed
Atomy
an atom
Used in contempt of a small person
Atone
to put people at one, to reconcile
to agree
Attach
to seize, lay hold on
Attasked
taken to task, reprehended
Attend
to listen to
Attent
attentive
Attorney
an agent
Attorney
to employ as an agent
To perform by an agent
Audacious
spirited, daring, but without any note of blame
attached to it
Augur
augury
Authentic
clothed with authority
Avaunt
int. be gone, a word of abhorrence
Ave
the Latin for hail; hence acclamation
Ave-mary
the angelic salutation addressed to the Blessed
Virgin Mary
Averring
confirming
Avoid
get rid of
Awful
worshipful
Awkward
contrary