SAT High Frequency Words : 41-50

1. Augment (v) : increase; add to. Armies augment their forces by calling up reinforcements; teachers augment their salaries by taking odd jobs.
2. Austere (adj) : forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unornamented. The headmaster’s austere demeanor tended to scare off the more timid students, who never visited his study willingly.
3. Authoritarian (adj) : subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another’s will. The leaders of the authoritarian regime ordered the suppression of the democratic protest movement.
4. Autonomous (adj) : self-governing. Although the University of California at Berkeley is just one part of the state university system, in many ways Cal Berkeley is autonomous, for it runs several programs that are not subject to outside control.
5. Aversion (v) : firm dislike. Bert had an aversion to yuppies; Alex had an aversion to punks. Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to one another.
6. Belie (v) : contradict; give a false impression. His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his inner sensitivity.
7. Benevolent (adj)  : generous; charitable. Mr. Fezziwig was a benevolent employer, who wished to make Christmas merrier for young Scrooge and his other employees.
8. Bolster (v) : support; reinforce. The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to bolster their arguments.
9. Braggart (n) : boaster. Modest by nature, she was no braggart, preferring to let her accomplishments speak for themselves.
10. Brevity (n) : conciseness. Brevity is essential when you send a telegram or cablegram; you are charged for every word.