-tion

1. The devotion or the giving oneself habitually, or compulsively, to something; such as, caffeine or alcohol; but especially to narcotics: Harriet's novel emphasized the main character's recovery from drug addiction.
2. The conditions of being overwhelmed or uncontrollably committed to causes or to special objectives: Amy's main addiction is her excess devotion to operas where she spends a great deal of time and expenses attending them as often as possible.

Sally had an addiction for buying clothes, shoes, purses, and other items even though she didn't need them and didn't have enough space to put them where she could access them, as a result, she had very little money for other necessities; such as, food, making her car payments, paying her rent, etc.

3. Situations that involve compulsions and the need to continue taking drugs as a result of taking them in the past: Greg was trying to follow his doctor's advice to stop his crack addiction which he had had for years. Getting away from his old friends, who also had the same addictions, was extremely difficult and hindered him from turning away from that type of life.

For more information, see these compositions: Addicts and Addiction.

1. The process of drawing inward toward the median axis of the body or toward an adjacent part or limb.
2. The action of bringing something forward as a fact or a statement.

1. The act of accepting with approval or a favorable reception: There are many adoptions of new words into the English language, especially those relating to computer usage.
2. A term for a situation in which adult animals take over the care of young that are not their own offspring: Sometimes baby creatures are adopted and raised by another creature of the same kind.

The adhesion of a liquid or a gas on the outer layer of a solid material: The process of adsorption takes place when a fluid is conveyed as a very thin film only onto a surface of an object and can be distinguished from "absorption", a situation where one substance actually penetrates into the inner structure of the other.

1. The transportation of a mass of matter and its conserved properties, like energy, by motion: Examples of advection can be seen in the movement of pollutants or silt in a stream or river which flows downstream.
2. The conveyance of an atmospheric property caused by the horizontal movement of air: The transfer of heat, humidity or moisture, or salinity, which are some properties carried through the motion of the air, is known as advection.
3. The horizontal movement of water, as in an ocean current: Advection is important for the precipitation of rain, snow, etc. from clouds, or for the formation of shaping of such orographic clouds.

A type of thick mist formed when warm, moist air moves horizontally over a cooler surface: Advection fog is found especially along a coastline where the temperature of land and the temperature of water significantly differ.

1. Something that causes pain or suffering; such as, a disease or other physical ailment: Laura lost her sight and she is now learning to live with her affliction.

Robert is convinced that his faith in God helped him to endure many afflictions, including nearly being killed while he was serving in the war as a soldier.

2. Etymology: from Latin afflictus, "cast down, wretched". © ALL rights are reserved.

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The action of rubbing one thing upon another.

1. A formal speech or address, especially one that contains an authoritative statement on a subject or an exhortation to someone: "Even before he became the 16th President of United States, Abraham Lincoln was well known for his clear and very concise style of allocution."
2. A traditional formal question directed by a court to a defendant convicted of a felony before sentencing, asking whether or not the defendant has anything to say regarding why the sentence should not be pronounced against him or her: "I believe that to have interfered as I have done, as I have freely admitted I have done, in behalf of God's despised poor, I did no wrong, but right. Now, if this court should deem it necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice . . . I say let it be done."

So went the court room allocution of John Brown, American hero to the slaves.

1. An earnest or eager desire for some type of achievement or distinction: Ambitions involve the longing for power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.
2. The object, state, goal, or result aspired or sought after: To be a professional baseball player has been Jim's life-time ambition.
3. A need or urge for an activity: Jerry and Jane have no ambition to go dancing this evening; so, they are staying home.

Word History

Even in ancient Rome candidates for public office went around soliciting votes. This activity was indicated by the word ambitio, "a going about, going around".

Ambitio was derived from ambire, "to go about", which in turn was formed from amb-, "about", and ire, "to go". Since this activity indicated a desire for honor or power, the word ambitio came to mean the desire for official honors.

This word was borrowed in French and English as ambition, and its meaning broadened to denote the earnest desire for achievement.

Pertaining to opposition of the discontinuance of a pregnancy or to a fetal development: The antiabortion doctor refused to remove the fetus before it was able to survive, especially since he was not convinced that it was necessary for the mother's well- being.

1. Against dishonesty; especially, against bribery and dishonest gain: "Anti corruption, or incorruptness, includes the efforts of banks and other financial institutions to combat illegal activities and to prevent the laundering of proceeds of crime at the earliest possible opportunities."
2. Opposing moral perversion, degeneracy, and depravity.
3. Working against the destruction of honesty or opposed to undermining moral integrity.
4. Making efforts to stop the bribery of public officials who are willing to violate their proper responsibilities as office holders: "Australia's anti-corruption for development policy provides a framework for planning, resourcing, and reviewing anti corruption activities on a country and regional basis. Australia's approach to anti-corruption will focus on three mutually reinforcing elements."
5. Making efforts to stop decay or progressive putrescence, rottenness, or decay: "Keeping meat, dairy products, etc. in the refrigerator before consumption is a form of anticorruption."