a-, ab-, abs-

1. Concerning the presence of great quantities; more than adequate; overly sufficient: Rainfall is more abundant this summer in some areas of the country, however it is much less abundant in other areas.
2. Well-supplied; pertaining to a more than plentiful supply of something: The prosecutor offered abundant evidence proving that the woman had committed the crime.

This has been one of the most abundant displays of beautiful fall colors that the city parks have ever produced in years.

Descriptive of how much of something is fully sufficient, plentiful, and copious, as of a quantity or supply; The family was provided abundantly with many items from the store, including meat, milk, vegetables, and fruit to keep them healthy through the the never-ending snow storm.

It is abundantly obvious that the current economic situation will not be solved easily.

1. A harmful treatment of a person, people, an animal, or animals: Recently there have been accusations of human rights abuses by some government officials of several countries.
2. The practice or act of using or doing something illegally: The governor's abuse of his power involved the buying of votes which resulted in his being prosecuted for malicious use of public funds.
3. Harsh and insulting words: The prisoner, who was on trial for murder, shouted abuses at the presiding judge accusing her of prejudice because he was a man.
4. Etymology: "to misuse, misapply", from Latin abusus, "a using up"; "misuse up"; from ab-. "away" + uti, "use".

1. To use wrongly or improperly: The fact that Troy abused his wife both mentally and physically was brought to the judge's attention during the court procedure.
2. To use or to treat something in a way that causes damage: Ricky abused his car by not taking proper care of it and driving excessively fast.
3. To attack someone with words: The baseball fans were verbally abusing the umpire for calling the player "out"!
4. To engage in corrupt practices or activities or to use in an unfair way: Too many politicians tend to abuse their governmental positions with actions that will increase their monetary lifestyles.

1. Regarding the use of harsh and insulting language: Wayne's wife spoke to him in a more abusive manner than usual when he came home late without letting her know in advance.
2. Pertaining to the use or involvement of physical violence or emotional cruelty: Fortunately there are not as many people who are in abusive relationships as there are those who have good relationships.

Mary's husband was accused of resorting to the most abusive punishment of his children whenever they did not do what he told them to do.

Descriptive of how someone is treated with harsh and insulting language: There are too many people who are abusively offended with slanderous language.

Sarah's neighbor insulted her abusively with his attitude and foul language.

1. To turn away: Mr. Pyott had to avert his eyes from the sight of the terrible auto accident that he saw on the highway.

Cathy averted her head so her mother couldn't see her face where she had bruised it when she fell on the slippery ice.

2. To ward off, to prevent, or to abstain from happening: Shirley averted an accident by driving her car carefully on a narrow street that was undergoing reconstruction, however a man who was driving in the same lane didn't avert the barrier on the side and so he had a bad accident.
3. To keep from happening or to avoid something: The quick arrival of the fire fighters averted a major forest fire.

A man who averts danger turns it away from himself.

Tim averted his eyes by turning them away.

1. To reject, to shun, to stay away: Because of her sensitive skin, Geraldine tries to avoid sitting in the sun.
2. To keep away from, to stay out of the way of someone or something: Lauren's former husband now avoids her whenever they happen to be in the same place.

Margery, a high school student, manages to avoid doing the dishes by claiming she has to do her homework.

3. To prevent the occurrence of; to stop from happening: If at all possible, people should avoid repeating the same mistakes when investing their money in those companies that are unable to maintain reasonable profits.
4. To refrain or to stop doing something: Nations should try to avoid starting so many wars with each other.
5. To resist, to turn down, or to deliberately stay away from certain foods or beverages: According to the doctor during Carol's diet, she should avoid eating solid food, however liquids would be all right.

A tubular spring damper operated by rod and piston which is considered to be the most common type of mechanical damper: The mechanic installed new telescopic shock absorbers on his pickup truck.

The photometric measurement of the wavelengths of observable radiation taken in by a sample and which correspond to electron transitions from the ground state to an excited state: Professor Jess Monroe developed a new visible absorption spectrophotometry device that enhanced the scientific studies in his university classes.

In the teacher's advanced physics program, his students studied the visible absorptions spectrophotometries of light energy.