arduous Pronunciation: \ ˈ är-jə-wəs, -dy u̇ -, -jü-əs\ Function: adjective

1. arduous Pronunciation: \ˈär-jə-wəs, -dyu̇-, -jü-əs\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin arduus high, steep, difficult; akin to Old Irish ard high Date: 1538 1 a: hard to accomplish or achieve :difficult<years of arduous training> b: marked by great labor or effort :strenuous<a life of arduous toil — A. C. Cole> 2: hard to climb :steep<an arduous path> synonyms see hard

2. articulate Pronunciation: \är-ˈti-kyə-lət\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin articulatus jointed, past participle of articulare, from articulusDate: 1586 1 a: divided into syllables or words meaningfully arranged :intelligible b: able to speak c: expressing oneself readily, clearly, or effectively <an articulate teacher> ; also : expressed in this manner <an articulate argument> 2 a: consisting of segments united by joints :jointed<articulate animals> b: distinctly marked off

3. assail Pronunciation: \ə-ˈsāl\ Function: verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French assaillir, from Vulgar Latin *assalire, alteration of Latin assilire to leap upon, from ad- + salire to leap — more at sallyDate: 13th century : to attack violently with blows or words synonyms see attack

4. astute Pronunciation: \ə-ˈstüt, a-, -ˈstyüt\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin astutus, from astus craft Date: 1565 : having or showing shrewdness and perspicacity <an astute observer><astute remarks>; also:crafty, wily synonyms see shrewd

5. attune Pronunciation: \ə-ˈtün, -ˈtyün\ Function: transitive verb Date: 1596 1: to bring into harmony :tune2: to make aware or responsive <attune businesses to changing trends>

6. audacious Pronunciation: \ȯ-ˈdā-shəs\ Function: adjective Etymology: Middle French audacieux, from audace boldness, from Latin audacia, from audac-, audax bold, from audēre to dare, from avidus eager — more at avidDate: 1550 1 a: intrepidly daring :adventurous<an audacious mountain climber> b: recklessly bold :rash<an audacious maneuver> 2: contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum :insolent 3: marked by originality and verve <audacious experiments>

7. august Pronunciation: \ȯ-ˈgəst, ˈȯ-(ˌ)gəst\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin augustus; akin to Latin augurDate: 1581 : marked by majestic dignity or grandeur <her august lineage>

8. auspicious Pronunciation: \ȯ-ˈspi-shəs\ Function: adjective Date: 1593 1 : affording a favorable auspice:propitious<made an auspicious beginning> 2 : attended by good auspices:prosperous<an auspicious year> synonyms see favorable

9. auxiliary Pronunciation: \ȯg-ˈzil-yə-rē, -ˈzil-rē, -ˈzi-lə-\ Function: adjective Etymology: Latin auxiliaris, from auxilium help; akin to Latin augēre to increase — more at ekeDate: 15th century 1 a: offering or providing help b: functioning in a subsidiary capacity <an auxiliary branch of the state university> 2: accompanying another verb and typically expressing person, number, mood, or tense3 a:supplementary b: constituting a reserve <an auxiliary power>

10. aversion Pronunciation: \ə-ˈvər-zhən, -shən\ Function: noun Date: 1596 1obsolete: the act of turning away 2 a: a feeling of repugnance toward something with a desire to avoid or turn from it <regards drunkenness with aversion> b: a settled dislike :antipathy<expressed an aversion to parties> c: a tendency to extinguish a behavior or to avoid a thing or situation and especially a usually pleasurable one because it is or has been associated with a noxious stimulus 3: an object of aversion <inconstancy is my aversion — Jane Austen>