withdraw, obtain, associate, abuse, add up : meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Advanced set 55. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. withdraw · verb/wɪðˈdrɔ/

   remove; take something away that had been extended or offered

   She reached into her backpack and withdrew a sandwich.

   Synonyms: back away, discontinue, pull out, take back, retreat

   Origin: Middle English: from the prefix with- ‘away’ + the verb draw

2. obtain · verb/əbˈteɪn/

   get, acquire

   I finally have this collector's edition of the novel, which was rather difficult to obtain.

   Synonyms: attain, win, gain

   Origin: late Middle English: from Old French obtenir, from Latin obtinere ‘obtain, gain’

3. associate · verb/əˈsoʊsiˌeɪt/

   connect or link two elements, as in ideas or events

   Excessive salt intake has been associated with a variety of health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

   Synonyms: link, relate, correlate, connect

   Origin: late Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘join with in a common purpose’; as an adjective in the sense ‘allied’): from Latin associat- ‘joined’, from the verb associare, from ad- ‘to’ + socius ‘sharing, allied’

4. abuse · verb/əˈbjuz/

   cause physical or emotional damage; use excessively, particularly harming one's health

   The goal of the campaign was to raise awareness about animal suffering and change farming practices that abuse animals.

   Synonyms: exploit, misuse, maltreat, violate, damage

   Origin: late Middle English: via Old French from Latin abus- ‘misused’, from the verb abuti, from ab- ‘away’ (i.e. ‘wrongly’) + uti ‘to use’

5. add up · phrasal verb

   provide a reasonable explanation, make a consistent argument

   We started to suspect Josh was lying because his story did not add up. It was full of inconsistencies and he kept contradicting himself.

   Synonyms: make sense