In an attempt to discover the meanings of the words used in our basic text book Alcoholics Anonymous when it was written, we have used many sources for this glossary. Our primary source was Webster’s Daily Use Dictionary, published in 1934.
For the historical references we used the World Book Encyclopedia and Encarta Encyclopedia. Because our language has changed much since our “Big Book” was written, and because the book’s purpose is to explain “precisely how we have recovered”, we believe it is important to understand what the words meant when they were written, not how they have been filtered by our society today.
This glossary is not complete by any means, but is meant to be helpful. It is best to print the printable version on “legal” (8.5×14) paper.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
| Abandon | To give oneself over to a feeling or emotion without restraint or control. |
| Abjectly | Worthless; low; in a sunken or degraded condition. |
| Abstain or Abstinence | To refrain voluntarily from an action especially from eating some foods or from intoxicating beverages. |
| Ad Infinitum | Without end or limit |
| Agnostic | One who denies that man possesses any knowledge of the ultimate nature of things. |
| Allergy | A condition of heightened susceptibility to a substance that when taken in similar amounts is innocuous (harmless) to a majority of the same group. |
| Alloy | A substance composed of two or more metals or materials. |
| Altruistic | The principle involving the sacrifice of self in the interest of others. |
| Amend | To change or modify for the better. To put right. |
| Annihilation | Reduce to nothing, wipe out of existence, destroy. |
| Antagonism | Actively expressed opposition, hostility or antipathy. |
| Antipathy | Natural aversion. An instinctive dislike. |
| Armistice Day | Used before the official adoption of “Veteran’s Day” in 1954. Refers to the end of WW I. |
| Ascertained | To make certain; find out or determine definitely by test or examination. |
| Askance | With disapproval or distrust. |
| Atheist | One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God |
| Augury | The art or practice of foretelling events. A prediction. |
| Avocation | 1) A subordinate occupation pursued in addition to one’s vocation or job. 2) Diversion or distraction. |
| Bathtub Gin |
Homemade liquor produced in a home still or kitchen during Prohibition period of 1920 through 1933 (See Prohibition). |
| Bedevilment | State of being bewilderingly disordered or confused. |
| Belladonna | A medicinal extract from a European poisonous plant. |
| Bout | Outbreak. Attack |
| Brainstorm | A state of cerebral excitement due to continued nerve strain causing temporary mental derangement. |
| Calamity | A state of deep distress or misery caused by major misfortune or loss. |
| Capitulate | To surrender to an enemy on conditions agreed upon. |
| Chicanery | Deception by artful evasion or escape. Trick. |
| Cipher | An insignificant thing or individual. Non-entity |
| Commence | To have a beginning. Start. |
| Commendable | Worthy of confidence or notice. Praise |
| Concede | To acknowledge grudgingly. |
| Conception | The process of forming or understanding ideas or abstractions. A general idea. |
| Confidential | Private. Secret |
| Consternation | Amazement or dismay that hinders or throws into confusion |
| Constitutionally (incapable) | Relating to, inherent in, or affecting the fundamental makeup of something or someone. |
| Contention (Contentious) | Contest. Debate. |
| Contingent | Dependent on or conditioned by something else. |
| Controversy | A discussion marked especially by expression of opposing views. Dispute. Quarrel. |
| Conviction | The state of being convinced of error or compelled to admit the truth. A strong persuasion or belief. |
| Countenance | The whole form; appearance; support |
| Crux | Unresolved question. Puzzling or difficult problem. |
| Debris | The remains of something broken down or destroyed. |
| Diffident | Lacking self-reliance |
| Diligently | Characterized by steady, earnest and energetic application and effort. |
| Disconcerted | To throw into confusion. To disturb. |
| Debacle | A flood carrying masses of debris. Ruin. |
| Debauch | 1) To lead away from virtue or excellence. 2) To corrupt by intemperance. (see Temperance) |
| Delirium tremens | A mental disturbance characterized by confusion, disordered speech and hallucinations coupled with violent tremors induced by excessive and prolonged use of alcoholic liquors. |
| Delusion | A false belief regarding self that persists despite the facts. |
| Demoralization | To destroy the normal functioning. To throw into disorder. |
| Denizen | An inhabitant. Citizen. |
| Deportment | Behavior |
| Doggerel | A kind of verse devoid of sense or rhythm. |
| Dubious | Of doubtful promise or uncertain outcome. Questionable as to value, quality or origin. |
| Earnestness | In serious reality. Serious in speech or action. |
| Erstwhile | Formerly |
| Egocentric | Limited in outlook or concern to one’s own activities or needs. |
| Emphatically | Expressing oneself in forceful speech or take decisive action. |
| Epoch | A point of time from which succeeding years are reckoned. Era. Date. |
| Evangelist | One who has militant or crusading zeal. |
| Fallacious | Deceptive. |
| Fatal | Causing death. Bringing ruin. |
| Fellowship | Community of interest, activity, feeling or experience. |
| Fettered | To be confined or restricted. To restrained from action. Confined. Hampered |
| Frothy | Empty. Frivolous. |
| Gorge | Mass of matter that chokes up a passage. |
| Immutable | Unchangeable. Invariable. Unalterable. Permanent |
| Immune (Immunity) | Exempt. Not susceptible or responsive to something. |
| Imperious | Domineering. Dictatorial. Overbearing. |
| Impunity | Exemption or freedom from punishment, harm or loss. |
| Incomprehensible | Incapable of being understood. Unintelligible |
| Indignant | Filled with or marked by anger aroused by something unjust, unworthy or mean |
| Inexplicable | Incapable of being explained, interpreted or accounted for. |
| Intimated | Communicate indirectly. Hint. |
| Keystone | Central stone of an arch. |
| Longshoreman | One who is employed at a seaport to load and unload ships. |
| Lethargy | Morbid drowsiness. Unnatural prolonged slumber. |
| Levity | Lightness of disposition. Trifling. Gaiety |
| Lucrative | Producing wealth. Profitable. |
| Lustre | Brightness. Splendor. |
| Maelstrom | A powerful, often violent whirlpool sucking in other objects. |
| Manifestation | Clear, plain display or revelation. |
| Martyr | One who sacrifices their life or something of great value for the sake of principle. |
| Materialize | To come into existence. To appear suddenly. |
| Moral | Of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior. |
| Nadir | The lowest point. |
| “Nip of the wringer” | In the 1930’s washing machines of the day were “wringer washers” which had a tub for washing the clothes and a double roller arrangement above the tub to wring out the wet clothes (there was no “spin drying” in those days). If you got your hand in the wringer portion of the washer it hurt like the devil and could crush your hand. “Nip” refers to quickly pulling your fingers out of the wringer before it grabs your whole hand. |
| Obsession | A persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling. |
| Obstinate | Adhering to an opinion, purpose or course in spite of reason, arguments or persuasion. |
| Perverse | Obstinate. Untractable. Contrary. |
| Phenomenon | A rare, significant, observable fact or event. |
| Plague | A disastrous evil or affliction. An epidemic disease causing a high rate of death. |
| Pomp | An ostentatious display. Pageant. Vainglory. |
| Prejudice | Opinions formed without due knowledge or examination. “Old Ideas”. |
| Premeditation | Consideration or planning an act beforehand that shows intent to commit that act. |
| Prodigious | Extraordinary or monstrous in bulk, quantity or degree. |
| Prohibition | Period in America when the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcoholic beverages was illegal. From January 1920 to December 1933. |
| Professor Langley’s Flying Machine |
Harvard Professor who, in 1896, became the first person to build an unmanned heavier than air flying machine. His first manned heavier than air flying machine crashed into the Potomac River (Washington DC) on December 8, 1903 – just 9 days before the Wright Brothers flight. |
| Prophesied | To make a prediction. To speak as if divinely inspired. |
| Prosaic | Belonging to the everyday world. Commonplace. |
| Queer | Differing in some odd way from what is usual or normal. |
| Recoil | To draw back because of distaste or fear. To spring back to a starting point. |
| Reconcile | To restore to friendship or favor. Adjust. |
| Remonstrances | A document formally stating points of opposition or grievances. |
| Reprieve | To delay punishment. Temporary respite. |
| Resentment | A feeling of displeasure at something regarded as a wrong, insult or injury. |
| Retaliate | To get revenge. To repay in kind. |
| Robust | Having or exhibiting strength or vigorous health. |
| Row | A noisy disturbance or quarrel. Brawl. |
| Ruthlessly | Cruel, merciless, savage or ferocious. |
| Schism | A split or division. |
| Self-centered | Concerned solely with one’s own desires, needs or interests. |
| Self-seeking | To strive for or endeavor to be the subject of ones own consciousness. |
| Selfish | Influenced by personal motives to the disregard of the welfare or wishes of others. |
| Servile | Pertaining to, characteristic of or befitting a slave or servant. Meanly submissive. |
| Sordid | Dirty, Filthy, wretched, squalid. |
| Sot | A habitual drunkard. |
| Squander | To spend wastefully or foolishly. |
| Tedious | Tiresome because of length or dullness. Boring. |
| Temperance | Moderation in or abstinence from the use of intoxicating drink. |
| Transcended | To rise above or go beyond the limits of. Exceed. |
| Trivial | Of little worth or importance. Insignificant |
| Trudge | To walk or march steadily and carefully. |
| Utopia | Pertaining to the imaginary island where the most perfect system of laws and institutions existed. Ideal. Visionary. Perfect. |
| Utterly (as in utterly hopeless) |
Absolute. Total |
| Vestige | Remains of something pre-existent. |
| Vicissitude | The quality or state of being changeable. Natural change or mutation visible in human affairs. |
| Virtuous | Possessing or exhibiting strength or valor. Moral. |
| Writhing | To twist with violence. |