| abbreviate |
to shorten the time or length of. |
| ballast |
heavy material placed in a boat or ship to make it more stable. |
| cancellation |
the act of omission, deletion, or invalidation. |
| convergence |
the point, line, or the like at which lines, planes, or objects meet. |
| credibility |
the quality of being believable, or the power to cause others to believe. |
| impair |
to lessen the strength or ability of; damage. |
| kin |
the members of an extended family together; relatives. |
| ordeal |
a painful, difficult experience, or test of one's character. |
| practitioner |
a person working in a trade, occupation, or profession. |
| prevail |
to emerge as dominant (often followed by "over"). |
| prior |
happening earlier in time or sequence. |
| tarry1 |
to delay or postpone starting or acting; linger. |
| theory |
a reasonable, widely accepted explanation for why something happens. |
| treachery |
a breaking of faith or loyalty; betrayal. |
| withdrawn |
emotionally distant or unresponsive. |