arrogate?to appropriate articulate?to join; to speak clearly artifact?a manmade object, particularly a primitive one artifice?ingenuity; trickery artisan?a skilled craftsman ascendant?rising ascetic?self-denying ascribe?to assign or attribute aseptic?free of bacteria askance?with a sideways look; suspiciously askew?crookedly asperity?harshness aspersion?a slanderous remark assail?to assault assay?to test or analyze; to try asseverate?to assert assiduous?diligent assimilate?to incorporate assuage?to lessen astral?pertaining to the stars astute?clever; shrewd atavism?a throwback to an earlier state; a reappearance of a characteristic from an earlier generation atheist?one who believes there is no God athwart?across atrophy?to waste away