The people had no control over their destiny; they were forced to obey the dictates of the authoritarian regime.
We accepted her analysis of the situation as authoritative.
He ran his office like an autocrat, giving no one else any authority.
Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots, writers were creating stories of automation who could outperform humans.
This island is a colony; however, in most matters, it is autonomous and receives no orders from the mother country.
The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
To prepare for the emergency, they built an auxiliary power station.
King Midas's avarice has been famous for centuries.
I wish to aver that I am certain of success.
He was averse to revealing the sources of his information.
Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to one another.
She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway.
The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds.
He was avid for learning and read everything he could get.
His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation and concentrated on his avocation.
I must avow that I am innocent.
Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's shortcomings.
The tourists gazed with awe at the tremendous expanse of the Grand Canyon.
She used an awl to punch additional holes in the leather belt she had bought.
He held his head awry, giving the impression that he had caught cold in his neck during the night.
Before a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean geometry, he must accept certain principles or axioms.
azure skies are indicative of good weather.
The little girl babbled about her doll.
Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy.
She was forced to change her telephone number because she was badgered by obscene phone calls.
Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with cheerful badinage.
The new code baffled the enemy agents.
The soldiers baited the prisoners, terrorizing them.
Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge.
The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area.
When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt.
The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift the ballast in the hold to get her back on an even keel.
Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.
A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast.
His frequent use of cliches made his essay seem banal.
The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press conference.
Lack of public transportation is the bane of urban life.
They resented his bantering remarks because they misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm.
The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish.
The ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy.
Shocked by Huck Finn's barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his unregenerate wickedness.
Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers, they found the flamboyance of baroque architecture amusing.
The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy canyons.
Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice of law boring, turned to writing.
The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives' furs.
basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell asleep.
The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised bastion could protect them from the guerrila raids.
Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity.
The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag.
She took offense at his bawdy remarks.
The beatific smile on the child's face made us very happy.
Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of indescribable beatitude.
The witch doctors were bedizened in their gaudiest costumes.
We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing.
His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling her further.
One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another.
I begrudge every minute I have to spend attending meetings.
I beguiled himself during the long hours by playing solitaire.
Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker "The Behemoth."
Since I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, I cannot accept this favor.
In this time of crisis, it behooves all of us to remain calm and await the instructions of our superiors.
The debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience by belaboring his point.
He apologized for his belated note of condolence to the widow of his friend and explained that he had just learned of her husband's untimely death.
As soon as the city was beleaguered, the life became more subdued as the citizens began their long wait for outside assitance.
His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity.
Parents should not belittle their children's early attempts at drawing, but should encourage their efforts.
His bellicose disposition alienated his friends.
Whenever he had too much to drink, he became belligerent and tried to pick fights with strangers.
Jill studied the garbled instructions with a bemused look on her face.
The appearance of the sun after the many rainy days was like a benediction.
Scrooge later became Tiny Tim's benefactor and gave him a benediction.
The overgenerous philanthropist had to curb his beneficent impulses before he gave away all his money and left himself with nothing.
You may change your beneficiary as often as you wish.
His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.
The old man was well liked because of his benign attitude toward friend and stranger alike.
Let us pray that the benison of peace once more shall prevail among the nations of the world.
bent on advancing in the business world, the secretary heroine of Working Girl had a true bent for high finance.
In his will, Father bequeathed his watch to Phillip; the bequest meant a great deal to the boy.
He feared she would berate him for his forgetfulness.
His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement.
The foolish gambler soon found himself bereft of funds.
Angered, he went berserk and began to wreck the room.
Many problems beset the American public school system.
The scandalous remarks in the newspaper besmirch the reputations of every member of the society.
The Red Cross sought to put an end to the bestial treatment of prisoners of war.
He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero.
The announcement that they had become betrothed surprised their friends who had not suspected any romance.
The movie actor was surrounded by a bevy of startlets.
The United States Congress is a bicameral body.
The children bickered morning, noon, and night, exasperating their parents.
The group held biennial meetings instead of annual ones.
With a bifurcated branch and a piece of elastic rubber, he made a crude but effective slingshot.
Brought up in a democratic atmosphere, student was shocked by the bigotry and narrowness expressed by several of his classmates.
His bilious temperament was apparent to all who heard him rant about his difficulties.
The con man specialized in bilking insurance companies.
While in bivouac, we spent the night in our sleeping bags under the stars.
The plot of the novel was too bizarre to be believed.
Although age had blanched his hair, he was still vigorous and energetic.
She used a bland ointment for her sunburn.
