Abreast. - 1. Side by side, with breasts in a line ; as, two men could hardly walk abreast. 2. In navigation, side by side ; also, opposite ; over against ; on a line with a vessel’s beam.

Abridgement. - The act of abridging, or the state of being abridged ; lessening ; reduction, or deprivation; as, an abridgement of expenses. Abrupt. - Without notice to prepare the mind for the event . sudden , hasty ; unceremonious.

Abscissa. - The horizontal coordinate in a two - dimensional system of rectangular coordinates, usually denoted by X.