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Flashcards in GRE08 Deck (200)
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1
Q

pedagogue

A

teacher; CF. child leader

2
Q

historic

A

important in history; Ex. historic battle

3
Q

indiscriminate

A

choosing at random; confused; not based on careful distinctions

4
Q

abide

A

dwell; abide by: comply with; put up with; tolerate; Ex. abide by the rules; Ex. I can’t abide rude people.

5
Q

sleazy

A

shabby and dirty; flimsy; insubstantial; Ex. sleazy back-street hotel/fabric

6
Q

affliction

A

state of distress; trial; cause of distress or suffering; V. afflict: inflict grievous suffering on

7
Q

shear

A

remove (fleece or hair) by cutting; remove the hair or fleece from; cut with or as if with shears; N: shears; pair of scissors

8
Q

cede

A

yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally; N. cession

9
Q

dauntless

A

bold; fearless

10
Q

unguent

A

ointment

11
Q

maelstrom

A

violent whirlpool; violent or tublent situation; CF. stream

12
Q

conversant

A

familiar with; having knowledge of

13
Q

whim

A

sudden capricious idea; fancy

14
Q

cursory

A

casual; hastily done with little attention to detail

15
Q

flounder

A

struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter (as in water, mud, snow, etc.); proceed in confusion

16
Q

tenant

A

one that pays rent to use property owned by another

17
Q

outspoken

A

candid; blunt

18
Q

jostle

A

shove; bump; push against (someone) rather roughly; Ex. jostled by the crowds

19
Q

lookout

A

act of keeping watch; high place commanding a wide view; person who keeps watch

20
Q

distort

A

twist out of shape; give a false account of; misrepresent; N. distortion

21
Q

oaf

A

stupid awkward person; CF. elf

22
Q

extrinsic

A

external; not essential or inherent; extraneous; OP. intrinsic

23
Q

relinquish

A

give up something (with reluctance); yield; release; Ex. relinquish power/the claim to the land/his hold on my arm

24
Q

sanguine

A

optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red

25
Q

carcinogenic

A

causing cancer; N. carcinogen

26
Q

poignancy

A

quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick

27
Q

abase

A

lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect

28
Q

interstice

A

narrow space between things

29
Q

dys-

A

abnormal; impaired

30
Q

procrastinate

A

postpone; delay or put off

31
Q

impecunious

A

without money

32
Q

muggy

A

(of weather) warm and damp

33
Q

defeatist

A

resigned to defeat or failure; accepting defeat or failure as a natural outcome; N. CF. defeatism

34
Q

flux

A

flowing; series of changes; fluctuation; Ex. in a state of flux

35
Q

enact

A

make (a bill) into law

36
Q

etymology

A

study of word parts; study of the origins of words

37
Q

idolatry

A

worship of idols; excessive admiration or devotion; ADJ. idolatrous

38
Q

humanitarian

A

one devoted to the promotion of human welfare; CF. humanism

39
Q

draconian

A

extremely severe; Ex. draconian punishment; CF. Draco: Athenian politician

40
Q

illicit

A

illegal

41
Q

eschew

A

avoid habitually; Ex. eschew alcoholic drinks

42
Q

bleak

A

cold or cheerless; frigid; unlikely to be favorable; depressing

43
Q

contingent

A

dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional; happening by chance; accidental; N: a group of soldiers, ships to a larger force; CF. contingency: future event that may or may not occur; possibility; Ex. prepare for every contingency

44
Q

afterlife

A

life after death; later part of one’s life

45
Q

jest

A

playful remark or act; V. act or speak playfully

46
Q

placebo

A

harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill

47
Q

chip

A

lose a small piece from the surface or edge; N: small piece broken off something; CF. French fry; Potato chip/crisp

48
Q

gratis

A

free; without charge; ADJ.

49
Q

sinuous

A

twisting; winding; bending in and out; not morally honest

50
Q

congenial

A

pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one’s tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather

51
Q

ostracize

A

banish from a group; exclude from public favor; ban; Ex. His friends ostracized him. N. ostracism

52
Q

exacerbate

A

worsen; aggravate; embitter

53
Q

heed

A

pay attention to; N: close attention

54
Q

legacy

A

gift made by a will; something handed down from an ancestor

55
Q

entomology

A

study of insects

56
Q

jocular

A

said or done in jest or playfully; marked by joking

57
Q

ravel

A

fall apart into tangles; entangle; unravel or untwist

58
Q

sanctimonious

A

displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness; N. sanctimony: hypocritical piety

59
Q

chaste

A

morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere

60
Q

epilogue

A

short speech at conclusion of dramatic work

61
Q

dyslexia

A

word blindness; learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to read

62
Q

overblown

A

inflated; exaggerated

63
Q

proscenium

A

part of stage in front of curtain; front arch of a stage

64
Q

camaraderie

A

good-fellowship; CF. comrade

65
Q

catapult

A

slingshot; hurling machine; V: fire from catapult

66
Q

subterfuge

A

stratagem(deceptive scheme); pretense; evasion; Ex. resort to a harmless subterfuge

67
Q

engulf

A

surround and swallow up

68
Q

wary

A

very cautious; watchful

69
Q

fortuitous

A

accidental; by chance; N. fortuity

70
Q

disconcert

A

confuse; upset; embarrass; perturb

71
Q

extradition

A

surrender of prisoner by one state to another; Ex. extradition treaty; V. extradite

72
Q

transport

A

strong emotion; rapture; Ex. in a transport/transports of; V: move to strong emotion; enrapture

73
Q

adverse

A

going against; opposing; unfavorable; hostile

74
Q

blithe(blithesome)

A

gay; joyous

75
Q

manifestation

A

outward demonstration; manifesting; indication of the presence of something; Ex. manifestation of his pronounced musical bent

76
Q

comprehensive

A

broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive

77
Q

volley

A

simultaneous discharge of a number of shots; V.

78
Q

adept

A

expert at; very skilled

79
Q

raconteur

A

story-teller; one who tells stories with wit and skill

80
Q

hirsute

A

hairy; having a lot of hair

81
Q

necromancy

A

black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination; CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis

82
Q

complaisant

A

trying to please; obliging; willing to please others

83
Q

buffoon

A

stupid person; clown

84
Q

roil

A

make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; disturb

85
Q

loom

A

appear or take shape (usually in an enlarged, indistinct, or distorted form); Ex. The shadow of the gallows loomed threateningly. N: apparatus for making thread into cloth

86
Q

solvent

A

substance that dissolves another; ADJ: capable of dissolving another substance

87
Q

fret

A

be annoyed or vexed; Ex. fret over your poor grades; N: irritation of mind; ADJ. fretful

88
Q

hackneyed

A

commonplace; trite

89
Q

decapitate

A

behead

90
Q

ample

A

enough; abundant; spacious; large in size; Ex. ample opportunity/garden; N. amplitude: quality of being ample; abundance; largeness of space

91
Q

implicate

A

incriminate; involve incriminatingly; show to be involved (in a crime); Ex. implicate someone in the crime

92
Q

supposititious

A

assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical

93
Q

impiety

A

irreverence; lack of respect for God or piety

94
Q

prognosticate

A

predict (according to present indications)

95
Q

inveigle

A

deceive; lead astray by deception; wheedle(cajole); Ex. inveigle her into joining the club; CF. interest dishonestly

96
Q

bully

A

one who is habitually cruel to weaker people; V.

97
Q

deify

A

turn into a god; make a god of; idolize; Ex. Kings were deified; CF. deity

98
Q

impalpable

A

imperceptible(not easily understood); intangible; OP. palpable: tangible; easily perceptible

99
Q

megalomania

A

mania for doing grandiose things; mental disorder characterized by delusions of wealth, power, or importance

100
Q

onerous

A

burdensome

101
Q

reputable

A

respectable; having a good reputation

102
Q

fake

A

not genuine; N: one that is not genuine; impostor; sham; V: counterfeit; Ex. fake the results of the experiment/the signature

103
Q

discriminating

A

able to see differences; discerning; prejudiced; N. discrimination

104
Q

protract

A

prolong; lengthen in time; draw out

105
Q

circuitous

A

roundabout

106
Q

laud

A

praise; N. ADJ. laudable: praiseworthy; ADJ. laudatory: expressing praise

107
Q

misapprehension

A

error; misunderstanding; V. misapprehend

108
Q

subsidiary

A

serving to assist; subordinate; secondary; of a subsidy; N.

109
Q

defrock

A

strip a priest or minister of church authority; unfrock

110
Q

imperturbable

A

unshakably calm; placid

111
Q

random

A

without definite purpose, plan, or aim; haphazard; Ex. random shots; Ex. chosen at random

112
Q

porridge

A

soft food made by boiling oatmeal

113
Q

validate

A

make valid; confirm; ratify

114
Q

lank

A

long and thin; Ex. Lank, gaunt, Abraham Lincoln

115
Q

archives

A

public records; place where public records are kept

116
Q

rectitude

A

moral correctness; moral uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judgment

117
Q

autocratic

A

having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; N. autocrat, autocracy

118
Q

somnambulist

A

sleepwalker; V. somnambulate; N. somnambulism

119
Q

omnipresent

A

universally present; ubiquitous

120
Q

fallacious

A

false; based on a fallacy; misleading; N. fallacy: false idea or notion; false reasoning; Ex. popular fallacy; Ex. fallacy of the argument

121
Q

feral

A

(of an animal) not domestic; wild

122
Q

effectual

A

able to produce a desired effect; valid

123
Q

paroxysm

A

fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage; sudden outburst

124
Q

outgoing

A

sociable; eager to mix socially with others

125
Q

high-flown

A

highly pretentious or inflated

126
Q

surmount

A

overcome

127
Q

rare

A

(of air) thin in density; rarefied; Ex. rare air of the mountains

128
Q

abolish

A

cancel; put an end to

129
Q

aghast

A

filled with great surprise or fear; horrified

130
Q

peripheral

A

of a periphery; marginal; outer; of minor importance; not central; Ex. peripheral nerve/interest

131
Q

blare

A

loud or harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light

132
Q

pernicious

A

very harmful; deadly; very destructive; Ex. pernicious effect/anemia

133
Q

opaque

A

dark; not transparent; N. opacity

134
Q

bent

A

determined; Ex. bent on advancing in the business; N: natural talent or inclination

135
Q

monogram

A

design composed of one or more initials of a name; V.

136
Q

skulduggery

A

dishonest behavior or action; Ex. skulduggery in the election

137
Q

illusory

A

illusive; deceptive; not real

138
Q

flush

A

redden; blush; flow suddenly and abundantly; wash out by a rapid brief flow of water; N: reddish tinge; blush; brief rush; rush of strong feeling; Ex. flush of pride; ADJ: having surfaces in the same plane; even; blushing

139
Q

hypercritical

A

excessively exacting; too critical (without noticing good qualities)

140
Q

gale

A

windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughters, tears); Ex. gale of laughter

141
Q

festive

A

joyous; celebratory; relating to a feast or festival

142
Q

choice

A

delicate; of very fine quality

143
Q

jocund

A

merry

144
Q

skim

A

read or glance through quickly; touch lightly in passing; brush; remove from the surface of a liquid

145
Q

lope

A

gallop slowly

146
Q

brocade

A

rich, figured(patterned) fabric

147
Q

lament

A

grieve; express sorrow; N. lamentation

148
Q

gamut

A

entire range

149
Q

component

A

element; ingredient

150
Q

commune

A

small (often rural) community whose members share work and income; V: exchange thoughts or feelings; Ex. commune with nature

151
Q

engaged

A

employed; busy; betrothed; involved in conflict

152
Q

humane

A

marked by kindness or consideration; kind and compassionate; humanitarian

153
Q

abject

A

(of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology

154
Q

vital

A

full of life; animated; vibrant and lively; critical; of great importance; necessary to stay alive; of life; living; breathing; N. vitality; V. vitalize

155
Q

obdurate

A

stubborn; refusing to change one’s belief

156
Q

vacillate

A

waver (in opinion); fluctuate; sway to and fro; N. vacillation

157
Q

pillage

A

plunder

158
Q

cherubic

A

angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order

159
Q

potent

A

powerful; convincing; persuasive; greatly influential

160
Q

desiccate

A

dry up

161
Q

maraud

A

move in search of plunder; Ex. marauding army

162
Q

scrupulous

A

conscientious; extremely thorough; Ex. scrupulous worker

163
Q

tortuous

A

winding; full of curves; Ex. tortuous mountain road

164
Q

fanfare

A

call by bugles or trumpets; showy display; spectacular public display

165
Q

jubilation

A

rejoicing; great joy

166
Q

converge

A

approach; tend to meet; come together

167
Q

smelt

A

melt (ore) for separating and removing the metal; melt or blend ores changing their chemical composition

168
Q

recipient

A

receiver

169
Q

executive

A

person having administrative authority; one branch of government executing laws; ADJ: relating to executing

170
Q

bereavement

A

state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved; state of being bereaved or bereft

171
Q

meter

A

arrangement of words in the form of poetry (by accentual rhythm)

172
Q

valedictory

A

pertaining to farewell; N: farewell address (esp. at graduation exercises)

173
Q

conventional

A

ordinary; typical; not nuclear; Ex. conventional weapons

174
Q

suffragist

A

advocate of the extension of voting rights (for women); CF. suffrage

175
Q

ratify

A

approve formally; confirm; verify

176
Q

meddlesome

A

interfering; V. meddle: interfere

177
Q

indignation

A

anger at an injustice; Ex. righteous indignation; ADJ. indignant

178
Q

pejorative

A

(of a word or phrase) suggesting that someone is of little value; negative in connotation; having a belittling effect; Ex. Many women now considers ``housewife’’ a pejorative expression, because it patronized them.

179
Q

sportive

A

playful; frolicsome; merry; CF. sport: play or frolic; CF. sportsmanlike

180
Q

squelch

A

produce a splashing sound (when stepping through mud); crush; squash; CF. ÁøÈëÀ» À§¿¡¼­ ¹âÀ» ¶§

181
Q

stygian

A

unpleasantly dark; gloomy; hellish; deathly; CF. Styx: the chief river in the subterranean land of the dead

182
Q

enfranchise

A

admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote); CF. franchise

183
Q

exceptionable

A

objectionable; likely to cause dislike; offensive; CF. unexceptionable: entirely acceptable

184
Q

nebulous

A

vague; hazy; cloudy; of a nebula; Ex. nebulous proposal

185
Q

rubric

A

title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony; protocol

186
Q

lethal

A

deadly

187
Q

pithy

A

concise and meaningful; substantial; meaty

188
Q

sequester

A

isolate; segregate; seclude; retire from public life

189
Q

prophylactic

A

used to prevent disease; N: something prophylactic; condom; N. prophylaxis: prevention of disease

190
Q

spruce

A

neat and trim in appearance; smart; Ex. Be spruce for your job interview; V.

191
Q

wax

A

increase gradually (as the moon); grow

192
Q

fermentation

A

chemical reaction that splits complex organic compounds; unrest; agitation

193
Q

stellar

A

pertaining to the stars; of a star performer; outstanding; Ex. stellar attraction of the entire performance

194
Q

luminary

A

celebrity (in a specific field); dignitary; object that gives light (as a celestial body)

195
Q

sleight

A

dexterity; CF. sleight of hand: legerdemain; quickness of the hands in doing tricks

196
Q

histrionic

A

theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional; affected; of actors or acting; N. histrionics: histrionic behavior

197
Q

ascetic

A

practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism

198
Q

colloquy

A

informal discussion; conversation

199
Q

clamor

A

loud continous noise; continuous demand or complaint made by a large number of people; V: make a clamor; express (a demand) continually and loudly; ADJ. clamorous

200
Q

veracity

A

truthfulness; adherence to the truth