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GRE > 04 > Flashcards

04 Flashcards

1
Q

canvass

A

verb
1 [with object] solicit votes from (electors in a constituency): in each ward, two workers canvassed some 2,000 voters | [no object] : she canvassed for votes.
• try to obtain; request: they’re canvassing support among shareholders.
• question (someone) in order to ascertain their opinion: they promised to canvass all member clubs for their views.
2 • [with object] discuss thoroughly: the issues that were canvassed are still unresolved.
noun [usually in singular]
an act or process of attempting to secure votes or ascertain opinions: a house-to-house canvass.

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2
Q

caprice

A

noun
1 a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior: the caprices of the electorate | a land where men were ruled by law and not by caprice.

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3
Q

captivate

A

verb [with object]

attract and hold the interest and attention of; charm: he was captivated by her beauty.

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4
Q

careworn

A

adjective

tired and unhappy because of prolonged worry: a careworn expression.

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5
Q

cardinal

A

noun
1 a leading dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinals are nominated by the Pope, and form the Sacred College which elects succeeding popes (now invariably from among their own number).
• (also cardinal red) a deep scarlet color like that of a cardinal’s cassock.
adjective [attributive]
of the greatest importance; fundamental: two cardinal points must be borne in mind.

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6
Q

caricature

A

noun
a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect: there are elements of caricature in the portrayal of the hero | a caricature of Jimmy Durante.
• a ludicrous or grotesque version of someone or something: he looked like a caricature of his normal self.
verb [with object]
make or give a comically or grotesquely exaggerated representation of (someone or something): he was caricatured on the cover of TV Guide | a play that caricatures the legal profession.

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7
Q

carnal

A

adjective

relating to physical, especially sexual, needs and activities: carnal desire.

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8
Q

carouse

A

verb [no object]
drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way: they danced and caroused until the drink ran out | (as noun carousing) : a night of carousing.
noun
a noisy, lively drinking party: corporate carouses.

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9
Q

carp

A

verb [no object]
complain or find fault continually about trivial matters: I don’t want to carp about the way you did it | he was constantly carping at me.

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10
Q

clique/cliquish

A

noun
a small group of people, with shared interests or other features in common, who spend time together and do not readily allow others to join them.

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11
Q

cast

A

verb (past and past participle cast | kast | )
1 [usually with adverbial of direction] chiefly literary throw (something) forcefully in a specified direction: figurative : individuals who do not accept the norms are cast out from the group | lemmings cast themselves off the cliff.
• throw (something) so as to cause it to spread over an area: the fishermen cast a large net around a school of tuna | figurative : he cast his net far and wide in search of evidence.
• throw the hooked and baited end of (a fishing line) out into the water.
• let down (an anchor or sounding line).
• direct (one’s eyes or a look) at something: she cast down her eyes | [with two objects] : she cast him a desperate glance.
2 [with adverbial of place] cause (light or shadow) to appear on a surface: the moon cast a pale light over the cottages | figurative : running costs were already casting a shadow over the program.
• cause (uncertainty or disparagement) to be associated with something: journalists cast doubt on the government’s version of events | I do not wish to cast aspersions on your honesty.

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12
Q

castigate

A

verb [with object] formal

reprimand (someone) severely: he was castigated for not setting a good example.

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13
Q

categorical

A

adjective

unambiguously explicit and direct: a categorical assurance.

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14
Q

catholic

A

adjective

including a wide variety of things; all-embracing: her tastes are pretty catholic.

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15
Q

caustic

A

adjective
1 able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action: a caustic cleaner.
2 sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way: the players were making caustic comments about the refereeing.
3 Physics formed by the intersection of reflected or refracted parallel rays from a curved surface.

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16
Q

caveat

A

noun
a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
• Law a notice, especially in a probate, that certain actions may not be taken without informing the person who gave the notice.

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17
Q

cavil

A

verb [no object]
make petty or unnecessary objections: they caviled at the cost.
noun
an objection seen as petty or unnecessary.

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18
Q

cataclysmic

A

noun
a large-scale and violent event in the natural world.
• a sudden violent upheaval, especially in a political or social context: the cataclysm of the First World War.

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19
Q

cede

A 
verb [with object]
give up (power or territory): they have had to cede control of the schools to the government.
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20
Q

cement

A

verb [with object]
attach with cement: wooden posts were cemented into the ground.
• settle or establish firmly: the two firms are expected to cement an agreement soon.

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21
Q

concomitant

A

adjective
naturally accompanying or associated: she loved travel, with all its concomitant worries | concomitant with his obsession with dirt was a desire for order.
noun
a phenomenon that naturally accompanies or follows something: some of us look on pain and illness as concomitants of the stresses of living.

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22
Q

censure

A

verb [with object]
express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement: a judge was censured in 1983 for a variety of types of injudicious conduct.
noun
the expression of formal disapproval: angry delegates offered a resolution of censure against the offenders | they paid the price in social ostracism and family censure.

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23
Q

chic

A

adjective (chicer, chicest)
elegantly and stylishly fashionable.
noun
stylishness and elegance, typically of a specified kind: French chic | biker chic.

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24
Q

chaff

A 
noun
the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing.
• chopped hay and straw used as fodder.
• worthless things; trash.
noun
lighthearted joking; banter.
verb [with object]
tease.
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25
Q

chagrin

A

noun
distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated: Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn’t invited.
verb (be chagrined)
feel distressed or humiliated: he was chagrined when his friend poured scorn on him.

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26
Q

chameleon

A

• figurative a person who changes their opinions or behavior according to the situation.

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27
Q

champion

A

verb [with object]

support the cause of; defend: priests who championed human rights.

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28
Q

compulsive

A

adjective
1 resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge, especially one that is against one’s conscious wishes: compulsive eating.
• (of a person) acting as a result of an irresistible urge: a compulsive liar.
2 irresistibly interesting or exciting; compelling: this play is compulsive viewing.

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29
Q

chimera

A

noun
1 (Chimera) (in Greek mythology) a fire-breathing female monster with a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail.
• any mythical animal with parts taken from various animals.
2 a thing that is hoped or wished for but in fact is illusory or impossible to achieve: the economic sovereignty you claim to defend is a chimera.

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30
Q

charlatan

A

noun

a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill; a fraud.

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31
Q

chary

A

adjective (charier, chariest)

cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something: most people are chary of allowing themselves to be photographed.

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32
Q

chasm

A

noun
a deep fissure in the earth, rock, or another surface.
• a profound difference between people, viewpoints, feelings, etc.: the chasm between rich and poor.

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33
Q

chauvinistic

A

adjective
feeling or displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.
• displaying excessive or prejudiced support for one’s own cause, group, or sex.

34
Q

cherubic

A

adjective

having the childlike innocence or plump prettiness of a cherub: a round, cherubic face.

35
Q

chicanery

A

noun
the use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose: an underhanded person who schemes corruption and political chicanery behind closed doors.

36
Q

chide

A

verb (past chided or archaic chid | CHid | ; past participle chided or archaic chidden | ˈCHidn | ) [with object]
scold or rebuke: she chided him for not replying to her letters | [with direct speech] : “You mustn’t speak like that,” she chided gently.

37
Q

choleric

A

adjective
bad-tempered or irritable.
• influenced by or predominating in the humor called choler: a choleric disposition.

38
Q

chord

A

noun
a group of (typically three or more) notes sounded together, as a basis of harmony: the triumphal opening chords | a G major chord.
verb [no object] (usually as noun chording)
play, sing, or arrange notes in chords.

39
Q

churlish

A

adjective

rude in a mean-spirited and surly way: it seems churlish to complain.

40
Q

cipher

A

noun
1 a secret or disguised way of writing; a code: he was writing cryptic notes in a cipher | the information may be given in cipher.
• a thing written in a cipher.
• a key to such a cipher.
3 a monogram.
verb
1 [with object] put (a message) into secret writing; encode.

41
Q

circuitous

A

adjective
(of a route or journey) longer than the most direct way: the canal followed a circuitous route | figurative : a circuitous line of reasoning.

42
Q

circumlocution

A

noun
the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive: his admission came after years of circumlocution | he used a number of poetic circumlocutions.

43
Q

circumscribe

A 
verb [with object]
1 restrict (something) within limits: their movements were strictly monitored and circumscribed.
2 Geometry draw (a figure) around another, touching it at points but not cutting it. Compare with inscribe.
44
Q

circumspect

A

adjective

wary and unwilling to take risks: the officials were very circumspect in their statements.

45
Q

circumvent

A

verb [with object]
find a way around (an obstacle).
• overcome (a problem or difficulty), typically in a clever and surreptitious way: I found it quite easy to circumvent security.

46
Q

civility

A

noun (plural civilities)
formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech: I hope we can treat each other with civility and respect.
• (civilities) polite remarks used in formal conversation: she was exchanging civilities with his mother.

47
Q

chokehold

A

noun
a tight grip around a person’s neck, used to restrain him or her by restricting breathing: the police have banned chokeholds | figurative : the southern delegates had the convention in a chokehold.

48
Q

clandestine

A

adjective

kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit: she deserved better than these clandestine meetings.

49
Q

clarion

A 
noun historical
a shrill narrow-tubed war trumpet.
• an organ stop with a quality resembling that of a clarion.
adjective literary
loud and clear: clarion trumpeters.
50
Q

clasp

A

verb [with object]
1 grasp (something) tightly with one’s hand: he clasped her arm.
• place (one’s arms) around something so as to hold it tightly: Kate’s arms were clasped around her knees.
• hold (someone) tightly: he clasped Joanne in his arms.
• (clasp one’s hands) press one’s hands together with the fingers interlaced: he lay on his back with his hands clasped behind his head.
2 archaic fasten (something) with a small device, typically a metal one: one modest emerald clasped her robe.
noun
1 a device with interlocking parts used for fastening things together: a handbag with a golden clasp.
• a silver bar on a medal ribbon, inscribed with the name of the battle at which the wearer was present.
2 [in singular] an embrace.
• a grasp or handshake: he took her hand in a firm clasp.

51
Q

clement

A

adjective
1 (of weather) mild.
2 (of a person or a person’s actions) merciful.

52
Q

clog

A

noun
1 a shoe with a thick wooden sole.
2 an encumbrance or impediment: a clog in the system.
verb (clogs, clogging, clogged)
block or become blocked with an accumulation of thick, wet matter: [with object] : the gutters were clogged up with leaves | [no object] : too much fatty food makes your arteries clog up | (as adjective clogged) : clogged drains.
• [with object] fill up or crowd (something) so as to obstruct passage: tourists clog the roads in summer.

53
Q

clot

A

noun
1 a thick mass of coagulated liquid, especially blood, or of material stuck together: a flat, wet clot of dead leaves | figurative : a clot of people arguing in the doorway.
2 British informal a foolish or clumsy person: “Watch where you’re going, you clot!”.
verb (clots, clotting, clotted)
form or cause to form clots: [no object] : drugs that help blood to clot | [with object] : a blood protein known as factor VIII clots blood.
• [with object] cover (something) with sticky matter: its nostrils were clotted with blood.

54
Q

cordial

A

adjective
warm and friendly: the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed.
• strongly felt: I earned his cordial loathing.
noun
1 North American another term for liqueur.
• British a sweet fruit-flavored drink: wine cups and fruit cordials | [mass noun] : a tall glass of blackcurrant cordial.
2 a comforting or pleasant-tasting medicine.

55
Q

clout

A

noun
1 informal a heavy blow with the hand or a hard object: a clout on the ear.
2 informal influence or power, especially in politics or business: I knew he carried a lot of clout.
3 archaic a piece of cloth or clothing, especially one used as a patch.
4 Archery a target used in long-distance shooting, placed flat on the ground with a flag marking its center.
• a shot that hits a clout.
verb [with object]
1 informal hit hard with the hand or a hard object: I clouted him on the head.

56
Q

cloy/cloying

A

verb [with object] (usually as adjective cloying)
disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment: a romantic, rather cloying story | [no object] : the first long sip gives a malty taste that never cloys | a curious bittersweetness that cloyed her senses.

57
Q

coagulate

A

verb [no object]
(of a fluid, especially blood) change to a solid or semisolid state: blood had coagulated around the edges of the wound.
• [with object] cause (a fluid) to change to a solid or semisolid state: epinephrine coagulates the blood.

58
Q

coalesce

A

verb [no object]
come together to form one mass or whole: the puddles had coalesced into shallow streams | the separate details coalesce to form a single body of scientific thought.
• [with object] combine (elements) in a mass or whole: to help coalesce the community, they established an office.

59
Q

coax

A

verb [with object]
persuade (someone) gradually or by flattery to do something: the trainees were coaxed into doing hard, boring work | “Come on now,” I coaxed.
• (coax something from/out of) use flattery or gradual persuasion to obtain something from: we coaxed money out of my father | figurative : coaxing more speed from the car.
• manipulate (something) carefully into a particular shape or position: her lovely hair had been coaxed into ringlets.

60
Q

coda

A

noun Music
the concluding passage of a piece or movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure.
• the concluding section of a dance, especially of a pas de deux or the finale of a ballet in which the dancers parade before the audience.
• a concluding event, remark, or section: his new novel is a kind of coda to his previous books.

61
Q

coeval

A

adjective
having the same age or date of origin; contemporary: these lavas were coeval with the volcanic activity.
noun
a person of roughly the same age as oneself; a contemporary: like so many of his coevals, he yearned for stability.

62
Q

cogent

A

adjective

(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.

63
Q

cognizant

A

adjective [predicative] formal

having knowledge or being aware of: statesmen must be cognizant of the political boundaries within which they work.

64
Q

collude

A

verb [no object]
cooperate in a secret or unlawful way in order to deceive or gain an advantage over others: the president accused his opponents of colluding with foreigners | university leaders colluded in price-rigging.

65
Q

coltish

A

adjective

energetic but awkward in one’s movements or behavior.

66
Q

combustible

A

adjective
able to catch fire and burn easily: highly combustible paint thinner.
• excitable; easily annoyed: two combustible personalities.
noun
a combustible substance.

67
Q

comity

A

noun (plural comities) formal
1 an association of nations for their mutual benefit.
• (also comity of nations) the mutual recognition by nations of the laws and customs of others.
2 courtesy and considerate behavior toward others.

68
Q

commencement

A

noun
1 [usually in singular] a beginning or start: at the commencement of training.
2 North American a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred on graduating students: [as modifier] : a commencement address.

69
Q

commend

A

verb [with object]
1 praise formally or officially: he was commended by the judge for his courageous actions.
2 present as suitable for approval or acceptance; recommend: I commend her to you without reservation.
• cause to be acceptable or pleasing: this recording has a lot to commend it.
3 (commend someone/something to) archaic or formal entrust someone or something to: I commend them to your care.

70
Q

commensurate

A

adjective
corresponding in size or degree; in proportion: salary will be commensurate with experience | such heavy responsibility must receive commensurate reward.

71
Q

commingle

A

verb literary
mix; blend: [no object] : the dust had commingled with the rain | [with object] : publicly reproved for commingling funds.

72
Q

committed

A

adjective

feeling dedication and loyalty to a cause, activity, or job; wholeheartedly dedicated: a committed reformer.

73
Q

commodious

A 
adjective
1 formal (especially of furniture or a building) roomy and comfortable.
74
Q

commonsensical

A

common sense

75
Q

commotion

A

noun
a state of confused and noisy disturbance: she was distracted by a commotion across the street | figure out what all the commotion is about.
• civil insurrection: damage caused by civil commotion.

76
Q

compendium

A

noun (plural compendiums or compendia | -dēə | )
a collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject, especially in a book or other publication.
• a collection of things, especially one systematically gathered: the program is a compendium of outtakes from our archives.

77
Q

complaisance

A

adjective

willing to please others; obliging; agreeable: when unharnessed, Northern dogs are peaceful and complaisant.

78
Q

compliant

A

adjective
1 inclined to agree with others or obey rules, especially to an excessive degree; acquiescent: a compliant labor force.
• (often compliant with) meeting or in accordance with rules or standards: policies compliant with federal legislation and regulations | the systems are Y2K compliant.
2 Physics & Medicine having the property of compliance.

79
Q

clownish

A

adjective
characteristic of or resembling a clown, especially in being foolish, playful, or humorously exaggerated: clownish antics | they only manage to look clumsy and clownish.

80
Q

compose

A

3 calm or settle (oneself or one’s features or thoughts): she tried to compose herself.

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