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GRE Verbal > 9b. Vocabulary - Key Terms Group 2 > Flashcards

9b. Vocabulary - Key Terms Group 2 Flashcards

1
Q

heretical

A

(adj.) violating accepted dogma or convention (noun form: heresy)

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2
Q

catalyst

A

(noun) a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change

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3
Q

precursor

A

(noun) one that precedes and indicates or announces another

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4
Q

preen

A

(verb) to dress up; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care

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5
Q

inert

A

(adj.) unmoving; lethargic; sluggish

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6
Q

quiescence

A

(noun) stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest (adj. form: quiescent)

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7
Q

didactic

A

(adj.) intended to teach or instruct

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8
Q

ascetic

A

(noun) one who practices rigid self-denial, especially as an act of religious devotion

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9
Q

empirical

A

(adj.) based on observation or experiment

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10
Q

elegy

A

(noun) a mournful poem, especially one lamenting the dead (adj. form: elegiac)

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11
Q

oscillation

A

(noun) the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm (verb form: oscillate)

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12
Q

viscous

A

(adj.) thick; sticky (noun form: viscosity)

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13
Q

furtive

A

(adj.) done in a quiet and secretive way to avoid being noticed: SURREPTITIOUS

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14
Q

canon

A

(noun) an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature (adj. form: canonical)

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15
Q

stoic

A

(adj.) indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast (noun form: stoicism)

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16
Q

vilify

A

(verb) to defame; to characterize harshly

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17
Q

supplant

A

(verb) to take the place of; to supersede

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18
Q

putrefy

A

(verb) to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor (adj. form: putrid)

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19
Q

adulation

A

(noun) an expression of praise

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20
Q

opaque

A

(adj.) impenetrable by light; not reflecting light

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21
Q

esoteric

A

(adj.) intended for or understood by a small, specific group

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22
Q

eclectic

A

(adj.) composed of elements drawn from various sources

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23
Q

disinterested

A

(adj.) free of bias or self-interest; impartial

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24
Q

aesthetic

A

(adj.) dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful

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25
castigation
(noun) severe criticism or punishment (verb form: castigate)
26
exonerate
(verb) to remove blame
27
avarice
(noun) greed, especially for wealth (adj. form: avaricious)
28
eulogy
(noun) a speech honoring the dead (verb form: eulogize)
29
intransigent
(adj.) refusing to compromise (noun form: intransigence)
30
quaff | kwäf |
(verb) to drink deeply
31
facetious | fəˈsēSHəs |
(adj.) playful; humorous
32
satire
(noun) a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision (adj. form: satirical)
33
emollient
(adj.)/ (noun) soothing, especially to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
34
culpable
(adj.) deserving blame (noun form: culpability)
35
inveigle \ in-ˈvā-gəl \
(verb) to win over by wiles : ENTICE
36
accolade
(noun) an expression of praise
37
chary | ˈCHerē |
(adj.) wary; cautious; sparing
38
ebullience
(noun) the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings (adj. form: ebullient)
39
abate
(verb) to lessen in intensity or degree
40
pernicious
(adj.) extremely harmful in a way that is not easily seen or noticed
41
squalid
(noun) marked by filthiness and degradation from neglect or poverty
42
impecunious
(noun) an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech (adj. form: hyperbolic)
43
penurious
(adj.) penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
44
cacophony
(noun) harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance (adj. form: cacophonous)
45
sanction
(noun)/(verb) authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority
46
complaisance
(noun) the willingness to comply with the wishes of others (adj. form: complaisant)
47
gregarious
(adj.) sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
48
contentious
(adj.) argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
49
harangue
(verb)/ (noun) to deliver a forceful or angry speech; ranting speech or writing
50
caustic
(adj.) burning or stinging; causing corrosion
51
fallacy
(noun) an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief (adj. form: fallacious)
52
odious
(adj.) evoking intense aversion or dislike
53
cogent
(adj.) appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
54
demur
(verb) to question or oppose
55
prolific
(adj.) producing large volumes or amounts; productive
56
peruse
(verb) to examine with great care (noun form: perusal)
57
prodigious
(adj.) abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
58
ubiquitous
(adj.) existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
59
inocuous
(adj.) harmless; causing no damage
60
morose
(adj.) sad; sullen; melancholy
61
burgeon
(verb) to grow rapidly or flourish
62
torpid
(adj.) lethargic; sluggish; dormant (noun form: torpor)
63
discretion
(noun) cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions (adj. form: discreet)
64
dogmatic
(adj.) expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles (noun form: dogma)
65
pious
(adj.) extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion (noun form: piety)
66
incipient
(adj.) beginning to come into being or to become apparent
67
hyperbole
(noun) an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech (adj. form: hyperbolic)
68
urbane
(adj.) sophisticated; refined; elegant (noun form: urbanity)
69
bucolic
(adj.) rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
70
redoubtable
(adj.) awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
71
contrite
(adj.) regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness (noun form: contrition)
72
dearth
(noun) smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
73
ameliorate
(verb) to make better or more tolerable
74
ephemeral
(adj.) brief; fleeting
75
enigmatic | ˌenəɡˈmadik |
(adj.) mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand (noun form: enigma)

GRE Verbal (14 decks)

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