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

9b. Vocabulary - Key Terms Group 2 Flashcards

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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
Q

castigation

A

(noun) severe criticism or punishment (verb form: castigate)

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26
Q

exonerate

A

(verb) to remove blame

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27
Q

avarice

A

(noun) greed, especially for wealth (adj. form: avaricious)

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28
Q

eulogy

A

(noun) a speech honoring the dead (verb form: eulogize)

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29
Q

intransigent

A

(adj.) refusing to compromise (noun form: intransigence)

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30
Q

quaff | kwäf |

A

(verb) to drink deeply

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31
Q

facetious | fəˈsēSHəs |

A

(adj.) playful; humorous

32
Q

satire

A

(noun) a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision (adj. form: satirical)

33
Q

emollient

A

(adj.)/ (noun) soothing, especially to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin

34
Q

culpable

A

(adj.) deserving blame (noun form: culpability)

35
Q

inveigle \ in-ˈvā-gəl \

A

(verb) to win over by wiles : ENTICE

36
Q

accolade

A

(noun) an expression of praise

37
Q

chary | ˈCHerē |

A

(adj.) wary; cautious; sparing

38
Q

ebullience

A

(noun) the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings (adj. form: ebullient)

39
Q

abate

A

(verb) to lessen in intensity or degree

40
Q

pernicious

A

(adj.) extremely harmful in a way that is not easily seen or noticed

41
Q

squalid

A

(noun) marked by filthiness and degradation from neglect or poverty

42
Q

impecunious

A

(noun) an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech (adj. form: hyperbolic)

43
Q

penurious

A

(adj.) penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous

44
Q

cacophony

A

(noun) harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance (adj. form: cacophonous)

45
Q

sanction

A

(noun)/(verb) authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority

46
Q

complaisance

A

(noun) the willingness to comply with the wishes of others (adj. form: complaisant)

47
Q

gregarious

A

(adj.) sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people

48
Q

contentious

A

(adj.) argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement

49
Q

harangue

A

(verb)/ (noun) to deliver a forceful or angry speech; ranting speech or writing

50
Q

caustic

A

(adj.) burning or stinging; causing corrosion

51
Q

fallacy

A

(noun) an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief (adj. form: fallacious)

52
Q

odious

A

(adj.) evoking intense aversion or dislike

53
Q

cogent

A

(adj.) appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing

54
Q

demur

A

(verb) to question or oppose

55
Q

prolific

A

(adj.) producing large volumes or amounts; productive

56
Q

peruse

A

(verb) to examine with great care (noun form: perusal)

57
Q

prodigious

A

(adj.) abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary

58
Q

ubiquitous

A

(adj.) existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread

59
Q

inocuous

A

(adj.) harmless; causing no damage

60
Q

morose

A

(adj.) sad; sullen; melancholy

61
Q

burgeon

A

(verb) to grow rapidly or flourish

62
Q

torpid

A

(adj.) lethargic; sluggish; dormant (noun form: torpor)

63
Q

discretion

A

(noun) cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions (adj. form: discreet)

64
Q

dogmatic

A

(adj.) expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles (noun form: dogma)

65
Q

pious

A

(adj.) extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion (noun form: piety)

66
Q

incipient

A

(adj.) beginning to come into being or to become apparent

67
Q

hyperbole

A

(noun) an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech (adj. form: hyperbolic)

68
Q

urbane

A

(adj.) sophisticated; refined; elegant (noun form: urbanity)

69
Q

bucolic

A

(adj.) rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants

70
Q

redoubtable

A

(adj.) awe-inspiring; worthy of honor

71
Q

contrite

A

(adj.) regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness (noun form: contrition)

72
Q

dearth

A

(noun) smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack

73
Q

ameliorate

A

(verb) to make better or more tolerable

74
Q

ephemeral

A

(adj.) brief; fleeting

75
Q

enigmatic | ˌenəɡˈmadik |

A

(adj.) mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand (noun form: enigma)

GRE Verbal (14 decks)

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