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GRE Verbal > 9d. Vocabulary - Key Terms Group 4 > Flashcards

9d. Vocabulary - Key Terms Group 4 Flashcards

1
Q

shard

A

(noun) a piece of broken pottery or glass

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2
Q

vituperate

A

(verb) to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; to berate

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3
Q

intractable

A

(adj.) not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate

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4
Q

quixotic

A

(adj.) foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals

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5
Q

renege

A

(verb) to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise

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6
Q

sedulous

A

(adj.) diligent; persistent; hard-working

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7
Q

mercurial

A

(adj.) characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood

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8
Q

tout

A

(verb) to publicly praise or promote

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9
Q

garrulous

A

(adj.) pointlessly talkative; talking too much

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10
Q

maverick

A

(noun) an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party

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11
Q

cynicism

A

(noun) an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness (adj. form: cynical)

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12
Q

hubris

A

(noun) overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance

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13
Q

obfuscate

A

(verb) to deliberately obscure; to make confusing

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14
Q

obstinate

A

(adj.) stubborn; hard-headed; uncompromising

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15
Q

inimical

A

(adj.) damaging; harmful; injurious

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16
Q

variegated

A

having discrete markings of different colors

// variegated leaves

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17
Q

plethora

A

(noun) an overabundance; a surplus

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18
Q

ostentatious

A

(adj.) characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy

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19
Q

proclivity

A

(noun) a natural predisposition or inclination

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20
Q

terse

A

(adj.) brief and concise in wording

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21
Q

recondite \ ˈrekənˌdīt \

A

(adj.) hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure

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22
Q

intrepid

A

(adj.) steadfast and courageous

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23
Q

amenable

A

(adj.) agreeable; responsive to suggestion

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24
Q

vigilant

A

(adj.) alertly watchful (noun form: vigilance)

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25
Q

indifferent

A

(adj.) having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice

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26
Q

divulge

A

(verb) to disclose something secret

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27
Q

derision

A

(noun) scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment (adj. form: derisive ; verb form: deride)

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28
Q

trenchant

A

(adj.) sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating

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29
Q

astringent

A

(noun)/(adj.) having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue

30
Q

probity

A

(noun) adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness

31
Q

soporific

A

(adj.) causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep

32
Q

disparage

A

(verb) to slight or belittle

33
Q

decorum

A

(noun) polite or appropriate conduct or behavior (adj. form: decorous)

34
Q

sparse

A

(adj.) thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals

35
Q

anachronism

A

(noun) something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context

36
Q

mollify

A

(verb) to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity

37
Q

dilettante

A

(noun) one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge

38
Q

pragmatic

A

(adj.) practical rather than idealistic

39
Q

tacit

A

(adj.) implied; not explicitly stated

40
Q

pristine

A

(adj.) pure; uncorrupted; clean

41
Q

laconic

A

(adj.) using few words; terse

42
Q

phlegmatic

A

(adj.) calm; sluggish; unemotional

43
Q

rarefy

A

(verb) to make or become thin, less dense; to refine

44
Q

spendthrift

A

(noun) one who spends money wastefully

45
Q

presumptuous

A

(adj.) overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties

46
Q

profligate

A

(adj.) excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant (noun form: profligacy)

47
Q

contiguous

A

(adj.) sharing a border; touching; adjacent

48
Q

quotidian

A

(adj.) occurring or recurring daily; commonplace

49
Q

pungent

A

(adj.) characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste

50
Q

imminent

A

(adj.) about to happen; impending

51
Q

glib

A

(adj.) marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depths superficial

52
Q

fawn

A

(verb) to flatter or praise excessively

53
Q

propensity

A

(noun) a natural inclination or tendency; penchant

54
Q

untenable

A

(adj.) indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable

55
Q

aggrandize

A

(verb) to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige

56
Q

unfeigned

A

(adj.) genuine; not false or hypocritical

57
Q

volatile

A

(adj.) readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive (noun form: volatility)

58
Q

alchemy

A

(noun) a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, especially base metals into gold (an alchemist is one who practices alchemy)

59
Q

immutable

A

(adj.) not capable of change

60
Q

desiccate

A

(verb) to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull

61
Q

convention

A

(noun) a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude

62
Q

subtle

A

(adj.) not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern

63
Q

vacillate

A

(verb) to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another

64
Q

pervade

A

(verb) to permeate throughout (adj. form: pervasive)

65
Q

impetuous

A

(adj.) hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement

66
Q

refulgent

A

(adj.) radiant; shiny; brilliant

67
Q

credulous

A

(adj.) tending to believe too readily; gullible (noun form: credulity)

68
Q

flout

A

(verb) to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention

69
Q

prosaic

A

(adj.) dull; lacking in spirit or imagination

70
Q

neophyte

A

(noun) a recent convert; a beginner; a novice

71
Q

vexation

A

(noun) annoyance; irritation (verb form: vex)

72
Q

acerbic

A

(adj.) having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting

GRE Verbal (14 decks)

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