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Barron's GRE Verbal Workbook > A > Flashcards

A Flashcards

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1
Q

abandon

A

n. total lack of inhibition

The normally conservative executive danced with abandon at the party.

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2
Q

abase

A

v. to humble, disgrace

The commoner abased himself before his king.

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3
Q

abash

A

v. embarrass

Grace was abashed by all the fuss her family made about her birthday.

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4
Q

abatement

A

n. decrease, reduction

We were relieved at the abatement of the hurricane.

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5
Q

abdicate

A

v. to give up a position, right, or power

The aging king abdicated in favor of his son.

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6
Q

aberrant

A

adj. deviating from what is normal

The student’s behavior was considered aberrant.

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7
Q

aberration

A

n. something different from the usual or normal

Getting a “d” was an aberration for the normally excellent student.

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8
Q

abet

A

v. to aid, act as an accomplice

Mr. Harris said that he refuses to abet the misconduct of his colleagues.

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9
Q

abeyance

A

n. temporary suppression or suspension

Hold your judgment in abeyance until we have all the facts of the case.

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10
Q

abhor

A

v. to loathe, detest

Tim abhors the idea of killing animals.

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11
Q

abhorrent

A

adj. disgusting, repellent, loathsome

The group’s values are considered abhorrent by most people.

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12
Q

abject

A

adj. miserable, pitiful

The peasants live in abject poverty.

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13
Q

abjure

A

v. to reject, abandon formally

The president abjured any wrongdoing by members of his administration.

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14
Q

ablution

A

n. act of cleansing

“You’d better shorten your morning ablutions or you’ll be late for school,” Clara’s mom said.

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15
Q

abnegation

A

n. self-denial

The religion encourages its followers to practice abnegation periodically.

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16
Q

abolitionist

A

n. one who opposes the practice of slavery

Abolitionists in the northern states of the United States helped rid that country of slavery.

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17
Q

abomination

A

n. abhorrence; a cause of disgust

Torture is regarded as an abomination.

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18
Q

aboriginal

A

adj. being the first of its kind in a region

The aboriginal people of Australia traditionally hold a nighttime festival called a “corroboree.”

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19
Q

abortive

A

adj. interrupted while incomplete

Scientists studied the abortive flight of the rocket to determine what had gone wrong.

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20
Q

abrade

A

v. to wear off or down by scraping or rubbing

Millions of years of erosion had abraded the hillside.

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21
Q

abridge

A

v. to condense, shorten

The long novel was abridged to make it easier for people to read.

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22
Q

abrogate

A

v. to abolish or invalidate by authority

The president has the power to abrogate the agreement by executive order.

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23
Q

abscission

A

n. act of cutting; natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant

The botanist is studying the process of abscission in the Norway maple.

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24
Q

abscond

A

v. to depart secretly

The treasurer absconded with the funds.

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25
Q

absolutism

A

n. a form of government in which all power is vested in a single authority

Moral absolutism holds that there are absolute moral standards by which moral questions can be judged.

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26
Q

absolve

A

v. to forgive, free from blame

The priest absolved the woman’s sins.

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27
Q

abstemious

A

adj. moderate in appetite

Be an abstemious eater if you want to be thin.

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28
Q

abstinence

A

n. the giving up of certain pleasures

The priest urged the man to practice sexual abstinence.

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29
Q

abstract (adj.)

A

adj. theoretical; not concrete

The plan is fine in the abstract; the problem will be carrying it out in reality.

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30
Q

abstract (n.)

A

n. statement that summarizes the important points of a text

John wrote an abstract of Professor Mill’s study of green algae.

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31
Q

abstraction

A

n. act or result of considering something independently of its qualities.

It’s wise to not use too many abstractions like “freedom” and “goodness” in your writing without defining them.

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32
Q

abstruse

A

adj. difficult to comprehend

The mathematical equation was so abstruse no one in the class could understand it.

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33
Q

abysmal

A

adj. very bad

Amanda’s performance on the test was so abysmal that she dropped the subject.

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34
Q

academic

A

adj. having no practical purpose, theoretical

Researchers argue that the discovery will be of more than academic interest.

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35
Q

accede

A

v. to express approval; agree to

“If I accede to your request for a favor, the other employees will be angry with me,” the boss said.

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36
Q

accessible

A

adj. attainable, available; approachable

Students like teachers who are accessible so they can ask them questions.

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37
Q

accessory

A

n. attachment, ornament; accomplice, partner

Liz was named as an accessory because she drove the car to the scene of the crime.

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38
Q

acclaim

A

n. loud applause, approval

The novelist won acclaim for her portrayal of life in ancient Rome.

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39
Q

accolade

A

n. praise, distinction

The highest accolade a teacher can win is the appreciation of his students.

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40
Q

accommodate

A

v. to allow for, bring into harmony

The teacher organizes his class so that the abilities and interests of each student are accommodated.

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41
Q

accordance

A

n. agreement

Since we are in accordance on this issue, we can move on to the next item for discussion.

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42
Q

accost

A

v. to approach and speak to someone

She doesn’t like being accosted by strangers on the street.

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43
Q

accretion

A

n. growth in size or increase in amount

The steady accretion in the federal budget is a concern to many citizens.

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44
Q

accrue

A

v. to accumulate, grow by additions

Compound interest helps your savings to accrue quickly.

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45
Q

acculturation

A

n. adoption of the cultural patterns of another group

The process of acculturation is usually easier for young immigrants than for old immigrants.

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46
Q

acerbic

A

adj. bitter, sharp in taste or temper

Late night talk show hosts often make acerbic comments about current events.

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47
Q

acidulous

A

adj. sour in taste or manner; sharp; caustic

His acidulous criticism of the novel was labeled as unfair by other critics.

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48
Q

acknowledge

A

v. recognize; admit

I was forced to acknowledge that he was a better tennis player after he beat me three times in a row.

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49
Q

acme

A

n. highest point; summit; zenith

John considered winning the Pulitzer Prize to be the acme of his career in journalism.

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50
Q

acoustics

A

n . scientific study of sound; the total effect of a sound

The orchestra refused to play in the hall because of its poor acoustics.

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51
Q

acquiesce

A

v. to agree without protesting

The people acquiesced to the dictator’s demands.

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52
Q

acquiescent

A

adj. disposed or willing to agree without protesting

Management was acquiescent to the workers’ demands.

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53
Q

acquittal

A

n. release from blame

The jury voted for acquittal after concluding that the woman was innocent of the crime.

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54
Q

acrid

A

adj. harsh, bitter

The lemon left an acrid taste in my mouth.

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55
Q

acrimonious

A

adj. disposed to bitterness and animosity

The dispute was acrimonious.

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56
Q

acrimony

A

n. bitterness, animosity

The fight for the presidential nomination caused acrimony within the political party.

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57
Q

acronym

A

n. a ward formed from the initial letters of a name or series of words

Some acronyms - such as “radar” - are so common that we tend to forget that they are acronyms.

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58
Q

acuity

A

n. sharpness

Some people are born with excellent visual acuity.

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59
Q

acumen

A

n. sharpness of insight

Some people believe that business acumen can only be learned in the “school of hard knocks.”

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60
Q

acute

A

adj. sharp, pointed

Jill has an acute sense of taste.

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61
Q

adage

A

n. old saying or proverb

Everyone has heard the adage “Haste makes waste.”

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62
Q

adamant

A

adj. uncompromising, unyielding

The prime minister is adamant that she will not resign.

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63
Q

adapt

A

v. to accommodate, adjust

Life on earth frequently must adapt to changing climatic conditions.

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64
Q

adduce

A

v. to cite as an example as a means of proof

The lawyer adduced his client’s good standing in the community as evidence of her good character.

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65
Q

adhere

A

v. to cling or follow without deviation

Some people criticize schools because they encourage students to adhere unthinkingly to rules.

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66
Q

adherent

A

n. follower

A debate broke out between groups of the religious leader’s adherents with different views.

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67
Q

ad hoc

A

adj. for the present purpose only

An ad hoc committee was formed by the school to investigate the growing problem of student lateness to class.

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68
Q

ad hominem

A

adj. appealing to prejudice or passions; attacking one’s adversary rather than his or her argument

The debate moderator warned participants that she would not tolerate ad hominem arguments.

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69
Q

ad infinitum

A

adv. forever; without limit

Mathematicians believe that pi represented as a decimal continues ad infinitum.

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70
Q

adjacent

A

adj. next to

My office is adjacent to a supermarket.

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71
Q

adjudicate

A

v. to study and settle a dispute

The chief umpire was called in to adjudicate the dispute during the baseball game.

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72
Q

adjunct

A

v. something added, attached, or joined

The army officer was assigned as an adjunct to advise the civilian government agency.

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73
Q

admonish

A

v. to caution or reprimand

Children who misbehave in public should be admonished by their parents.

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74
Q

admonition

A

n. mild reproof

The student received an admonition for being a few minutes late to class.

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75
Q

ad nauseum

A

adv. to a disgusting or ridiculous degree

The issue has been debated ad nauseum.

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76
Q

adobe

A

adj. relating to sun-dried brick of clay and straw

The adobe houses in that area were hilt over 300 years ago.

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77
Q

adroit

A

adj. skillful

With an adroit move, the wrestler pinned his opponent.

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78
Q

adulation

A

n. high praise

The writer won adulation for his masterly biography of George Washington.

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79
Q

adulterate

A

v. to corrupt or make impure

Be careful not to drink water that has been adulterated.

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80
Q

adumbrate

A

v. to sketch in a shadowy way; foreshadow

The theory was adumbrated in his early work, but only now he has clearly outlined it.

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81
Q

advent

A

v. coming or arrival

The advent of football season is greeted with enthusiasm by football fans.

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82
Q

adventitious

A

adj. added from without

The architect confirmed that the house was Colonial, without adventitious later additions.

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83
Q

adversarial

A

adj. antagonistic; competitive

I would prefer that we have a cooperative relationship rather than an adversarial one.

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84
Q

adverse

A

adj. unfavorable, unlucky, harmful

The investigators gave an adverse report on the governor’s conduct.

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85
Q

advocate (v.)

A

v. to speak or write in favor of something

The speaker advocated better funding of public education.

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86
Q

advocate (n.)

A

n. person who pleads for

Many scientists are advocates for increased spending on basic scientific research.

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87
Q

aegis

A

n. protection; sponsorship; shield

Negotiations are being conducted under the aegis of the United Nations.

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88
Q

aerial

A

adj. having to do with the air

Aerial warfare was a major factor in determining the outcome of World War II.

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89
Q

aerie

A

n. nook or nest built high in the air

The eagle kept her young safe in an aerie on the mountain.

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90
Q

aerodynamic

A

adj. relating to objects moving through the air

Engineers who design cars take into consideration aerodynamic factors.

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91
Q

aesthetic (adj.)

A

adj. pertaining to beauty or art

The town council banned billboards for aesthetic reasons.

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92
Q

aesthetic (n.)

A

n. guiding principle in art

Every new movement in the arts has its own aesthetic.

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93
Q

affable

A

adj. pleasant to speak to; approachable

The affable teacher is popular with students and fellow teachers.

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94
Q

affectation

A

n. artificial behavior to impress others

Tom’s affectation is that he adopts a high-class English accent.

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95
Q

affected

A

adj. pretentious, phony

His fake-sounding accent made him seem affected.

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96
Q

affective

A

adj. relating to the emotions

In life, affective skills are often as important as intellectual skills.

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97
Q

affinity

A

n. fondness, liking; similarity

The young people’s affinity for each other was so strong that they spent nearly all their free time together.

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98
Q

affirm

A

v. to make a positive assertion; confirm

The new citizens affirmed their loyalty to the country.

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99
Q

affirmation

A

n. confirmation; positive assertion

The couple made an affirmation of their love for one another.

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100
Q

afflatus

A

n. creative impulse; divine inspiration

The novelist at the writing workshop says that it is better to start writing than to wait for divine afflatus because that may never arrive.

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101
Q

affluent

A

adj. rich; abundant

Affluent people and poor people often live in different areas of a town.

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102
Q

affront

A

n. personal offense, insult

The president of the company regards the criticism of his employees as an affront.

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103
Q

aficionado

A

n. an enthusiastic admirer

A wine aficionado, Bob can tell how good a wine is with one sip.

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104
Q

a fortiori

A

adv. for a still stronger reason

“But I do not feel that I and my fellow citizens have a religious duty to sacrifice our lives in war on behalf of our own state, and, a fortiori, I do not feel that we have an obligation or a right to kill and maim citizens of other states or to devastate their land.” (Arnold Toynbee)

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105
Q

agenda

A

n. plan, schedule

The agenda for the meeting says that launch is at 12:30 p.m.

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106
Q

aggrandize

A

v. to make larger or greater

During the nineteenth century many Americans wanted the country to do things to aggrandize itself.

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107
Q

aggregate

A

adj. relating to a collective mass or sum; relating to a total

The aggregate wealth of a country includes public as well as private possessions and resources.

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108
Q

aggrieve

A

v. to afflict; to distress

I am aggrieved by your refusal to apologize for your misconduct.

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109
Q

agile

A

adj. well-coordinated, nimble

Gymnasts should be very agile.

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110
Q

agitation

A

n. commotion, excitement; uneasiness

The nightly bombings were causing agitation in the children.

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111
Q

agnostic (n.)

A

n. one who doubts that people can know God

Many scientists are agnostics.

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112
Q

agnostic (adj.)

A

adj. non-committal

Larry is agnostic on the question of whether war is ever justified.

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113
Q

agrarian

A

adj. relating to the land and its cultivation

The country has a predominantly agrarian economy.

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114
Q

alacrity

A

n. cheerful willingness, eagerness; speed

We were happy when the clerk replaced the faulty cartridge with alacrity.

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115
Q

albedo

A

n. the proportion of incident radiation reflected by a surface

Fresh snow has a very high albedo.

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116
Q

albeit

A

conj. even though; notwithstanding; although

There is sufficient food, albeit at high prices.

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117
Q

alchemical

A

adj. seemingly magical process of change

Psychologists say that love produces alchemical changes in personality.

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118
Q

alchemy

A

n. medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold; seemingly magical process of change

Alchemy was the forerunner of the modern science of chemistry.

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119
Q

algorithm

A

n. a problem-solving procedure

The intelligence officers are trying to find the correct algorithm to break the enemy code.

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120
Q

alias

A

n. assumed name

Many actors use aliases or change their name legally.

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121
Q

alien (n.)

A

n. person note included in a group; outsider

It took the alien several years to adjust to his new country.

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122
Q

alien (adj.)

A

adj. strange

The astronauts stepped onto the alien surface of Mars.

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123
Q

alienated

A

adj. distanced, estranged

His extreme policies have created a large group of alienated voters.

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124
Q

alienation

A

n. being separated; feeling of detachment from the world or society

Alienation is a major problem in large, modern societies.

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125
Q

aligned

A

adj. precisely adjusted; committed to one side

During the Cold War many countries were aligned to either the Soviet Union or the United States.

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126
Q

allay

A

v. to lessen, ease, or soothe

The cal from her friend allayed the mother’s fear about her daughter’s safety.

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127
Q

allegiance

A

n. loyalty

He pledged his allegiance to his new country.

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128
Q

allegorical

A

adj. characteristic of symbolic representation

Allegorical stories are not nearly as popular now as they were in the Middle Ages.

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129
Q

allegory

A

n. symbolic representation

In literature a voyage is often used as an allegory for the journey through life.

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130
Q

alleviate

A

v. to relieve, improve partially

Coffee was used by the Aztecs to alleviate the effects of illness.

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131
Q

alliteration

A

n. repetition of the beginning sounds of words

The phrase “the great and the good” uses alliteration.

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132
Q

allocation

A

n. allowance, portion

The political party disputed its allocation of votes in the national assembly.

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133
Q

alloy

A

n. a combination; a mixture of two or more metals

Steel is an alloy of iron, carbon, and other substances.

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134
Q

allude

A

v. to make an indirect reference to

Don’t allude to something in your writing unless you’re confidant your readers will be familiar with it.

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135
Q

allure

A

n. the power to entice by charm

Vickie bought a new dress to add to her allure.

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136
Q

alluring

A

adj. enticing

The child found the chocolate too alluring to resist.

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137
Q

allusion

A

n. indirect reference

His allusion to an earlier character in his work was understood by readers familiar with his earlier books.

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138
Q

alluvial

A

adj. relating to alluvium, that is, sediment that is deposited by flowing water

Farmers like the area’s rich alluvial soil.

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139
Q

aloof

A

adj. detached, indifferent

The new student remained aloof from the other students.

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140
Q

altercation

A

n. noisy dispute

The altercation became so serious that someone called the police.

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141
Q

alter ego

A

n. a second self; a perfect substitute or deputy

The president’s chief adviser acts as his alter ego during his absence.

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142
Q

altruism

A

n. unselfish generosity

Altruism motivated the student to volunteer in the shelter for homeless people.

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143
Q

altruistic

A

adj. unselfishly generous

Few people act from entirely altruistic motives.

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144
Q

amalgam

A

n. mixture, combination

The artist drew a sketch of the suspect that was an amalgam of the facial characteristics reported by witnesses.

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145
Q

amalgamate

A

v. combine in a homogeneous whole

The three schools decided to amalgamate because of declining enrollments.

146
Q

ambidextrous

A

adj. able to use both hands well

The ambidextrous painter worked equally well with each of his hands.

147
Q

ambience

A

n. the special mood or atmosphere created by a particular environment

The restaurant’s romantic ambience makes it popular with young couples.

148
Q

ambiguity

A

n. lack of clarity in meaning

Avoid ambiguity in your essays.

149
Q

ambiguous

A

adj. unclear or doubtful in meaning

Please clarify your ambiguous statement.

150
Q

ambit

A

n. sphere or scope

The court ruled that the case was not within the ambit of state law.

151
Q

ambivalence

A

n. the state of having conflicting emotional attitudes

Gail’s ambivalence toward Ray has prevented her from accepting a date with him.

152
Q

ambivalent

A

adj. exhibiting or feeling conflicting emotional attitudes

Hillary is ambivalent about dating Tim.

153
Q

ambrosia

A

n. something delicious; the food of the gods

To some people raw oysters are ambrosia.

154
Q

ameliorate

A

v. to improve; make better

Congress passed legislation to ameliorate the effects of poor nutrition among poor children.

155
Q

amenable

A

adj. agreeable, cooperative; suited

I am amenable to your plan to start a new school.

156
Q

amend

A

v. to correct flaws; to improve

After the bill was amended, it was passed unanimously.

157
Q

amenity

A

n. something that increases comfort

Modern navy vessels have amenities onboard that sailors of 300 years ago could only dream of.

158
Q

amiable

A

adj. friendly and agreeable; good-natured

We met some amiable people in the train and had a pleasant conversation.

159
Q

amicable

A

adj. friendly, agreeable

After the war the two countries restored amicable relations.

160
Q

amity

A

n. friendship

Amity between nations is one of the goals of the United Nations.

161
Q

amoral

A

adj. neither moral nor immoral; not caring about right and wrong

Many people believe that science is amoral in that it can be used for good or for bad.

162
Q

amorous

A

adj. showing love

Ray’s amorous intentions toward Jessica were evident from the roses in his hand.

163
Q

amorphous

A

adj. lacking definite form

My ideas tend to be amorphous until I write them down; then they being to take shape.

164
Q

amphitheater

A

n. an area for spectacles; a level area surrounded by upward sloping ground

We all crowded into the amphitheater to hear the famous writer’s lecture.

165
Q

ample

A

adj. abundant, plentiful

There is ample food in the world for everyone; the problem is distributing it equitably.

166
Q

amulet

A

n. ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits

Joe’s birthstone is emerald, a piece of which he wears around his neck as an amulet.

167
Q

anachronism

A

n. something out of the proper time

Movie producers have to be careful not to accidentally allow anachronisms to appear in movies about the past.

168
Q

anachronistic

A

adj. containing an error in the date of a event

This historical novel, set in 1550, contains anachronistic references to events that didn’t occur until the nineteenth century.

169
Q

analgesic

A

n. medication that reduces or eliminates pain

Aspirin is one of the best all-around analgesics.

170
Q

analog

A

n. something that is comparable to something else

A computer is an analog of the human brain.

171
Q

analogous

A

adj. comparable

If we compare a book to a person’s life, then each of its pages can be regarded as analogous to a period in the person’s life.

172
Q

analogy

A

n. similarity

An analogy can be made between the capacity of a car engine and a person’s capacity for thinking.

173
Q

anarchic

A

adj. lawless

After the revolution the country was anarchic.

174
Q

anarchist

A

n. one who does not believe in government

The anarchist attacked the government as an infringement of individual freedom.

175
Q

anarchy

A

n. absence of government; state of disorder

The ruler warned of anarchy if the rebellion continued.

176
Q

anathema

A

n. ban, curse; something shunned

Guys who don’t shower regularly are anathema to most girls.

177
Q

ancillary

A

adj. accessory, subordinate

The armed forces have many ancillary units that support the main fighting forces.

178
Q

androgynous

A

adj. having both female and male characteristics

The film portrays the aliens as androgynous.

179
Q

android

A

n. a self-operasting machine made from biological materials to resemble a human

The country’s military plans to use androids as soldiers in the next war.

180
Q

anecdote

A

n. short account of an event

The teacher told an amusing anecdote to break the monotony of the lesson.

181
Q

angst

A

n. a feeling of anxiety or apprehension

The counselor dismissed the student’s anxiety as “teenage angst.”

182
Q

angular

A

adj. characterized by sharp angles

Belinda thinks her features are too angular, so she used makeup to make them appear more rounded.

183
Q

animadvert

A

v. to comment critically

The travel writer animadverts against nearly every country he visits.

184
Q

animation

A

n. enthusiasm; excitement

The speaker’s animation was infectious; members of the audience got to their feet and began to cheer.

185
Q

animism

A

n. the belief in the existence of individual spirits that inhabit natural objects

Native American religion is sometimes wrongly dismissed as “simple animism.”

186
Q

animosity

A

n. hatred, hostility

As the campaign increased in intensity, so also did the animosity between the two main candidates.

187
Q

animus

A

n. ill will

The biographer’s animus toward her subject is obvious.

188
Q

annex

A

v. to add or join to

Great powers often increase their territory by annexing smaller neighboring countries.

189
Q

annihilate

A

v. to destroy completely

The asteroid threatens to annihilate the earth.

190
Q

annihilation

A

n. complete destruction

The asteroid’s impact with the earth caused the annihilation of life on the plannet.

191
Q

annotate

A

v. to add notes or commentary

The English professor annotated Shakespeare’s King Lear.

192
Q

annul

A

v. to cancel, nullify, or declare void

The marriage was annulled by order of the judge.

193
Q

anodyne

A

n. something that calms or soothes pain

I applied an anodyne to my burn to relieve the pain.

194
Q

anomalous

A

adj. deviating from or inconsistent with the common order, form, or rule; irregular; abnormal

Some scientists speculate that life is anomalous in the universe.

195
Q

anomaly

A

n. irregularity; deviation from the norm

There was an anomaly in the data, so the experiment was repeated.

196
Q

anomie

A

n. alienation and purposelessness as a result of a lack of values or ideals

The premise of the sociological study is that anomie is the underlying cause of crime.

197
Q

anonymity

A

n. the state of being unknown

The philanthropist prefers anonymity.

198
Q

anonymous

A

adj. having no name

The anonymous donor gave no hint of his identity.

199
Q

antagonism

A

n. hostility; opposition

There is considerable antagonism to the new idea.

200
Q

antagonistic

A

adj. hostile; opposed

The rivals for the big promotion became antagonistic toward each other.

201
Q

antebellum

A

adj. before or existing before the war, especially the American Civil War

The historian specializes in the antebellum period in American history.

202
Q

antecedent

A

n. something that comes before something else

An antecedent of the automobile was the horse-drawn carriagbe.

203
Q

antedate

A

v. precede in time

The invention of the automobile antedates the invention of the airplane.

204
Q

antediluvian

A

adj. prehistoric

Scientists have pieced together a fascinating picture of human life in antediluvian times.

205
Q

anterior

A

adj. preceding, previous

The prosecutor asked the witness to recall all the events anterior to the crime.

206
Q

anthology

A

n., collection of literary works

This anthology contains the best stories published in America this year.

207
Q

anthropocentrism

A

n. regarding man as the center of the universe

It is hard to imagine anthropocentrism surviving human contact with a vastly superior alien civilization.

208
Q

anthropogenic

A

adj. caused by humans

The government is working to reduce the amount of anthropogenic pollution.

209
Q

anthropoid

A

adj. resembling a human

The cartoon features anthropoid mice.

210
Q

anthropology

A

n. the scientific study of the origin, behavior, and development of humans

The study of social organization and kinship is a central focus of anthropology.

211
Q

anthropomorphic

A

adj. attributing human qualities to non-humans

This anthropomorphic cartoon features talking trees and thinking flowers.

212
Q

anthropomorphize

A

v. to attribute human qualities to non-humans

The poet anthropomorphized the sea, calling it “the brooding ocean.”

213
Q

antipathy

A

n. dislike, hostility

Antipathy toward strangers seems to be inborn in human beings.

214
Q

antipodes

A

n. any two places on opposite sides of the earth

New York City and Singapore are nearly antipodes.

215
Q

antiquated

A

adj. too old to be fashionable; outmoded

The tenant asked his landlord to modernize the apartment’s antiquated electrical system.

216
Q

antiquity

A

n. ancient times

Athens was one of the great centers of classical antiquity.

217
Q

antithesis

A

n. contrast; the opposite of

Could good exist without its antithesis, evil?

218
Q

antithetical

A

adj. contrasting; opposite

Out views are so antithetical I feel that we should simply agree to disagree.

219
Q

apartheid

A

n. an official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in South Africa against non-whites; segregation

Apartheid was abolished in South Africa in 1991.

220
Q

apathetic

A

adj. lacking feeling or emotion

Voters are unusually apathetic this year; fewer than half are planning to vote.

221
Q

apathy

A

n. indifference

Apathy was high in the election because there was no major controversy or issue to arouse voter interest.

222
Q

apex

A

n. the highest point

Scientists believe that humanity is the apex reached by evolution on earth.

223
Q

aphasia

A

n. loss of the ability to articulate ideas or comprehend language, resulting from brain damage

The speech therapist is working with a patient suffering from aphasia.

224
Q

aphelion

A

n. point in a planet’s orbit furthest from the sun

At aphelion, Pluto is so far from the sun that it is barely in the solar system.

225
Q

aphorism

A

n. short pithy statement

On his desk was a sign with the aphorism, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

226
Q

aphrodisiac

A

n. substance arousing or intensifying sexual desire

The Romans worshipped the apple as an aphrodisiac.

227
Q

aplomb

A

n. self-confident assurance

Movie audiences admire how James Bond keeps his aplomb in every situation.

228
Q

apocalyptic

A

adj. portending devastation or doom

Many religions contain beliefs in a period of time marked by apocalyptic events.

229
Q

apocryphal

A

adj. not genuine, fictional

Historians regard the story of George Washington and the cherry tree as apocryphal.

230
Q

apogee

A

n. the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited

When the spacecraft reached its apogee in its orbit around the Earth it fired rockets that would send it to Mars.

231
Q

apologia

A

n. a formal defense or justification

Critics see his work as an apologia for elitism.

232
Q

apologist

A

n. a person who defends or justifies a cause

The economist Milton Friedman was a leading apologist for capitalism.

233
Q

apoplexy

A

n. sudden impairment of neurological function; a fit of extreme anger

The man had a fit of apoplexy after hearing the news.

234
Q

apostate

A

n. one who renounces a religious faith

Jim became an apostate from his faith when he decided he did no longer believe in its central beliefs.

235
Q

apothegm

A

n. terse, witty saying

Most people have heard the apothegm from Romeo and Juliet, “He stumbles who runs fast.”

236
Q

apotheosis

A

n. glorification; glorified ideal

The hero was regarded as the apotheosis of courage.

237
Q

apparent

A

adj. readily seen; easily understood

The truth of the saying “life is tough” became apparent to Bob when he embarked on his first job search.

238
Q

appease

A

v. to calm, pacify, placate

To appease workers angry at having their pay cut,the company increased their health benefit.

239
Q

appellation

A

n. name

Rulers often assign themselves appellations such as “The Great” and “The Magnificent.”

240
Q

apperception

A

n. conscious perception with full awareness; the process of understanding by which newly observed qualities of an object are related to past experience

“The art of watching has become mere skill at rapid apperception and understanding of continuously changing visual images. The younger generation has acquired this cinematic perception to an amazing degree.” (John Huizinga)

241
Q

apposite

A

adj. strikingly appropriate and relevant

The talk show host has a gift for making apposite comments on what her guests say.

242
Q

apprehend

A

v. to understand; know; dread

To the best of our knowledge, only human beings are able to apprehend the laws of nature.

243
Q

apprehensive

A

adj. fearful about the future

Rapid changes tend to make people apprehensive.

244
Q

apprise

A

v. to inform

The president asked to be kept apprised of the situation on the Korean peninsula.

245
Q

approbation

A

n. praise, approval

The young governor had received nothing but approbation in the early part of her presidential campaign.

246
Q

appropriate

A

v. to take possession for one’s own use

The army appropriated the trucks during the emergency.

247
Q

a priori

A

adj. from a general law to a particular instance; valid independently of observation; formed or conceived beforehand

The judge reminded the jury not to reach any a priori conclusions about the guilt or innocence of the accused.

248
Q

apropos

A

adj. relevant

When you write an essay, try to make all of your points apropos to the subject you’re discussing.

249
Q

apt

A

adj. precisely suitable

An apt quotation can improve a piece of writing.

250
Q

aptitude

A

n. a natural or acquired talent or ability; intelligence

Aptitude for mathematics is to a significant degree inherited.

251
Q

arabesque

A

n. ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body

Arabesques have a central role in Islamic art.

252
Q

arable

A

adj. suitable for cultivation

Countries such as Japan and South Korea are handicapped by not having much arable land.

253
Q

arbitrary

A

adj. unreasonable; randomly selected; determined by whim

The appeals court ruled that the judge’s decision had been arbitrary and overturned it.

254
Q

arbitrator

A

n. a person chosen to settle an issue in dispute between parties

The union and the company agreed on an arbitrator to settle their dispute.

255
Q

arboreal

A

adj. relating to trees; living in trees

Scientists say that the distant ancestors of human beings were small arboreal creatures.

256
Q

arcana

A

n. secrets; mysteries

A great deal of arcana is represented in the symbolism of tarot cards.

257
Q

arcane

A

adj. secret, obscure; known only to a few

For most of us the arcane workings of a computer are “invisible.”

258
Q

archaic

A

adj. antiquated; out of date

Morse code is an archaic form of communication, but it still plays a role in emergency communications.

259
Q

archeology

A

n. the study of material evidence of past human life

Archeology has discovered that the Egyptian pyramids were built by about 20,000 people working in teams.

260
Q

archetypal

A

adj. characteristic of an original model after which others are patterned

Sherlock Holmes is the archetypal private detective.

261
Q

archetype

A

n. original model after which others are patterned

Sherlock Holmes is the archetype for many other intellectual sleuths.

262
Q

archipelago

A

n. large group of islands

Indonesia is a nation in the Malay archipelago consisting of over 13,000 islands.

263
Q

archive

A

n. place or collection containing records of historical interest

The file room of a local newspaper is usually an excellent archive of the town’s history.

264
Q

ardent

A

adj. passionate, enthusiastic, fervent

Charlie is a devoted Yankee fan, while his wife is an equally ardent Red Sox fan.

265
Q

ardor

A

n. great emotion or passion

Although Sue and Ted had been married for twenty years, their ardor for each other was undiminished.

266
Q

arduous

A

adj. extremely difficult; laborious

We made the arduous drive across Australia.

267
Q

argot

A

n. a speciallized vocabulary used by a group

Some of the argot of the hippies of the 1960s - “rip-off,” for example - has passed into general usage.

268
Q

arid

A

adj. extremely dry

Death Valley is extremely hot and arid, so make sure you have plenty of water before you drive across it.

269
Q

aristocracy

A

n. hereditary ruling class; government by the elite

Some people compare families like the Kennedys and Bushes to aristocracies.

270
Q

arraign

A

v. to call to court to answer an indictment

The defendant was arraigned on a charge of fraud.

271
Q

array

A

n. an impressive display of persons or objects

The array of important officials at the governor’s inauguration was impressive.

272
Q

arrogance

A

n. pride; haughtiness

The new president felt he had to guard against the arrogance that can come with winning an election.

273
Q

arrogate

A

v. to claim or seize without justification

They believe that the federal government has arrogated powers to itself not specified in the Constitution.

274
Q

arrogation

A

n. the act of claiming or seizing without justification

The treaty forbids the arrogation of territory by any of the countries.

275
Q

arsenal

A

n. ammunition storehouse; storehouse

The arsenal is closely guarded to prevent enemy forces from capturing it.

276
Q

articulate

A

adj. distinct; effective

One of the best ways to become an articulate writer is to read good prose.

277
Q

articulate

A

v. to speak clearly and distinctly; to express in coherent verbal form

Please articulate your position so that we can understand it clearly.

278
Q

artifact

A

n. item made by human craft

Archeologists have found artifacts on the site, proving human settlement prior to 1200 BCE.

279
Q

artifice

A

n. stratagem; trickery; ingenious or artful device

James used clever artifice to defeat his opponent in the chess game.

280
Q

artisan

A

n. a skilled manual worker; a craftsperson

The artisans formed a co-operative to sell their work.

281
Q

artless

A

adj. guileless; natural

The salesperson’s boss was amazed by the success of her artless employee.

282
Q

ascend

A

n. to rise or climb

Hugh ascended to the position of mayor.

283
Q

ascendancy

A

n. state of rising; power

The ascendancy of China is worrying many leaders in Japan.

284
Q

ascendant

A

adj. rising; moving upward

The Eagles are an ascendant football team this year.

285
Q

ascertain

A

v. to determine; make certain

Engineers are studying the site of the building collapse to ascertain its cause.

286
Q

ascertainment

A

n. the act of determining or making certain

The The ascertainment of truth is the goal of science.

287
Q

ascetic

A

adj. self-denying, austere

Ralph enjoys a yearly retreat during which he lives the ascetic life of a monk.

288
Q

asceticism

A

n. self-denial; austerity

The nun practices asceticism.

289
Q

ascribable

A

adj. attributable to

His illness is ascribable to overwork.

290
Q

ascribe

A

v. to attribute to

The motives a person ascribes to others often tell a lot about his or her own motives.

291
Q

askew

A

adj. crooked; tilted

We realized that a break-in had occurred when we noticed several things askew.

292
Q

asperity

A

n. severity; irritability; harshness of manner

The accused person asked the witness with some asperity why she was lying.

293
Q

aspersion

A

n. slander; false rumor

Negative political campaigns cast aspersions on opponents, hoping that voters find them believable.

294
Q

aspirant

A

n. person who aspires to honors high position, etc.

“There is no road to wealth so easy and respectable as that of matrimony; that is, of course, provided that the aspirant declines the slow course of honest work.” (Anthony Trollope)

295
Q

aspiration

A

n. desire to achieve

The student’s aspiration is to be a teacher.

296
Q

aspire

A

v. to have great hopes, to aim at a goal

The author aspires to be one of America’s great writers.

297
Q

assail

A

v. to attack

The liberal politician assailed his opponent’s voting record as too conservative.

298
Q

assay

A

v. to subject a substance to chemical analysis to determine the strength and quality of its components; to examine by trial or experiment

The ore was sent to the lab to be assayed.

299
Q

assent

A

v. to express agreement

I assented to my wife’s plan to enlarge the guest room.

300
Q

assert

A

v. to declare to be true; maintain

If you assert an opinion, you should be prepared to back it up with a logical argument.

301
Q

assertion

A

n. act of declaring to be true

The debater cleverly refuted the assertion put forward by the opposition.

302
Q

assess

A

v. to estimate; evaluate

Stan’s house was assessed to be worth $260,000.

303
Q

assessment

A

n. estimation; evaluation

The congressional committee’s assessment is that there is too much wastage in the program

304
Q

assiduous

A

adj. diligent, hard-working

The novelist did assiduous research before writing his book.

305
Q

assignation

A

n. appointment for lovers’ meeting

The couple chose Lover’s Lane for their assignation.

306
Q

assimilate

A

v. to blend in

The new immigrants were assimilated into society.

307
Q

assimilation

A

n. blending in

In sociology, assimilation refers to the process by which a minority group adopts the lifestyles and attitudes of the majority.

308
Q

assonance

A

n. resemblance in sound

Here’s an example of assonance from a poem by W.B. Yeats: “that dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea.”

309
Q

assuage

A

v. to make less severe

AW piece of fruit should assuage my hunger until dinner.

310
Q

astringent

A

adj. harsh, severe

The teacher was well-known for his astringent remarks about students who handed homework in late.

311
Q

astronomical

A

adj. immense

The number of cells in the human body is astronomical.

312
Q

astute

A

adj. shrewd; wise

Psychologists say that females tend to be more astute judges of other peoples’ motives than males.

313
Q

asylum

A

n. place of refuge of shelter

Before World War II many Europeans found asylum in America.

314
Q

asymmetrical

A

adj. not corresponding in size, shape, etc.

The sides of the human face are not perfectly asymmetrical.

315
Q

asymmetry

A

n. lack of balance or symmetry

There is asymmetry between the two sides of the human brain.

316
Q

atavism

A

n. in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or part that exhibits the reappearance of a characteristic after a period of absence; return of a trait after a period of absence

An example of an atavism in humans is the appearance of a vestigial tail on a baby.

317
Q

atheist

A

n. person who does not believe in the existence of God

Some atheists object to he words “in God we trust” on coins.

318
Q

atone

A

v. to make amends for a wrong

To atone for drawing graffiti on the wall, Tom spent an hour every day this week cleaning up the school grounds.

319
Q

atrocious

A

adj. shockingly bad

The student’s writing is so atrocious I wonder how he made it to high school.

320
Q

atrocity

A

n. appalling or atrocious condition, quality, or behavior

The atrocity was committed by armed troops against unarmed civilians.

321
Q

atrophy

A

v. to waste away

Astronauts on long space voyages do special exercises to prevent their muscles from atrophying.

322
Q

attenuate

A

v. to weaken

Advanced technology in modern radios is able to amplify even signals that have been greatly attenuated.

323
Q

attest

A

v. to testify, bear witness

As her tutor, I ca attest to the hard work Julie did to improve her GRE score.

324
Q

attribute (n.)

A

n. essential quality

Charles has all the attributes needed for success except one - a willingness to work hard.

325
Q

attribute (v.)

A

v. ascribe; explain

Max attributes his success to his acting ability, but many people believe it has more to do with his good looks.

326
Q

au courant

A

adj. up-to-date; informed on current affairs

Debra reads a weekly news magazine to stay au courant.

327
Q

audacious

A

adj. bold, daring

The senator proposed an audacious plan to give every American adequate health care.

328
Q

audible

A

adj. capable of being heard

Sounds below a frequency of 20 hertz are not audible to the human ear.

329
Q

augment

A

v. to make greater

The buildup of naval forces in the Mediterranean was augmented by the arrival of more aircraft carriers.

330
Q

augur

A

v. to predict, especially from omens

The rise in the stock market augurs well for the economy,

331
Q

augury

A

n. prophecy, prediction of events

The famous economists gave their augury of economic conditions in the coming year.

332
Q

august

A

adj. dignified, awe-inspiring

The inauguration of a president is an august affair, with pomp and ceremony.

333
Q

auspices

A

n. protection; support; patronage

The class is conducted under the auspices of the university.

334
Q

auspicious

A

adj. promising

Hindus believe that certain times of the day are more auspicious than others.

335
Q

austere

A

adj. stern; unadorned

The writer concentrates best in austere surroundings.

336
Q

asterity

A

n. sternness; condition of having no adornment

The president asked the nation to endure a period of economic austerity.

337
Q

authoritarian

A

adj. favoring or exercising total control

Her father is authoritarian in his approach to raising children.

338
Q

autism

A

n. a psychiatric disorder characterized by serious impairments in a communication and social interaction

Recent research on the brain has helped scientists to understand the causes of autism.

339
Q

autocracy

A

n. government by a single person who has unlimited power

The rebels formed a committee to challenge the autocracy.

340
Q

autocratic

A

adj. dictatorial

It is difficult to establish democratic government in countries that have known only generations of autocratic rule.

341
Q

autonomous

A

adj. self-governing; independent

Australians voted to not become an autonomous nation but rather remain to some degree under British rule.

342
Q

autonomy

A

n. self-government, independence

The British colony gained autonomy in 1965.

343
Q

autopsy

A

n. examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death

The law normally requires an autopsy if there is a suspicion of foul play in someone’s death.

344
Q

auxiliary

A

adj. supplementary

We were glad our boat was equipped with an auxiliary engine after the main engine broke down.

345
Q

avant-garde (adj.)

A

adj. relating to a group active in the invention of new techniques

I enjoy watching avant-garde performances because they stimulate me to think in new ways.

346
Q

avant-garde (n.)

A

a group active in the invention of new techniques

The avant-garde in our town organized a display of their art that many people found difficult to appreciate.

347
Q

avarice

A

n. greed

Traditionally, doctors are supposed to practice medicine to ease human suffering, not out of avarice.

348
Q

avatar

A

n. the decent to earth of a Hindu deity in human or animal form

Hindus believe that Krishna was an avatar.

349
Q

avenge

A

v. to take revenge

Adam vowed to avenge the death of his wife at the hands of terrorists.

350
Q

aver

A

n. to affirm; declare to be true

The accuracy of the testimony was averred by several witnesses.

351
Q

aversion

A

n. intense dislike

An aversion to snakes is universal in human beings.

352
Q

avert

A

v. to turn away; prevent

To avert a head-on collision, the driver swerved off the road.

353
Q

aviary

A

n. enclosure for birds

Several of the neighborhood cats have begun to hang around my backyard aviary.

354
Q

avid

A

adj. having keen interest

Bill is an avid stamp collector.

355
Q

avocation

A

n. secondary occupation

Sometimes an avocation can be turned into a person’s main source of income.

356
Q

avow

A

v. to state openly

The position he now avows contradicts his earlier statements on the issue.

357
Q

avuncular

A

adj. like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant

The first graders all love the avuncular principal.

358
Q

awry

A

adj. crooked; askew

Jill knew something was awry when she walked into the office int he morning and found that her desk had been removed.

359
Q

axiom

A

n., premise; postulate; widely accepted principle

An axiom cited by many writers is that you should write what you know about.

360
Q

axiomatic

A

adj. taken for granted

The principle that every person has rights is regarded as axiomatic by most people.

Barron's GRE Verbal Workbook (26 decks)

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