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GRE Vocab > Barrons Set 7 > Flashcards

Barrons Set 7 Flashcards

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1
Q

nebula

A

diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas; galaxy

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2
Q

necromancy

A

black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination; CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis

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3
Q

nefarious

A

very wicked

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4
Q

negate

A

cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; N. negation

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5
Q

negligence

A

neglect; failure to take reasonable care; ADJ. negligent: neglectful; lax; not taking enough care

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6
Q

negligible

A

so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded

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7
Q

nemesis

A

someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin; CF. Nemesis

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8
Q

neologism

A

new or newly coined word or phrase

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9
Q

neophyte

A

recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner; CF. plant

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10
Q

nepotism

A

favoritism (to a relative); CF. nephew

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11
Q

favoritism

A

display of partiality toward a favored person

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12
Q

nether

A

lower; Ex. nether garments/regions

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13
Q

nettle

A

irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome

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14
Q

nexus

A

connection

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15
Q

nib

A

beak(bill); pen point

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16
Q

nicety

A

precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference; Ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; Ex. distinguish between niceties

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17
Q

niggardly

A

meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. niggard: stingy person

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18
Q

niggle

A

spend too much time on minor points (esp. when finding fault); find fault; Ex. niggle over details; ADJ. niggling

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19
Q

nihilist

A

one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning or value; belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement

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20
Q

nip

A

snip off; stop something’s growth or development; bite; make numb with cold; Ex. nip the plan; Ex. A guard dog nipped the postman; Ex. fingers nipped by the extreme chill

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21
Q

snip

A

short quick cut with scissors; V: cut with scissors

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22
Q

pinch

A

squeeze between the thumb and a finger, or other edges; Ex. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. N: amount that can be held between the thumb and a finger

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23
Q

nirvana

A

in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude

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24
Q

impersonal

A

not being a person; not showing personal feelings; Ex. impersonal force/manner/organization

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25
Q

nocturnal

A

done or active at night; Ex. nocturnal animals/raids; CF. nocturne

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26
Q

noisome

A

foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome

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27
Q

nomadic

A

wandering; N. nomad: tribe who migrates from place to place

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28
Q

nomenclature

A

terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things

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29
Q

nominal

A

in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint

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30
Q

nonchalance

A

indifference; lack of concern; composure; ADJ. nonchalant: unconcerned; cool; indifferent; Ex. nonchalant attitude to his debts

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31
Q

noncommittal

A

neutral; refusing commitment to a particular opinion; unpledged; undecided

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32
Q

nondescript

A

undistinctive; ordinary; ordinary-looking; Ex. nondescript fellow in a crowd

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33
Q

nonentity

A

person of no importance; nonexistence

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34
Q

nonplus

A

put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex; CF. no more

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35
Q

nostalgia

A

homesickness; longing for the past; Ex. nostalgia for the clothes of 1920s; ADJ. nostalgic

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36
Q

nostrum

A

questionable medicine; quack medicine; CF. our (remedy)

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37
Q

notable

A

conspicuous; worthy of note; remarkable; important; distinguished; noted

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38
Q

notoriety

A

disrepute; ill fame

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39
Q

nova

A

star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its original brightness

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40
Q

novelty

A

something new; newness; ADJ. novel: new; original

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41
Q

novice

A

beginner

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42
Q

noxious

A

harmful; CF. obnoxious

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43
Q

nuance

A

shade of slight difference in meaning or color; subtle distinction

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44
Q

shade

A

slight difference in degree; nuance; degree of color; Ex. shades of meaning/grey

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45
Q

gradation

A

series of gradual stages; degree in such a progression

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46
Q

nubile

A

marriageable; of marriageable age; CF. connubial

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47
Q

nugatory

A

worthless; futile

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48
Q

nullify

A

make invalid; make null; invalidate

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49
Q

numismatist

A

person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals

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50
Q

nuptial

A

related to marriage or the wedding ceremony; N. nuptials: wedding ceremony

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51
Q

nurture

A

nourish; feed; educate; rear; care for while it is growing or developing; foster; cultivate; N: something that nourishes; rearing

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52
Q

nutrient

A

nourishing substance; ADJ: providing nourishment

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53
Q

nutrition

A

process of nourishing or being nourished; CF. malnutrition

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54
Q

nutritious

A

providing nourishment

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55
Q

nourish

A

provide with food necessary for life and growth

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56
Q

nourishment

A

something that nourishes; food

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57
Q

oaf

A

stupid awkward person; CF. elf

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58
Q

obdurate

A

stubborn; refusing to change one’s belief

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59
Q

obeisance

A

bow (to show respect and obedience)

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60
Q

obelisk

A

tall column tapering(becoming gradually narrower toward the end) and ending in a pyramid

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61
Q

obese

A

excessively fat; N. obesity

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62
Q

obfuscate

A

confuse; muddle; cause confusion; make needlessly complex; make so confused as to be difficult to understand

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63
Q

obituary

A

death notice (esp. in a newspaper); ADJ.

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64
Q

objective

A

not influenced by emotions; fair; N: goal; aim

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65
Q

obligatory

A

binding; required; compulsory; V. oblige: constrain; make grateful; do a favor; accommodate

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66
Q

oblique

A

indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); Ex. oblique reference

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67
Q

obliterate

A

destroy completely; wipe out; Ex. obliterate the village

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68
Q

oblivion

A

obscurity; condition of being completely forgotten; forgetfulness

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69
Q

oblivious

A

inattentive or unmindful; unaware; wholly absorbed; forgetful(having the habit of forgetting)

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70
Q

obloquy

A

slander; disgrace; infamy

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71
Q

obnoxious

A

offensive; disagreeable; Ex. obnoxious smell

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72
Q

obscure

A

dark; vague; unclear; not well known; Ex. obscure meaning/village; V: darken; cover; make unclear; Ex. obscure the moon/meaning

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73
Q

obsequious

A

slavishly attentive; servile; full of servile compliance; sycophantic

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74
Q

slavish

A

of or like a slave; servile; showing no originality; copied very closely; Ex. slavish devotion/copy of the original

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75
Q

obsequy

A

funeral ceremony

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76
Q

obsessive

A

related to thinking about something constantly; of an obsession; preoccupying; N. obsession: compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea; compulsive idea; V. obsess: preoccupy the mind of excessively

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77
Q

obsidian

A

black volcanic rock

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78
Q

scion

A

detached plant shoot used in grafting; descendant

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79
Q

obsolete

A

outmoded; no longer used

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80
Q

obstetrician

A

physician specializing in delivery(assisting in giving birth) of babies; N. obstetrics; CF. midwife

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81
Q

obstinate

A

stubborn; hard to control or treat; Ex. obstinate cough; N. obstinacy

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82
Q

obstreperous

A

boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable

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83
Q

obtrude

A

push (oneself or one’s ideas) forward or intrude; impose (oneself or one’s ideas) on others; butt in; stick out or extrude; thrust out; Ex. obtrude A on B; ADJ. obtrusive; N. obtrusion; CF. unobtrusive

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84
Q

obtuse

A

blunt; not sharp; stupid; slow in understanding

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85
Q

obviate

A

make unnecessary; get rid of; Ex. obviate the need

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86
Q

Occident

A

the West

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87
Q

occlude

A

shut; close; obstruct; Ex. A blood clot occluded an artery.

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88
Q

occult

A

mysterious; secret; supernatural; beyond human comprehension; CF. mysterious to human ?; OP. bare

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89
Q

oculist

A

physician who specializes in treatment of the eyes

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90
Q

odious

A

arousing strong dislike; hateful(causing hatred); vile

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91
Q

odium

A

detestation; quality of being odious; hatefulness; disrepute (resulting from hateful conduct)

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92
Q

odoriferous

A

giving off an odor

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93
Q

odorous

A

having an odor

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94
Q

odyssey

A

long, eventful, adventurous journey

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95
Q

offensive

A

attacking; insulting; distasteful; V. offend: violate; hurt the feelings of; N. offense: offending; violating of a moral or social code; crime; attack; Ex. first offense

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96
Q

offhand

A

casual; done without prior thought or preparation

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97
Q

officious

A

meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one’s services; overly eager in offering unwanted services or advices; Ex. officious bellboy

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98
Q

pushy

A

disagreeably aggressive

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99
Q

ogle

A

look at amorously; make eyes at; Ex. old men ogling young girls

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100
Q

olfactory

A

concerning the sense of smell

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101
Q

oligarchy

A

government by a privileged few

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102
Q

ominous

A

threatening; of an evil omen

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103
Q

threat

A

sign or warning (of coming danger); Ex. threat of rain; V: express a threat; give warning of (something bad); Ex. The cloud threatens rain.

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104
Q

omnipotent

A

all-powerful; having unlimited power

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105
Q

omnipresent

A

universally present; ubiquitous

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106
Q

omniscient

A

all-knowing

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107
Q

omnivorous

A

eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything

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108
Q

onerous

A

burdensome

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109
Q

onomatopoeia

A

words formed in imitation of natural sounds

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110
Q

rustle

A

make slight sounds like silk moving or being rubbed together

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111
Q

onslaught

A

vicious assault; fierce attack; Ex. unexpected onslaught of the enemy

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112
Q

slaughter

A

killing of animals for food; massacre; V: butcher (animals) for food; kill in large numbers

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113
Q

onus

A

burden; responsibility

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114
Q

spare

A

give; use; refrain from harming; save from experiencing; exempt; Ex. spare me 5 minutes; Ex. Take this money and spare my life; Ex. The emperor was spared the onus; ADJ: kept in reserve; free for other use; unoccupied; Ex. spare time

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115
Q

opalescent

A

iridescent; lustrous; like an opal; N. opalescence

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116
Q

opaque

A

dark; not transparent; N. opacity

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117
Q

opiate

A

medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain; something that relieves emotions or causes inaction; sleep-producing drug containing opium

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118
Q

opportune

A

timely; well-chosen

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119
Q

opportunist

A

individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances; N. opportunism

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120
Q

opprobrium

A

infamy; disgrace arising from shameful conduct; vilification(slander); scorn; contempt; Ex. opprobrium hurled against him; ADJ. opprobrious: expressing contempt; shameful or infamous

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121
Q

optician

A

maker and seller of eyeglasses

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122
Q

optimist

A

person who looks on the bright side; N. optimism

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123
Q

optimum

A

most favorable; optimal; N: most favorable condition

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124
Q

optional

A

not compulsory; left to one’s choice; N. option: act of choosing; choice; freedom or power to choose; something available as a choice; Ex. have no option; Ex. two options

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125
Q

optometrist

A

one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects

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126
Q

opulence

A

extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance; ADJ. opulent: possessing great wealth; abundant

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127
Q

opus

A

work (esp. musical composition); Ex. magnum opus: masterpiece; CF. opera

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128
Q

oracular

A

of an oracle; prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterious or ambiguous; hard to understand; N. oracle: wiser person; prophecy made by an oracle

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129
Q

orator

A

public speaker

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130
Q

oratorio

A

dramatic poem set to music; long musical work with singing but without acting; CF. cantata

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131
Q

ordain

A

decree or command; grant holy orders; predestine; install as a minister, priest, or rabbi; N. ordainment; CF. ordination

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132
Q

ordeal

A

severe trial or affliction; difficult experience; trial(test of patience or endurance); affliction

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133
Q

ordinance

A

decree; authoritative order

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134
Q

ordination

A

ceremony conferring holy orders; ceremony of ordaining a priest

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135
Q

orgy

A

wild drunken revelry; unrestrained indulgence in an activity; Ex. orgy of shopping

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136
Q

orient

A

get one’s bearings; adjust; make familiar with a situation; orientate

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137
Q

orientation

A

act of finding oneself in society; orienting

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138
Q

orifice

A

mouthlike opening; small opening (esp. to a cavern or passage of the body); CF. mouth

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139
Q

ornate

A

excessively or elaborately decorated

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140
Q

ornithologist

A

scientific student of birds; N. ornithology: scientific study of birds

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141
Q

orthodox

A

traditional; (of someone) conservative in belief; adhering to an established doctrine

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142
Q

orthography

A

correct spelling; CF. ortho-: straight; correct; Ex. orthodontics

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143
Q

oscillate

A

vibrate pendulumlike; waver

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144
Q

osseous

A

made of bone; bony

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145
Q

ossify

A

change or harden into bone; become hard and unchanging in one’s ideas

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146
Q

ostensible

A

apparent; appearing as such; professed(pretended); pretended; Ex. ostensible purpose of the expedition

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147
Q

apparent

A

evident; easily seen or understood; appearing as such; Ex. apparent improvement

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148
Q

ostentatious

A

showy; trying to attract attention; pretentious; N. ostentation: showy display

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149
Q

ostracize

A

banish from a group; exclude from public favor; ban; Ex. His friends ostracized him. N. ostracism

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150
Q

blackball

A

vote against (an applicant); ostracize; N: negative vote

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151
Q

oust

A

expel; drive out; force out; N. ouster: ousting

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152
Q

outlandish

A

bizzare; peculiar; unconventional

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153
Q

outmoded

A

no longer in fashion or use; no longer stylish; old-fashioned

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154
Q

outskirts

A

fringes; outer borders (as of a city); Ex. outskirts of Boston

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155
Q

outspoken

A

candid; blunt

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156
Q

blunt

A

having a dull edge; abrupt and frank in speech or manner; brusque; V: make or become blunt

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157
Q

outstrip

A

outrun; surpass; outdo

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158
Q

outwit

A

outsmart; defeat by behaving more cleverly

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159
Q

ovation

A

enthusiastic applause

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160
Q

overbearing

A

bossy; domineering and arrogant; decisively important; Ex. overbearing manner/importance; V. overbear: dominate

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161
Q

overt

A

open to view; public; not secret; CF. covert

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162
Q

overweening

A

arrogant; presumptuous

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163
Q

overwrought

A

nervous or excited; extremely agitated; hysterical; wrought-up; CF. wrought: made or done

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164
Q

hysteria

A

excessive or uncontrollable excitement; N. hysteric: person suffering from hysteria; CF. hysterics: attack of hysteria

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165
Q

ovoid

A

egg-shaped; CF. ovum; CF. ovulate

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166
Q

pachyderm

A

thick-skinned animal

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167
Q

pacifist

A

one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes

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168
Q

pacify

A

soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue; bring peace to

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169
Q

paean

A

song of praise or joy; Ex. paeans celebrating the victory

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170
Q

painstaking

A

taking pains; showing hard work; taking great care; very careful and through

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171
Q

palatable

A

agreeable; pleasing to the taste

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172
Q

palate

A

roof of the mouth; sense of the taste

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173
Q

palatial

A

of or suitable for a palace; magnificent

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174
Q

paleontology

A

study of prehistoric life or fossils; CF. paleo-: ancient or prehistoric; Ex. paleography: study of ancient written documents

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175
Q

palette

A

board on which painter mixes pigments(coloring matters)

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176
Q

palimpsest

A

parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased

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177
Q

parchment

A

writing material made from the skin of a sheep or goat

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178
Q

pall

A

become boring; grow tiresome

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179
Q

pallet

A

small poor bed; Ex. straw pallet

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180
Q

palliate

A

ease pain (without curing); make less severe or offensive (a crime or illness)

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181
Q

pallid

A

pale; wan; Ex. pallid complexion

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182
Q

palpable

A

tangible; (of something bad) easily perceptible; obvious; Ex. palpable blunder

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183
Q

palpitate

A

throb; beat rapidly; flutter; tremble; Ex. Her heart began to palpitate.

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184
Q

throb

A

(of a heart or machine) beat rapidly or violently; N. Ex. hearthrob: heartbeat; sweetheart

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185
Q

paltry

A

insignificant; petty; trifling; contemptible; Ex. paltry sum; CF. trash

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186
Q

pan

A

criticize harshly

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187
Q

panacea

A

cure-all; remedy for all diseases

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188
Q

panache

A

flair; manner of doing things without any difficulty (causing admiration); flamboyance; bunch of feathers (on a helmet); Ex. with great panache

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189
Q

pandemic

A

widespread; affecting the majority of people; N: pandemic disease; CF. all people

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190
Q

pandemonium

A

wild tumult(commotion); wild noisy disorder; CF. Paradise Lost

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191
Q

pander

A

cater to (the low desires of others)

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192
Q

cater

A

provide food and drink (for); cater to: try to satisfy (desires of a bad kind)

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193
Q

panegyric

A

formal praise; encomium; Ex. I don’t deserve such panegyrics.

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194
Q

panoramic

A

denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view; N. panorama: unbroken view of a wide area

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195
Q

pantomime

A

acting without dialogue; V.

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196
Q

papyrus

A

ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant

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197
Q

parable

A

short simple story teaching a moral

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198
Q

paradigm

A

model; example that serves as a model; pattern; list of all the inflectional forms of a word

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199
Q

paradox

A

something apparently contradictory in nature (that may nonetheless be true); statement that looks false but is actually correct

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200
Q

paragon

A

model of perfection; Ex. paragon of virtue

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201
Q

parallelism

A

state of being parallel; similarity; analogy

202
Q

parallel

A

similar; analogous; corresponding; N: parallel line; person or thing that is parallel (to another); similarity; Ex. know of no parallel to the case; Ex. without parallel; V: be similar to; make parallel; Ex. Your experience parallels mine; CF. unparalleled

203
Q

parameter

A

limit; independent variable; Ex. parameters of the problem; Ex. within the parameters of the budget

204
Q

paramount

A

foremost in importance; supreme; CF. para-: beyond; above; Ex. paranormal

205
Q

paramour

A

illicit lover

206
Q

inamorata

A

woman whom a man loves

207
Q

paranoia

A

psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution; N: ADJ: paranoid, paranoiac

208
Q

paraphernalia

A

equipment; odds and ends used in a particular activity; personal belongings; Ex. photographic paraphernalia; CF. married woman’s property exclusive of her dowry

209
Q

dowry

A

money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage

210
Q

paraphrase

A

restate a passage in one’s own words while retaining thought of author; N: restatement of a text in other words

211
Q

parasite

A

animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant; CF. para-: beside

212
Q

infest

A

inhabit in numbers large enough to be harmful; Ex. Mice infested the house; Ex. shark-infested waters

213
Q

parched

A

extremely dry; very thirsty; V. parch: make or become extremely dry (by exposure to heat)

214
Q

pariah

A

social outcast; Ex. Mariah the pariah

215
Q

outcast

A

one that has been excluded from a society; ADJ.

216
Q

parity

A

equality; close resemblance; CF. disparate

217
Q

parlance

A

language; manner of speaking; idiom; Ex. in legal/common parlance

218
Q

parley

A

conference (between opponents); CF. speak

219
Q

parochial

A

narrow in scope or outlook; provincial; related to parishes

220
Q

parish

A

area in the care of a single priest and served by one main church

221
Q

outlook

A

point of view; view from a particular place; expectation for the future; prospect; Ex. outlook on life; Ex. pleasing outlook; Ex. weather outlook

222
Q

parody

A

humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty; V.

223
Q

spoof

A

parody

224
Q

takeoff

A

burlesque; act of leaving the ground

225
Q

paroxysm

A

fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage; sudden outburst

226
Q

parquet

A

floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic like matter; CF. strip: long narrow piece

227
Q

parry

A

ward off a blow; deflect; Ex. He parried the unwelcome question very skillfully; N.

228
Q

ward

A

administrative division of a city; division in a hospital or prison; incompetent person placed under the protection of a guardian; V: guard; ward off: avert

229
Q

parsimony

A

stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious

230
Q

partial

A

incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for something

231
Q

partiality

A

state of being partial; inclination; favorable bias; special fondness; preference

232
Q

partisan

A

one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party (with dislike of any others); N: strong supporter of a party; guerrilla

233
Q

parvenu

A

upstart; newly rich person

234
Q

partition

A

divide into parts

235
Q

pass'e

A

old-fashioned; past the prime

236
Q

passive

A

not active; acted upon; receiving an action without acting in return; accepting without resistance

237
Q

pastiche

A

imitation of another’s style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists

238
Q

pastoral

A

rural; of rural life; idyllic; of a pastor

239
Q

patent

A

obvious; easily seen; open for the public to read; of or protected by a patent; Ex. patent to everyone; N.

240
Q

pathetic

A

causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching

241
Q

touching

A

causing a feeling of pity or sympathy; pathetic; V. touch: cause to feel pity or sympathy; ADJ. touched

242
Q

pathological

A

pertaining to disease; N. pathology: study of disease

243
Q

pathos

A

tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings; Ex. pathos that runs through the novel

244
Q

patina

A

green crust on old bronze works or copper; tone slowly taken by varnished painting

245
Q

varnish

A

paint used to coat a surface with a glossy film; glossy coating produced by using this substance; Ex. nail varnish; V.

246
Q

patois

A

local or provincial dialect

247
Q

patriarch

A

father and ruler of a family or tribe

248
Q

patrician

A

noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian

249
Q

patronize

A

support; act superior toward; treat in a condescending manner; be a customer of; N. patron: one that supports; regular customer; N. patronage; CF. boycott

250
Q

paucity

A

scarcity; dearth

251
Q

pauper

A

very poor person

252
Q

peccadillo

A

slight offense or fault; CF. sin

253
Q

swipe

A

hit with a sweeping motion; N.

254
Q

pecuniary

A

pertaining to money

255
Q

pedagogue

A

teacher; CF. child leader

256
Q

pedagogy

A

teaching; art of education

257
Q

pedant

A

scholar who overemphasizes book learning, trivial details of learning, or technicalities

258
Q

pedantic

A

bookish; showing off learning; marked by an excessive ostentatious concern for book learning; N. pedantry

259
Q

bookish

A

fond of books and reading

260
Q

studious

A

given to diligent study

261
Q

pedestrian

A

ordinary; dull; unimaginative(lacking in imagination); going on foot; Ex. pedestrian prose; N.

262
Q

precinct

A

division of a city for election or police purposes; precincts: space that surrounds a building; Ex. precincts of the college

263
Q

pedigree

A

ancestry; lineage

264
Q

pediatrician

A

physician specializing in children’s diseases; N. pediatrics

265
Q

peerless

A

having no equal; incomparable

266
Q

peer

A

one who has equal standing with another; nobleman; V: look intently; N. peerage; CF. peeress

267
Q

pejorative

A

(of a word or phrase) suggesting that someone is of little value; negative in connotation; having a belittling effect; Ex. Many women now considers ``housewife’’ a pejorative expression, because it patronized them.

268
Q

pell-mell

A

in confusion; disorderly; Ex. dash pell-mell

269
Q

pellucid

A

transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand

270
Q

penance

A

self-imposed punishment for sin; Ex. do penance for one’s sins; CF. penitent

271
Q

penchant

A

strong inclination; strong liking (esp. for something that is disapproved of by other people); Ex. penchant for fast cars

272
Q

pendant(pendent)

A

hanging down from something; pending; N: ornament (hanging from a necklace etc.)

273
Q

pending

A

not yet decided or settled; impending; Ex. pending decision; PREP. while awaiting; until; Ex. delay the decision pending his return

274
Q

pendulous

A

hanging; suspended

275
Q

suspend

A

cause to stop for a period; interrupt; hold in abeyance; defer; hang from above; exclude for a period from a position; Ex. suspended state; Ex. suspend judgment; Ex. suspended from the team; N. suspension

276
Q

suspense

A

state of being undecided; anxiety or apprehension resulting from uncertainty

277
Q

penitent

A

repentant; N.

278
Q

pensive

A

dreamily or deeply thoughtful; sadly thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative; CF. think over

279
Q

penumbra

A

partial shadow (in an eclipse); CF. almost shadow

280
Q

penury

A

extreme poverty; stinginess; ADJ. penurious: very poor; stingy

281
Q

peon

A

landless agricultural worker; bond servant; menial worker; N. peonage

282
Q

perceptive

A

insightful; showing a good ability at perceiving and understanding; aware; wise; of perception

283
Q

percussion

A

striking one object against another sharply; Ex. percussion instrument; N: striking together of two bodies; sound caused by percussion

284
Q

perdition

A

damnation; complete ruin; hell

285
Q

damn

A

condemn; criticize severely; condemn to everlasting punishment; doom; bring to ruin; N. damnation

286
Q

doom

A

condemnation to a severe penalty; ruin; fate (esp. a tragic or ruinous one); V.

287
Q

peregrination

A

journey; V. peregrinate

288
Q

peremptory

A

demanding and leaving no choice; imperative; Ex. peremptory decree/knock

289
Q

perennial

A

something long-lasting; perennial plant; ADJ: lasting through the year or many years; lasting for a long time; enduring

290
Q

perfidious

A

treacherous; disloyal; N. perfidy: treachery

291
Q

perforate

A

pierce; put a hole through

292
Q

perfunctory

A

done routinely and with little care; superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; Ex. perfunctory kiss

293
Q

perigee

A

point of moon’s orbit when it is nearest the earth; CF. apogee

294
Q

perimeter

A

outer boundary; length of the outer boundary; circumference

295
Q

bound

A

leap or spring; limit or confine; constitute the limit of; Ex. bounded by Canada; N: leap or jumping; boundary; ADJ: certain; having a duty to do something (legally or morally); confined by bonds; Ex. We are bound to be late; Ex. I am bound to say my opinion; CF. bounce, rebound

296
Q

peripatetic

A

walking about from place to place (to work); moving; Ex. peripatetic school of philosophy

297
Q

peripheral

A

of a periphery; marginal; outer; of minor importance; not central; Ex. peripheral nerve/interest

298
Q

periphery

A

outside edge especially of a round surface; perimeter; Ex. periphery of the town

299
Q

perjury

A

false testimony while under oath; V. perjure oneself: testify falsely under oath

300
Q

permeable

A

that can be permeated; penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through; V. permeate: spread or flow throughout; charge

301
Q

pernicious

A

very harmful; deadly; very destructive; Ex. pernicious effect/anemia

302
Q

peroration

A

conclusion of an oration; perorating; V. perorate: conclude a speech; speak at great length

303
Q

perpetrate

A

commit an offense; do (something wrong)

304
Q

perpetual

A

everlasting

305
Q

perpetuate

A

make perpetual; make something last for a long time; preserve from extinction; N. perpetuity

306
Q

perquisite(perk)

A

any gain above stipulated salary; Ex. perquisites such as free meals and a car

307
Q

personable

A

attractive (in personality or appearance)

308
Q

perspicacious

A

(of someone) having insight; penetrating; astute

309
Q

perspicuity

A

clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity

310
Q

perspicuous

A

(of something) plainly expressed; easy to understand; Ex. perspicuous comments

311
Q

pert

A

(esp. of a girl or young woman) impertinent; forward; trim; jaunty; Ex. pert young miss/hat

312
Q

forward

A

presumptuous or bold

313
Q

pertinacious

A

holding tenaciously to an action; stubborn; persistent

314
Q

pertinent

A

suitable; to the point; relevant

315
Q

perturb

A

disturb greatly

316
Q

peruse

A

read through with care; N. perusal

317
Q

pervasive

A

spread throughout; V. pervade: (of smells, ideas, feelings) spread throughout; charge; permeate

318
Q

perverse

A

purposely continuing to do something wrong; stubbornly wrongheaded; perverted; directed away from what is right; wicked and unacceptable; Ex. perverse satisfaction; Ex. Hannibal Lecter in a perverse mood; N. perversity

319
Q

perversion

A

corruption; turning from right to wrong

320
Q

pervert

A

corrupt; turn from right to wrong; misuse; Ex. perverted sexual desire/scientific knowledge; N: person whose sexual behavior is not natural

321
Q

wrongheaded

A

stubbornly wrong

322
Q

pessimism

A

belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess; tendency to take the gloomiest possible view of a situation; ADJ. pessimistic

323
Q

pestilential(pestilent)

A

causing plague; tending to cause death; baneful; N. pestilence: fatal epidemic disease (esp. bubonic plague)

324
Q

pestle

A

tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl or mortar

325
Q

mortar

A

vessel in which substances are crushed with a pestle

326
Q

mash

A

crush into mash; convert into mash; N: mixture of ground grain and nutrients fed to livestock and fowl

327
Q

petrify

A

turn to stone; cause to become stonelike; stun or paralyze

328
Q

petty

A

trivial; unimportant; very small; small-minded; petty-minded

329
Q

petulant

A

touchy; peevish; ill-tempered

330
Q

phalanx

A

formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense)

331
Q

pharisaical

A

pertaining to the Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical

332
Q

pharisee

A

Pharisee: member of an ancient Jewish group that emphasized strict observance of the Mosaic law (considering themselves very holy); hypocritical self-righteous person

333
Q

self-righteous

A

sure of one’s own righteousness; moralistic

334
Q

phenomena

A

observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation; SG. phenomenon: observable fact; very unusual person, thing, or event; marvel; wonder; CF. phenomenons; ADJ. phenomenal: very unusual; extraordinary; of a phenomenon; Ex. phenomenal strength

335
Q

philanderer

A

faithless lover; flirt

336
Q

philanthropist

A

lover of mankind; doer of good; N. philanthropy

337
Q

philatelist

A

stamp-collector; N. philately: stamp collecting

338
Q

philistine

A

narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain; uncultured person who is indifferent to artistic and cultural values; member of an ancient people in Palestine; OP. aesthete

339
Q

philology

A

study of language or words

340
Q

phlegmatic

A

calm and unexcitable; not easily disturbed; CF. phlegm: sticky mucus produced in the respiratory tract

341
Q

phobia

A

morbid fear

342
Q

phoenix

A

symbol of immortality or rebirth; Ex. phoenix rising from its ashes

343
Q

phylum

A

major classification, second to kingdom, of plants and animals; category ranking below a kingdom and above a class; division

344
Q

physiognomy

A

face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features

345
Q

physiological

A

pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms; N. physiology

346
Q

piebald

A

of different colors; mottled; spotted in different colors (esp. in black and white); Ex. piebald horse; CF. pie+bald

347
Q

piecemeal

A

one part at a time; gradually; in stages; Ex. read a novel piecemeal

348
Q

pied

A

piebald; variegated(many-colored); multicolored

349
Q

piety

A

devoutness; reverence for God; ADJ. pious

350
Q

pigment

A

coloring matter (usually powder to be mixed with water or oil)

351
Q

pillage

A

plunder

352
Q

pillory

A

punish by placing in a wooden frame or pillory; subject or expose to criticism and ridicule; N.

353
Q

pine

A

long for; yearn; languish from longing or grief; decline

354
Q

pinion

A

restrain or immobilize by binding the wings or legs; N: bird’s wing

355
Q

pinnacle

A

peak; highest point; acme; Ex. pinnacle of fame

356
Q

pious

A

devout; religious; N. piety

357
Q

piquant

A

pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; Ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help

358
Q

tart

A

sharp to the taste; acid-tasting; caustic; sarcastic; Ex. tart apple/reply

359
Q

sour

A

having a sharp or acid taste; acid; tart; bad-tempered; V.

360
Q

pique

A

irritation; resentment from wounded pride (eg. loss in a contest); V: provoke; arouse; annoy; cause to feel resentment; Ex. pique her curiosity

361
Q

piscatorial

A

pertaining to fishing; CF. Pisces

362
Q

pitfall

A

hidden danger; concealed trap

363
Q

beware

A

be cautious (of)

364
Q

pith

A

core or marrow; spongelike substance in the center of stems; essence; substance

365
Q

marrow

A

soft fatty tissue that fills most bone cavities and is the source of blood cells

366
Q

pithy

A

concise and meaningful; substantial; meaty

367
Q

pittance

A

small amount (of money); small allowance or wage

368
Q

pivotal

A

of a pivot; central; critical; crucial

369
Q

placate

A

pacify; bring peace to; conciliate; appease

370
Q

placebo

A

harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill

371
Q

tablet

A

small round piece of medicine; flat piece of stone or metal bearing an inscription; Ex. stone tablet on the wall

372
Q

placid

A

peaceful; calm; Ex. placid child/lake

373
Q

plagiarize

A

steal another’s ideas or writings and pass them off as one’s own; Ex. ideas plagiarized from my article; N. plagiarism; CF. kidnap

374
Q

plaintive

A

expressing sorrow; mournful; Ex. plaintive song

375
Q

plait

A

braid; interwine; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; Ex. plaited hair; N: braided length as of hair o fabric; CF. pigtail, ponytail

376
Q

plasticity

A

ability to be molded; ADJ. plastic: capable of being shaped or molded; Ex. plastic material such as clay

377
Q

platitude

A

trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous

378
Q

commonplace

A

ordinary; N: something ordinary or common; trite remark

379
Q

commonwealth

A

nation governed by the people; republic; people of a nation

380
Q

platonic

A

purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire

381
Q

plaudit

A

praise; enthusiastic approval; round(succession or series) of applause; ADJ. plauditory; CF. applaud

382
Q

plausible

A

conceivably true; having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious

383
Q

plebeian

A

common; vulgar; pertaining to the common people; N: common people in ancient Rome; CF. patrician

384
Q

plebiscite

A

direct vote by the entire electorate (on an important issue)

385
Q

referendum

A

direct vote by all the people

386
Q

plenary

A

(of power) complete; full; fully attended by all qualified members; Ex. plenary power

387
Q

plenitude

A

abundance; plenty; great amount; completeness; fullness; CF. plenary, plenty

388
Q

plethora

A

excess; overabundance; Ex. a plethora of excuses

389
Q

pliable

A

flexible; easily influenced; yielding; adaptable

390
Q

pliant

A

flexible; easily influenced

391
Q

plight

A

difficult condition; condition or state (esp. a bad state or condition); predicament

392
Q

pluck

A

courage; V: pull off or out; pull out the hair or feathers of; ADJ. plucky: courageous; brave

393
Q

plumage

A

feathers of a bird;

394
Q

plumb

A

exactly vertical; N: weight on the end of a line; V: examine very carefully or critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding); Ex. plumb the depth of

395
Q

plumber

A

one who installs and repairs pipes and plumbing(pipes)

396
Q

plummet

A

fall sharply; fall straight down; Ex. Stock prices plummeted.

397
Q

plutocracy

A

society ruled by the wealthy

398
Q

podiatrist

A

doctor who treats ailments of the feet; chiropodist; N. podiatrics

399
Q

podium

A

pedestal; raised platform

400
Q

pedestal

A

support or base as for a pillar or statue

401
Q

poignancy

A

quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick

402
Q

polarize

A

split into opposite extremes or camps

403
Q

polarity

A

state of having two opposite qualities

404
Q

polar

A

of a pole; characterized by opposite extremes; Ex. polar opposites

405
Q

camp

A

group sharing a common cause or opinion

406
Q

polemic

A

attack or defense of an opinion; controversy or refutation; argument in support of point of view; N. polemics: art of debate or controversy

407
Q

polemical(polemic)

A

aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious (rather than simply expressing opinions)

408
Q

politic

A

prudent; judicious; well judged; expedient; well devised

409
Q

polity

A

(particular form of) political organization; form of government of nation or state; Ex. student polity

410
Q

polygamist

A

one who has more than one spouse at a time; CF. bigamy; CF. polyandry

411
Q

polyglot

A

speaking several languages; multilingual; Ex. polyglot person/society; N.

412
Q

pomposity

A

self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt(pompous person); ADJ. pompous: self-important

413
Q

ponderous

A

having great weight; weighty; unwieldy; lacking lightness; dull; Ex. ponderous body/style of writing

414
Q

pontifical

A

pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious; CF. pontiff: pope; bishop

415
Q

pore

A

study industriously; ponder; scrutinize; Ex. pore over the book; N.

416
Q

porous

A

full of pores; like a sieve

417
Q

interstice

A

narrow space between things

418
Q

portend

A

foretell; presage; be a sign or warning of; N. portent: sign; omen; forewarning

419
Q

soothsayer

A

one who foretells the future

420
Q

portly

A

stout; corpulent

421
Q

stout

A

rather fat; strong in body; sturdy; resolute; determined; strong in determination; Ex. stout stick/supporter

422
Q

poseur

A

person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others; person who poses; CF. pose

423
Q

pose

A

assume a particular posture; put forward; present; affect a particular attitude (to impress others); Ex. pose a threat; N.

424
Q

posterity

A

descendants; future generations; Ex. go down to posterity; CF. posterior, anterior

425
Q

posthumous

A

after death (as of child born after father’s death or book published after author’s death); coming or occurring after one’s death; Ex. posthumous fame/novel

426
Q

postmortem

A

autopsy; ADJ: occurring after death; of a postmortem

427
Q

postulate

A

self-evident truth; something assumed without proof; V: assume the truth of (as a basis of an argument)

428
Q

posture

A

assume an affected pose; act artificially; N: pose; attitude

429
Q

potable

A

suitable for drinking; drinkable

430
Q

potent

A

powerful; convincing; persuasive; greatly influential

431
Q

potentate

A

monarch; sovereign

432
Q

potential

A

expressing possibility; latent; N: capacity for growth

433
Q

potion

A

dose (of liquids); liquid dose

434
Q

potpourri

A

heterogeneous mixture; medley; mixture of dried flower petals a pot (to give a pleasant smell to a room)

435
Q

poultice

A

soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body

436
Q

practicable

A

feasible

437
Q

practical

A

based on experience; of or acquired through practice (rather than theory); useful; Ex. practical man

438
Q

pragmatic

A

practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with practical worth or impact of something; Ex. pragmatic test of the skill

439
Q

pragmatist

A

practical person; N. pragmatism: pragmatic way of dealing with things

440
Q

prance

A

move about in a spirited manner (proudly and confidently)

441
Q

prate

A

talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly

442
Q

prattle

A

talk idly; babble; N. CF. prate

443
Q

idle

A

not working; not employed or busy; lazy; without purpose; useless; lacking substance; baseless; not based on truth; Ex. idle worker; Ex. talk idly; V.

444
Q

preamble

A

introductory statement

445
Q

precarious

A

unsafe; lacking in stability; uncertain; risky; Ex. precarious living

446
Q

precedent

A

something preceding in time which may be used as an authority or guide for future action; V. precede; CF. unprecedented

447
Q

precedent

A

preceding (in time, rank, etc.)

448
Q

precept

A

practical rule guiding conduct; Ex. mother’s precept

449
Q

precipice

A

cliff; dangerous position; Ex. on the edge of the precipice

450
Q

brink

A

edge (at the top of a cliff); Ex. on the brink of the Grand Canyon

451
Q

precipitant

A

something that causes a substance in a chemical solution to separate out in solid form; OP. solvent

452
Q

precipitate

A

hurl downward; throw headlong; hasten; cause to happen sooner; condense and fall as rain or snow; cause (a solid substance) to be separated from a solution; ADJ. hasty; rash; premature; sudden

453
Q

precipitous

A

steep; overhasty; precipitate

454
Q

pr'ecis

A

abstract; concise summing up of main points; concise summary of a text

455
Q

precise

A

exact

456
Q

preclude

A

make impossible; prevent; exclude; eliminate

457
Q

precocious

A

advanced in development; N. precocity

458
Q

precursor

A

forerunner; predecessor

459
Q

predator

A

predatory animal or bird; predatory person; creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others; ADJ. predatory: living by preying on other organisms; plundering; N. predation

460
Q

predecessor

A

former occupant of a post

461
Q

predetermine

A

determine in advance; predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly

462
Q

predicament

A

difficult situation; tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma

463
Q

predilection

A

preference; partiality

464
Q

predispose

A

give an inclination toward (in advance); make susceptible to; Ex. predispose people to certain cancer; N. predisposition

465
Q

preeminent

A

outstanding; superior

466
Q

preempt

A

prevent in advance; head off(forestall); forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself before others; supplant; take the place of; displace; Ex. preempt any attempts; ADJ. preemptive

467
Q

preen

A

make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction or pride; (of a bird) smooth or clean (feathers) with the beak; Ex. preen oneself on; CF. prune

468
Q

prefatory

A

introductory; of a preface

469
Q

prehensile

A

capable of grasping or holding (esp. by wrapping around); Ex. prehensile tails

470
Q

prelate

A

church dignitary; priest of high position in the church (esp. bishop)

471
Q

prelude

A

introduction; introductory performance or event; forerunner

472
Q

premeditate

A

plan in advance; Ex. premeditated murder

473
Q

premise

A

assumption; postulate; proposition upon which an argument is based

474
Q

premonition

A

forewarning; presentiment; foreboding

475
Q

premonitory

A

serving to warn

476
Q

preponderance

A

superiority of power, quantity, etc.; V. preponderate: be greater in power, weight, or importance; ADJ. preponderant

477
Q

preposterous

A

absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous

478
Q

prerogative

A

privilege; unquestionable right; CF. ask before

479
Q

presage

A

foretell; be a warning or sign of; N: presentiment; foreboding; omen

480
Q

prescience

A

ability to foretell the future; knowledge of actions before they occur; ADJ. prescient

481
Q

presentiment

A

premonition; foreboding; feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear

482
Q

prestige

A

respect or admiration; impression produced by achievements or reputation; ADJ: causing admiration; ADJ. prestigious: having prestige

483
Q

presumptuous

A

going beyond what is right; excessively forward; arrogant; taking liberties

484
Q

presume

A

take for granted; assume; act overconfidently; take liberties; presume on/upon: take unfair advantage of (someone’s kindness or connection); N. presumption

485
Q

pretentious

A

ostentatious; showy; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious; Ex. pretentious films that claim to be art

486
Q

pretend

A

feign; pretend to: claim to possess; make pretensions to; Ex. I don’t pretend to much expertise; N. pretense

487
Q

pretension

A

pretentiousness; claim (without foundation); Ex. I make no pretensions to skill as an artist.

488
Q

preternatural

A

beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural; Ex. preternatural strength/forces

489
Q

pretext

A

excuse

490
Q

prevail

A

be widespread; triumph over; gain victory; prevail on: persuade; induce; Ex. Justice has prevailed; Ex. prevail on someone to do something

491
Q

prevalent

A

widespread; generally accepted

492
Q

prevaricate

A

lie; hide the truth (by equivocating)

493
Q

prey

A

target of a hunt; victim; V: hunt and eat as prey; victimize; Ex. Cats prey on mice.

494
Q

prim

A

proper to the point of affectation; very precise and formal; exceedingly proper

495
Q

primogeniture

A

seniority by birth; state of being the first-born child; right of the eldest child (to inherit the entire property of one or both parents)

496
Q

primordial

A

existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary

497
Q

primp

A

groom oneself with care; adorn oneself

498
Q

pristine

A

unspoiled; remaining in a pure state; characteristic of earlier times; primitive; Ex. an old book in pristine condition

499
Q

privation

A

lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life; hardship; want; CF. deprive

500
Q

privy

A

secret; hidden; not public; made a participant in something secret; Ex. privy chamber government; Ex. be privy to a discussion; CF. private

GRE Vocab (13 decks)

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