Cracking the new GRE (2012) Hit Parade Group 2 Flashcards
Abate
to lessen in intensity or degree
Accolade
an expression of praise
Adulation
excessive praise; adoration
Aesthetic
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
Ameliorate
to make better or more tolerable
Ascetic
one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
Avarice
greed, esp. for wealth
Axiom
a universally recognized principle
Burgeon
to grow rapidly or to flourish
Bucolic
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants.
Cacophony
harsh, jarring, discordant sounds; dissonance
Canon
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
Castigation
severe criticism or punishment
Catalyst
a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change.
Caustic
burning or stinging; causing corrosion
Chary
wary; cautious; sparring
Cogent
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
Complaisance
the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
Contentious
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
Contrite
regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
Culpable
deserving blame
Dearth
smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
Demur
to question or oppose
Didactic
intended to teach or instruct
Discretion
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions.
Disinterested
free of bias or self-interest; impartial
Dogmatic
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
Ebullience
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
Eclectic
composed of elements drawn from various sources
Elegy
a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead