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GRE Vocabulary > Deck 6 > Flashcards

Deck 6 Flashcards

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1
Q

retract

A

verb: pull inward o towards a center; formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure

to retract an embarassing e-mail

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2
Q

peevish

A

adjective: easily irritated or annoyed

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3
Q

collusion

A

noun: an agreement on a secret plot

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4
Q

complacent

A

adjective: feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder

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5
Q

aphoristic

A

adjective: something that is concise and instructive of a general truth or principle

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6
Q

maxim

A

noun: a short saying expressing a general truth

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7
Q

smug

A

adjective: marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction

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8
Q

embellish

A

verb: make more attractive by adding ornament, color, etc.; make more beautiful

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9
Q

impending

A

adjective: close in time; about to occur

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10
Q

wanton

A

adjective: without check or limitation; showing no moral restraints to one’s anger, desire or appetites

Due to wanton behavior and crude language, the drunk man was thrown out of the bar.

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11
Q

piquant

A

adjective: having an agreeably pungent taste

The chef, with a mere glick of the salt shaker, turned the bland tomato soup into a piquant meal.

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12
Q

insipid

A

adjective: dull and uninteresting

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13
Q

forthright

A

adjective: characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtelty or evasion

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14
Q

tribulation

A

noun: something, especially an event, that causes difficulty and suffering

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15
Q

coalesce

A

verb: to fuse or cause to grow together

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16
Q

analogous

A

adjective: similar in some respects but otherwise different

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17
Q

deride

A

verb: treat or speak of with contempt

The nun derided the students for trying to sneak insects and worms into the classroom.

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18
Q

begrudge

A

verb:
1) to envy someone for possessing or enjoying something
2) to give reluctantly

We never begrudge money spent on ourselves.

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19
Q

avert

A

verb:

1) turn away
2) ward off or prevent

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20
Q

veneer

A

noun: covering consisting of a thin superficial layer that hides the underlying substance (also metaphorically)

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21
Q

cavalier

A

adjective: given to haughty disregard of others

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22
Q

buttress

A

verb: make stronger or defensible

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23
Q

preempt

A

verb: take the place of or have precedence over

A governmental warning about an imminent terrorist attack would preempt ordinary network programming on television.

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24
Q

ascribe

A

verb: attribute or credit to

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25
Q

evenhanded

A

adjective: without partiality

Teachers often have trouble being evenhanded to all of their varied students.

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26
Q

cohesive

A

adjective: well integrated; forming a united whole

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27
Q

presumptuous

A

adjective: excessively forward

Many felt that Barney was presumptuous in moving into the large office before the management even made any official announcement of his promotion.

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28
Q

fawn

A

verb: try to gain favor by extreme flattery

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29
Q

industrious

A

adjective: characterized by hard work and perseverance

Pete was a industrious student, completing every assignment thoroughly and on time.

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30
Q

cerebral

A

adjective: involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct

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31
Q

rile

A

verb: cause annoyance in; disturb, espeically by minor irritations

Dan is usually calm and balanced, but it takes only one intense glare from Sabrina to rile him.

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32
Q

finangle

A

verb: achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods

Steven was able to finagle one of the last seats on the train by convincing the conductor that his torn stub was actually a valid ticket.

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33
Q

incumbent

A

adjective: necessary (for someone) as a duty or responsibility

Middle managers at times make important decisions, but real responsibility for the financial well-being of the corporation is ultimately incumbent on the CEO.

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34
Q

prevail

A

verb:

1) be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current

During the labor negotiations, an air of hostility prevailed in the office.

2) prove superior

Vefore the cricket match, Australia was heavily favored, but India prevailed.

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35
Q

antedate

A

verb: precede in time

Harry was so unknowledgeable that he was unaware the Egyptian pharaohs antedated the American Revolution.

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36
Q

foolhardy

A

adjective: marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences

The police regularly face dangerous situations, so for a police officer not to wear his bullet-proof vest is foolhardy.

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37
Q

irascible

A

adjective: quickly aroused to anger

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38
Q

incense

A

verb: make furious

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39
Q

emulate

A

verb: strive to equal or match, especially by imitating; compete with successfully

To really become fluent in a new language, emulate the speech patterns of people who speak the language.

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40
Q

consecrate

A

verb: to make holy or set apart for a high purpose

At the church of Notre Dame in France, the new High Altar was consecrated in 1182.

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41
Q

clemency

A

noun: lenieny and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice

In the final moments of the trial, during his closing speech, Phillips was nearly begging the judge for clemency.

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42
Q

glean

A

verb: collect information bit by bit

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43
Q

uncanny

A

adjective: suggesting the operation of supernatural influences; surpassing the ordinary or normal

an uncanny ability to connect with animals

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44
Q

docile

A

adjective: easily handled or managed; willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed

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45
Q

profusion

A

noun: the property of being extremely abundant

When Maria reported that she had been visited by Jesus Christ and had proof, a profusion of reporters and journalists descneded on the town.

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46
Q

behoove

A

verb: to be one’s duty or obligation

The teacher looked down at the student and said, “It would behoove you to be in class on time and complete your homework”.

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47
Q

humdrum

A

adjective: dull and lacking excitement

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48
Q

paroxysm

A

noun: a sudden, uncontrollable spasm

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49
Q

sycophant

A

noun: a person who serves and flatters someone powerful for personal gain

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50
Q

gamin

A

noun: a child who roams the streets

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51
Q

husbandry

A

noun: management of resources, especially agriculture

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52
Q

dauntless

A

adjective: fearless, not discouraged

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53
Q

daunted

A

adjective: scared, discouraged

54
Q

exigent

A

adjective: critical, requiring immediate action; urgent

55
Q

ingenuous

A

adjective: naive, innocent, honest

56
Q

ineffable

A

adjective: impossible to describe in words

57
Q

emollient

A

adjective: soothing
noun: a soothing substance

58
Q

estimable

A

adjective: deserving of respect

59
Q

pellucid

A

adjective: transparent, clear in meaning

60
Q

determinate

A

adjective: having distinct limits

61
Q

dissemble

A

verb: to pretend, to hide under a false appearance

62
Q

reconnoiter

A

verb: to explore an area and gather information, especially about enemy forces

63
Q

subjucate

A

verb: to bring somebody under the control of another

64
Q

impugn

A

verb: to criticize or cast doubt on

65
Q

expedite

A

verb: to speed up the process of

66
Q

temporize

A

verb: to stall or act evasively in order to gain time

67
Q

placid

A

adjective: very calm

68
Q

celerity

A

noun: swiftness

69
Q

coterie

A

noun: a group of people with a common interest

70
Q

veracity

A

noun: truthfulness

71
Q

affectation

A

noun: unnatural behavior intended to impress

72
Q

distaff

A

noun: work or other matters regarded as the concern of women

73
Q

carping

A

noun: petty, nagging criticism

74
Q

caprice

A

noun: a sudden, unpredictable or whimsical change

75
Q

capricious

A

adjective: unpredictable

76
Q

inure

A

verb: to cause to accept or become hardened to, to habituate

77
Q

brook

A

verb: to tolerate something or somebody unpleasant

78
Q

commiserate

A

verb: to show sympathy for

79
Q

fatuous

A

adjective: stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way

80
Q

attenuate

A

verb: to make slim or slender, to to weaken or lessen in intensity

81
Q

occlude

A

verb: to stop up, to cut off the flow

82
Q

martinet

A

noun: somebody who demands exact conformity to rules

83
Q

loquacity

A

noun: the quality of being talkative and wordy

84
Q

blandishment

A

noun: anything designed to flatter or coax

85
Q

aperture

A

noun: an opening, a gap or a hole
mnemonic: aperture settings in cameras (how open the lens is)

86
Q

consanguinity

A

noun: a relationship by blood

87
Q

opprobrium

A

noun: a state of shame or disgrace; scorn, contempt

88
Q

superfluous

A

adjective: unnecessary, extra

89
Q

impetuous

A

adjective: characterized by excessive haste and lack of deliberation; moving with great force and energy

90
Q

onerous

A

adjective: burdensome, oppresive

91
Q

caustive

A

adjective: harsh or corrosive

92
Q

insipid

A

adjective: dull, lacking flavor

93
Q

nebulous

A

adjective: unclear or vague

94
Q

legerdemain

A

noun: a display of cleverness, especially to deceive others

95
Q

choleric

A

adjective: easily angered, irascible

96
Q

obsequious

A

adjective: attempting to win favor by flattery and submissiveness; fawning

97
Q

sepulchre

A

noun: a burial chamber

98
Q

cynic

A

noun: one who distrusts human nature

99
Q

peculate

A

verb: to steal another’s money or property

100
Q

inculcalte

A

verb: to teach by frequent repetition

101
Q

recant

A

verb: to withdraw a previously held statement or belief
etymology: cant = belief

102
Q

plumb

A

verb: to measure the depth of something

103
Q

obviate

A

verb: to do away with or make unnecessary; to prevent

104
Q

beget

A

verb: to make children; to cause

105
Q

ossify

A

verb: to harden into bone

106
Q

heresy

A

noun: a belief that rejects the accepted tenets of a religion

related words: heretic

107
Q

flout

A

verb: to treat with contemptuous disregard

108
Q

incredulous

A

adjective: skeptical

related words: credible (believable)

109
Q

overweening

A

adjective: arrogant, excessive

110
Q

ostensible

A

adjective: represented or appearing in one way, but not necessarily that way in reality

related words: ostentatious (characterized by pretentious or showy display; designed to impress)

111
Q

foible

A

noun: a minor flaw or failing

112
Q

excoriate

A

verb: to criticize severely

113
Q

sedulous

A

adjective: working diligently and carefullly

114
Q

restive

A

adjective: hard to manage

115
Q

abnegate

A

verb: to renounce something

116
Q

goad

A

verb: to urge, to give courage to

117
Q

disabuse

A

verb: to free from error

118
Q

augur

A

verb: to indicate by signs; to predict from an omen

119
Q

cavort

A

verb: to frolic

120
Q

sylvan

A

adjective: pertaining to a characteristic of a forest or woodland

121
Q

captious

A

adjective: overly critical and complaining

122
Q

demur

A

adjective: to object
noun: an objection

123
Q

unwonted

A

adjective: not usual or expected; not in character

124
Q

palliate

A

adjective: to treat the symptoms

125
Q

inchoate

A

adjective: just beginning to develop; lacking structure or organization

126
Q

perquisite

A

noun: a privilege that goes along with a job

127
Q

nostrum

A

noun: a hypothetical cure-all that may have no true efficacy

128
Q

kismet

A

noun: fate or destiny

129
Q

hermetic

A

adjective: sealed tightly; protected from outside influence

130
Q

pervade

A

verb: to spread throughout

GRE Vocabulary (11 decks)

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