gre 1-500 Flashcards
abbreviate
shorten (Eg: Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech. )
abate
subside or moderate (Eg: Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate. )
abortive
unsuccessful; fruitless (Eg: We had to abandon our abortive attempts. )
abstract
theoretical; not concrete; non-representational (Eg: To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a meal. )
abusive
coarsely insulting; physically harmful (Eg: An abusive parent damages a child both mentally and physically. )
accelerate
move faster (Eg: In our science class, we learn how falling bodies accelerate. )
accessible
easy to approach; obtainable (Eg: We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot. )
accessory
additional object; useful but not essential thing (Eg: She bought an attractive handbag as an accessory for her dress. )
abscond
depart secretly and hide (Eg: The teller absconded with the bonds and was not found. )
aberrant
abnormal or deviant (Eg: Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the validity of the entire experiment. )
abeyance
suspended action (Eg: The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival. )
adamant
hard, inflexible (Eg: He was adamant in his determination to punish the wrongdoer. )
adulterate
make impure by mixing with baser substances (Eg: )
adversity
poverty, misfortune (Eg: We must learn to meet adversity gracefully. )
abase
lower; degrade; humiliate (Eg: Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to cast herself down on the ground before )
abash
embarrass (Eg: He was not at all abashed by her open admiration. )
abdicate
renounce; give up (Eg: When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world. )
abet
assist, usually in doing something wrong (Eg: She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned. )
abject
wretched; lacking pride (Eg: On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from )
abjure
renounce upon oath (Eg: He abjured his allegiance to the king. )
ablution
washing (Eg: His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled “Opera in the Bath.” )
abnegation
renunciation; self-sacrifice (Eg: Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the )
abominate
loathe; hate (Eg: Moses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe because he abominated the custom. )
abrasive
rubbing away; tending to grind down (Eg: Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear away a listener’s )
abrogate
abolish (Eg: He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor. )
absolve
pardon (an offense) (Eg: The father confessor absolved him of his sins. )
abstain
refrain; withhold from participation (Eg: After considering the effect of alcohol on his athletic performance, he decided to abstain from drinking )
abut
border upon; adjoin (Eg: Where our estates abut, we must build a fence. )
abysmal
bottomless (Eg: His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance. )
accede
agree (Eg: If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands. )
acclimate
adjust to climate or environment (Eg: One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travellers to acclimate themselves to their new )
acclivity
sharp upslope of a hill (Eg: The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear. )
accolade
award of merit (Eg: In Hollywood, an “Oscar” is the highest accolade. )
accord
agreement (Eg: She was in complete accord with the verdict. )
accost
approach and speak first to a person (Eg: When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me. )
accoutre
equip (Eg: The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply )
accretion
growth; increase (Eg: The accretion of wealth marked the family’s rise in power. )
accrue
come about by addition (Eg: You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum. )
acidulous
slightly sour; sharp; caustic (Eg: James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks. )
acme
peak; pinnacle; highest point (Eg: Welles’s success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor; never again did he achieve such )
acquiesce
assent; agree passively (Eg: Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer’s suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about )
acquittal
deliverance from a charge (Eg: His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty. )
acrid
sharp; bitterly pungent (Eg: )
acrimonious
stinging, caustic (Eg: His tendency to utter acrimonious remarks alienated his audience. )
actuarial
calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics (Eg: According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago. )
actuate
motivate (Eg: I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily. )
acuity
sharpness (Eg: In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needed glasses. )
acumen
mental keenness (Eg: His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed. )
adage
wise saying; proverb (Eg: There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money. )
addendum
addition; appendix to book (Eg: Jane’s editor approved her new comparative literature text but thought it would be even better with an )
addle
muddle; drive crazy (Eg: This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone. )
adherent
supporter; follower (Eg: In the wake of the scandal, the senator’s one-time adherent quietly deserted him. )
adjunct
something attached to but holding an inferior position (Eg: I will entertain this concept as an adjunct to the main proposal. )
adjuration
solemn urging (Eg: Her adjuration to tell the truth did not change the witnesses’ testimony. )
adjutant
staff officer assisting the commander; assistant (Eg: Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Somerset was in no )
admonish
warn; reprove (Eg: He admonished his listeners to change their wicked ways. )
adorn
decorate (Eg: Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple. )
adroit
skillful (Eg: His adroit handling of the delicate situation pleased his employers. )
adulation
flattery; admiration (Eg: The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-men. )
advent
arrival (Eg: Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima reached )
adventitious
accidental; casual (Eg: He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely fortunate. )
adversary
opponent; enemy (Eg: Batman struggled to save Gotham City from the machinations of his wicked adversary, the Joker. )
adverse
unfavorable; hostile (Eg: adverse circumstances compelled him to close his business. )
advert
refer to (Eg: Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important. )
advocate
urge; plead for (Eg: The abolitionists advocated freedom for the slaves. )
aegis
shield; defense (Eg: Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured freedoms. )
affable
courteous (Eg: Although he held a position of responsibility, he was an affable individual and could be reached by anyone )
affected
artificial; pretended (Eg: His affected mannerisms irritated may of us who had known him before his promotion. )
affidavit
written statement made under oath (Eg: The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it in the form of an affidavit. )
affiliation
joining; associating with (Eg: His affiliation with the political party was of short duration for he soon disagreed with his colleagues. )
affinity
kinship (Eg: She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains. )
affirmation
positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath (Eg: Despite Tom’s affirmation of innocence, Aunt Polly still suspected he had eaten the pie. )
affix
attach or add on; fasten (Eg: First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he had to affix his official seal. )
affluence
abundance; wealth (Eg: Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the American way of life. )
affront
insult; offend (Eg: Accustomed to being treated with respect, Miss Challoner was affronted by Vidal’s offensive behavior. )
agape
openmouthed (Eg: She stared, agape, at the many strange animals in the zoo. )
agenda
items of business at a meeting (Eg: We had so much difficulty agreeing upon an agenda that there was very little time for the meeting. )
agglomeration
collection; heap (Eg: It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had collected on her trip. )
aggrandize
increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank or honor (Eg: The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a President may aggrandize his power to act )
aggregate
sum; total (Eg: The aggregate wealth of this country is staggering to the imagination. )
aghast
horrified (Eg: He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his host. )
agility
nimbleness (Eg: The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience. )
agitate
stir up; disturb (Eg: Her fiery remarks agitated the already angry mob. )
agnostic
one who is skeptical of the existence of knowability of a god or any ultimate reality (Eg: The agnostic demanded proof before she would accept the statement of the minister. )
agog
highly excited; intensely curious (Eg: We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a )
agrarian
pertaining to land or its cultivation (Eg: As a result of its recent industrialization, the country is gradually losing its agrarian traditions. )
alacrity
cheerful promptness (Eg: He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master. )
alchemy
medieval chemistry (Eg: The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy. )
alcove
nook; recess (Eg: Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an )
alias
an assumed name (Eg: John Smith’s alias was Bob Jones. )
alienate
make hostile; separate (Eg: Her attempts to alienate the two friends failed because they had complete faith in each other. )
alimentary
supplying nourishment (Eg: The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there. )
alimony
payments make to an ex-spouse after divorce (Eg: Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award )
allay
calm; pacify (Eg: The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been controlled. )
allege
state without proof (Eg: It is alleged that she had worked for the enemy. )
allegory
story in which characters are used as symbols; fable (Eg: Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul. )
alleviate
relieve (Eg: This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use stronger drugs. )
alliteration
repetition of beginning sound in poetry (Eg: “The furrow followed free” is an example of alliteration. )
alloy
mixture as of metals (Eg: alloy of gold are used more frequently than the pure metal. )
allude
refer indirectly (Eg: Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic annoys him. )
allure
entice; attract (Eg: allured by the song of the sirens, the helmsman steered the ship toward the reef. )
allusion
indirect reference (Eg: the allusions to mythological characters in Milton’s poems bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin. )
alluvial
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water (Eg: The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile. )
aloof
apart; reserved (Eg: Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed. )
aloft
upward (Eg: The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging. )
altercation
noisy quarrel (Eg: Throughout the altercation, not one sensible word was uttered. )
altruistic
unselfishly generous; concerned for others (Eg: In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships to hundreds of economically disadvantaged )
amalgamate
combine; unite in one body (Eg: The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body. )
amass
collect (Eg: The miser’s aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible. )
amazon
female warrior (Eg: Ever since the days of Greek mythology we refer to strong and aggressive women as amazons. )
ambidextrous
capable of using either hand with equal ease (Eg: A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous. )
ambience
environment; atmosphere (Eg: She went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambience. )
ambiguous
unclear or doubtful in meaning (Eg: His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which road to take. )
ambivalence
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes (Eg: Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the next, she was confused by the )
amble
moving at an easy pace (Eg: When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble. )
ambrosia
food of the gods (Eg: ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any human who ate it. )
ambulatory
able to walk (Eg: He was described as an ambulatory patient because he was not confined to his bed. )
ameliorate
improve (Eg: Many social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions of people living in the slums. )
amenable
readily managed; willing to be led (Eg: He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he looked up to; he resented advice from his )
amend
correct; change, generally for the better (Eg: Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United States. )
amenities
convenient features; courtesies (Eg: )
amiable
agreeable; lovable (Eg: His amiable disposition pleased all who had dealings with him. )
amicable
friendly (Eg: The dispute was settled in an amicable manner with no harsh words. )
amiss
wrong; faulty (Eg: Seeing her frown, he wondered if anything were amiss. )
amity
friendship (Eg: Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote )
amnesia
loss of memory (Eg: Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not get the young girl to identify herself. )
amnesty
pardon (Eg: When his first child was born, the king granted amnesty to all in prison. )
amoral
non-moral (Eg: The amoral individual lacks a code of ethics; he should not be classified as immoral. )
amorous
moved by sexual love; loving (Eg: Don Juan was known for his amorous adventures. )
amorphous
shapeless; vague; indeterminate (Eg: John was subject to panic attacks that left him prey to vague, amorphous fears: he knew he was terrified, )
amphibian
able to live both on land and in water (Eg: Frogs are classified as amphibian. )
amphitheater
oval building with tiers of seats (Eg: The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators. )
ample
abundant (Eg: He had ample opportunity to dispose of his loot before his police caught up with him. )
amplify
enlarge (Eg: Her attempts to amplify her remarks were drowned out by the jeers of the audience. )
amputate
cut off part of body; prune (Eg: When the doctors had to amputate Ted Kennedy’s leg to prevent the spread of cancer, he did not let the )
amok
in a state of rage (Eg: )
amulet
charm; talisman (Eg: Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her. )
anachronism
something or someone misplaced in time (Eg: Shakespeare’s reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism; no clocks existed in Caesar’s time. )
analgesic
causing insensitivity to pain (Eg: The analgesic qualities of his lotion will provide temporary relief. )
analogous
comparable (Eg: She called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous situation and recommended that )
analogy
similarity; parallelism (Eg: Your analogy is not a good one because the two situations are not similar. )
anarchist
person who rebels against the established order (Eg: Only the total overthrow of all governmental regulations would satisfy the anarchist. )
anarchy
absence of governing body; state of disorder (Eg: The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy. )
anathema
solemn curse; someone or something that is despised (Eg: He heaped anathema upon his foe. )
anathematize
curse (Eg: The high priest anathematized the heretic. )
anchor
secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place (Eg: We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place. )
ancillary
serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary (Eg: In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to )
anecdote
short account of an amusing or interesting event (Eg: Rather than make concrete proposals for welfare reform, President Raegan told anecdotes about poor )
anemia
condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles (Eg: The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia. )
anesthetic
substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness (Eg: His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep. )
anguish
acute pain; extreme suffering (Eg: Visiting the site of explosion, Premier Gorbachev wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families. )
angular
sharp-cornered; stiff in manner (Eg: His features, though angular, were curiously attractive. )
animadversion
critical remark (Eg: He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly because he realized they were true. )
animated
lively (Eg: Her animated expression indicated a keenness of intellect. )
animosity
active enmity (Eg: He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he advocated limitations of their power. )
animus
hostile feeling or intent (Eg: The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting )
annals
records; history (Eg: In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements. )
anneal
reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (Eg: After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking. )
annihilate
destroy (Eg: The enemy in its revenge tried to annihilate the entire population. )
annotate
comment; make explanatory notes (Eg: In the appendix to the novel, the critic sought to annotate many of the more esoteric references. )
annuity
yearly allowance (Eg: The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements his social security benefits so that he can )
annul
make void (Eg: The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage. )
anodyne
drug that relieves pain; opiate (Eg: His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it. )
anoint
consecrate (Eg: The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil, crowning him king of Israel. )
anomalous
abnormal; irregular (Eg: He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures that he despised. )
anomaly
irregularity (Eg: A bird that cannot fly is an anomaly. )
anonymity
state of being nameless; anonymousness (Eg: )
antagonistic
hostile; opposed (Eg: Despite his lawyers’ best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner continued to make antagonistic remarks to )
antecede
precede (Eg: The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century. )
antecedents
preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; early life; ancestors (Eg: Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella, Miss Havisham had a few questions about the )
antediluvian
antiquated; ancient (Eg: The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years. )
anthropoid
manlike (Eg: The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals. )
anthropologist
student of the history and science of humankind (Eg: Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric humans in this area. )
anthropomorphic
having human form or characteristics (Eg: Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics. )
anticlimax
letdown in thought or emotion (Eg: After the fine performance in the first act, the rest of the play was an anticlimax. )
antipathy
aversion; dislike (Eg: His extreme antipathy to dispute caused him to avoid argumentative discussions with his friends. )
antiquated
obsolete; outdated (Eg: Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip thought typewriters were too antiquated for )
antiseptic
substance that prevents infection (Eg: It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how slight or insignificant. )
antithesis
contrast; direct opposite of or to (Eg: This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and he fought it with all his strength. )
anvil
iron block used in hammering out metals (Eg: After heating the iron horseshoe in the forge, the blacksmith picked it up with his tongs and set it on the )
apathetic
indifferent (Eg: He felt apathetic about the conditions he had observed and did not care to fight against them. )
apathy
lack of caring; indifference (Eg: A firm believer in democratic government, she could not understand the apathy of people who never )
ape
imitate or mimic (Eg: He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school. )
aperture
opening; hole (Eg: She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the insects had entered the room. )
apex
tip; summit; climax (Eg: He was at the apex of his career. )
aphasia
loss of speech due to injury or illness (Eg: After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could )
aphorism
pithy maxim (Eg: An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical or scientific. )
apiary
a place where bees are kept (Eg: Although he spent many hours daily in the apiary, he was very seldom stung by a bee. )
aplomb
poise; composure (Eg: Wellington’s nonchalance and aplomb in the heat of battle always heartened his followers. )
apocalyptic
prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster (Eg: His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild surmises. )
apocryphal
untrue; made up (Eg: To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city. )
apogee
highest point (Eg: When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth, it is at its apogee. )
apoplexy
stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis (Eg: He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy. )
apostate
one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs (Eg: Because he switched from one party to another, his former friends shunned him as an apostate. )
apothecary
druggist (Eg: In Holland, apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and pills. )
apothegm
pithy, compact saying (Eg: Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings. )
apotheosis
deification; glorification (Eg: The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too, )
appal
dismay; shock (Eg: We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city’s jails. )
apparition
ghost; phantom (Eg: Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had appeared and spoken to him. )
appease
pacify; soothe (Eg: We have discovered that, when we try to appease our enemies, we encourage them to make additional )
appellation
name; title (Eg: He was amazed when the witches hailed him with his correct appellation. )
append
attach (Eg: I shall append this chart to my report. )
application
diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply (Eg: Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt Polly praised him for his application. )
apposite
appropriate; fitting (Eg: He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion. )
appraise
estimate the value of (Eg: It is difficult to appraise old paintings; it is easier to call them priceless. )
appreciate
be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of (Eg: Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks ave her, whose value appreciated )
apprehend
arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive (Eg: The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long. )
apprehensive
fearful; discerning (Eg: His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness. )
apprise
inform (Eg: When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions, he decided to postpone his trip. )
approbation
approval (Eg: Wanting her parents’ regard, she looked for some sign of their approbation. )
appropriate
acquire; take possession of for one’s own use (Eg: The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been set aside for the Indians’ use. )
appurtenances
subordinate possessions (Eg: He bought the estate and all its appurtenances. )
apropos
with reference to; regarding (Eg: I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and pertinent. )
aptitude
fitness; talent (Eg: The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about the career he should follow. )
aquiline
curved, hooked (Eg: He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak of the eagle. )
arable
fit for plowing (Eg: The land was no longer arable; erosion had removed the valuable topsoil. )
arbiter
person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge (Eg: As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers. )
arbitrary
unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical (Eg: The coach claimed the team lost because the umpire made some arbitrary calls. )
arbitrate
act as judge (Eg: She was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between the union and the management. )
arboretum
place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited (Eg: Walking along the treelined paths of the arboretum, Rita noted poplars, firs, and some particularly fine )
arcade
a covered passageway, usually lined with shops (Eg: The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the )
arcane
secret; mysterious (Eg: What was arcane to us was clear to the psychologist. )
archaeology
study of artifacts and relics of early mankind (Eg: The professor of archaeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins. )
archaic
antiquated (Eg: “Methinks,” “thee,” and “thou” are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary. )
archetype
prototype; primitive pattern (Eg: The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island )
archipelago
group of closely located islands (Eg: When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas, he longed to visit them. )
archives
public records; place where public records are kept (Eg: These documents should be part of the archives so that historians may be able to evaluate them in the )
ardor
heat; passion; zeal (Eg: Katya’s ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow demonstrators were busily making posters and handing )
arduous
hard; strenuous (Eg: Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy. )
argot
slang (Eg: In the argot of the underworld, she “was taken for a ride.” )
aria
operatic solo (Eg: At her Metropolitan Opera audition, Marian Anderson sang an aria from Norma. )
arid
dry; barren (Eg: The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment. )
aristocracy
hereditary nobility; privileged class (Eg: Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy: )
armada
fleet of warships (Eg: Queen Elizabeth’s navy was able to defeat the mighty armada that threatened the English coast. )
aromatic
fragrant (Eg: Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to Europe. )
arraign
charge in court; indict (Eg: After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court. )
array
marshal; draw up in order (Eg: His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him. )
array
clothe; adorn (Eg: She liked to watch her motherarray herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening. )
arrears
being in debt (Eg: He was in arrears with his payments on the car. )
arrogance
pride, haughtiness (Eg: The arrogance of the nobility was resented by the middle class. )
arroyo
gully (Eg: Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a dry bed. )
articulate
effective; distinct (Eg: Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers. )
artifacts
products of primitive culture (Eg: Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to )
artifice
deception; trickery (Eg: The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military )
artisan
a manually skilled worker (Eg: Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a culture. )
artless
without guile; open and honest (Eg: Red Riding Hood’s artless comment, “Grandma, what big eyes you have!” indicates the child’s innocent )
ascendancy
controlling influence (Eg: President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendency over Philippines. )
ascetic
practicing self-denial; austere (Eg: The wealthy young man could not understand the ascetic life led by the monks. )
asceticism
doctrine of self-denial (Eg: We find asceticism practiced in many monastries. )
ascribe
refer; attribute; assign (Eg: I can ascribe no motive for her acts. )
asceptic
preventing infection; having a cleansing effect (Eg: Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced asceptic conditions. )
ashen
ash-colored; deadly pale (Eg: Her face was ashen with fear. )
asinine
stupid (Eg: Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration. )
askance
with a sideways or indirect look (Eg: Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn. )
askew
crookedly; slanted; at an angle (Eg: When he placed his hat askew upon his head, his observers laughed. )
asperity
sharpness (of temper) (Eg: These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed. )
aspersion
slanderous remark (Eg: Do not cast aspersions on her character. )
aspirant
seeker after position or status (Eg: Although I am as aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses. )
aspiration
noble ambition (Eg: )
assail
assault (Eg: He was assailed with questions after his lecture. )
assay
analyze; evaluate (Eg: When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered a very rich vein. )
assent
agree; accept (Eg: It gives me great pleasure to assent to your request. )
assiduous
diligent (Eg: It took Rembrandt weeks of assiduous labor before he was satisfied with his portrait of his son. )
assuage
ease; lessen(pain) (Eg: Your messages of cheer should assuage her suffering. )
assumption
something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of (Eg: The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent would not object to her Assumption of )
astringent
binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe (Eg: The astringent quality of unsweetened lemon juice made swallowing difficult. )
astute
wise; shrewd (Eg: That was a very astute observation. )
asunder
into parts; apart (Eg: Their points of view are poles asunder. )
atavism
resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; (Eg: throwback )
atrophy
wasting away (Eg: Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of affected limbs. )
attenuate
make thin; weaken (Eg: By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines. )
attribute
ascribe; explain (Eg: I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she received from her parents. )
attrition
gradual wearing down (Eg: They decided to wage a war of attrition rather than to rely on all-out attack. )
augury
omen; prophecy (Eg: He interpreted the departures of the birds as an augury of evil. )
august
impressive; majestic (Eg: Visiting the palace at Versailes, she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself. )
aureole
sun’s corona; halo (Eg: Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureols around their heads. )
auroral
pertaining to the aurora borealis (Eg: The auroral display was particularly spectacular that evening. )
auspicious
favoring success (Eg: With favorable weather conditions, it was an auspicious moment to set sail. )
austere
strict, stern (Eg: His austere demeanor prevented us from engaging in our usual frivolous activities. )
austerity
sternness; severity; lack of luxuries (Eg: The austerity and dignity of the court were maintained by the new justices, who were a strict and solemn )
automaton
mechanism that imitates actions of humans (Eg: Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots, writers were creating stories of automation )
autonomous
self-governing (Eg: This island is a colony; however, in most matters, it is autonomous and receives no orders from the mother )
avarice
greed for wealth (Eg: King Midas’s avarice has been famous for centuries. )
aver
state confidently (Eg: I wish to aver that I am certain of success. )
averse
reluctant (Eg: He was averse to revealing the sources of his information. )
aversion
firm dislike (Eg: Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to one another. )
avert
prevent; turn away (Eg: She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway. )
aviary
enclosure for birds (Eg: The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds. )
avid
greedy; eager for (Eg: He was avid for learning and read everything he could get. )
avocation
secondary or minor occupation (Eg: His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation )
avow
declare openly (Eg: I must avow that I am innocent. )
avuncular
like an uncle (Eg: Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew’s shortcomings. )
awe
solemn wonder (Eg: The tourists gazed with awe at the tremendous expanse of the Grand Canyon. )
awl
pointed tool used for piercing (Eg: She used an awl to punch additional holes in the leather belt she had bought. )
awry
distorted; crooked (Eg: )
axiom
self-evident truth requiring no proof (Eg: Before a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean geometry, he must accept certain )
azure
sky blue (Eg: azure skies are indicative of good weather. )
babble
chatter idly (Eg: The little girl babbled about her doll. )
bacchanalian
drunken (Eg: Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy. )
badger
pester; annoy (Eg: She was forced to change her telephone number because she was badgered by obscene phone calls. )
badinage
teasing conversation (Eg: Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with cheerful badinage. )
baffle
frustrate; perplex (Eg: The new code baffled the enemy agents. )
bait
harass; tease (Eg: The soldiers baited the prisoners, terrorizing them. )
baleful
menacing; deadly (Eg: Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge. )
balk
stoop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue (Eg: The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area. )
balk
foil (Eg: When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt. )
ballast
heavy substance used to add stability or weight (Eg: The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift the ballast in the hold to get her back on an )
balm
something that relieves pain (Eg: Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. )
balmy
mild; fragrant (Eg: A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast. )
banal
hackneyed; commonplace; trite (Eg: His frequent use of cliches made his essay seem banal. )
bandy
discuss lightly; exchange blows or words (Eg: The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press conference. )
bane
cause of ruin (Eg: Lack of public transportation is the bane of urban life. )
bantering
good-naturedly ridiculing (Eg: They resented his bantering remarks because they misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm. )
barb
sharp projection form fishhook, etc.; pointed comment (Eg: The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish. )
bard
poet (Eg: The ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy. )
barefaced
shameless; bold; unconcealed (Eg: Shocked by Huck Finn’s barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his )
baroque
highly ornate (Eg: Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers, they found the flamboyance of baroque )
barrage
barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion (Eg: The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy canyons. )
barrister
counselor-at-law (Eg: Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice of law boring, turned to writing. )
barterer
trader (Eg: The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives’ furs. )
bask
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth (Eg: basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell asleep. )
bastion
stronghold; something seen as a source of protection (Eg: The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised bastion could protect them from the guerrila )
bate
let down; restrain (Eg: Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity. )
bauble
trinket; trifle (Eg: The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag. )
bawdy
indecent; obscene (Eg: She took offense at his bawdy remarks. )
beatific
giving bliss; blissful (Eg: The beatific smile on the child’s face made us very happy. )
beatitude
blessedness; state of bliss (Eg: Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of indescribable beatitude. )
bedizen
dress with vulgar finery (Eg: The witch doctors were bedizened in their gaudiest costumes. )
bedraggle
wet thoroughly (Eg: We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing. )
befuddle
confuse thoroughly (Eg: His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling her further. )
beget
father; produce; give rise to (Eg: One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another. )
begrudge
resent (Eg: I begrudge every minute I have to spend attending meetings. )
beguile
amuse; delude; cheat (Eg: I beguiled himself during the long hours by playing solitaire. )
behemoth
huge creature; something of monstrous size or power (Eg: Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker “The Behemoth.” )
beholden
obligated; indebted (Eg: Since I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, I cannot accept this favor. )
behoove
be suited to; be incumbent upon (Eg: In this time of crisis, it behooves all of us to remain calm and await the instructions of our superiors. )
belabor
explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally (Eg: The debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience by belaboring his point. )
belated
delayed (Eg: He apologized for his belated note of condolence to the widow of his friend and explained that he had just )
beleaguer
besiege (Eg: As soon as the city was beleaguered, the life became more subdued as the citizens began their long wait for )
belie
contradict; give a false impression (Eg: His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity. )
belittle
disparage; depreciate (Eg: Parents should not belittle their children’s early attempts at drawing, but should encourage their efforts. )
bellicose
warlike (Eg: His bellicose disposition alienated his friends. )
belligerent
quarrelsome (Eg: Whenever he had too much to drink, he became belligerent and tried to pick fights with strangers. )
bemused
confused; lost in thought; preoccupied (Eg: Jill studied the garbled instructions with a bemused look on her face. )
benediction
blessing (Eg: The appearance of the sun after the many rainy days was like a benediction. )
benefactor
gift giver; patron (Eg: Scrooge later became Tiny Tim’s benefactor and gave him a benediction. )
beneficent
kindly; doing good (Eg: The overgenerous philanthropist had to curb his beneficent impulses before he gave away all his money )
beneficiary
person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy (Eg: You may change your beneficiary as often as you wish. )
benevolent
generous; charitable (Eg: His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. )
benign
kindly; favorable; not malignant (Eg: The old man was well liked because of his benign attitude toward friend and stranger alike. )
benison
blessing (Eg: Let us pray that the benison of peace once more shall prevail among the nations of the world. )
bent
determined; natural talent or inclination (Eg: bent on advancing in the business world, the secretary heroine of Working Girl had a true bent for high )
bequeath
leave to someone by means of a will; hand down (Eg: In his will, Father bequeathed his watch to Phillip; the bequest meant a great deal to the boy. )
berate
scold strongly (Eg: He feared she would berate him for his forgetfulness. )
bereavement
state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved (Eg: His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement. )
bereft
deprived of; lacking (Eg: The foolish gambler soon found himself bereft of funds. )
berserk
frenzied (Eg: )
beset
harass; trouble (Eg: Many problems beset the American public school system. )
besmirch
soil, defile (Eg: The scandalous remarks in the newspaper besmirch the reputations of every member of the society. )
bestial
beastlike; brutal; inhuman (Eg: The Red Cross sought to put an end to the bestial treatment of prisoners of war. )
bestow
confer (Eg: He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero. )
betroth
become engaged to marry (Eg: The announcement that they had become betrothed surprised their friends who had not suspected any )
bevy
large group (Eg: The movie actor was surrounded by a bevy of startlets. )
bicameral
two-chambered, as a legislative body (Eg: The United States Congress is a bicameral body. )
bifurcated
divided into two branches; forked (Eg: With a bifurcated branch and a piece of elastic rubber, he made a crude but effective slingshot. )
bilious
suffering from indigestion; irritable (Eg: His bilious temperament was apparent to all who heard him rant about his difficulties. )
bilk
swindle; cheat (Eg: The con man specialized in bilking insurance companies. )
bivouac
temporary encampment (Eg: While in bivouac, we spent the night in our sleeping bags under the stars. )
bizarre
fantastic; violently contrasting (Eg: The plot of the novel was too bizarre to be believed. )
blanch
bleach; whiten (Eg: Although age had blanched his hair, he was still vigorous and energetic. )
bland
soothing; mild (Eg: She used a bland ointment for her sunburn. )
blandishment
flattery (Eg: Despite the salesperson’s blandishments, the customer did not buy the outfit. )
blase
bored with pleasure or dissipation (Eg: Your blase attitude gives your students an erroneous impression of the joys of scholarship. )
blasphemous
profane; impious (Eg: The people in the room were shocked by his his blasphemous language. )
blatant
extremely obvious; loudly offensive (Eg: Caught in a blatant lie, the scoundrel had only one regret: he wished that he had lied more subtly. )
bleak
cold; cheerless (Eg: The Aleutian Islands are bleak military outposts. )
blighted
suffering from a disease; destroyed (Eg: The extent of the blighted areas could be seen only when viewed from the air. )
blithe
gay; joyous; careless (Eg: Shelley called the skylark a “blithe spirit” because of its happy song. )
bloated
swollen or puffed as with water or air (Eg: Her bloated stomach came from drinking so much water. )
blowhard
talkative boaster (Eg: After all Sol’s talk about his big show business connections led nowhere, Sally decided he was just another )
bludgeon
club; heavy-headed weapon (Eg: His walking stick served him as a bludgeon on many occasions. )
bluff
pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff (Eg: Claire thought Lord Byron’s boast that he would swim the Hellespont was just a bluff, she was astounded )
blunder
error (Eg: The criminal’s fatal blunder led to his capture. )
blurt
utter impulsively (Eg: Before she could stop him, he blurted out the news. )
bode
foreshadow; portend (Eg: The gloomy skies and the sulfurious odors from the mineral springs seemed to bode evil to those who )
bogus
counterfeit; not authentic (Eg: The police quickly found the distributors of the bogus twenty-dollar bills. )
boisterous
violent; rough; noisy (Eg: The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to quiet them. )
bolster
support; reinforce (Eg: The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to bolster their arguments. )
bombast
pompous, inflated language (Eg: Filled with bombast, the orator’s speech left the audience more impressed with his pomposity than with his )
boon
blessing; benefit (Eg: The recent rains that filled our empty reservoirs were a boon to the whole community. )
boorish
rude; insensitive (Eg: Though Mr. Potts constantly interrupted his wife, she ignored his boorish behavior, for she had lost hope )
bouillon
clear beef soup (Eg: The cup of bouillon served by the stewards was welcomed by those who had been chilled by the cold )
bountiful
generous; showing bounty (Eg: She distributed gifts in a bountiful and gracious manner. )
bourgeois
middle class (Eg: The French Revolution was inspired by the bourgeois, who resented the aristocracy. )
bovine
cowlike; placid and dull (Eg: Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the state lottery, she still preserved her air of bovine calm. )
bowdlerize
expurgate (Eg: After the film editors had bowdlerized the language in the script, the motion picture’s rating was changed )
brackish
somewhat saline (Eg: He found the only wells in the area were brackish; drinking the water made him nauseous. )
braggadocio
boasting (Eg: He was disliked because his manner was always full of braggadocio. )
braggart
boaster (Eg: Modest by nature, she was no braggart, preferring to let her accomplishments speak for themselves. )
bravado
swagger; assumed air of defiance (Eg: )
brawn
muscular strength; sturdiness (Eg: It takes brawn to become a champion weight-lifter. )
brazen
insolent (Eg: Her brazen contempt for authority angered the officials. )
breach
breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gap (Eg: They found a breach in the enemy’s fortifications and penetrated their lines. )
breadth
width; extent (Eg: We were impressed by the breadth of her knowledge. )
brevity
conciseness (Eg: brevity is essential when you send a telegram or cablegram; you are charged for every word. )
brindled
tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (Eg: He was disappointed in the litter because the puppies were brindled; he had hoped for animals of uniform )
bristling
rising like bristles; showing irritation (Eg: The dog stood there, bristling with anger. )
brittle
easily broken; difficult (Eg: My employer’s brittle personality made it difficult for me to get along with her. )
broach
open up (Eg: He did not even try to broach the subject of poetry. )
brocade
rich, figured fabric (Eg: The sofa was covered with expensive brocade. )
brook
tolerate; endure (Eg: The dean would brook no interference with his disciplinary actions. )
browbeat
bully; intimidate (Eg: Billy resisted Ted’s attempts to browbeat him into handing over his lunch money. )
brusque
blunt; abrupt (Eg: She was offended by his brusque reply. )
bucolic
rustic; pastoral (Eg: )
buffoonery
clowning (Eg: John Candy’s buffoonery in Uncle Buck was hilarious. )
bugaboo
bugbear; object of baseless terror (Eg: If we become frightened by such bugaboos, we are no wiser than the birds who fear scarecrows. )
bullion
gold and silver in the form of bars (Eg: Much bullion is stored in the vaults at Fort Knox. )
bulwark
earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends (Eg: The navy is our principal bulwark against invasion. )
bungle
spoil by clumsy behavior (Eg: I was afraid you would bungle his assignment but I had no one else to send. )
bureaucracy
government by bureaus (Eg: Many people fear that the constant introduction of federal agencies will create a government by )
burgeon
grow forth; send out buds (Eg: In the spring, the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty that is to come. )
burlesque
give an imitation that ridicules (Eg: In his caricature, he burlesqued the mannerisms of his adversary. )
burly
husky; muscular (Eg: The burly mover lifted the packing crate with ease. )
burnish
make shiny by rubbing; polish (Eg: The maid burnished the brass fixtures until they reflected the lamplight. )
buttress
support; prop up (Eg: Just as architects buttress the walls of cathedrals with flying buttresses, debates buttress their arguments )
buxom
full-bosomed; plump; jolly (Eg: High fashion models usually are slender rather than buxom. )
cabal
small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests (Eg: The cabal was defeated when its scheme was discovered. )
cache
hiding place (Eg: The detectives followed the suspects until he led them to the cache where he had stored his loot. )
cacophony
discord (Eg: Some people seem to enjoy the cacophony of an orchestra that is tuning up. )
cadaver
corpse (Eg: In some states, it is illegal to dissect cadavers. )
cadaverous
like a corpse; pale (Eg: From his cadaverous appearance, we could see how the disease had ravaged him. )
cadence
rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat (Eg: Marching down the road, the troops sang out, following the cadence set by the sergeant. )
cajole
coax; wheedle (Eg: I will not be cajoled into granting your wish. )
calamity
disaster; misery (Eg: As news of the calamity spread, offers of relief poured in to the stricken community. )
calligraphy
beautiful writing; excellent penmanship (Eg: As we examine ancient manuscripts, we became impressed with the calligraphy of the scribes. )
callous
hardened; unfeeling (Eg: He had worked in the hospital for so many years that he was callous to the suffering in the wards. )
callow
youthful; immature (Eg: In that youthful movement, the leaders were only a little less callow than their immature followers. )
calorific
heat-producing (Eg: Coal is much more calorific than green wood. )
calumny
malicious misrepresentation (Eg: He could endure his financial failure, but he could not bear the calumny that his foes heaped upon him. )
camaraderie
good-fellowship (Eg: What he loved best about his job was the sense of camaraderie he and his co-workers shared. )
cameo
shell or jewel carved in relief (Eg: Tourists are advised not to purchase cameos from the street peddlers of Rome who sell poor specimens of )
canard
unfounded rumor (Eg: It is almost impossible to protect oneself from such a base canard. )
candor
frankness (Eg: The candor and simplicity of his speech impressed all, it was all clear he held nothing back. )
canine
related to dogs; doglike (Eg: Some days the canine population of Berkeley seems almost to outnumber the human population. )
canker
any ulcerous sore; any evil (Eg: Poverty is a canker in the body politic; it must be cured. )
canny
shrewd; thrifty (Eg: The canny Scotsman was more than a match for the swindlers. )
cant
pious phraseology; jargon of criminals (Eg: Angry that the president had slashed the education budget, we dismissed his speech on the importance of )
cantankerous
ill-humored; irritable (Eg: Constantly complaining about his treatment and refusing to cooperate with the hospital staff, he was a )
cantata
story set to music, to be sung by a chorus (Eg: The choral society sang the new cantata composed by its leader. )
canter
slow gallop (Eg: Because the racehorse had outdistanced its competition so easily, the reporter wrote that the race was won )
canto
division of a long poem (Eg: Dante’s poetic masterpiece The Divine Comedy is divided into cantos. )
canvass
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc. (Eg: After canvassing the sentiments of his constituents, the congressman was confident that he represented the )
capacious
spacious (Eg: In the capacious areas of the railroad terminal, thousands of travelers lingered while waiting for their train. )
capillary
having a very fine bore (Eg: The changes in surface tension of liquids in capillary vessels is of special interest to physicists. )
capitulate
surrender (Eg: The enemy was warned to capitulate or face annihilation. )
caprice
whim (Eg: She was an unpredictable creature, acting on caprice, never taking thought of the consequences. )
capricious
fickle; incalculable (Eg: The storm was capricious and changed course constantly. )
caption
title; chapter heading; text under illustration (Eg: I find the captions that accompany these cartoons very clever and humorous. )
captious
faultfinding (Eg: His criticisms were always captious and frivolous, never offering constructive suggestions. )
carafe
glass water bottle (Eg: With each dinner, the patron receives a carafe of red or white wine. )
carapace
shell covering the back (of a turtle, crab, etc) (Eg: At the children’s zoo, Richard perched on top of the giant turtle’s hard carapace as it slowly made its way )
carat
unit of weight for precious stones; measure of fineness of gold (Eg: He gave her a diamond that weighed three carats and was mounted in an eighteen-carat gold band. )
carcinogenic
causing cancer (Eg: Many supposedly harmless substances have been revealed to be carcinogenic. )
cardinal
chief (Eg: If you want to increase your word power, the cardinal rule of vocabulary-building is to read. )
careen
lurch; sway from side to side (Eg: The taxicab careened wildly as it rounded the corner. )
caricature
distortion; burlesque (Eg: The caricatures he drew always emphasized personal weaknesses of the people he burlesqued. )
carillon
set of bells capable of being played (Eg: The carillon in the bell tower of the Coca-Cola pavilion at the New York World’s Fair provided musical )
carnage
destruction of life (Eg: The carnage that can be caused by atomic warfare adds to the responsibilities of our statesmen. )
carnal
fleshly (Eg: The public was more interested in carnal pleasures than in spiritual matters. )
