GRE 2 Flashcards
Diane was [livid] when she discovered that her daughter had borrowed her wedding dress to wear to an ‘80s party. “I have never been angrier in my life,” she said.
Definition: Furiously angry, enraged
Related Words: Irascible means easily angered and the related irate means angry (ire is anger).
More Info: Originally from a French word for a bluish color, livid has the sense of turning blue from rage (although Americans would say that we turn purple with rage—same idea). Livid can also mean bruised or “black-and-blue,” or even turning pale (from sickness) or red (from anger)—but whatever livid is, it’s never good.
The city government has several agencies that provide shelter, food, and other assistance to the [indigent].
Definition: Extreme poverty
Related Words: Impecunious (poor, without money), Penurious (poor or stingy), Indigent (destitute), Insolvent (unable to meet one’s financial obligations, bankrupt)
More Info: Don’t confuse with indignant (offended, angry at injustice).
The simple lifestyle and anachronistic dress of the Amish [hearken] back to an earlier era. / “[Hearken], students!” said the old-fashioned music teacher. “We are going to practice ‘[Hark], the Herald Angels Sing.”
Definition: Listen, pay attention to
More Info: Hark is a variant of hearken and has the same meaning. The expression hearken back or hark back is much more common in modern usage than hearken alone, and means to turn back to something earlier or return to a source.
The campaign worker’s [duplicity] finally came to light when it was discovered that, despite rising to a trusted position within the local Workers Party, he was actually a registered National Party member and was feeding information back to his cronies.
Definition: Deceit, double-dealing, acting in two different ways for the purpose of deception
Related Words: Dissembling (misleading, concealing the truth, acting hypocritically), Prevaricating (misleading or lying), Disingenuous (not genuine)
More Info: Duplicity was a 2009 film starring Julia Roberts. It was about spies.
Reflecting on her most recent breakup, Heather decided that next time she would like to date someone less [impetuous]; a man who quits his job on a whim and suggests moving together to Utah and raising llamas was just a little too impulsive for her tastes.
Definition: Passionately impulsive, marked by sudden, hasty emotion; forceful, violent
Related Words: Rash (hasty, lacking forethought or caution)
More Info: Impetuous is related to impetus, a moving force, motivation, or stimulus.
Hackers can take down a large computer system in days or even minutes as a virus [propagate]s and infects all of the machines on a network.
Definition: Reproduce, spread, increase
Related Words: Proliferate (increase or spread rapidly or excessively)
More Info: Propagate is originally about plants and is still often used regarding plants—many types of plants can be propagated from cuttings (that is, a small piece cut from a mature plant can grow into a new plant).
Christine used the fact that her mother spoke limited English as an opportunity to be [disingenuous]. When her mother asked, “Will there be boys at this sleepover?” she replied “There won’t not be boys there!”
Definition: Insincere, not genuine
Related Words: Dissembling (misleading, concealing the truth, acting hypocritically), Prevaricating (misleading or lying)
More Info: Disingenuous appropriately describes misleading behavior that isn’t quite lying, like when you say “Let’s do the dishes!” when you really mean “Why don’t you do the dishes?” The opposite of disingenuous is ingenuous, or genuine.
In many cultures, young people are expected to show [deference] to older people at all times. / I’m not an expert in databases—I’ll [defer] to our programmers on that decision. / Ingrid [defer]red her college admissions for a year so she could travel the world.
Respectful submission; yielding to the authority or opinion of another
Portent
a sign or warning
Benchmark
a standard or point of reference against which things may be measured
Protracted
prolonged or drawn out, especially in time
Extempore
on the spur of the moment, without preparation, without notes
Organically
naturally
Levity
lightness of manner, to the point of being inappropriate; frivolity
Bonhomie
good-natured, pleasant friendliness, affability
