GRE Vocab Set 2 (Princeton Review) Flashcards
Abate
To lessen in intensity
Accolade
An expression of praise
Adulation
Excessive praise; intense 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
Avarice
Greed, especially for wealth
Burgeon
To grow rapidly or flourish
Bucolic
Rustic and pastoral, characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
Cacophany
Harsh, jarring, discordant sound
Canon
An established set or principles or code of laws
Castigation
Severe criticism or punishment
Catalyst
A substance that accelerates the rate of chemical reaction without itself changing
Caustic
Burning or stinging
Chary
Wary, cautious, sparing
Cogent
Appealing forcibly to the mind or reason
Complaisance
Willingness to comply with the wishes of others
Contentious
Argumentative
Contrite
Regretful
Culpable
Deserving blame
Dearth
Smallness of quantity or number
Demur
To question or oppose
Didactict
Intended to teach or instruct
Discretion
Cautious reserve in speech, ability to make reasonable decisions