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English Vocalbulary > GRE Vocabulary 5 > Flashcards

GRE Vocabulary 5 Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Obfuscate (v)

A

Hide with the intention of deceiving.

The spelling changes will deform some familiar words and obfuscate their etymological origins.

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2
Q

Encomium (n)

A

Praise.

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3
Q

Din (n)

A

Noise.

The fans made an awful din.

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4
Q

Alloy (n)

A

A mixture of 2 or more metals

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5
Q

Pugilism (n)

A

Fighting, boxing.

I do not go to displays of pugilism.

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6
Q

Sanctimony (n)

A

Making a show of being morally superior to other people.

What happened to all the sanctimonious talk about putting his family first?

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7
Q

Baleful (adj)

A

Harmful.

Bill shot a baleful glance in her direction.

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8
Q

Hallow (n)

A

To make holy; sanctify.

The Ganges is hallowed as a sacred, cleansing river.

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9
Q

Ostensible (adj)

A

Apparently.

The real dispute which lay behind the ostensible complaint.

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10
Q

Sinecure (n)

A

Comfortable job.

Political sinecures for the supporters of ministers.

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11
Q

Lackey (n)

A

Toady, Servant.

Lackeys were waiting to help them from the carriage.

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12
Q

Redress (v)

A

Remedy or set right.

The question is how to redress the consequences of racist land policies.

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13
Q

Unctuous (adj)

A

Servile flatterer.

He seemed anxious to please but not in an unctuous way.

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14
Q

Arrant (adj)

A

Thorough unmitigated.

What arrant nonsense!

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15
Q

Vaunt (v)

A

Praise or boast about.

The much vaunted information superhighway.

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16
Q

Affectation (n)

A

Artificial behavior designed to impress.

The affectation of a man who measures every word for effect.

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17
Q

Philately (n)

A

The collecting of stamps.

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18
Q

Canonical (adj)

A

The original source of truth.

The canonical rites of the Roman Church.

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19
Q

Whit (adj)

A

Smallest jot off.

The last whit of warmth was drawn off by the setting sun

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20
Q

Epaulet (n)

A

Shoulder bracelet.

An army greatcoat with fancy epaulets and brass buttons.

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21
Q

Panoply (n)

A

A complete suit of armor.

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22
Q

Pantheon (n)

A

All the gods or group of a people or religion collectively.

The deities of the Hindu pantheon.

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23
Q

Blandishment (n)

A

Coax with flattery.

A blandishment is often teasing in tone.

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24
Q

Peremptory (adj)

A

Haughty.

Just do it!’ came the peremptory reply.

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25
Q

Tyro (n)

A

Novice.

A beginner or novice.

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26
Q

Fetid (adj)

A

Having an offensive odor.

The air we breathe is fetid.

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27
Q

Fecundity (n)

A

Fertility.

Multiply mated females show increased fecundity.

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28
Q

Rarefied (adj)

A

Extremely high or elevated; lofty.

Rarefied scholarly pursuits.

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29
Q

Delectation (n)

A

For the pleasure of.

They had all manner of rock ‘n’ roll goodies for our delectation.

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30
Q

Fickle (adj)

A

Changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties or affections.

Celebs trying to appeal to an increasingly fickle public.

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31
Q

Fidelity (n)

A

Accuracy; exactness.

The 1949 recording provides reasonable fidelity.

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32
Q

Fission (n)

A

The act of splitting atoms.

The party dissolved into fission and acrimony

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33
Q

Flag (v)

A

Reduce in strength.

if you begin to flag, there is an excellent cafe to revive you.

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34
Q

Florid (adj)

A

Flowery; excessively ornate..

A florid, baroque building.

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35
Q

Forbear (v)

A

To refrain from doing something.

He modestly forbears to include his own work.

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36
Q

Forestall (v)

A

To prevent something from happening by acting first.

The company executives forestalled criticism by inviting union leaders to meet.

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37
Q

Quail (n)

A

A small, migratory, gallinaceous game bird.

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38
Q

Forthright (adj)

A

Straight or directly forward.

His most forthright attack yet on the reforms.

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39
Q

Fortuity (n)

A

An instance of good fortune or happening by chance.

The timing of the meeting is certainly fortuitous.

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40
Q

Mince (v)

A

To soften, moderate, or weaken (one’s words), especially for the sake of decorum or courtesy.

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41
Q

Visceral (adj)

A

Relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect.

The voters’ visceral fear of change.

42
Q

Refectory (n)

A

Dining room.

A room used for communal meals in an educational or religious institution.

43
Q

Frenetic (adj)

A

Frantic, fast and energetic.

A frenetic pace of activity.

44
Q

Infinitesimal (adj)

A

Very small.

An infinitesimal pause.

45
Q

Sanguine (adj)

A

Cheerful.

He is sanguine about prospects for the global economy.

46
Q

Furtive (adj)

A

Secretive.

They spent a furtive day together.

47
Q

Calumny (n)

A

Invective, harsh criticisms.

A bitter struggle marked by calumny and litigation.

48
Q

Quotidian (adj)

A

Of or occurring every day, commonplace.

The car sped noisily off through the quotidian traffic.

49
Q

Salacious (adj)

A

Lusty.

Salacious stories.

50
Q

Importune (v)

A

Harass (someone) persistently for or to do something.

She importuned a waiter for profiteroles.

51
Q

Impregnable (adj)

A

Who’s defensive cannot be breached.

A massive and impregnable fortress.

52
Q

Daft (adj)

A

Stupid.

Don’t ask such daft questions.

53
Q

Solemn (adj)

A

Serious.

A solemn procession.

54
Q

Impromptu (adj)

A

On the spot.

An impromptu press conference.

55
Q

Impudent (adj)

A

Shameless or brazenly immodest.

He could have strangled this impudent upstart.

56
Q

Bedizen (v)

A

To dress or adorn in a showy, gaudy, or tasteless manner.

A uniform bedizened with resplendent medals.

57
Q

Incense (n)

A

A gum, spice, or other substance that is burned for the sweet smell it produces.

58
Q

Volition (n)

A

A choice or decision made by the will.

Without conscious volition she backed into her office.

59
Q

Tamp (v)

A

Drive down with blows.

He tamped down the tobacco with his thumb.

60
Q

Steel (v)

A

Mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult.

His team were steeling themselves for disappointment.

61
Q

Gossamer (n)

A

Thin lace like material or substance.

A fine gossamer fabric that clung to her skin.

62
Q

Inimical (n)

A

Unfavorable; harmful.

The policy was inimical to Britain’s real interests.

63
Q

Vainglorious (adj)

A

Excessively proud of oneself or one’s achievements.

This vainglorious boast of personal infallibility.

64
Q

Pariah (n)

A

Social outcast.

They were treated as social pariahs.

65
Q

Indelible (adj)

A

That cannot be eliminated, forgotten, changed.

An indelible marker pen.

66
Q

Byzantine (adj)

[BeZantine]

A

Complex or intricate.

Byzantine insurance regulations.

67
Q

Inveigh (v)

A

To protest strongly or attack vehemently with words.

There were politicians who inveighed against immigrants to get votes.

68
Q

Peccadillo (n)

A

Minor crimes.

The sexual peccadilloes of celebrities aren’t necessarily news.

69
Q

Panegyric (n)

[Panegeric]

A

Formal or elaborate praise.

She delivered a panegyric on the president-elect.

70
Q

Quaff (v)

A

Drink deeply.

He quaffed pint after pint of good Berkshire ale.

71
Q

Inchoate (n)

A

Not well developed.

A still inchoate democracy.

72
Q

Essay (n)

A

Foray, attempts.

A misjudged essay in job preservation.

73
Q

Incisive (adj)

A

Intelligently analytical and clear-thinking.

She was an incisive critic.

74
Q

Incorrigible (adj)

A

Cannot be corrected.

She’s an incorrigible flirt.

75
Q

Inculcate (v)

A

Instill (an idea, attitude, or habit) by persistent instruction..

I tried to inculcate in my pupils an attitude of inquiry.

76
Q

Indigenous (adj)

A

Originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country.

The indigenous peoples of Siberia.

77
Q

Indigent (adj)

A

Lacking food, clothing, and other necessities of life because of poverty.

An indigent family with no means of sustenance.

78
Q

Indolent (adj)

A

Lazy.

They were indolent and addicted to a life of pleasure.

79
Q

Redolent (adj)

A

Suggestive of something.

Names redolent of history and tradition.

80
Q

Provident (n)

A

Having or showing foresight.

She had learned to be provident.

81
Q

Untoward (adj)

A

Unexpected and inappropriate or inconvenient.

Both tried to behave as if nothing untoward had happened.

82
Q

Paean (n)

A

Song in praise of.

A paean of praise for the great poets.

83
Q

Aspersion (n)

A

An act of slander.

I don’t think anyone is casting aspersions on you.

84
Q

Lucid (adj)

A

Clear, easily understood; completely intelligible.

A lucid account.

85
Q

Luminous (adj)

A

Shining.

86
Q

Luxuriant (adj)

A

Richly abundant, profuse, or superabundant.

Forests of dark, luxuriant foliage.

87
Q

Malevolent (adj)

A

Harmful, showing a wish to do evil to others.

The glint of dark, malevolent eyes.

88
Q

Manifest (n) (v)

A

List of items.

Every passenger is manifested at the point of departure.

89
Q

Mannered (adj)

A

Behaving in a specified way..

His mannered ways were visible to all.

90
Q

Mantle (n)

A

The seat of power or role and responsibility.

The second son has now assumed his father’s mantle.

91
Q

Mar (v)

A

To disfigure, deface, or scar.

Violence marred a number of New Year celebrations.

92
Q

Martinet (n)

A

Requiring strict adherence to rules.

The woman in charge was a martinet who treated all those beneath her like children.

93
Q

Matrix (n)

A

The cultural, social, or political environment in which something develops.

Oxbridge was the matrix of the ideology.

94
Q

Palette (n)

A

The range of colors used by a particular artist.

95
Q

Paradigm (n)

A

A typical example or model of something.

Society’s paradigm of the ‘ideal woman’.

96
Q

Paramount (adj)

A

Of chief importance.

The interests of the child are of paramount importance.

97
Q

Parchment (n)

A

A stiff, flat, thin material made from the prepared skin of an animal.

He borrowed a quill and a piece of parchment.

98
Q

Parsimonious (adj)

A

Stingy.

Even the parsimonious Joe paid for drinks all round.

99
Q

Pathology (n)

A

The study of cause of diseases.

100
Q

Paucity (n)

A

Lack of.

A paucity of information.

English Vocalbulary (31 decks)

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