GRE01 Flashcards
bluff
pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff; ADJ: rough but good-natured
turgid
swollen; distended (as from liquid)
jaundiced
yellowed; prejudiced (envious, hostile, or resentful) from long and disappointing experience of human affairs; Ex. with a jaundiced eye
strut
supporting bar; CF. airplane wingÀ̳ª building µîÀ» support
conclave
private secret meeting
muddle
confuse; mix up confusedly; N: state of confusion
motley
multi-colored (as of a garment worn by a jester); mixed; heterogeneous; CF. jester: one who jests (as a paid fool at medieval courts)
acerbity
bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone)
coercion
use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce
spectral
ghostly; N. specter: spectre; ghost; phantom
wage
begin and continue (a war)
diverse
differing in some characteristics (from each other); various; N. diversity:
nonsense
speech or writing with no meaning; foolish behavior or language; Ex. make (a) nonsense of: spoil; cause to fail
sloth
slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; ADJ. slothful: lazy; indolent
genus
division of animals or plants, below a family and above a species
pandemonium
wild tumult(commotion); wild noisy disorder; CF. Paradise Lost
discordant
not harmonious; conflicting
plight
difficult condition; condition or state (esp. a bad state or condition); predicament
partial
incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for something
usage
act or manner of using; accepted practice; way in which words are actually used
reprove
censure; rebuke; N. reproof
pestle
tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl or mortar
amnesia
loss of memory
germinate
cause to sprout; sprout
rivet
metal pin used for fastening metal plates together; V: fasten with a rivet; engross
narrative
related to telling a story; N: narrated account; story; V. narrate: tell (a story); CF. narration
assiduous
diligent
attribute
essential quality; V: ascribe; explain
immutable
unchangeable
glare
shine intensely and blindingly; stare fixedly and angrily; N.
catechism
book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize
shed
small roofed structure for storage and shelter; V: pour forth; lose by natural process; repel without allowing penetration; radiate; cast; Ex. shed tears/light/water/skin/leaves
ribald
marked by vulgar lewd humor; wanton; profane; N. ribaldry: ribald language or joke
altruistic
unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altiruism: unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; OP. egoism
repose
resting; state of being at rest; calmness; V: lie at rest; relax; put or place; Ex. repose our hopes in a single man
velocity
speed
palpable
tangible; (of something bad) easily perceptible; obvious; Ex. palpable blunder
agnostic
one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality
tan
convert (hide) into leather; make brown by exposure to the sun
saturnine
morose; gloomy; Ex. Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance.
frenzied
madly excited; N. frenzy: violent wild excitement
runic
mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet; N. rune: one of the letters of an alphabet used by ancient Germanic peoples (cut on stone or wood); magic charm
deft
neat; skillful
title
name (of a book, film, etc.); mark of rank; formal appellation as of rank or office (such as Lord or General); right or claim to possession; championship; Ex. title as head of the family; Ex. title to the estate
mystic
of hidden meaning and spiritual power; Ex. mystic ceremonies; N. CF. mysticism
forebears(forbears)
ancestors
intrinsic
essential; inherent; built-in
apprehend
arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive; N. apprehension
impious
irreverent
incommodious
not spacious; inconvenient
unfledged
immature; not having the feathers necessary to fly; CF. fledgling
munificent
very generous in giving; Ex. munificent benefactor; N. munificience
whit
small amount; smallest speck;
disquisition
formal systematic inquiry; explanation of the results of a formal inquiry; long formal speech or written report
apolitical
having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs
trepidation
fear; nervous apprehension
apparition
ghost; phantom
swagger
walk or behave with an over-confident manner
duress
forcible restraint, especially unlawfully; coercion by threat; illegal coercion; Ex. a promise made under duress
discursive
(of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan)
venerable
deserving high respect; commanding respect; CF. command: deserve and get
predator
predatory animal or bird; predatory person; creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others; ADJ. predatory: living by preying on other organisms; plundering; N. predation
mongrel
plant or animal (esp. a dog) of mixed breed; ADJ.
evanescent
fleeting; vanishing; soon disappearing; V. evanesce
rile
irritate; vex; muddy
hindmost
furthest behind; farthest to the rear
omniscient
all-knowing
diversion
act of turning aside; pastime; V. divert: turn aside from a course; distract; amuse
natal
connected with birth; CF. prenatal; CF. postnatal
discretion
prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances; freedom of action or judgment; ADJ. discreet; CF. discretionary
venial
(of a fault or sin) forgivable; trivial
carping
petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble
unseemly
unbecoming; not proper in behavior; indecent; Ex. leave with unseemly haste
creep
move with body close to the ground; move stealthily or slowly; N.
militant
combative; bellicose; N.
lofty
very high
recapitulate
summarize
knoll
little round hill; hillock
reparation
compensation (for loss or wrong); amends; Ex. make reparation for the damage; CF. repair
beset
harass or trouble from all directions; hem in
spry
(esp. of older people) vigorously active; nimble
buxom
full-bosomed; plump; jolly
vulnerable
susceptible to wounds or attack; N. vulnerability
provident
providing for future needs; displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies; OP. improvident
incense
enrage; infuriate(make furious); make extremely angry; outrage; N: aromatic substance burned to produce a pleasant odor
shack
crude cabin
subversive
tending to overthrow or ruin; V. subvert: overthrow completely (an established system); destroy completely; CF. undermine ?
privy
secret; hidden; not public; made a participant in something secret; Ex. privy chamber government; Ex. be privy to a discussion; CF. private
tickle
touch (the body) lightly so as to cause laughter; please
gruesome
grisly; horrible
quadruped
four-footed animal; ADJ. CF. biped
transition
going from one state of action to another
swill
drink greedily
malingerer
one who feigns illness to escape duty; V. malinger: feign illness to avoid work
incipient
beginning; in an early stage
violate
break (a law); defile; desecrate; assault sexually; Ex. violate graves
fathomless
too deep to be measured or understood; unfathomable
execrate
curse; express abhorrence for; detest
aria
operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio
totem
animal, plant, or natural object serving as a symbol of a clan or family; representation of this; Ex. totem pole
amok(amuck)
in a state of rage; Ex. run amok
genesis
beginning; origin
constraint
restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings; reticence; V. constrain: hold back; restrain; compel; oblige; confine forcibly; imprison
scrap
small bit or fragment; discarded waste material; fight; Ex. a scrap of paper/cloth; V: break into parts for disposal; discard as worthless; fight; quarrel
antediluvian
antiquated; extremely ancient
provincial
pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; narrow; unsophisticated
sustain
suffer (harm or loss); experience; support; prop; maintain; keep in existence; nourish (to maintain life); Ex. sustain the family/the trapped miners
subside
sink to a lower level; settle down; sink to the bottom (as a sediment); descend; grow quiet; become less; moderate; abate
swamp
wetland; marsh; V: flood; overwhelm; drench in with liquid
hypothetical
based on assumptions or hypotheses; supposed; N. hypothesis
defoliate
destroy leaves; deprive of leaves (by the use of chemicals); N. defoliant
ineluctable
irresistible; not to be escaped; unavoidable
correlate
either of the correlated things; V.
overturn
turn over; capsize; topple
consequential
self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result; Ex. consequential air; CF. subsequent
lode
metal-bearing vein(long deposit of an ore)
carefree
free from worries; having no problems
zealot
one who is zealous; fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal
cornice
projecting molding on building (usually above columns or pillars); ó¸¶ Àå½Ä
matrix
point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold or die; Ex. the matrix of Western civilization
indenture
bind as servant or apprentice to master; bind by indenture; N: contract binding one party into the service of another for a specified time (as between an apprentice and his master)
renown
fame; ADJ. renowned
equable
tranquil; of even calm temper; (of temperature) steady; uniform
alchemy
medieval chemistry
potable
suitable for drinking; drinkable
mischance
ill luck
mass
Christian religious ceremony; CF. Mass: ceremony of the Eucharist
restraint
moderation or self-control; controlling force; restriction
polyglot
speaking several languages; multilingual; Ex. polyglot person/society; N.
shambles
(place or scene of) complete disorder or ruin; wreck; mess; Ex. After the hurricane, the coast was a shambles.
malediction
curse
haven
place of safety; refuge; harbor; Ex. tax haven
venison
meat of a deer; CF. cow: beef; CF. pig: pork, ham, bacon; CF. calf: veal; CF. sheep: mutton; CF. lamb: lamb
lucrative
profitable; producing wealth
quandary
dilemma; state of uncertainty; Ex. She is in a quandary about whether to go.
wizened
shriveled; withered; Ex. wizened apple/old lady
tutelage
guardianship; training; function of a tutor; instruction
gusto
eager enjoyment; zest; enthusiasm
malaise
uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health (without any particular pain or appearance of disease)
optician
maker and seller of eyeglasses
gastronomy
art and science of preparing and serving good food; CF. gastronome
ornate
excessively or elaborately decorated
scruple
hesitate for ethical reasons; fret about; Ex. She did not scruple to read his diary; N: uneasy feeling arising from conscience; conscience
effervescence
inner excitement or exuberance; showing high spirits; emitting bubbles forming inside; bubbling from fermentation or carbonation; ADJ. effervescent; V. effervesce
bicameral
two-chambered as a legislative body
laceration
torn ragged wound; V. lacerate: tear (the skin as with broken glass); wound
chide
scold; rebuke (someone who has done wrong)
disapprobation
disapproval; condemnation
funereal
sad; solemn; suitable for a funeral
fracas
brawl(noisy quarrel or fight) in which a number of people take part; melee
parallel
similar; analogous; corresponding; N: parallel line; person or thing that is parallel (to another); similarity; Ex. know of no parallel to the case; Ex. without parallel; V: be similar to; make parallel; Ex. Your experience parallels mine; CF. unparallele
compute
reckon; calculate
epitaph
inscription in memory of a dead person (as on a tombstone)
abysmal
bottomless
patois
local or provincial dialect
proxy
authorized agent; authority to act for another
bauble
trinket; cheap jewel; trifle
besiege
surround with armed forces; harass (with requests); annoy continually
sow
plant or scatter seed
document
provide written evidence (for a claim); record with documents; N.
usurp
seize another’s power or rank (without legal authority); supplant; appropriate; N. usurpation; CF. take for one’s own use
coalesce
combine; fuse; N. coalescence
empathy
ability to identify with another’s feelings, ideas, etc.; identification with and understanding of another’s feelings; V. empathize; CF. sympathy
vindicate
clear from blame; free from blame or accusation (with supporting proof); exonerate; substantiate; justify or support; avenge; Ex. vindicate one’s client; Ex. vindicate one’s claim; CF. vindicator
limber
flexible; supple; pliable; V.
ensue
follow (as a result)
remittance
remitting of money; amount of money remitted
hive
box for bees; V: cause to go in a hive
persevere
continue steadily in spite of difficulties
reprobate
morally disapproved person; person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency; CF. disapproved by God ?
disingenuous
not naive; not candid; sophisticated; worldly wise; OP. ingenuous
automaton
mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself
merger
combination (of two business corporations); act of merging
plenitude
abundance; plenty; great amount; completeness; fullness; CF. plenary, plenty
trident
three-pronged spear
negligible
so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded
healthful
conducive to good health; Ex. healthful mountain air
centripetal
tending toward the center
distant
reserved or aloof; cold in manner; Ex. distant greeting; ADV. distantly
epithet
word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing; descriptive phrase to characterize a person (often contemptous)
discourse
serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal discussion (either written or spoken); conversation; V.
distinctive
clearly different from others of the same kind
nullify
make invalid; make null; invalidate
hegemony
dominance especially of one nation over others
accede
agree
ancestry
family descent; ADJ. ancestral
profligate
wasteful (of money); dissipated; wildly immoral; dissolute; N: profligate person; N. profligacy
abstain
refrain; withhold from participation; intentionally not use one’s vote; ±â±ÇÇôÙ
ambiguous
unclear or doubtful in meaning; having more than one possible interpretation
asunder
into parts; apart; V. sunder
centaur
mythical figure, half man and half horse
humus
substance or rich soil formed by decaying vegetable matter; CF. soil
prehensile
capable of grasping or holding (esp. by wrapping around); Ex. prehensile tails
rapture
great joy and delight; ecstasy; ADJ. rapturous
rotund
(of a person) fat and round
atavism
resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic
redress
remedy; compensation; Ex. seek redress for the damage to your car; V: put right; remedy or rectify (a wrong); make amends for
chisel
swindle or cheat; N: wedgelike tool for cutting
compassion
sympathy for the suffering of others; ADJ. compassionate
gravity
seriousness; ADJ. grave
