GRE03 Flashcards
1
Q
shrew
A
scolding woman; very small mouselike animal
2
Q
vivisection
A
act of dissecting living animals
3
Q
morgue
A
mortuary; place where bodies are kept before burial or cremation
4
Q
opalescent
A
iridescent; lustrous; like an opal; N. opalescence
5
Q
placate
A
pacify; bring peace to; conciliate; appease
6
Q
addendum
A
addition; appendix to book; something that is added (as at the end of a speech or book)
7
Q
misdemeanor
A
minor crime; misdeed; wrongdoing
8
Q
tedium
A
boredom; weariness; ADJ. tedious
9
Q
prot'eg'e
A
person receiving protection and support from a patron
10
Q
tonsure
A
shaving of the head especially by person entering religious orders; V.
11
Q
endemic
A
prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country; peculiar to a particular region or people; CF. pandemic
12
Q
antithesis
A
contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical
13
Q
corpus
A
collection (of writings or information); Ex. the corpus of Shakespear’s works; Cf. corpse
14
Q
comport
A
bear one’s self; behave; Ex. comport oneself; N. comportment
15
Q
romp
A
play or frolic boisterously; gambol; N.
16
Q
deleterious
A
harmful
17
Q
rostrum
A
raised platform for speech-making; pulpit
18
Q
pivotal
A
of a pivot; central; critical; crucial
19
Q
mutablility
A
ability to change in form; fickleness; ADJ. mutable: able to change; fickle; CF. mutate; CF. mutant
20
Q
unaccountable
A
unexplicable; impossible to account for; unreasonable or mysterious
21
Q
badinage
A
teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
22
Q
dawdle
A
loiter; hang around; waste time doing nothing
23
Q
impuissance
A
powerlessness; feebleness
24
Q
cantankerous
A
ill-humored; irritable
25
ventriloquist
someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from another person or thing (without moving lips or jaws); N. ventriloquism, ventriloquy
26
ascendancy
controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant
27
disparate
basically different; impossible to compare; unrelated
28
recourse
resorting to help when in trouble; Ex. without recourse to
29
palliate
ease pain (without curing); make less severe or offensive (a crime or illness)
30
transcendent
exceeding ordinary limits; superior; surpassing; V. transcend: go beyond; exceed; surpass; N. transcendancy
31
remiss
negligent; careless about a duty
32
inveigh
denounce; utter censure or invective; Ex. inveigh against the evils of drink
33
wrinkle
small ridge on a smooth surface (face or cloth); V.
34
studied
carefully contrived; calculated; unspontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful; Ex. studied remark
35
imbecility
weakness of mind; state of being an imbecile; N. imbecile: stupid person; fool
36
overthrow
topple; N.
37
annul
make void
38
sumptuous
grand suggesting great expense; lavish; rich; Ex. sumptuous feast
39
deflect
turn aside; turn away from a straight course
40
malign
speak evil of; bad-mouth(criticize spitefully); defame; ADJ: harmful; Ex. malign influence
41
swarthy
(of a skin or complexion) dark; dusky; Ex. swarthy Italian ?
42
beneficial
helpful; useful; advantageous
43
posture
assume an affected pose; act artificially; N: pose; attitude
44
desperate
having lost all hope; despairing; reckless and violent because of loss of hope or despair; undertaken as a last resort
45
antiseptic
substance that prevents infection in a wound; ADJ.
46
grotesque
fantastic; comically hideous; strange and unnatural (causing fear or amusement)
47
foul
very bad or disagreeable; very dirty; Ex. foul smell/flavor/temper/language/air/deed/weather/means; N. act against the rules; V. make or become foul; commit a foul
48
haggard
wasted away; gaunt; Ex. haggard faces of the rescued miners
49
choleric
hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera
50
unwieldy
awkward (to carry or move); cumbersome; unmanageable
51
retinue
following; attendants
52
memorial
something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to honor the memory of a person or event; ADJ: commemorative
53
cajole
persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle
54
exasperate
vex; annoy or make angry (by testing the patience)
55
unkempt
disheveled; uncared for in appearance; not combed; CF. comb
56
insubordination
disobedience; rebelliousness; ADJ. insubordinate
57
irony
hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that seem to mean the opposite of what they actually mean; use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning
58
irate
angry; CF. ire: anger; wrath
59
exempt
not subject to a duty or obligation; free from a duty; V.
60
antecede
precede
61
retain
keep; maintain possession of; employ (esp. a lawyer or advisor); N. retainer: servant; fee paid to retain an advisor
62
aloft
upward; high up in the air
63
surly
bad-tempered; rude; cross
64
brag
boast
65
deviate
turn away from (a principle, norm); move away from an accepted standard; swerve; depart; diverge; N. deviation; Ex. deviation of the path of light by a prism
66
fidelity
loyalty; accuracy
67
unbridled
violent; uncontrolled; Ex. unbridled rage/greed
68
abode
dwelling place; home
69
mitigate
appease; moderate; make or become less in force or intensity
70
glutton
someone who eats too much; ADJ. gluttonous: given to gluttony; greedy; CF. gluttony: habit of eating too much
71
inviolable
secure from corruption, attack, or violation(or profanation); unassailable; Ex. inviolable oath/rights; N. inviolability
72
apogee
highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee
73
rake
immoral or dissolute person
74
unique
without an equal; single in kind
75
personify
represent (an inanimate object) as a person; be the embodiment or perfect example of; Ex. She is evil/patience personified; N. personification
76
vapid
lacking liveliness; dull and unimaginative; insipid and flavorless; Ex. vapid lecture
77
trilogy
group of three related works (connected by a shared subject but each complete in itself)
78
lancet
small surgical tool for making incisions
79
gibberish
nonsense; nonsensical or unintelligible talk or writing; babbling
80
fugitive
fleeting or transitory; lasting only a short time; roving(wandering); running away or fleeing as from the law; N: one who flees; Ex. fugitives at large
81
virtual
in essence; existing in essence though not in actual form; for practical purposes; Ex. virtual ruler/space
82
propound
put forth for consideration or analysis; set forth; Ex. propound a problem/theory
83
plaster
paste that hardens to a smooth solid and is used for coating walls; V.
84
disproportion
lack of proportion (between the parts); ADJ. disproportionate
85
chicanery
trickery; deception
86
reminiscent
suggestive of something (in the past); of reminiscence
87
parish
area in the care of a single priest and served by one main church
88
unearthly
not earthly; supernatural; weird; ghostly
89
translucent
partly transparent
90
chaplain
clergyman attached to a chapel
91
introvert
one who is introspective or inclined to think more about oneself; ADJ. introverted
92
rue
regret; lament; mourn; Ex. He will rue the day; N. ADJ. rueful
93
dainty
delicate; delicately beautiful; fastidious; not easy to please; Ex. dainty movement/dress
94
delude
deceive
95
mar
spoil the appearance of
96
quintessence
purest and highest embodiment; perfect example; apotheosis; most essential element; Ex. quintessence of wit; ADJ. quintessential; CF. fifth essence
97
commonplace
ordinary; N: something ordinary or common; trite remark
98
cryptic
mysterious; hidden; secret
99
privation
lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life; hardship; want; CF. deprive
100
zany
comic; crazy; N: clown; comical person (given to outlandish behavior)
101
viper
poisonous snake
102
slink
move furtively; ADJ. slinky: stealthy; furtive; sneaky (as in ambush)
103
sophistry
seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning; sophism
104
sagacious
wise; perceptive; shrewd; having insight; N. sagacity
105
glossary
brief explanation of words used in the text
106
alias
an assumed name esp. by a criminal (usually to mislead people); ADV. alias
107
vernacular
living language (as compared to the official language); language spoken in a country or region; natural style; Ex. lapse into the vernacular
108
episodic
(of a story or play) loosely connected; made up of separate and loosely connected parts; N. episode: incident in the course of an experience
109
exemplify
show by example; furnish an example; serve as an example of; Ex. His pictures exemplify that sort of painting.
110
dull
(of colors or surfaces) not bright; cloudy; overcast; boring; (of edge or sound) not sharp; not rapid; sluggish; slow in thinking and understanding; stupid; V.
111
viand
food; CF. live
112
intrepid
fearless
113
regime
method of system or government
114
amiable
agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly
115
yeoman
man or farmer owning small estate; middle-class farmer
116
tract
propaganda pamphlet (esp. by a religious or political group); expanse of land; region of indefinite size; system of related organs; Ex. digestive tract
117
travail
strenuous work; toil; painful labor; labor of childbirth
118
degradation
humiliation; debasement; degeneration; V. degrade: debase; disgrace; degenerate; reduce (something) in worth; demote (someone); reduce in rank
119
multilingual
having many languages; fluent in several languages
120
prattle
talk idly; babble; N. CF. prate
121
scorch
sear; N.
122
vulpine
like a fox; crafty
123
faculty
mental or bodily powers; teaching staff
124
iniquitous
wicked; immoral; unrighteous; N. iniquity; Ex. den of iniquity
125
lechery
gross lewdness; lustfulness; ADJ. lecherous; N. lecher: lecherous man
126
multifarious
varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities
127
piety
devoutness; reverence for God; ADJ. pious
128
mosaic
picture made of small colorful inlaid tiles; ADJ.
129
suitor
man who is courting a woman
130
extant
(of something written or painted) still in existence
131
floe
flat mass of floating ice
132
threat
sign or warning (of coming danger); Ex. threat of rain; V: express a threat; give warning of (something bad); Ex. The cloud threatens rain.
133
prevaricate
lie; hide the truth (by equivocating)
134
pomposity
self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt(pompous person); ADJ. pompous: self-important
135
mimicry
imitation
136
retrospective
looking back on the past; N. retrospection; V. retrospect
137
gleam
brief flash of light; glow; V.
138
ulcer
sore place appearing on the skin inside or outside the body; Ex. stomach ulcer; ADJ. ulcerous; V. ulcerate
139
sere
sear; parched; dry
140
rejuvenate
make young again
141
palm
conceal in the palm of the hand; palm off: pass off; Ex. palm off some bad oranges onto the lady/the painting as a real Renoir
142
bourgeois
middle class; selfishly materialistic; too interested in material possessions
143
entice
lure; persuade to do (something wrong); attract; tempt
144
taunt
deride or provoke; challenge in derision; N.
145
sybarite
lover of luxury; person devoted to pleasure and luxury; CF. Sybaris: an ancient Greek city in Italy
146
spin
rotate swiftly; make (thread) by twisting (cotton, wool, etc.); N.
147
genteel
well-bred; elegant; striving to convey an appearance of refinement; Ex. genteel poverty
148
nicety
precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference; Ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; Ex. distinguish between niceties
149
submerge
place under water; dip; go under water; cover completely (as with water); Ex. submerged in work
150
elusive
evasive; not frank; baffling; hard to grasp, catch, or understand; V. elude: escape from; escape the understanding or grasp of; Ex. elude the hunter; Ex. His name eludes me.
151
carnage
destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals
152
cloying
distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess
153
forerunner
predecessor; one that comes before and indicates the approach of another
154
fuddle
make stupid or confused as with alcholic drink; N. in a fuddle: confused
155
salvage
rescue (goods or property) from loss; N: saving; property saved
156
chant
tune(melody) in which a number of words are sung on the same note; V: sing (a chant); utter (a slogan) in the manner of a chant
157
discredit
defame; disgrace; destroy confidence in; disbelieve; N. CF. discreditable: causing discredit; shameful
158
underscore
underline; emphasize
159
omnivorous
eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything
160
aberration
deviation from the normal; mental disorder
161
litany
supplicatory prayer; prayer in which the priest calls out and the people replies in the same words
162
censure
blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N: severe criticism; strong disapproval
163
asymmetric
not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
164
barb
sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark
165
censor
(in ancient Rome) overseer of morals (also taking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate matter; V.
166
kismet
fate; destiny; Ex. Kismet is the Arabic word for fate.
167
stricture
severe and adverse criticism; critical comments; limit or restriction
168
halfhearted
exhibiting little interest or enthusiasm
169
chagrin
annoyance and disappointment; vexation (caused by humiliation or injured pride)
170
articulate
effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly; having clear sounds; having joints; Ex. articulate speech; V: express thoughts and feeling clearly; pronounce clearly; unite by joints
171
wisp
small bunch (of hair); faint streak (of smoke)
172
proscribe
prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw
173
germ
earliest form of an organism; seed or bud; something that may develop into something larger or more important; microbe
174
notoriety
disrepute; ill fame
175
writ
written command issued by a court (telling someone to do or not to do something)
176
girth
distance around something; circumference
177
benign
kindly; favorable; not malignant (disease); Ex. benign tumor
178
accoutre
equip; N. accoutrement
179
metaphysical
pertaining to speculative philosophy; of metaphysics; N. metaphysics: branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality
180
repellent
driving away; disgusting; offensive; repulsive; unattractive; N.
181
projectile
missile; fired or thrown object (such as stone or bullet)
182
eminent
rising above others; high; lofty; distinguished; Ex. eminent position
183
incursion
temporary invasion; CF. excursion: short journey
184
prosper
become successful (esp. financially); thrive; grow well; Ex. children prospering under his care
185
impassive
without feeling; expressionless; imperturbable; stoical; Ex. impassive face
186
volatile
changeable; of a quickly changing nature (as of temper); mercurial; tending to violence; evaporating rapidly; Ex. volatile character/situation in the street
187
derogatory
expressing a low opinion; disparaging; V. derogate: detract; disparage
188
censorious
severely critical
189
barefaced
shameless and noticeable; blatant; bold; unconcealed; having no covering on the face; Ex. barefaced lie
190
gruel
thin liquid porridge
191
mute
silent; without speech; not pronounced; unable to speak; N: one who is incapable of speech; V: soften the sound, color, shade of
192
bilious
suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated
193
fledgling(fledgeling)
inexperienced; N: young bird that has acquired wing feathers and is learning to fly; inexperienced person
194
bask
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
195
holocaust
destruction by fire; CF. burnt whole; CF. Holocaust
196
exquisite
delicate; very finely made; extremely beautiful; Ex. exquisite piece of jewelry
197
grudge
deep feeling of dislike; Ex. grudge fight; V.
198
ductile
malleable; pliable; (of metals) easily pulled into shape; flexible; (of someone) easily influenced or controlled
199
reconcile
make friendly again (after quarrel); make consistent (two ideas in opposition); correct inconsistencies; Ex. reconcile one's political principles with one's religious beliefs
200
musty
stale (in odor or taste); spoiled by age; CF. moist
