GRE12 Flashcards
filial
pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter; Ex. filial respect
acidulous
slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic
illusion
misleading vision or visual image; false idea or belief; CF. delusion
obsolete
outmoded; no longer used
perpetuate
make perpetual; make something last for a long time; preserve from extinction; N. perpetuity
conspire
take part in a conspiracy; (of events) work together; combine; Ex. Events conspired to produce great difficulties.
wont
(the stated person’s) habit or custom; habitual procedure; ADJ. wonted: customary
welter
confusion; turmoil; confused mass; bewildering jumble;
horoscope
diagram of the positions of stars at a given moment (eg. of a person’s birth) used by astrologers
bogus
counterfeit; not authentic; intentionally false; Ex. bogus interview
revert
relapse; backslide; turn back to; return to the former owner; N. reversion
subtlety
perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy; ADJ. subtle: delicate; so slight as to be difficult to detect; able to make fine distinctions; clever; Ex. subtle mind/differences in meaning
cloister
monastery or convent
dormant
sleeping; temporarily inactive; lethargic; latent
tawny
brownish yellow
clairvoyant
having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance
yield
amount produced; crop; income on investment; profit obtained from an investment; V: produce; give in; surrender
elliptical
elliptic; oval; of an ellipse; containing an ellipsis; ambiguous either purposely or because key words have been left out
seduce
lead away from proper conduct; entice; ADJ. seductive
blowhard
talkative boaster; braggart
ethos
underlying character of a culture, group, etc.; character or ideas peculiar to a specific person, group, or culture; Ex. the company ethos
fallow
(of land) plowed but not sowed (to improve the quality); uncultivated
libidinous
lustful
gaudy
flashy; showy
dynamo
generator for producing electricity; energetic person
insatiable
not easily satisfied; unquenchable; Ex. insatiable appetite
palette
board on which painter mixes pigments(coloring matters)
attire
clothe; N: clothing; array; apparel
ethereal
like a spirit or fairy; unearthly light; heavenly; unusually refined; Ex. She has an ethereal beauty; CF. ether: upper air
evince
show clearly
understate
state with less truth than seems warranted by the facts; Ex. He understated the seriousness of the crime; N. understatement; OP. overstate
stem
stop or check (the flow of); Ex. stem the bleeding from the slashed artery; N: main axis of a plant; stalk
apposite
appropriate; fitting
apotheosis
elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something
malcontent
person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs; discontented person; ADJ: discontented
trenchant
cutting; incisive; keen
peerless
having no equal; incomparable
blanch
bleach; whiten; make white or pale
drastic
strong; violent and severe; Ex. drastic changes/measures
overture
musical introduction to a long musical piece; first offer or proposal (to begin talks in the hope of reaching an agreement); Ex. overtures for peace
leery
(of someone) suspicious; wary; cautious
unimpeachable
that cannot be impeached; beyond doubt or question; blameless and exemplary
awry
distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone awry.
premise
assumption; postulate; proposition upon which an argument is based
pendulous
hanging; suspended
saboteur
one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property; N. sabotage: destruction of property (usually carried out secretly)
knotty
intricate; difficult; tangled; CF. knot
connubial
pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state
disavowal
denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; V. disavow; CF. disclaim
aphorism
pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic
intractable
unruly; difficult to manage; Ex. intractable problem/child
evocative
tending to call up (emotions, memories)
defection
desertion
upbraid
reprimand; severely scold
canard
unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report
anthology
book of literary selections by various authors; CF. omnibus
murky
dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague; Ex. murky night/fog; N. murk: partial or complete darkness; gloom
flagrant
conspicuously wicked, bad, or offensive; blatant; outrageous
contempt
scorn; disdain; ADJ. contemptuous; CF. contemptible
marred
damaged; disfigured; V. mar: spoil; disfigure
titular
of a title; in name only; nominal; having the title of an office without the obligations; Ex. titular head of the company
impregnable
invulnerable; impossible to capture or enter by force; Ex. impregnable fort/argument; CF. take
madrigal
pastoral song; song for several singers without instruments
nugatory
worthless; futile
irreproachable
beyond reproach; blameless; impeccable; Ex. irreproachable conduct
inhibited
(of a person) unable to express what one really feels
animosity
active enmity
carnal
fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body
ingenious
marked by inventive skill; clever; resourceful; N. ingenuity
lineaments
features especially of the face; distinctive shape or contour of the face; CF. line
prestige
respect or admiration; impression produced by achievements or reputation; ADJ: causing admiration; ADJ. prestigious: having prestige
remonstrate
protest; objection; V. remonstrate: say in protest
willful
wilful; intentional; headstrong
incumbent
obligatory; imposed as an obligation; currently holding an office; N: person who holds an office
quail
cower; shrink back in fear; lose heart
ethnic
relating to races
sparse
not thick; thinly scattered; scanty
fiat
command; arbitrary order; Ex. presidential fiat; CF. let it be done
inkling
hint; slight indication
molecule
the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance
trunk
main wooden stem of a tree; human body excluding the head and limbs; torso; prehensile nose of an elephant
decrepitude
state of collapse or weakness caused by illness or old age
glaze
cover with a thin and shiny surface; apply a glaze to; N: thin, smooth, shiny coating (as for pottery); Ex. unglazed pottery
d'ebris
rubble; wreckage; scattered remains of something broken or destroyed
subordinate
occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive; N. V: put in a lower rank or class
plumage
feathers of a bird;
bigotry
stubborn intolerance
alacrity
cheerful promptness without reluctance
roseate
rosy; optimistic; Ex. roseate views
discrete
separate; unconnected
malevolent
wishing evil; exhibiting ill will; N. malevolence
subjugate
conquer; bring under control
blackball
vote against (an applicant); ostracize; N: negative vote
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious
promote
advance in rank; advance; help to flourish; advocate; help actively in forming; publicize or popularize; Ex. Milk promotes health; Ex. promote a match/bill; Ex. promote a new product
consonance
harmony; agreement
mischief
behavior (of children) causing trouble with no serious harm; damage; harm; Ex. mischief to the crops; ADJ. mischievous: causing mischief; playfully troublesome
equilibrium
balance of opposing forces; balance of the mind; equanimity
summation
act of finding the total; summing-up; summary (esp. one given by the judge at the end of a trial)
papyrus
ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
polemical(polemic)
aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious (rather than simply expressing opinions)
manipulate
operate with one’s hands; control or play upon (people, forces, etc.) artfully; maneuver; Ex. how to manipulate publicity and men; ADJ. manipulative
wrest
obtain by pulling violently; pull away; take by violence; Ex. wrest victory from their grasp
ambush
act of lying in wait to attack by surprise; sudden attack made from a concealed position; Ex. lie in ambush; V.
insurgent
rebellious; N.
premonitory
serving to warn
cognitive
having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing
caste
one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society; social stratification; prestige
sinister
evil; ominous
indulge
yield to; gratify; allow oneself a special pleasure; Ex. indulge one’s every whim/a child/in a big cigarette; N. indulgence
minute
extremely small; CF. minutes: official record of the proceedings at a meeting
repeal
revoke; annul
quip
taunt; clever sarcastic remark; V.
prosperous
successful; rich; affluent; well-to-do; well-off
gild
cover with a thin layer of gold
accomplice
partner in crime
inculcate
teach (ideas or principles); instill
concatenate
link as in a chain
odds
chances; probability; disagreement; Ex. The odds are that it will rain. Ex. at odds with
archetype
prototype; primitive pattern
iridescent
exhibiting rainbowlike colors; Ex. iridescent oil slick; N. iridescence
glib
fluent (with insincerity or superficiality); facile; slick
chaperon
older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman
heedless
not noticing; disregarding
paleontology
study of prehistoric life or fossils; CF. paleo-: ancient or prehistoric; Ex. paleography: study of ancient written documents
waive
give up temporarily; yield; N. waiver: waiving a right or claim; document that waives a right or claim
nettle
irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome
gargantuan
huge; enormous; gigantic; CF. the hero of Gargantua and Pantagruel
avalanche
great mass of falling snow and ice
leonine
like a lion
endue
provide with some quality; endow
ciliated
having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash
dexterous
skillful; skill in using hands or mind; N. dexterity
augury
omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future)
dismember
cut into small parts; cut (a body) apart limb from limb
imbalance
lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion
medley
mixture
obscure
dark; vague; unclear; not well known; Ex. obscure meaning/village; V: darken; cover; make unclear; Ex. obscure the moon/meaning
solicitor
lawyer in the lower court of law
ration
fixed portion; V: distribute as rations
torpedo
underwater explosive apparatus; V.
amazon
female warrior
amputate
cut off part of body; prune (a limb)
slaughter
killing of animals for food; massacre; V: butcher (animals) for food; kill in large numbers
stigma
token of disgrace; brand; V. stigmatize: mark with a stigma; characterize as disgraceful
melancholy
gloomy; morose; blue; N. ADJ. melancholic; CF. melancholia
deplore
regret; express sorrow and severe disapproval for something bad; Ex. deplore their violent behavior; ADJ. deplorable: very bad; deserving severe disapproval; Ex. deplorable living condition
indubitable
unable to be doubted; which cannot be doubted; unquestionable
chimerical
fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera: unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature
tablet
small round piece of medicine; flat piece of stone or metal bearing an inscription; Ex. stone tablet on the wall
hypochondriac
person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about illness; ADJ. CF. hypochondria: neurosis that one is or is becoming ill; CF. abdomen
sober
serious; solemn; not drunken; abstemious or temperate; V: make or become sober
specious
seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)
prevalent
widespread; generally accepted
arduous
hard; strenuous; Ex. arduous work
arrogance
pride; haughtiness; ADJ. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important (with a strong confidence in one’s own importance and a lack of respect for other people)
tangential
only slightly connected; not central; peripheral; digressing; showing divergence; CF. tangent
trough
long narrow container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.); long narrow depression as between waves
centigrade
denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius)
fleet
fast; rapid; N. ADJ. fleeting: passing quickly; ephemeral
verdigris
green coating or patina on copper which has been exposed to the weather
yore
time long past; Ex. in the days of yore
maudlin
effusively sentimental
piebald
of different colors; mottled; spotted in different colors (esp. in black and white); Ex. piebald horse; CF. pie+bald
supererogatory
superfluous; more than needed or demanded
assurance
firm statement that something is certainly true; promise or pledge; certainty; confidence in one’s own ability; self-confidence; Ex. In spite of all his assurances, he did not come back; Ex. assurance of his loyalty; Ex. The teacher lacked assurance in fr
spurious
false; counterfeit; forged; illogical; Ex. spurious arguments
convoluted
coiled around; twisted; involved; complicated; intricate; complex; N. convolution: twist; one of the convex folds of the surface of the brain
arch-
chief; first; Ex. archbishop
increment
increase
sound
in good condition; showing good judgment or good sense; thorough; complete; Ex. sound mind/investment/training
arsenal
storage place for military equipment
bane
posion; cause of ruin; ADJ. baneful: harmful; poisonous
languish
lose animation or strength
consign
send to a person or place for sale; deliver officially; entrust; put into the care of another; set apart (for a special purpose); N. consignment; CF. consignor, consignee
obstreperous
boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable
sprightly
lively
delineate
portray; depict; sketch; describe; N. delineation
wistful
sadly thoughtful (because of desires or memories); sadly pensive; vaguely longing
spatial
relating to space
marital
pertaining to marriage
sensual
devoted to the pleasures of the sense; carnal; voluptuous; Ex. sensual woman/curves/lips
rote
repetition; memorization through repetition without understanding; Ex. learn poetry by rote
equanimity
calmness of temperament; composure
formality
ceremonious quality; ceremonious adherence to rules; something done just for form’s sake; Ex. mere formality
quench
assuage or satisfy (thrust); slake; douse or extinguish; put out; suppress
fruition
bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization; Ex. come to/be brought to fruition
disengage
uncouple; separate; disconnect; stop fighting; OP. engage
caption
title; chapter heading; text under illustration
quizzical
curious; suggesting puzzlement (without saying); questioning; teasing; mocking; bantering; Ex. quizzical glance
platitude
trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous
reduce
diminish; bring to a weaker or more difficult condition; demote; lower in rank; separate into components by analysis; Ex. reduced to the ranks; Ex. reduce the house to rubble; N. reduction
exult
rejoice
evoke
call forth (memory or feeling); Ex. That old film evoked memories of my childhood; N. evocation
ursine
bearlike; pertaining to a bear
bate
let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate
eventual
happening at last as a result; Ex. eventual victory
momentous
very important; N. moment; CF. momentary
circuit
closed circular line around an area; circumference; regularly repeated journey from place to place
overwhelm
(of water) cover completely; defeat completely by much greater force; Ex. overwhelmed by grief
