GRE12 From2190-2389 Flashcards
waver
move or swing back and forth; be uncertain or unsteady in decision or movement; Ex. wavering between accepting and refusing
meteoric
like a meteor; swift; momentarily brilliant; Ex. meteoric rise to fame; N. meteor
imperious
domineering; too commanding; haughty; CF. imperial/emperor
flit
fly; fly or move lightly or quickly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by; Ex. a bee flitting from flower to flower
temper
moderate; make less severe; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel) as by alternate heating and cooling
typhoon
tropical hurricane or cyclone
garrulous
loquacious; wordy; talkative; N. garrulity
wastrel
waster; profligate
tureen
deep dish for serving soup
itinerant
wandering; traveling from place to place (to perform work); Ex. itinerant preacher
chide
scold; rebuke (someone who has done wrong)
bemoan
lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of
anoint
consecrate; put oil on (in a religious ceremony)
gruel
thin liquid porridge
interrogate
question closely; cross-examine; cross-question
evoke
call forth (memory or feeling); Ex. That old film evoked memories of my childhood; N. evocation
haunt
(of a spirit) visit (a place); come to mind continually; visit (a place) regularly; frequent; Ex. haunted house; Ex. haunted by his last words; N: place much frequented
blasphemy
irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; bad language about God or holy things; V. blasphem; ADJ. blasphemous; CF. sacrilege
homage
honor; tribute; great respect; Ex. pay/do homage to
enmity
ill will; hatred; hostility
multifarious
varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities
omnivorous
eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything
consistency
absence of contradictions; uniformity; degree of thickness or firmness; Ex. consistency of thick cream; CF. viscous
prodigy
highly gifted child; person with exceptional talents; marvel; wonder
snuffle
sniffle; sniff repeatedly (in order to keep liquid from running out of the nose)
reprehensible
deserving blame; blameworthy; V. reprehend: blame
viable
capable of maintaining life; feasible; practical or workable; Ex. viable scheme
ursine
bearlike; pertaining to a bear
platitude
trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous
gourmand
epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink
anomalous
abnormal; irregular
trident
three-pronged spear
lounge
stand, sit, or lie in a lazy, relaxed way
homely
not good-looking; unattractive
perquisite(perk)
any gain above stipulated salary; Ex. perquisites such as free meals and a car
verve
enthusiasm (as in artistic performance or composition); liveliness; vigor
coincidence
the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coincident; CF. coincidental
cow
terrorize; intimidate
malcontent
person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs; discontented person; ADJ: discontented
emboss
produce a design in raised relief; decorate with a raised design
gale
windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughters, tears); Ex. gale of laughter
canvass
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through (a region) to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N.
sublimate
refine; purify; replace (natural urges) with socially acceptable activities; change between a solid state and a gaseous state
beholden
obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude
fret
be annoyed or vexed; Ex. fret over your poor grades; N: irritation of mind; ADJ. fretful
allay
calm; pacify
artery
blood-vessel; CF. vein
avid
greedy; extremely eager for; Ex. avid learner; N. avidity
kaleidoscope
tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc. produce interesting symmetrical effects; series of changing events; Ex. kaleidoscope of European history; CF. beautiful
waggish
humorous; mischievous; tricky
commune
small (often rural) community whose members share work and income; V: exchange thoughts or feelings; Ex. commune with nature
disenfranchise
disfranchise; deprive of a civil right; OP. enfranchise
sage
person celebrated for wisdom; wise person; ADJ: wise
comely
attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
succumb
yield (to something overwhelming); give in; die; Ex. succumb to the illness
fledgling(fledgeling)
inexperienced; N: young bird that has acquired wing feathers and is learning to fly; inexperienced person
clique
small exclusive group of people
serendipity
gift for finding valuable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck; CF. The Three Princes of Serendip
wistful
sadly thoughtful (because of desires or memories); sadly pensive; vaguely longing
snivel
complain or whine tearfully; run at the nose; snuffle; Ex. Don’t come back sniveling to me.
incontrovertible
indisputable; impossible to dispute; not open to question; unquestionable
assent
agree; accept; N. assessment
dismantle
take apart; disassemble
inter
bury; N. interment
untenable
(of a position, esp. in an argument) indefensible; not able to be maintained
fusillade
simultaneous firing or outburst (of missiles, questions, etc.)
noisome
foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome
court
attempt to gain; seek; woo; risk; behave so as to invite; attempt to gain the favor of by attention; Ex. court disaster
delete
erase; strike out
equivocate
use equivocal language to deceive people; lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth; N. equivocation
converse
opposite; ADJ.
philistine
narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain; uncultured person who is indifferent to artistic and cultural values; member of an ancient people in Palestine; OP. aesthete
unassailable
not open to attack; impregnable; not subject to question
antithesis
contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical
pharisee
Pharisee: member of an ancient Jewish group that emphasized strict observance of the Mosaic law (considering themselves very holy); hypocritical self-righteous person
dazzle
make blind with a sudden intense light; amaze; fill with wonder
antediluvian
antiquated; extremely ancient
reverent
respectful; worshipful; V. revere: regard with reverence; N. reverence: profound respect
clarion
shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times
atone
make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for
unassuaged
unsatisfied; not soothed
touchstone
stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion; standard
falter
hesitate; weaken in purpose or action; walk or move unsteadily through weakness; N.
slink
move furtively; ADJ. slinky: stealthy; furtive; sneaky (as in ambush)
helm
steering wheel of a ship; position of control
equitable
fair; impartial; OP. inequitable
heterodox
(of beliefs) against accepted opinion; unorthodox; unconventional
malaise
uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health (without any particular pain or appearance of disease)
killjoy
grouch; spoilsport; one who intentionally spoils the pleasure of others
extemporaneous
not planned; impromptu; extempore
hoard
stockpile; accumulate for future use; N: supply stored for future use
relinquish
give up something (with reluctance); yield; release; Ex. relinquish power/the claim to the land/his hold on my arm
penology
study of prison management and criminal rehabilitation
impolitic
not wise; not expedient; not politic
complement
complete; consummate; make perfect; N.
consonant
harmonious; in agreement; N.
brink
edge (at the top of a cliff); Ex. on the brink of the Grand Canyon
grunt
utter a deep guttural sound (as a pig does); N.
pacifist
one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes
headstrong
willful; stubborn; unyielding; determined to have one’s own way; CF. no ‘excessive’
slaughter
killing of animals for food; massacre; V: butcher (animals) for food; kill in large numbers
nib
beak(bill); pen point
fulsome
disgustingly excessive; offensively flattering; Ex. fulsome praise/expressions of admire
trickster
person who cheats people
predetermine
determine in advance; predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly
adventitious
accidental; casual; happening by chance
condiments
seasonings; spices
effulgent
shining brightly; brilliant
attrition
rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition
eddy
swirling current of water, air, etc.; V.
sentimental
swayed by sentiment; appealing to the sentiments
mercenary
motivated solely by money or gain; N.
nirvana
in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude
preempt
prevent in advance; head off(forestall); forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself before others; supplant; take the place of; displace; Ex. preempt any attempts; ADJ. preemptive
derelict
negligent; (of someone) neglectful of duty; (of something) deserted by an owner; abandoned; N: abandoned property; homeless or vagrant person
rigid
hard and unbending; stiff and unyielding; fixed in behavior or views; strict; rigorous; Ex. rigid rule
expose
public revelation of something discreditable
roseate
rosy; optimistic; Ex. roseate views
shyster
lawyer using questionable methods; unscrupulous practioner
pose
assume a particular posture; put forward; present; affect a particular attitude (to impress others); Ex. pose a threat; N.
nostalgia
homesickness; longing for the past; Ex. nostalgia for the clothes of 1920s; ADJ. nostalgic
bristle
short stiff hair; V: (hair or fur) stand up stiffly
bacchanalian
drunken
shuffle
mix together; jumble; move (something) from one place to another; slide (the feet) along the ground while walking; Ex. shuffle papers from one pile to another; N.
desperado
reckless, desperate outlaw
demise
death
prowess
extraordinary ability; military bravery; Ex. prowess in battle
jingoist
extremely aggressive and militant patriot; warlike chauvinist; N. jingoism: extreme nationalism
convention
social or moral custom; established practice; formal meeting; international agreement
cornice
projecting molding on building (usually above columns or pillars); ó¸¶ Àå½Ä
encipher
encode; convert a message into code; put into cipher
delusion
false belief; hallucination; deluding; Ex. delusions of grandeur; Ex. under the delusion that
premonition
forewarning; presentiment; foreboding
aesthetic
artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful (of a person or building); CF. aesthete; CF. aesthetics
gnome
dwarf; underground spirit who guards treasure hoards
stratum
layer of earth’s surface; layer of society; PL. strata
taper
very thin candle; gradual decrease in the width of a long object; V. make or become gradually narrower toward one end
syllogism
logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument
cogent
convincing
decorum
propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners; appropriateness of behavior or conduct
potentate
monarch; sovereign
trunk
main wooden stem of a tree; human body excluding the head and limbs; torso; prehensile nose of an elephant
endemic
prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country; peculiar to a particular region or people; CF. pandemic
migratory
wandering; V. migrate: move from one region and settle in another; move periodically from one region to another
confluence
flowing together; the place where two rivers flow together; crowd; gathering together
physiognomy
face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features
escapade
prank; flighty conduct; reckless adventure that disobeys rules
renegade
deserter; traitor; ADJ.
fluency
smoothness of speech; ADJ. fluent
dilapidated
falling to pieces; in a bad condition; ruined because of neglect; Ex. dilapidated old car/castle; N. dilapidation
annotate
comment; make explanatory notes
retribution
deserved punishment for wrongdoing; punishment for offenses; compensation; vengeance; CF. pay back
guise
outward appearance; costume; Ex. in a new guise
application
diligent attention; diligence; V. apply oneself
analgesia
condition of being unable to feel pain
bandy
discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with
regicide
murder of a king or queen
regatta
boat or yacht race
bicameral
two-chambered as a legislative body
reinstate
restore to a previous condition or position
indentation
notch; deep recess; V. indent; CF. tooth
slander
defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements; V. ADJ. slanderous
amalgam
combination of different things; mixture of metals (containing mercury) used for filling holes in teeth
appreciate
be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of; ADJ. appreciable: enough to be felt; Ex. appreciable difference
infidel
unbeliever (with respect to a particular religion)
tertiary
third in order or rank
sectarian
of a sect; narrow-minded; parochial; N: member of a sect; narrow-minded person
haughtiness
pride; arrogance; ADJ. haughty
brazen
insolent; without shame; bold; Ex. brazen lie; V: face with bold self-assurance or with unshamed confidence
dispirited
lacking in spirit
eulogy
expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone’s death; V. eulogize
apocryphal
(of a story) widely believed but untrue
umbrage
resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult; Ex. take umbrage at his rudeness
suffocate
die or kill from lack of air; suppress
scaffold
temporary platform for workers (to work at heights above the ground); bracing framework; platform for execution
mauve
pale purple
usury
lending money at illegal high rates of interest
prestige
respect or admiration; impression produced by achievements or reputation; ADJ: causing admiration; ADJ. prestigious: having prestige
facsimile
copy
vitiate
spoil the effect of; make inoperative; corrupt morally
puzzle
baffle or confuse by a difficult problem; ponder over a problem in an effort to solve; clarify or solve by reasoning; Ex. puzzle out the answer; N.
naivet'e(naivety)
quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility; ADJ. naive(na"ive): ingenuous; lacking worldliness; simple; credulous
tempo
speed of music
lancet
small surgical tool for making incisions
glacial
like a glacier; of an ice age; extremely cold; Ex. glacial epoch; CF. iceberg
humane
marked by kindness or consideration; kind and compassionate; humanitarian
stem
stop or check (the flow of); Ex. stem the bleeding from the slashed artery; N: main axis of a plant; stalk
gleam
brief flash of light; glow; V.
extirpate
root up; uproot; destroy completely
bedraggle
wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled
emaciated
thin and wasted (from hunger or illness)
mentor
counselor; teacher
etymology
study of word parts; study of the origins of words
far-fetched
too improbable to be believed; implausible; Ex. far-fetched story
commemorative
remembering; honoring the memory of; Ex. commemorative stamp
ecliptic
path of the sun and the planets
rectitude
moral correctness; moral uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judgment
herpetologist
one who studies reptiles; CF. herpetology: branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians
prong
pointed projecting part
rake
immoral or dissolute person
