GRE13 Flashcards
troth
pledge of good faith especially in betrothal; betrothal; Ex. by my troth
puny
tiny; weak; insignificant
savant
scholar; learned person; CF. savoir: know
grandiose
affectedly grand; pretentious; high-flown; ridiculously exaggerated; impressive; great in size or scope; grand; Ex. grandiose ideas
balk
stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
drab
dull; lacking color; cheerless ; Ex. drab coat/life
parchment
writing material made from the skin of a sheep or goat
ramp
slope; inclined plane or roadway (connecting two levels)
quibble
minor objection or complaint; V: raise minor objections; carp; cavil
vise
vice; tool for holding work in place; clamping device
blas'e
bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored
symbiosis
interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; ADJ. symbiotic; CF. together + life
self-indulgence
excessive indulgence of one’s own desire
deposition
testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning
abdicate
renounce; give up (position, right, or responsibility)
slovenly
untidy; careless in work habits; slipshod; N. sloven: one who is habitually untidy or careless
herald
messenger; sign of something to come; V: announce; proclaim; Ex. unheralded researcher
chauvinist
blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvinism; Nicolas Chauvin
awful
terrible; very bad
suborn
persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury); N. subornation
buffet
strike forcefully; slap; batter; knock out; N: table with food set out for people to server themselves; meal at which people help themselves to food that’s been set
lopsided
heavier or larger on one side than the other; Ex. lopsided way of walking
numismatist
person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals
toxic
poisonous; N. toxicity
reproach
blame (not angrily but sadly); express disapproval or disappointment; N. ADJ. reproachful
throb
(of a heart or machine) beat rapidly or violently; N. Ex. hearthrob: heartbeat; sweetheart
divine
perceive intuitively (by or as if by magic); foresee the future; foretell; dowse; ADJ. N. divination
itinerary
plan of a trip; record of a trip
germane
pertinent; bearing upon(having connection with) the case at hand; appropriate
decree
authoritative order; edict; judgment of a court of law; V: order or judge by decree
virtuoso
highly skilled artist (esp. in music); Ex. piano virtuoso
regicide
murder of a king or queen
uxorious
excessively submissive or devoted to one’s wife; CF. uxor: wife
officious
meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one’s services; overly eager in offering unwanted services or advices; Ex. officious bellboy
swear-word
word considered offensive; Ex. ``bloody’’
defer
give in respectfully; submit; delay till later; exempt temporarily; N. deferment; CF. show respect, comply with, courteous
gaffe
social blunder
invulnerable
incapable of injury; impossible to damage or injure
canker
any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil; CF. cancer
aesthetic
artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful (of a person or building); CF. aesthete; CF. aesthetics
resignation
patiently submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job; ADJ. resigned: acquiescent
undulating
moving with a wavelike motion; V. undulate; CF. und: wave
orient
get one’s bearings; adjust; make familiar with a situation; orientate
infantile
childish; infantlike
oscillate
vibrate pendulumlike; waver
meek
submissive; patient and long-suffering
dissolution
disintegration; reduction to a liquid form; looseness in morals; sensual indulgence; debauchery; ADJ. dissolute: lacking in moral restraint; leading an immoral life
respiration
breathing; exhalation; ADJ. respiratory
foray
raid; sudden raid or military advance; V.
recrimination
countercharges; V. recriminate
zest
outer skin of an orange used for giving a special taste to food; spice; interest; flavor; spirited enjoyment; Ex. add a certain zest to the affair; Ex. zest for life
contagion
infection (by contact); ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air
marsupial
one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch(pocket of skin or leather); CF. kangaroo, opossum, wombat
commonwealth
nation governed by the people; republic; people of a nation
depravity
extreme corruption; wickedness; V. deprave
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe
waft
move gently (in air or in seas) by wind or waves; Ex. leaves wafting past the window
dormer
window projecting upright from roof; CF. sleeping room
phlegmatic
calm and unexcitable; not easily disturbed; CF. phlegm: sticky mucus produced in the respiratory tract
anecdote
short story of an amusing or interesting event
hoax
trick which makes someone take action; practical joke; Ex. hoax mail; V.
artifacts
object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced
conundrum
riddle; difficult problem
peccadillo
slight offense or fault; CF. sin
unassailable
not open to attack; impregnable; not subject to question
filibuster
block legislation or prevent action in a lawmaking body by making very slow long speeches; N; freebooter
quirk
sudden sharp turn or twist; startling twist; caprice; idiosyncrasy; peculiarity of behavior; Ex. by a quirk of fate
wholesome
conducive to mental or physical health; healthful
avert
prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight.
implement
put into effect; enforce; carry out; supply with tools; Ex. implement the plan/suggestion; N: tool or instrument
somatic
pertaining to the body; bodily; physical
bank
heap; piled-up mass; embankment; lateral tilting (as of an aircraft in turning); V: pile up; protect with a bank; tilt in turning
herd
group of animals; crowd; one who looks after a herd; Ex. shepherd/goatherd; Ex. herd instinct; Ex. herdsman; V: come together in a herd; look after a herd; Ex. herd cattle
prelate
church dignitary; priest of high position in the church (esp. bishop)
incorporeal
without a material body; insubstantial
aromatic
fragrant; having a sweet smell; N. aroma: strong pleasant smell
hindsight
understanding the nature of an event after it has actually happened
fatalism
belief that events are determined by forces or fates beyond one’s control; ADJ. fatalistic; CF. fatal: causing death
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
pinnace
small boat
influx
flowing into
obfuscate
confuse; muddle; cause confusion; make needlessly complex; make so confused as to be difficult to understand
adjunct
something attached to but holding an inferior position
kindle
start a fire; ignite; inspire; arouse
deign
condescend; stoop
migratory
wandering; V. migrate: move from one region and settle in another; move periodically from one region to another
compress
force into less space; squeeze; contract; put into fewer words; N: thick mass of cloth pressed to part of the body to stop bleeding or swelling, reduce fever, etc.
vouchsafe
grant condescendingly; guarantee; Ex. vouchsafe your fair return on your investment
septic
of or causing sepsis; putrid; producing putrefaction; N. sepsis: poisoning of part of the body (producing pus)
effete
having lost one’s original power; barren; worn out; exhausted
babble
chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N.
pedestal
support or base as for a pillar or statue
championship
position of champion; defense or support; competition held to determine a champion
sage
person celebrated for wisdom; wise person; ADJ: wise
flinch
hesitate; shrink back (in fear of something unpleasant); Ex. She did not flinch in the face of danger.
queer
strange; eccentric; deviating from the normal
prod
poke (with a pointed object); stir up; urge; goad to action; N: pointed object used to prod; prodding
mellifluous
(of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune
impersonal
not being a person; not showing personal feelings; Ex. impersonal force/manner/organization
clientele
body of customers
champion
support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.)
digression
wandering away from the subject; V. digress
insouciant
without concern or care; unconcerned; indifferent
cache
hiding place; V.
palatable
agreeable; pleasing to the taste
outfit
clothing or equipment for a special purpose; Ex. cowboy outfit
lag
move or develop more slowly; straggle; Ex. lag behind the rest; N.
inclement
stormy; unkind; unmerciful; CF. clement
gargoyle
waterspout carved in grotesque figures on a building
encircle
surround
embark
commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey
amplify
increase in size or effect; expand; broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger; Ex. amplify one’s remarks with a graph
stickler
perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right
invective
abuse
invoke
call and bring into use (a right or law); call on/upon (a higher power or god) for help; ask for; beg for; conjure (a spirit); Ex. invoke the veto power; Ex. invoke one’s advisor/God
sneak
move, give, or take in a quiet, stealthy way; N: one who sneaks; ADJ. sneaky
degenerate
become worse in quality; deteriorate; ADJ: having become worse; Ex. a degenerate species; N: depraved or corrupt person
pare
cut away the outer covering or skin of (with a knife); trim; Ex. pare apples/expenses
rally
come or bring together; call up or summon (forces, vital powers, etc.); revive or recuperate (after illness or difficulty); N: act of rallying; mass gathering
anesthetic
substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia
earthy
unrefined; coarse; of earth; Ex. earthy remarks; OP. ethereal
incarcerate
imprison
crescendo
increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent
disjunction
act or state of separation; disunity; CF. disjunctive: expressing a choice between two ideas; CF. conjunction; CF. conjunctive
eloquence
expressiveness; persuasive speech; ADJ. eloquent: movingly expressive; expressing ideas well so that the hearers can be influeneced
resilient
elastic; having the power of springing back; able to recover quickly (as from misfortune)
solstice
point or time at which the sun is farthest from the equator
executor
person designated to execute the terms of a will; ¿¹¼ú ÀÛÇ°ÀÇ Ã¦ÀÛÀÚ
diminution
lessening; reduction in size; V. diminish
tribunal
court of justice
retrench
cut down; cut down expenses; economize
contrived
unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; Ex. The ending was rather contrived.
astringent
binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism
homage
honor; tribute; great respect; Ex. pay/do homage to
checkered(chequered)
marked by great changes in fortune; with many changes of fortuene; CF. checked: having a pattern of squares
windfall
fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event
studious
given to diligent study
practicable
feasible
incrustation
hard coating or crust; V. incrust: encrust; cover with a crust
derivation
deriving; origin or source of something; Ex. the derivation of the word
drone
talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee; N.
aggrandize
make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement
propellant(propellent)
substance which propels or drives forward (such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel)
conviction
judgment that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief
beneficiary
person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will
bravado
swagger; assumed air of defiance; false show of bravery
replicate
reproduce; duplicate
bludgeon
club; heavy-headed weapon; V.
touchy
oversensitive; easily offended; irasible; delicate; needing delicate handling; Ex. touchy situation
anoint
consecrate; put oil on (in a religious ceremony)
lubricate
apply a lubricant to; N. lubricant: substance that reduces friction
paste
smooth viscous mixture as of flour(powder made by crushing grain) and water (used as an adhesive); V: cause to adhere by applying paste
alloy
mixture as of metals; something added that lowers in value or purity; V: mix; make less pure; lower in value or quality; spoil; CF. unalloyed: not in mixture with other maetals; pure; complete; unqualified; Ex. unalloyed happiness
optimist
person who looks on the bright side; N. optimism
maritime
bordering on(adjacent to) the sea; nautical; of the ships or the sea; Ex. Maritime Provinces
enhance
increase; make greater (as in value, reputation, or usefulness); improve
impair
injure; hurt; damage
prurient
having or causing lustful desires and thoughts; arousing immoderate sexual desire
benison
blessing
whet
sharpen; stimulate;
macerate
soften by soaking in liquid; waste away; Ex. macerate powdered wood to make paper
amenable
obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; Ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; Ex. He is very amenable; Ex. amenable to the usual tests
concoct
prepare by mixing or combining; make up in concert; devise (something false) so as to deceive; Ex. concoct an elaborate excuse for being late; N. concoction
garrulous
loquacious; wordy; talkative; N. garrulity
sidereal
relating to stars; Ex. sidereal day
casual
happening by chance; irregular; occasional; informal; showing or feeling little interest; Ex. casual reader/labor/remark
serendipity
gift for finding valuable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck; CF. The Three Princes of Serendip
contrite
penitent; repentant; N. contrition
damn
condemn; criticize severely; condemn to everlasting punishment; doom; bring to ruin; N. damnation
optometrist
one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects
unprepossessing
unattractive
torpor
lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy; ADJ. torpid: lethargic; lazy; inactive; (of an animal) dormant; hibernating
ape
imitate or mimic (a person’s behavior or manner)
ashen
ash-colored; deadly pale
hyperbole
exaggeration; overstatement; ADJ. hyperbolic: of hyperbole; of a hyperbola
injurious
harmful; causing injury
fickle
changeable (in affections or friendship); faithless
spasmodic
fitful; periodic; of or like a spasm; N. spasm: sudden involuntary muscular contraction; sudden burst of energy or emotion
roster
list (of names)
gull
trick; deceive; hoodwink; N: person who is easily tricked; dupe
solicitous
anxious; worried; concerned; eager; Ex. solicitous to do something; N. solicitude
moodiness
fits of depression or gloom; ADJ. moody: given to changeable moods; subject to periods of depression; gloomy CF. mood:
flippant
lacking proper seriousness; Ex. flippant remarks about death; N. flippancy
promiscuous
mixed indiscriminately; indiscriminate; not choosing carefully; indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners; irregular, particularly sexually; Ex. promiscuous life/girl; N. promiscuity
leash
restraining rope fastened to the collar of an animal (to control it); Ex. a dog on a leash
blues
state of depression or melancholy; style of slow, mournful music (evolved from southern Black American songs)
termination
end; V. terminate
aggregate
sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars
smattering
slight knowledge; small scattered number or amount; Ex. smattering of German
imposture
assuming a false identity; masquerade; CF. impostor
inductive
pertaining to induction or proceeding from the specific to the general
truculence
aggressiveness; ferocity; ADJ. truculent: aggressive; pugnacious; fierce
ineffectual
not effective; not having a desired effect; weak
amenities
convenient features that helps to make life pleasant; social courtesies
enthrall
capture; enslave; captivate; hold the complete attention of (as if magic); hold spellbound
mercenary
motivated solely by money or gain; N.
claustrophobia
fear of being locked in
advocate
speak in favor of; support (an idea or plan); urge; plead for
memento
token; reminder of the past; keepsake; Ex. memento of your visit
inanimate
lifeless; not animate
