Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

GRE > GRE16 > Flashcards

GRE16 Flashcards

1
Q

catcall

A

shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match); boo; V.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

apothegm

A

pithy, compact saying

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

crotchety

A

(of someone old) eccentric; odd; whimsical; bad-tempered; N. crotchet: odd or whimsical notion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

guile

A

deceit; duplicity; wiliness; cunning; Ex. persuade her by guile

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

liquidate

A

settle accounts; pay off (a debt); clear up; eliminate; kill or abolish

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

tension

A

stretching; condition of being stretched; mental strain; strained relationship between groups or people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

indeterminate

A

uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

die

A

metal block used for shaping metal or plastic; device for stamping or impressing; mold; CF. dice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

impinge

A

infringe; encroach; influence; touch; collide with; Ex. The effects are impinging on every aspect of our lives.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

pastiche

A

imitation of another’s style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

conjecture

A

surmise; guess; V.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

bookish

A

fond of books and reading

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

grate

A

make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect; shred by rubbing against a rough surface; Ex. grated cheese N: framework of metal bars to hold fuel in a fireplace

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

existential

A

pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of existentialism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

missive

A

letter; written statement; CF. sent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

brindled

A

tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

gentility

A

those of gentle birth; high social class; refinement; quality of being genteel

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

bantering

A

joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

resurrect

A

revive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

epistemologist

A

philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge; N. epistemology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

whittle

A

pare; cut away thin bits (from wood); fashion in this way; reduce gradually; trim

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

vindictive

A

disposed to revenge; vengeful; out for revenge; spiteful; intended to cause harm; malicious; Ex. vindictive streak

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

toady

A

servile flatterer; yes man; sycophant; V: be a toady to; fawn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

fringe

A

decorative edge of hanging threads; edge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

tutelary

A

protective; pertaining to a guardianship; Ex. tutelary deities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

clamber

A

climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

overbearing

A

bossy; domineering and arrogant; decisively important; Ex. overbearing manner/importance; V. overbear: dominate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

rendezvous

A

meeting place; meeting at a set time or place; V.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

dally

A

trifle with; toy with; treat without the necessary seriousness; procrastinate; waste time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

swipe

A

hit with a sweeping motion; N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

imply

A

suggest a meaning not expressed; signify

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

exacting

A

extremely demanding; Ex. exacting standard of safety

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

erode

A

eat away; wear away gradually by abrasion; Ex. The sea erodes the rocks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

torso

A

trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

fortitude

A

bravery; courage; strength of mind

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

spoof

A

parody

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

crone

A

hag; ugly old woman

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

winnow

A

sift; separate the chaff from grain by blowing; separate good parts from bad; CF. wind

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

zephyr

A

gentle breeze; west wind

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

botch

A

mismanage; blow

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

panacea

A

cure-all; remedy for all diseases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

opprobrium

A

infamy; disgrace arising from shameful conduct; vilification(slander); scorn; contempt; Ex. opprobrium hurled against him; ADJ. opprobrious: expressing contempt; shameful or infamous

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

hireling

A

one who serves for hire (usually used contemptuously); one who works solely for compensation; Ex. hireling politician

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

reckon

A

count; calculate; regard as; think; suppose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

clarion

A

shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

vouch

A

give a personal guarantee; Ex. I can vouch for his integrity; N. voucher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

ecologist

A

person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment; person concerned with the detrimental effects of human civilization on the environment; CF. ecology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

thrifty

A

careful about money; economical; N. thrift

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

gorge

A

narrow canyon; steep rocky cleft; ravine (made by a stream which runs through it)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

adapt

A

make or become suitable for a specific use; alter; modify; adjust; N. adaptation: act of adapting; composition recast into a new form; Ex. The play is an adaption of a short novel.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

eccentricity

A

oddity; idiosyncrasy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

glutinous

A

sticky; viscous; gluey

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

amicable

A

peaceful; politely friendly; not quarrelsome; Ex. amicable settlement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

engender

A

cause; produce; give rise to

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

missile

A

object to be thrown or projected

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

vampire

A

ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

preclude

A

make impossible; prevent; exclude; eliminate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

misconduct

A

immoral behavior; bad management; V.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

parochial

A

narrow in scope or outlook; provincial; related to parishes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

petrify

A

turn to stone; cause to become stonelike; stun or paralyze

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

corrosive

A

eating away by chemicals or disease; (of language) fierce

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

impropriety

A

improperness; unsuitableness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

auxiliary

A

offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

unwitting

A

not knowing; unaware; unintentional; Ex. She was their unwitting accomplice; Ex. unwitting insult; CF. wit: know

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

irascible

A

irritable; easily angered

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

sophisticated

A

worldly wise and urbane; refined; complex; N. sophistication; V. sophisticate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

hem

A

surround tightly so that movement is impossible; Ex. hem in; N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

polity

A

(particular form of) political organization; form of government of nation or state; Ex. student polity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

stench

A

strong foul odor; reek; stink

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

franchise

A

right or privilege granted by authority; right to vote; license to sell a product in a particular territory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

braid

A

plait; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; N: braided segment (as of hair)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

delirium

A

mental disorder marked by confusion; uncontrolled excitement; ADJ. delirious

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

ford

A

place where a river can be crossed on foot; V.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

levitate

A

rise and float in the air (especially by magical means); CF. light

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

illusive

A

deceiving; based on illusion; causing illusion; deceptive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

quiver

A

tremble; shake; N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

handsome

A

large in quantity; generous; Ex. handsome reward

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

irresolute

A

uncertain how to act; weak; lacking in resolution; indecisive; N. irresolution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

detonation

A

explosion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

relevant

A

having importance; pertinent; referring to the case in hand; N. relevance, relevancy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

innuendo

A

indirect or subtle (derogatory) hint; insinuation; Ex. sexual innuendo

82
Q

extenuate

A

weaken; mitigate; lessen the seriousness of (bad behavior)

83
Q

inopportune

A

untimely; inappropriate or ill-timed; poorly chosen

84
Q

analgesic

A

causing insensitivity to pain; N.

85
Q

abrogate

86
Q

gloss_over

A

explain away with the intention of deceiving or hiding faults

87
Q

promontory

88
Q

abut

A

border upon; adjoin

89
Q

emetic

A

substance causing vomiting; ADJ.

90
Q

betray

A

be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly); Ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety.

91
Q

mores

A

conventions; moral standards; moral customs

92
Q

headfirst

A

moving with the head leading; headlong

93
Q

witless

A

lacking intelligence or wit; foolish; idiotic

94
Q

embroider

A

decorate with needlework; ornament (a story) with fancy or fictitious details; embellish

95
Q

brawl

A

noisy quarrel

96
Q

revelry

A

boisterous merrymaking; V. revel: engage boisterous festivities; enjoy greatly; N: boisterous festivity or celebration

97
Q

lassitude

A

languor; weariness; listlessness

98
Q

retroactive

A

taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition (as a tax); (of a law) having effect on the past as well as the future

99
Q

dissimulate

A

pretend; conceal by feigning; dissemble

100
Q

vanguard

A

forerunners; foremost position of an army; advance forces; foremost position in a trend or movement; CF. rearguard

101
Q

penance

A

self-imposed punishment for sin; Ex. do penance for one’s sins; CF. penitent

102
Q

ruddy

A

reddish; (of the face) reddish and healthy-looking

103
Q

consonant

A

harmonious; in agreement; N.

104
Q

affiliation

A

joining; associating with

105
Q

stifle

A

suppress; extinguish; inhibit; smother or suffocate

106
Q

exertion

A

effort; expenditure of much physical work; V. exert oneself: make a great effort

107
Q

trek

A

travel; journey; V: make a long difficult journey

108
Q

rapacious

A

voracious; ravenous; taking everything one can; excessively grasping; plundering; subsisting on live prey; Ex. rapacious birds

109
Q

conjure

A

cause to appear by magic; summon (a devil or a spirit) by magical power; practice magic (esp. by very quick movement of the hands); evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; Ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat.

110
Q

coterie

A

group that meets socially; select circle; close group of people with shared interests

111
Q

bard

112
Q

definitive

A

most reliable; authorative and complete; that cannot be improved; conclusive; decisive; definite; Ex. definitive decision by the supreme court

113
Q

grim

A

causing great fear; unrelenting; determined in spite of fear; Ex. grim smile

114
Q

canter

A

slow gallop; V. CF. trot

115
Q

mural

A

wall painting

116
Q

complement

A

complete; consummate; make perfect; N.

117
Q

ligneous

118
Q

camp

A

group sharing a common cause or opinion

119
Q

cacophonous

A

discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony: unpleasant mixture of loud sounds

120
Q

duration

A

length of time something lasts

121
Q

miscreant

A

wretch; wrongdoer; villain; Ex. kindness to the miscreant; CF. believe

122
Q

statutory

A

created by statute or legislative action; regulated by statute; Ex. statutory age limit

123
Q

harping

A

tiresome dwelling on a subject; V. harp: dwell on(think or speak a lot about) tediously

124
Q

baroque

A

highly ornate

125
Q

tantamount

A

equivalent in effect or value; Ex. This invasion is tantamount to a declaration of war; CF. amount

126
Q

concordat

A

formal agreement

127
Q

indemnify

A

make secure against damage or loss; compensate for damage or loss; CF. make uninjured

128
Q

queue

A

line (of waiting people or vehicles)

129
Q

blurt

A

utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement

130
Q

anchor

A

secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place; N. anchorage

131
Q

effrontery

A

rudeness without any sense of shame; shameless boldness; presumptousness; nerve; cheek

132
Q

dummy

A

imitation of a real object used as a substitute; effigy

133
Q

sylvan

A

pertaining to the woods or the country

134
Q

jollity

A

gaiety; cheerfulness; ADJ. jolly: merry; gay

135
Q

respite

A

time for rest; interval of relief; delay in punishment; reprieve

136
Q

mordant

A

biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; Ex. mordant pen/wit

137
Q

inequity

A

unfairness; ADJ. inequitable

138
Q

fiend

A

evil spirit; devil

139
Q

emulate

A

imitate; rival; try to equal or excel (through imitation)

140
Q

vignette

A

small drawing placed at the beginning or end of a chapter; picture; short literary sketch; short written description of a character or scene

141
Q

screech

A

unpleasant high sharp sound; shriek; V.

142
Q

inscrutable

A

difficult to understand; impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious

143
Q

myopic

A

nearsighted; lacking foresight; N. myopia

144
Q

maverick

A

rebel; nonconformist (in a group)

145
Q

simile

A

comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as

146
Q

impede

A

hide; retard or obstruct the progress of; block

147
Q

distrait

A

absentminded; distracted

148
Q

vaporize

A

turn into vapor (steam, gas, fog, etc.)

149
Q

proximity

A

nearness; ADJ. proximate

150
Q

bloated

A

(unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air

151
Q

refuse

A

anything discarded or rejected as worthless; trash

152
Q

abortive

A

unsuccessful; fruitless

153
Q

replica

154
Q

anemia

A

condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic

155
Q

vantage

A

position giving an advantage (such as a strategic point); CF. vantagepoint

156
Q

imponderable

A

weightless; that cannot undergo precise evaluation; CF. pound

157
Q

scanty

A

meager; insufficient

158
Q

spoonerism

A

accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; Ex. Let me sew you to your sheet'' forLet me show you to your seat’’; CF. William Spooner

159
Q

timidity

A

lack of self-confidence or courage

160
Q

malleable

A

(of a metal) capable of being shaped by pounding(beating); pliable; (of someone) impressionable(easily influenced); easily controlled; tractable

161
Q

superficial

A

of the surface; not deep; shallow; not thorough; trivial; Ex. superficial analysis/knowledge

162
Q

indigenous

A

native; Ex. plant indigenous to the New World

163
Q

replenish

A

fill up again

164
Q

skulk

A

move furtively and secretly; Ex. He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city.

165
Q

qualified

A

limited; restricted; V. qualify: limit the meaning of; modify

166
Q

tithe

A

tax of one-tenth (contributed to a church); V: pay a tithe

167
Q

apparent

A

evident; easily seen or understood; appearing as such; Ex. apparent improvement

168
Q

tread

A

walk; trample; N: grooved face of a tire; horizontal part of a step

169
Q

dappled

170
Q

arroyo

A

gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater

171
Q

altercation

A

noisy quarrel

172
Q

broach

A

introduce as a subject; moot; open up

173
Q

anthropologist

A

student of the history and science of humankind

174
Q

gentle

A

kindly; soft; mild; of good family

175
Q

granulate

A

form into grains or granules; N. granule: grain or particle

176
Q

institutionalize

A

make into an institution; put or confine in an institution

177
Q

stratum

A

layer of earth’s surface; layer of society; PL. strata

178
Q

predetermine

A

determine in advance; predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly

179
Q

perturb

A

disturb greatly

180
Q

acclimate

A

adjust to climate or environment; adapt

181
Q

debar

A

bar; forbid; exclude; Ex. debarred from jury services

182
Q

imperceptible

A

unnoticeable; impossible to perceive; undetectable

183
Q

furor

A

frenzy; great anger and excitement; CF. fury

184
Q

implicit

A

understood but not stated; implied; unquestioning and complete; Ex. implicit trust

185
Q

resolution

A

determination; resoluteness; ADJ. resolute: firm or determined in purpose

186
Q

mote

A

small speck (esp. of dust)

187
Q

soar

A

rise or fly high in the air; Ex. The rocket soared into the sky.

188
Q

truism

A

self-evident truth

189
Q

warren

A

tunnels in which rabbits live; overcrowded living area; crowded conditions in which people live

190
Q

concession

A

an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded; point, right, etc. given unwillingly; privilege of maintaining a business in a certain place; Ex. oil concessions in the North sea; CF. concessionaire

191
Q

auspicious

A

favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices

192
Q

lachrymose

A

producing tears; tearful

193
Q

spatula

A

broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing

194
Q

warble

A

(of a bird) sing; babble; N.

195
Q

prosaic

A

lacking in imagination; dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact(concerned with facts, not imagination or feelings); factual; CF. prose

196
Q

flowery

A

full of flowers; full of ornate expressions

197
Q

consternation

A

great shock; dismay

198
Q

obstetrician

A

physician specializing in delivery(assisting in giving birth) of babies; N. obstetrics; CF. midwife

199
Q

isotope

A

varying from of an element

200
Q

plebiscite

A

direct vote by the entire electorate (on an important issue)

GRE (27 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions