GRE24 Flashcards
sterile
incapable of producing young; free from microorganism; V. sterilize
misconstrue
interpret incorrectly; misinterpret; misjudge
sedate
composed (with no excitement); grave; V: administer a sedative to; CF. sedative
brawn
human muscle; muscular strength; sturdiness
bluster
blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; CF. breeze, gust, gale
herpetologist
one who studies reptiles; CF. herpetology: branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians
trappings
outward decorations; ornaments (as an outward sign of rank)
confidant(confidante)
trusted friend (to whom one tells one’s secret)
collation
a light meal; collating
splice
join together end to end to make one continuous length; fasten together; unite; Ex. splice two strips of tape; N.
saga
Scandinavian myth; any legend; long heroic narrative
garish
overbright in color; unpleasantly bright; gaudy
factious
inclined to form factions; causing dissension
scowl
frown angrily; N: angry frown
gallows
framework from which a noose is suspended (used for execution by hanging)
stockade
wooden enclosure or pen; fixed line of posts used as defensive barrier
ambivalence
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions
ameliorate
improve
eccentric
irregular; odd; unconventional; whimsical; bizarre; not concentric
loquacious
talkative; N. loquacity
dribble
flow or fall in drops; let saliva flow out slowly from the mouth; move a ball; N.
flair
talent
promulgate
announce; proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication
shaving
very thin piece, usually of wood (cut from a surface with a sharp blade)
unerringly
infallibly; ADJ. unerring: making no mistakes
entrepreneur
businessperson (who assumes the risk of a business venture); contractor; ADJ. entrepreneurial
trim
make neat or tidy by clipping; reduce by removing what is unnecessary; ornament; decorate (round the edges); Ex. trim the cost; Ex. jacket trimmed with fur; N. ADJ: tidy; in good order
start
move suddenly or involuntarily; Ex. start at the sight of a snake
manacle
restrain; handcuff; N.
overwrought
nervous or excited; extremely agitated; hysterical; wrought-up; CF. wrought: made or done
intimidate
frighten; N. intimidation
stalemate
deadlock; situation in which further action is blocked
stamina
power of endurance; strength; staying power
regale
entertain
dearth
scarcity
indulgent
humoring; yielding; lenient; showing indulgence
grotto
small cavern
eulogistic
praising; full of eulogy
impugn
dispute or contradict (often in an insulting way); attack as false or questionable; challenge; gainsay; CF. fight
pestilential(pestilent)
causing plague; tending to cause death; baneful; N. pestilence: fatal epidemic disease (esp. bubonic plague)
guise
outward appearance; costume; Ex. in a new guise
urge
drive or force forward (by causing impulses); drive to take action; impel; entreat earnestly; Ex. urge horses; N: impulse that prompts action
artifice
deception; trickery
progeny
children; offspring; descendants
nautical
pertaining to ships or navigation
onomatopoeia
words formed in imitation of natural sounds
protean
able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will
codicil
supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will
debilitate
weaken (esp. through heat, hunger, illness); enfeeble
favoritism
display of partiality toward a favored person
plump
pleasantly fat; nicely rounded
hysteria
excessive or uncontrollable excitement; N. hysteric: person suffering from hysteria; CF. hysterics: attack of hysteria
morbid
given to unwholesome or unhealthy thought; moody; characteristic of disease; Ex. morbid curiosity; N. morbidity; CF. disease
conscript
draftee; person forced into military service; V.
machinations
evil schemes or plots; schemes or plots to achieve an evil end; V. machinate
sinecure
well-paid position with little responsibility; CF. sine cure: without care; CF. San Serif
enterprise
willingness to take new ventures; initiative; business organization; plan (that is difficult or daring); Ex. their latest enterprise to sail round the world in a small boat
airy
of air; high in the air; lofty; immaterial; unreal
staccato
played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound; Ex. staccato applause
motto
brief statement used to express a principle
reactionary
strongly opposed to social or political change; opposing progress; politically ultraconservative; N. OP. radical
entrance
put under a spell(condition caused by magical power); carry away(fill with strong feeling) with emotion; put into a trance; fill with delight
swell
long wave of water that moves continuously without breaking; V.
figurine
small ornamental statuette(very small statue)
sundry
miscellaneous; various; several; N. sundries: small miscellaneous items
vaunted
boasted; bragged; highly publicized; V. vaunt: boast; brag
schism
division into factions (esp. within a religious body); split
verbiage
pompous array of words; too many unnecessary words; wordiness
jaded
tired or uninterested by surfeit; fatigued; surfeited; worn out; wearied; Ex. jaded appetite
contaminate
pollute
hardy
(of people or animals) sturdy; robust; (of plants) able to stand inclement(stormy) weather
inimical
(of someone) unfriendly; hostile; (of something) harmful; detrimental; CF. enemy
noncommittal
neutral; refusing commitment to a particular opinion; unpledged; undecided
Bacchanalia
the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
condescend
(derog.) bestow courtesies with a superior air; descend to the level of one considered inferior
attest
testify; bear witness
jocose
given to(having a tendency of) joking
sartorial
pertaining to tailors or tailoring; Ex. a man of great sartorial elegance; CF. sartor: tailor
brevity
conciseness; shortness of duration
pilfer
steal things of small value; filch; snitch
carafe
glass water bottle; decanter
spawn
lay eggs (in large numbers); produce offspring (in large numbers); N: eggs of aquatic animals
bestial
beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel
libertine
debauched person; dissolute or licentious person; rou'e; CF. free
amass
collect (gradually, in a very large amount)
indelible
not able to be erased
insuperable
insurmountable; unbeatable; Ex. insuperable difficulties
introspective
looking within oneself; N. introspection: self-examination
feebleminded
deficient in intelligence; very stupid
apiculture
bee-keeping
wizardry
sorcery; magic
thespian
pertaining to drama; N: actor or actress
worldly
engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual; of the material world
flashy
showy; gaudy; giving a momentary brilliance
paramour
illicit lover
bifurcated
divided into two branches; forked
accretion
growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete
enamored
in love; Ex. enamored of his own beauty; V. enamor: inspire with love
menace
threat; V: threaten
glut
overstock; fill beyond capacity (with food); fill to excess; N: oversupply
embellish
adorn; ornament; enhance as a story (by adding fictitious details)
grudging
unwilling; reluctant; stingy(giving reluctantly)
layman
man who is not a cleric; man who is nonprofessional
citadel
fortress
prominent
protruding(sticking out); conspicuous; notable; eminent
entourage
group of attendants; retinue; CF. surround
pass_off
present falsely; represent falsely to be
hiatus
gap; pause; gap or interruption in space or time; break
jargon
language used by special group; technical terminology; gibberish; nonsensical or incoherent talk
waver
move or swing back and forth; be uncertain or unsteady in decision or movement; Ex. wavering between accepting and refusing
foment
stir up; incite; instigate; promote the growth of (something evil or unpleasant)
scraps
leftover food
perigee
point of moon’s orbit when it is nearest the earth; CF. apogee
amorous
moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances
flotsam
drifting wreckage
prop
support placed under or against something; V.
crinkle
wrinkle
abstract
theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational
gestate
evolve as in prenatal growth; N. gestation: period of development from conception until birth
kneel
go down on one’s knee(s)
prone
inclined to; likely to (suffer); prostrate; lying with the front downward; Ex. prone to disease/make mistakes; Ex. accident-prone
quash
crush; suppress; squash; subdue; annul; Ex. quash a rebellion/the decision of the low court
florescence
condition or period of flowering
vagabond
wanderer (without a permanent home); tramp
ephemeral
short-lived; fleeting
animadversion
critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval
metaphor
implied comparison; CF. simile
illimitable
infinite; limitless
galaxy
large isolated system of stars, such as the Milky Way; collection of brilliant personalities
nausea
feeling of sickness and desire to vomit; disgust; CF. seasickness
faze
disconcert; dismay; embarrass
wrath
anger; fury
constitution
constituting; system of laws; composition of something; physical makeup or structure of a person; Ex. men with strong constitutions
deciduous
falling off at a specific season or stage of growth as of leaves; Ex. deciduous tree/teeth
resort
turn to for help; Ex. resort to violence; N.
reprisal
retaliation
finale
conclusion; concluding part
nascent
incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent ability in music
certitude
certainty
protuberance
protrusion; swelling; bulge
torque
twisting force; force producing rotation
pontifical
pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious; CF. pontiff: pope; bishop
invidious
designed to create ill will or envy; tending to rouse ill will or envy; Ex. invidious comparison
confidential
spoken or written in secret; trusted with private matters; Ex. confidential secretary
maneuver(manoeuver)
strategic military or naval movement (done for training purposes); carefully planned process; stratagem; V: carry out a military maneuver; use maneuvers in gaining an end
misogynist
hater of woman; CF. misogyny
yoke
join together; unite; N: crossbar used to joining two draft animals
boisterous
violent; rough; noisy
legislature
legislating branch of government; CF. legislate: make laws
seminary
school for training future ministers; secondary school, especially for young women
defray
provide for the payment of; undertake the payment of; pay
unobtrusive
inconspicuous; not blatant
farce
broad comedy; mockery; humorous play full of silly things happening; ADJ. farcical
fulsome
disgustingly excessive; offensively flattering; Ex. fulsome praise/expressions of admire
relish
enjoy; savor; N: enjoyment; zest
acne
skin disease (on the face)
fancied
imagined; unreal
authenticate
prove genuine
gist
essence; main point; substance
impetuous
violent; hasty; rash; impulsive; without careful thought; Ex. impetuous decision
implausible
unlikely (to be true); unbelievable; Ex. implausible alibi
endear
make beloved; Ex. endear her to everyone; ADJ. dear: loved; cherished; high-priced
shoddy
made of inferior material; sham; not genuine; inferior; dishonest; Ex. shoddy goods/trick
comity
courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations
odyssey
long, eventful, adventurous journey
scad
a great quantity; Ex. scads of clothes
modish
fashionable; conforming to the current fashion
foolhardy
rash; reckless; foolishly daring
balmy
soft and mild (of air); fragrant
compliant
readily acting in accordance with a rule, order, or the wishes or others; yielding; comforming to requirements
self-righteous
sure of one’s own righteousness; moralistic
bout
match; short period of great activity; Ex. wrestling bout; bout of drinking/flu
battalion
army unit made up of four or more companies
audit
examination of accounts of a business; official examination; V.
resentment
indignation; bitterness; displeasure; V. resent: feel anger about
platonic
purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire
supercilious
haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing; CF. eyebrow, cilium
clap
strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound; come together suddenly with a sharp sound; put or send promptly; Ex. clap the thief in jail; N: clapping; loud or explosive sound; CF. applause
mettle
courage (to continue bravely in spite of difficulties); spirit; ADJ. mettlesome
internecine
mutually destructive
compulsory
obligatory; that must be done
incessant
uninterrupted; unceasing
abominable
detestable; extremely unpleasant
jaunty
cheerful and pleased with life; lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree; dapper in appearance; Ex. jaunty person/hat
gangrene
decay of body tissue caused by insufficient blood supply (usually following injury); ADJ. gangrenous
convex
curving outward
resumption
taking up again; recommencement; V. resume: begin or take up again; take or occupy again; Ex. Kindly resume your seats.
obtuse
blunt; not sharp; stupid; slow in understanding
wry
(esp. of an expression of the face) twisted; with a humorous twist (expressing displeasure)
comely
attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
rummage
ransack; thoroughly search
dispel
scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
lance
pierce with a lance; cut into; N: spearlike weapon
urchin
mischievous child (usually a boy); CF. urchin: hedgehog; CF. porcupine: pig with spikes ?; CF. sea urchin
retard
delay (in development); ADJ. retarded: (as of a child) slower in development
pacifist
one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes
advent
arrival
onus
burden; responsibility
corroborate
confirm; support; strengthen
aver
state confidently; declare as true
