GRE_3000_List7 Flashcards
desultory
1 lacking plan [E] a desultory search of something of interest on TV [S] digressive; excursive; meandering; 2 disappointing [E] a desultory fifth place finish
detritus
debris
[E] the detritus of war
[S] residue
[A] valuable product
diabolic
devil
[E] The police quickly mobilized to track down the diabolic serial killer
[S] demoniac; demonian;
[A] angelic; seraphic;
diaphanous
1 vague [E] only a diaphanous hope of success [S] obscure [A] substantial; 2 transparent; [E] The bride wore a diaphanous veil. [S] gossamer; transpicuous; translucent; [A] opaque
dilapidate
to bring into a condition of decay
[E] The house has been dilapidated by neglect.
[S] ruin, wreck
[A] be in use; restore;
dilatory
cause delay
[E] The homeowner is claiming that the local firefighters were dilatory in responding to the call.
[S] dragging;
[A] precipitate;
din
1 a loud continued noise [E] The din of the engine was deafening. [S] cacophony; 2 to say or state again. [E] Safety lessons dinned into us over and over. [S] iterate; rehearse
diocesan
of or relating to a diocese
[E] national or diocesan authority
[A] ecumenical
dire
1 being or showing a sign of evil
[E] a dire forecast of a plunge inn stock market
[S] inauspicious; minatory; portentous;
[A] propitious;
2 causing fear
[E] a series of dire tremors that hinted at a volcanic eruption
[S] formidable; intimating;
3 urgent
[E] There is a dire need for food and medicine in the famine country.
[S] exigent; imperative;
[A] nonurgent;
4 lacking in cheer
[E] With stock prices steadily falling, these are dire days on the trading floor.
[S] disconsolate; lugubrious;
[A] bright; cheerful;
dirge
a solemn piece of music
[E] This funeral dirge is for a dead friend
[S] elegy; requiem
disabuse
to free from error
[E] I must disabuse you of your feelings of grandeur
[S] disenchant
[A] mislead
disaffected
rebellious [E] The soldiers were disaffected toward the government. [S] contumacious; [A] contend; [P] disaffect; [S] agitate; [A] mollify;
discombobulate
upset, confuse
[E] invent cool new ways to discombobulate the old rules
[S] fuddle; vex
[A] soothe
discommode
trouble
[E] The breakdown of her car didn’t discommode her too much.
[S] incommode;
[A] accommodate; oblige;
discompose
1 to disturb the composure of
[E] GRE doesn’t seem to discompose him; in the contrary, he looks rather relaxed.
[S] agitate; bother;
[A] tranquilize; settle;
2 to undo the proper order or arrangement of
[E] The wind ruffled her hair and discomposed her carefully arranged papers.
[S] disorganize;
[A] range