Idioms Flashcards
CONVINCE
She was CONVINCED THAT she had been robbed.
Intractable
Difficult to control, manage, or manipulate; hard to cure; stubborn.
DO
I did not eat the cheese, but my mother DID (or DID SO).
EVERY
FOR EVERY dollar SAVED, THREE dollars ARE WASTED. SUSPECT: FO EVERY dollar SAVED, you WASTE THREE dollars.
MASS
The truck a HAS ten TIMES THE MASS of a small car.
Extraneous
Irrelevant; foreign, coming from without, not belonging.
Inconsquential
Insignificant, unimported. The sense here is that the thing is so small that it doesn’t even have consequences.
Sparing
Holding back or being wise in the use of resources; deficient. Be sparing with the ketchup in order to make it last longer, but don’t be sparing in praising your employees for a job well done.
Erratic
Inconsistent, wandering, having no fixed course.
Bygone
Past, former; that which is in the past (usually plural, as in the expression “Let bygones be bygones’’, which means to let the past go, especially by forgiving someone). “At the nursing home, the time to reminisce about bygone days was pretty much all the time.”
Assimilation
The process by which a minority group adopts the customs and way of life of a larger group, or process by which any new thing being introduced begins to ‘‘blend.’’’’ Words like Westernization or Amercanization refer to the process of assimilation into Western culture, American culture, etc.
Annul
Make void or null, cancel, abolish (usually of laws or other established rules). Most people associate this word with marriage-a marriage is annulled when a judge rules that it was invalid in the first place (because of fraud, mental incompetence, etc.), so it is as if it never happened. “Can we appreciate the art of a murderer? For many, the value of these paintings is annulled by artist’s crimes.)
Estimable
1) Worthy of esteem, admirable; 2) Able to be estimated
Redress
Setting something right after a misdeed, compensation or relief for injury or wrongdoing (noun); correct, set right, remedy (verb).
Dismiss
Put aside or reject, especially after only a brief consideration; allow to disperse or leave; fire from a job. To dismiss biases (biases is the plural of bias) in science is to rule out possible prejudices that could have influenced results. “Before I dismiss class, I want you to remind you of the importance of dismissing biases in your research by rulling out or adjusting for factors other than the variable you are testing that may have led you to your results.’’
Bogus
Fake, fraudulent. The back of this bodybuilding magazine is just full of ads for bogus products-this one promises 22-inch biceps just from wearing magnetic armbands.’’
Implode
Burst inward. Metaphorically, to collapse or break down.
Penumbra
Outer part of a shadow from an eclipse; any surrounding region, fringe, periphery; any area where something ‘‘sort of” exists.
Underpin
Strenghten, corrobate, support from below.
RANK
This problem RANKS AS one of the worst we have seen.
Befall
Happen to (used with something bad). The past tense is befell. ‘‘Disaster befell the company once again when CEO was thrown from a horse.’’
Faculty
An ability, often a mental ability.
LET
My doctor LETS me SWIM in the ocean.
PRIVILEGE
The academy gave senior cadets DANCING PRIVILEGES. SUSPECT: The academy gave senior cadets THE PRIVILEGE OF DANCING.
CONTEND
They CONTEND THAT they can decipher the code.
AGREE
They AGREE THAT electrons EXIST. Electrons are particles THAT physicists AGREE EXIST. SUSPECT: There is AGREEMENT AMONG them THAT electrons exist. SUSPECT: They AGREE electrons EXIST. (AGREE THAT is preferred) Electrons are particles THAT physicists AGREE ON AS EXISTING.
FAULT
The criminals ARE AT FAULT FOR BREAKING the law. SUSPECT: BREAKING the law IS THE FAULT OF the criminals.
RULE
The judge RULED THAT the plaintiff WAS in contempt. SUSPECT: The judge RULED the plaintiff WAS in contempt.
Debase
Degrade; lower in quality, value, rank, etc; lower in moral quality. ‘‘Members of the mainstream church argued that the fringe sect was practicing a debased version of the religion, twisting around its percepts and missing the point.’’ ‘‘I can tell from the weight that this isn’t pure gold, but rather some debased mixed metal.’’ “You have debased yourself by accepting bribes.’’
Intrinsic
Belonging to the essential nature of a thing.
Rehash
Discuss or bring up (an idea or topic) again without adding anything new.
RECOMMEND
We RECOMMEND THAT the shelter BE opened.
Acquisitivness
Desire to acquire more, especially an excessive desire. “The firm did well buying up its competitors as a means of growth, but its acquisitivness ultimately resulted in problems related to growing too quickly.’’
ATRIBUTE
We ATRIBUTE the uprising TO popular discontent.
TOOL
We have a TOOL FOR MAKING progress. We have a TOOL TO MAKE progress.
Attain
Achieve
Cloak
To cover or conceal. Often used as cloaked in. ‘‘Apple’s new products are often cloaked in mystery before they are released; before the launch of the Ipad, even tech reviewers had little idea what the new device would be.’’
BETWEEN
A battle ensued BETWEEN the reactionaries AND the radicals. A skirmish ensued AMONG the combatants. (more than 2 parties)
PROBABLY
This situation IS PROBABLY as bad as it can get. This situation MAY BE as bad as it can get. (less certain than PROBABLY) PERHAPS (or MAYBE) this situation IS as bad as it can get. SUSPECT: IT MAY BE THAT this situation IS as bad as it can get.
Unfettered
Free, liberated.
Inordinate
Excessive, not within proper limits, unrestrained.
Transient
Moving around, not settled; temporary, not lasting.
Divest
Deprive or strip of a rank, title, etc., or of clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (opposite of invest) “Once his deception was exposed, he was divested of his position on the Board.’’
Plutocratic
Related to government by wealthy.
COST
Pollution COSTS us billions IN increased medical bills. SUSPECT: The COST OF pollution TO us is billions IN increased medical bills.
Coalesce
Come together, unite; fuse together. ‘‘While at first, everyone on the team was jockeying for power and recognition, eventually, the group coalesced and everyone was happy to share credit for job well-done.” “ East and west Germany coalesced into a single country in 1990.’’
ASK
I ASKED FOR his AID. He ASKED her TO GO to the store. He ASKED THAT she GO to the store. (subjunctive)
AVERAGE
Tech COMPANIES are as likely as the AVERAGE COMPANY to fail.
FROM…TO
The price fell FROM 10 euros TO 3 euros. The price fell TO 3 euros FROM 10 euros.
MISTAKE
My spouse HAS MISTAKEN me FOR a wealthier person.
Anoint
The literal meaning is ‘‘rub or sprinkle oil on, especially as part of a ceremony that makes something sacred.” The word is used metaphorically to refer to power or praise being given to someone who is thought very highly of. For instance: ‘’ After Principal Smitters raised test scores over 60% at her school, it was only a matter of time before she was annointed superintendant by fawning school board.’’
Atypical
Not typical
Altogehter
Completely, overall. Alltogether is an adverb, and is one word. It is not the same as all together, as in ‘‘Let’s sing all together.’’ ‘‘It was an altogether stunning new design.’’
Staggered
Starting and ending at different times, especially also occuring in overlapping intervals. (Of course, you can also stagger around drunk, weaving from side to side.)
BECAUSE
BECAUSE the sun SHINES, plants grow. Plants grow BECAUSE the sun SHINES. BECAUSE of the sun, plants grow. BY SHINING, the sun makes plants grow. Plants grow, FOR the sun shines. (grammaticaly correct but very formal) SUSPECT: Plants grow BECAUSE OF the sun, WHICH SHINES. SUSPECT: Plants are amazing IN THAT they grow in the sun. (correct but wordy) SUSPECT: The growth of plants IS EXPLAINED by THE FACT THAT the sun shines. (correct but wordy)
REQUEST
I REQUEST THAT he BE removed. (subjunctive)
THINK
She THINK OF them AS heroes. She IS THOUGHT TO BE secretly wealthy.
Aberration, Anomaly
Something that stands out or is abnormal. Outlier is similar. ‘‘The election of a liberal candidate in the conservative county was an aberration (or anomaly), made possible only by the sudden death of the conservative candidate two days before the election.’’
Ascribe to / ascription
To ascribe is to give credit; ascription is the noun form. ‘‘He ascribed his good grades to diligent studying.’’ ‘‘The boy’s mother was amused by the ascription to his imaginary friend of all the powers he wished he had himself-being able to fly, having dozens of friends, and never having to eat his brocoli.’’
COULD
You COULD DO anything you want. SUSPECT: You HAVE (or MAY HAVE) THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING anything you want.
Deflect
Cause to curve; turn aside, especially from a straight course; avoid ‘‘The purpose of a shield is to deflect arrows or bullets from an enemy.’’ ‘‘Every time he was asked a difficult question, Senator Warrington deflected by changing the topic, saying he’d answer later, or even-insincerely, it seemed-calling for a moment of prayer.
REVEAL
The analysis REVEALED THAT the comet WAS mstly ice. SUSPECT: The analysis REVEALED the comet WAS mostly ice.
Scant
Not enough or barely enough. Scanty is used in the same way (both are adjectives).
Annihilate
Completely destroy.
Scrutiny
Close, careful observation.
BEGIN
The movement BEGAN AS a protest. (=was born as) The movement BEGAN WITH a protest. (=protest was the first part) The protest BEGAN the movement. (=caused)
EVER
The economy is MORE fragile THAN EVER BEFORE.
CONSIDER
I CONSIDER her a friend. I CONSIDER her intelligent. I CONSIDER illegal the law passed last week by the new regime. The law IS CONSIDERED illegal. SUSPECT: The judge CONSIDERS the law TO BE illegal.
AS
AS I walked, I became more nervous. (=during) AS I had already paid, I was unconcerned. (=because, since) AS we did last year, we will win this year. (in the same way) JUST AS we did last year, we will win this year. (= in the same way) AS the president of the company, she works hard. (=in the role of) AS a child, I delivered newspapers. (in the stage of being) My first job was apprenticeship AS a sketch artist. AS PART OF the arrangement, he received severance. SUSPECT: AS A PART OF the arrangement he received severance.
Inextricably
In a way such that one cannot untangle or escape something. If you are inextricably tied to something (such as your family), then you have so many different obligations and deep relationships that could never leave, disobey, etc.
Operative
Operating;having influence, force, or effect; effective, key, significant. The expression operative word refers to the one most meaningful word within a larger phrase. An operative can be a worker, or a detective or spy.
Undergrid
Strengthen, support. To undergrid an argument is to make it stronger-the opposite of undermine.
Dichotomy
Division into two parts or into two contradictory groups. ‘‘There is a dichotomy in the sciences between theoretical or “pure’’ sciences such as physics and chemistry, and the life sciences, which often deal more classifying than with theorizing.’’
AID
She AIDS her neighbor. She provides AID TO victims. AID FOR victims is available. Her AID IN WALKING the dog was appreciated.
Advent
Arrival ‘‘Before the advent of the internet, people often called reference librarians to look up information for them in the library’s reference section.’’
CHANCE
I have ONE CHANCE IN A THOUSAND OF WINNING tonight.
WHETHER…OR
I decided to eat the food, WHETHER it was tasty OR NOT. WHETHER trash OR treasure, the recyclables must be picked up.
Disinterested
Unbiased, impartial; not interested. Don’t confuse with uninterested, which means not interested, bored, apathetic. ‘‘Let’s settle this argument once and for all! We’ll get a disinterested observer to judge who can sing the highest note.’’
Condone
Overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless. “While underage drinking is illegal, at many universities, it is tactily condoned by administrations that neglect to enforce anti-drinking policies.’’
AFFECT / EFFECT
The new rules will AFFECT our performance. SUSPECT: The new rules will HAVE AN EFFECT ON our performance. (wordier)
RESEMBLE
A neighbor of mine RESEMBLES my father. SUSPECT: A neighbor of mine HAS A RESEMBLANCE TO my father.
Max out
Take to the limit (in a good or a bad way). To max out your credit cards is to incur as much debt as is permitted; to max out your productivity is to achieve maximum productivity.
Subjugation
Conquering, domination, enslavement.
Cognitive
Relative to thinking. Cognition is the mental process of knowing (awarness, judgement, reasoning, etc.)
Outstrip
Surpass, exceed; be larger or better than; leave behind.
SO…THAT
The book was SO SHORT THAT I could read it in one night. The book was SHORT ENOUGH FOR me TO READ in one night. SUSPECT: The book was SO SHORT I could read it.(THAT is preferred) SUSPECT: The book was OF SUCH SHORTNESS THAT I could read it. SUSPECT: The book had SO MUCH SHORTNESS THAT I could read it. SUSPECT: SUCH was the SHORTNESS of the book THAT I could read it.
DANGER
We ARE IN DANGER OF FORGETTING the past. SUSPECT: We ARE ENDANGERED BY FORGETTING the past.
Aristocracy
A hereditary ruling class, nobility (or a form of government ruled by these people).
Handpick
To pick by hand, to personally select
Jumbo
Unusually large, supersized.
SUCH AS
Matt drives fast cars, SUCH AS Ferraris. (=example) Matt enjoys driving SUCH cars AS Ferraris. Matt enjoys intense activities, SUCH AS DRIVING fast cars.
WORRY
The committee was WORRIED ABOUT increased prices. SUSPECT: The committee’s WORRY CONCERNING increased prices was well-founded.
Thorny
Controversial, full of difficulties. Literally, having thorns, prickly (as rose bush).
TWICE
He is TWICE AS tall AS Alex [is] Leaves fall TWICE AS quickly AS they grow. Naomi wrote TWICE AS MANY letters AS Sara [did]. Naomi wrote ten letters, DOUBLE THE NUMBER THAT Sara wrote. Naomi’s income DOUBLED in three year. Naomi DOUBLED her income in three years.
Disseminate
Scatter, spread about, broadcast In the 1760s, revolutionary ideas were disseminated via pamphlets such as Thomas Paine’s Common sense.’’
Benevolent
Expressing goodwill, helping others or charity.
Blight
Disease that kills plants rapidly, or any cause of decay or destruction (noun); ruin or cause to wither (verb) “Many potato farmer has fallen into poverty as a result of blight killing their crops.’’ ‘‘Gang violence is a blight on our school system, causing innocent students to fear even attending class. In fact, violence has blighted our town.’’
Expedient
Suitable, proper; effective (sometimes while sacrificing ethics)
EXPECT
We EXPECT the price TO FALL. The price IS EXPECTED TO FALL. We EXPECT THAT the price WILL FALL. IT IS EXPECTED THAT the price WILL FALL. Inflation rose more than we EXPECTED. Ther IS an EXPECTATION THAT the price will fall. SUSPECT:There IS an EXPECTATION the price WILL FALL. SUSPECT: There IS an EXPECTATION OF the price FALLING. SUSPECT: The price rose more than we EXPECTED IT TO. SUSPECT: Inflation rose more than we EXPECTED IT WOULD.
Fledgling
New or inexperienced. A fledgling is also a young bird than cannot fly yet.
EXPEND
We EXPEND energy ON neighborhood development.
RECOGNIZE
They RECOGNIZED THAT the entrance fee WAS a bargain. They RECOGNIZED the entrance fee TO BE a bargain. They RECOGNIZED the entrance fee AS a bargain.
Revamp
Renovate, redo, revise (verb); a restructuring, upgrade, etc. (noun). Similarly, overhaul means to repair or investigate for repairs.
Attribute to
Give credit to
DISCOVERY
I love the DISCOVERY THAT carbon CAN form soccer-ball molecules. SUSPECT: I love the DISCOVERY OF carbon’s ABILITY TO form soccer-ball molecules.
Impinge on
Trespass on, violate
AS…SO
AS you practice, SO shall you play. (=in the same way or manner) JUST AS you practice, SO shall you play. (=in the same way or manner) JUST AS you practice piano regularly, you should study regularly. (=in the same way; the situations are analogous)
DEVELOP
The executive DEVELOPED her idea INTO a project. The idea DEVELOPED INTO a project.
TRAIN
She WAS TRAINED TO RUN a division.
Inherent
Existing as a permanent, essential quality; intrinsic.
Smelt
Fuse or melt ore in order to separate out metal.
Arbiter
Judge, umpire, person empowered to decide matters at hand. Arbitration is typically a formal process in which a professional arbitrator decides a matter outside of a court af law. ‘‘Professional mediators arbitrate disputes.’’ ‘‘The principal said, ‘Asmthe final arbiter of what is and is not appropriate in the classroom, I demand taht you take down that poster of the rapper Ice-T and his scantily clad wife Coco.’’’
REQUIRE
She REQUIRES time TO WRITE (or IN ORDER TO WRITE). She REQUIRES her friend TO DO work. Her friend IS REQUIRED TO DO work. She REQUIRES THAT her friend DO work. She REQUIRES OF her friend THAT work BE done. SUSPECT: In this hostel, ther is REQUIREMNET OF work. SUSPECT: Ther is a REQUIREMENT THAT work BE done.
NATIVE
The kangaroo is NATIVE TO Australia. (said of animals, plants) My friend is A NATIVE OF Australia. (said of people)
TARGETED
This intervention is TARGETED AT a specific misbehavior.
HELP
He HELPS RAKE the leaves. He HELPS TO RAKE the leaves. He HELPS me RAKE the leaves. He HELPS me TO RAKE the leaves. His HELP IN RAKING the leaves has been welcome.
KNOW
We KNOW her TO BE brilliant. She is KNOWN TO BE brilliant. We KNOW him AS “Reggie’’. He is KNOWN AS ‘‘Reggie”.
Perpetuate
Make perpetual, cause to continue.
Impede
Hold back, obstruct the progress of.
Token
Sign, symbol, mark, badge; souvenir, memento; sample, or person, thing, idea taken to represent an entire group. Of course, a token can also be a coin-like disk used as currency for subways, arcade games, etc. As an adjective, it means “not very important’’.
REBEL
The colonists REBELLED AGAINST tyranny. SUSPECT: The colonists’ REBELLION WAS AGAINST tyranny.
Offset
Counteract, compensate for; Offset is usually a verb, but as a noun: My company provided me with an offset against moving expenses.
Induce
Persuade or influence (a person to do something); bring about, cause to happen (to induce labor when a birth is not proceding quickly enough).
EVEN
I am EVEN RICHER THAN a prince. I earn AS MUCH money AS EVEN the wealthiest king.
EXTENT
We enjoyed the film TO some EXTENT. “Thumbs part up’’ is the EXTENT TO WHICH we enjoyed the film.
Enigma
Puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or contradictory person.
Exacerbate
Make worse (more violent, severe, etc), inflame
Adverse
Unfavorable, opposed ‘‘A noisy environment is adverse to studying, and lack of sleep can have further adverse effects.’’
Graft
Join together plant parts or skin so that two living things grow together (for instance, a skin graft for burn victim); or the act of acquiring money or other benefits through illegal means, especially by abusing one’s power.
Makeshift
Improvised, relating to a temporary substitute. The expressions thrown together or slapped together express a similar idea of a making do with the resources on hand. Similarly, to jury rig something is to assemble it quickly with whatever materials you have available.
DESIGN
This window IS DESIGNED TO OPEN.
RESULT
Wealth RESULTS FROM work. Work RESULTS IN wealth. Wealth IS A RESULT OF work. Wealth grows AS A RESULT OF work. AS A RESULT OF our work, our wealth grew. The RESULT OF our work WAS THAT our wealth grew.
SO THAT
She gave money SO THAT the school could offer scholarships. (=purpose) SUSPECT: She gave money, SO the school was grateful. (=result)
CONTRAST
IN CONTRAST WITH the zoo, the park charges no admission. IN CONSTRAST TO the zoo, the park charges no admission. UNLIKE the zoo, the park charges no admission.
DECLARE
I DECLARED the election a fraud. I DECLARED the referendum invalid. I DECLARED invalid the referendum that the new regime imposed. They DECLARED THAT the election was a fraud. SUSPECT: They DECLARED the election was a fraud. (DECLARE THAT is preferred) SUSPECT: The judge DECLARED the election TO BE a fraud.
Convulted
Twisted; very complicated. ‘‘Your argument is so convulted that I’m not even able to understand it enough to start critiquing it.’’ ‘‘To get from the hotel room to the pool requires following a convulted path up two staircases and down two others-to get to someplace on the same floor we started on.’’
Analogous
Corresponding in a particular way, making a good analogy ‘‘Our situation is analogous to one in case study I read in business school. Maybe what worked for that company will work for us.’’
ONCE
We might ONCE have seen that band.
Landmark
Object (such as a building) that stands out and can be used to navigate by; a very important place, event, etc.
Paradigm
Model or pattern; worldview; set of shared assumptions, values, etc.
Deem
Judge, consider “You can take the black belt exam when I deem you ready, and not a moment before- said karate instructor.’’
LESS
Our utilities add up to LESS THAN 10% of our income.
Balance
The remaing part or leftover amount. This is related to the idea of a bank balance-a balance is what you have left after deuctions. ‘‘the publishing division accounted for 25% of the profits, and the film division for the balance. This means that the film division provided 75% of the profits.’’
DISINCLINED
She IS DISINCLINED TO WRITE to her parents.
FORBID
The law FORBIDS any citizen TO VOTE twice.
SUCH
You may enjoy chemistry and physics, but I hate SUCH subjects. You may enjoy chemistry and physics, but I hate THESE subjects.
Bolster
Strengthen or support. ‘‘The general requested reinforcements to bolster the defensive line set up at the border.’’ ‘‘Many people use alcohol to bolster their confidence before approaching an attractive person in a bar’’.
Foreshadow
Indicate or suggest beforehand.
Hallmark
A mark of indication of quality, purity, genuineness, etc., any distinguishing characteristic.
RATHER THAN
He wrote with pencils RATHER THAN with pens. SUSPECT: He with pencils INSTEAD OF pens. SUSPECT: He wrote with pencils, BUT NOT pens.
COMPARABLE
Costs are rising, but incomes have not increased COMPARABLY. SUSPECT: Costs are rising, but incomes have not increased TO A COMPARABLE EXTENT.
DOUBT
We DO NOT DOUBT THAT the apples are ripe. We HAVE NO DOUBT THAT the apples are ripe. She DOUBTS WHETHER Jan will arrive on time. SUSPECT: She DOUBTS THAT Jan will arrive on time. (DOUBT in positive statement should be followed by WHETHER or IF, not THAT)
Disclosure
Revealing, exposing the truth; something that has been revealed. Full dsclosure is an expression meaning telling everything.
Channel
To direct or guide along a particular course. As a verb you may channel your energy towards productive purposes.
ENOUGH
The book was short ENOUGH TO READ in a night. The book was short ENOUGH FOR me TO READ in a night. SUSPECT: The power plant has found a way to generate energy at an unprecedented scale, ENOUGH FOR powering and entire city.
Acreage
Land measure in acres. “Our property is large, but much of the acreage is swampland notsuitable for bulding”
Utenable
Not defendable (as an argument), not able to be lived in (as a house).
Discrete
Separate, distinct, detached, existing as individual parts. This is not the same word as discreet, which means subtle, secretive. “Be sure to use quotation marks and citations as appropriate in your papes in order to keep your ideas discrete from those of the experts you are quoting.’’
Forestall
Delay, hinder, prevent by taking action beforehand.
Pristine
In an original, pure state; uncorrupted. A pristine forest has not been touched by humans. Sometimes pristine is just used to mean very clean.
INSTEAD
They avoided the arcade and INSTEAD went to a movie.
PROPOSE
The attorneys PROPOSED THAT a settlement BE reached. (subjunctive) The attorneys PROPOSED a new venue. The attorneys PROPOSED TO MEET for lunch.
UNLIKE
UNLIKE the spiny anteater, the aardvark is docile.
PERSUADE
He PERSUADED her TO GO with him.
DIFFERENCE
There is a DIFFERENCE IN ability BETWEEN us. There is a DIFFERENCE BETWEEN what you can do AND what I can do. There are DIFFERENCES IN what you and I can do.
HOLD
The law HOLDS THAT jaywalking is illegal. SUSPECT: The law HOLDS jaywalking TO BE illegal.
Countenance
Approve or tolerate. Countenance can also literally mean ‘‘face’’ (Her countenance was familiar-did we know each other?) ‘‘I saw you cheating off my paper, and I can’t countenance cheating-either you turn yourself in or I’ll report you.’’
Offhand
Casual, informal; done without preparation of forethought; rude in a short way, brusque.
Warranted
Justified, authorized (warrant can mean to justify or a justification, but it can also mean to vouch for or guarantee).
COMPARED / COMPARISON
IN COMPARISON WITH (or TO) horses, zebras are vicious. A zebra can be COMPARED TO horse in many ways. COMPARED WITH a horse, however, a zebra is very hard to tame. SUSPECT: AS COMPARED WITH (TO) horses, zebras are vicious.
Grandstand
Perform showily in an attempt to impress onlookers
WHETHER
I do not know WHETHER I will go. SUSPECT: I do not know WHETHER OR NOT I will go.
Intrepid
Fearless, brave, enduring in the face of adversity.
Paragon
Model of excellence, perfect example.
DIFFER / DIFFERENT
My opinion DIFFERS FROM yours. My opinion IS DIFFERENT FROM yours.
Erstwhile
Former, previous.
OBJECT
We OBJECT TO these proceedings. SUSPECT: We HAVE AN OBJECTION TO these proceedings.
Recalcitrant
Not obedient, resisting authority, hard to manage.
Rudimentary
Elementary, relating to the basics; underdeveloped, primitive.
Mores
Customs, manners, or morals of a particular group. Pronounce this word as two syllables (rhymes with ‘‘more ways’’).
VIEW
I VIEWED this process AS a mistake.
Canon
Body of accepted rules, standards or artistic works; canonical means authorized, recognized, or pertaining to a canon. Note that the spelling of canon is not the same as cannon (a large weapon). ‘‘The Western canon’’ is an expression referring to books traditionally considered necessary for a person to be educated in the culture of Europe an the Americas. “School boards often start controversies when replacing canonical books in the curriculum with modern litearture; while many people think students should read works mor relevant to their lives, others point out that ‘‘Moby Dick’’ is part of the canon for a reason.
Bureaucracy
1) Government characterized by many bureaus and petty administrators; 2) Excessive, seemingly meaningless requirements. “Some nations have a worse reputation for bureaucracy than others-in order to get a Visa, he had to file papers with four different agencies, wait for hours in three different waiting rooms, and, weeks later, follow up with some petty bureaucrat who complained that the original application should’ve been filled in triplicate.’’
SO TOO
Bellbottoms ARE coming back in style, and SO TOO ARE vests. SUSPECT: Bellbottoms ARE coming back in style, and ALSO vests.
Temperance
Moderation, self-control, especially regarding alcohol or other desires or pleasures; total abstinence from alcohol. Relatedly, temperate means moderate, as in temperate climate.
SIGNIFICANT
Your edits HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED the book. SUSPECT: Your edits HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN the book.
ABILITY
I value my ABILITY TO sing (Note: I can sing is preferred to “I have ability to sing”)
SECURE
Our authority IS SECURE.
Latent
Potential; existing but not visible or active. A similar word is dormant.
Sanction
Permission or approval, or to give permission or approval OR a legal action by one or more countries against another country to get it comply (or the act of placing those sanctions on another country). Whoa! Yes, that’s right-sanction can mean two different things that are basically opposites. Use context to figure it out-if it’s plural (sanctions), it’s definetely the bad meaning.
Accord, Discord
Acord is agreement, and discord id disagreement. ‘‘Our management is in accord with regulatory agencies about tightening standards.’’
Yoke
A frame for attaching animals (such as oxen) to each other and to a plow or other equipment to be pulled, or a bar across a person’s shoulders to help carry buckets of water, etc. Metaphorically, a yoke is a burden or something that oppresses. To yoke is to unite together or to burden. To throw off the yoke of opression is to free oneself from oppression.
INFLUENCE
His example INFLUENCED me. SUSPECT: His example WAS INFLUENTIAL TO me. (or AN INFLUENCE ON me)
MOST
OF ALL the Greek gods, Zeus was THE MOST powerful. (superlative) He was THE SECOND MOST attractive AND THE MOST powerful.
SEEM
This result SEEMS TO DEMONSTRATE the new theory. IT SEEMS THAT this result DEMONSTRATES the new theory. IT SEEMS AS IF this result DEMONSTRATES the new theory. SUSPECT: This result SEEMS TO BE A DEMONSTRATION OF the new theory. SUSPECT: This result SEEMS DEMONSTRATIVE OF the new theory. SUSPECT: This result SEEMS LIKE A DEMONSTRATION OF the new theory.
Undermine
Weaken, cause to collapse by digging away at the foundation (of a building or an argument); injure or attack in a secrective or underhanded way.
SIMILAR
ALL companies HAVE SIMILAR issues. (comparison requires plural)
INTENT
I went with the INTENT (or INTENTION) OF LEAVING soon. I went with the INTENT TO LEAVE soon. SUSPECT: I went with the INTENT THAT I WOULD LEAVE soon.
INTERACTION
The INTERACTION OF two nuclei COLLIDING releases energy. SUSPECT: The INTERACTION BETWEEN two nuclei COLLIDING releases energy.
Baldly
Plainly, explicitly. (This is the same word as in losing one’s hair.) To say something baldly is to be blunt. People are sometimes shocked or offended when things are said too bluntly or badly. ‘‘An article in Mother Jones explained that Maine is not very diverse:’It is, to put it baldly, one of the whitest states in the union.’’’
Mantle (of the earth)
Layer of the Earth between the crust and the core. The mantle is about 1,800 miles thick and makes up about 85% of the total volume of the Earth.
Investiture
Investing; formally giving someone a right or title.
Slight
Small, not very important, slender or delicate; treat as though not very important; snub, ignore; a discourtesy.
Prey
An animal that is hunted and eaten. Predators are animals that hunt and eat prey.
RESTRICTION
The government imposed RESTRICTIONS ON the price of gasoline.
WAY
We proposed a WAY OF REACHING the goal. The WAY IN WHICH we discussed the idea was positive. The best WAY TO REACH the goal IS TO FOCUS one’s energy. This process was developed TO ACHIEVE the target. SUSPECT: This process was developed AS A WAY OF ACHIEVING the target.
DISTINGUISH / DISTINCTION
The investor DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN trends AND fads. There is a DISTINCTION BETWEEN trends AND fads. SUSPECT: The investor DISTINGUISHED trends FROM fads.
Conversely
In an opposite way; on the other hand. ‘‘I am not here to argue that lack of education causes poverty. Conversely, I am here to argue that poverty causes lack of education.’’
Wanting
Lacking, insufficient, or not good enough. (I read a book and I found it wanting.) This makes sense when you think about fact that people generally want good things, of course-so if a person is left wanting, he did not get those good things. Conversely, a person who wants for nothing is someone who already has everything.
Levy
Collect tax from or wage war on; act of collecting tax or amount owed, or the drafting of troops into military service.
CLAIM
They CLAIM THAT they CAN read minds. They CLAIM TO BE ABLE to read minds. SUSPECT: They CLAIM the ABILITY to read minds. SUSPECT: They CLAIM they CAN read minds.
Equivocal or Equivocate
Use unclear language to deceive or avoid commiting to a position.
DUE TO
The deficit IS DUE TO overspending.(=results from) Our policy will not cover damage DUE TO fire. (=resulting from) BEACAUSE politicians SPEND money, we have a deficit
REDUCE
The coalition REDUCED prices. The coalition was considering A REDUCTION IN prices. SUSPECT: The coalition MADE (or CAUSED) A REDUCTION IN prices.
Antiethical to
Totally opposed to; opposite. The crimes of our chairman are totally antiethical to what the Society for Ethical Leadership stands for.’’
INSTANCE
We eat often; FOR INSTANCE, last week we ate out every night.
Lax
Not strict; careless, loose, slack.
Unwarranted
Not justified or authorized.
RANGE
His emotions RANGED FROM anger TO joy. His WIDELY RANGING emotions are hard to deal with. (=changing over time) His WIDE RANGE of accomplishments is impressive.
DEPEND
The outcome DEPENDS ON WHETHER he CAN make friends.
Buffer
Something that separates two groups, people, etc., who potentially do not get along. When the U.S. was controlled by England, the state of Georgia was colonized as a buffer between English colonies and Spanish Florida. A breakwater of rocks would act as a buffer, protecting the beach against crashing waves.
Confer
Consult, compare views; bestow or give ‘‘A Ph.D confers upon a person the right to be adressed as “Doctor” as well as eligibility to pursue tenure-track profesorship.” “Excuse me for a moment to make a call-I can’t buy this car until I confer with my spouse.”
Suffrage
The right to vote. Women’s suffrage was ensured in the U.S. via the 19th Amendment.
TRY
They WILL TRY TO BUILD a company. (=intent or purpose) SUSPECT: We TRIED BREAKING the door down. (=experiment)
Curtail
Cut short or reduce
Rife
Happening frequently, abundant, currently being reported.
Jettison
Discard, cast off; throw items overboard in order to lighten a ship in an emergency.
FACT THAT
It is important to recognize THAT our strategy is working. We have succeeded BEACAUSE we work hard. SUSPECT: It is important to recognize THE FACT THAT our strategy is working. SUSPECT: THE FACT THAT our strategy is working is important to recognize.
DETERMINE
The winner was DETERMINED BY a coin toss.
LIKE
LIKE his sister, Matt drives fast cars. (= both drive fast cars) Matt drives fast cars LIKE his sister. (= both drive fast cars, OR both drive fast cars in the same way) Matt drives fast cars LIKE his sister’s. (= both drive similar cars; he does not drive his sister’s car)
Nebula
A cloud of gas and dust in space. Nebulas can form star-forming regions-all the materials clump together to form larger masses, thus attracting further matter and ultimately creating stars. A nebula can also be a cloudy spot on a person’s eye, and nebulous can mean cloudy, unclear.
Piggyback
“Riding” on something bigger or more important. Piggyback literally refers to one person riding on the back of another (the way one sometimes carries a larger child). This word can be an adverb, adjective, or noun.
SUGGEST
A study SUGGESTS THAT more work IS needed (or WILL BE) needed. We SUGGEST THAT he BE promoted. (subjunctive) This artwork SUGGESTS great talent. SUSPECT: This artwork IS SUGGESTIVE OF great talent.
Compound
Add interest to the principal and accrued interest; increase. When talking about substances, compound can also mean mix, combine, as in compound two chemicals. “The town was greatly damaged by the hurricane-damage that was only compunded by the subsequent looting and even arson that took place in the chaos that followed.’’ ‘‘Your succes in studying for GMAT can only be compounded by healthy sleep habits; in fact, the brain requires sleep in order to form new memories and thus solidfy your knowledge.”
NOT…BUT
She DID NOT EAT mangoes BUT ATE other kinds of fruits. She DID NOT EAT mangoes BUT LIKED other kinds of fruit AND later BEGAN to like kiwis, too. A tomato is NOT a vegetable BUT a fruit. A tomato is NOT a vegetable BUT RATHER a fruit. The agency is NOT a fully independent entity BUT INSTEAD derives its authority from Congress. She DID NOT EAT mangoes; INSTEAD, she ate other kinds of fruit.
BOTH…AND
She was interested BOTH in plants AND in animals. She was interested in BOTH plants AND animals
EITHER…OR
I will take EITHER the subway OR the bus
AIM
We adopted new procedures AIMED AT REDUCING theft. We adopted new procedures WITH AN AIM OF REDUCING theft. SUSPECT: We adopted new policies, THE AIM OF WHICH was TO REDUCE theft.
Fishy
Suspicious, unlikely, questionable, as in a fishy story.
Impair
Make worse, weaken.
Host
A large amount. A host of problems means a lot of problems.
CONCEIVE
He CONCEIVES OF architecture AS a dialogue. SUSPECT. His CONCEPTION OF architecture IS AS a dialogue.
Decry
Condemn openly. “The activists decried the destruction of the animals’ habitat.”
Emulate
Copy in an attempt to equal or be better than.
Preempt
Prevent; take the place of, supplant; take before someone else can.
APPLY
The rules APPLY TO all of us.
IF
Inflation can hurt profits IF costs increase. (IF=condition) I can eat ice cream, PROVIDED THAT my doctor approves. (=ONLY IF) SUSPECT: Inflation can hurt profits WHEN costs increase. (WHEN=time period)
Discount
Ignore, especially to ignore information because it is considered untrustworthy; to underestimate, minimize, regard with doubt. To discount an idea is not count it as important. “After staying up all night to finish the presentation, he was understandably unhappy that his boss discounted his contribution, implying that she had done most of the work herself.’’
Inform
Inspire, animate; give substance, essence, or context to; be the characteristic quality of. Of course, inform most commonly means ‘‘impart knowledge to’‘;thus, many students are confused when they see the word used in other ways on the GMAT.
RATE
The RATES FOR bus tickets are good for commuters. (=prices) The RATE OF theft has fallen.
REASON
I have A REASON TO DO work today. She has A REASON FOR the lawsuit. This observation indicates a REASON THAT he is here. SUSPECT: This observation indicates a REASON WHY he is here.
Chronological
Arranged in or relating to time order. ‘‘Joey, I’m afraid you’ve done the assignment wrong-the point of making a timeline is to put the information in chronological order. You’ve made an alphabetical-order-line instead.’’
Impartial
Unbiased, fair. Disinterested, dispassionate, and nonpartisan are all related to being fair and not having a bias or personal stake.
Mercurial
Quickly and unpredictably changing moods; fickle, flighty.
Collude
Conspire; cooperate for illegal or fraudulent purposes. “ After two competing software companies doubled their prices on the same day, leaving consumers no lower-priced alternative, the federal government investigated the copmanies for collusion.”
ORDER
The state ORDERS THAT the agency COLLECT taxes. The state ORDERS the agency TO COLLECT taxes.
Blur
To make blurry, unclear, indistinct. “In Japan, company titles are taken very seriously and roles are sharply defined, whereas in the U.S.-especially in smaller firms-roles are often blurred as everyone is expected to pitch in on a variety of projects.’’
ANXIETY
His ANXIETY ABOUT his company’s future is ill-founded. His ANXIETY THAT his company MAY BE SOLD is ill-founded.
Explicit
Direct, clear, fully revealed. Explicit in the context of movies, music, etc. means depicting or describing sex or nudity.
Sketchy
Like a sketch: incomplete, imperfect, superficial.
AWARE
AWARE OF the danger, he fled. AWARE THAT danger was near, he fled.
Inasmuch
Since, because. Usually inasmuch as.
LOSS
I have suffered a LOSS OF strength. (=decline in quality). They have suffered a LOSS IN the euro. (=decline of an investment)
Acclaim
Great praise or approval
Machination
Crafty schemes or plots
Chancy
Risky, not having a certain outcome. This word comes from the idea of taking a lot of chances or depending on chance.
CAN
The manager CAN run the plant. The plant CAN cause damage. SUSPECT: The manager IS ABLE TO RUN the plant. SUSPECT: The manager IS CAPABLE OF RUNNING the plant. SUSPECT: The manager HAS THE ABILITY TO RUN the plant. SUSPECT: It is POSSIBLE FOR the plant TO CAUSE damage. SUSPECT: The plant POSSIBLY CAUSES damage. SUSPECT: The plant HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING damage.
SO…AS TO
The sauce was SO hot AS TO burn my mouth.
EQUIPPED
They are EQUIPPED TO FIGHT on any terrain.
Contend
Assert, make an argument in favor of; strive, compete, struggle. A contention is simplya claim, often a thesis or statement that will then be backed up with reasons. Contentious means controversial or argumentative, as in The death penalty is a contentious issue.
Disparate
Distinct, different. ‘‘He chose the college for two disparate reasons:the strenght of the computer science program, and the excellence of the hip-hop dance squad.’’
LIE
Our strenght LIES IN numbers. (=resides in) Yesterday, our strenght LAY IN numbers. (resided in). Tomorrow, our strenght WILL LIE IN numbers. I lose my books whenever I LAY them down. (present tense of different verb)
Skirt
Border, lie along the edge of, go around; evade.
Discretionary
Subject to someone’s discretion, or judgement (generally good judgement). Discretionary funds can be spent on anything. Begin at your discretion means begin whenever you think is best.’’
Incinerate
Burn, reduce to ashes, cremate.
INTERACT
These groups often INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER. (or EACH OTHER)’
ALLOW
The holiday ALLOWS Maria TO WATCH the movie today. (=permits) Maria was ALLOWED TO WATCH the movie. The demolition of the old bulding ALLOWS FOR new construction. (permits the existence of)
Lift
Remove (such as restriction); improve or lighten (such as a person’s mood)
Debunk
Expose, ridicule, or disprove false or exaggerated claims. “Galileo spent his last years under house arrest for debunking the widely held idea that the Sun revolved around the Earth.’’
SUCCEED
She SUCCEEDED IN REACHING the summit.
Agency
The ability to use power or influence ‘‘Some global warming deniers acknowledge that the planet is heating up, but agree that human agency does not affect the climate.’’
Glacial
Slow, cold, icy, unsympathetic.
Egregious
Extraordinarily or conspicuously bad; glaring.
Corroborate
Support, add evidence to ‘‘You’re telling me you were thirty miles away riding a roller coaster when the school was vandalized? I have a hard time believing that-is there anyone who can corroborate your story?’’
Impute
Credit, attribute; lay blame or responsability for.
Save
But or except. (used as a preposition)
CONTINUE
The danger will CONTINUE TO GROW. SUSPECT: The danger will CONTINUE GROWING (correct but apparently not used)
Coercion
Force; use of pressure, threats, etc. to force someone to do something.
Ingenuity
Inventive skill, imagination, cleverness, especially in design.
BELIEVE
She BELIEVES THAT Gary IS right. She BELIEVES Gary TO BE right. It is BELIEVED THAT Gary IS right. Gary IS BELIEVED TO BE right. SUSPECT: Gary IS BELIEVED BY her TO BE right.
Bypass
Avoid, go around; ignore. The word can be a noun or a verb. Literally, a bypass is a stretch of highway taht goes around an obstacle (such as construction site). A synonym for bypass (verb) is circumvent, as in to circumvent (or bypass) the normal approval process by going straight to the company president.
ENSURE
He ENSURES THAT deadlines MUST BE met (or WIL BE met)
Broook
Suffer or tolerate. Often use with the word no. You could say ‘‘The dictator will not brook dissent’’, but a more common usage would be ‘‘The dictator will brook no dissent’’.
Iconoclast
Attacker of cherished beliefs or institutions.
ONLY
Her performance is exceeded ONLY by theirs.
BAN
They passed a BAN PROHIBITING us FROM CARRYING bottles.
Mediated by
Brought about by means of; assisted as an intermediary. Of course, to mediate a dispute is to bring about a resolution, but mediated in science also has the idea of being “ïn the middle.”
MORE
We observed A 10% INCREASE IN robberies last month. MORE AND MORE we have observed violent robberies on weekends. INCREASINGLY we have observed violent robberies on weekends. SUSPECT: We observed 10% MORE robberies last month.
Table
In American English, to table something means to postpone discussion of it until later. (In British English, to table a bill is the opposite-to submit it for consideration.)
Escape velocity
The minimum velocity that an object must attain in order to completely escape a gravitional field.
Spearhead
Be a leader of. A spearhead can, of course, be the sharp head of a spear. It can also be a person at the front of a military attack, or a leader of anything.
Spate
Sudden outpouring or rush; flood.
Ambivalent
1) Uncertain, unable to decide; 2) Wanting to do two contradictory things at once. ‘‘The health care plan has been met with ambivalence from lawmakers who would like to pass the bill but find supporting it to be politically impossible.’’
WEIGH
My laptop WEIGHS LESS THAN a suitcase. My laptop IS LIGHTER THAN a suitcase.
MEANS
Music education is A MEANS TO improved cognition.
Interplay
Interaction, reciprocal relationship or influence.
Cogent
Very convincing, logical ‘‘Most GMAT Critical Reasoning arguments are not terribly cogent-they depend on unspoken and unjustified assumptions.
EXCEPT
EXCEPT FOR a final skirmish, the war was over.
Revamp
Renovate, redo, revise (verb); a restructuring, upgrade, etc. (noun). The similar word overhaul means repair or investigate for repairs.
Slew
A large number or quantity. Of course, slew is also the past tense of slay (kill), so you could actually say “She slew him with a slew of bullets.’’
Adopt
Take and make one’s own; vote or accept. You can adopt a child, of course, or a new policy. To dopt a plan implies that you didn’t come up with yourself.
DEMAND
They DEMANDED THAT the store BE closed. Their DEMAND THAT the store BE closed was not met.
Exacting
Very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention.
Malleable
Able to be bent, shaped, or adapted. Tractable, pliable, and plastic can also mean physically bendable, or metaphorically bendable, as in ‘‘easily influenced or shaped by others.” Mutable means changeable.
Propagated
Breed, cause to multiply.
IN ORDER TO
She drank coffee IN ORDER TO STAY awake. She drank coffee TO STAY awake. (Infinitive TO STAY indicates purpose.) SUSPECT: She drank coffee IN ORDER THAT (or SO THAT) she MIGHT stay awake. SUSPECT: She drank coffee SO AS TO STAY awake.
INVEST
She INVESTED funds IN research TO STUDY cancer.
FIND
The sciencist FOUND THAT the reaction WAS unusual. SUSPECT: The sciencist FOUND the reaction TO BE unusual.
Taxonomy
Science or technique of classification. The taxonomic system in biology classifie organisms by Phylum, Class, Order, Species, etc.
POTENTIALLY
A tornado IS POTENTIALLY overwhelming.
Qualified
Modified, limited, conditional on something else. Unqualified can mean not limited or not restrained. If your boss gives unqualified approval for your plan, you can do whatever you want. Of course, everyone knows qualified in the sense qualified for the job.
DECIDE
She DECIDED TO START a company.
Suppress
Prohibit, curtail, force the end of. A repressive government might suppress dissent against its policies.
Artifact
Any os.bject made by humans, especially those from an earlier time, such as those excavated by archeologists. ‘‘The archeologists dug up countless artifacts, from simple shards and coins to complex written tablet’’ ‘‘The girl’s room was full of the artifacts of modern teenage life: Justin Bieber posters, Twilight books, and a laptop open to Facebook.”
Aggravate
Make worse ‘‘Allowing your band to practice in our garage has greatly aggravated my headache.’’
AS…AS
Cheese is AS great AS people say. Cheese is not AS great AS people say. We have AS many apples AS need to be cooked. We have three time AS many pears AS you. We have AT LEAST AS MANY apples AS you. We have ten apples, ABOUT AS MANY AS we picked yesterday. His knowledge springs AS MUCH from experience AS from schooling. His knowledge springs NOT SO MUCH from experience AS from schooling. He wins frequently, AS MUCH because he plays SO hard AS because he cheats. SUSPECT: Cheese is NOT SO great AS people say. SUSPECT: We have AS MANY apples AS OR MORE apples THAN you. SUSPECT: We have AS MANY apples AS THERE need to be cooked. SUSPECT: He wins frequently, AS MUCH because he plays AS hard AS because he cheats.
INSPIRE
His example INSPIRED me. SUSPECT: His example WAS INSPIRATIONAL TO me (or NA INSPIRATION TO me).
BUT
I STUDY hard BUT TAKE breaks. I STUDY hard, BUT I TAKE breaks. ALTHOUGH I TAKE frequent naps, I STUDY effectively. DESPITE TAKING frequent naps, I STUDY effectively. I TAKE frequent naps, YET I STUDY effectively. SUSPECT: DESPITE THE FACT THAT I TAKE frequent naps, I STUDY effectively. SUSPECT: ALTHOUGH a frequent napper, I STUDY effectively. (although should generally be followed by a clause)
WHERE
Sussex is the only county WHERE pomegranates grow in this state. Sussex is the only county IN WHICH pomegranates grow in this state. This incident represents a case IN WHICH I would call the police.
LIKELY
My friend IS LIKELY TO EAT worms. IT IS LIKELY THAT my friend WILL EAT worms. My friend is MORE LIKELY THAN my enemy [is] TO EAT worms. My friend is TWICE AS LIKELY AS my enemy [is] TO EAT worms. MORE THAN LIKELY, my friend WILL EAT worms.
Maxim
A general truth or fundamental principle, especially expressed as a proverb or saying.
Reticent
Not talking much; private (of a person), restrained, reserved.
Backfire
To produce an unexpected and unwanted result. The literal meaning refers to an engine, gun, etc., exploding backwards or discharging gases, flame, debris, etc. backwards, thus possibly causing injury. “The company’s new efficiency measures backfired when workers protested and staged a walkout, thus topping production completely.’’
BASED ON
The verdict was BASED ON the evidence. The jury reached a verdict BASED ON the evidence.
MANDATE
The general MANDATED THAT a trench BE dug. (subjunctive) SUSPECT: We HAVE A MANDATE TO CALL an election soon. (=have authority)
Lackluster
Not shiny; dull, mediocre; lacking brilliance or vitality.
Broad
Wide, large; in the open (‘‘in broad daylight’’); obvious, clear; liberal, tolerant; covering a wide scope of things. (‘‘Broad’’ is also a mildly derogatory term for women, in case you’re confused-of course, no one would ever be called a broad on the GMAT) ‘‘The panel was given broad discretionary powers. (That pretty much means that the panel can do whatever they want.)
SAME
The car looks THE SAME TO me AS TO you. I drove to the store AT THE SAME TIME AS you [did].
REFER
This term REFERS TO a kind of disease. REFERRING TO the controversy, the politician asked for calm. SUSPECT:This term IS USED TO REFER TO a kind of disease.
PROHIBIT
The law PROHIBITS any citizen FROM VOTING twice.
Transmute
Transform, change from one form to another.
SINCE
Xingo is THE MOST successful new product SINCE 1997. (=up to now) It is the best new beverage SINCE Prune Cola. SUSPECT: Xingo is the best new beverage FOLLOWING Prune Cola.
Refute
Prove to be false.
REGARD
He REGARDS the gold ring AS costly. The gold ring IS REGARDED AS costly. He is REGARDED AS HAVING good taste.
GOAL
The GOAL IS TO EXPAND the company. SUSPECT: The GOAL IS EXPANSION OF the company.
DECLINE
The price of oil DECLINED. Oil DECLINED in price. The DECLINE IN the price of oil was unexpected. My friend’s reputation DECLINED.
PRONOUNCE
She PRONOUNCED the book a triumph. SUSPECT: She PRONOUNCED the book AS a triumph.
CREDIT
Hugo CREDITS Sally WITH good taste. Sally IS CREDITED WITH good taste.
Incoroporate
Combine, unite; form a legal corporation; embody, give physical form to.
Assert
Affirm, claim, state, or express (that something is true)
Grade, gradation
A gradation is a process taking place gradually, in stages; to grade is to slant (to road grades steeply) or to blend (the dress’s fabric grades from blue to green)
AGGRAVATE
His behavior AGGRAVATED the problem. (=made worse)
Benign
1)Harmless;2)Kind of beneficial;3)Not cancerous “He was relieved when the biopsy results came back, informing him that the growth was benign.’’ ‘‘He’s a benign fellow. I’m sure having him assigned to your team at work will perfectly pleasant, without changing the way you do things.’’
Predatory
Living by preying on other animals; given to plundering, exploiting, or destroying others for one;s benefit.
Underscore
Emphasize (or, literally, to underline text)
INDICATE
A report INDICATES THAT unique bacteria LIVE on our skin. SUSPECT: A report INDICATES the presence of unique bacteria on our skin. SUSPECT: A report IS INDICATIVE OF the presence of unique bacteria on our skin.
Deterrent
Something that restrains or discourages “Some argue that death penalty is a deterrent to crime-that is, the point is not just to punish the guilty, but to frighten other prospective criminals.’’
Fathom
Understand deeply
Laypeople
Regular people, non-specialist.
Mired
Stuck, entangled (in something, like a swamp or muddy area), soiled. Morass and quagmire are also words (often used metaphorically) for soft, swampy ground that a person can sink into. The Vietnam War was famously called a quagmire. the expression muck and mire means, literally, “animal waste and mud’’ and can be used metaphorically. To muck up is to mess up or get dirty, and to muck about or around is to waste time.
DIFFICULT
Quantum mechanics is DIFFICULT TO STUDY.
Thenceforth
From that time forward.
Dispatch
Speed, promptness (noun); send off or deal with in a speedy way(verb). ‘‘Acting with all possible dispatch, emergency services dispatched a rescue squad to the scene.’’
Reconvene
Gather, come together again (or call together again), such as for a meeting, as in Let’s break for lunch and reconvene at 1pm.
REPORT
A study HAS REPORTED THAT bees ARE DISAPPEARING rapidly.
MAKE
The leader MADE the resistance POSSIBLE. The leader MADE IT POSSIBLE TO RESIST oppression. The leader MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR us TO RESIST oppression. Windshields ARE MADE resistant to impact. SUSPECT: The leader MADE POSSIBLE the resistance. Windshields ARE MADE TO BE resistant to impact.
Fleeting
Passing quickly, transistory
CREATE
We WIIL CREATE a team TO LEAD the discussion.
NOT ONLY…BUT ALSO
We wore NOT ONLY boots BUT ALSO sandals. We wore NOT ONLY boots, BUT ALSO sandals. We wore NOT JUST boots BUT ALSO sandals. SUSPECT: We wore NOT ONLY boots BUT ALSO sandals. SUSPECT: We wore NOT ONLY boots BUT sandals AS WELL. SUSPECT: We wore boots AND ALSO sandals.
Juncture
Critical point in time, such as a crisis or a time when a decision is necessary; a place where two things are joined together.
Deride
Mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuosly ‘‘The manager really thought that deriding his employees as “stupid’’ or ‘‘lazy’’ would motivate them to work harder; instead, it motivated them to hide his office supplies as an act of revenge.’’
VARIATION
There are VARIATIONS IN sunspot frequency and strength over time.
ESTIMATE
She ESTIMATES the cost TO BE ten dollars. The cost IS ESTIMATED TO BE ten dollars.
AND
We are concerned about the forests AND the oceans. We are concerned about the forests, the oceans, AND the mountains. We work all night, AND we sleep all night. SUSPECT: We are concerned about the oceans AND ALSO the mountains. SUSPECT: We work all day AND we sleep all night (GMAT links 2 clauses with comma)
CONFIDENCE
We have CONFIDENCE THAT the market WIL RECOVER. SUSPECT: We have CONFIDENCE IN the market’s ABILITY TO RECOVER.
APPEAR
Imperfections APPEAR AS tiny cracks. (=show up as) He APPEARS CONFUSED. (=seems) The dinosaurs APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN relatively smart. IT APPEARS THAT the dinosaurs WERE smart.
WITH
The lions growled, WITH their fur STANDING on end.
Application
Act or result of applying. Of course, you can have an application to business school, but you can also say “The attempted application of American-style democracy in Iraq may ultimately prove unsuccesful.’’
OR
I do NOT want water OR milk. SUSPECT: I do NOT want water AND milk. (implies the combination)
ONLY
Her performance is exceeded ONLY by theirs. (modifies by theirs)
Brook
Suffer or tolerate. Often use with the word no. You could say ‘‘The dictator will not brook dissent’’, but a more common usage would be ‘‘The dictator will brook no dissent’’.
Archaic
Characteristic of an earlier period, ancient, primitive. ‘‘The scholl’s archaic computer system predated even floppy disks-it stored records on tape drives!’’ ‘‘Sometimes when you look a word up in the dictionary, certain definitions are marked ‘archaic’-unless you are Shakespeare scholar, you can safely ignore those archaisms.
PAY
The employer PAYS the same FOR this JOB as for that one.
Inadvertently
Accidentally, carelessly, as a side effect.
Echelon
A level, rank, or grade; the people at that level.
Copious
Plentiful, bountiful ‘‘Although she took copious notes in class, she found that she was missing a big picture that would have tied all the information together.’’
RELUCTANT
They were RELUCTANT TO SAY anything.
AFTER
AFTER the gold rush, the mining town collapsed. SUSPECT: FOLLOWING the gold rush, the mining town collapsed.
Ingrained
Deep-rooted, forming part of the very essence; worked into the fiber.
Patent
Obvious, apparent, plain to see (adj.); a letter from a government guaranteeing an inventor the rights to his or her invention (noun).
SHOW
A discovery SHOWS THAT an object IS strange. A discovery SHOWS an object TO BE strange. SUSPECT: A discovery SHOWS an object IS strange.
Guile
Clever deceit, cunning, craftiness.
SHOULD
A car SHOULD BE TAKEN to the mechanic frequently. (=obligation)
HEAR
She HEARED THAT her investment HAD PAID off.
CONNECTION
There is a strong CONNECTION BETWEEN his grades AND his effort.
SUBSTITUTE
We SUBSTITUTED Parmesan cheese FOR mozzarella.
SURFACE
Craters have been seen ON THE SURFACE OF the moon. SUSPECT: Craters have been seen AT THE SURFACE OF the moon.
LACK
Old gadgets ARE LACKING IN features. Old gadgets LACK features. The LACK of features is upsetting. SUSPECT: There is A LACK OF engineers TO BUILD new gadgets.
ECONOMIC
Rhe rise in gasoline prices has an ECONOMIC impact on consumers. Our new car is more ECONOMICAL than our last. (=efficient).
Whet
Stimulate, make keen or eager (especially of an appetite).
BORDERS
WITHIN the BORDERS of a country.
Winnow
Sift, analyze critically, separate the usefull part from the worthless part.
Nucleus
Structure within a cell containing the cell’s hereditary material; any central or essential part; core, kernel.
Hedge
Avoid commitment by leaving provisions for withdrawal or changing one’s mind; protect a bet by also betting on the other side.
Peddle
Travel around while selling; sell illegally; give out or disseminate.
Partial
Biased, prejudiced, favoring one over others; having a special liking for something or someone (usually partial to). Partial can also mean “in part’’, of course.
DATE
They DATED the artifact AT three centuries old. The artifact WAS DATED AT three centuries old.
Hardy
Bold, brave, capable of withstanding hardship, fatigue, cold, etc.
Lateral
Sideways, related to or located at the side. A lateral move in a career is taking new job at the same level.
Annex
To add on, or something that has been added on. An annex to a building is a part built later and added on, or a new building that allows an organization to expand.’’
Amortize
Gradually pay off a debt, or gradually write off an asset. ‘‘A mortgage is a common form of amortized debt-spreading the payments out over as long as 30 years is not uncommon.’’
Belie
Contradict or misrepresent. ‘‘The actress’s public persona as a perky ‘girl next door’ belied her private penchant for abusing her assistants and demanding that her trailer be filled with ridiculous luxury goods.’’ ‘‘The date belie the accepted theory-either we’ve made a mistake, or we have an amazing new discovery on our hands!’’
Enumerate
Count or list; specify one-by-one.
Faction
A group (especially an exclusive group with strong beliefs, self-interest, bias, etc.) within a larger organization.
Dovetail
Join or fit together.
Checked
Restrained, held back. A check or checks can also be used to mean safeguards, limitations. This is the same checks as in checks and balances, which refers to an aspect of the American system of government in which Executive, Judical, and Legistlative branches all have power over each other, so no one branch can gain too much power. The expression held in checks means restrained, held back. ‘‘Once the economy turn for the worse, the investors began to hold spending in check.’’ ‘‘The situation isn’t so simple-while the warlords are surely criminals of the worst degree, they are the only force checking the power of the dictator.”
Equitable
Fair, equal, just.
Balloon
1) Swell or puff out; 2) Increase rapidly. Also, in finance, a balloon payment is a single payment at the end of a loan or mortgage term that is much larger than the other payments. ‘‘During the dot-com bubble, the university’s investments ballooned to three times’ their former value.” ‘‘When he won the award, his chest balloned with pride.’’
Apprentice
A person who works for someone else in order to learn a trade (such as shoemaking, weaving, etc.) from that person. Mostly historical, but still exists in the U.S.A., in a few industries, such as contracting and electrical wiring.
BEING
BEING infected does not make you sick. The judges saw the horses BEING led to the stable. SUSPECT: BEING an advocate of reform, I would like to make a different proposal.
WHOSE / WHOM
The officer WHOSE task was to be here did not show up. The company WHOSE growth leads the industry is XYZ, Inc. SUSPECT: The officer, THE task OF WHOM was to be here, did not show up.
Recapitulate
Summarize, repeat in a concise way.
Abate
Reduce or diminish ‘‘Her stress over spending so much money on a house abated when the real estate broker told her about the property’s 15-year tax abatement.”
OWE
He OWES money TO the government FOR back taxes. SUSPECT: He OWES money TO the government BECAUSE OF back taxes.
Incentive
Something that encourages greater action or effort, such as a reward.
Adhere to, Adherent
To adhere to is stick to (literally, such as with glue, or metaphorically, such as to plan or belief). An adherent is a person who sticks to a belief or cause. ‘‘The adherents of the plan won’t admit that, in the long term, such policy would bankrupt our state.” “Employees who do not adhere to the policy will be subject to disciplinary action’’
ACT
The bay ACTED AS a funnel for the tide. (=functional as) My friend ACTED LIKE a fool. (=behaved in a similar manner)
Subvert
Overthrow, corrupt, cause the downfall of.
Blunt
To dull, weaken, or make less effective “The new therapy has severe side effects, but they can be blunted somewhat with anti-nausea medication and painkillers.’’
Truce or Armstice
Suspension of fighting for a specified period because of mutual agreement; cease-fire.
Clamor
Noisy uproar or protest, as form crowd; a loud, continous noise. ‘‘As soon a scent of scandal emerged, the press was clamoring for details.’’ ‘‘The mayor couldn’t even make herself heard over the clamor of the protesters.’’
NUMBER
A NUMBER OF dogs ARE barking. THE NUMBER OF dogs IS large. THE NUMBER OF dogs HAS FALLEN, but THE NUMBER OF cats HAS RISEN. The grey oyster nearly vanished, but ITS NUMBERS have rebounded. SUSPECT: There HAS BEEN A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF dogs.
Hearken or Hark
Listen, pay attention to; The expression hearken back or hark back means to turn back to something earlier or return to a source.
THAN
His books are MORE impressive THAN those of other writers. This paper is LESS impressive THAN that one. This paper is NO LESS impressive THAN that one. This newspaper cost 50 centsMORE THAN that one. MORE THAN 250 newspapers are published here. Sales are HIGHER this year THAN last year.
Render
Give, submit, surrender; translate; declare formally; cause to become. To render harmless is simply to make harmless.
Inert
Inactive; having little or no power to move.
Ad-lib
1) Make something up on the spot, give an unprepared speech; Freely, as needed, according to desire. ‘‘We have ended our policy of rationing office supplies-pens may now be given to employees ad-lib.”
ISOLATED
The culture was ISOLATED FROM outside CONTACT. SUSPECT: The culture was IN ISOLATION.
Progeny
Offspring, descendants
AS LONG AS
I will leave, AS LONG AS it IS safe. I will leave, SO LONG AS it IS safe. I will leave, PROVIDED THAT it IS safe. SUSPECT: I will leave, BUT it HAS TO BE safe.
RISE
Oil prices ROSE sharply last year. A RISE IN oil prices has led to inflation. RISING prices at the gas pump are hurting consumers. The RISING OF the SUN always lifts my spirits. SUSPECT: Oil prices WERE RAISED sharply last year. (implies intent and control)
