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Barron's GRE Verbal Workbook > P > Flashcards

P Flashcards

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1
Q

pacific

A

adj. calm; peaceful

Canada and the United States enjoy pacific relations.

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2
Q

pacifist

A

n. person opposed to war or violence between nations

Pacifists demonstrated against war.

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3
Q

pacify

A

v. to restore calm, bring peace

The leader’s promise pacified the angry crowd.

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4
Q

paean

A

n. a song of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy

The poem is a paean to the beauty of nature.

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5
Q

pagan

A

n. someone who has no religion

The missionary was sent to the country to preach to the pagans.

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6
Q

painstaking

A

adj. being very careful

Painstaking research goes into the preparation of a GRE test.

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7
Q

palatable

A

adj. pleasant to the taste or mind

The dishes George cooks can most kindly be described as palatable.

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8
Q

palatial

A

adj. like a palace; magnificent

The actor’s house is palatial.

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9
Q

palaver

A

n. idle talk

“Let’s stop this palaver and get to work,” the boss said.

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10
Q

paleontology

A

n. study of past geological eras through fossil remains

Paleontology makes use of the knowledge of a number of other sciences, such as geology.

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11
Q

paleoseismology

A

n. the study of the timing, location, and size of prehistoric earthquakes

Developments in the science of paleoseismology has improved humanity’s ability to assess the likelihood of an earthquake occurring in a particular area.

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12
Q

palette

A

n. board for mixing paints; range of colors

We found the colors on the painter’s palette more interesting than the picture that she was painting.

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13
Q

palisade

A

n. fence made up of stakes

The palisade helps to prevent intruders.

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14
Q

pall (v.)

A

v. to lose strength or interest

Playing checkers every night began to pall.

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15
Q

pall (n.)

A

n. covering that darkens or obscures; coffin

After the nuclear explosion, a pall descended on the city.

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16
Q

palliate

A

v. to make less serious, ease

The doctor prescribed drugs to palliate her patient’s suffering.

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17
Q

palliative

A

n. something that relieves the symptoms without curing the disease

Aspirin is a commonly used palliative.

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18
Q

pallid

A

adj. lacking color or liveliness

Becky looked pallid after she saw a ghost.

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19
Q

palpable

A

adj. obvious; real; tangible

No palpable evidence of alien spacecraft has been found.

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20
Q

palpitation

A

n. trembling; shaking

The patient has heart palpitations.

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21
Q

paltry

A

adj. pitifully small or worthless

Mr. Jones can barely survive on his paltry salary.

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22
Q

panacea

A

n. cure-all

Some people consider aspirin to be a panacea.

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23
Q

panache

A

n. flamboyance, verve

Dwight does everything with panache.

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24
Q

pandemic

A

n. disease spread over a whole area

Doctors are working to bring the pandemic under control.

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25
Q

panegyric

A

n. elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise

The poem is a panegyric on the soldier’s bravery.

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26
Q

panoply

A

n. impressive array

The military force displayed a panoply of weapons.

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27
Q

panorama

A

n. broad view; comprehensive picture

The book provides a panorama of the middle ages.

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28
Q

pantheist

A

n. a person who believes that manifestations of the universe are God

Many people believe that the writers Wordsworth, Emerson, and Whitman were pantheists.

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29
Q

pantheon

A

n. all the gods of a people; a group of highly regarded persons

In the pantheon of English poets, few rank higher than John Milton.

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30
Q

papacy

A

n. the office of the pope

The papacy will be vacant until a new pope in elected.

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31
Q

parable

A

n. a short, simple story that teaches a moral lesson

The holy man uses parables to teach his followers.

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32
Q

paradigm

A

n. model; example; pattern

The famous scientific experiment has served as a paradigm for many other experiments.

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33
Q

paradisiacal

A

adj. heavenly; wonderful

Hawaii is often portrayed as a paradisiacal land.

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34
Q

paradox

A

n. contradiction, incongruity; dilemma

The saying “the more things changes, the more they remain the same” is an example of a paradox.

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35
Q

paradoxical

A

adj. relating to a contradiction, an incongruity, or a dilemma

It is paradoxical that a river always changes yet always remains the same.

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36
Q

paragon

A

n. model of excellence or perfection

The saint is a paragon of virtue.

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37
Q

paramount

A

adj. supreme, dominant, primary

The military’s paramount mission is to defend the country.

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38
Q

parenthetical

A

adj. clarifying or qualifying

The speaker’s parenthetical remarks clarified his point.

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39
Q

pariah

A

n. outcast

The traitor is a pariah in his country.

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40
Q

parity

A

n. equality

The arms buildup is designed to achieve military parity with the enemy.

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41
Q

parlance

A

n. a particular manner of speaking

In newspaper parlance, a story can be “killed.”

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42
Q

parley

A

n. discussion, usually between enemies

The opposing general agreed to a parley.

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43
Q

parochial

A

adj. narrow in outlook; provincial

Many of the people in this town are parochial.

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44
Q

parody

A

n. humorous imitation

The poem is parody of T.S. Eliot’s Four Quarters.

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45
Q

paroxysm

A

n. fit or attack of pain, laughter, or rage

The joke made Ruth double over in paroxysms of laughter.

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46
Q

parry

A

v. to ward off or deflect

The boxer parried his opponent’s punches

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47
Q

parsimony

A

n. stinginess

The cheapskate’s parsimony is legendary.

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48
Q

partisan (adj.)

A

adj. one-sided; committed to a party, group, or cause; prejudiced

The columnist usually takes a partisan position.

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49
Q

partisan (n.)

A

n. a fervent supporter or proponent of a party, group, or cause

Partisans of all the candidates were invited to the debate.

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50
Q

parvenu

A

n. a newly rich person who is regarded as an upstart

The landed aristocracy felt superior to the parvenu.

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51
Q

passé

A

adj. old-fashioned

New electronic gadgets often quickly become passé.

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52
Q

passive

A

adj. not active; not acted upon

The activists used passive resistance to protest the policy.

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53
Q

pastiche

A

n. piece of literature or music imitating other works

The poem is a pastiche of famous twentieth-century poems.

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54
Q

pastoral

A

adj. rural; charmingly simple and peaceful; portrays country life in an idealized way

The artist painted a pastoral scene.

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55
Q

patent

A

adj. obvious, unconcealed

Her story was a patent lie.

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56
Q

paternal

A

adj. fatherly

The veteran pitcher is keeping a paternal eye on the young rookie.

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57
Q

paternalistic

A

adj. providing for the needs of people without giving them rights and responsibilities

Most people don’t want the government to be too paternalistic.

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58
Q

paternity

A

n. fatherhood; descent from father’s ancestors

A DNA test established the man’s paternity.

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59
Q

pathogen

A

n. agent that causes disease

Researchers have identified the pathogen.

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60
Q

pathogenic

A

adj. capable of causing disease

The bacteria are being tested to see if they are pathogenic.

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61
Q

pathological

A

adj. departing from normal condition

Lying has become pathological with the boy.

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62
Q

pathology

A

n. the manifestation of a disease; departure from normal condition

The test determined that pathology was present.

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63
Q

pathos

A

n. pity, compassion

It was a play of such pathos that everyone in the audience was in tears.

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64
Q

patois

A

n. a regional dialect; nonstandard speech; the jargon of a group

The people in that area speak a local patois.

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65
Q

patriarchal

A

adj. relating to a family or community governed by men

Most human societies are patriarchal.

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66
Q

patrician

A

n. aristocrat

The patrician feels a duty to help the poor.

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67
Q

patricide

A

n. murder of one’s father

Many scholars believe that Alexander the Great became king through patricide.

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68
Q

patrimony

A

n. inheritance or heritage derived from one’s father

Doug spent his patrimony on a Ferrari and a yacht.

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69
Q

patronizing

A

adj. condescending, disparaging; buying from

The class felt that the teacher was patronizing.

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70
Q

patron saint

A

n. a saint who is regarded as an intercessor in heaven for a person, nation, etc.

Saint Luke is considered the patron saint of doctors.

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71
Q

paucity

A

n. scarcity

In china there is a paucity of women for men to marry.

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72
Q

pauper

A

n. very poor person

Ralph lives like a pauper so that he can build up his savings.

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73
Q

peccadillo

A

n. minor sin or offense

The police officer ignored the peccadillo.

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74
Q

peculation

A

n. theft of money or goods

The gang planned a lot of peculation in the summer.

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75
Q

pecuniary

A

adj. relating to money

David spends so much time writing poetry not from a pecuniary motive but rather for the satisfaction of expressing himself.

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76
Q

pedagogue

A

n. teacher

The curriculum was designed by pedagogues.

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77
Q

pedagogy

A

n. art or profession of teaching

Gilbert Highet’s The Art of Teaching is a well-known book on pedagogy.

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78
Q

pedant

A

n. uninspired, boring academic

The pedant never has an original idea; he just repeats the ideas of others.

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79
Q

pedantic

A

adj. showing off learning

The class resented the teacher’s pedantic insistence on old-fashioned grammar rules.

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80
Q

pedantry

A

n. pedantic attention to learning or formal rules

The scholar didn’t include footnotes in his new book to avoid the appearance of pedantry.

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81
Q

pedestrian

A

adj. commonplace

Most of the ideas in the book are pedestrian.

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82
Q

pediatrician

A

n. doctor specializing in children and their ailments

Mrs. Moore took her child to a pediatrician.

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83
Q

pediment

A

n. triangular gable on a roof or façade

The building’s pediment is modeled on one found in an ancient Greek temple.

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84
Q

peer

A

n. contemporary; equal, match

Kim has the respect of her peers.

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85
Q

peerless

A

adj. unequaled

Shakespeare was a peerless writer.

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86
Q

pejorative

A

adj. having bad connotations; disparaging

We didn’t like the pejorative comments about us.

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87
Q

pelagic

A

adj. living in open oceans or seas rather than waters adjacent to land or inland waters

The scientists are studying the migration patterns of pelagic birds.

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88
Q

pellucid

A

adj. transparent; translucent; easily understood

I saw to the bottom of the pellucid stream.

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89
Q

penance

A

n. voluntary suffering to repent for a wrong

The sinner performed penance.

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90
Q

penchant

A

n. inclination

Steve has a penchant for writing.

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91
Q

penitent

A

adj. expressing sorrow for sins or offenses, repentant

The convicted man was penitent about the wrong he had done.

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92
Q

pensive

A

adj. thoughtful

Valerie is in a pensive mood.

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93
Q

penultimate

A

adj. next to last

Our team occupies the penultimate place in the league standing.

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94
Q

penumbra

A

n. partial shadow

During the eclipse we watched the penumbra move across the moon’s surface.

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95
Q

penurious

A

adj. poverty-stricken; destitute

The city government has set up shelters for penurious old people.

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96
Q

penury

A

n. extreme poverty

The lawsuit reduced Mr. Wilson to penury.

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97
Q

perambulation

A

n. walking about

The part is a good place for perambulation.

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98
Q

perciplent

A

adj. discerning, able to perceive

A percipient onlooker noted the license number of the car.

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99
Q

perdition

A

n. complete and utter loss; damnation

The sermon warned of perdition to come.

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100
Q

peregrination

A

n. a wandering from place to place

Mr. Theroux’s peregrinations took him around the world.

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101
Q

peremptory

A

adj. imperative; leaving no choice

No one in the company questioned the colonel’s peremptory order.

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102
Q

perennial

A

adj. present throughout the years; persistent

Pollution is a perennial problem in the city.

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103
Q

perfidious

A

adj. faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy

The boss dismissed the perfidious employee.

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104
Q

perfidy

A

n. deliberate breach of faith or violation of trust

Our ally’s perfidy came as a shock to everyone.

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105
Q

perfunctory

A

adj. superficial; not thorough; performed really as a duty

The pilot had time only for a perfunctory check of his aircraft before takeoff.

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106
Q

perigee

A

n. point in an orbit that is closest to the Earth

The probe will be launched so that upon its arrival Mars will be at perigee.

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107
Q

perihelion

A

n. point in orbit nearest to the sun

The Earth is approaching perihelion.

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108
Q

peripatetic

A

adj. moving from place to place

The peripatetic professor has taught at twenty colleges.

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109
Q

peripheral

A

adj. not central; of minor importance

The issue is only of peripheral importance.

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110
Q

periphery

A

n. perimeter

The poor often live on the periphery of society.

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111
Q

periphrastic

A

adj. containing too many words

The critic called the translation of the French poem into English “periphrastic.”

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112
Q

perjure

A

v. to tell a lie under oath

The judge concluded that the witness had perjured himself.

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113
Q

permafrost

A

n. permanently frozen subsoil

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s permafrost network in Alaska is part of a global network of permafrost monitoring stations.

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114
Q

permeable

A

adj. penetrable

The frozen soil is not permeable.

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115
Q

permeate

A

v. to spread or flow through

The new CEOs personality has begun to permeate through the firm.

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116
Q

pernicious

A

ad. very harmful

The talk is on the pernicious effects of alcohol abuse.

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117
Q

perpetual

A

adj. endless, lasting

The inventor claims that he has built a perpetual motion machine.

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118
Q

perpetuate

A

v. to cause to continue indefinitely

The false idea was perpetuated in several publications.

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119
Q

perpetuity

A

n. time without end; eternity

The lease was granted in perpetuity.

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120
Q

persona

A

n. a person’s public image

The politician is trying to improve his persona.

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121
Q

personification

A

n. ac of attributing human qualities to objects or abstract qualities

Calling the wind “angry” is an example of personification.

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122
Q

perspicacious

A

adj. shrewd, astute, keen-witted

The perspicacious lawyer won the majority of his cases.

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123
Q

perspicacity

A

n. acuteness of perception or understanding

Perspicacity helped the lawyer to win the case.

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124
Q

pert

A

adj. lively and bold

Joan plays the role of the pert young law student.

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125
Q

pertinacious

A

adj. persistent, stubborn

Richard’s pertinacious character is a major factor in his success.

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126
Q

perturb

A

v. to disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious

Observations showed that the satellite’s orbit had been perturbed.

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127
Q

perturbation

A

n. disturbance

The perturbation in the star’s orbit is evidence for the existence of a large planet in the vicinity.

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128
Q

perusal

A

n. close examination

The editor’s perusal of the manuscript revealed several errors.

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129
Q

peruse

A

v. to examine closely

[Sherlock Holmes perused the newspaper for a clue.

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130
Q

pervade

A

v. to spread throughout every part

Hydrogen pervades the universe.

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131
Q

pervasive

A

adj. spread throughout every part

The influence of the West is pervasive.

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132
Q

perverse

A

adj. stubborn, intractable, contradicting without good reason

The girl seems to have a perverse desire to be expelled from school.

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133
Q

pervert

A

v. to cause to change in immoral way; misuse

The interpretation perverts the poem’s meaning.

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134
Q

perveted

A

adj. changed in immoral way; misused

The group follows a perverted version of its founder’s teachings.

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135
Q

pestilence

A

n. epidemic, plague

The pestilence spread rapidly to neighboring countries.

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136
Q

petty

A

adj. trivial; very small; unimportant

Let’s forget about this petty matter.

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137
Q

petulantly

A

adv. in a rude or peevish manner

The child stamped her feet and frowned petulantly.

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138
Q

phalanx

A

n. massed group of soldiers, people, or things

A phalanx of soldiers prevented the mob from entering.

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139
Q

phallocentric

A

adj. centered on men or on a male viewpoint

The critic described The Odyssey as phallocentric.

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140
Q

phantasmagoria

A

n. a fantastic sequence of haphazardly associative imagery

She described her dream as “a phantasmagoria.”

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141
Q

pharmacopoeia

A

n. a collection of drugs

The pharmacopoeia contains many drugs derived from plants.

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142
Q

phenomena

A

n. observable occurrences

Scientists try to understand natural phenomena.

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143
Q

philanderer

A

n. pursuer of casual love affairs

Jerry has a reputation as a philanderer.

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144
Q

philanthropist

A

n. lover of humanity; humanitarian

The philanthropist who donated the money for the new college library prefers to remain anonymous.

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145
Q

philanthropy

A

n. love of humanity; generosity to worthy causes

The tax system encourages philanthropy.

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146
Q

philatelist

A

n. stamp collector

The philatelist has a stamp collection valued at over $30,000.

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147
Q

philistine

A

n. narrow-minded person, someone lacking appreciation for art or culture

The philistines voted against the funds for the arts program.

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148
Q

philology

A

n., study of words

English philology owes a great deal to the Oxford English Dictionary.

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149
Q

phlegmatic

A

adj. calm in temperature; sluggish

The phlegmatic librarian merely raised an eyebrow when a fire broke out in the reference section.

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150
Q

phobia

A

n. irrational fear

The patient was treated by a psychologist for his phobia.

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151
Q

phoenix

A

n. mythical, immortal bird that lives for 500 years, burns itself to death, and rise from its ashes

Our winless football team will rise like a phoenix next year.

152
Q

phonetics

A

n. study of speech sounds

Knowledge of phonetics is helpful to a reading teacher.

153
Q

phonic

A

adj. relating to sound

The stories are designed to develop children’s phonic knowledge.

154
Q

physiognomy

A

n. facial features

Some people believe that a person’s physiognomy reflects his or her character.

155
Q

physiology

A

n. study of living organism; the functions of a living organism

A good understanding of human physiology is important for a medical doctor.

156
Q

pidgin

A

n., a simplified form of speech

The people of the country speak French and a pidgin that is based on English.

157
Q

piety

A

n. devoutness

We all admire his piety.

158
Q

pilfer

A

v. to steal

Someone pilfered my copy of Wordfest!

159
Q

pillage

A

v. to loot, especially during a war

The enemy soldiers pillaged the town.

160
Q

pinnacle

A

n. peak, highest point of development

The writer is at the pinnacle of her career.

161
Q

pious

A

adj. dedicated, devout, extremely religious

The pious worshipper attends church every day.

162
Q

piquant

A

adj. appealingly stimulating; pleasantly pungent

The chef’s piquant tomato sauce is popular with diners.

163
Q

pique (n.)

A

n. fleeting feeling of hurt pride

She’ll soon get over her pique.

164
Q

pique (v.)

A

v. to provoke, arouse

His eighth grade teacher piqued his interest in the English language.

165
Q

piscivore

A

n. a fish-eating animal

An example of a piscivorous is the Aquatic Genet.

166
Q

pithy

A

adj. forceful and brief

Grandfather usually sits quietly observing, occasionally making a pithy comment.

167
Q

pittance

A

n. meager amount or wage

Tom’s allowance is a pittance.

168
Q

placate

A

v. to lessen another’s anger; pacify

Nothing would placate their anger.

169
Q

placebo

A

n. a substance with no medication given to a patient

One group of people in the experiment was given a placebo

170
Q

placid

A

adj. calm

George has a placid disposition.

171
Q

plagiarism

A

n. theft of another’s ideas or writing

A few students in the class think that there’s nothing wrong with plagiarism.

172
Q

plaintiff

A

n. injured person in a lawsuit

The plaintiff is seeking ten million in damages.

173
Q

planetesimal

A

n. any of numerous small celestial bodies that may have existed at an early stage of the development of the solar system

Many astronomers believe that the planets have evolved by aggregation from planetesimals.

174
Q

plasticity

A

n. condition of being able to be shaped or formed; pliability

Behaviorist psychologists such as B.F. Skinner tend to stress the plasticity of human beings.

175
Q

platitude

A

n. stale, overused expression

“Might makes right” is a platitude.

176
Q

platonic

A

adj. spiritual; without physical desire; theoretical

James and Emma used to be lovers, but now their relationship is platonic.

177
Q

plaudits

A

n. enthusiastic praise or approval

The actor’s performance won the plaudits of the critics.

178
Q

plausibility

A

n. validity, likeliness, or acceptability

The scientist questioned the plausibility of the claim.

179
Q

plebeian

A

adj. crude, vulgar, low-class

Ralph’s tastes are plebeian.

180
Q

plenary

A

adj. complete in all respects; fully attended by all qualified members

The chief minister called a plenary meeting of the council.

181
Q

plenitude

A

n. abundance, plenty

The new immigrants were amazed by Australia’s plenitude.

182
Q

plethora

A

n. excess, overabundance

There is a plethora of jobs in the booming economy.

183
Q

pliant

A

adj. pliable, yielding

Garth has a pliant nature.

184
Q

ploy

A

n. an action to gain the advantage indirectly or deviously

The ploy helped us to gain the advantage

185
Q

plucky

A

adj. courageous, spunky

The plucky soldier charged the enemy machine gun position.

186
Q

plumb

A

v. to determine the depth; to examine deeply

The poem plumbs the depths of human nature.

187
Q

plummet

A

v. to fall, plunge

The dead bird plummeted to Earth.

188
Q

pluralistic

A

adj. including a variety of groups

The United States is a pluralistic society.

189
Q

plurality

A

n. being plural; a large number

The candidate received a plurality of the votes.

190
Q

plutocracy

A

n. society ruled by the wealthy

America is described by some people as having some of the characteristics of a plutocracy.

191
Q

ply

A

v. to use diligently; engage; join together

The tailor plies his trade in a nearby town.

192
Q

pneumatic

A

adj. relating to air; worked by compressed air

The work men used a pneumatic drill to dig through the surface of the road.

193
Q

poach

A

v. to steal game or fish; appropriate something as one’s own; cook in boiling liquid

The track coach accused the football coach of poaching his athletes

194
Q

podium

A

v. platform or lectern of orchestra conductors of speakers

The person on the podium looked small from where we were sitting.

195
Q

pogrom

A

n. an organized massacre of persecution of a minority group

The pogrom was carried out over one year.

196
Q

poignant

A

adj. emotionally moving

The survivors told poignant stories.

197
Q

polar

A

adj. relating to a geographic pole; exhibiting contrast

The expedition studied the polar region.

198
Q

polarize

A

v. to tend toward opposite extremes

The candidate’s stand on the controversial issue has polarized voters across the state.

199
Q

polemic

A

n. controversy, argument; verbal attack

His works are polemics in support of the present policy.

200
Q

polemical

A

adj. relating to controversy, argument, or verbal attack

The politician wrote a polemical article on the issue.

201
Q

politic

A

adj. discreet, tactful

The politic diplomat was chosen to lead the negotiation.

202
Q

polity

A

n. an organized society having a specific form of government

The polity is devoted to freedom of speech and expression.

203
Q

polyandry

A

n. the practice of having more than one husband at one time

The form of polyandry in which a woman is married to two or more brothers is known as “fraternal polyandry,” and it is believed by many anthropologists to be the most frequently encountered form.

204
Q

polygamy

A

n. having more than one wife or husband at a time

Polygamy is practiced in Australia’s aboriginal culture.

205
Q

ployglot

A

n. speaker of many languages

The polyglot speaks French, German, Italian, Spanish, and English

206
Q

polytheist

A

n. a person who believes in more than one god

Many people in ancient Rome were polytheists.

207
Q

pompous

A

adj. marked by excessive self-esteem or exaggerated dignity

Stan plays the part of the pompous milfoil in the schools’ production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

208
Q

ponder

A

v. to weigh carefully in the mind; reflect deeply

Susan is pondering the meaning and purpose of existence.

209
Q

ponderous

A

adj. weighty; unwieldy; labored

How long will this boring, ponderous speech last?

210
Q

pontificate

A

v. to speak in a pretentious manner

Mr. Sanders likes to pontificate in his history class.

211
Q

portent

A

n. omen

Th sailors saw the storm as a bad portent.

212
Q

portentous

A

adj. foreboding; exciting wonder and awe

The diary records the portentous events of 1776.

213
Q

portly

A

adj. stout, dignified

A portly gentleman entered the room.

214
Q

poseur

A

n. a person who tries to impress others by affecting a manner, attitude, etc., other than his or her true one

Sharon’s reputation as a poseur makes it hard to take her seriously.

215
Q

posit

A

v. to assume or affirm the existence of; postulate; to propose as an explanation

The science fiction novel posits the existence of an advanced race living on Mars one billion years ago.

216
Q

positivism

A

n. a philosophical doctrine that says that sense perceptions are the only valid basis of human knowledge

Positivism holds that science is humanity’s highest intellectual achievement.

217
Q

posterior

A

adj. later in time

The evidence shows that the crime occurred posterior to the meeting.

218
Q

posterity

A

n. future generations; all of a person’s descendants

How will posterity judge us?

219
Q

posthumous

A

adj. occurring or continuing after one’s death; published after a writer’s death

He received a posthumous award for bravery.

220
Q

Postmodernism

A

n. theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language; in the arts, any of various movements in reaction to modernism that are typically characterized by a return to traditional materials and forms

The article discusses the view that Postmodernism is no longer an important theory.

221
Q

post mortem

A

n. medical examination of a dead body; autopsy

The post mortem revealed the cause of death.

222
Q

postulate (n.)

A

n. a principle provisionally adopted as a basis for argument; a presupposition; basic principle

We accepted the postulate for the sake of discussion.

223
Q

postulate (v.)

A

v. to assume as a premise

The science fiction novel postulates that an advanced civilization once lived on the moon.

224
Q

potable

A

adj. drinkable

The water is potable.

225
Q

potent

A

adj. strong; powerful

The potent drug must be used carefully.

226
Q

potentate

A

n. monarch or ruler with great power

The potentate ordered an invasion of the neighboring country.

227
Q

pragmatic

A

adj. practical

The English have a reputation as a pragmatic, down-to-earth people.

228
Q

pragmatism

A

n. practical way of approaching situations or solving problems

Pragmatism can be described as a fancy word for common sense.

229
Q

prate

A

v. to talk idly; chatter

The fool prated on, showing his ignorance of the subject.

230
Q

prattle

A

n. meaningless, foolish talk

I’ve had enough of this prattle; let’s get to work.

231
Q

precarious

A

adj. uncertain

Our position is precarious.

232
Q

precedence

A

n. right of preceding; priority

This latest case must take precedence over the earlier ones.

233
Q

precedent

A

n. a model for that which follows

The lawyer found a precedent for the case.

234
Q

precept

A

n. principle; law

The class studied the precepts of good writing.

235
Q

preceptor

A

n. teacher

The young writer’s preceptor is a famous novelist.

236
Q

precipice

A

n. edge, steep overhang

The car went off the precipice.

237
Q

precipitate (adj.)

A

adj. rash; hasty; sudden

The man’s friend urged him not to be precipitate in coming to a decision.

238
Q

precipitate (v.)

A

v. to cause to happen; throw down from a height

The rumors precipitated a rebellion.

239
Q

precipitation

A

n. water droplets or ice particles condensed from atmospheric water vapor that falls to Earth

There has been a lot of precipitation this winter.

240
Q

precipitous

A

adj. hasty, quickly, with too little caution

The precipitous decision nearly led to disaster.

241
Q

précis

A

n. short summary of facts

The governor asked his aid to prepare a précis of the report.

242
Q

precocious

A

adj. unusually advanced at an early age

The precocious child was enrolled in the school’s gifted program.

243
Q

preconception

A

n. an idea formed in advance of actual knowledge; a prejudice

Education can encourage us to examine our preconceptions.

244
Q

precursor

A

n. forerunner, predecessor

The league of Nations was a precursor to the United Nations.

245
Q

predator

A

n. one that preys on others, destroyer, plunderer

The tiger is one of nature’s most deadly predators.

246
Q

predatory

A

adj. marked by preying on others

The predatory salesperson watched the shoppers carefully.

247
Q

predecessor

A

n. former occupant of post; something that has been succeeded by another

The new governor met with his predecessor.

248
Q

predicament

A

n. difficult situation

There is no easy way out of the predicament.

249
Q

predicate (v.)

A

v. to found or base on

Our argument is predicated on several assumptions.

250
Q

predicate (n.)

A

n. one of the two main constituents of a sentence or clause, modifying the subject

The students learned to identify the subject and predicate in a sentence.

251
Q

predictive

A

adj. relating to prediction, indicative of the future

The experiment will test the theory’s predictive power.

252
Q

predilection

A

n. preference, liking

I have a predilection for reading books about language.

253
Q

predisposed

A

adj. having a tendency

The judge is predisposed to be lenient.

254
Q

predisposition

A

n. tendency, inclination

He has a predisposition to be happy.

255
Q

predominance

A

n. ascendancy, importance; prevalence

Japan’s predominance in Asia is being challenged by China

256
Q

preeminence

A

n. condition of being superior to or notable above all others

Most experts agree on Shakespeare’s preeminence amount English playwrights.

257
Q

preface

A

n. introduction to a book; introductory remarks to a speech

In her preface the author explains why she wrote the book.

258
Q

prehensile

A

adj. capable of grasping

The animal’s prehensile tail allows it to hang from the branches of trees.

259
Q

prejudge

A

v. to judge beforehand or without all the evidence

The jurors were told not to prejudge the case.

260
Q

prelude

A

n. an introductory performance, action, or vent preceding preparing for the principal or a more important matter

We enjoyed the prelude to the performance.

261
Q

premediatate

A

v. to consider, plan beforehand

The jury found that the accused had premeditated the murder.

262
Q

premise

A

n. a proposition upon which an argument is based

The argument is based on a faulty premise.

263
Q

premonition

A

n. forewarning; presentiment

The woman had a premonition of disaster.

264
Q

preordained

A

adj. decided in advance

The philosopher believes that the events of our lives are preordained.

265
Q

preponderance

A

n. majority in number; dominance

There is a preponderance of science majors at the college.

266
Q

prepossessing

A

adj. attractive, engaging, appealing

They were a prepossessing group of students.

267
Q

preposterous

A

adj. absurd, illogical

What a preposterous plan!

268
Q

prerequisite

A

n. something necessary as a prior condition

An advanced math course is a prerequisite for physics.

269
Q

prerogative

A

n. a special right or privilege

Formerly, voting was a prerogative of certain groups.

270
Q

presage

A

v. to foretell, indicate in advance

The legend presages a golden age.

271
Q

prescience

A

n. foresight

Mrs. Tan had the prescience to bring an umbrella to the lacrosse game.

272
Q

prescribe

A

v. to order the use of

Make sure you get the list of books prescribed by the examiners for the exam.

273
Q

presentiment

A

n. premonition, sense of foreboding

Several people said they felt a presentiment of the tragedy.

274
Q

prestidigitation

A

n. sleight of hand

The magician amazed the audience with his feats of prestidigitation.

275
Q

presume

A

v. to assume to be true

We presumed that the account was accurate.

276
Q

presumption

A

n. belief based on reasonable evidence

My presumption is that you are telling the truth.

277
Q

presumptuous

A

adj. rude, improperly bold

The student was presumptuous in criticizing the instructor’s teaching technique.

278
Q

presuppose

A

v. to assume or suppose something in advance

The essay makes the mistake of presupposing what it is trying to prove.

279
Q

presupposition

A

n. something assumed or supposed in advance

Modern biology accepts evolution as a presupposition.

280
Q

pretentious

A

adj. ostentatious; showy

Herb’s big car is pretentious.

281
Q

preternatural

A

adj. beyond the normal course of nature; supernatural

There were rumors of preternatural occurrences in the graveyard.

282
Q

pretext

A

n. excuse, pretended reason

Hugh used his question as a pretext to meet Erica.

283
Q

prevalent

A

adj. widespread

The disease is prevalent in Europe.

284
Q

prevaricate

A

v. to quibble, evade the truth

The witness prevaricated under questioning from the detective.

285
Q

prima facie

A

adv. at first sight;
adj. true at first sight; evident without proof

In view of the strong prima facie evidence, the detective has decided to proceed with the investigation.

286
Q

primeval

A

adj. ancient, primitive

This history of the world starts from primeval time.

287
Q

primordial

A

adj. original, existing from the beginning

The astronomer is studying the primordial universe.

288
Q

pristine

A

adj. untouched, uncorrupted

The computer is in pristine condition.

289
Q

privation

A

n. lack of usual necessities or comforts

The soldier suffered privation during the long winter campaign.

290
Q

probity

A

n. honesty, high-mindedness

The official’s probity is beyond question.

291
Q

proclivity

A

n. tendency, inclination

Tom’s proclivities are toward the arts.

292
Q

procrastinator

A

n. one who continually and unjustifiable postpones

The student is a procrastinator.

293
Q

procure

A

v. to obtain

We need to procure a copy of the textbook before classes begin.

294
Q

prodigal

A

adj. wasteful, extravagant, lavish

The celebration was criticized as prodigal.

295
Q

prodigious

A

adj. vast, enormous, extraordinary

The scientist has made a prodigious effort to prove his theory.

296
Q

prodigy

A

n. highly gifted child

The violin prodigy is giving a concert tonight.

297
Q

profane

A

v. to treat with irreverence or disrespect; degrade or abuse

The sign instructed tourists to remove their shoes so as not to profane the sanctity of the temple.

298
Q

profligacy

A

n. corruption, degeneration; wild extravagance

The government was accused of profligacy in spending ten million dollars on the celebrations.

299
Q

profound

A

adj. deep; not superficial

Profound thinking is needed to understand this poem.

300
Q

profundity

A

n. the quality of being deep, not superficial

Few would doubt the profundity of Spinoza’s philosophy.

301
Q

profuse

A

adj. lavish, extravagant

He was embarrassed by the profuse compliments.

302
Q

profusion

A

n. great quantity; abundance

There is a profusion of fresh fruit available this summer.

303
Q

progenitor

A

n. originator, forefather, ancestor in a direct line

The trive follows the teachings of its progenitors.

304
Q

progeny

A

n. offspring, children

Those who come after us are our progeny.

305
Q

prognosis

A

n. prediction of disease outcome; any prediction

The doctor’s prognosis is favorable.

306
Q

prognostication

A

n. prediction through use of present condition as a guide

His prognostication was that there would be a recession.

307
Q

progressive

A

adj. favoring progress or change; moving forward, going step by step

The government has taken a progressive approach to lowering taxes.

308
Q

prohibition

A

n. a law or order that forbids something

There is a prohibition on selling alcoholic beverages after 10 P.M..

309
Q

proletariat

A

n. the class of industrial wage earners who must sell their labor to survive

The writer’s sympathies are with the proletariat.

310
Q

proliferate

A

v. to increase rapidly

Weeds are proliferating on the front lawn.

311
Q

prolific

A

adj. abundantly fruitful

The prolific author Isaac Asimov wrote more than 300 books.

312
Q

prolix

A

adj. tending to speak or write at excessive length; wordy

The writer’s main fault is that he is prolix.

313
Q

prologue

A

n. introductory section of a literary work or play

The novel’s prologue sets the scene.

314
Q

promontory

A

n. piece of land or rock higher than its surroundings

For the promontory we could see far across the desert.

315
Q

promulgate

A

v. to make known publicly

The new policy was promulgated last month.

316
Q

propaganda

A

n. the systematic dissemination of ideas reflecting a particular view or interest

The film has been criticized as being propaganda for the government.

317
Q

propensity

A

n. inclination, tendency

The student has a propensity to exaggerate his academic achievements.

318
Q

prophecy

A

n. a prediction

The fortune teller’s prophecy turned out to be incorrect.

319
Q

propinquity

A

n. nearness

My partner’s propinquity makes working together convenient.

320
Q

propitiate

A

v. to win over, appease

The sacrifice propitiated the angry gods.

321
Q

propitious

A

adj. favorable, advantageous

The full moon was regarded as propitious.

322
Q

proponent

A

n. person who argues for something; advocate

Proponents of the plan argue that it will be cost-effective.

323
Q

propriety

A

n. correct conduct; fitness

Propriety demands that we dress correctly.

324
Q

prosaic

A

adj. relating to prose; dull, commonplace

The prosaic writer has produced no bestsellers.

325
Q

proscribe

A

v. to condemn; forbid, outlaw

The law proscribes gambling.

326
Q

proscriptive

A

adj. relating to restriction or restraint

This grammar book takes a proscriptive approach rather than a descriptive one.

327
Q

prose

A

n. ordinary language used in everyday speech

The essay is written in clear prose.

328
Q

proselytize

A

v. to convert to a particular belief or religion

Students are not allowed to proselytize on campus.

329
Q

prosification

A

n. converting (poetry, etc.) into prose

The teacher is working on a personification of Hamlet.

330
Q

prostrate

A

adj. lying face downward, lying flat on ground

The wounded soldier was prostrate on that battlefield.

331
Q

protagonist

A

n. main character in a play or story; hero

The novel’s protagonist is based on a person the author knew in high school.

332
Q

protean

A

adj. readily assuming different forms or characters

The protean actor performed thirty roles in his one-man show.

333
Q

protégé

A

n. person receiving protection and support from a patron

The championship tennis player trains her protégé every day.

334
Q

protestation

A

n. strong expression of disapproval; formal declaration

Tom made a protestation of his love to Debbie.

335
Q

protocol

A

n. ceremony and manners observed by diplomats

Protocol demands that the president be seated at the head of the table.

336
Q

prototype

A

n. original work used as a model by others

The prototype of the new aircraft is being built in France.

337
Q

protract

A

v. to prolong

The meeting as protracted, ending at 9 P.M.

338
Q

protrusion

A

n. something that sticks out

Geologists are investigating the large protrusion on the Earth’s surface.

339
Q

proverbial

A

adj. widely referred to

Oscar Wilde’s wit is proverbial.

340
Q

provident

A

adj. providing for future needs; frugal

In Singapore employees and employers contribute to the Central Provident Fund to provide economic security for retirees.

341
Q

provice

A

n. range; scope

The book ranges over the entire province of human knowledge.

342
Q

provincial

A

adj. limited in outlook; unsophisticated

Many people in the town are provincial.

343
Q

provisional

A

adj. provided for the time being

The two sides reaches a provisional agreement.

344
Q

proviso

A

n. a condition or qualification

john bought the used car with the proviso that it would be repainted.

345
Q

provocative

A

adj. arousing anger or interest; annoying

The provocative statements were designed to start a debate on the subject.

346
Q

prowess

A

n. bravery, skill

The actor’s prowess was recognized when he won an Academy Award.

347
Q

proximate

A

adj. very near

Since your home is proximate to mine, we should get together more often.

348
Q

proximity

A

n. nearness

The two areas of the brain are in close proximity.

349
Q

proxy

A

n. authorized agent; power to act as a substitute for another

The businessman’s lawyer will act as his proxy at the hearing.

350
Q

prude

A

n. one who is excessively proper or modest

The play pokes fun at prudes who never want to have fun.

351
Q

prudent

A

adj. cautious; careful

It is prudent to prepare well for the GRE.

352
Q

prurient

A

adj. lustful, exhibiting lewd desires

The movie has mainly a prurient appeal.

353
Q

pseudonym

A

n. pen name; fictitious or borrowed name

The scholar writes mystery books under a pseudonym.

354
Q

psyche

A

n. the mind

The book explores the mysteries of the human psyche.

355
Q

psychic

A

adj. perceptive of non-material, spiritual forces; originating in the mind

The scientist is studying psychic phenomena.

356
Q

psychosis

A

n. a severe mental disorder characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality

The new drug promises to offer an effective control for several forms of psychosis.

357
Q

pubescent

A

adj. reaching puberty

The pubescent boys are becoming interested in girls.

358
Q

puerile

A

adj. childish, immature, silly

The seniors are tired of the freshman’s puerile jokes.

359
Q

pugilism

A

n. boxing

Pugilism is an Olympic sport.

360
Q

pugnacious

A

adj. quarrelsome, eager and ready to fight

The pugnacious boy is always getting into fights.

361
Q

puissance

A

n. power

Freedom is an idea of great puissance.

362
Q

pulchritude

A

n. beauty

Helen of Troy was famous for her pulchritude.

363
Q

pulverize

A

v. to pound, crush, or grind into powder; destroy

The artillery barrage pulverized the town.

364
Q

pummel

A

v. to pound, beat

The men seized the thief and pummeled him.

365
Q

punctilious

A

adj. careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony

The host was punctilious in seating the guests.

366
Q

pundit

A

n. critic; learned person

Most pundits agree that the policy was sound.

367
Q

pungent

A

adj. strong or sharp in smell or taste

The pungent aroma was coming from the kitchen.

368
Q

punitive

A

adj. having to do with punishment

Punitive measures have been taken against the rebellious students.

369
Q

purgation

A

n. catharsis, purification

The hero of the play performed acts of purgation.

370
Q

purge

A

v. to cleanse or free from impurities

Party leaders want to purge disloyal members.

371
Q

puritanical

A

adj. adhering to a rigid moral code

The actor plays the puritanical servant Malvolio in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

372
Q

purported

A

adj. alleged; claimed; reputed or rumored

The purported occurrences cannot be verified.

373
Q

pusillanimous

A

adj. cowardly

The general warned the president that he must give the enemy no suggestion that he was pusillanimous.

374
Q

putative

A

adj. generally regarded as such; supposed

The putative reason he gave for leaving the firm is that he had found a better job.

375
Q

putsch

A

n. a sudden attempt by a group to overthrow a government

After the military putsch in 1991, she left the country.

Barron's GRE Verbal Workbook (26 decks)

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