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GRE Vocab > Set 5 > Flashcards

Set 5 Flashcards

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1
Q

Cosset
verb
(kah suht)

A

To pamper; to treat with great care

Marta just loves to COSSET her first and only grandchild.

Synonyms: cater to; cuddle; dandle; fondle; love; pamper; spoil

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2
Q

Dither
verb
(dihth uhr)

A

To act confusedly or without clear purpose

Ellen DITHERED around her apartment, uncertain how to tackle the family crisis.

Synonyms: falter; hesitate; vacillate; waffle; waver

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3
Q

Monotony
noun
(muh naht nee)

A

No variation; tediously the same

The MONOTONY of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy.

Synonyms: drone; tedium

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4
Q

Obviate
verb
(ahb vee ayt)

A

To prevent; to make unnecessary

The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge.

Synonyms: forestall; preclude; prohibit

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5
Q

Effrontery
noun
(eh fruhnt uhr ee)

A

Impudent boldness; audacity

The receptionist had the EFFRONTERY to laugh out loud when the CEO tripped over a computer wire and fell flat on his face.

Synonyms: brashness; gall; nerve; presumption; temerity

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6
Q

Impasse
noun
(ihm paas)

A

A blocked path; a dilemma with no solution

The rock slide produced an IMPASSE, so no one could proceed further on the road.

Synonyms: cul-de-sac; deadlock; stalemate

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7
Q

Frenetic
adj
(fruh neht ihk)

A

Frantic; frenzied

The employee’s FRENETIC schedule left her little time to socialize.

Synonyms: corybantic; delirious; feverish; mad; rabid; wild

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8
Q

Restive
adj
(reh stihv)

A

Impatient, uneasy, or restless

The passengers became RESTIVE after having to wait in line for hours and began to shout complaints at the airline staff.

Synonyms: agitated; anxious; fretful

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9
Q

Perspicacious
adj
(puhr spuh kay shuhs)

A

Shrewd, astute, or keen-witted

Inspector Poirot used his PERSPICACIOUS mind to solve mysteries.

Synonyms: insightful; intelligent; sagacious

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10
Q

Jingoism
noun
(jing goh ihz uhm)

A

Belligerent support of one’s country

The professor’s JINGOISM made it difficult for the students to participate in an open political discussion.

Synonyms: chauvinism; nationalism

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11
Q

Politic
adj
(pah lih tihk)

A

Shrewd and practical in managing or dealing with things; diplomatic

She was wise to curb her tongue and was able to explain her problem to the judge in a respectful and POLITIC manner.

Synonyms: tactful

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12
Q

Impecunious
adj
(ihm pih kyoo nyuhs)

A

Poor; having no money

After the stock market crashed, many former millionaires found themselves IMPECUNIOUS.

Synonyms: destitute; impoverished; indigent; needy; penniless

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13
Q

Apostate
noun
(uh pahs tayt)

A

One who renounces a religious faith

So that he could divorce his wife, the king scoffed at the church doctrines and declared himself an APOSTATE.

Synonyms: defector; deserter; traitor

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14
Q

Proliferate
verb
(proh lih fuhr ayt)

A

To increase in number quickly

Although he only kept two guinea pigs initially, they PROLIFERATED to such an extent that he soon had dozens.

Synonyms: breed; multiply; procreate; propagate; reproduce; spawn

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15
Q

Coterie
noun
(koh tuh ree)

A

An intimate group of persons with a similar purpose

Angel invited a COTERIE of fellow stamp enthusiasts to a stamp-trading party.

Synonyms: clique; set

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16
Q

Metaphor
noun
(meht uh fohr)

A

Figure of speech comparing two different things

The METAPHOR “a sea of troubles” suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.

Synonyms: allegory; analogy; simile; symbol

17
Q

Nettle
verb
(neh tuhl)

A

To irritate

I don’t particularly like having blue hair - I just do it to NETTLE my parents.

Synonyms: annoy; vex

18
Q

Invective
noun
(ihn vek tihv)

A

Abusive language

A stream of INVECTIVE poured from Mrs. Pratt’s mom as she watched the vandals smash her ceramic frog.

Synonyms: denunciation; revilement; vituperation

19
Q

Languid
adj
(laang gwihd)

A

Lacking energy; indifferent; slow

The LANGUID cat cleaned its fur, ignoring the vicious, snarling dog chained a few feet away from it.

Synonyms: lackadaisical; listless; sluggish; weak

20
Q

Disabuse
verb
(dih suh byuze)

A

To set right; to free from error

Galileo’s observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the Earth.

Synonyms: correct; undeceive

21
Q

Investiture
noun
(in ves tuh chur)

A

Ceremony conferring authority

At Napoleon’s INVESTITURE, he grabbed the crown from the Pope’s hands and placed it on his head himself.

Synonyms: inaugural; inauguration; induction; initiation; installation

22
Q

Gullible
adj
(guh luh buhl)

A

Easily deceived

The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool GULLIBLE bank customers into giving him their account information.

Synonyms: credulous; exploitable; naive

23
Q

Apocryphal
adj
(uh pahk ruh fuhl)

A

Of questionable authority or authenticity

There is no hard or authoritative evidence to support the APOCRYPHAL tales that link the Roswell, New Mexico, incident to a downed UFO.

Synonyms: disputed; doubtful; fictitious; fraudulent

24
Q

Profligate
adj
(prah flih guht)

A

Corrupt; degenerate

Some historians claim that it was the Romans’ decadent, PROFLIGATE behavior that led to the decline of the Roman Empire.

Synonyms: dissolute; extravagant; improvident; prodigal; wasteful

25
Q

Invidious
adj
(ihn vihd ee uhs)

A

Envious, obnoxious, or offensive; likely to promote ill-will

It is cruel and INVIDIOUS for parents to play favorites with their children.

Synonyms: discriminatory; insulting; jaundiced; resentful

26
Q

Discern
verb
(dihs uhrn)

A

To perceive or recognize

It is easy to DISCERN the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.

Synonyms: catch; descry; detect; differeentiate; discriminate; distinguish; espy; glimpse; know; separate; spot; spy; tell

27
Q

Toady
noun
(toh dee)

A

One who flatters in the hope of gaining favors

The king was surrounded by TOADIES who rushed to agree with whatever outrageous thing he said.

Synonyms: parasite; sycophant

28
Q

Affected
adj
(uh fehk tihd)

A

Phony; artificial

The AFFECTED hairdresser spouted French phrases, though she had never been to France.

Synonyms: insincere; pretentious; put-on

29
Q

Vex
verb
(vehks)

A

To annoy, irritate, puzzle, or confuse

The old man who loved his peace and quiet was VEXED by his neighbor’s loud music.

Synonyms: annoy; bother; chafe; exasperate; irk; nettle; peeve; provoke

30
Q

Precipitate
adj
(preh sih puh tayt)

A

Thrown violently or brought about abruptly; lacking deliberation

Theirs was a PRECIPITATE marriage - they had only known each other for two weeks before they wed.

Synonyms: abrupt; hasty; headlong; hurried; ill-considered; impetuous; impulsive; prompt; rush; reckless; sudden

GRE Vocab (17 decks)

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