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GRE > VOCAB2 > Flashcards

VOCAB2 Flashcards

1
Q

bolster; stanchion

A

metaphorically: means to support - bolster: a pillow; stanchion: an upright bar/post

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2
Q

touchstone

A
  1. a fundamental or quintessential part or feature

2. a test or criterion for determining the quality or genuineness of a thing

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3
Q

myopic

A

near-sighted; lacking in foresight or discernment : narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications

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4
Q

anemic

A
  1. lacking force, vitality, or spirit;
  2. insipid: lacking interest or savor
  3. lacking in substance or quantity
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5
Q

botched

A

(of a task) carried out badly or carelessly.

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6
Q

nostrum

A

ineffective remedy

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7
Q

adjuvant

A

sth that assists or aid

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8
Q

nuisancce

A

person causing annoyance

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9
Q

miser

A

thrifty

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10
Q

in lieu of

A

instead of

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11
Q

ironclad

A

so firm or secure as to be unbreakable: such as

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12
Q

defeasible

A

capable of being nulled/voided

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13
Q

earnest

A

serious, sincere

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14
Q

sequelae

A

secondary, unintended consequence

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15
Q

denigrate

A
  1. to deny the importance or validity of

2. to attack the reputation of

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16
Q

besmirch

A

to cause harm or damage to the purity, luster, or beauty of (something)

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17
Q

balkanize

A

to break up (a region, a group, etc.) into smaller and often hostile units

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18
Q

eminence

A

position of prominence or superiority

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19
Q

modish

A

fashionable

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20
Q

conservance

A

having knowledge or experience —used with with

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21
Q

perennial

A

recurrent, perpetual

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22
Q

oblige

A

make (someone) legally or morally bound to an action or course of action; do sth a favor; grateful

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23
Q

makeshift

A

a usually crude and temporary expedient : stop-gap

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24
Q

redoutable

A

causing fear or alarm : eminent, illustrious

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25
Q

rend

A

tear into pieces

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26
Q

dilettante

A

amateur

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27
Q

idealogue

A

sb who theorizes and speculate

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28
Q

acumen

A

shrewdness, awareness

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29
Q

peril

A

exposure to the risk of being injured, destroyed, or lost

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30
Q

titillate

A

to excite pleasurably : arouse by stimulation

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31
Q

simulacrum

A

image, representation

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32
Q

mollify

A

pacify

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33
Q

stratagem

A

a cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end

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34
Q

impassioned

A

filled with passion or zeal : showing great warmth or intensity of feelin

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35
Q

avaricious

A

greedy of gain : excessively acquisitive especially in seeking to hoard riches

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36
Q

infirmity

A

: the quality or state of being infirm; feeble

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37
Q

asseveration

A

to affirm or declare positively or earnestly

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38
Q

appease

A

pacify

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39
Q

gauche

A

crudely (not tactful) made or done

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40
Q

moot

A
  1. debatable, disputed

2. : deprived of practical significance : made abstract or purely academic

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41
Q

daft

A

foolish, mad, insane

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42
Q

boon

A

benefit, favor

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43
Q

sop

A

a conciliatory or propitiatory bribe, gift, or gesture

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44
Q

exorbitant

A
  1. not coming within the scope of the law

2. exceeding the customary or appropriate limits in intensity, quality, amount, or size

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45
Q

wax

A

grow

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46
Q

elude

A

to escape the perception, understanding, or grasp of

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47
Q

at once X & Y

A

indicating a loose contrast: X & Y is contrasted

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48
Q

veracity

A

accuracy

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49
Q

antithetical

A

being in direct and unequivocal opposition : directly opposite or opposed

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50
Q

ballast

A
  1. something that gives stability (as in character or conduct)
  2. heavy substance to improve stability
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51
Q

buttress

A

to support

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52
Q

albatross

A

encumbrance

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53
Q

hallmark

A

a distinguishing characteristic, trait, or feature

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54
Q

contrapuntal

A

having two distinct components

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55
Q

macabre

A

disturbing; horrifying

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56
Q

keep it bay

A

control sth and prevent it from causing problems

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57
Q

give teeth

A

give sth real effect

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58
Q

lard

A

make rich; augment with excessive

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59
Q

tit-for-tat

A

counter-attack; retaliation

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60
Q

parable

A

allegory; lesson

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61
Q

conundrum

A

problem, difficulty

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62
Q

innuendo

A

hint, suggestion

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63
Q

hyperbole

A

exxageration

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64
Q

spurious

A

fake, false

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65
Q

patient

A

obvious evident

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66
Q

dissimulation

A

the fact of hiding under a false appearance; deception

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67
Q

flagrant

A

obvious

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68
Q

gospel

A

accepted facts; agreed upon truth

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69
Q

tenet

A

accepted principels

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70
Q

rife

A

common, widespread

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71
Q

contention

A

disagreement

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72
Q

devoid

A

lacking, without

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73
Q

anathema

A

hateful, abhorrent

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74
Q

fluke

A

accident, chance

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75
Q

cad

A

a man who behaves dishonorably

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76
Q

dirge

A

lament, slow sad song for the dead

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77
Q

floe

A

a sheet of floating ice

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78
Q

fib

A

a lie

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79
Q

irredeemable

A

hopeless

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80
Q

taxonomy

A

systematic classification

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81
Q

nonchalance

A

coolness, unconcern, calmness

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82
Q

farce

A

mockery, absudity –> a grand farce >< a grand gesture

83
Q

tirade

A

angry speech

84
Q

chagrin

A

distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated

85
Q

fatuous

A

silly, foolish

86
Q

nonplussed

A

confused, surprised

87
Q

chary

A

cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something; wary

88
Q

dole out

A

give out

89
Q

costive

A

slow, reluctant in speech

90
Q

homely

A

unattractive, plain

91
Q

dotage

A

old year

92
Q

jouissance

A

joy

93
Q

picayune

A

petty, worthless

94
Q

just as … so too …

A

structure indicates same direction

95
Q

ebullient

A

cheerful and full of energy; exhuberant

96
Q

nominally

A

in name only; officially though perhaps not in reality.

97
Q

steadfast

A

resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.

98
Q

rack and ruin

A

to become destroyed or ruined

99
Q

vim and vigor

A

ebuillient vitality and energy

100
Q

mordant

A

hostile, sardonic, trenchant

101
Q

choleric

A

bad-tempered

102
Q

frantic

A

wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion

103
Q

convoke

A

call, summon a meeting

104
Q

evoke

A

call up, bring or recall to the conscious mind, invoke

105
Q

excogitate

A

think out, plan, or devise.

106
Q

diffident

A

self-effacing, modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence.

107
Q

reticent

A

not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.

108
Q

heuristic

A

enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves.

109
Q

hermeneutic

A

concerning interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts.

110
Q

allegorical

A

metaphorical, symbolic –> relating to allegory

111
Q

crackpot

A

an eccentric or foolish person.

112
Q

maladjusted

A

failing or unable to cope with the demands of a normal social environment.

113
Q

dynamos

A

energetic person

114
Q

robust

A

strong and healthy; vigorous –> hard to kill

115
Q

notorious

A

famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed.

116
Q

benignant

A

kind, benevolent

117
Q

eclectic

A

wide-ranging; deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

118
Q

populist

A

who strived to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups

119
Q

explicate

A

explain, clarify

120
Q

interpolate

A

insert, add, incorporate

121
Q

interlocutor

A

a person who takes part in a dialogue/conversation

122
Q

obtuse

A

stupid, dull

123
Q

genteel

A

refined, polished, respectable

124
Q

earthy

A

direct and uninhibited

125
Q

perquisite

A

special right/priviledge –> perks

126
Q

aleatory

A

random

127
Q

pigue

A

a feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one’s pride.

128
Q

dissuaded

A

persuade (someone) not to take a particular course of action.

129
Q

ward off

A

to keep someone or something away or prevent something from happening or harming you

130
Q

sea change

A

a profound transformation

131
Q

putsch

A

the overthrow of government

132
Q

mutiny

A

riot, rebellion

133
Q

tacky

A

unfashionable, poor taste

134
Q

vitreous

A

like glass in appearance or physical properties.

135
Q

grizzled

A

having or streaked with gray hair.

136
Q

rancorous

A

characterized by bitterness or resentment.

137
Q

doting

A

extremely and uncritically fond of someone; adoring

138
Q

philistine

A

a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or who has no understanding of them.

139
Q

debase

A

reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade.

140
Q

deface

A

spoil the surface or appearance of (something), for example by drawing or writing on it.

141
Q

delimit

A

determine the limits or boundaries of

142
Q

lummox

A

a clumsy, stupid person.

143
Q

layperson

A

a person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject.

144
Q

rote

A

mechanical or habitual repetition of something to be learned; unthinkingly

145
Q

crack

A

expert

146
Q

extortionate

A

(of a price) much too high; exorbitant

147
Q

senescent

A

growing old; aging

148
Q

disenfranchisement

A

the state of being deprived of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote.

149
Q

plum

A

desirable

150
Q

agonistic

A

combative

151
Q

grave

A

serious, solemn

152
Q

masquerade

A

a false show or pretense.

153
Q

part and parcel

A

essential, integral, component

154
Q

conceit

A
  1. excessive pride in oneself.
  2. a fanciful expression in writing or speech; an elaborate metaphor
155
Q

unctuous

A

flattery, excessively fawning

156
Q

blather

A

chatter, talk long-windedly w/o making much sense

157
Q

puffery

A

exaggerated, false praise

158
Q

confabulation

A

false memories w/o intention of deception

159
Q

paradigm

A

a typical example or pattern of something; a model.

160
Q

monogamy

A

the practice or state of being married to one person at a time.

161
Q

polyamorous

A

characterized by or involved in the practice of engaging in multiple sexual relationships with the consent of all the people involved.

162
Q

conspire with

A

combine, join

163
Q

block out

A

hide, cover something

164
Q

skitter around

A

move away hurriedly

165
Q

annihilation

A

complete destruction

166
Q

detonation

A

explosion

167
Q

specter

A

something widely feared as a possible unpleasant or dangerous occurrence.

168
Q

unscrupulous

A

having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair.

169
Q

garrulous

A

excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.

170
Q

voluble

A

talking fluently, readily, or incessantly

171
Q

inane

A

stupid, fatuous

172
Q

glib

A

fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow

173
Q

loaf

A

spend time doing nothing

174
Q

ruminate

A

contemplate

175
Q

pillory

A

attack or ridicule publicly.

176
Q

detest

A

dislike intensely

177
Q

malign

A

speak about (someone) in a spitefully critical manner; defame, slander

178
Q

chide

A

scold, rebuke

179
Q

peruse

A

study, inspect

180
Q

garnish

A

decorate or embellish (something, especially food).

181
Q

glean

A

obtain, extract

182
Q

prescient

A

having or showing knowledge of events before they take place –> clairvoyant, prophetic

183
Q

pontificate

A

express opinions or judgments in a dogmatic way

184
Q

vice

A

immoral or wicked behavior.

185
Q

gaffe

A

mistake, blunder, error

186
Q

wag

A

joker

187
Q

transgressor

A

person who breaks law/moral rule

188
Q

convulsion

A

seizure, turbulence

189
Q

contretemp

A

unfortunate or embarrasing occurence

190
Q

retch

A

vomit

191
Q

interlude

A

recess

192
Q

clamor

A

shout loudly and insistently

193
Q

erstwhile

A

former

194
Q

factotum

A

an employee who does all kinds of work.

195
Q

magnamity

A

generousity

196
Q

fealty

A

loyalty, devotion

197
Q

hing on

A

depend on

198
Q

arrant

A

utter, complete

199
Q

blandishment

A

flattery

200
Q

offciousness

A

intrusively enthusiastic in offering help or advice; interfering.

201
Q

veracity

A

conformity to facts; accuracy.

202
Q

apposite

A

suitable

203
Q

daunting

A

intimidating

GRE (4 decks)

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