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Vocabulary Flashcards

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1
Q

Abate (v.)

A

To lessen in intensity or degree

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2
Q

Accolade (n.)

A

An expression of praise

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3
Q

Adulation (n.)

A

Excessive praise; intense adoration

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4
Q

Aesthetic (adj.)

A

Dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful

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5
Q

Ameliorate (v.)

A

To make better or more tolerable

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6
Q

Ascetic (n.)

A

One who practices rigid self denial, especially as an act of religious devotion

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7
Q

Avarice (n.)

A

Greed, especially for wealth

Adj. form: avaricious

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8
Q

Axiom (n.)

A

A universally recognized principle

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9
Q

Burgeon (v.)

A

To grow rapidly or flourish

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10
Q

Bucolic (adj.)

A

Rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants

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11
Q

Cacophony (n.)

A

Harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance

Adj. form: cacophonous

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12
Q

Canon (n.)

A

An established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature

Adj form: canonical

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13
Q

Castigation (n.)

A

Severe criticism or punishment

V. Form: castigate

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14
Q

Catalyst (n.)

A

A substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change

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15
Q

Caustic (adj.)

A

Burning or stinging; causing corrosion

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16
Q

Chary (adj.)

A

Wary, cautious, sparing

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17
Q

Cogent (adj.)

A

Appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing

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18
Q

Complaisance (n.)

A

The willingness to comply with the wishes of others

Adj. form: complaisant

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19
Q

Contentious (adj.)

A

Argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement

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20
Q

Contrite (adj.)

A

Regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness

N. form: contrition

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21
Q

Culpable (adj.)

A

Deserving blame

N. form: culpability

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22
Q

Dearth (n.)

A

Smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack

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23
Q

Demur (v.)

A

To question or oppose

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24
Q

Didactic (adj.)

A

Intended to teach or instruct

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25
Q

Discretion (n.)

A

Cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions

Adj. form: discreet

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26
Q

Disinterested (adj.)

A

Free of bias or self-interest; impartial

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27
Q

Dogmatic (adj.)

A

Expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improbable principles

N. form: dogma

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28
Q

Ebullience (n.)

A

The quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings

Adj. form: ebullient

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29
Q

Eclectic (adj.)

A

Composed of elements drawn from various sources

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30
Q

Elegy (n.)

A

A mournful poem, especially one lamenting the dead

Adj. form: elegiac

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31
Q

Emollient (adj.)(n.)

A

Soothing, especially to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; and agent that softens or smooths the skin

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32
Q

Empirical (adj.)

A

Based on observation or experiment

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33
Q

Enigmatic (adj.)

A

Mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand

N. form: enigma

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34
Q

Ephemeral (adj.)

A

Brief; fleeting

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35
Q

Esoteric (adj.)

A

Intended for or understood by a small, specific group

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36
Q

Eulogy (n.)

A

A speech honoring the dead

V. form: eulogize

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37
Q

Exonerate (v.)

A

To remove blame

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38
Q

Facetious (adj.)

A

Playful, humorous

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39
Q

Fallacy (n.)

A

An invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief

Adj. form: fallacious

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40
Q

Furtive (adj.)

A

Marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious

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41
Q

Gregarious (adj.)

A

Sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people

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42
Q

Harangue (v.)(n.)

A

To deliver a forceful or angry speech; ranting speech or writing

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43
Q

Heretical (adj.)

A

Violating accepted dogma or convention

N. form: heresy

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44
Q

Hyperbole (n.)

A

An exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech

Adj. form: hyperbolic

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45
Q

Impecunious (adj.)

A

Lacking funds; without money

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46
Q

Incipient (adj.)

A

Beginning to come into being or to become apparent

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47
Q

Inert (adj.)

A

Unmoving; lethargic; sluggish

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48
Q

Innocuous (adj.)

A

Harmless; causing no damage

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49
Q

Intransigent (adj.)

A

Refusing to compromise

N. form: intransigence

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50
Q

Inveigle (v.)

A

To obtain by deception or flattery

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51
Q

Morose (adj.)

A

Sad; sullen; melancholy

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52
Q

Odious (adj.)

A

Evoking intense aversion or dislike

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53
Q

Opaque (adj.)

A

Impenetrable by light; not reflecting light

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54
Q

Oscillation (n.)

A

The act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm

V. form: oscillate

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55
Q

Penurious (adj.)

A

Penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous

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56
Q

Pernicious (adj.)

A

Extremely harmful on a way that is not easily seen or noticed

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57
Q

Peruse (v.)

A

To examine with great care

N. form: perusal

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58
Q

Pious (adj.)

A

Extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion

N. form: piety

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59
Q

Precursor (n.)

A

One that precedes and indicates or announces another

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60
Q

Preen (v.)

A

To dress up; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care

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61
Q

Prodigious (adj.)

A

Abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary

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62
Q

Prolific (adj.)

A

Producing large volumes or amounts; productive

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63
Q

Putrefy (v.)

A

To rot; to decay and give off a foul odor

Adj. form: putrid

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64
Q

Quaff (v.)

A

To drink deeply

65
Q

Quiescence (n.)

A

Stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest

Adj. form: quiescent

66
Q

Redoubtable (adj.)

A

Awe-inspiring; worthy of honor

67
Q

Sanction (n.)(v.)

A

Authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority

68
Q

Satire (n.)

A

A literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision

Adj. form: satirical

69
Q

Squalid (adj.)

A

Sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect

N. form: squalor

70
Q

Stoic (adj.)

A

Indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast

N. form: stoicism

71
Q

Supplant (v.)

A

To take the place of; to supersede

72
Q

Torpid (adj.)

A

Lethargic; sluggish;dormant

N. form: torpor

73
Q

Ubiquitous (adj.)

A

Existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread

74
Q

Urbane (adj.)

A

Sophisticated; refined; elegant

N. form: urbanity

75
Q

Vilify (v.)

A

To defame; to characterize harshly

76
Q

Viscous (adj.)

A

Thick; sticky

N. form: viscosity

77
Q

Pulchritudinous (adj.)

A

Beautiful

78
Q

Hebetudinous (adj.)

A

The state of dullness; lethargy

79
Q

Limn (v.)

A

To outline in sharp detail; to draw or paint on a surface

80
Q

Shibboleth (n.)

A

A word or saying used by adherents of a party, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning

81
Q

Catechism (n.)

A

A series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts used for instruction. Traditionally applied to Christianity.

82
Q

Abscond (v.)

A

To depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide

83
Q

Aberrant (adj.)

A

Deviating from the norm

84
Q

Alacrity (n.)

A

Eager and enthusiastic willingness

85
Q

Anomaly (n.)

A

Deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality

86
Q

Approbation (n.)

A

An expression of approval or praise

87
Q

Arduous (adj.)

A

Strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort

88
Q

Assuage (v.)

A

To ease or lessen; to appease or pacify

89
Q

Audacious (adj.)

A

Daring and fearless; recklessly bold

90
Q

Austere (adj.)

A

Without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic

91
Q

Axiomatic (adj.)

A

Taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth

92
Q

Canonical (adj.)

A

Following or in agreement with accepted traditional standards

93
Q

Capricious (adj.)

A

Inclined to change ones mind impulsively; erratic, unpredictable

94
Q

Censure (v.)

A

To criticize severely; to officially rebuke

95
Q

Chicanery (n.)

A

Trickery or subterfuge

96
Q

Connoisseur (n.)

A

An informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert

97
Q

Disabuse (v.)

A

To undeceive; to set right

98
Q

Convoluted (adj.)

A

Complex or complicated

99
Q

Discordant (adj.)

A

Conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound

100
Q

Disparate (adj.)

A

Fundamentally distinct or dissimilar

101
Q

Effrontery (n.)

A

Extreme boldness; presumptuousness

102
Q

Eloquent (adj.)

A

Well-spoken, expressive, articulate

103
Q

Enervate (adj.)

A

To weaken; to reduce in vitality

104
Q

Ennui (n.)

A

Dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy

105
Q

Equivocate (v.)

A

To use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent

106
Q

Erudite (adj.)

A

Very learned; scholarly

107
Q

Exculpate (v.)

A

Exonerate; to clear of blame

108
Q

Exigent (adj.)

A

Urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention

109
Q

Extemporaneous (adj.)

A

Improvised; done without preparation

110
Q

Filibuster (n.)

A

Intentional obstruction, esp. using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action

111
Q

Fulminate (v.)

A

To loudly attack or denounce

112
Q

Ingenuous (adj.)

A

Artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication

113
Q

Inured (adj.)

A

Accustomed to accepting something undesirable

114
Q

Irascible (adj.)

A

Easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts

115
Q

Laud (v.)

A

To praise highly

116
Q

Lucid (adj.)

A

Clear; easily understood

117
Q

Magnanimity (n.)

A

The quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp. in forgiving

118
Q

Martial (adj.)

A

Associated with war and armed forces

119
Q

Mundane (adj.)

A

Of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary

120
Q

Nascent (adj.)

A

Coming into being; in early developmental stages

121
Q

Nebulous (adj.)

A

Vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form

122
Q

Neologism (n.)

A

A new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses

123
Q

Noxious (adj.)

A

Harmful, injurious

124
Q

Obtuse (adj.)

A

Lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression

125
Q

Obviate (v.)

A

To anticipate and make unnecessary

126
Q

Onerous (adj.)

A

Troubling; burdensome

127
Q

Paean (n.)

A

a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving

128
Q

Parody (n.)

A

A humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in literature and art

129
Q

Perennial (adj.)

A

Recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly

130
Q

Perfidy (n.)

A

Intentional breach of faith; treachery

131
Q

Perfunctory (adj.)

A

Cursory; done without care or interest

132
Q

Perspicacious (adj.)

A

Acutely perceptive; having keen discernment

133
Q

Prattle (v.)

A

To babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner

134
Q

Precipitate (adj.)

A

Acting with excessive haste or impulse

135
Q

Precipitate (v.)

A

To cause or happen before anticipated or required

136
Q

Predilection (n.)

A

A disposition in favor of something; preference

137
Q

Prescience (n.)

A

Foreknowledge or events; knowing of events prior to their occurring

138
Q

Prevaricate (v.)

A

To deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead

139
Q

Qualms (n.)

A

Misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy

140
Q

Recant (v.)

A

To retract, esp. a previously held belief

141
Q

Refute (v.)

A

To disprove; to successfully argue against

142
Q

Relegate (v.)

A

To forcibly assign, esp. to a lower place or position

143
Q

Reticent (adj.)

A

Quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelings

144
Q

Solicitous (adj.)

A

Concerned and attentive; eager

145
Q

Sordid (adj.)

A

Characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul

146
Q

Sporadic (adj.)

A

Occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances

147
Q

Squander (v.)

A

To waste by spending or using irresponsibly

148
Q

Static (adj.)

A

Not moving, active, or in motion; at rest

149
Q

Stupefy (v.)

A

To stun, baffle, or amaze

150
Q

Stymie (v.)

A

To block; to thwart

151
Q

Synthesis (n.)

A

The combination of parts to make a whole

152
Q

Torque (n.)

A

A force that causes rotation

153
Q

Tortuous (adj.)

A

Winding, twisting; excessively complicated

154
Q

Truculent (adj.)

A

Fierce and cruel; eager to fight

155
Q

Veracity (n.)

A

Truthfulness, honesty

156
Q

Virulent (adj.)

A

Extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic

157
Q

Voracious (adj.)

A

Having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous

158
Q

Waver (v.)

A

To move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion

GRE (2 decks)

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