Week 1 Vocab

Question 1

Inchoate

Answer 1

[in-KOH-it] (adj.) Incipient, still developing or incomplete (adj.) Imperfectly formed, incoherent or lacking order The GRE class is inchoate, but it will feel like second nature by its’ terminus.

Question 2

Obdurate

Answer 2

[OB-doo-rit] (adj.) Unyielding to persuasion; resistant to appeals or softening influences (adj.) Persistent in wrongdoing or impenitent; hardened against emotions She was obdurate in her opinion, despite the numerous efforts to persuade her otherwise.

Question 3

Amalgamate

Answer 3

[uh-MAL-guh-meyt] (v) To mix, merge, or combine into a whole When studying, be sure not to amalgamate similar words.

Question 4

Effrontery

Answer 4

[ih-FRUHN-tuh-ree (n) Insolence, boldness, or presumption He had the effrontery to ask for a second favor.

Question 5

Rarefy

Answer 5

[RAIR-uh-fahy] (v) To make or become thin, less compact, or less dense (v) To purify, refine, or make more spiritual Add water to rarefy the mixture.

Question 6

Diatribe

Answer 6

[DAHY-uh-trahyb] (n) Bitter, abusive criticism or denunciation Her diatribe of his writing cased him pain for many years.

Question 7

Precipitate

Answer 7

[pri-SIP-i-teyt] (v) To throw or fall down headlong (v) To bring about or cause to happen, especially abruptly or prematurely (v) To cause (a substance) to separate from a solution; to condense or cause to condense and fall from the sky as snow, rain, etc. (adj.) Speeding headlong, rapidly, or dangerously; proceeding with undue haste and without necessary forethought (adj.) Occurring abruptly or unexpectedly (adj.) Steep or rushing steeply downward Purchasing the flat-screen t.v. precipitated her bankruptcy.

Question 8

Disabuse

Answer 8

[dis-uh-BYOOZ] (v) To free someone a misconception or deception

Question 9

Aver

Answer 9

[uh-VUR] (v) To assert or affirm positively (v) To formally assert or prove in pleading a case or cause

Question 10

Bolster

Answer 10

[BOHL-ster] (v) To support, uphold, or boost

Question 11

Undermine

Answer 11

[UHN-der-mayhn] (v) To weaken by washing away the support or foundation underneath (v) To weaken, injure, or ruin by degrees or a little at a time; to sap (adj.) To dig a mine or tunnel underneath

Question 12

Deliberate

Answer 12

[dih-LIB-er-it] [dih-LIB-uh-reyt] (v) To think carefully or consider (adj.) 1. Carefully considered 2. Slowly, unhurriedly decided 3. Done intentionally or with awareness of the consequences

Question 13

Assuage

Answer 13

[uh-SWEYJ] (v) To make less intense or severe; to ease (v) To satisfy, appease, or quench (v) To pacify, sooth, or quiet

Question 14

Laconic

Answer 14

[luh-KON-ik] (adj.) Concise, terse, or extremely sparing with words

Question 15

Lucid

Answer 15

[loo-SID] (adj.) Intelligible or readily understandable; sane or rational (adj.) Translucent or clear; bright or luminous

Question 16

Enervate

Answer 16

[EN-er-veyt] (v) To weaken or sap the strength, vigor, or vitality of

Question 17

Morose

Answer 17

[muh-ROHS] (adj.) Sullen, gloomy, or melancholy

Question 18

Eulogy

Answer 18

[YOO-luh-jee] (n) A praising speech or tribute, especially honoring someone who has died (n) High praise

Question 19

Placate

Answer 19

[PLEY-keyt] (v) To soothe the anger of, mollify, or appease

Question 20

Antagonism

Answer 20

[an-TAG-uh-niz-uhm] (n) Hostility, opposition, or active resistance

Question 21

Skeptical

Answer 21

[SKEP-ti-kul] (adj.) Showing, expressing, or giving to doubt or questioning

Question 22

Intrepid

Answer 22

[in-TREP-id] (adj.) Resolutely fearless or undaunted

Question 23

Mollify

Answer 23

[MOL-uh-fahy] (v) To soothe or calm the temper or feelings (v) To soften or make less rigid (v) To temper or lesen the intensity of

Question 24

Anomalous

Answer 24

[uh-NOM-uh-luhs] (adj.) Deviating from the norm or expectations; irregular (adj.) Uncertain or incongruous in nature

Question 25

Mundane

Answer 25

[muhn-DEYN] (adj.) Ordinary, practical, commonplace; banal or uninteresting (adj.) Of or related to this world, as opposed to the heavens

Question 26

Quotidian

Answer 26

[kwoh-TID-ee-uhn] (adj.) Everyday, commonplace or ordinary

Question 27

Burgeon

Answer 27

[BUR-juhn] (v) To produce or send out new growth; to sprout or bloom (v) To grow, expand, or develop quickly and often profusely

Question 28

Sap

Answer 28

[sap] (n) 1. The circulatory fluid of a plant; an essential bodily fluid 2. Health, vitality, or energy (metaphor related to “essential body fluid”) 3. A gulliple person, fool, or dupe (v) 1. To deplete, drain or weaken, especially of energy or vitality 2. To diminish the intensity or supply of 3. To undermine the foundations of

Question 29

Occult

Answer 29

[uh-KUHLT] (adj.) Secret or withheld from the uninitiated (adj.) Mysterious, inscrutable, difficult or impossible to comprehent (adj.) Of, related to, or concerned with magic or the supernatural

Question 30

Gainsay

Answer 30

[GEYN-sey] (v) To deny or prove false (v) To oppose or speak out against

Question 31

Pith

Answer 31

[pith] (n) The core, essence, or substance of a matter (n) Mettle or vigor; importance or significance

Question 32

Gist

Answer 32

[jist] (n) The central point or essence; the heart of the matter (n) The grounds of a legal action

Question 33

Hackneyed

Answer 33

[HAK-need] (adj.) Unoriginal, trite, or banal

Question 34

Corroborate

Answer 34

[kuh-ROB-uh-reyt] [kuh-ROB-er-it] (v) To support with evidence, make more certain, or conrim

Question 35

Plasticity

Answer 35

[pla-STIS-i-tee] (n) Capacity to be molded or made to assume or hold a shape

Question 36

Ebullience

Answer 36

[ih-BUHL-yuhns] (adj.) Liveliness or exuberance, especially in manner or expression

Question 37

Plethora

Answer 37

[PLETH-er-uh] (n) Excess, profuse, or overabundance

Question 38

Artless

Answer 38

[AHRT-lis] (adj.) Uncultured or ignorant, lacking in knowledge (adj.) Poorly or crudely made (adj.) Without artificiality; naturalm sincere

Question 39

Default

Answer 39

[dih-FAWLT] (n) Failure to meet an obligation, especially a financial obligation; failure to make a court appearance; failure to participate in a contest (v) To fail to do any of the above

Question 40

Tortuous

Answer 40

[TAWR-choo-uhs] (adj.) Winding; containing numerous twists, turns, or bends (adj.) Crooked, tricky, or devious; highly involved, circuitous, or complex

Question 41

Tenuous

Answer 41

[TEN-yoo-uhs] (adj.) Not dense; thin or diluted in consistency (adj.) Slender; lacking substance or strength; flimsy; shaky

Question 42

Profuse

Answer 42

[pruh-FYOOS] (adj.) Present or available in great amount; plentiful, bountiful, or copious (adj.) Pouring forth freely or abundantly; extravegant

Question 43

Propitiate

Answer 43

v. To gain or regain the favor of; appease or conciliate Sentence: His anger was propitiated with an apology. Antonym: ? Synonym: Appease, Assuage, Mollify, Placate

Question 44

Zenith

Answer 44

n. The highest point, culmination Sentence: Being promoted to CEO became the zenith of his career. Antonym: ? Synonym: Apex, Pinnacle

Question 45

Desiccate

Answer 45

v. To dry out completely; To preserve (food) by drying Sentence: The fruit desiccated for future consumption. Antonym: ? Synonym: Dehydrate, Dry Up

Question 46

Veneration

Answer 46

n. The act of regarding or treating with profound respect, awe, or admiration Sentence: The veneration for the royal couple was expressed with warm cheer and praise. Antonym: ? Synonym: Adoration, Honor

Question 47

Artifice

Answer 47

(n) A crafty, cunning trick or stratagem; Deception or false behavior; Cleverness, skill, or ingenuity Sentence: The burglar stole the painting from the museum with artifice and therefore got away with it.

Question 48

Din

Answer 48

(n) A loud, clamorous noise Sentence: My neighbor raised such a din last night with his party that I couldn’t get to sleep until 3 AM.

Question 49

Precarious

Answer 49

(adj.) Lacking stability, dangerously uncertain, or subject to unknown circumstances; Based on uncertain or dubious premises. Sentence: His family is in a precarious financial situation entirely because of him.