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GRE Vocabulary > Word List 41 > Flashcards

Word List 41 Flashcards

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1
Q

bugaboo

A

an imaginary object of fear
something that causes fear or distress out of proportion to its importance

e.g. Doing one’s tax returns are a real bugaboo for some people.

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2
Q

bullion

A

uncoined gold or silver in bars in ingots

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3
Q

bumble

A 
buzz
drone, rumble
 blunder; especially, to speak ineptly in a stuttering and faltering manner
to proceed unsteadily; stumble 
bungle

e.g. bumble through two years of college

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4
Q

buxom

A

vigorously or healthily plump; specially, full-bosomed

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5
Q

cachet

A

an indication of approval carrying great prestige
prestige

e.g. a movie director with great artistic cachet

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6
Q

canard

A

a false or unfounded report or story
a groundless rumor or belief

e.g. the widespread canard that every lawyer is dishonest

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7
Q

canker

A

an erosive or spreading sore
a source of corruption or debasement
to infect with a pervasive and corrupting bitterness

e.g. Racism remains a canker at the heart of the nation.
He hated her with a cankered, shameful abhorrence.

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8
Q

capacious

A

containing or capable of containing a great deal

e.g. a capacious trunk

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9
Q

caper

A

to leap or prance about in a playful manner

e.g. As summer drew to a close, the children spent their days wistfully capering on the beach.

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10
Q

capitation

A

a direct uniform tax imposed on each head or person; poll tax

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11
Q

capsize

A

to cause to overturn
to become upset or overturned; turn over

e.g. a flood that capsized the canoe

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12
Q

careen

A

to lean sideways
to cause a ship to lean
to sway from side to side; lurch

e.g. The sled careened as it barreled down the hill.
He careened unsteadily to the couch after hitting his head.

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13
Q

carnage

A

great and usually blood slaughter or injury

e.g. The appalling carnage in that war-torn country requires that the outside world intervene.

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14
Q

cavalcade

A

a procession of riders or carriages
a dramatic sequence or procession; series

e.g. a cavalcade of natural disasters

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15
Q

celerity

A

rapidity of motion or action

e.g. a journalist who writes his well-crafted stories with remarkable celerity

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16
Q

cephalic

A

of or relating to the head

directed toward or situated on or in or near the head

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17
Q

chasten

A

to correct by punishment or suffering; discipline
refine
to cause to be more humble or restrained; subdue

e.g. The unexpected loss to a second-rate player really chastened the tournament’s top-seeded tennis star.

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18
Q

checkered

A

marked by alternation or contrast of fortune; especially, marked by many problems or failures

e.g. a checkered career with many ups and downs
trying prevent discovery of his checkered past

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19
Q

chortle

A

to sing or chant exultantly

to laugh or chuckle especially in satisfaction or exultation

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20
Q

cineast

A

a devotee of motion pictures; also, moviemaker

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21
Q

coffer

A

check; especially, strongbox
treasury, funds (usually used in pl.)

e.g. kept in a locked coffer
the household coffers

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22
Q

cognate

A

of the same of similar nature; generically alike
related by blood
related by descent from the same ancestral language

e.g. English “eat” and German “essen” are cognate.
Spanish and French are cognate languages.

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23
Q

cognomen

A

surname; especially, the third of usually three names borne by a male citizen of ancient Rome
name; especially, a distinguishing nickname or epithet

e.g. richly deserved the cognomen of “butterfingers”

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24
Q

colloquy

A

conversation, dialogue
a high-level serious discussion; conference

e.g. a colloquy on economic globalization

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25
Q

colt

A

a young male horse
a young untried person

e.g. a colt who looked to the team’s more experienced players for advice

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26
Q

comestible

A

edible

(oft. pl.) food

27
Q

complicity

A

association or participation in or as if in a wrongful act
an instance of complicity

e.g. no proof of her complicity in the murder

28
Q

comport

A

to be fitting; accord
behave

e.g. actions that comport with policy
The grieving relatives comported themselves with grace and dignity during that difficult time.

29
Q

concoct

A

to prepare by combining raw materials
devise, fabricate

e.g. concoct a drink
concoct an explanation

30
Q

condign

A

deserved, appropriate

e.g. A suspension without pay is condign punishment for breaking the company’s code of business ethics.

31
Q

condor

A

a very large bird

32
Q

confidant

A

one to whom secrets are entrusted; especially, intimate

33
Q

congenital

A

existing at or dating from birth
inherent

e.g. congenital heart diseases
congenital fear of snakes / congenital liar

34
Q

conjugal

A

of or relating to married state or married persons and their relations; connubial

e.g. newlyweds still in a rapturous state of conjugal happiness

35
Q

connubial

A

of or relating to the married state; conjugal

36
Q

consort

A 
spouse 
associate; association
group, assembly 
 unite, associate 
accord, harmonize

e.g. He ruled in consort with his father.
a consort of specialists
consorting with criminals
The illustrations consort admirably.

37
Q

conspectus

A

a usually brief survey or summary often providing an overall view
outline, synopsis

e.g. a book that could serve as a conspectus of the work thus far on the development of artificial intelligence

38
Q

constringe

A

to cause to shrink
constrict

e.g. a styptic pencil stops the bleeding by constringing the small blood vessels at the site of cut

39
Q

contumacy

A

stubborn resistance to authority; specifically, willful contempt of court

e.g. a rogue archbishop who was excommunicated on grounds of contumacy

40
Q

contumely

A

harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt; also, an instance of such language or treatment

e.g. For some time, he did not make a single convert, and gained nothing but contumely and abuse.

41
Q

convoy

A

accompany; especially, to escort for protection

e.g. Police and FBI agents convoyed the president.

42
Q

cordial

A

tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate
sincerely or deeply felt; warmly and genially affable
a stimulating medicine or drink

e.g. bottles full of excellent cordial water
a cordial dislike for each other
cordial relations

43
Q

corny

A

mawkishly old-fashioned; tiresomely simple and sentimental

e.g. corny jokes

44
Q

corpulent

A

obese

45
Q

corpus

A

a collection of writings, conversations, speeches, etc., that people use to study and describe a language
a collection of poems, paintings, songs, etc.

e.g. a computerized corpus of English
Jane Austin’s corpus is modest in number but magnificent in achievement.

46
Q

coruscate

A

to give off or reflect light in bright beams or flashes; sparkle
to be brilliant or showy in technique or style

e.g. a classic car from the 1950s, replete with yards of coruscating chrome

47
Q

crag

A

a steep rugged rock or cliff

48
Q

credo

A

creed

e.g. The credo of the ancient Egyptians involved a variety of polytheism.

49
Q

crepuscular

A

of, relating to, or resembling twilight; dim
occurring or active during twilight

e.g. crepuscular light
crepuscular insects/activity

50
Q

croon

A

to sing or speak in a murmuring manner

e.g. The mother crooned as she rocked the baby.

51
Q

crotchety

A

subject to whims, crankiness, or ill temper

52
Q

crypt

A

a chamber (as a vault) wholly or partly underground; especially, a vault under the main floor of a church

53
Q

currish

A

ignoble
resembling a cur; mongrel

e.g. prone to currish acts of violence

54
Q

curvaceous

A

having or suggesting the curves of a well-proportioned feminine figure; broadly, having a smoothly curving shape

e.g. a curvaceous actress
a curvaceous coastline

55
Q

cynosure

A

(cap.) north star
one that serves to direct or guide
a center of attraction or attention

e.g. an unwavering commitment to equal rights for all as his only cynosure
That company is the cynosure for anyone wishing to make it in the music business.

56
Q

dalliance

A

play; especially, amorous play
frivolous action; trifling

e.g. an extremely serious scientist who is not much given to dalliance or idle chichat

57
Q

dank

A

unpleasantly moist or wet

e.g. a dank cellar

58
Q

dastard

A

coward

a person who acts treacherously or underhandedly

59
Q

daub

A

to cover or coat with soft adhesive matter; plaster
to apply coloring material crudely to

e.g. He daubed some cologne on his neck.
Daub the potatoes with a little butter.
Various political slogans had been daubed on the walls.

60
Q

debar

A

to bar from having or doing something; preclude

e.g. The judge debarred all of the reporters from the courtroom.

61
Q

debility

A

weakness, infirmity

e.g. The disease leads to debility but rarely kills.

62
Q

debonair

A

suave, urbane
lighthearted, nonchalant

e.g. a debonair man in a suit and top hat
His debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was wrong.

63
Q

decamp

A

to break a camp

to depart suddenly; abscond

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