Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Stack #213367
test8
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| bastion | stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism |
| growl | low, guttural, menacing sound (as of a dog) |
| maverick | rebel; nonconformist (in a group) |
| lethargic | drowsy; dull; N. lethargy: state of sluggishness and inactivity |
| paraphernalia | equipment; odds and ends used in a particular activity; personal belongings; Ex. photographic paraphernalia; CF. married woman's property exclusive of her dowry |
| mores | conventions; moral standards; moral customs |
| timidity | lack of self-confidence or courage |
| understate | state with less truth than seems warranted by the facts; Ex. He understated the seriousness of the crime; N. understatement; OP. overstate |
| protocol | diplomatic etiquette; ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats; first copy of a treaty before its ratification; Ex. Protocol demands that the queen meet him at the airport. |
| braid | plait; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; N: braided segment (as of hair) |
| acquiesce | assent; agree passively; comply without protest |
| favoritism | display of partiality toward a favored person |
| wake | trail of ship or other object through water; path of something that has gone before; Ex. hunger followed in the wake of the war |
| draught | current of air (through a room or to a fire); act of pulling roads; act of swallowing liquid or amount of liquid swallowed at a time |
| betoken | signify; indicate; be a sign of |
| aviary | enclosure for birds; large cage |
| waggish | humorous; mischievous; tricky |
| adapt | make or become suitable for a specific use; alter; modify; adjust; N. adaptation: act of adapting; composition recast into a new form; Ex. The play is an adaption of a short novel. |
| bugaboo | bugbear; object of baseless terror |
| foliage | masses of leaves; CF. defoliate |
| satellite | small body revolving around a larger one |
| bungle | mismanage; blunder; botch; blow; spoil by clumsy behavior |
| reinstate | restore to a previous condition or position |
| mnemonic | pertaining to memory; assisting the memory; N: device, such as as formula or rhyme, used as a mnemonic aid |
| conscript | draftee; person forced into military service; V. |
| contend | struggle; compete; assert earnestly; state strongly |
| functional | made for practical use only (without decoration); functioning; Ex. functional modern furniture; CF. functionalism |
| punctilious | minutely attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points; stressing niceties of conduct or form; N. punctilio, punctiliousness: careful attention payed to every small exact detail |
| imbecility | weakness of mind; state of being an imbecile; N. imbecile: stupid person; fool |
| rebuke | scold harshly; criticize severely |
| facile | easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superficial; not deep; Ex. facile solution to a complex problem; Ex. facile speaker; N. facility: ability to do something easily and well; ease in doing resulting from skill or aptitude; |
| hardy | (of people or animals) sturdy; robust; (of plants) able to stand inclement(stormy) weather |
| penury | extreme poverty; stinginess; ADJ. penurious: very poor; stingy |
| venal | capable of being bribed; corrupt; CF. vernal |
| flit | fly; fly or move lightly or quickly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by; Ex. a bee flitting from flower to flower |
| magnate | person of prominence or influence; powerful or influential person (in business or industry); Ex. oil magnate |
| botch | mismanage; blow |
| citadel | fortress |
| libidinous | lustful |
| mendicant | beggar; ADJ: living as a beggar |
| oaf | stupid awkward person; CF. elf |
| voyeur | Peeping Tom; person who derives sexual gratification from observing the sexual acts of others |
| docile | obedient; easily managed; submissive |
| vitiate | spoil the effect of; make inoperative; corrupt morally |
| narrative | related to telling a story; N: narrated account; story; V. narrate: tell (a story); CF. narration |
| derision | ridicule; ADJ. derisive; CF. derisory |
| cupidity | greed (for wealth); CF. cupid; CF. Cupid |
| savory | pleasant in taste; tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable; Ex. savory reputation |
| rank | offensive in odor or flavor |
| quisling | traitor who aids invaders; CF. Vidkun Quisling |
| tact | skill or sensitivity in dealing with people without causing offence |
| fallacious | false; based on a fallacy; misleading; N. fallacy: false idea or notion; false reasoning; Ex. popular fallacy; Ex. fallacy of the argument |
| trim | make neat or tidy by clipping; reduce by removing what is unnecessary; ornament; decorate (round the edges); Ex. trim the cost; Ex. jacket trimmed with fur; N. ADJ: tidy; in good order |
| compartment | one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided |
| squander | waste; spend foolishly |
| colloquy | informal discussion; conversation |
| refurbish | renovate; make clean, bright, or fresh (make new) again; make bright by polishing; Ex. refurbish an old theater; CF. furbish: polish |
| desolate | make desolate; forsake; abandon and desert |
| fumble | move the fingers and hands awkwardly (in search of something); mishandle or drop a ball that is in play; bungle; botch; spoil by mishandling; N. |
| misapprehension | error; misunderstanding; V. misapprehend |
| ameliorate | improve |
| isthmus | narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land |
| skulduggery(skullduggery) | dishonest behavior or action; Ex. skulduggery in the election |
| celibate | abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy |
| odium | detestation; quality of being odious; hatefulness; disrepute (resulting from hateful conduct) |
| deserts | what someone deserves |
| nugatory | worthless; futile |
| rendition | rendering; translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc |
| incursion | temporary invasion; CF. excursion: short journey |
| terrestrial | on or relating to the earth |
| stigma | token of disgrace; brand; V. stigmatize: mark with a stigma; characterize as disgraceful |
| gross | total; fragrant; clearly wrong; (of people's behavior) coarse; corpulent; Ex. gross insolence/behavior; V: earn as a total amount; N: 12 dozens |
| doctrine | teachings in general; particular principle (religious, legal, etc.) taught; dogma; tenet; ADJ. doctrinal |
| misnomer | wrong or improper name; incorrect designation |
| proliferate | grow rapidly (in numbers); spread; multiply; N. proliferation |
| hindsight | understanding the nature of an event after it has actually happened |
| lucid | easily understood; clear; intelligible; N. lucidity |
| impenetrable | not able to be pierced or entered; beyond understanding; impossible to understand; Ex. impenetrable mystery |
| ghastly | horrible; terrifying; resembling ghosts; CF. aghast |
| tremulous | trembling; wavering |
| garish | overbright in color; unpleasantly bright; gaudy |
| euphony | sweet sound; ADJ. euphonious |
| pithy | concise and meaningful; substantial; meaty |
| girth | distance around something; circumference |
| lap | take in food or drink with one's tongue; splash gently; Ex. waves lapping the shore; N: front area from the waist to the knees of a seated person |
| asteroid | small planet |
| adulation | flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved |
| array | marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order; clothe splendidly; adorn; N: fine clothes; ordered group; Ex. in battle array |
| redoubtable | formidable; causing fear |
| approbation | approval |
| attrition | rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition |
| secession | withdrawal; V. secede: withdraw formally from membership |
| poignancy | quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick |
| fodder | coarse food for cattle, horses, etc.; feed for livestock; CF. food |
| regale | entertain |
| warren | tunnels in which rabbits live; overcrowded living area; crowded conditions in which people live |
| distant | reserved or aloof; cold in manner; Ex. distant greeting; ADV. distantly |
| entrance | put under a spell(condition caused by magical power); carry away(fill with strong feeling) with emotion; put into a trance; fill with delight |
| heterogeneous | dissimilar; mixed; not homogeneous; consisting of dissimilar elements or plants |
| temperate | moderate; restrained; self-controlled; moderate in respect to temperature; CF. temperance: moderation and self-restraint; abstinence of alcoholic drinks; Ex. temperance society |
| glamor | compelling charm; ADJ. glamorous |
| disinterested | unprejudiced; free from bias and self-interest; objective |
| mosaic | picture made of small colorful inlaid tiles; ADJ. |
| arboreal | of or living in trees |
| uninhibited | unrepressed; free in behavior and feelings |
| amnesty | pardon (allowed by government to political criminals) |
| stint | supply; allotted amount of work; assigned portion of work; limitation; Ex. two-year stint in the army; Ex. without stint |
| spin | rotate swiftly; make (thread) by twisting (cotton, wool, etc.); N. |
| grumble | complain; mutter discontentedly; grouch; N. |
| recondite | abstruse; not easily understood; profound; secret |
| consonance | harmony; agreement |
| enduring | lasting; surviving; V. endure: bear (pain or suffering) for a long time; remain alive (in spite of difficulties); last; survive |
| concave | hollow; curved inwards; OP. convex |
| forward | presumptuous or bold |
| astigmatism | eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism |
| singular | being only one; individual; unique; extraordinary; odd; Ex. singular beauty/behavior |
| augury | omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future) |
| tribulation | suffering; ordeal; distress; trial |
| cater | provide food and drink (for); cater to: try to satisfy (desires of a bad kind) |
| sartorial | pertaining to tailors or tailoring; Ex. a man of great sartorial elegance; CF. sartor: tailor |
| slur | slander; insult to one's character or reputation; V. |
| quarry | person or animal of pursuit; victim; object of a hunt; prey |
| queue | line (of waiting people or vehicles) |
| funereal | sad; solemn; suitable for a funeral |
| genre | particular variety of art or literature |
| amphibian | able to live both on land and in water; N. |
| ineluctable | irresistible; not to be escaped; unavoidable |
| appall | dismay; shock deeply |
| analgesia | condition of being unable to feel pain |
| resign | give up (a position, right, or claim); submit (oneself) passively |
| pang | sudden sharp feeling of pain |
| incontinent | lacking self-restraint; not continent; licentious |
| stickler | perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right |
| inclined | tending or leaning toward; bent; V. incline: slant; dispose; be disposed; tend |
| episodic | (of a story or play) loosely connected; made up of separate and loosely connected parts; N. episode: incident in the course of an experience |
| seasonable | occurring at the proper time or season; opportune; Ex. seasonable intervention in the dispute |
| astringent | binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism |
| quotidian | daily; commonplace; customary; Ex. quotidian routine |
| stanza | division of a poem (composed of two or more lines) |
| sentinel | sentry; lookout |
| saga | Scandinavian myth; any legend; long heroic narrative |
| aristocracy | hereditary nobility; privileged class; government by nobility; N. aristocrat |
| innuendo | indirect or subtle (derogatory) hint; insinuation; Ex. sexual innuendo |
| rag | scrap of cloth; ADJ. ragged: old and torn; seeming unfinished and imperfect; Ex. ragged debut/performance |
| conducive | helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. conduce to/towards |
| slight | insult to one's dignity; snub; V: treat as if of small importance; insult; snub; ADJ. small in size; of small importance |
| tout | promote or publicize (one's goods or service); praise excessively (as a form of advertisement); CF. advertise |
| repugnance | disgust; strong dislike; loathing; ADJ. repugnant: arousing disgust; repulsive |
| cue | word or signal (as in a play to prompt another actor's speech or entrance); reminder or hint; V: give a cue to |
| soliloquy | talking to oneself (esp. in a play); CF. monologue: soliloquy; long speech by one person (often monopolizing a conversation) |
| fruition | bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization; Ex. come to/be brought to fruition |
| termination | end; V. terminate |
| intermittent | periodic; on and off; stopping and starting at intervals |
| jocose | given to(having a tendency of) joking |
| blasphemy | irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; bad language about God or holy things; V. blasphem; ADJ. blasphemous; CF. sacrilege |
| consummate | complete; V. |
| consequential | self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result; Ex. consequential air; CF. subsequent |
| gainsay | deny |
| abolish | cancel; put an end to |
| convivial | pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; gay; characterized by joviality; jovial |
| gawk | stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe |
| betray | be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly); Ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety. |
| cession | yielding to another; ceding |
| cogent | convincing |
| flaunt | display ostentatiously; Ex. ``Honey, if you've got it, flaunt it !'' |
| chaperon | older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman |
| conspire | take part in a conspiracy; (of events) work together; combine; Ex. Events conspired to produce great difficulties. |
| clemency | disposition to be lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement |
| nostrum | questionable medicine; quack medicine; CF. our (remedy) |
| scrutinize | examine closely and critically; N. scrutiny |
| archetype | prototype; primitive pattern |
| trite | hackneyed; commonplace |
| codify | arrange (laws or rules) as a code; classify; N. code: system of words used instead of ordinary writing; collection of laws, rules, established social customs |
| conflagration | great fire |
| subliminal | below the threshold of conscious perception; Ex. subliminal advertisement |
| duplicity | double-dealing; hypocrisy; being dishonest and deceitful; ADJ. duplicitous |
| epithet | word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing; descriptive phrase to characterize a person (often contemptous) |
| peon | landless agricultural worker; bond servant; menial worker; N. peonage |
| thematic | of a theme; relating to a unifying motif or idea |
| plight | difficult condition; condition or state (esp. a bad state or condition); predicament |
| cohorts | group of people who share some common quality; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 soldiers under one commander (in the ancient Rome) |
| labile | likely to change; unstable; Ex. emotionally labile; N. lability |
| panegyric | formal praise; encomium; Ex. I don't deserve such panegyrics. |
| apothecary | druggist; pharmacist |
| requisition | formal demand or request; Ex. requisition for more computing equipment; V. |
| ample | enough; abundant; spacious; large in size; Ex. ample opportunity/garden; N. amplitude: quality of being ample; abundance; largeness of space |
| unassuaged | unsatisfied; not soothed |
| exigency | urgent situation; ADJ. exigent |
| voodoo | religion practiced chiefly in Haiti |
| furrow | long shallow trench made by a plow; deep wrinkle in the skin; V. |
| gerontocracy | government ruled by old people |
| rarefied | made less dense (of a gas); V. rarefy: make less dense; N. rarefaction |
| madrigal | pastoral song; song for several singers without instruments |
| multilingual | having many languages; fluent in several languages |
| adept | expert at; very skilled |
| suffocate | die or kill from lack of air; suppress |
| deadlock | standstill resulting from the opposition of two unrelenting forces; stalemate |
| laconic | brief and to the point; using few words; terse |
| fake | not genuine; N: one that is not genuine; impostor; sham; V: counterfeit; Ex. fake the results of the experiment/the signature |
| apparition | ghost; phantom |
| scurrilous | abusive; obscene; indecent; Ex. scurrilous remark |
| consanguineous(consanguine) | having a common ancestor |
| diabolical | diabolic; devilish; fiendish |
| wither | (of a plant) dry up from loss of moisture; lose freshness; shrivel; decay |
| fresco | painting on wet plaster (usually fresh) |
| masochist | person who enjoys his own pain; CF. masochism |
| progenitor | ancestor |
| odoriferous | giving off an odor |
| asperity | sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter |
| salient | prominent; projecting beyond a line; conspicuous; Ex. salient features |
| brook | tolerate; endure; Ex. brook no interference; N: small stream |
| ductile | malleable; pliable; (of metals) easily pulled into shape; flexible; (of someone) easily influenced or controlled |
| subversive | tending to overthrow or ruin; V. subvert: overthrow completely (an established system); destroy completely; CF. undermine ? |
| monotony | sameness leading to boredom; monotonousness; ADJ. monotonous; CF. monotone |
| inkling | hint; slight indication |
| corrode | destroy or wear away gradually by chemical action (over a long period) |
| nirvana | in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude |
| ribald | marked by vulgar lewd humor; wanton; profane; N. ribaldry: ribald language or joke |
| elastic | able to spring back into shape; quick to recover (as from disappointment); able to adapt to change; Ex. elastic plans; N: elastic material |
| biennial | every two years |
| pugilist | boxer; CF. pugilism: boxing |
| eulogy | expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death; V. eulogize |
| limp | walk lamely; ADJ: lacking firmness; weak |
| coy | shy (flirtatiously); showing a (pretended) lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offeržŠ¹ÞŸÒÀ» ¶§ |
| ordain | decree or command; grant holy orders; predestine; install as a minister, priest, or rabbi; N. ordainment; CF. ordination |
| noisome | foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome |
| semblance | outward appearance; guise; Ex. We called in the troops to bring a/some semblance of order to the city. |
| assert | state strongly or positively; demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc.); make a claim to (by forceful action); Ex. assert one's independence |
| calamity | disaster; misery |
| foil | defeat; frustrate; prevent from being successful; thwart; CF. fail |
| invocation | prayer for help (used in invoking); calling upon as a reference or support; act of invoking |
| retaliate | repay in kind (usually for bad treatment); V. retaliate |
| complicity | participation; involvement (in a questionable act or a crime) |
| tangible | able to be touched; real; concrete; palpable; possible to realize or understand; Ex. tangible proof |
| numismatist | person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals |
| supplant | take the place of unfairly; usurp; replace |
| progeny | children; offspring; descendants |
| list | tilt (as of a ship); lean over (to one side) |
| invoke | call and bring into use (a right or law); call on/upon (a higher power or god) for help; ask for; beg for; conjure (a spirit); Ex. invoke the veto power; Ex. invoke one's advisor/God |
| slither | slip or slide |
| precedent | something preceding in time which may be used as an authority or guide for future action; V. precede; CF. unprecedented |
| gaunt | lean and angular; thin and bony; emaciated; barren |
| dishearten | discourage |
| commensurate | equal in extent; of the same size |
| ethereal | like a spirit or fairy; unearthly light; heavenly; unusually refined; Ex. She has an ethereal beauty; CF. ether: upper air |
| archaic | antiquated; no longer used; belonging to the past; N. |
| longevity | long life; long duration |
| pan | criticize harshly |
| quintessence | purest and highest embodiment; perfect example; apotheosis; most essential element; Ex. quintessence of wit; ADJ. quintessential; CF. fifth essence |
| scanty | meager; insufficient |
| unseemly | unbecoming; not proper in behavior; indecent; Ex. leave with unseemly haste |
| rebuff | reject bluntly; snub; beat back; Ex. She rebuffed his invitation; N. |
| pulverize | crush or grind into very small particles |
| canny | shrewd in money matters; thrifty |
| influx | flowing into |
| overwrought | nervous or excited; extremely agitated; hysterical; wrought-up; CF. wrought: made or done |
| clientele | body of customers |
| patent | obvious; easily seen; open for the public to read; of or protected by a patent; Ex. patent to everyone; N. |
| wane | decrease in size or strength (after being full); grow gradually to an end; Ex. The moon waxes and wanes every month; N. |
| fetter | shackle; restrict the freedom of; N. chain or shackle for the foot of a prisoner; CF. foot |
| regeneration | spiritual rebirth; Ex. regeneration of the prisoners; V. regenerate: give or obtain new life; reform spiritually |
| pedagogy | teaching; art of education |
| jubilation | rejoicing; great joy |
| mete | measure; distribute; administer; Ex. mete out justice/punishment |
| pulmonary | pertaining to the lungs |
| rift | narrow opening in a large mass; break in a friendly relation; Ex. through a rift in the clouds; OP. reconcilation |
| exonerate | acquit; exculpate; free from blame or guilt |
| untoward | unexpected and adverse; unfortunate or unlucky; Ex. untoward encounter |
| ramp | slope; inclined plane or roadway (connecting two levels) |
| juncture | crisis; point in time; joining point; joint; act of joining |
| perspicuous | (of something) plainly expressed; easy to understand; Ex. perspicuous comments |
| devoid | empty; lacking |
| prefigure | be a sign of; foreshadow |
| indicative | suggestive; implying; serving to indicate |
| denigrate | blacken; defame |
| lexicon | dictionary |
| sober | serious; solemn; not drunken; abstemious or temperate; V: make or become sober |
| bode | foreshadow; portend |
| reparation | compensation (for loss or wrong); amends; Ex. make reparation for the damage; CF. repair |
| odious | arousing strong dislike; hateful(causing hatred); vile |
| maraud | move in search of plunder; Ex. marauding army |
| meager | scanty; inadequate |
| ceremonious | marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy |
| autonomous | self-governing; N. autonomy |
| vapid | lacking liveliness; dull and unimaginative; insipid and flavorless; Ex. vapid lecture |
| propitiate | appease; conciliate; make peaceful; ADJ. propitiatory |
| fledgling(fledgeling) | inexperienced; N: young bird that has acquired wing feathers and is learning to fly; inexperienced person |
| immaculate | spotless; flawless; absolutely clean |
| distinctive | clearly different from others of the same kind |
| transpose | reverse the order or position of |
| momentum | quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus; moving force |
| exploit | brave and successful act; deed or action, particularly a brave deed; CF. crossing the Atlantic ocean |
| sibylline | prophetic; oracular; N. sibyl: woman prophet (in the ancient world) |
| serrated | having a sawtoothed edge; Ex. serrated leaf |
| cohere | stick together |
| wistful | sadly thoughtful (because of desires or memories); sadly pensive; vaguely longing |
| gamely | in a spirited manner; with courage; Ex. fight gamely against a superior boxer; ADJ. game |
| spurn | reject disdainfully; scorn; Ex. She spurned all offers of help. |
| conservatory(conservatoire) | school of the fine arts (especially music or drama); glass-enclosed area; CF. conservancy |
| malcontent | person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs; discontented person; ADJ: discontented |
| killjoy | grouch; spoilsport; one who intentionally spoils the pleasure of others |
| discourse | serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal discussion (either written or spoken); conversation; V. |
| bifurcated | divided into two branches; forked |
| lucrative | profitable; producing wealth |
| qualms | uneasy feelings; misgivings; uneasy fears especially about matters of conscience; Ex. I have no qualms about giving this assignment to Helen. |
| fusion | union; coalition; V. fuse |
| clarion | shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times |
| traverse | go through or across |
| cherubic | angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order |
| parasite | animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant; CF. para-: beside |
| decomposition | decay; V. decompose: decay; break and separate into simple parts |
| industrious | diligent; hard-working; N. industry |
| metallurgical | pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores |
| dutiful(duteous) | (of people or their behavior) respectful; obedient (filled with a sense of duty) |
| indices | signs; indications; Ex. indices of a student's potential; CF. index: something that reveals or indicates; sign; Ex. cost-of-living index |
| disband | dissolve; disperse; (of a group) break up and separate; Ex. The club has disbanded. |
| supposititious | assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical |
| despot | tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler; CF. despotism |
| topple | become unsteady and fall down |
| apprise | inform |
| tardy | slow; sluggish; not on time; late; Ex. tardy arrival |
| sheer | pure; thin and transparent; very steep |
| optician | maker and seller of eyeglasses |
| deposition | testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning |
| legend | explanatory list of symbols on a map |
| aseptic | preventing infection; having a cleansing effect |
| farce | broad comedy; mockery; humorous play full of silly things happening; ADJ. farcical |
| acrid | bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent |
| raconteur | story-teller; one who tells stories with wit and skill |
| reduce | diminish; bring to a weaker or more difficult condition; demote; lower in rank; separate into components by analysis; Ex. reduced to the ranks; Ex. reduce the house to rubble; N. reduction |
| dart | move or throw suddenly and quickly |
| scholarly | full of learning; erudite; like a scholar; Ex. scholarly journal |
| cohesion | tendency to keep together |
| epoch | period of time |
| canard | unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report |
| toss | throw lightly; move or lift (the head) with a sudden motion; flip (a coin) to decide something |
| phalanx | formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense) |
| bar | railing in a courtroom; legal profession; vertical line dividing a staff into equal measures; Ex. prisoner at the bar; V: shut in or out with bars; forbid; exclude; CF. barrister |
| lineaments | features especially of the face; distinctive shape or contour of the face; CF. line |
| validate | make valid; confirm; ratify |
| compelling | overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one's attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel |
| choreography | art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances |
| furor | frenzy; great anger and excitement; CF. fury |
| obituary | death notice (esp. in a newspaper); ADJ. |
| dialectical | relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal; Ex. dialectical situation; N. dialectic: art of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments |
| oratorio | dramatic poem set to music; long musical work with singing but without acting; CF. cantata |
| sloth | slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; ADJ. slothful: lazy; indolent |
| simian | monkeylike; N: ape or monkey |
| inter | bury; N. interment |
| supersede | replace; cause to be set aside; make obsolete; N. supersession |
| coroner | public official who investigates any death thought to be of other than natural causes |
| perspicuity | clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity |
| succulent | juicy; full of juice or sap; full of richness; N: succulent plant such as a cactus |
| ransack | search thoroughly; pillage (going through a place); Ex. Enemy soldiers ransacked the town. |
| dorsal | relating to the back of an animal; Ex. dorsal fin |
| protean | able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will |
| conscientious | scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker |
| gape | open widely; open the mouth wide; stare wonderingly with the mouth open; CF. agape |
| perverse | purposely continuing to do something wrong; stubbornly wrongheaded; perverted; directed away from what is right; wicked and unacceptable; Ex. perverse satisfaction; Ex. Hannibal Lecter in a perverse mood; N. perversity |
| nexus | connection |
| mercantile | concerning trade or merchants |
| inestimable | impossible to estimate; (apprec) invaluable; of immeasurable worth |
| quixotic | idealistic but impractical; CF. Don Quixote |
| antipathy | aversion; dislike or opposition |
| chaste | morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere |
| incident | event; event that causes a crisis |
| distraught | upset; distracted by anxiety; very anxious and troubled almost to the point of madness; Ex. distraught with grief/worry |
| recreant | disloyal; cowardly; N: disloyal and cowardly person |
| disport | amuse; Ex. disport oneself; CF. divert |
| proxy | authorized agent; authority to act for another |
| leave-taking | farewell or departure |
| tender | offer formally; extend; Ex. tender one's resignation/the exact fare; N: formal offer; money; Ex. legal tender; ADJ: young and vulnerable; sensitive to the touch; sore; soft; delicate; Ex. child of tender years; Ex. tender wound |
| brunt | main impact or shock (of an attack or blow); Ex. brunt of the argument |
| junta | group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal; group of military officers ruling a country after seizing power (by force) |
| materialism | preoccupation with physical comforts and things; excessive regard for worldly concerns (rather than spiritual matters) |
| analgesic | causing insensitivity to pain; N. |
| jurisprudence | science of law |
| dossier | file of documents on a subject or person; file; CF. bundle of papers labeled on the back |
| transparent | permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected; obvious; clear; Ex. transparent lie |
| virulent | (of a disease or poison) extremely harmful or poisonous; (of a feeling) hostile; bitter; N. virulence; CF. virus; CF. venom |
| bluster | blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; CF. breeze, gust, gale |
| capacious | spacious |
| conspiracy | treacherous plot; secret plan against the law (by two or more people) |
| lectern | reading desk or stand for a public speaker |
| aria | operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio |
| unique | without an equal; single in kind |
| posterity | descendants; future generations; Ex. go down to posterity; CF. posterior, anterior |
| pacifist | one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes |
| insatiable | not easily satisfied; unquenchable; Ex. insatiable appetite |
| exhilarating | invigorating and refreshing; cheering; V. exhilarate: make cheerful and excited; Ex. exhilarated by the ride in the sports car |
| bohemian | unconventional (in an artistic way) |
| ignoble | unworthy; not noble; dishonorable; Ex. ignoble deed |
| career | rush wildly; go at full speed |
| zeal | eager enthusiasm (to a cause or ideal); ADJ. zealous |
| miscellany | mixture of writings on various subjects; collection of various items |
| acquittal | deliverance from a charge; V. acquit: free from a charge or accusation; discharge from a duty; conduct (oneself) in a specified manner |
| evocative | tending to call up (emotions, memories) |
| titter | nervous giggle; nervous laugh; V. |
| glut | overstock; fill beyond capacity (with food); fill to excess; N: oversupply |
| devious | roundabout; erratic; deviating from the straight course; not straightforward; not completely honest; Ex. devious route |
| imperturbable | unshakably calm; placid |
| husbandry | frugality; thrift; economy; agriculture; farming; Ex. animal husbandry; CF. husbandman |
| ingrate | ungrateful person (not expressing thanks) |
| comport | bear one's self; behave; Ex. comport oneself; N. comportment |
| reprobation | severe disapproval; CF. approbation |
| arch- | chief; first; Ex. archbishop |
| incendiary | arsonist; ADJ: causing fire; of arson; Ex. incendiary bomb |
| glossary | brief explanation of words used in the text |
| helm | steering wheel of a ship; position of control |
| pretext | excuse |
| solvent | able to pay all depths; N. solvency |
| nauseous | causing nausea; feeling nausea |
| valor | bravery; ADJ. valiant: possessing valor; brave |
| impasse | predicament(dangerous condition) from which there is no escape; situation allowing for no further progress |
| foreboding | premonition of evil; feeling of coming evil; V. forebode: be a warning of (something unpleasant) |
| copious | plentiful |
| overturn | turn over; capsize; topple |
| fawning | courting favor by cringing and flattering; V. fawn: exhibit affection as a dog; seek favor or attention by obsequiousness |
| allegory | story, play, or picture in which characters are used as symbols; fable |
| retain | keep; maintain possession of; employ (esp. a lawyer or advisor); N. retainer: servant; fee paid to retain an advisor |
| mimicry | imitation |
| extrinsic | external; not essential or inherent; extraneous; OP. intrinsic |
| duration | length of time something lasts |
| truism | self-evident truth |
| absolve | pardon (an offense) |
| arsenal | storage place for military equipment |
| centrifugal | radiating; departing from the center |
| alms | money or goods given to the poor |
| shrew | scolding woman; very small mouselike animal |
| sordid | filthy; foul; base; vile; Ex. sordid bed/story |
| franchise | right or privilege granted by authority; right to vote; license to sell a product in a particular territory |
| enhance | increase; make greater (as in value, reputation, or usefulness); improve |
| anesthetic | substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia |
| decadence | decay; fall to a lower level (of morality, civilization, or art); ADJ. decadent |
| ejaculation | exclamation; abrupt ejection (to discharge sperm); V. ejaculate |
| terse | concise; abrupt; pithy |
| vintner | wine merchant; winemaker; seller of wine |
| labyrinth | maze |
| detain | keep waiting; prevent from leaving or going; N. detention |
| self-indulgence | excessive indulgence of one's own desire |
| philology | study of language or words |
| recapitulate | summarize |
| odorous | having an odor |
| rustle | make slight sounds like silk moving or being rubbed together |
| licentious | amoral; lewd and lascivious; unrestrained |
| physiognomy | face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features |
| awful | terrible; very bad |
| ravenous | extremely hungry; voracious |
| earmark | set aside (money or time) for a particular purpose |
| unaccountable | unexplicable; impossible to account for; unreasonable or mysterious |
| behoove(behove) | be suited to; be incumbent upon; be right and necessary; Ex. It behooves one to do. |
| badger | pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal |
| rumble | make or move with a deep rolling sound (as thunder or stomach) |
| sojourn | temporary stay; V: stay for a time |
| myopic | nearsighted; lacking foresight; N. myopia |
| tortuous | winding; full of curves; Ex. tortuous mountain road |
| cross | bad-tempered; showing ill-humor; angry |
| murmur | low, indistinct, continuous sound; V. CF. mumble |
| fret | be annoyed or vexed; Ex. fret over your poor grades; N: irritation of mind; ADJ. fretful |
| gaffe | social blunder |
| divest | strip (as of clothes); deprive (as of rights); dispossess; N. divestiture(divestment) |
| beatitude | blessedness; state of great happiness |
| sinecure | well-paid position with little responsibility; CF. sine cure: without care; CF. San Serif |
| squat | short and thick; stocky; Ex. ugly squat tower; V. N. |
| unintimating | unfrightening |
| provocative | arousing anger or sexual interest; annoying; Ex. provocative in tight jeans; V. provoke: incite to anger; cause (an unpleasant action or feeling); N. provocation |
| discomfit | frustrate; put to rout; defeat; disconcert; embarrass; perturb |
| tarry | linger; delay in starting or going; dawdle |
| prosperous | successful; rich; affluent; well-to-do; well-off |
| apotheosis | elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something |
| pinnace | small boat |
| transition | going from one state of action to another |
| maudlin | effusively sentimental |
| chameleon | lizard that changes color in different situations |
| aspersion | slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on |
| ape | imitate or mimic (a person's behavior or manner) |
| render | give; deliver; provide; represent in verbal or artistic form; depict; perform; make; translate; Ex. render the song beautifully |
| galley | low ship with sails (rowed along by slaves) |
| curb | chain or strap used with a bit to restrain a horse; something that checks; V: check; restrain |
| buffet | strike forcefully; slap; batter; knock out; N: table with food set out for people to server themselves; meal at which people help themselves to food that's been set |
| seemly | (of behavior) proper; appropriate |
| decrepitude | state of collapse or weakness caused by illness or old age |
| protuberance | protrusion; swelling; bulge |
| benefit | advantage; anything that brings helpl, advantage, or profit; money provided by the government to the people; fund-raising public entertainment; Ex. unemployment benefit; V: receive benefits; be beneficial to; give benefits |
| memorialize | commemorate |
Created by:
akhalidi
Popular GRE sets