Shared Flashcard Set

Details

GRE Vocabulary words
GRE Words
337
Language - English
Graduate
07/08/2006

Additional Language - English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Abscond
Definition
To depart clandestinely: Steal off and hide
Term
Aberrant
Definition
deviating from the norm
Term
Alacrity
Definition
Eager and enthusiastic willingness
Term
anomoly
Definition
deviation from the normal order, form, or rule.
Term
approbation
Definition
an expression of approval or praise
Term
arduous
Definition
strenuous,taxing,requiring significant effort
Term
assuage
Definition
to ease or lessen, to appease or pacify
Term
audacious
Definition
daring and fearless, recklessly bold
Term
austere
Definition
without adornment, bare, severely simple, ascetic
Term
axiomatic
Definition
taken as given; possessing self evident truth.
Term
canonical
Definition
following or in agreement with accepted traditional standards.
Term
capricious
Definition
inclined to change one's mind impulsively, erratic, unpredictable
Term
censure
Definition
to criticize severely; to officially rebuke
Term
chicanery
Definition
trickery/subterfuge
Term
connoisseur
Definition
an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
Term
convoluted
Definition
complex or complicated
Term
disabuse
Definition
to set right; undeceive
Term
discordant
Definition
conflicting, dissonant or harsh in sound
Term
disperate
Definition
fundamentally distict or dissimilar
Term
effrontary
Definition
extreme boldness; presumptuousness
Term
eloquent
Definition
ell-spoken, expressive, articulate
Term
enervate
Definition
to weaken; to lessen in vitality
Term
ennui
Definition
dissatisfaction and restlessness as a result of bordom or apathy
Term
equivocate
Definition
to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
Term
erudite
Definition
scholarly/learned
Term
extemporaneous
Definition
improvised; done without preparation
Term
filibuster
Definition
intentional obstruction, esp using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action
Term
fulminate
Definition
to loudly attack or denounce
Term
ingenuous
Definition
artless, frank and candid, lacking in sophistication
Term
inured
Definition
accustomed to accepting something undesirable.
Term
irascible
Definition
easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
Term
laud
Definition
to praise highly
Term
lucid
Definition
clear; easily understood
Term
magnanimity
Definition
the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp in forgiving
Term
martial
Definition
associated with war and the armed forces
Term
mundane
Definition
of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
Term
nascent
Definition
coming into being; in early developmental stages
Term
nebulous
Definition
vague, cloudy, lacking clearly defined form
Term
neologism
Definition
a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
Term
noxious
Definition
harmful; injurious
Term
obtuse
Definition
lacking sharpness of intellect: not clear or precise in thought or expression.
Term
obviate
Definition
to anticipate and make unnecesary
Term
onerous
Definition
troubling/burdonsome
Term
paean
Definition
a song or hymn of thanksgiving or praise
Term
parody
Definition
a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect; esp in literature and art
Term
perennial
Definition
recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
Term
perfidy
Definition
intentional breach of faith; treachery
Term
perfunctory
Definition
cursory, done without care or interest
Term
perspicacious
Definition
acutely perceptive; having keen discernment
Term
prattle
Definition
to babble meaninglessly, to talk in an empty idle manner
Term
precipitate (adj)
Definition
acting with excessive haste or impulse
Term
precipitate (verb)
Definition
to cause or happen before anticipated or required
Term
prescience
Definition
foreknowledge of events; knowing events prior to occuring
Term
predilection
Definition
a disposition in favor of something; preference
Term
prevaricate
Definition
to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
Term
qualms
Definition
misgivings;reservations; causes for hesitancy
Term
recant
Definition
to retract, esp a previously held belief
Term
refute
Definition
to disprove; to succesfully argue against
Term
relegate
Definition
to forcibly assign to lower place or position
Term
reticent
Definition
quiet;reserved;reluctant to express thoughts and feelings
Term
Solicitous
Definition
concerned, eager, attentice
Term
sordid
Definition
characterized by filth, grime or squalor; foul
Term
sporadic
Definition
occuring only occasionally or in scattered instances
Term
squander
Definition
to waste by spending or using irresponsably
Term
static
Definition
not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
Term
stupify
Definition
to baffle or amaze
Term
stymie
Definition
to block; thwart
Term
synthesis
Definition
the combination of parts to make a whole
Term
torque
Definition
a force that causes rotation
Term
tortuous
Definition
winding, twisting, complicated
Term
truculant
Definition
fierce and cruel, eager to fight
Term
veracity
Definition
thruthfullness; honesty
Term
virulent
Definition
extremely harmful or poisonous; betterly hostile or antagonistic
Term
voracious
Definition
having an insatiable appetite for an activity or persuit; ravenous
Term
waver
Definition
to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in oppinion
Term
abate
Definition
to lessen in intensity or degree
Term
accolade
Definition
an expression of praise
Term
adulation
Definition
excessive praise; intense adoration
Term
aesthetic
Definition
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsice to art or the beautiful
Term
ascetic
Definition
one who practices rigid self denail, esp for religeous devotion
Term
avarice
Definition
greed, esp for wealth
Term
ameliorate
Definition
to make better or more tolerable
Term
axiom
Definition
a universally recognized principle
Term
burgeon
Definition
to grow rapidly or flourish
Term
bucolic
Definition
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
Term
cacophany
Definition
harsh, jarring, discordant sound
Term
canon
Definition
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religeous in nature
Term
castigation
Definition
severe criticism or punishment
Term
catalyst
Definition
a substance that accelerates the rate of chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
Term
caustic
Definition
burning or stinging, causing corrosion
Term
chary
Definition
wary; cautious; sparing
Term
cogent
Definition
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
Term
complaisance
Definition
the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
Term
contentious
Definition
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
Term
contrite
Definition
regretful, penitant, seeking forgiveness
Term
culpable
Definition
deserving blame
Term
dearth
Definition
smallness in quantity or number; scarcity
Term
demur
Definition
to oppose or question
Term
didactic
Definition
intended to teach or instruct
Term
discretion
Definition
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsable decisions.
Term
disinterested
Definition
free of bias; impartial
Term
dogmatic
Definition
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or imbrovable principles
Term
ebullience
Definition
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts or feelings
Term
eclectic
Definition
composed of elements drawn from various sources
Term
elegy
Definition
a mournful poem, esp one lamenting the dead
Term
emollient
Definition
soothing, esp to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
Term
empirical
Definition
based on expiriment or observation
Term
enigmatic
Definition
mysterious, obscure, dificult to understand
Term
ephemeral
Definition
brief, fleeting
Term
esoteric
Definition
intended for or understood by a small specific group
Term
eulogy
Definition
a speech honoring the dead
Term
exonerate
Definition
to remove blame
Term
facetious
Definition
playful/ humorous
Term
fallacy
Definition
an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
Term
furtive
Definition
marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
Term
gregarious
Definition
sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
Term
harrangue
Definition
to deliver a pompus speech or tirade; a long pompous speech
Term
heretical
Definition
violating accepted dogma or convention
Term
hyperbole
Definition
an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
Term
impecunious
Definition
lacking funds, without money
Term
incipient
Definition
beginning to come into being or become aparent
Term
inert
Definition
unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
Term
innocuous
Definition
harmless, causing no damage
Term
intransigent
Definition
refusing to compromise
Term
inveigle
Definition
to obtain by deception or flattery
Term
morose
Definition
sad, sullen, melancholy
Term
odious
Definition
evoking intense aversion or dislike
Term
opaque
Definition
impenatrable by light; not reflecting light
Term
oscillation
Definition
the act or state of swinging back and forth
Term
penurious
Definition
penny piching, excessively thrifty, ungenerous
Term
pernicious
Definition
extremely harmful, potentially causing death
Term
peruse
Definition
to examine with great care
Term
pious
Definition
extremely reverant or devout; showing extreme religous devotion
Term
precurser
Definition
one that precedes and indicates or announces another
Term
preen
Definition
to dress up, to primp, to groom oneself with elaborate care
Term
prodigious
Definition
abundant in size for or extent; extraordinary
Term
prolific
Definition
producing large volumes or amounts; productive
Term
putrify
Definition
to rot; to decay; to give off a foul odor
Term
quaff
Definition
to drink deeply
Term
quiescence
Definition
stillness, motionlessness, quality of being at rest
Term
redoubtable
Definition
awe-inspiring, worthy of honor
Term
sanction
Definition
authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to inforce compliance; to give permission or authority to
Term
satire
Definition
a literary work intended to ridicule or criticize a human vice through humor or derision
Term
squalid
Definition
sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
Term
stoic
Definition
indifferent to, or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
Term
supplant
Definition
to take the place of, supersede
Term
torpid
Definition
lethargic, sluggish, dormant
Term
ubiquitous
Definition
existing everywhere at the same time, constantly encountered
Term
urbane
Definition
sophisticated, refined
Term
vilify
Definition
to characterize harshly, defame
Term
viscous
Definition
thick; sticky
Term
acumen
Definition
keen, acurate judgement or insight
Term
adulterate
Definition
to reduce in purity by combining with inferior ingredients
Term
amalgamate
Definition
to combine several elements into a whole
Term
archaic
Definition
outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive time
Term
aver
Definition
to state as fact; to declare or assert
Term
bolster
Definition
to provide support or reinforcement
Term
bombastic
Definition
pompous; grandiloquent
Term
diatribe
Definition
harsh denunciation
Term
dissemble
Definition
do disguise or conceal; mislead
Term
eccentric
Definition
departing from norms or conventions
Term
endemic
Definition
characteristic of a particular locality, people, or region
Term
evanescent
Definition
tending to dissapear/vanish like vapor
Term
exacerbate
Definition
to make worse or more severe
Term
fervent
Definition
greatly emotional or zealous
Term
fortuitous
Definition
happening by accident or chance
Term
germane
Definition
pertinent to the subject at hand; relevant in subject matter
Term
grandiloquence
Definition
pompous speech or expression
Term
hackneyed
Definition
rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
Term
halcyon
Definition
calm and peaceful
Term
hedonism
Definition
devotion to pleasurable pursuits, esp the pleasure of the senses
Term
hegemony
Definition
the persistant dominance of one state or ideology over others
Term
iconoclast
Definition
one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
Term
idolatrous
Definition
given to intense or excessive devotion to something
Term
impassive
Definition
revealing no emotion
Term
imperterbable
Definition
marked by extreme calm, impasivity and steadiness
Term
implacable
Definition
not capable of being appeased or easily changed
Term
impunity
Definition
imunity from punishment or blame
Term
inchoate
Definition
in an initial stage; not fully formed
Term
infelicitous
Definition
unfortunate; inappropriate
Term
insipid
Definition
without taste or flavor, bland, lacking in spirit
Term
loquatious
Definition
extremely talkative
Term
luminous
Definition
characterized by brightness or the emission of light
Term
malevolent
Definition
characterized by vicious ill will, spite, or hatred
Term
malleable
Definition
capable of being shaped or formed, tractable, pliable
Term
Mendacity
Definition
the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
Term
meticulous
Definition
characterized by extreme care and precision, attentiveness to detail
Term
misanthrope
Definition
one who hates all other humans
Term
mitigate
Definition
to make or become less severe or intense, to moderate
Term
obdurate
Definition
unyielding, hard hearted, intractable
Term
Obsequious
Definition
exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
Term
Occlude
Definition
to obstruct or block
Term
opprobrium
Definition
disgrace; contempt; scorn
Term
pedagogy
Definition
the profession or principles of teaching or instruction
Term
pedantic
Definition
the parading of learning; excessive attention to minutiae and formal rules
Term
penury
Definition
poverty, destitution
Term
pervasive
Definition
having a tendancy to permeate or spread throughout
Term
pine
Definition
to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
Term
pirate
Definition
to illegally use or reproduce
Term
pith
Definition
the essential or central part
Term
pithy
Definition
brief/concise
Term
placate
Definition
to appease; to calm by making concessions
Term
platitude
Definition
a superficial remark, esp one offered as meaningful
Term
plummet
Definition
to plunge or drop straight down
Term
Polemical
Definition
contravercial, argumentative
Term
prodigal
Definition
recklessly wasteful, extravigant, profuse, lavish
Term
profuse
Definition
giving or coming forth abundantly; extravigant
Term
proliferate
Definition
to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
Term
queries
Definition
questions, inquiries; doubts in the mind, reservations
Term
querulous
Definition
prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
Term
rancorous
Definition
characterized by bitter long lasting resentment
Term
recalcitrant
Definition
obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
Term
repudiate
Definition
to refuse to have anything to do with; disown
Term
rescind
Definition
to invalidate, to repeal, to retract
Term
reverant
Definition
marked by feelings of extreme awe and respect
Term
rhetoric
Definition
the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion.
Term
Salubrious
Definition
promoting health and well being
Term
solvent
Definition
able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
Term
specious
Definition
seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausable but false
Term
spurious
Definition
lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
Term
subpeona
Definition
a court order requiring appearance and/or testamony
Term
succinct
Definition
brief/concise
Term
superfluous
Definition
exceeding what if sufficient or necessary
Term
surfeit
Definition
an overabundant supply, excess, to feed or supply to excess
Term
tenacity
Definition
the quality of adherance or persistance to something valued; persistant determination
Term
tenuous
Definition
having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
Term
tirade
Definition
a long and extremely critical speech; a harsh denunciation
Term
transient
Definition
fleeting; passing quickly; brief
Term
zealous
Definition
fervent, ardent, impassioned, devoted to a cause
Term
prodigious
Definition
abundant in size, force, or extent...extraordinary
Term
prolific
Definition
producing large volumes or amounts...productive
Term
putrefy
Definition
to rot, decay, and give off a foul odor
Term
Quaff
Definition
to drink deeply
Term
quiescence
Definition
stillness, motionlessness, the quality of being at rest
Term
redoubtable
Definition
awe-inspiring, worthy of honor
Term
Sanction
Definition
authoritative permission or approval. a penalty intended ot enforce compliance; to give permission or authority to.
Term
satire
Definition
a literary work that criticizes the human vice through humor or derision.
Term
squalid
Definition
sordid, wretched and dirty, as from neglect
Term
stoic
Definition
indifferent to pain or pleasure; steadfast
Term
supplant
Definition
to supersede/take the place of
Term
torpid
Definition
lethargic, sluggish, dormant
Term
ubiquitous
Definition
existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered, widespread
Term
urbane
Definition
sophisticated, refined, elegant
Term
vilify
Definition
to defame, characterize harshly
Term
viscous
Definition
thick/sticky
Term
acumen
Definition
keen acurate judgement or insight
Term
adulterate
Definition
to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
Term
amalgamate
Definition
to combine several elements into a whole
Term
archaic
Definition
outdated. associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive time
Term
aver
Definition
to state as fact; to declare or assert
Term
bolster
Definition
to provide support or reinforcement
Term
bombastic
Definition
pompous/grandiloquent
Term
diatribe
Definition
a harsh denunciation.
Term
dissemble
Definition
to disguise or conceal/mislead
Term
eccentric
Definition
departing from norms or conventions
Term
endemic
Definition
characteristic or often found in a particular region, locality, or people
Term
evanescent
Definition
tending to disappear like vapor, vanishing
Term
exacerbate
Definition
to worsen or make more severe
Term
fervent
Definition
greatly emotional or zealous
Term
fortuitous
Definition
happening by chance
Term
germane
Definition
pertinent to the subject at hand...relevant. Appropriate in subject matter.
Term
grandiloquence
Definition
pompous expression
Term
hackneyed
Definition
rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
Term
halcyon
Definition
calm and peaceful
Term
hedonism
Definition
devotion to pleasurable persuits, esp those of the senses
Term
hegemony
Definition
persistant dominance of one state or ideology over others
Term
iconoclast
Definition
one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
Term
idolotrous
Definition
given to intense or excessive devotion to something
Term
impassive
Definition
revealing no emotion
Term
imperturbable
Definition
marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness.
Term
implacable
Definition
not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
Term
impunity
Definition
immunity from punishment or penalty
Term
inchoate
Definition
in an initial stage; not fully formed
Term
infelicitous
Definition
unfortunate; inappropriate
Term
insipid
Definition
without taste or flavor; lacking in spirit, bland
Term
loquacious
Definition
extremely talkative
Term
luminous
Definition
characterized by brightness and the emission of light
Term
malevolent
Definition
having or showing often vicious ill will or spite/hatred
Term
meticulous
Definition
characterized by extreme care and precision; attentive to detail
Term
malleable
Definition
capable of being shaped or formed
Term
misanthrope
Definition
one who hates all other humans
Term
mitigate
Definition
to make or become less severe or intense, to moderate
Term
obdurate
Definition
unyielding, hard hearted, intractable
Term
obsequious
Definition
exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
Term
occlude
Definition
to obstruct or block
Term
opprobrium
Definition
disgrace, contempt, scorn
Term
pedagogy
Definition
the profession or principles of teaching or instruction.
Term
pedantic
Definition
the parading of learning; excessive attention to minutiae and formal rules
Term
penury
Definition
poverty, destitution
Term
pervasive
Definition
having a tendancy to spread throughout; permeating
Term
pine
Definition
to yearn intensely, to languish, to lose vigor
Term
pirate
Definition
to illegally use or reproduce
Term
pith
Definition
the essential or central part
Term
pithy
Definition
precise, brief
Term
placate
Definition
to appease, to calm by making concessions
Term
platitude
Definition
a superficial remark, esp one offered as meaningful
Term
plummet
Definition
to plunge/fall straight down
Term
polemical
Definition
controvercial/argumenative
Term
prodigal
Definition
recklessly wasteful: extravigant, profuse, lavish
Term
abrogate
Definition
to abolish, to do away with, especially by authority...to annul
Term
acerbic
Definition
having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp/biting
Term
aggrandize
Definition
to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige
Term
alchemy
Definition
a medieval science aimed as the transmutation of base metals into gold
Term
amenable
Definition
agreeable; responsive to suggestion
Term
anachronism
Definition
something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
Term
astringent
Definition
having a tightening effect on tissues; harsh; severe
Term
contiguous
Definition
sharing a border, touching, adjacent
Term
convention
Definition
a generally agreed upon practice or attitude
Term
credulous
Definition
tending to believe to readily; gullible
Term
cynicism
Definition
an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
Term
decorum
Definition
polite or appropriate conduct or behavior
Term
derision
Definition
scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
Term
desiccate
Definition
to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
Term
dilettante
Definition
one wit han ameteurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
Term
disparage
Definition
to slight or belittle
Term
divulge
Definition
to disclose something secret
Term
fawn
Definition
to flatter or praise excessively
Term
flout
Definition
to show contempt for, as in a role or convention
Term
garrulous
Definition
pointlessly talkative, talking too much
Term
glib
Definition
marked by ease. informality or nonchalance, lacking depth, superficial
Term
hubris
Definition
overbearing presumption or pride, arrogance
Term
imminent
Definition
about to happen; impending
Term
immutable
Definition
not capable of change
Term
impetuous
Definition
hasty, rashly energetic, impulsive and vehement
Term
indifferent
Definition
having no interest of concern; showing no bias or predjudice
Term
inimical
Definition
damaging, harmful, injurious
Term
intractable
Definition
not easily managed, or directed. Stubborn, obstinate
Term
intrepid
Definition
steadfast or couragious
Term
laconic
Definition
using few words, terse
Term
maverick
Definition
an independant individual who does not go along with a group or party
Term
mercurial
Definition
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
Term
mollify
Definition
to calm or soothe, to reduce in emotional intensity
Term
extoll
Definition
praise
Term
callow
Definition
inexperienced/immature
Term
despot
Definition
tyrant
Term
countermand
Definition
to revoke or cancel (a command, order, etc.). to recall or stop by a contrary order.
Term
contagium
Definition
he causative agent of a contagious or infectious disease, as a virus.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!