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GRE flashcards
from tear-out book
226
English
Post-Graduate
11/28/2010

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Cards

Term
nettle
Definition
to irritate
Term
lissome
Definition
easily flexed, limber, agile
Term
legerdemain
Definition
trickery
Term
lapidary
Definition
relating to precious stones or the art of cutting them
Term
invidious
Definition
envious, obnoxious, offensive, likely to promote ill-will
Term
inimical
Definition
hostile, unfriendly
Term
impecunious
Definition
poor, having no money
Term
husband
Definition
to manage economically, to use sparingly
Term
ford
Definition
to cross a body of water by wading
Term
exponent
Definition
one who champions or advocates
Term
edify
Definition
to instruct morally and spiritually
Term
diurnal
Definition
existing during the day (ant: nocturnal)
Term
dilatory
Definition
intended to delay
Term
desultory
Definition
jumping from one thing to another, disconnected
Term
cupidity
Definition
greed, strong desire
Term
circumspect
Definition
cautious, aware of potential consequences
Term
augury
Definition
prophecy, prediction of events
Term
acidulous
Definition
sour in taste or manner
Term
foment
Definition
to arouse or incite
Term
fatuous
Definition
stupid, foolishly self-satisfied
Term
epicure
Definition
one with refined taste in food and wine
Term
encomium
Definition
warm praise
Term
dyspeptic
Definition
suffering from indigestion, gloomy and irritable
Term
distaff
Definition
female branch of the family
Term
diffident
Definition
lacking self-confidence
Term
deleterious
Definition
subtly or unexpectedly harmful
Term
coterie
Definition
intimate group of persons with a similar purpose
Term
contumacious
Definition
rebellious
Term
lampoon
Definition
to ridicule with satire
Term
fecund
Definition
fertile, fruitful, productive
Term
effigy
Definition
stuffed doll, likeness of a person
Term
ebullient
Definition
exhilarated, full of enthusiasm and high spirits
Term
dissemble
Definition
to present a false appearance, to disguise one's real intentions or character
Term
credulous
Definition
too trusting, gullible
Term
cloying
Definition
sickly sweet; excessive
Term
blithe
Definition
joyful, cheerful, without appropriate thought
Term
palliate
Definition
to make less serious; to ease
Term
opprobrium
Definition
public disgrace
Term
bevy
Definition
group
Term
analgesia
Definition
a lessening of pain without loss of consciousness
Term
maudlin
Definition
overly sentimental
Term
lassitude
Definition
a state of diminished energy
Term
inter
Definition
to bury
Term
impetuous
Definition
quick to act without thinking; rash
Term
hoary
Definition
very old; whitish or gray from age
Term
oblique
Definition
indirect, evasive, misleading, devious
Term
inexorable
Definition
inflexible, unyielding
Term
idiosyncrasy
Definition
peculiarity of temperament; eccentricity
Term
dictum
Definition
authoritative statement
Term
decorous
Definition
proper, tasteful, socially correct
Term
collusion
Definition
collaboration, complicity, conspiracy
Term
cabal
Definition
a secret group seeking to overturn something
Term
blight
Definition
to afflict, to destroy
Term
curmudgeon
Definition
cranky, usually old, person
Term
coffer
Definition
strongbox, large chest for money
Term
apocryphal
Definition
of questionable authority or authenticity
Term
august
Definition
dignified, grandiose
Term
ameliorate
Definition
to improve
Term
apostate
Definition
one who renounces a religious faith
Term
slake
Definition
to calm down or moderate
Term
repast
Definition
meal or mealtime
Term
venerable
Definition
respected because of age
Term
symbiosis
Definition
cooperation, mutual helpfulness
Term
sportive
Definition
frolicsome, playful
Term
overwrought
Definition
agitated, overdone
Term
nascent
Definition
starting to develop, coming into existence
Term
knell
Definition
sound of a funeral bell; omen of death or failure
Term
polemic
Definition
controversy, argument, verbal attack
Term
panache
Definition
flamboyance or dash in style and action; verve
Term
obstinate
Definition
stubborn, unyielding
Term
listless
Definition
lacking energy and enthusiasm
Term
leery
Definition
suspicious
Term
larceny
Definition
theft of property
Term
jettison
Definition
to discard, to get rid of as unnecessary or encumbering
Term
quotidian
Definition
occurring daily, commonplace
Term
invective
Definition
abusive language
Term
intransigent
Definition
uncompromising
Term
hegemony
Definition
domination of one state or group over its allies
Term
ethos
Definition
beliefs or character of a group
Term
dither
Definition
to act confusedly or without clear purpose
Term
demagogue
Definition
a rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejucide
Term
arbitrate
Definition
to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
Term
philistine
Definition
one guided by materialism and uninterested in intellect or art
Term
pervade
Definition
to be present throughout, to permeate
Term
palatial
Definition
relating to a palace; magnificent
Term
insurrection
Definition
rebellion
Term
imbue
Definition
to infuse
Term
innocuous
Definition
harmless
Term
surfeit
Definition
excessive amount
Term
impugn
Definition
to call into question; to verbally attack
Term
prudence
Definition
wisdom; caution or restraint
Term
rhetoric
Definition
effective writing or speaking
Term
rustic
Definition
rural
Term
stasis
Definition
stagnation, a state of static balance or equilibrium
Term
vestige
Definition
a trace or remnant
Term
rarefy
Definition
to make thinner or sparser
Term
canard
Definition
a lie
Term
bonhomie
Definition
good-natured geniality, atmosphere of good cheer
Term
assuage
Definition
to make an unpleasant thing less sever
Term
amortize
Definition
to diminish by installment payments
Term
aberrant
Definition
deviating from what is normal or expected
Term
tyro
Definition
neophyte
Term
torpor
Definition
extreme mental or physical sluggishness
Term
abjure
Definition
to reject; abandon formally
Term
wizened
Definition
shriveled, withered, wrinkled
Term
wan
Definition
pale
Term
upbraid
Definition
to scold sharply
Term
syncopation
Definition
temporary irregularity in musical rhythm
Term
specious
Definition
deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious
Term
sanguine
Definition
ruddy, cheerfully optimistic
Term
ribald
Definition
humorous in a vulgar way
Term
puerile
Definition
childish, immature, silly
Term
abase
Definition
to humble, disgrace
Term
umbrage
Definition
offense, resentment
Term
trenchant
Definition
acute, sharp, incisive; forceful, effective
Term
sycophant
Definition
a self-serving flatterer; yes-man; toady
Term
salient
Definition
prominent; of notable significance
Term
quixotic
Definition
overly idealistic; impractical
Term
rejoinder
Definition
response
Term
politic
Definition
shrewd and practical in managing or dealing with things; diplomatic
Term
pithy
Definition
concise; succinct; to the point
Term
pathogenic
Definition
causing disease
Term
opine
Definition
to state opinion
Term
perspicacious
Definition
shrewd, astute, keen-witted
Term
peccadillo
Definition
minor sin or offense
Term
paragon
Definition
model of excellence or perfection
Term
ossify
Definition
to turn to bone; to become hardened or set in a rigidly conventional pattern
Term
obsequious
Definition
overly submissive and eager to please
Term
mores
Definition
fixed customs or manners; moral attitudes
Term
probity
Definition
high-mindedness, complete honesty
Term
ostensible
Definition
apparent
Term
nominal
Definition
in name only; negligible
Term
mannered
Definition
artificial or stilted in character
Term
indolent
Definition
habitually lazy; idle
Term
arbitrary
Definition
determined by chance or impulse
Term
zephyr
Definition
a gentle breeze; something airy or unsubstantial
Term
vim
Definition
vitality and energy
Term
sobriquet
Definition
nickname
Term
quiescent
Definition
motionless
Term
pulchritude
Definition
beauty
Term
perfidious
Definition
willing to betray one's trust
Term
parry
Definition
to ward off or deflect, especially by a quick-witted answer
Term
panegyric
Definition
elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise
Term
orotund
Definition
pompous
Term
occlude
Definition
to stop up; to prevent the passage of
Term
numismatics
Definition
coin-collecting
Term
meretricious
Definition
gaudy, falsely attractive
Term
investiture
Definition
ceremony; conferring authority
Term
incarnadine
Definition
blood-red in color
Term
ignoble
Definition
not noble in character; mean
Term
expurgate
Definition
to censor
Term
exigent
Definition
urgent; requiring immediate action
Term
euphony
Definition
pleasant sound
Term
ersatz
Definition
fake
Term
declivity
Definition
downward slope
Term
cogent
Definition
convincing and well-reasoned
Term
calumny
Definition
a false and malicious accusation; misrepresentation
Term
bilk
Definition
to cheat; to defraud
Term
arrogate
Definition
to claim without justification; to claim for oneself without right
Term
alacrity
Definition
speed or quickness
Term
voluble
Definition
talkative, speaking easily, glib
Term
vicissitude
Definition
a change or variation; ups and downs
Term
sybarite
Definition
a person devoted to pleasure and luxury
Term
reticent
Definition
reserved
Term
replete
Definition
abundantly supplied
Term
querulous
Definition
inclined to complain; irritable
Term
propitiate
Definition
to conciliate; to appease
Term
noisome
Definition
stinking; putrid
Term
prevaricate
Definition
to lie or deviate from the truth
Term
myopic
Definition
lacking foresight; having a narrow view or long-range perspective
Term
martinet
Definition
strict disciplinarian; one who rigidly follows rules
Term
lugubrious
Definition
sorrowful; mournful; dismal
Term
largess
Definition
generosity to those who may seem inferior
Term
jingoism
Definition
belligerent support of one's country
Term
vituperate
Definition
to abuse verbally; to berate
Term
tawdry
Definition
gaudy, cheap, showy
Term
solecism
Definition
grammatical mistake; blunder in speech
Term
scintilla
Definition
trace amount
Term
restive
Definition
impatient, uneasy
Term
pusillanimous
Definition
cowardly
Term
profligate
Definition
corrupt, degenerate
Term
précis
Definition
short summary of facts
Term
perfunctory
Definition
done in a routine way; indifferent
Term
pastiche
Definition
piece of literature or music imitating other works
Term
panoply
Definition
impressive array
Term
inure
Definition
to harden, accustom, or become used to
Term
inculcate
Definition
to teach, impress in the mind
Term
aberration
Definition
deviation or departure from the norm
Term
abrade
Definition
to wear down or rub away the surface of something
Term
abrogate
Definition
to end or do away with
Term
acquisitive
Definition
characterized by a strong desire to gain or retain information or objects
Term
adroit
Definition
showing skill and experience
Term
assay
Definition
an analysis or examination
to subject to analysis or to examine
Term
assiduous
Definition
characteristic of careful and persistent effort
Term
aver
Definition
to declare as true; to maintain
Term
bequest
Definition
the act of passing on; something that is passed on
Term
blithe
Definition
carefree or joyous; casual
Term
bolster
Definition
a narrow cushion
to support or strengthen
Term
cadge
Definition
to beg
Term
circumspect
Definition
mindful of potential consequences
Term
cogent
Definition
convincing and reasonable
Term
commensurate
Definition
corresponding in size, degree, or duration
Term
consternation
Definition
alarm or fear
Term
convivial
Definition
festive and sociable
Term
desultory
Definition
something inconsistent and irregular, aimless
Term
espouse
Definition
to choose to follow or support something
Term
excoriate
Definition
to denounce, to chafe
Term
extenuating
Definition
partially justifiable
Term
extol
Definition
to praise or glorify
Term
exultant
Definition
gleeful because of success
Term
garrison
Definition
a military post; troops stationed at a military post
Term
incorrigible
Definition
impossible to change or reform
Term
inimical
Definition
harmful or unfriendly
Term
inscrutable
Definition
difficult to understand; having an obscure nature
Term
insular
Definition
isolated; narrow-minded
Term
munificence
Definition
the act of liberally giving
Term
percolate
Definition
to slowly pass through
Term
pith
Definition
significance, importance
Term
presage
Definition
omen or other warning sign
Term
promulgate
Definition
to proclaim; usually referring to rules or laws
Term
quaff
Definition
to drink heartily
Term
rancor
Definition
bitter resentment
Term
squelch
Definition
to crush or silence
Term
tenuous
Definition
very thin or consisting of little substance
Term
unstinting
Definition
very generous, bestowed liberally
Term
verisimilitude
Definition
the quality of appearing to be true or real
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