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GRE Vocab
Goal: Break 700 on the GRE Verbal.
144
English
Graduate
04/05/2011

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Cards

Term
abase
Definition
lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect
Term
abash
Definition
to embarrass
Term
abate
Definition
to lessen or subside
Term
aberrant
Definition
abnormal or deviant
Term
aberration
Definition
deviation from the normal; mental disorder
Term
abet
Definition
aid or assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage
Term
abeyance
Definition
temporary inactivity, cessation, or suspension
Term
abject
Definition
(of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology
Term
abjure
Definition
renounce upon oath
Term
ablution
Definition
washing
Term
abnegation
Definition
renunciation; self-sacrifice
Term
abominate
Definition
to loathe or hate
Term
abortive
Definition
unsuccessful; fruitless
Term
abrogate
Definition
abolish; do away with
Term
abscission
Definition
cutting off; separation
Term
abscond
Definition
depart secretly and hide
Term
abstemious
Definition
sparing in eating and drinking; temperate
Term
abstruse
Definition
obscure; profound; difficult to understand
Term
abut
Definition
border upon; adjoin
Term
accede
Definition
to agree
Term
acclivity
Definition
sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity
Term
accoutre
Definition
equip; N. accoutrement
Term
accretion
Definition
growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete
Term
acerbity
Definition
bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone)
Term
acetic
Definition
vinegary
Term
acidulous
Definition
slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic
Term
acme
Definition
peak; pinnacle; highest point
Term
acquiesce
Definition
assent; agree passively; comply without protest
Term
acrid
Definition
bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent
Term
acrimonious
Definition
stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior
Term
acrophobia
Definition
fear of heights
Term
actuate
Definition
motivate; activate; cause to act
Term
acuity
Definition
sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing)
Term
acumen
Definition
mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen
Term
addle
Definition
make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg)
Term
adjunct
Definition
something attached to but holding an inferior position
Term
adjuration
Definition
solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly
Term
adjutant
Definition
staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
Term
advent
Definition
arrival
Term
adventitious
Definition
accidental; casual; happening by chance
Term
advert
Definition
refer
Term
aegis
Definition
shield; protection; defense
Term
aerie
Definition
nest of a large bird of prey
Term
affable
Definition
easily approachable; easy to talk to; warmly friendly
Term
affidavit
Definition
written statement made under oath (for use as proof in a court of law)
Term
affluence
Definition
abundance; wealth
Term
aggrandize
Definition
make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement
Term
aggregate
Definition
sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars
Term
agog
Definition
highly excited; intensely curious
Term
agrarian
Definition
pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform
Term
alacrity
Definition
cheerful promptness without reluctance
Term
alimentary
Definition
supplying nourishment
Term
alimony
Definition
payments made regularly to an ex-spouse after divorce
Term
allay
Definition
calm; pacify
Term
alloy
Definition
mixture as of metals; something added that lowers in value or purity; V: mix; make less pure; lower in value or quality; spoil; CF. unalloyed: not in mixture with other metals; pure; complete; unqualified; Ex. unalloyed happiness
Term
alluvial
Definition
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
Term
amalgamate
Definition
(of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body
Term
ambivalence
Definition
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions
Term
amble
Definition
walking at an easy unhurried pace; V: walk slowly and aimlessly
Term
ambulatory
Definition
able to walk
Term
ameliorate
Definition
improve
Term
amenable
Definition
obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; Ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; Ex. He is very amenable; Ex. amenable to the usual tests
Term
amiss
Definition
wrong; faulty; Ex. something amiss; ADV.
Term
amity
Definition
friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations
Term
amorphous
Definition
formless; lacking shape or definition
Term
amok
Definition
in a state of rage or chaos; Ex. run amok
Term
anachronism
Definition
an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic
Term
analogous
Definition
comparable; similar
Term
anathema
Definition
solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize
Term
ancillary
Definition
serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N.
Term
animadversion
Definition
critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval
Term
animus
Definition
hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition
Term
anneal
Definition
reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass)
Term
annotate
Definition
comment; make explanatory notes
Term
annuity
Definition
yearly allowance
Term
anodyne
Definition
drug that relieves pain or trouble; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement
Term
anomalous
Definition
abnormal; irregular
Term
antecedent
Definition
preceding event that influences what comes later; ancestor or early background
Term
antediluvian
Definition
antiquated; extremely ancient
Term
anthropoid
Definition
manlike; resembling a human being; N.
Term
anthropomorphic
Definition
having human form or characteristics
Term
anticlimactic
Definition
letdown in thought or emotion; something unexciting, ordinary, or disappointing coming after something important or exciting
Term
antipathy
Definition
aversion; dislike or opposition
Term
antithesis
Definition
contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical
Term
aperture
Definition
opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light
Term
apex
Definition
tip; summit; climax; highest point
Term
aphasia
Definition
loss of speech due to injury or illness
Term
aphorism
Definition
pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic
Term
apiary
Definition
a place where bees are kept
Term
aplomb
Definition
poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence
Term
apocryphal
Definition
(of a story) widely believed but untrue
Term
apogee
Definition
highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee
Term
apoplexy
Definition
stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain
Term
apotheosis
Definition
elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something
Term
apparition
Definition
ghost; phantom
Term
apellation
Definition
name; title
Term
append
Definition
attach
Term
apposite
Definition
appropriate; fitting
Term
apprise
Definition
inform
Term
approbation
Definition
approval
Term
appurtenances
Definition
subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing
Term
apropos
Definition
with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation; ADJ. ADV.

fitting; opportune; pertinent
Term
aquiline
Definition
curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose
Term
arable
Definition
fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land
Term
arboreal
Definition
of or living in trees
Term
arcane
Definition
esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener
Term
ardor
Definition
heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent
Term
argot
Definition
slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people
Term
aria
Definition
operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio
Term
arraign
Definition
charge in court; indict
Term
array
Definition
N- an impressive display or collection; an orderly or regular arrangement, esp of troops in battle order;

V- to dress in rich attire; adorn; to arrange in order (esp troops for battle); marshal
Term
arrears
Definition
being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done
Term
arrhythmic
Definition
lacking rhythm or regularity; N. arrhythmia
Term
arroyo
Definition
gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater
Term
artifice
Definition
deception; trickery
Term
artless
Definition
without guile; open and honest
Term
ascendancy
Definition
controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant
Term
ascetic
Definition
practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism
Term
ascertain
Definition
find out for certain; make certain
Term
askance
Definition
with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distrust); Ex. look askance at
Term
asperity
Definition
sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter
Term
aspersion
Definition
slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on
Term
aspirant
Definition
seeker after position or status
Term
assay
Definition
analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore)
Term
assiduous
Definition
diligent
Term
astringent
Definition
binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism
Term
atavism
Definition
the reappearance in an individual of characteristics of some remote ancestor that have been absent in intervening generations, or an individual embodying such a reversion; reversion to an earlier type; throwback.
Term
atrophy
Definition
wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle (through lack of blood or lack of use)
Term
attenuate
Definition
make thin; weaken
Term
attrition
Definition
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
Term
augment
Definition
increase; add to
Term
augury
Definition
omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future)
Term
august
Definition
impressive; majestic
Term
aureole
Definition
sun's corona; halo; bright circle of light
Term
auspicious
Definition
favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices
Term
austere
Definition
forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk's austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity
Term
autocratic
Definition
having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; N. autocrat, autocracy
Term
automaton
Definition
mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself
Term
auxiliary
Definition
offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant
Term
aver
Definition
state confidently; declare as true
Term
averse
Definition
reluctant; disinclined; not liking or opposed; Ex. averse to cats/doing the house work
Term
awl
Definition
pointed tool used for piercing
Term
awry
Definition
distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone awry.
Term
axiom
Definition
self-evident truth requiring no proof
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