Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Hit Parade Group 2
Vocabulary prep for GRE
77
English
Graduate
07/13/2015

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
abate (verb)
Definition
to lessen in intensity or degree
Term
accolade (noun)
Definition
an expression of praise
Term
adulation (noun)
Definition
excessive praise; intense adoration
Term
aesthetic (adj)
Definition
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
Term
ameliorate (verb)
Definition
to make better or more tolerable
Term
ascetic (noun)
Definition
one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
Term
avarice (noun) (adj form: avaricious)
Definition
greed, esp. for wealth
Term
axiom (noun)(adj form: axiomatic)
Definition
a universally recognized principle
Term
burgeon (verb)
Definition
to grow rapidly or flourish
Term
bucolic (adj)
Definition
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
Term
cacophony (noun) (adj form: cacophonous)
Definition
harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
Term
canon (noun) (adj form: canonical)
Definition
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
Term
castigation (noun) (verb form: castigate)
Definition
severe criticism or punishment
Term
catalyst (noun)
Definition
a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes damage
Term
caustic (adj)
Definition
burning or stinging; causing corrosion
Term
chary (adj)
Definition
wary; cautious; sparing
Term
cogent (adj)
Definition
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
Term
complaisance (noun) (adj form: complaisant)
Definition
the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
Term
contentious (adj)
Definition
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
Term
contrite (adj) (noun form: contrition)
Definition
regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
Term
culpable (adj) (noun form: culpability)
Definition
deserving blame
Term
dearth (noun)
Definition
smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
Term
demur (verb)
Definition
to question or oppose
Term
didactic (adj)
Definition
intended to teach or instruct
Term
discretion (noun) (adj form: discreet)
Definition
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
Term
disinterested (adj)
Definition
free of bias or self-interest; imparital
Term
dogmatic (adj) (noun form: dogma)
Definition
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
Term
ebullience (noun) (adj form ebullient)
Definition
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
Term
eclectic (adj)
Definition
composed of elements drawn from various sources
Term
elegy (noun) (adj form: elegiac)
Definition
a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
Term
emollient (adj/noun)
Definition
soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or soothes the skin
Term
empirical (adj)
Definition
based on observation or experiment
Term
enigmatic (adj) (noun form: enigma)
Definition
mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
Term
ephemeral (adj)
Definition
brief; fleeting
Term
esoteric (adj)
Definition
intended for or understood by a small, specific group
Term
eulogy (noun) (verb form: eulogize)
Definition
a speech honoring the dead
Term
exonerate (verb)
Definition
to remove blame
Term
facetious (adj)
Definition
playful; humorous
Term
fallacy (noun) (adj form: fallacious)
Definition
an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
Term
furtive (adj)
Definition
marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
Term
gregarious (adj)
Definition
sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
Term
harangue (verb)/(noun)
Definition
to deliver a forceful or angry speech; ranting speech or writing
Term
heretical (adj) (noun form: heresy)
Definition
violating accepted dogma or convention
Term
hyperbole (noun) (adj form: hyperbolic)
Definition
an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
Term
impecunious (adj)
Definition
lacking funds; without money
Term
incipient (adj)
Definition
beginning to come into being or to become apparent
Term
inert (adj)
Definition
unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
Term
innocuous (adj)
Definition
harmless; causing no damage
Term
intransigent (adj) (noun form: intransigence)
Definition
refusing to compromise
Term
inveigle (verb)
Definition
to obtain by deception or flattery
Term
morose (adj)
Definition
sad; sullen; melancholoy
Term
odious (adj)
Definition
evoking intense aversion or dislike
Term
opaque (adj)
Definition
impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
Term
oscillation (noun) (verb form: oscillate)
Definition
the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm
Term
penurious (adj)
Definition
penny pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
Term
pernicious (adj)
Definition
extremely harmful in a way that is not easily seen or noticed
Term
peruse (verb) (noun form: perusal)
Definition
to examine with great care
Term
pious (adj) (noun form: piety)
Definition
extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion
Term
precursor (noun)
Definition
one that precedes and indicates or announces the other
Term
preen (verb)
Definition
to dress up; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
Term
prodigious (adj)
Definition
abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
Term
prolific (adj)
Definition
producing large volumes or amounts; productive
Term
putrefy (verb) (adj. form: putrid)
Definition
to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
Term
quaff (verb)
Definition
to drink deeply
Term
quiescence (noun) (adj form: quiescent)
Definition
stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest
Term
redoubtable (adj)
Definition
awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
Term
sanction (noun)/(verb)
Definition
authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority
Term
satire (noun) (adj form: satirical)
Definition
a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
Term
squalid (adj) (noun form: squalor)
Definition
sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
Term
stoic (adj) (noun form: stoicism)
Definition
indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
Term
supplant (verb)
Definition
to take the place of; to supersede
Term
torpid (adj) (noun form: torpor)
Definition
lethargic; sluggish; dormant
Term
ubiquitous (adj)
Definition
existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
Term
ubiquitous (adj)
Definition
existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
Term
urbane (adj) (noun form: urbanity)
Definition
sophisticated; refined; elegant
Term
vilify (verb)
Definition
to defame; to characterize harshly
Term
viscous (adj) (noun form: viscosity)
Definition
thick; sticky
Supporting users have an ad free experience!