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GRE Worda

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
abase
lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect
abash
embarrass
abate
to lessen; to subside
aberrant
deviating from normal or correct.
abet
assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage
abeyance
suspended action
abject
(of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology
abjure
promise or swear to give up
ablution
washing
abominable
detestable; extremely unpleasant
abortive
unsuccessful; fruitless
abrogate
repeal or annul by authority
abscission
cutting off; separation
abscond
to leave secretly and hide, often to avoid the law.
abstemious
restraint, especially of food and alcohol
abstruse
difficult to comprehend; obscure
abusive
coarsely insulting; physically harmful
abut
border upon; adjoin
acarpous
effete; no longer fertile; worn out
accede
agree
acclivity
sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity
accoutre
equip; N. accoutrement
accretion
growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete
accrue
come to one as a gain; accumulate over time; come about by addition; Ex. benefits that accrue from scientific research; Ex. interest accruing in a bank account; N. accrual
acerbity
bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone)
acetic
vinegary
acidulous
slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic
acrid
bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent
acrimonious
stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior
acrophobia
fear of heights
actuate
motivate; activate; cause to act
acuity
sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing)
acumen
mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen
addle
make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg)
adduce
to offer as example, reason or proof
adjunct
something attached to but holding an inferior position
adjuration
solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly
adjure
to beg
adjutant
staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
admonitory
containing warning
adulation
flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved
adulterate
make impure or of poorer quality by adding inferior or tainted(contaminated) substances
adumbrate
to suggest or hint; overshadow
adventitious
accidental; casual; happening by chance
advert
refer
aegis
shield; protection; defense
aerie(aery,eyrie,eyry)
nest of a large bird of prey
agglomeration
collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. aggolmeate: jumbled mass; heap
aggrandize
make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement
aggregate
sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars
agog
highly excited; intensely curious
agrarian
pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform
airy
of air; high in the air; lofty; immaterial; unreal
alacrity
cheerful promptness without reluctance
alchemy
medieval chemistry
alcove
nook; recess
alimentary
supplying nourishment
allay
calm; pacify
allure
entice; attract; tempt
alluvial
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
altruistic
unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altiruism: unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; OP. egoism
amalgam
combination of different things; mixture of metals (containing mercury) used for filling holes in teeth
amalgamate
(of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body
ambivalence
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions
ameliorate
improve; make better
amiable
agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly
amity
friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations
amoral
nonmoral; having no understanding of right and wrong
amorous
moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances
amortize
end (a debt) by setting aside money
anachronism
an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic
analgesia
condition of being unable to feel pain
analgesic
causing insensitivity to pain; N.
analogous
comparable; similar
anathema
solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize
ancillary
serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N.
anemia
condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic
anesthetic
substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia
animadversion
critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval
animus
hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition
anneal
reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass)
anodyne
drug that relieves pain or trouble; ¡¯≈Ρ¶; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement
anomalous
peculiar; unique, contrary to the norm (n: anomaly)
antebellum
existing before a war
antecedents
preceding events that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background
antediluvian
ancient; outmoded; (literally,before the flood); made a long time ago
anthropoid
manlike; resembling a human being; N.
anthropologist
student of the history and science of humankind
anthropomorphic
having human form or characteristics
antipathy
hostility toward, objection, or aversion to
antithesis
contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical
antithetical
direct opposing
aphasia
loss of the power to use or comprehend words
aphorism
pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic
apiarist
person who keeps bees
apiary
a place where bees are kept
apiculture
bee-keeping
aplomb
poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence
apocryphal
(of a story) widely believed but untrue
apogee
highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee
apoplexy
stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain
apothegm(apophthegm)
pithy, compact saying
apotheosis
deification; glorification to godliness
apparition
ghost; phantom
appellation
identifying name or title
apposite
appropriate; fitting
approbation
approval
appurtenances
subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing
apropos
with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation; ADJ. ADV.
aquiline
curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose
arabesque
a complex ornate design
arable
fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land
arboreal
of or living in trees
arcane
esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener
arch-
chief; first; Ex. archbishop
archetype
prototype; primitive pattern
archipelago
group of closely located islands
ardor
heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent
arduous
steep; difficult; ascent; laborious
argot
slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people
arraign
charge in court; indict
arrant
in the highest degree
arrears
being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done
arroyo
gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater
artifice
deception; trickery
artless
without guile; open and honest
ascendancy
controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant
ascetic
practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism
aseptic
surgically clean
asperity
sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter
aspersion
slander
aspirant
seeker after position or status
assay
analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore)
assent
agree; accept; N. assessment
assuage
to make less severe; to appease or satisfy
astigmatism
eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism
astringent
binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism
atavism
resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic
atelier
artist's workroom
atrocity
brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious
attenuate
make thin; weaken; enervate
augury
omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future)
august
impressive; majestic
aureole
sun's corona; halo; bright circle of light
auroral
pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis
auspicious
favorable; successful; prosperous
austere
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
automaton
mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself
avarice
greediness for wealth
aver
affirm; assert; prove; justify; declair
avert
prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight.
avocation
secondary or minor occupation
avuncular
of or like an uncle
axiom
self-evident truth requiring no proof
bacchanal
noisy party with a lot of drinking
Bacchanalia
the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
bacchanalian
drunken, orgy
badinage
teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
baleful
evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look
balk
stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
banal
hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed
bandy
discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with
bank
heap; piled-up mass; embankment; lateral tilting (as of an aircraft in turning); V: pile up; protect with a bank; tilt in turning
bantering
joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
barrister
counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar
base
contemptible; morally bad; inferior in value or quality; Ex. base motives/conduct; Ex. base metal such as iron
bastion
stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism
bate
let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate
bawdy
indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd
bearing
deportment; connection
beatific
giving or showing bliss; blissful
beatitude
blessedness; state of great happiness
bedizen
to adorn, especially in a cheap showy manner
bedraggle
wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled
beholden
obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude
belabor
harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically
beleaguer
besiege or attack (with an army); harass; beset
belie
contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure.
bellicose
belligerent; pugnacious; warlike
benison
blessing
bequest
arrangement to give smth at death
bereaved
deprived of (someone beloved through death)
bereft
deprived of (something valuable); lacking
beset
harass or trouble from all directions; hem in
besmirch
soil; defile; make dirty
bestial
beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel
betoken
signify; indicate; be a sign of
bicameral
two-chambered as a legislative body
bifurcated
divided into two branches; forked
bilge
bulge the protuberance of a cask
bilious
suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated
bilk
swindle; cheat
billow
large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows
bivouac
temporary encampment; camp without tents; V.
blanch
bleach; whiten; make white or pale
blandishment
speech or action intended to coax someone into doing something
blas\'e
bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored
blight
plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy
blighted
suffering from a disease; destroyed
blithe
cheerful; casual; carefree
blithe(blithesome)
gay; joyous
boon
blessing; benefit; something very helpful
bovine
cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm
bowdlerize
expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler
brackish
somewhat saline
braggadocio
boasting
brindled
tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)
brocade
rich, figured(patterned) fabric
bromide
platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement
brooch
ornamental clasp; pin
brook
to tolerate, endure
brusque
blunt; abrupt; curt; not wanting to waste time being nice
bucolic
rustic; pastoral
bugaboo
bugbear; object of baseless terror
bulwark
strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
burgeon
to grow or flourish; a bud or new growth (adj: burgeoning )
burnish
make shiny by rubbing; polish
buttress
support; prop up; N. stationary structure to support wall; Ex. flying buttress
buxom
full-bosomed; plump; jolly
cabal
small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
cache
hiding place; V.
cacophonous
discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony: unpleasant mixture of loud sounds
cacophony
harsh sound
cadge
to get something by taking advantage of someone; to beg; to get by begging
callow
youthful; immature; inexperienced
calorific
heat-producing; N. calorie
calumny
malicious misrepresentation; slander
canard
unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report
canker
any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil; CF. cancer
canny
shrewd in money matters; thrifty
cant
insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people
canter
slow gallop; V. CF. trot
canto
division of a long poem
capacious
spacious
capitulate
surrender; give up all resistance
caprice
whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause
capricious
unpredictable; fickle

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