GRE Word List T
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- tablet
- n. slab or panel with words cut or written on it, esp one fixed to a wall as a memorial ,
- tacit
- adj. understoodwithout being put into words; implied
- taciturn
- adj. saying very little; uncommunicative ;
- tact
- n. skill at not offending people or at gaining goodwill by saying or doing the right thing
- tactful
- adj. having or showing tact
- tactile
- adj. of or using the sense of touch
- taint
- n. trace of some bad quality or decay or infection
- takeoff
- talisman
- n. object that is thought to bring good luck, eg a ring or locket
- talon
- n. claw, esp of a bird of prey
- tan
- v. convert (animal skin) into leather by treating it with tannic acid, etc
- tangential
- peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing
- tangible
- adj. that can be perceived by touch
- tanner
- n. person who tans skins to make leather
- tantalize
- to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach
- tantamount
- adj. ~ to sth equal in effect to sth; as good as sth
- tantrum
- n. outburst of bad temper, esp in a child
- taper
- n. length of wax-covered thread like a very thin candle burned to give light or to light other candles, etc
- tarantula
- n. any of several types of large spider, many of them hairy and some of them poisonous ,
- tardy
- adj. (fml ) slow to act, move or happen
- tarnish
- v. lose its brightness by being exposed to air or damp
- tarry
- v. (arch or rhet ) delay in coming to or going from a place; linger
- tart
- adj. sharp-tasting; acid
- tatter
- to make or become ragged or worn to shreds
- taunt
- v. ~ sb try to provoke sb with scornful or critical remarks; jeer at sb
- taut
- adj. tightly stretched; not slack
- tautological
- tautologous / tR
- tawdry
- adj. showy or gaudy but without real value
- tawny
- adj. brownish-yellow
- taxonomist
- one who study the general principles of scientific classification
- tedium
- n. tediousness; boredom
- teetotalism
- the principle or practice of complete abstinence from alcoholic drinks
- temerity
- n. audacity; rashness
- temper
- n. state of the mind as regards anger or calmness
- temperament
- n. person's nature as it affects the way he thinks, feels and behaves
- temperate
- adj. behaving with temperance(1); showing self-control
- tempestuous
- adj. stormy; violently agitated; turbulent
- tempo
- n. speed or rhythm of a piece of music
- temporal
- adj. of worldly affairs, ie not spiritual; secular
- temporize
- avoid committing oneself; gain time
- tenacious
- adj. sticking or clinging firmly together or to an object
- tenacity
- firmness; persistency; adhesiveness
- tenancy
- use of land or buildings as a tenant(1)
- tenant
- n. person who pays rent to a landlord for the use of a room, a building, land, etc
- tend
- v. take care of or look after
- tendentious
- adj. (of a speech, a piece of writing, etc) aimed at helping a cause; not impartial
- tender
- adj. easily damaged or hurt; delicate
- tenet
- n. principle; belief; doctrine
- tensile
- adj. of tension
- tension
- n. state or degree of stretching or being stretched
- tentative
- adj. done, said, etc to test sth; hesitant or exploratory; not definite or decisive
- tenuous
- adj. thin; slender
- tenure
- n. holding of office or land or other property, etc ,
- tepid
- adj. lukewarm
- terminal
- adj. of the last stage in a fatal disease
- terminate
- v. come to an end or bring (sth) to an end
- termination
- n. point at which or way in which sth ends
- terminology
- n. technical terms of a particular subject
- terminus
- n. station at the end of a railway line
- terrestrial
- adj. of or living on land
- terse
- adj. using few words; concise; curt
- tertiary
- adj. third in order, rank, importance, etc; next after secondary
- tessellated
- adj. made from small flat pieces of stone of various colours arranged in a pattern
- testator
- n. person who has made a will4(4)
- testy
- adj. easily annoyed; irritable
- tether
- n. rope or chain by which an animal is fastened while it is grazing
- thematic
- adj. of or related to a theme
- theocracy
- n. system of government by priests or a priestly class in which the laws of the State are believed to be the laws of God
- theoretical
- adj. concerned with the theory of a subject
- therapeutic
- adj. of the art of healing or the curing of disease
- thermal
- adj. ofheat
- thesis
- n. statement or theory put forward and supported by arguments
- thespian
- adj. of acting or the theatre
- thrall
- slave; bondage
- thrash
- v. beat with a stick or whip, esp as a punishment
- threadbare
- adj. worn thin; shabby
- threat
- n. expression of one's intention to punish or harm sb, esp if he does not obey
- thresh
- v. beat out or separate from husks of wheat, etc using a machine or (esp formerly) an implement held in the hand
- thrifty
- adj. showing thrift; economical ;
- thrive
- v. ~ (on sth) grow or develop well and vigorously; prosper
- throb
- v. ~ (with sth) (of the heart, pulse, etc) beat, esp faster or stronger thanusual
- throes
- n. severe pains
- throng
- n. crowded mass of people or things
- throttle
- v. seize by the throat and stop him breathing; choke; strangle
- thwart
- v. prevent doing what he intends; oppose (a plan, etc) successfully
- tickle
- v. touch or stroke lightly, esp at sensitive parts, so as to cause a slight tingling sensation, often with twitching movements and laughter
- tightwad
- excessively frugal person; miser
- tiller
- n. person who tills
- tiltable
- timbre
- n. characteristicquality of sound produced by a particular voice or instrument
- timid
- adj. easily frightened; shy
- timidity
- timidness ns
- timorous
- adj. timid
- tinge
- v. ~ sth colour sth slightly
- tint
- n. shade or variety of a colour
- tipple
- v. be in the habit of drinking alcoholic drinks, esp too often or too much
- tirade
- n. long angry speech of criticism or accusation
- titanic
- adj. gigantic; immense
- tithe
- n. one tenth of the annual produce of a farm, etc formerly paid as a tax to support the clergy and the church
- titillate
- v. stimulate or excite (sb), esp sexually
- title
- n. name of a book, poem, picture, etc ,
- titter
- n. short nervous laugh
- titular
- adj. having a certain title(
- toady
- n. person who flatters another or treats him with excessive respect in the hope of gain or advantage
- toga
- n. loose outer garment worn by men in ancient Rome
- toil
- v. ~ away (at/over sth) work long or hard
- token
- n. sign, symbol or evidence of sth
- toll
- n. money paid for the use of a road, bridge, harbour, etc ,
- tome
- n. large heavy book, esp a scholarly or serious one ,
- tonic
- n. medicine that gives strength or energy, taken after illness or when tired
- tonsure
- n. shaving the top or all of the head of a person about to become a priest ormonk
- topography
- n. features of a place or district, esp the position of its rivers, mountains, roads, buildings, etc
- topple
- v. ~ (over) be unsteady and fall
- torpedo
- n. tube-shaped explosive underwater missile launched against ships by submarines, aircraft or surface ships
- torpor
- n. torpid condition
- torque
- n. twisting force causing rotation in machinery
- torrent
- n. violently rushing stream of water, lava, etc
- torrid
- adj. very hot and dry
- torso
- n. main part of the human body, not including the head, arms and legs; trunk
- tortuous
- adj. full of twists and turns
- toss
- v. ~ sth (to sb) throw sth lightly or carelessly or easily
- totem
- n. natural object, esp an animal, considered by N American Indians as the emblem of a clan or family
- totter
- v. walk or move unsteadily; stagger
- touching
- adj. arousing pity or sympathy
- touchstone
- stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion
- touchy
- adj. easily offended
- toxic
- adj. poisonous
- tract
- n. large stretch or area of land
- tractable
- adj. easily guided, handled or controlled; docile ;
- traduce
- v. saydamaging untrue things about (sb/sth); slander or defame;
- trajectory
- n. curved path of sth that has been fired, hit or thrown into the air, eg a missile
- tramp
- v. walk with heavy or noisy steps
- trample
- v. ~ sth/sb (down) tread heavily on sth/sb so as to cause damage or destruction
- trance
- n. sleep-like state, caused eg by being hypnotized
- tranquillity
- n. tranquil condition
- transcend
- v. be or go beyond the range of (human experience, belief, powers of description, etc)
- transcendent
- adj. extremely great; supreme
- transcendental
- adjgoing beyond the limits of humanknowledge, experience or reason, esp in a mystical or religious way
- transcribe
- v. ~ sth copy sth in writing
- transgression
- n. transgressing
- transient
- adj. lasting for only a short time; brief; fleeting
- transition
- n. ~ (to sth) (instance of) changing from one state or condition to another
- transitory
- adj. lasting for only a short time; transient
- translucent
- adj. allowinglight to pass through but not transparent
- transmute
- v. ~sth change sth (into sth completely different)
- transparent
- adj. allowinglight to pass through so that objects behind can be seen clearly
- transpire
- v. (of an event, a secret, etc) become known
- transport
- v. ~ sth/sb (to...) take sth/sb from one place to another in a vehicle
- transpose
- v. cause to change places
- trappings
- n. outward signs of prestige, wealth, etc
- traumatic
- adj. of or causing trauma
- travail
- n. painful effort
- traverse
- v. travel, lie or extendacross
- travesty
- n. ~ absurd imitation of or inferior substitute for sth
- tread
- v. ~ (on, etc sth/sb) set one's foot down; walk or step
- treasure
- n. gold, silver, jewels, etc
- treatise
- n. ~ long written work dealing systematically with one subject
- trek
- n. long hard journey, esp on foot
- tremor
- n. slight shaking or trembling
- tremulous
- adj. tremblingfrom nervousness or weakness
- trenchant
- adj. strongly and effectively expressed; penetrating
- trepidation
- n. great worry or fear about sth unpleasant that may happen
- tribulation
- n. (sad event, accident, illness, etc that causes) great trouble or suffering
- tribunal
- n. group of officials with the authority to settle certain types of dispute
- tribune
- Any champion of the rights and liberties of the people: often used as the name for a newspaper.
- tribute
- n. action, statement or gift that is meant to show one's respect or admiration
- trickle
- v. flow in a thin stream
- trickster
- n. person who tricks or cheats people; swindler ;
- trident
- n. spear with three points
- trifle
- n. thing, question or activity that has little value or importance
- trifling
- adj. unimportant; trivial
- trigger
- n. lever that releases a spring, esp so as to fire a gun
- trilogy
- n. group of three related works, esp three novels or operas
- trim
- v. make (sth) neat or smooth by cutting away irregular parts
- trinket
- n. small ornament, piece of jewellery, etc of little value
- trite
- adj. not new or original, because often used; hackneyed; commonplace ,
- trivia
- n. unimportant things, details or pieces of information
- troth
- n. (idm ) plight one's troth
- trough
- n. long narrow open box for animals to feed or drink from
- truculence
- agressiveness; ferocity
- truism
- n. statement that is obviouslytrue, esp one that does not say anything important, eg Nothing lasts for ever ,
- truncate
- v. shorten by cutting off the top or end
- trunk
- n. main stem of a tree, from which the branches grow .
- tryst
- meeting
- tumid
- adj. (of parts of the body) swollen
- tumult
- n. disturbance or confusion, esp of a large mass of people
- tundra
- n. vast flat treeless Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and N America where the subsoil is permanently frozen
- turbid
- adj. (of liquids) opaque or muddy; not clear
- turbulence
- n. unrest or disturbance
- tureen
- n. deep dish with a lid from which soup, vegetables, etc are served at table
- turgid
- adj. (of language, style, etc) pompous and difficult to follow; boring
- turmoil
- n. great disturbance, agitation or confusion
- turncoat
- n. person who changes from one side, party, etc to another
- turpitude
- n. state or quality of being wicked; depravity ;
- tutelage
- n. protection of and authority over a person, country, etc; guardianship
- tutelary
- adj. acting as a guardian or protector
- tycoon
- n. wealthy and powerful businessman or industrialist; magnate
- typhoon
- n. violent tropical hurricane that occurs in the western Pacific
- tyranny
- n. cruel, unjust or oppressive use of power or authority
- tyro
- beginner; novice