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GRE Vocab II 2

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
stenographer
the action or process of writing in shorthand or taking dictation.
pendant
1 a piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain worn around the neck.
⬢ a necklace with such a piece of jewelry.
⬢ a light designed to hang from the ceiling.
⬢ the part of a pocket watch by which it is suspended.
⬢ Nautical a short rope hanging from the head of a ship's mast, yardarm, or clew of a sail, used for attaching tackles.

2 an artistic, literary, or musical composition intended to match or complement another : "the triptych's pendant will occupy the corresponding wall in the south transept."
myopic
nearsightedness.
⬢ lack of imagination, foresight, or intellectual insight : "historians have been censured for their myopia in treating modern science as a western phenomenon."
penurious
1 extremely poor; poverty-stricken : "a penurious old tramp."
⬢ characterized by poverty or need : "penurious years."

2 parsimonious; mean : he was generous and hospitable in contrast to his stingy and penurious wife.
pusillanimus
showing a lack of courage or determination; timid.
hedonistic
the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.
⬢ the ethical theory that pleasure (in the sense of the satisfaction of desires) is the highest good and proper aim of human life.
mendacity
untruthfulness : "people publicly castigated for past mendacity."
turpitude
depravity; wickedness : "acts of moral turpitude."
craven
contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly
variegated
exhibiting different colors, esp. as irregular patches or streaks : "variegated yellow bricks."
⬢ Botany (of a plant or foliage) having or consisting of leaves that are edged or patterned in a second color, esp. white as well as green.
⬢ marked by variety : "his variegated and amusing observations."
shale
soft, finely stratified sedimentary rock that formed from consolidated mud or clay and can be split easily into fragile slabs.
catacombs
an underground cemetery consisting of a subterranean gallery with recesses for tombs, as constructed by the ancient Romans.
⬢ an underground construction resembling or compared to such a cemetery.
aster
1 a plant of the daisy family that has bright rayed flowers, typically of purple or pink.

New England aster
⬢ Genus Aster, family Compositae: numerous species, many of which bloom in autumn, including the wild purple New England aster ( A. novae-angliae).

2 Biology a star-shaped structure formed during division of the nucleus of an animal cell.
sophomoric
of, relating to, or characteristic of a sophomore : "my sophomoric years."
⬢ pretentious or juvenile : "sophomoric double entendres."
reticent
not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily : "she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs."
auger
a tool with a helical bit for boring holes in wood.
⬢ a similar larger tool for boring holes in the ground.
denizen
an inhabitant or occupant of a particular place : "denizens of field and forest."
⬢ Brit., historical a foreigner allowed certain rights in the adopted country.
aboveboard
legitimate, honest, and open : "certain transactions were not totally aboveboard."
circuitous
(of a route or journey) longer than the most direct way : "the canal followed a circuitous route"
| figurative: "a circuitous line of reasoning."
conflagration
an extensive fire that destroys a great deal of land or property.
eagle-eye
a keen or close watch : "she was keeping an eagle eye on Laura."
lionhearted
brave and determined.
allay
diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry) : "the report attempted to educate the public and allay fears."
⬢ relieve or alleviate (pain or hunger) : "some stale figs partly allayed our hunger."
potentate
a monarch or ruler, esp. an autocratic one.
benediction
the utterance or bestowing of a blessing, esp. at the end of a religious service.
⬢ ( Benediction) a service in which the congregation is blessed with the Blessed Sacrament, held mainly in the Roman Catholic Church.
⬢ devout or formal invocation of blessedness : "her arms outstretched in benediction."
⬢ the state of being blessed : "he eventually wins benediction."
vixen
a female fox.
⬢ a spiteful or quarrelsome woman.
gaggle
a flock of geese.
⬢ informal a disorderly or noisy group of people : "the gaggle of reporters and photographers that dogged his every step."
turncoat
a person who deserts one party or cause in order to join an opposing one.
mendicant
given to begging.
⬢ of or denoting one of the religious orders that originally relied solely on alms : "a mendicant friar."
impecunious
having little or no money : "a titled but impecunious family."
petulant
(of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered : "he was moody and petulant"
| a petulant shake of the head.
chortle
laugh in a breathy, gleeful way; chuckle : "he chortled at his own pun."
didactic
intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive : "a didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice."
⬢ in the manner of a teacher, particularly so as to treat someone in a patronizing way : "slow-paced, didactic lecturing."
pedant
a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.
glower
have an angry or sullen look on one's face; scowl : "she glowered at him suspiciously."
aphorism
a pithy observation that contains a general truth, such as, “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.”
• a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by an ancient classical author.
haggard
1 looking exhausted and unwell, esp. from fatigue, worry, or suffering : "I trailed on behind, haggard and disheveled."
2 (of a hawk) caught for training as a wild adult of more than twelve months.
encomium
a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly.
decorous
in keeping with good taste and propriety; polite and restrained : "dancing with decorous space between partners."
proscribe
forbid, esp. by law
⬢ denounce or condemn
⬢ an outlaw (someone).
inane
silly; stupid
drudgery
hard, menial, or dull work
glib
(of words or the person speaking them) fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow : "she was careful not to let the answer sound too glib."
elision
the omission of a sound or syllable when speaking (as in I'm, let's, e ' en).
⬢ an omission of a passage in a book, speech, or film
⬢ the process of joining together or merging things, esp. abstract ideas
laggard
a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others : "there was no time for laggards."

Deck Info

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