GRE FLASHCARDS (A)
Terms
undefined, object
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- abase
- lower, degrade, humiliate
- abash
- embarrass
- abate
- *subside or moderate
- abdicate
- renounce, give up
- aberrant
- *renounce, give up
- abet
- assist, usually in doing something wrong, encourage
- abeyance
- *suspended action
- abhor
- detest, hate
- abject
- wretched, lacking pride
- abjure
- renounce upon oath, disavow
- ablution
- washing
- abnegation
- renunciation, self-sacrifice
- abominate
- loathe, hate
- abortive
- unsuccessful, fruitless
- abrogate
- abolish
- abscission
- removal by cutting off, as in surgery, separation
- abscond
- *depart secretly and hide
- abstemious
- *sparing in eating and drinking
- abstruse
- obscure, profound, difficult to understand
- abut
- border upon, adjoin
- abysmal
- bottomless
- abyss
- enormous chasm; vast, bottomless pit
- accede
- agree
- acclimate
- adjust to climate or environment; adapt
- acclivity
- sharp upslope of a hill
- accord
- agreement
- accost
- approach and speak first to a person
- accoutre
- equip
- accretion
- growth; increase
- accrue
- come about by addition
- acerbic
- bitter or sour in nature; sharp and cutting
- acerbity
- bitterness of speech and temper
- acetic
- vinegary
- acidulous
- slightly sour; sharp; caustic
- acme
- peak; pinnacle; highest point
- acquiesce
- assentl agree passively
- acrid
- sharp; bitterly pungent
- acrimonious
- bitter in words or manner
- acrophobia
- fear of heights
- actuarial
- calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
- actuate
- motivate
- acumen
- mental keenness
- adamant
- hard; inflexible
- addendum
- addition; appendix to a book
- addle
- muddle; drive crazy; become rotten
- adjunct
- something (generally nonessential or inferior) added on or attached
- adjuration
- solemn urging
- adjutant
- staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
- admonish
- *warn, reprove
- adroit
- skillful
- adulterate
- *make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances
- adventitious
- accidental; casual
- advert
- refer (to)
- aegis
- shield; defense
- aerie
- nest of a large bird of prey
- aesthetic
- *artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful
- affected
- artificial; pretended; assumed in order to impress
- affidavit
- written statement made under oath
- affinity
- kinship
- affront
- insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect
- aggregate
- *gather; accumulate
- agog
- highly excited; intensely curious
- agrarian
- pertaining to land or its cultivation
- alacrity
- *cheerful promptness; eagerness
- alchemy
- medieval form of speculative thought that aimed to transform base metals (lead or copper) into silver or gold and to discover a means of prolonging life
- alimentary
- supplying nourishment
- allay
- calm; pacify
- allegory
- story in which character are used as symbols; fable
- alleviate
- *relieve
- alloy
- (2nd meaning) mix; make less pure; lessen or moderate
- alluvial
- pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
- aloft
- upward
- amalgamate
- *combine; unite in one body
- ambiguous
- *unclear or doubtful in meaning
- ambivalence
- *the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
- amble
- moving at an easy pace
- ambrosia
- food of the gods
- ambulatory
- able to walk; not bedridden
- ameliorate
- *improve
- amenable
- readily managed or willing to be led
- amicable
- politely friendly; not quarrelsome
- amity
- friendship
- amorphous
- formless; lacking shape or definition
- amok (also amuck)
- in a state of rage
- anachronism
- *something or someone misplaced in time
- analgesic
- causing insensitivity to pain
- analogous
- *comparable
- anarchy
- *absence of governing body; state of disorder
- anathema
- solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse
- ancillary
- serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
- angular
- sharp-cornered; stiff in manner
- animadversion
- critical remark
- animus
- hostile feeling or intent
- annals
- records; history
- anneal
- reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
- annex
- attach; take possession of
- annotate
- comment; make explanatory notes
- annuity
- yearly allowance
- anodyne
- drug that relieves pain; opiate
- anomalous
- *abnormal; irregular
- antediluvian
- antiquated; extremely ancient
- anthropoid
- manlike
- anthropomorphic
- having human form or characteristics
- antic
- extravagantly odd
- anticlimax
- letdown in though or emotion
- antipathy
- *aversion; dislike
- antiquated
- obsolete; outdated
- apathy
- *lack of caring; indifference
- aperture
- opening; hole
- aphasia
- loss of speech due to injury or illness
- aphorism
- pithy maxim or saying (usually philosophic or scientific)
- apiary
- place where bees are kept
- aplomb
- poise; assurance
- apocalyptic
- prophetic; pertaining to revelations
- apocryphal
- spurious; not authentic
- apogee
- highest point
- apologist
- one who writes in defense of a cause or institution
- apostate
- one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
- apothegm
- pithy, compact saying
- apotheosis
- elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something
- appease
- *pacify or soothe; relieve
- appellation
- name; title
- apposite
- appropriate; fitting
- apprehend
- arrest (as criminal); dread; perceive
- apprise
- *inform
- approbation
- *approval
- appurtenances
- subordinate possessions
- apropos
- (secondary meaning) with reference to; regarding
- aquiline
- curved, hooked
- arabesque
- style of decoration involving intertwined plants and abstract curves; ballet position with one leg supporting the weight of the body, while the other leg is extended in back
- arable
- fit for growing crops
- arbiter
- person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge
- arcade
- a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
- arcane
- secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated
- archipelago
- group of closely located islands
- ardor
- heat; passion; zeal
- arduous
- *hard; strenuous
- argot
- slang
- aria
- operatic solo
- arraign
- charge in court; indict
- array
- (secondary meaning) clothe; adorn
- arrears
- being in debt
- arroyo
- gully
- arsenal
- storage place for military equipment
- artful
- cunning; crafty; sly
- artifice
- deception; trickery
- artisan
- manually skilled worker; craftsman, as opposed to artist
- artless
- *without guile; open and honest
- ascendancy
- controlling influence
- ascertain
- find out for certain
- ascetic
- *practicing self-denial; austere
- aseptic
- preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
- ashen
- ash-coloured; deadly pale
- asinine
- stupid
- askance
- with a sideways or indirect look
- asperity
- sharpness (of temper)
- aspersion
- slanderous remark
- assail
- assault
- assay
- analyze; evaluate
- assent
- agree; accept
- assiduous
- *diligent
- assuage
- *ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)
- asteroid
- small planet
- astringent
- binding; causing contraction
- astute
- wise; shrewd; keen
- asunder
- into parts; apart
- atavism
- resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback
- atone
- make amends for; pay for
- attenuate
- *make thinner; weaken or lessen (in density, force, degree)
- augment
- increase; add to
- augury
- omen; prophecy
- august
- impressive; majestic
- aureole
- sun's corona; halo
- auspicious
- favouring success
- austere
- *forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unornamented
- autocratic
- having absolute, unchekced power; dictatorial
- audacious
- *daring; bold
- automaton
- mechanism that imitates actions of humans
- autonamous
- *self-governing
- avarice
- greediness for wealth
- aver
- *assert confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact
- averse
- reluctant; disinclined
- avert
- prevent; turn away
- aviary
- enclosure for birds
- avocation
- secondary or minor occupation
- avuncular
- like an uncle
- awl
- pointed tool used for piercing
- axiom
- self-evident truth requiring no proof