gre vocabulary e4
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- emboss
- produce a design in raised relief. The secretary of the corporation uses a special stamp to emboss the corporate seal on all official documents
- embezzlement
- stealing. The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds
- embellish
- adorn; ornament; enhance, as a story. The costume designer embellished the leading lady's ball gown with yards and yards of ribbon and lace
- embed
- enclose; place in something. Tales of actual historical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends
- embark
- commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey. In devoting herself to the study of gorillas, Dian Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to cost her her life
- embargo
- ban on commerce or other activity. As a result of the embargo, trade with the colonies was at a standstill
- emancipate
- set free. AT first, the attempts of the Abolitionsits to emancipate the slaves were unpopular in New England as well as in the South
- emanate
- issue forth. A strong odor of sulfur emanated from the spring.
- emaciated
- thin and wasted. A severe illness left him acutely emaciated, and he did not recover fully until he had regained most of his lost weight.
- elysian
- relating to paradise; blissful. An afternoon sail on the bay was for her an elysian journey
- elusive
- evasive; baffling; hard to grasp. Trying to pin down exactly whent he contractors would be done remodeling the house, Nancy was frustrated by their elusive replies. elude v
- elucidate
- explain; enlighten. He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article
- eloquence
- expressiveness; persuasive speech. The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King's eloquence
- ellipitical
- ova;; ambiguous, either purposely or because key words have been left out. An ellipitical billiard ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round; an ellipitical remark baffles because it is not perfectly clear
- ellipsis
- omission of words from a text. Sometimes an ellipsis can lead to a dangling modifier, as in the sentence 'Once dressed... you should refrigerate the potato salad."
- elixir
- cure-all; something invigorating. The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir
- elicit
- draw out by discussion. The detectives tried to elicit where he had hidden his loot
- elegy
- poem or song expressing lamentation. On the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy 'Lycidas' elegiacal adj
- elated
- overjoyed; in high spirits. Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her fifth Olympic gold medal, elation N
- elaboration
- addition of details, intricacy. tell what happened simply, without any elaboration. elaborate v
- ejaculation
- exclamation. He could not repress an ejaculation of surprise when he heard the news.
- egress
- exit. Barnum's sign 'To the Egress' fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and isntead found themselves in the street
- egregious
- notorious; conspicuously bad or shocking. She was an egregious liar; we all knew better than to believe a word she said.
- egotistical
- excessivel self-centered; self-important; conceited. Typical egotistical remark; 'But enough of this chitchat about you and your little problems. Let's talk about what's really important: Me!" egotistic adj egotism n
- egoism
- excessively interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others. HIs egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his colleagues.
- effusive
- pouring forth; gushing. Unmoved by Martha's many compliments on his performance, George dismissed her effusive words of praise as the sentimental outpourings of emotional fool
- effrontery
- impudence; shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness, thick face skin. Inna has effrontery and ask the waitress to give her some extra napkins.
- effluvium
- noxious smeell. Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons in the air arehazards to lie. effluvia PL
- effigy
- dummy. the mob showed its irritation by hanging the judge in effigy
- efficacy
- power to produce desied effect. The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage efficacious adj
- effete
- lacking vigor; worn out; sterile. Is the Democratic Party still a vital political force, or is it an effete, powerless faction, wedded to outmoded liberal policies?
- effervescence
- inner excitement or exuberance; bubbling from fermentation or carbonation. Nothing depressed Sue for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself. Soda that loses it s effervescence goes flat. effervescent. effervesce v
- effeminate
- having wormanly traits. 'Effeminate men intrigue me more than anything in the world. I see them as my alter egos. I feel very drawn to them. I think like a guy, but I'm femine. So I relate to femine men,' (Madonna)
- effectual
- able to produce a desired effect; valid. Medical researchers are concerned because of the development of drug-resistant strains of bacterial many once-useful antibiotics are no longer effectual in curing bacterial infections.
- efface
- rub out. The coin had been handled so many times that its date had been effaced.
- eerie
- weird. I that eerie setting, it was esay to believe in ghosts and other super natural beings
- edify
- instruct; correct morally. Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened
- edict
- decree (especially one issued by a sovereign).; offical command. The emperor issued an edict decreeing that everyone should come see him model his magnificent new clothes
- eddy
- swirling current of water, air, etc. The water in the tide poor was still, except for an occasional eddy.
- ecstasy
- rapture; joy; any overpowering emotion. When Allison received her long-hoped for letter of acceptance from Harvard, she was in ecstasy, ecstatic adj
- economy
- efficiency or conciseness in using something. Reading the epigrams of Pope, I admire the economy of his verse; in few words he conveys worlds of meaning (secondary meaning)
- ecologist
- person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environmet. The ecologist was concered that the new dam would upset the natural balance of the creatures living in Glen Canyon
- eclipse
- darken; extinguish; surpass. The new stock market high eclipsed the previous record set in 1985
- eccelsiastic
- pertaining to the church. The minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and walked ot the pulpit.
- eccentricity
- oddity; idiosyncrasy. Some of his friends tried to account for his rudeness to strangers as the eccentricity of genius
- eccentric
- irregular; odd; whimsica; bizarre. The comet veered dangerously close to the earth in its eccentric orbit
- ebullient
- showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm. Amy's ebullient nature could not be repressed; she was always bubbling over with excitement, ebullience N
- ebb
- recede; lessen. Sitting on the beach, Mrs, Dalloway watched the tide ebb; the waters receded, drawing away from her as she sat there all alone
- earthy
- unrefined; coarse. his earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in his audience.