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Sungwoo's GRE Vocabulary (Barron's): C

Flashcard's for the wonderful GRE vocabulary set provided by Sungwoo Park at http://www.postech.ac.kr/~gla/gre/
I'll be adding more words as i find them mixed in the other letters! stay tuned...

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
cavalcade
procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade; CF. cavalry
compromise
adjust or settle by making mutual concessions; endanger the interests or reputation of; put into danger, disrepute, or a dishonorable position; Ex. compromise one's principle; N.
cosmic
pertaining to the universe; vast
cumbersome
heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome; Ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform
charlatan
quack; pretender to knowledge
complement
complete; consummate; make perfect; N.
cursive
flowing; running; having the successive letters joined
criteria
standards used in judging; CF. criterion
capacious
spacious
chauvinist
blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvinism; Nicolas Chauvin
caulk
make watertight
consistency
absence of contradictions; uniformity; degree of thickness or firmness; Ex. consistency of thick cream; CF. viscous
clique
small exclusive group of people
complacency
self-satisfaction; smugness; ADJ. complacent
catechism
book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize
confidant
trusted friend
conscientious
scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker
collusion
conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others; V. collude
carnivorous
meat-eating; N. carnivore; CF. herbivore
concomitant
that which accompanies; Ex. Deafness is a frequent concomitant of old age; ADJ: existing or happening together with something else
coroner
public official who investigates any death thought to be of other than natural causes
castigation
punishment; severe criticism or disapproval
centrifuge
machine that separates substances by whirling them
clientele
body of customers
connotation
suggested or implied meaning of an expression; V. connote
cognizance
knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowledge; aware
comatose
in a coma; extremely sleepy
compact
agreement; contract; ADJ: tightly packed; firm; brief; concise; Ex. compact statement
collaborate
work together; cooperate treasonably with the enemy
carcinogenic
causing cancer; N. carcinogen
circlet
small ring; band of gold, silver, jewel, etc.
cordial
warmly friendly; gracious; heartfelt; Ex. cordial welcome
chapel
small church (in a prison, college, or hospital)
crone
hag; ugly old woman
cerebral
pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum
comprise
include; consist of
cartographer
map-maker
cohabit
live together
corporeal
bodily ; of a bodily form; material; tangible
canny
shrewd in money matters; thrifty
circuitous
roundabout
coalesce
combine; fuse; N. coalescence
crescendo
increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent
convoke
call together; Ex. convoke Parliament; N. convocation
clangor
loud resounding noise; sound of repeated clanging
conservatory
school of the fine arts ; glass-enclosed area; CF. conservancy
compute
reckon; calculate
confluence
flowing together; the place where two rivers flow together; crowd; gathering together
canker
any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil; CF. cancer
circumvent
outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around
coeval
living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age
couple
join; unite; OP. uncouple
civil
having to do with citizens; not military or religious; courteous and polite; Ex. married in a civil ceremony; Ex. civil strife/disorder/law; N. civility; CF. civic
chasten
discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. castigate
conscript
draftee; person forced into military service; V.
culinary
relating to cooking or kitchen
cower
shrink quivering as from fear; cringe
congenial
pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one's tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather
contumacious
stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority
charisma
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism
calculated
deliberately planned; likely
circumspect
prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought
consummate
complete; V.
conventional
ordinary; typical; not nuclear; Ex. conventional weapons
colossal
huge
countermand
cancel; revoke
cistern
reservoir or water tank
court
attempt to gain; seek; woo; risk; behave so as to invite; attempt to gain the favor of by attention; Ex. court disaster
canter
slow gallop; V. CF. trot
carrion
rotting flesh of a dead body; CF. vulture
cardiologist
doctor specializing in ailments of the heart
concession
an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded; point, right, etc. given unwillingly; privilege of maintaining a business in a certain place; Ex. oil concessions in the North sea; CF. concessionaire
cohere
stick together
catharsis
purging or cleansing of any passage of the body; purging and weakening of strong emotions as a result of experiencing a dramatic work of art
curator
superintendent; manager
catcall
shout of disapproval or displeasure ; boo; V.
cohesion
tendency to keep together
corrode
destroy or wear away gradually by chemical action
censure
blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N: severe criticism; strong disapproval
concede
admit; acknowledge as being true ; yield; grant; Ex. concede a goal
cynical
skeptical or distrustful of human motives; N. cynicism; CF. cynic: person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness
champion
support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly
crypt
secret recess or vault usually used for burial; underground room
cognitive
having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing
conveyance
vehicle; transfer; act of conveying; Ex. public conveyance
clout
great influence ; hard blow with fist
choreography
art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances
condescend
bestow courtesies with a superior air; descend to the level of one considered inferior
captious
faultfinding; too critical
cogent
convincing
crass
very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; Ex. crass behavior
coterie
group that meets socially; select circle; close group of people with shared interests
chide
scold; rebuke
cache
hiding place; V.
coquette
flirt; flirtatious woman; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings; V.
convex
curving outward
correlation
mutual relationship
complicity
participation; involvement
convention
social or moral custom; established practice; formal meeting; international agreement
capacity
mental or physical ability; role; position or duty; ability to accommodate; Ex. in my capacity as president
caprice
whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause
cleave
split or sever; cling to; remain faithful to; N. cleavage; ADJ. cloven
cameo
shell or jewel carved in relief; star"s special appearance in a minor role in a film
claustrophobia
fear of being locked in
chisel
swindle or cheat; N: wedgelike tool for cutting
contrived
unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; Ex. The ending was rather contrived.
commensurate
equal in extent; of the same size
cubicle
small chamber used for sleeping or work
cathartic
purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ.
calorific
heat-producing; N. calorie
confine
shut in an enclosed space; restrict; keep within limits; N. confinement
censorious
severely critical
cabal
small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
cadence
rhythmic rise and fall ; beat; regular beat of sound; rhythm
corrosive
eating away by chemicals or disease; fierce
conspiracy
treacherous plot; secret plan against the law
congenital
existing at birth
carefree
free from worries; having no problems
connoisseur
person competent to act as a judge of art, etc. ; a lover of an art
commiserate
feel or express pity or sympathy for
coincidence
the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coincident; CF. coincidental
crux
essential or main point; Ex. the crux of the problem; ADJ. crucial: of deciding importance
comeuppance
deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke
corpulent
very fat; N. corpulence
catapult
slingshot; hurling machine; V: fire from catapult
circumlocution
indirect or roundabout expression
contention
assertion; claim; thesis; struggling; competition
countenance
approve; support; tolerate; Ex. countenance his rude behavior; N: face; appearance
condign
adequate; severe and well deserved
collateral
security given for loan; ADJ: secondary; descended from the same person but through different sons or daughters
copious
plentiful
contentious
quarrelsome; controversial; likely to cause arguments
compilation
listing of information in tabular or book form; compiling
caricature
distortion; burlesque
commodious
spacious and comfortable
cherubic
angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order
clandestine
secret
carnage
destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals
cede
yield to ; surrender formally; N. cession
check
stop motion; curb or restrain
chaffing
bantering; joking
clairvoyant
having foresight; fortune teller; N. clairvoyance
conflagration
great fire
cloister
monastery or convent
constituent
supporter; voter; member of a constituency; component
conformity
harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity; Ex. behave in conformity with; V. conform: be similar; act in agreement; comply; Ex. conform to the rule; CF. conformance
composure
mental calmness
concord
harmony; accord
culpable
deserving blame; blameworthy
contortions
twistings; distortions; V. contort: twist violently out of shape; CF. contortionist
carping
petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble
crevice
crack; fissure
capitulate
surrender; give up all resistance
corollary
natural consequence
crabbed
sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting
combustible
easily burned; N. CF. combustion
curb
chain or strap used with a bit to restrain a horse; something that checks; V: check; restrain
concoct
prepare by mixing or combining; make up in concert; devise so as to deceive; Ex. concoct an elaborate excuse for being late; N. concoction
cadaverous
like a corpse; pale
chronic
long established as a disease
consequential
self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result; Ex. consequential air; CF. subsequent
complaisant
trying to please; obliging; willing to please others
courier
messenger
condiments
seasonings; spices
conjure
cause to appear by magic; summon by magical power; practice magic ; evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; Ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat.
comprehensive
broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive
centurion
Roman army officer
condone
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
conjecture
surmise; guess; V.
concave
hollow; curved inwards; OP. convex
comity
courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations
conviction
judgment that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief
convert
one who has adopted a different religion or opinion; V: change into another form; adopt a particular religion or belief
centigrade
denoting a widely used temperature scale
component
element; ingredient
communal
held in common; public; of a group of people; of a commune
cognate
having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N.
console
lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort; allay the sorrow of; N. consolation
chasm
abyss; very deep crack
culvert
artificial channel for water; drain crossing under a road
clarion
shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times
centaur
mythical figure, half man and half horse
chimerical
fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera: unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature
covetous
avaricious; desirous of ; V. covet: desire eagerly
cryptic
mysterious; hidden; secret
canvass
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N.
contrite
penitent; repentant; N. contrition
conceit
vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one's own value; extravagant metaphor
coiffure
hairstyle
conifer
pine tree ; cone-bearing tree; ADJ. coniferous; CF. deciduous; CF. evergreen
casualty
serious or fatal accident; person killed or wounded in an accident or battle
chafe
warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N.
compassion
sympathy for the suffering of others; ADJ. compassionate
cumulative
growing by addition; accumulative
colloquy
informal discussion; conversation
cozen
cheat; hoodwink; swindle
consolidation
unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger; V. consolidate: merge; strengthen
coup
highly successful action or sudden attack; coup d"etat; CF. coup de grace: deathblow or shot which kills
carousal
drunken revel; V. carouse
climactic
relating to the highest point; N. climax; CF. climatic
cajole
persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle
ceremonious
marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy
carnal
fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body
complementary
serving to complete something
convoluted
coiled around; twisted; involved; complicated; intricate; complex; N. convolution: twist; one of the convex folds of the surface of the brain
cantankerous
ill-humored; irritable
chaotic
in utter disorder
cataclysm
deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change
caucus
private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston
connivance
pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend; V. connive: feign ignorance ; cooperate secretly in an illegal action; conspire
candor
frankness; open honesty; ADJ. candid
conducive
helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. conduce to/towards
concurrent
happening at the same time; in agreement
conciliatory
reconciling; soothing; V. conciliate: reconcile; soothe; win the friendly feelings
cordon
extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress; V.
construe
explain; interpret; Ex. construe her silence as meaning that she agreed; CF. misconstrue
canto
division of a long poem
cascade
small waterfall
clemency
disposition to be lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement
collation
a light meal; collating
cringe
shrink back as if in fear; cower
controvert
oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict; ADJ. controversial; N. controversy
converse
opposite; ADJ.
concentric
having a common center
centripetal
tending toward the center
concerted
mutually agreed on; done together by agreement; Ex. concerted effort; CF. in concert: working together
circumscribe
limit; confine; draw a line around
cerebration
thought; working of the brain
contingent
dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional; happening by chance; accidental; N: a group of soldiers, ships to a larger force; CF. contingency: future event that may or may not occur; possibility; Ex. prepare for every contingency
conundrum
riddle; difficult problem
commandeer
take for military use without needing permission or giving payment; draft for military purposes
choleric
hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera
conduit
aqueduct; passageway for fluids
chameleon
lizard that changes color in different situations
comport
bear one's self; behave; Ex. comport oneself; N. comportment
cornucopia
horn overflowing with fruit and grain; symbol of abundance; horn of plenty
contusion
bruise
cloying
distasteful ; excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess
corroborate
confirm; support; strengthen
caliber
ability; quality; diameter of the inside of a round cylinder; Ex. work of very high caliber
collage
work of art put together from fragments
centrifugal
radiating; departing from the center
compound
combine; produce by combining; increase; make worse by adding to or increasing; exacerbate; Ex. compound an error; ADJ: consisting of two or more parts; N: combination of two or more parts; area enclosed by a wall containing a group of buildings; Ex. factory compound; CF. complex
consonance
harmony; agreement
craven
cowardly
comestible
something fit to be eaten
converge
approach; tend to meet; come together
clime
climate
condole
express condolences; N. condolence: sympathy for someone who has experienced great sorrow
colander
utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
codify
arrange as a code; classify; N. code: system of words used instead of ordinary writing; collection of laws, rules, established social customs
consanguinity
kinship; relationship by birth
clamor
loud continuous noise; continuous demand or complaint made by a large number of people; V: make a clamor; express continually and loudly; ADJ. clamorous
contend
struggle; compete; assert earnestly; state strongly
cliche
phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; platitude; ADJ. cliched
corrugated
wrinkled; ridged
contravene
contradict; oppose; violate ; N. contravention
canine
related to dogs; doglike
catholic
universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes
chary
cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or restrained about giving; OP. bold
contraband
illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods; ADJ.
credence
belief
coda
concluding section of a musical or literary composition
creed
system of religious or ethical belief
coin
make coins; invent or fabricate ; N. coinage: word or phrase recently invented
chase
ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch
contaminate
pollute
coercion
use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce
caldron
large kettle
carapace
shell covering the back
carillon
a set of bells capable of being played
compunction
remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt
careen
lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger
crestfallen
dejected; dispirited
compelling
overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one's attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel
canard
unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report
callow
youthful; immature; inexperienced
contiguous
adjacent to; touching upon
calumny
malicious misrepresentation; slander
codicil
supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will
clapper
striker of a bell
comely
attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
cessation
stoppage
chagrin
annoyance and disappointment; vexation
chalice
goblet; consecrated cup
churlish
boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo
clamber
climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble
camaraderie
good-fellowship; CF. comrade
cuisine
style of cooking; Ex. French cuisine
coagulate
congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant
compatible
harmonious; in harmony with; able to exist together
chronicle
report; record
cohorts
group of people who share some common quality; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 soldiers under one commander
cavil
quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault unnecessarily
celibate
abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy
censor
overseer of morals ; person who eliminates inappropriate matter; V.
congruence
correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship; CF. congruity
cupidity
greed ; CF. cupid; CF. Cupid
covenant
binding agreement between two groups or people; compact; V: enter into a covenant; promise
coddle
treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs
cavalier
casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight
conception
beginning; forming of an idea; fertilization; V. conceive: form an idea in the mind; devise; become pregnant; CF. inception
cynosure
object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor
calligraphy
beautiful writing; excellent penmanship
contempt
scorn; disdain; ADJ. contemptuous; CF. contemptible
cog
tooth projecting from a wheel
convene
come together; assemble; call to meet; Ex. convene the council
cull
pick out from others ; reject; select; collect ; N.
conclave
private secret meeting
conversant
familiar with; having knowledge of
cardinal
chief; most important; N: priest; cardinal number: number that shows quantity rather than order
capricious
unpredictable; fickle
caste
one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society; social stratification; prestige
continence
self-restraint; sexual chastity; sexual abstinence; voluntary control over bladder and bowel functions; ADJ. continent
credulity
belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete; ADJ. credulous
carafe
glass water bottle; decanter
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious
culmination
highest point; climax; V. culminate in: reach the highest point in; end in; Ex. a series of minor clashes culminating in war
context
writings preceding and following the passage quoted; circumstance in which an event occurs
coalition
partnership; league; union of separate political parties
covert
secret; hidden; implied; OP. overt
compliant
readily acting in accordance with a rule, order, or the wishes or others; yielding; conforming to requirements
cow
terrorize; intimidate
celerity
speed; rapidity
cauterize
burn with hot iron or caustic substance to stop bleeding and prevent infection
caustic
burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical action; sarcastically biting; intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless
cantata
story set to music to be sung by a chorus
carat
unit of weight for precious stones; measure of the purity of gold
conjugal
pertaining to marriage
credo
creed
cursory
casual; hastily done with little attention to detail
chastise
punish as by beating; criticize severely
curmudgeon
churlish, miserly individual; bad-tempered old person
confiscate
seize; take possession of by official order ; commandeer
constraint
restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings; reticence; V. constrain: hold back; restrain; compel; oblige; confine forcibly; imprison
celestial
heavenly
consign
send to a person or place for sale; deliver officially; entrust; put into the care of another; set apart ; N. consignment; CF. consignor, consignee
cogitate
think over; ponder
crotchety
eccentric; odd; whimsical; bad-tempered; N. crotchet: odd or whimsical notion
cite
quote; commend; Ex. cited for bravery in an official record
conclusive
decisive; ending all debate
connubial
pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state
cession
yielding to another; ceding
conglomeration
mass of material sticking together
concatenate
link as in a chain
catalyst
agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis
consecrate
dedicate; sanctify; declare as sacred; Ex. consecrate one's life to helping the poor
compress
force into less space; squeeze; contract; put into fewer words; N: thick mass of cloth pressed to part of the body to stop bleeding or swelling, reduce fever, etc.
catastrophe
calamity ; disaster
congeal
freeze; coagulate
counterpart
thing that completes another; things very much alike; thing that has the same purpose in a different system
contagion
infection ; ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air
consort
associate with; keep company; N: husband or wife
concise
brief and compact
chivalrous
courteous; faithful; brave; N. chivalry
ciliated
having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash
causal
implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality
colloquial
pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression
chaplain
clergyman attached to a chapel
collate
examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order
chortle
chuckle with delight; N.
compliance
conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; disposition to yield to others; V. comply
certitude
certainty
cipher
nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V.
congruent
in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous
colossus
gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance
coy
shy ; showing a lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offer
cataract
great waterfall; eye abnormality
cant
insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people
compensatory
making up for; repaying
cacophonous
discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony: unpleasant mixture of loud sounds
categorical
without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute
chassis
framework and working parts of an automobile; framework to which components are attached
contest
dispute; argue about the rightness of; compete for; try to win; Ex. contest the election results; Ex. contest a seat in Parliament; N.
curtail
shorten; reduce
compile
assemble; gather; accumulate; make from facts and information found in various places; Ex. compile a dictionary
cadaver
corpse; dead human body
chaff
worthless products of an endeavor; husk separated from grain; Ex. separate the wheat from the chaff
clavicle
collarbone
consensus
general agreement; opinion reached by a group
commemorative
remembering; honoring the memory of; Ex. commemorative stamp
convivial
pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; gay; characterized by joviality; jovial
citadel
fortress
callous
hardened; unfeeling; without sympathy for the sufferings of others; unkind
concur
agree; coincide; happen at the same time
chicanery
trickery; deception
chaste
morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple ; not highly decorated; austere
caption
title; chapter heading; text under illustration
calamity
disaster; misery
checkered
marked by great changes in fortune; with many changes of fortune; CF. checked: having a pattern of squares
cornice
projecting molding on building
cleft
split
capillary
having a very fine bore; resembling a hair; fine and slender; Ex. capillary attraction; N: very fine hairlike tube; CF. capillarity
confound
confuse; puzzle

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