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GRE cards
vocabulary
88
English
Graduate
09/21/2008

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
milieu
Definition
a person's social environment
*environment
Term
acumen
Definition
ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in particular domain
*astuteness *acuity
Term
abate
Definition
less intense or wide spread.
*alleviate
Term
arbiter
Definition

a person who settles a dispute or has great authority in a manner.

one who is authorized to judge or decide 

'the decision of who would represent the ppl was made by the arbiter.

Term
welter
Definition
1. move in turbulent fashion
2. lie steeped in blood with no help or care
*confusion *jumble
Term
waffle
Definition
fail to make up one's mind
*waver
Term
vestige
Definition
trace of something disappearing or no longer exists.
*trace
*remnant
Term
vernacular
Definition
language or dialect spoken by ordinary pplin particular country or region
*ver -true
*everyday language
Term
unfettered
Definition
*unrestrained
*uninhibited
Term
ubiquitous
Definition
present, appearing, or found everywhere
*omnipresent
Term
truculent
Definition
eager or quick to argue or fight. aggressively defiant.
Term
brutality
Definition
-savagely violent- punishingly hard or uncomfortable -without any attempt to disguise unpleasantness
Term
brutality synonyms
Definition
salvage, cruel, vicious, ferocious, brutish, barbaric, barbarous, murderous, callous, heinous, abominable, atrocious
Term
truculent synonyms
Definition
defiant, aggressive, antagonistic, combative, belligerent, pugnacious, obstreperous, quarrelsome, ornery,
Term
civility, friendly
Definition
cooperative, amiable, comity, courtesy, amicable, cordial, affable, genial
Term
common synonyms
Definition
unexceptionable, frequent, recurrent, conventional, standard, prevalent, rife, widespread, established, orthodox, accepted, boorish,
Term
unique synonyms
Definition
distinctive, distinct, idiosyncratic, single, sole, unrepeated, rare, exclusive, unparalleled, peerless(uncomparable), nonpareil(no match)
Term
lethargic
Definition
sluggish, inert, inactive, torpid, lifeless, languid, listless, idle, indolent, shiftless, apathetic, weary, tired fatigued, slothful.
Term
relationships
Definition
A is a type of B
A is a characteristic of B
A is a part of/ element of B
A is not B
A is described by B
A develops into B
A is a more intense degree of B
the function/purpose of A is to B
A functions by B
Term
egress
Definition
the action of going out of or learving a place *exit *departure
Term
elucidate
Definition
make something clear, explain
Term
Emend
Definition
to make corrections or improvements (to a text(
Term
endemic
Definition
characteristic of or ofter found in a particular locality, region, or ppl
Term
engender
Definition
cause or give rise to (a feeling, a situation) *cause *arouse
Term
ephemeral
Definition
lasting for s short time,brief, fleeting
*impermanent * temporary
Term
eschew
Definition
to shun or avoid
Term
expostulate
Definition

express strong disapproval or disagreement

 

Dr. urbino thought the idea to be preposterous, and had no shame expostulating Florentino's existence. 

 

(exposing the preposterous element)

Term
extirpation
Definition
to destroy, exterminate, root out
Term
fetid
Definition
having a heavy offensive smell
Term
filibuster
Definition
intentional obstruction
Term
flag (verb)
Definition
to droop become spiritless to decline
Term
foment
Definition
to instigate or stir up
Term
gainsay
Definition

to deny dispute contradict oppose

 

'gain' against + say 

Term
garrulous
Definition
pointlessly talkative
Term
gaucheness
Definition
lacking ease or grace, unsophisticated and socially akward
Term
gourmand
Definition
a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much
Term
guileless
Definition
devoid of guile, innocent and with out deception
Term
iconoclast
Definition
a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions
Term
impervious
Definition
unaffected by
Term
implacable
Definition
unable to be placated, relentless unstoppable, *unreleasable *intransigent
Term
inertia
Definition
unmoving, lethargic, sluggish
Term
inchoate
Definition
in an initial stage, not fully formed *undeveloped
Term
incipient
Definition
in an initial stage, beginning to happen or develop *developing
Term
indigence
Definition
poor, needy
Term
intransigent
Definition
refusing to compromise
Term
inveigle
Definition
persuade someone to do something by means of deception or flattery *tempt
Term
juggernaut
Definition
a huge powerful and overwhelming force or institution
Term
labile
Definition
readily open to change
Term
laconic
Definition
using few words *terse, *brief
Term
libertine
Definition
free thinking, disregard of morality
Term
libertine
Definition
free thinking, disregard of morality
Term
list (verb)
Definition
to tilt or lean to one side
Term
mitigate
Definition
make less severe lessen the quantity of alleviate
Term
nonplussed
Definition
(of a person) surprised and confused so much that they are unsure of how to react. *unperturbed
Term
nugatory
Definition
of no value or importance; futile, useless. *trifling *vain
Term
obdurate
Definition
stubbornly refusing to change opinion or course of action. *stubborn *intransigent
Term
occlude
Definition
obstruct, block, stop up, plug up, shut in.
(a blood clot has occluded the coronary artery)
Term
officious
Definition
assertive of authority in a annoyingly domineering way esp in regard to petty or trivial matters.
intrusively enthusiastic in offering help, interfering *bumptious *overbearing *bossy
Term
paragon
Definition

person or thing regarded as perfect example of a particular quality. *model *perfect example

 

George Costanza was a paragon of all hand models with his pair of hands.

Term
parsimonious
Definition
unwilling to spend money or use resources. *stingy *frugal *cheap
Term
peccadillo
Definition
small sin relatively unimportant offense.
*misdemeanor
Term
pedant
Definition
a person who is obsessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning
Term
penchant
Definition

a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something. *liking, fondness, preference

 

a chant for pens.  i like pens. i am fond of the word pencahnt. 

Term
perfidy
Definition
n.
deceitfulness: untrustworthiness
*treachery
Term
complaisance
Definition
the quality of being agreeable or eager to please
Term
complacent
Definition
smug, self satisfied.
Term
perfunctory
Definition
(of action or gesture) carried out with minimum effort or reflection *cursory (hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed)
Term
pernicious
Definition
having a harmful effect, esp in gradual or subtle way
(Overtime, Florentino Arzia's pernicious obsession for Fermina Daza appeared to take a toll on his life.)
Term
peroration
Definition
the concluding part of a speech, typically tended to inspire enthusiasm in the audience
Term
perquisites
Definition
a thing regarded as a special right or privilege enjoyed as a result of one's position *perk (per thoroughly+ quaerere 'seek')
Term
phlegmatic
Definition

having an unemotional or stolidly calm disposition *calm cool collected composed

 

(phill seemed very calm and collected about his matted leg.) 

Term
pied
Definition
having two or more different colors *brindle *black and white *parti-colored *calico
Term
pique
Definition

a feeling of resentment, irritation *a fit of pique

 

?pi que? what did you say boy? oh i'm mad!'

Term
prevaricate
Definition

speak or act in an evasive way *lie *beat around the bush *equivocate *waffle

 

(prepare a variation of the truth)

 

dr. urbino did not prevaricate his infidelity when addressed by his wife. This action tormented fermina for she knew he had true feelings for his mistress. 

Term
probity
Definition

the quality of having strong moral principles, honesty and decency *integrity *uprightness

 

latin probus -good 

probity - toward good

Term
prodigious
Definition

remarkably great in extent,size, or degree. *massive

 

Obama has a prodigious amount of work to perform inorder to amend the econonomical crisis president bush left behind.

Term
prolix
Definition
long-winded, verbose (of text or speech)
Term
propagation
Definition
*breed *reproduce *spreed *communicate *promote
Term
propitious
Definition

giving or indicating a good sign of success, favorable *timely *auspicious (conductive to success)

 

 Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza's long over due encounter finally seemed propitious.

Term
proscribe
Definition

forbid, condemn

 

polygamy  is proscribed by law and by the Catholic church

Term
quell
Definition

put an end to (typically in manner of force)

"the officials could not quell dennis rodmend's intransigent behavior."

subdue or silence someone "clark's quelling glance across the table shut her up instantly",

suppress "Florintion Arzia began to quell his love for Fermina Daza when in public"

"its difficult to quell a quail"

Term
quiescent
Definition
a state of inactivity or dormancy
Term
quisling
Definition
a traitor who collaborates with an enemy force occupying their country
*traitor *collaborator
Term
rancor
Definition
n. bitterness or resentfulness esp. when long standing
*malice *animosity
Term
divest
Definition
deprive someone of power rights or possession
(des-expressing removal ves -garment)
Term
doff
Definition
take off , or tip (tip one's hat) doff
Term
doggerel
Definition
comic verse composed of irregular rhythm, verse or words that are badly expressed
"the last stanza deteriorates into doggerel"
Term
effusive
Definition
expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner "an effusive welcome" *sentimental
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