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GRE Vocab 06
PR- Hit Parade Group 2
72
General Vocab
Undergraduate 3
06/27/2009

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Cards

Term
abate
Definition
to lessen in intensity or degree
Term
accolade
Definition
an expression of praise
Term
adulation
Definition
excessive praise; intense adoration
Term
aesthetic
Definition
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
Term
ameliorate
Definition
to make better or more tolerable
Term
ascetic
Definition
one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
Term
avarice
Definition
greed, esp. for wealth
Term
burgeon
Definition
to grow rapidly or flourish
Term
bucolic
Definition
rustic & pastoral; characteristic of rural areas & their inhabitants
Term
cacophony
Definition
harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
Term
canon
Definition
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
Term
castigation
Definition
severe criticism or punishment
Term
catalyst
Definition
a person/thing that causes change
Term
caustic
Definition
burning or stinging; causing corrosion
Term
chary
Definition
wary; cautious; sparing
Term
cogent
Definition
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
Term
complaisance
Definition
the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
Term
contentious
Definition
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
Term
contrite
Definition
regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
Term
culpable
Definition
deserving blame
Term
demur
Definition
to question or oppose
Term
didactic
Definition
intended to teach or instruct
Term
discretion
Definition
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
Term
dogmatic
Definition
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
Term
ebullience
Definition
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
Term
eclectic
Definition
composed of elements drawn from various sources
Term
emollient
Definition
soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
Term
empirical
Definition
based on observation/experiment
Term
enigmatic
Definition
mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
Term
ephemeral
Definition
brief; fleeting
Term
esoteric
Definition
intended for or understood by a small, specific group
Term
eulogy
Definition
a speech honoring the dead
Term
exonerate
Definition
to remove blame
Term
facetious
Definition
playful, humorous
Term
fallacy
Definition
an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
Term
furtive
Definition
marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
Term
gregarious
Definition
sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of others
Term
harangue
Definition
to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
Term
heretical
Definition
violating accepted dogma or convention
Term
hyperbole
Definition
an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
Term
impecunious
Definition
lacking funds; without money
Term
incipient
Definition
beginning to come into being or to become apparent
Term
inert
Definition
unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
Term
innocuous
Definition
harmless; causing no damage
Term
intransigent
Definition
refusing to compromise
Term
inveigle
Definition
to obtain by deception/flattery
Term
morose
Definition
sad, sullen, melancholy
Term
odious
Definition
evoking intense aversion/dislike
Term
opaque
Definition
impenetrable by light; not reflected by light
Term
oscillation
Definition
the act/state of swinging back/forth with a steady uninterrupted rhythm
Term
penurious
Definition
penny-pinching, excessively thrifty, ungenerous
Term
pernicious
Definition
extremely harmful; potentially causing death
Term
peruse
Definition
to examine with great care
Term
pious
Definition
extremely reverent or devout, showing strong religious devotion
Term
precursor
Definition
one that precedes & indicates or announces another
Term
preen
Definition
to dress up, to primp, to groom oneself with elaborate care
Term
prodigious
Definition
abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
Term
prolific
Definition
producing large volumes/amounts; productive
Term
putrefy
Definition
to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
Term
quaff
Definition
to drink deeply
Term
quiescence
Definition
stillness, motionlessness, quality of being at rest
Term
redoubtable
Definition
awe-inspiring, worthy of honor
Term
sanction
Definition
authoritative permission/approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority to
Term
satire
Definition
a literary work that ridicules/criticizes a human vice through humor/derision
Term
squalid
Definition
sordid; wretched & dirty as from neglect
Term
stoic
Definition
indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure/pain; steadfast
Term
supplant
Definition
to take the place of; supersede
Term
torpid
Definition
lethargic, sluggish, dormant
Term
ubiquitous
Definition
existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
Term
urbane
Definition
sophisticated; refined; elegant
Term
vilify
Definition
to defame; to characterize harshly
Term
viscous
Definition
thick; sticky
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