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GRE Vocabulary 2
Shay
76
Other
Post-Graduate
10/14/2008

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