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GRE
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41
Other
Undergraduate 3
07/24/2012

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Term

badgernoun 

[image][image]/ˈbædʒ.ər /
Definition

repeatedly and annoyingly ask (someone) to do something:journalists badgered him about the deals

  • Tom had finally badgered her into going


Term

nagverb 

[image][image]/næg/ [I or T] (-gg-)
Definition

to criticize or complain often in an annoying way

[+ object + to infinitive] My mum's always nagging me to get my hair cut.
If she'd only stop nagging at me, I might actually help.
I'm always nagging him about his diet.
she constantly nags her daughter about getting married
Term

badinagenoun 

[image][image]/ˈbæd.ɪ.nɑːʒ/ [U] literary
Definition

humorous or witty conversation:

I agree with you here, in fact I usually agree with you; my previous post was a lame attempt at humorous badinage.


A good article, albeit with an unbecoming badinage in the title of [Beware of Beijing model].

It’s also unbecoming and how stupid and ignorant of Wei-Wei Zhang of Fudan University to claim [“China had the capacity to learn from the West, but the West does not have this capacity to learn”].

Term

baffleverb 

[image][image]/ˈbæf.l ̩/ [T]
Definition

to cause someone to be completely unable to understand or explain something, confuse 

  • an unexplained occurrence that baffled everyone
  • It baffles me to read and to see just how many can earn a living from pointing fingers; how many gain support by questioning the obviously unclear by a clever arrangement of words.
 
Term

bewilderverb 

[image][image]/bɪˈwɪl.dər /[image]/-dɚ/ [T]
Definition
to confuse someone
The instructions completely bewildered me.

bewildered adjective 

[image][image]/bɪˈwɪl.dəd/[image]/-dɚd/
Arriving in a strange city at night, I felt alone and bewildered.
Term

bagatellenoun (SMALL AMOUNT

[image][image]/ˌbæg.əˈtel/
Definition

 something, especially a sum of money, that is small and not important

A thousand pounds is a mere bagatelle to him.

German taxes: Not a mere bagatelle 

  • dealing with these boats was a mere bagatelle for the world’s oldest yacht club
Term

baitnoun (FISH/ANIMAL

[image][image]/beɪt/
Definition

a small amount of food on a hook (= curved piece of wire) or in a special device used to attract and catch a fish or animal

They were digging up worms to use for bait.
We put down some poisoned bait to kill the rats.

V: to entrap or seduce 
Soon, all our oil will be consumed by China, while the last vestiges of our manufacturing and resource development are "free trade" bait.
Term

balefuladjective 

[image][image]/ˈbeɪl.fəl/ literary
Definition

full of evil intentions; threatening

He gave me a baleful look.
his baleful influence
All this also makes LEDs an attractive alternative to the baleful orange glow of traditional sodium streetlights
Term

menacingadjective 

[image][image]/ˈmen.ɪ.sɪŋ/
Definition

making you think that someone is going to do something bad

a menacing look/gesture
SO GRAVE, so menacing, so unstoppable has the euro crisis become that even rescue talk only fuels ever-rising panic
Term

balkverb 

(also  baulk[image][image]/bɔːk/[image]/bɑːlk/ [I]
Definition

hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking:

I balked at the prospect of spending four hours on a train with him.

 

Why consumers balk at companies' efforts to rebrand themselves.

Term

balmnoun 

[image][image]/bɑːm/ [C or U]
Definition

something that has a soothing or restorative effect

something that gives comfort,  having a gently calming effect:

Her gentle words were a balm to me.

Self-repairing materials

A healing balm

Materials that can repair themselves are under development

Term

balmyadjective 

[image][image]/ˈbɑː.mi/
Definition
1. Having the quality or fragrance of balm; soothing.
2. Mild and pleasant: a balmy breeze.
Slang: mentally unstable, insane


Term

banaladjective 

[image][image]/bəˈnɑːl/
Definition

boring, ordinary and not original

songs with banal, repeated words

Women underachieve in academics, writing, book publishing and even banal things like Wikipedia authorship.

Even with genderless, anonymous, user-contributed, web publications like Wikipedia, Wikipedia internal surveys has found over 90% of their contributors are male. It is hard to see what sex bias may lurk in Wikipedia.

Term

banenoun 

[image][image]/beɪn/
Definition

a cause of continuous trouble or unhappiness

  • the telephone was the bane of my lifethat is the bane of corruption in Nigeria- political office has become a 'do or die affair' because of the enormous 'legal' salaries and benefits/allowances politicians receive.

    I used the word "bane" in the second sense, of "a source of persistent annoyance and exasperation". I doubt that many would disagree with this meaning, obviously not the Palestinians!


Term

banternoun 

[image][image]/ˈbæn.tər 
Definition

the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks:there was much good-natured banter

the men bantered with the waitressesWe need to stop distracting ourselves as voters with this stupid banter, let's focus on real issues...budget expenses. 

Term

wittyadjective 

[image][image]/ˈwɪt.i/[image]/
Definition

using words in a clever and funny way

a witty comment/remark
He was witty and very charming
Term

barbarousadjective 

[image][image]/ˈbɑː.bər.əs/
Definition
  • 1extremely brutal:many early child-rearing practices were barbarous by modern standardsdescribes behaviour that is extremely cruel or unpleasant, or fails to reach acceptable social standards
    His murder was an outrageous and barbarous act.

  • 2primitive and uncivilized:a remote and barbarous country
Term

baroqueadjective 

[image][image]/bəˈrɒk/[image]/-ˈrɑːk/
Definition

elating to the heavily decorated style in buildings, art and music that was popular in Europe in the 17th century and the early part of the 18th century, overdecorated, showy

baroque architecture/painters

Vienna as a business hub

Baroque ain’t everything

Term

barragenoun (ATTACK

[image][image]/ˈbær.ɑːʒ/
Definition
continuous firing of large guns to protect soldiers advancing on an enemy, heavy attack
an artillery barrage
a barrage of sth
a great number of complaints, criticisms or questions suddenly directed at someone
The TV station has received a barrage of complaints about the amount of violence in the series.
He faced a barrage of questions over his handling of the problem.
Term

baskverb 

[image][image]/bɑːsk/
Definition

lie exposed to warmth and light, typically from the sun, for relaxation and pleasure:

We could see seals on the rocks, basking in the sun.

Bask in the glory of the society's highest accolade.

Term

bastionnoun 

[image][image]/ˈbæs.ti.ən/
Definition
  • a projecting part of a fortification built at an angle to the line of a wall, so as to allow defensive fire in several directions.
  • a natural rock formation resembling a man-made bastion.

    While we're at it we need to 'gut' the defense department in the sense that we need to totally recreate how we award contracts for military equipment. Having worked in that industry I can tell you it's a bastion of socialism, incompetence and corruption.

Term

baublenoun 

[image][image]/ˈbɔː.bl ̩/
Definition

a small, showy trinket or decoration, especially (British) a light, brightly coloured sphere hung on a Christmas tree:the baubles on a Christmas tree

The feudal-elite system that makes Thailand such a wonderful bauble of fascination for tourists and unethical business interests

Term

indecentadjective (IMMORAL

[image][image]/ɪnˈdiː.sənt/
Definition

morally offensive, especially in a sexual way

an indecent act/photograph
She accused him of making indecent suggestions to her.
Term

bawdyadjective 

[image][image]/ˈbɔː.di/
Definition

containing humorous remarks about sex

bawdy humour/songs
  • humorously indecent talk or writing.
She was dark and weird, sad and bawdy—a modern hotchpotch with some richly anachronistic ingredients. And her voice—that voice—was the robust stuff of anthem ballads and velvet growls
Term

beaconnoun 

[image][image]/ˈbiː.kən/ [C]
Definition

a light or fire on the top of a hill that acts as a warning or signal

her red hair was like a beacon in the night

the prospect of a new government was a beacon of hope for millions

Islam, Christianity and Africa

A beacon of faiths

In Africa religious war is neither inevitable nor impossible

Term

bedlamnoun 

[image][image]/ˈbed.ləm/
Definition

a noisy situation with no order

It was bedlam at the football ground after the match was suspended.
It was the korean war where alleged american use of germ weapons caused international bedlam.
Term

befuddledadjective 

[image][image]/bɪˈfʌd.l ̩d/
Definition

confused

I'm so tired, my poor befuddled brain can't absorb any more.
  • even in my befuddled state I could see that they meant trouble
Term

begetverb 

[image][image]/bɪˈget/ [
Definition

to cause

Poverty begets hunger, and hunger begets crime.
  • killings beget more killings
Term

begrudgeverb 

[image][image]/bɪˈgrʌdʒ/ [T]
Definition
  • [with two objects] envy (someone) the possession or enjoyment of (something):she begrudged Martin his affluence
  • 2 [with object] give reluctantly or resentfully:nobody begrudges a single penny spent on health
Term

beguileverb 

[image][image]/bɪˈgaɪl/ 
Definition

to persuade, attract or interest, sometimes in order to deceive

The salesman beguiled him into buying a car he didn't want.

mountains and the serene ambience of the Thai city of Chiang Saen beguile visitors to the Mekong river in an area dubbed the Golden Triangle. This is where the borders of three countries, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, converge.

Term

behemothnoun 

[image][image]/bɪˈhiː.mɒθ/
Definition

something that is extremely large and often extremely powerful

a grocery chain behemoth

shoppers are now more loyal to their local shops than to faceless behemoths

Wal-Mart

The behemoth from Bentonville

The world's biggest retailer may have hidden weaknesses

Term

beholdenadjective 

[image][image]/bɪˈhəʊl.dən/
Definition

feeling you have a duty to someone because they have done something for you

She wanted to be independent and beholden to no one.
The political problem with instituting a guest worker program today is that the Democrats are partially beholden to the labor unions, who don't want cheap non-union labor
Term

beleagueredadjective 

[image][image]/bɪˈliː.gəd/
Definition

put in a very difficult situation:the board is supporting the beleaguered director

troubled by someone or a situation

The arrival of the fresh medical supplies was a welcome sight for the beleaguered doctors working in the refugee camps.
Term

belittleverb 

[image][image]/bɪˈlɪt.l ̩/
Definition

to make an action or a person seem like they are not important

Though she had spent hours fixing the computer, he belittled her efforts.
Stop belittling yourself - your work is highly valued.
Term

belligerentadjective 

[image][image]/bəˈlɪdʒ.ər.ənt/
Definition

wishing to fight or argue

a belligerent person
a belligerent gesture
Watch out! Lee's in a belligerent mood.
hostile and aggressive:the mood at the meeting was belligerent
Term

bellowverb 

[image][image]/ˈbel.əʊ/[image]/-oʊ/ [I or T]
Definition

to shout in a loud voice, or (of a cow or large animal) to make a loud, deep sound

[+ speech] "Keep quiet!" the headmaster bellowed across the room.
We could hear the sergeant bellowing commands to his troops.
Term

benevolentadjective 

[image][image]/bɪˈnev.əl.ənt/
Definition

kind and helpful

He was a benevolent old man, he wouldn't hurt a fly.

Kazakhstan's benevolent father

Term

benignadjective 

[image][image]/bɪˈnaɪn/
Definition

pleasant and kind

a benign old lady
his benign but firm manner

Benign bonuses |

Religion in China: When opium can be benign 

Russia's Muslims: A benign growth

Term

bequeathverb 

[image][image]/bɪˈkwiːð/ 
Definition
  • leave (property) to a person or other beneficiary by a will:he bequeathed his art collection to the town
  • pass (something) on or leave (something) to someone else:he ditched the unpopular policies bequeathed to him
Term

berateverb 

[image][image]/bɪˈreɪt/
Definition

to criticize or speak in an angry manner to someone

As he left the meeting, he was berated by angry demonstrators.
Doctors are often berated for being poor communicators, particularly when they have to give patients bad news.
Term

scoldverb 

[image][image]/skəʊld/
Definition

to tell off someone because you disapprove of their behaviour

His mother scolded him for breaking her favourite vase.
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