GRE Vocab A.txt

  1. Abeyance
    • N. Suspended action.
    • The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.
  2. Abject
    • Adj. Wretched; lacking pride.
    • On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty.
  3. Abjure
    (Abjuration, N.)
    • V. Renounce upon oath; disavow.
    • Pressure from university authorities caused th eyoung scholar to abjure his heretical opinions.
  4. Ablution
    • N. Washing.
    • His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath".
  5. Abscission.
    • N. Removal by cutting off, as in surgery; separation; also refers to
    • leaf fall.
    • Gas gangrene is so potentially deadly that doctors advise abscission
    • of the gangrenous tissue.
  6. Abstruse
    • Adj. Obscure; profound; difficult to understand.
    • Baffled by the abstruse philosophilca texts, Dave asked Lexy to explain Kant.
  7. Acclivity
    • N. Sharp upslope of a hill.
    • The care could not go up the acclivity in high gear.
  8. Accoutre
    (Accoutrement, N.)
    • V. Equip.
    • The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply.
  9. Acidulous
    • Adj. Slightly sour; sharp; caustic.
    • Jmaes was unpopular becaues of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
  10. Acme
    • N. Peak; pinnacle; highest point.
    • Welles's success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor.
  11. Acrimonious
    (Acrimony, N.)
    • Acj. Bitter in words or manner.
    • The candidate attacked his opponent in highly acrimonious terms.
  12. Actuate
    • V. Motivate.
    • I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily.
  13. Acumen
    • N. Mental keenness.
    • Her business acumen helped her to succeed where others had failed.
  14. Adjuration
    (Adjure, V.)
    N. Solemn urging. Her adjuration to tell the truth did not change the witnesses' testimony.
  15. Adjutant
    • N. Staff officer assisting the commanding; assistant.
    • Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made all major decisions.
  16. Adventitious
    • Adj. Accidental; casual.
    • She found this adventitious meeting with her friend extremely fortunate.
  17. Advert
    • V. Refer (to).
    • Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important.
  18. Aegis
    • N. Shield; defense.
    • Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured freedoms.
  19. Aggrandize
    • V. Increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank, or honor.
    • The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a President may aggrandize his power to act aggressively in internal affairs.
  20. Alimentary
    • Adj. Supplying nourishment.
    • The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of food occurs there.
  21. Alluvial
    • Adj. Pertaining to soil deposits left by running water.
    • The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile.
  22. Ambrosia
    • N. Food of the gods.
    • Ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any human who ate it.
  23. Analgesic
    • Adj. Causing insensitivity to pain.
    • The analgesic properties in this lotion will provide temporary relief.
  24. Anathema
    (Anathematize, V.)
    • N. Solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse.
    • The Ayatolla Khomeine heaped anathema upon "The Great Satan," That is, the United States. To him, America and the west were anathema.
  25. Ancillary
    • Adj. Serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary.
    • In an anciliary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, he could not solve a perplexing case on his own.
  26. Animadversion
    • N. Critical remark.
    • He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly because he realized they were true.
  27. Animus
    • N. Hostile feelign or intent.
    • The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks.
  28. Anneal
    • V. Reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling.
    • After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking.
  29. Anodyne
    • N. Drug that relieves pain; opiate.
    • His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it.
  30. Antediluvian
    • Adj. Antiquated; extremely ancient.
    • Looking at his great-aunt's antique furniture, her young heir exclaimed, "Heavens! How positively antediluvian!"
  31. Antic
    • Adj. Extravagantly odd.
    • Putting on an antic disposition, Hamlet act so odd that the Danish court thinks him mad.
  32. Aphorism
    (Aphoristic, Adj.)
    • N. Pithy maxim or saying.
    • An aphorism is usually philosophic or scientific, as compared to an adage, which is usually more homely and concrete.
  33. Apocryphal
    • Adj. Spurious; not authentic; invented rather than true.
    • although many versions exist of the famous story of Emerson's visit to Thoreau in jail, the tale is most likely apocryphal.
  34. Apogee
    • N. Highest point.
    • When the moon is furhtest away from the earth in its orbit, it is at its apogee.
  35. Apotheosis
    • N. Elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something.
    • The Roman empress Livia envied the late Emporeror Augustus his apotheosis; she hoped that she, too, would be exalted to the ranks of the gods upon her death.
  36. Apposite
    • Adj. Appropriate; fitting.
    • She was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion.
  37. Appurtenances
    • N. Subordinate possessions.
    • He bought the estate and all its appurtenances.
  38. Argot
    • N. Slang.
    • In the argot of the underworld, she was "taken for a ride."
  39. Array
    • V. Marshal; draw up in order.
    • His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him.
  40. Ascendancy
    • N. Controlling influence.
    • President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendancy over the Philippines.
  41. Asperity
    • N. Sharpness (of temper).
    • These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed.
  42. Aspersion
    • N. Slanderous remark.
    • Rather than attacking President Cleveland's arguments with logic, his opponent resorted to casting aspersions on the president's moral character.
  43. Astringent
    • Adj. Binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe.
    • The astringent quality of the unsweetened lemon juice made swallowing difficult.
  44. Atavism
    (atavistic, adj.)
    • N. Resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback.
    • In his love for gardening, Martin seemed an atavism to his Tuscan ancestors.
  45. Augury
    (augur, v.)
    • N. Omen; prophecy.
    • He interpreted the departure of the birds as an augury of evil.
  46. Aureole
    • N. Sun's corona; halo.
    • Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureoles around their heads.
  47. Avocation
    • N. Secondary or minor occupation.
    • His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abondoned his regular occupation and concentrated on his avocation.
  48. Avuncular
    • Adj. Like an uncle.
    • Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's shortcomings.
Author
kgbassett
ID
25505
Card Set
GRE Vocab A.txt
Description
Vocab A
Updated