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Balam's GRE Words > Deck 3 > Flashcards

Deck 3 Flashcards

0
Q

Clarion

A

adj.
Loud and clear; inspiring: “a clarion call to resistance.”
n.
1. A medieval trumpet with a shrill clear tone.

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1
Q

Sacrosanct

A

adj.

  1. extremely sacred or inviolable.
  2. regarded or treated as being above or beyond interference, criticism, etc.
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2
Q

Ignominious

A

adj.

  1. Deserving or bringing disgrace or shame; despicable; contemptible.
  2. Degrading; debasing: “The young people huddled with their sodden gritty towels and ignominious goosebumps inside the gray-shingled bathhouse” (John Updike).
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3
Q

Peremptory

A

adj.

  1. Putting an end to all debate or action: a peremptory decree.
  2. Not allowing contradiction or refusal; imperative: The officer issued peremptory commands.
  3. Having the nature of or expressing a command; urgent: The teacher spoke in a peremptory tone.
  4. Offensively self-assured; dictatorial: a swaggering, peremptory manner.
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4
Q

Paramount

A

adj.

  1. Of chief concern or importance: “tending first to one’s paramount needs.”
  2. Supreme in rank, power, or authority.
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5
Q

Pharisaical

A

adj.

Hypocritically self-righteous and condemnatory.

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6
Q

August

A

adj.

  1. Inspiring awe or admiration; majestic: “the august presence of the monarch. “
  2. Venerable for reasons of age or high rank.
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7
Q

Illimitable

A

adj.

Impossible to limit or circumscribe; limitless. boundless; infinite.

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8
Q

Grandiose

A

adj.

  1. Characterized by greatness of scope or intent; grand.
  2. Characterized by feigned or affected grandeur; pompous.
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9
Q

Egregious

A

adj

  1. outstandingly bad; offensive; flagrant: “an egregious lie.”
  2. distinguished; eminent
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10
Q

Premonitory

A

n.

  1. A presentiment of the future; a foreboding.
  2. A warning in advance; a forewarning.
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11
Q

Acrid

A

adj.

  1. Unpleasantly sharp, pungent, or bitter to the taste or smell.
  2. Caustic in language, tone or nature.
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12
Q

Irate

A

adj.

  1. Extremely angry; enraged.
  2. Characterized or occasioned by anger: “an irate phone call.”
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13
Q

Acquisitive

A

adj.

  1. Characterized by a strong desire to gain and possess, often greedily.
  2. Tending to acquire and retain ideas or information: “an acquisitive mind.”
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14
Q

Doughty

A

adj.

Marked by stouthearted courage; brave. Hardy; resolute; valiant.

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15
Q

Stark

A

adj
1. (usually prenominal) devoid of any elaboration; blunt: the stark facts.
2. grim; desolate: “a stark landscape.”
3. (usually prenominal) utter; absolute: “stark folly.”
4. severe; violent
5. rigid, as in death (esp in the phrases “stiff and stark,” “stark dead”)
adv
6. completely: “stark mad.”

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16
Q

Moribund

A

adj.

  1. Approaching death; about to die.
  2. On the verge of becoming obsolete: “moribund customs”; a “moribund way of life.”
  3. Stagnant; without force or vitality.
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17
Q

Adamant

A

adj.
Impervious to pleas, appeals, or reason; stubbornly unyielding.

n.

  1. A stone once believed to be impenetrable in its hardness.
  2. An extremely hard substance.
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18
Q

Sanguinary

A

adj

  1. accompanied by much bloodshed
  2. bloodthirsty
  3. consisting of, flowing, or stained with blood
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19
Q

Motley

A
  1. Having elements of great variety or incongruity; heterogeneous.
  2. Having many colors; variegated; parti-colored: “a motley tunic.”
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20
Q

Rife

A

adj.
1. In widespread existence, practice, or use; increasingly prevalent.”rumor was rife in the village.”
2. Abundant or numerous.

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21
Q

Extort

A

tr.v.

To obtain from another by coercion or intimidation. To twist out by force.

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22
Q

Insuperable

A

adj.

Impossible to overcome; insurmountable: “insuperable odds.”

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23
Q

Nonpareil

A

adj.
Having no equal; peerless: “the Yankees’ nonpareil center fielder.”
n.
1. A person or thing that has no equal; a paragon.

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24
Exultant
adj | 1. elated or jubilant, esp because of triumph or success.
25
Retort
v. intr. 1. To make a reply, especially a quick, caustic, or witty one. To turn someone's remark back on them. 2. To present a counterargument. 3. To return like for like; retaliate.
26
Lout
n. | An awkward and stupid person; an oaf. A crude and boorish person.
28
Pandemonium
n 1. wild confusion; uproar 2. a place of uproar and chaos [C17: coined by Milton to designate the capital of hell in Paradise Lost, from pan- + Greek daimōndemon]
29
Effulgence
n. | A brilliant radiance.
30
Pittance
n. 1. A meager monetary allowance, wage, or remuneration. 2. A very small amount: "not a pittance of remorse."
31
Attrition
n. 1. A rubbing away or wearing down by friction. 2. A gradual diminution in number or strength because of constant stress. 3. A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death. 4. Repentance for sin motivated by fear of punishment rather than by love of God.
32
Defection
1. abandonment of duty, allegiance, principles, etc; backsliding 2. Act or instance of disowning allegiance to one's country to take up residence in another: "a Soviet citizen who defected to Israel." 3. To abandon a position or association, often to join an opposing group: "defected from the party over the issue of free trade."
33
Maelstrom
n. 1. A violent or turbulent situation: "caught in the maelstrom of war." 2. A whirlpool of extraordinary size or violence.
34
Exaction
n. 1. act of demanding or levying by force or authority; "exaction of tribute"; "exaction of various dues and fees" 2. an excessive or harsh demand, esp for money; extortion
35
Avidity
1. Ardent desire or craving; eagerness. | 2. Keen interest or enthusiasm: "followed the tournament with avidity."
36
Stricture
n. 1. A restraint, limit, or restriction. 2. An adverse remark or criticism; censure.
37
Lurid
adj. 1. Causing shock or horror bc of savagery and violence; gruesome. 2. Marked by sensationalism, ghastly, vivid in shocking detail: "a lurid account of the crime." 3. Glowing or shining with the glare of fire through a haze; glowing with an unnatural glare: "lurid flames." 4. Sallow or pallid in color; wan; sickly yellow.
37
Scot-free
adv. 1. Without having to pay: "got away from the restaurant scot-free." 2. Without incurring any penalty or punishment: "came away from the incident scot-free."
38
Venial
adj. 1. Easily excused or forgiven; pardonable: a venial offense. 2. (Roman Catholic Church) Minor, therefore warranting only temporal punishment.
39
Invidious
adj 1. incurring or tending to arouse resentment, unpopularity, etc: an invidious task. 2. (of comparisons or distinctions) unfairly or offensively discriminating 3. grudging; envious
40
Sanguine
adj. 1. a. Of the color of blood; red. b. Of a healthy reddish color; ruddy: a sanguine complexion. 2. Archaic a. Having blood as the dominant humor in terms of medieval physiology. b. Having the temperament and ruddy complexion formerly thought to be characteristic of a person dominated by this humor; passionate. 3. Cheerfully confident; optimistic. Word History: The similarity in form between sanguine, "cheerfully optimistic," and sanguinary, "bloodthirsty," may prompt one to wonder how they have come to have such different meanings. The explanation lies in medieval physiology with its notion of the four humors or bodily fluids (blood, bile, phlegm, and black bile). The relative proportions of these fluids was thought to determine a person's temperament. If blood was the predominant humor, one had a ruddy face and a disposition marked by courage, hope, and a readiness to fall in love. Such a temperament was called sanguine, the Middle English ancestor of our word sanguine. The source of the Middle English word was Old French sanguin, itself from Latin sanguineus. Both the Old French and Latin words meant "bloody," "blood-colored," Old French sanguin having the sense "sanguine in temperament" as well. Latin sanguineus was in turn derived from sanguis, "blood," just as English sanguinary is. The English adjective sanguine, first recorded in Middle English before 1350, continues to refer to the cheerfulness and optimism that accompanied a sanguine temperament but no longer has any direct reference to medieval physiology.
41
Antipode
n. | A direct, exact or diametrical opposite.
43
Surreptitious
adj 1. done, acquired, etc, in secret or by improper means 2. operating by stealth 3. characterized by fraud or misrepresentation of the truth
44
Denunciatory
adj. 1. Containing warning of punishment; especially a public condemnation or censure. 2. Causing blame to be imputed to, by accusing another of a crime before a public prosecutor; inculpatory.
45
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. Unpleasantly sharp, pungent, or bitter to the taste or smell. 2. Caustic in language, tone or nature.
Acrid
46
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. Of chief concern or importance 2. Supreme in rank, power, or authority.
Paramount
47
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: Marked by stouthearted courage; brave. Hardy; resolute; valiant.
Doughty
48
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. To make a reply, especially a quick, caustic, or witty one. To turn someone's remark back on them. 2. To present a counterargument. 3. To return like for like; retaliate.
Retort
49
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. In widespread existence, practice, or use; increasingly prevalent. 2. Abundant or numerous.
Rife
50
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: Loud and clear; inspiring
Clarion
51
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. Putting an end to all debate or action. 2. Not allowing contradiction or refusal; imperative. 3. Having the nature of or expressing a command;urgent. 4. Offensively self-assured; dictatorial
Peremptory
52
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. Approaching death; about to die. 2. On the verge of becoming obsolete. 3. Stagnant; without force or vitality.
Moribund
53
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. extremely sacred or inviolable. 2. regarded or treated as being above or beyond interference, criticism etc.
Sacrosanct
54
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. A presentiment of the future; a foreboding. 2. A warning in advance; a forewarning.
Premonitory
55
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. Deserving or bringing disgrace or shame; despicable; contemptible. 2. Degrading; debasing.
Ignominious
56
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. Characterized by greatness of scope or intent; grand. 2. Characterized by feigned or affected grandeur; pompous.
Grandiose
57
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: Hypocritically self-righteous and condemnatory.
Pharisaical
58
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: Impossible to limit or circumscribe; limitless. boundless; infinite.
Illimitable
59
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: Impossible to overcome; insurmountable.
Insuperable
60
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. Inspiring awe or admiration; majestic. 2. Venerable for reasons of age or high rank.
August
61
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. devoid of any elaboration; blunt. 2. grim; desolate. 3. utter; absolute 4. severe; violent 5. rigid, as in death adv 6. completely
Stark
62
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. Extremely angry; enraged. 2. Characterized or occasioned by anger
Irate
63
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: 1. outstandingly bad; offensive; flagrant 2. distinguished; eminent
Egregious
64
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. Characterized by a strong desire to gain and possess, often greedily. 2. Tending to retain ideas or information
Aquisitive
65
Which one of your vocabulary words mean? 1. Having elements of great variety or incongruity; heterogeneous. 2. Having many colors; variegated; parti-colored
Motley
66
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: adj. Impervious to pleas, appeals, or reason; stubbornly unyielding. n. 1. A stone once believed to be impenetrable in its hardness. 2. An extremely hard substance.
Adamant
67
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: Having no equal; peerless
Nonpareil
68
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. A meager monetary allowance, wage, or remuneration. 2. A very small amount.
Pittance
69
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. A restraint, limit, or restriction. 2. An adverse remark or criticism; censure.
Stricture
70
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. elated or jubilant, esp because of triumph or success
Exultant
71
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. Ardent desire or craving; eagerness. 2. Keen interest or enthusiasm.
Avidity
72
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: To obtain from another by coercion or intimidation. To twist out by force.
Extort
73
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? An awkward and stupid person; an oaf.
Lout
74
Which one of your vocabulary words mean? A brilliant radiance.
Effulgence
75
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. A rubbing away or wearing down by friction. 2. A gradual diminution in number or strength because of constant stress. 3. A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death. 4. Repentance for sin motivated by fear of punishment rather than by love of God.
Attrition
76
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. abandonment of duty, allegiance, principles, etc; backsliding 2. Act or instance of disowning allegiance to one's country to take up residence in another.
Defection
77
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. wild confusion; uproar 2. a place of uproar and chaos
Pandemonium
78
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. act of demanding or levying by force or authority. 2. an excessive or harsh demand, esp for money; extortion
Exaction
79
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. Easily excused or forgiven; pardonable
Venial
80
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. A violent or turbulent situation. 2. A whirlpool of extraordinary size or violence.
Maelstrom
81
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. Causing shock or horror bc of savagery and violence; gruesome. 2. Marked by sensationalism, ghastly, vivid in shocking detail. 3. glowing with an unnatural glare 4. Sallow or pallid in color; wan; sickly yellow.
Lurid
82
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. Without having to pay 2. Without incurring any penalty or punishment
Scot-free
83
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. Containing warning of punishment; especially a public condemnation or censure. 2. Causing blame to be imputed to, by accusing another of a crime before a public prosecutor; inculpatory.
Denunciatory
84
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? 1. done, acquired, etc, in secret or by improper means 2. operating by stealth 3. characterized by fraud or misrepresentation of the truth
Surreptitious
85
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following? A direct, exact or diametrical opposite.
Antipode
86
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following: 1. incurring or tending to arouse resentment, unpopularity. 2. (of comparisons or distinctions) unfairly or offensively discriminating 3. grudging; envious
Invidious
87
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following: adj 1. accompanied by much bloodshed 2. bloodthirsty 3. consisting of, flowing, or stained with blood
Sanguinary
88
Which one of your vocabulary words mean: Cheerfully optimistic, hopeful and confident.
Sanguine
89
Mordant
``` adj. 1. a. Bitingly sarcastic: mordant satire. b. Incisive and trenchant: an inquisitor's mordant questioning. 2. Bitingly painful. 3. Serving to fix colors in dyeing. ``` Latin: mordere: to bite
90
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following: 1. a. Bitingly sarcastic b. Incisive and trenchant 2. Bitingly painful. 3. Serving to fix colors in dyeing.
Mordant
91
Ineffaceable
adj. | Impossible to efface; indelible.
92
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following: adj. indelible.
Ineffaceable
93
Beetling
adj. Jutting; overhanging: beetle brows. intr.v. bee·tled, bee·tling, bee·tles To jut; overhang: "The rocks often beetled over the road" (Washington Irving).
94
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following: adj. Jutting; overhanging intr.v To jut; overhang
Beetling
95
Refractory
adj. 1. Obstinately resistant to authority or control. See Synonyms at unruly. 2. Difficult to melt or work; resistant to heat: a refractory material such as silica. 3. Resistant to treatment: a refractory case of acne. Latin: fract--> to break into pieces. infraction: breaking a rule; fraction: broken part of a number; fracture
96
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following: adj. 1. Obstinately resistant to authority or control, unbreakable. 2. Difficult to melt or work; resistant to heat. 3. Resistant to treatment.
Refractory
97
Noisome
adj. 1. Offensive to the point of arousing disgust; foul, esp. of smell: a noisome odor. 2. Harmful or dangerous: noisome fumes.
98
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following: adj. 1. Offensive to the point of arousing disgust; foul, esp. of smell. 2. Harmful or dangerous, noxious.
Noisome
99
Tenuous
adj. 1. lacking a sound basis; unsubstantiated; weak. "A tenuous claim." 2. thin or slender in form. "The spider spins its tenuous web." 3. thin in consistency; rare or rarefied. "A tenuous fluid is not viscous." 4. of slight importance or significance; unsubstantial.
100
Which one of your vocabulary words mean the following: adj. 1. lacking a sound basis; unsubstantiated; weak. 2. thin or slender in form. 3. thin in consistency; rare or rarefied. 4. of slight importance or significance; unsubstantial.
Tenuous

Balam's GRE Words (7 decks)

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