Princeton Book GRE Key Terms Group 4 Flashcards

(69 cards)

1
Q

acerbic (adj.)

A

having sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting

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2
Q

aggrandize (verb)

A

to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige

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3
Q

alchemy (noun)

A

a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metas, especially base metals into gold (an alchemist is one who practices alchemy)

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4
Q

amenable (adj.)

A

agreeable; responsive or suggestion

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5
Q

anachronism (noun)

A

something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context

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6
Q

astringent (noun)/(adj.)

A

having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue

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7
Q

contiguous (adj.)

A

sharing a border; touching; adjacent

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8
Q

convention (noun)

A

a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude

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9
Q

credulous (adj.)

A

tending to believe too readily; gullible (noun form: credulity)

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10
Q

cynicism (noun)

A

an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness (adj. form: cynical)

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11
Q

decorum (noun)

A

polite or appropriate conduct or behavior (adj. form: decorous)

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12
Q

derision (noun)

A

scorn, ridicule, contemptuous, treatment (adj. form: derisive; verb form: deride)

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13
Q

desiccate (verb)

A

to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull

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14
Q

dilettante (noun)

A

one with amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge

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15
Q

disparage (verb)

A

to slight or belittle

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16
Q

divulge (verb)

A

to disclose something secret

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17
Q

fawn (verb)

A

to flatter or praise excessively

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18
Q

flout (verb)

A

to show contempt for, as n a rule or convention

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19
Q

garrulous (adj.)

A

pointless talkative; talking too much

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20
Q

glib (adj.)

A

marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial

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21
Q

hubris (noun)

A

overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance

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22
Q

imminent (adj.)

A

about to happen; impending

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23
Q

immutable (adj.)

A

not capable of change

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24
Q

impetuous (adj.)

A

lastly or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement

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25
indifferent (adj.)
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
26
inimical (adj.)
damaging; harmful; injurious
27
intractable (adj.)
not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
28
intrepid (adj.)
steadfast and courageous
29
laconic (adj.)
using few words; terse
30
maverick (noun)
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
31
mercurial (adj.)
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
32
mollify (verb)
to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
33
neophyte (noun)
a recent convert; a beginner; a novice
34
obfuscate (verb)
to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
35
obstinate (adj.)
stubborn; hard-headed; uncompromising
36
ostentatious (adj.)
characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
37
pervade (verb)
to permeate throughout (adj. form: pervasive)
38
phlegmatic (adj.)
calm; sluggish; unemotional
39
plethora (noun)
an overabundance; a surplus
40
pragmatic (adj.)
practical rather than idealistic
41
presumptuous (adj.)
overstepping the bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); talking liberties
42
pristine (adj.)
pure; uncorrupted; clean
43
probity (noun)
adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
44
proclivity (noun)
a natural predisposition or inclination
45
profligate (adj.)
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant (noun form: profligacy)
46
propensity (noun)
a natural inclination or tendency; penchant
47
prosaic (adj.)
dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
48
pungent (adj.)
characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
49
quixotic (adj.)
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
50
quotidian (adj.-
occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
51
rarefy (verb)
to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
52
refulgent (adj.)
radiant; shiny; brillant
53
renege (verb)
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
54
sedulous (adj.)
diligent; persistent; hard-working
55
shard (noun)
a piece of broken pottery or glass
56
soporific (adj.)
causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
57
sparse (adj.)
thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
58
spendthrift (noun)
one who spends money wastefully
59
subtle (adj.)
not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
60
tacit (adj.)
IMPLIED; NOT EXPLICITY STATED
61
terse (adj.)
brief and concise in wording
62
tout (verb)
to publicly precise or promote
63
trenchant (adj.)
sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
64
unfeigned (adj.)
genuine; not false or hypocritical
65
untenable (adj.)
indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
66
vacillate (verb)
to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another
67
variegated (ade.)
multicolored; characterized by a variety of patched of different color
68
vituperate (verb)
to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; to berate
69
volatile (adj.)
readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive (noun form: volatility)