Flashcards in Princeton Book GRE Key Terms Group 4 Deck (69)
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1
acerbic (adj.)
having sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
2
aggrandize (verb)
to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige
3
alchemy (noun)
a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metas, especially base metals into gold (an alchemist is one who practices alchemy)
4
amenable (adj.)
agreeable; responsive or suggestion
5
anachronism (noun)
something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
6
astringent (noun)/(adj.)
having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue
7
contiguous (adj.)
sharing a border; touching; adjacent
8
convention (noun)
a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
9
credulous (adj.)
tending to believe too readily; gullible (noun form: credulity)
10
cynicism (noun)
an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness (adj. form: cynical)
11
decorum (noun)
polite or appropriate conduct or behavior (adj. form: decorous)
12
derision (noun)
scorn, ridicule, contemptuous, treatment (adj. form: derisive; verb form: deride)
13
desiccate (verb)
to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
14
dilettante (noun)
one with amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
15
disparage (verb)
to slight or belittle
16
divulge (verb)
to disclose something secret
17
fawn (verb)
to flatter or praise excessively
18
flout (verb)
to show contempt for, as n a rule or convention
19
garrulous (adj.)
pointless talkative; talking too much
20
glib (adj.)
marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
21
hubris (noun)
overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
22
imminent (adj.)
about to happen; impending
23
immutable (adj.)
not capable of change
24
impetuous (adj.)
lastly or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
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
