Flashcards
GRE
Cards in this deck (63)
- 1abbreviateshorten
Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech. - 2abbatesubside or moderate
Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate. - 3abortiveunsuccessful; fruitless
We had to abandon our abortive attempts - 4absolutecomplete; totally unlimited; certain
Although the King of Siam was an absolute monarch, he did not want to behead his unfaithful wife without absolute evidence of her infidelity. - 5abstracttheoretical; not concrete; non-representational
To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a meal. - 6absconddepart secretly and hide
The teller absconded with the bonds and was not found. - 7aberrantabnormal or deviant
Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the validity of the entire experiment. - 8abeyancesuspended action
The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival. - 9adamanthard, inflexible
He was adamant in his determination to punish the wrongdoer. - 10adulteratemake impure by mixing with baser substances


It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer. - 11abaselower; degrade; humiliate
Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to cast herself down on the ground before him, however she refused to abase herself. - 12abashembarrass
He was not at all abashed by her open admiration. - 13abdicaterenounce; give up
When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world. - 14abetassist, usually in doing something wrong
She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned. - 15abjurerenounce upon oath
He abjured his allegiance to the king. - 16ablutionwashing
His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath." - 17abnegationrenunciation; self-sacrifice
Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom - 18abominaterubbing away; tending to grind down
Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear away a listener's patience. - 19abrogateabolish
He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor. - 20abutborder upon; adjoin
Where our estates abut, we must build a fence. - 21abysmalbottomless
His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance. - 22accedeagree
If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands. - 23acclimateadjust to climate or environment
One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travellers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments. - 24acclivitysharp upslope of a hill
The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear. - 25accostapproach and speak first to a person
When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me. - 26accoutreequip
The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply - 27acidulousslightly sour; sharp; caustic
James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks. - 28acmepeak; pinnacle; highest point
Welles's success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor; never again did he achieve such popular acclaim. - 29acquiesceassent; agree passively
Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about the changes he wanted made. - 30acridsharp; bitterly pungent


The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired. - 31acrimoniousstinging, caustic
His tendency to utter acrimonious remarks alienated his audience. - 32actuarialcalculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago. - 33actuateMotivate
- 34acuitysharpness
In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needed glasses. - 35acumenmental keenness
His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed. - 36adagewise saying; proverb
There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money. - 37addendumaddition; appendix to book
Jane's editor approved her new comparative literature text but thought it would be even better with an addendum on recent developments in literary criticism. - 38addlemuddle; drive crazy
This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone. - 39adherentsupporter; follower
In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherent quietly deserted him. - 40adjunctsomething attached to but holding an inferior position I will entertain this concept as an adjunct to the main proposal.
- 41adjurationsolemn urging
Her adjuration to tell the truth did not change the witnesses' testimony. - 42adjutantstaff officer assisting the commander; assistant
Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made all major decisions. - 43admonishwarn; reprove
He admonished his listeners to change their wicked ways. - 44adorndecorate
Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple. - 45adroitskillful
His adroit handling of the delicate situation pleased his employers. - 46adulationflattery; admiration
The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-men. - 47adventarrival
Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima reached them. - 48adventitiousaccidental; casual
He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely fortunate. - 49adverseunfavorable; hostile
adverse circumstances compelled him to close his business. - 50aegisshield; defense
Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured freedoms. - 51affablecourteous
Although he held a position of responsibility, he was an affable individual and could be reached by anyone with a complaint. - 52affectedartificial; pretended
His affected mannerisms irritated may of us who had known him before his promotion. - 53affinitykinship
She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains. - 54affrontinsult; offend
Accustomed to being treated with respect, Miss Challoner was affronted by Vidal's offensive behavior. - 55agapeopenmouthed
She stared, agape, at the many strange animals in the zoo. - 56agglomerationcollection; heap
It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had collected on her trip. - 57aggrandizeincrease 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 international affairs without considering the wishes of Congress. - 58agoghighly excited; intensely curious
We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a monastery. - 59alacritycheerful promptness
He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master. - 60alchemymedieval chemistry
The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy. - 61alcovenook; recess
Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple.
 - 62alimentarysupplying nourishment
The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there. - 63allegorystory in which characters are used as symbols; fable
Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul.