Gre Wordlist 2

ACUMEN • ac‧u‧men [uncountable] • the ability to think quickly and make good judgments • business/political/financial etc acumen – The firm's success is largely due to Brannon's commercial acumen. 

ADULTERATE • a‧dul‧ter‧ate [transitive] • • to make food or drink less pure by adding another substance of lower quality to it [↪ unadulterated] • • adulteration noun [uncountable] •

AMALGAMATE • a‧mal‧ga‧mate formal • 1 [intransitive and transitive] if two organizations amalgamate, or if one amalgamates with another, they join and make one big organization [= merge] • amalgamate something with/into/under something • 2

– The agency is expected to amalgamate with the National Rivers Authority.

to combine two or more things together to make one thing:

[transitive]

– Stir until the ingredients are amalgamated.

• amalgamate something with/into something – The editors will amalgamate all the information into one article.

ARCHAIC • ar‧cha‧ic 

• 1 old and no longer used [= outdated; ≠ modern]: – archaic words

• 2 old-fashioned and needing to be replaced: – Many smaller radio stations broadcast on archaic equipment.

• 3 from or relating to ancient times: – archaic civilizations

AVER • a‧ver

past tense and past participle averred, present participle averring [transitive]

to say something firmly and strongly because you are sure that it is true [= declare]

• formal

– – The lawyer averred her client's innocence. – [+ speech] "He's guilty, I tell you, " she averred. – [+ that ] She averred that he was

BOLSTER • bol‧ster1 also bolster up [transitive] • 1 to help someone to feel better and more positive: – He is making a bold attempt to bolster the territory's confidence.

• 2 to improve something: – his efforts to bolster his career

–

• Bolster 2 [countable] • a long firm pillow, usually shaped like a tube

BOMBASTIC • bom‧bas‧tic • bombastic language contains long words that sound important but have no real meaning: – He is best known for three rather bombastic poems. 

• bombast 

noun [uncountable]

DIATRIBE • di‧a‧tribe [countable] formal • a long speech or piece of writing that criticizes someone or something very severely • diatribe against – a diatribe against contemporary American civilization 

DISSEMBLE • dis‧sem‧ble [intransitive and transitive] literary • to hide your true feelings, thoughts etc – He accused the government of dissembling.

CAMOUFLAGE • [U] the use of leaves, branches, paints and clothes for hiding soldiers or military equipment so that they look part of what surrounds them – a camouflage jacket 

• [S or U] the way that the colour or shape of an animal or plant appears to mix with its natural environment to prevent it from being seen by attackers – The lizard's light brown skin acts as (a) camouflage in the desert sand.

• • • [S or U] something that is meant to hide something, or behaviour that is intended to hide the truth – Using smoke as (a) camouflage, the army advanced up the hill. – He believed that her kindness was merely a camouflage for her real intentions.

ECCENTRIC • ec‧cen‧tric 1 adj • 1 behaving in a way that is unusual and different from most people: – His eccentric behaviour lost him his job. – Aunt Nessy was always a bit eccentric.

• 2 technical eccentric circles do not have the same centre point [↪ concentric] 

• eccentrically adverb • Eccentric 2 [countable] • someone who behaves in a way that is different from what is usual or socially accepted: – I was regarded as something of an eccentric. 

ENDEMIC • an endemic disease or problem is always present in a particular place, or among a particular group of people [↪ epidemic, pandemic]: – Violent crime is now endemic in parts of Chicago. 

EVANESCENT • ev‧a‧nes‧cent literary • something that is evanescent does not last very long •

EXACERBATE • ex‧a‧cer‧bate [transitive] • to make a bad situation worse: – The recession has exacerbated this problem. – I don't want to exacerbate the situation. 

• exacerbation 

noun [uncountable]

FERVENT • fer‧vent • believing or feeling something very strongly and sincerely: – a fervent appeal for peace

• fervent admirer/believer etc – a fervent supporter of human rights 

• fervently 

adverb

FORTUITOUS • for‧tu‧i‧tous formal • happening by chance, especially in a way that has a good result: – The meeting with Jack was fortuitous. 

• fortuitously 

adverb

GERMANE • ger‧mane formal • an idea, remark etc that is germane to something is related to it in an important and suitable way [= relevant] • germane to – an article which is germane to the subject being discussed 

GRANDILOQUENCE • gran‧dil‧o‧quent formal • using words that are too long and formal in order to sound important [= pompous] – Her speech was full of grandiloquent language, but it contained no new ideas.

• grandiloquence 

noun [uncountable]

HACKNEYED • hack‧neyed • a hackneyed phrase is boring and does not have much meaning because it has been used so often – The plot of the film is just a hackneyed boy-meets-girl scenario. 

HALCYON • hal‧cy‧on • halcyon days • literary a time in the past when you were very happy – She recalled the halcyon days of her youth.

HEDONISM • he‧don‧ist [countable] • someone who believes that pleasure is the most important thing in life • hedonism noun [uncountable] • hedonistic adjective •

HEGEMONY • (especially of countries) the position of being the strongest and most powerful and therefore able to control others – The three nations competed for regional hegemony.

• Hegemonic 

adjective

ICONOCLAST • a person who strongly opposes generally accepted beliefs and traditions – Rogers, an iconoclast in architecture, is sometimes described as putting the insides of buildings on the outside. 

IDOLATROUS • i‧dol‧a‧try [uncountable] • 1 the practice of worshipping idols • 2 when you admire someone or something too much • • idolatrous adjective •

IMPASSIVE • im‧pas‧sive • not showing any emotion: – Her impassive face showed no reaction at all.

• impassively

adverb:

– The children studied him impassively.

• impassivity 

noun [uncountable]

IMPERTURBABLE • im‧per‧tur‧ba‧ble • remaining calm and unworried in spite of problems or difficulties • • imperturbably adverb • imperturbability noun [uncountable]

IMPLACABLE • im‧plac‧a‧ble • very determined to continue opposing someone or something: – implacable enemies – The government faces implacable opposition on the issue of nuclear waste.

• implacably

adverb:

– He remained implacably opposed to Stalin's regime.

• implacability

noun [uncountable]

IMPUNITY • im‧pu‧ni‧ty • do something with impunity • if someone does something bad with impunity, there is no risk that they will be punished for it: – It's astonishing that these criminals are free to walk the streets with impunity. 

INCHOATE • in‧cho‧ate formal • inchoate ideas, plans, attitudes etc are only just starting to develop



– She had a child's inchoate awareness of language. – – = incipient; rudimentary -

INCIPIENT • in‧cip‧i‧ent [only before noun] formal • starting to happen or exist: – a sign of incipient madness  

RUDIMENTARY • ru‧di‧men‧ta‧ry • 1 a rudimentary knowledge or understanding of a subject is very simple and basic [≠ sophisticated]: – Gradually, I acquired a rudimentary knowledge of music. – my rudimentary German

• 2 rudimentary equipment, methods, systems etc are very basic and not advanced: – subsistence farming in its most rudimentary form

INFELICITOUS • infelicitous adj formal • not suitable; not fitting the occasion – an infelicitous remark

• Infelicity

[C usually plural] formal

– His article was full of mistakes and verbal infelicities (= unsuitable expressions). 

• fe‧li‧ci‧tous formal or literary • well-chosen and suitable: – a felicitous choice of candidate 

INSIPID • in‧sip‧id • 1 food or drink that is insipid does not have much taste [= bland]: – an insipid pasta dish

• 2 not interesting, exciting, or attractive: – insipid colours

• insipidly adverb • insipidness, insipidity [uncountable]

noun

LOQUACIOUS • loq‧ua‧cious formal • a loquacious person likes to talk a lot [= talkative] • • loquacity noun [uncountable] •

LUMINOUS • lu‧mi‧nous • 1 shining in the dark: – luminous paint – Her large dark eyes were almost luminous.

• 2 very brightly coloured, especially in green, pink, or yellow [= Day Glo]: – luminous green socks

• luminously • luminosity 

adverb

MALEVOLENT • ma‧lev‧o‧lent formal • a malevolent person wants to harm other people [= evil; ≠ benevolent] • malevolent look/stare/smile etc – He gave her a dark, malevolent look.

• malevolence noun [uncountable] • malevolently adverb 

MENDACITY • men‧da‧ci‧ty

[uncountable]



• formal

the quality of not being truthful

– Politicians are often accused of mendacity.

METICULOUS • very careful and with great attention to every detail – Many hours of meticulous preparation have gone into writing the book.

• Meticulously adv – The entire project was meticulously planned.

• Meticulousness 

noun

MISANTHROPE • mis‧an‧thro‧pist also mis‧an‧ thrope [countable] • formal someone who does not like other people and prefers to be alone • • misanthropic adjective • misanthropy noun [uncountable]

MITIGATE • mit‧i‧gate [transitive] formal • to make a situation or the effects of something less unpleasant, harmful, or serious [= alleviate]: – Measures need to be taken to mitigate the environmental effects of burning more coal.

–

• mit‧i‧gat‧ing • mitigating circumstances/factors • facts about a situation that make a crime or bad mistake seem less serious:

OBDURATE • ob‧du‧rate formal • very determined not to change your beliefs, actions, or feelings, in a way that seems unreasonable [= stubborn]: – They argued, but he remained obdurate.

• obduracy • obdurately 

noun [uncountable] adverb

OBSEQUIOUS • ob‧se‧qui‧ous • very eager to please or agree with people who are powerful - used in order to show disapproval [= servile]: – an obsequious smile – She is almost embarrassingly obsequious to anyone in authority 

• obsequiously adverb • obsequiousness noun [uncountable] 

OCCLUDE • occlusion noun (WEATHER) • [C] (also occluded front) • specialized a situation in the weather when two masses of air meet, especially when a band of cold air reaches warm air ahead of it and pushes it up • • (v) to obstruct or block

OPPROBRIUM • op‧pro‧bri‧um [uncountable] formal • strong criticism or disapproval, especially expressed publicly – International opprobrium has been heaped on the country following its attack on its neighbours. –

• Opprobrious 

adjective

PEDAGOGY • pedagogy n [U] specialized • the study of the methods and activities of teaching • Pedagogic adjective (also pedagogical ) • Pedagogically adverb – The minister's reforms are pedagogically questionable (= not based on good teaching theory). 

PEDANTIC • pe‧dan‧tic • paying too much attention to rules or to small unimportant details • pedantic about – Some people can be very pedantic about punctuation.

• pedantically 

adverb

PENURY • pen‧u‧ry

[uncountable]



the state of being very poor [= poverty]:

• formal

– He died in penury in 1644. –

• penurious adjective 

PERVASIVE • per‧va‧sive • existing everywhere: – the pervasive influence of television – the all-pervasive mood of apathy 

• pervasiveness

noun [uncountable]

PINE • pine2 [intransitive] • to become sad and not continue your life as normal because someone has died or gone away: – Six months after he left, she was still pining.

• pine away phrasal verb • to become less active, weaker and often ill, especially because you miss someone who has died or gone away • pine for somebody/something phrasal verb • 1 if you pine for a place or for something, you miss it a lot and wish you could be there or have it again: – After two months in France I was pining for home.

• 2 if you pine for someone, you feel very unhappy

PIRATE • Pirate [transitive] • to illegally copy and sell another person's work such as a book, video, or computer program: – pirated video tapes 

PITH • pith [uncountable] • 1 a white substance just under the outside skin of oranges and similar fruit: • Peel the oranges with a sharp knife to remove all pith. • 2 a soft white substance that fills the stems of some plants •

PITHY • pith‧y • if something that is said or written is pithy, it is intelligent and strongly stated, without wasting any words: – Press releases must be short and pithy. – a series of pithy quotations 

• pithily 

adverb

PLACATE • pla‧cate [transitive] formal • to make someone stop feeling angry [= appease]: – These changes did little to placate the unions. 

• Placatory adjective: – a placatory smile 

PLATITUDE • plat‧i‧tude [countable] formal • a statement that has been made many times before and is not interesting or clever • - used to show disapproval: – His excuse was the platitude 'boys will be boys.' 

• Platitudinous 

adjective

PLUMMET • plum‧met also [intransitive]

plummet down

1.to suddenly and quickly decrease in value or amount [= plunge]

2. • plummet from something to something – Profits plummeted from £49 million to £11 million. – House prices have plummeted down.

–

2. to fall suddenly and quickly from a very high place [= plunge]:



POLEMICAL • po‧lem‧i‧cal also polemic formal • using strong arguments to criticize or defend a particular idea, opinion, or person: – The reforms were attacked in a highly polemical piece in the 'New Yorker'. 

• polemically 

adverb

PRODIGAL • prod‧i‧gal 1 [usually before noun] formal • 1prodigal son/daughter • someone who leaves their family and home without the approval of their family, but who is sorry later and returns • 2 spending money, wasting time etc in a careless way [= extravagant]: – a prodigal lifestyle 

PROFUSE • pro‧fuse • produced or existing in large quantities: – He made profuse apologies. – Profuse sweating is one of the symptoms of heat exhaustion.

• profusely

adverb:

– The wound was bleeding profusely.

• profuseness 

noun [uncountable]

PROLIFERATE • pro‧lif‧e‧rate [intransitive] • if something proliferates, it increases quickly and spreads to many different places: – Computer courses continue to proliferate. 

QUERIES • que‧ry1

plural

queries

[countable]

• a question that you ask to get information, or to check that something is true or correct • query about – Give us a ring if you have any queries about the contract. – Staff are always available to answer your queries. 

QUERULOUS • quer‧u‧lous formal • someone who is querulous complains about things in an annoying way: – 'But why can't I go?' he said in a querulous voice. 

• querulously 

adverb

RANCOROUS • Rancour noun • a feeling of hate and continuing anger about something in the past – They cheated me, but I feel no rancour towards / against them. –

• Rancorous 

adjective

RECALCITRANT • re‧cal‧ci‧trant formal • refusing to do what you are told to do, even after you have been punished [= unruly]: – a recalcitrant pupil – • (of a person) unwilling to obey orders or to do what should be done, or (of an animal) refusing to be controlled

• recalcitrance

noun [uncountable]

REPUDIATE • re‧pu‧di‧ate [transitive] formal • 1 to refuse to accept or continue with something [= reject]: – He repudiated all offers of friendship.

• 2 to state or show that something is not true or correct: – The book repudiates the racist stereotypes about black women. 

• repudiation 

noun [uncountable]

RESCIND • re‧scind [transitive] • to officially end a law, or change a decision or agreement – The policy of charging air travellers for vegetarian meals proved unpopular and has already been rescinded.

REVERENT • rev‧e‧rent formal • showing a lot of respect and admiration [≠ irreverent]: – a hushed reverent voice 

• reverently

adverb

RHETORIC • rhet‧o‧ric [uncountable] 1. language that is used to persuade or influence people, especially language that sounds impressive but is not actually sincere or useful: – The speech was dismissed by some people as merely political rhetoric.

• rhetoric of – the rhetoric of socialism

2. the art of speaking or writing to persuade or influence people



SALUBRIOUS • sa‧lu‧bri‧ous formal • a salubrious area or place is pleasant and clean, especially compared to other places - often used humorously: – the less salubrious area near the docks 

SOLVENT • sol‧vent1 [not usually before noun] • having enough money to pay your debts [≠ insolvent] 

• stay/remain/keep solvent – I don't know how we managed to remain solvent. 

• solvency 

noun [uncountable]

SPECIOUS • seeming to be true or correct, but actually false: – a specious argument 

SPURIOUS • spu‧ri‧ous • 1 a spurious statement, argument etc is not based on facts or good thinking and is likely to be incorrect: – He demolished the Opposition's spurious arguments.

• 2 insincere: – spurious sympathy

• spuriously adverb • spuriousness noun [uncountable] 

demolish • de‧mol‧ish [transitive] • 1 to completely destroy a building: – The entire east wing of the building was demolished in the fire.

• 2 to prove that an idea or opinion is completely wrong: – He demolished my argument in minutes.

• 3 to end or ruin something completely: – These ants can demolish large areas of forest.

• 4 to defeat someone very easily: – Miami demolished Texas 46 - 3.

• 5 especially British English informal to eat all of something very quickly: – He demolished a second helping of pie. 

SUBPOENA • sub‧poe‧na1 [countable] • Law a written order to come to a court of law and be a witness •

SUCCINCT • suc‧cinct • clearly expressed in a few words use this to show approval [= concise]: – a succinct explanation

• succinctly

adverb:

– Anderson put the same point more succinctly.

• succinctness 

noun [uncountable]

SUPERFLUOUS • su‧per‧flu‧ous formal • more than is needed or wanted [= unnecessary]: – a modern building with no superfluous decoration 

• superfluously 

adverb

SURFEIT • sur‧feit formal • a surfeit of something • an amount of something that is too large or that is more than you need [= excess]: – a surfeit of food and drink 

TENACITY • te‧na‧cious 1. determined to do something and unwilling to stop trying even when the situation becomes difficult: – a tenacious negotiator 

2. tenacious beliefs, ideas etc continue to have a lot of influence for a long time: – a tenacious religious tradition that is still practised in Shinto temples

– • tenaciously adverb • tenacity noun [uncountable] 

TENUOUS • ten‧u‧ous • 1 a situation or relationship that is tenuous is uncertain, weak, or likely to change: – For now, the band's travel plans are tenuous.

• tenuous link/connection etc

• 2

– The United Peace Alliance had only a tenuous connection with the organized Labour movement. – The link between her family and the King's is rather tenuous. literary

very thin and easily broken

TIRADE • ti‧rade [countable] • a long angry speech criticizing someone or something 

• tirade against – He launched into a tirade against the church.

• tirade of – a tirade of abuse 

TRANSIENT • tran‧si‧ent1 formal • 1 continuing only for a short time: – transient fashions

• 2 working or staying somewhere for only a short time: – a transient population

• transience

noun [uncountable]

– American English someone who has no home and moves around from place to place

ZEALOUS • zeal‧ous • someone who is zealous does or supports something with great energy: – a zealous preacher (นักเทศน์) – zealous political activists

• be zealous in (doing) something – No one was more zealous than Neil in supporting the proposal.

• zealously 

adverb

SINUOUS • sin‧u‧ous • 1 moving with smooth twists and turns, like a snake: – the sinuous grace of a cat

• 2 with many smooth twists and turns: – They followed the sinuous trail deep into the mountains.

• sinuously 

adverb

TRADUCE • tra‧duce [transitive] • formal to deliberately say things that are untrue or unpleasant • to strongly criticize someone, especially in a way that harms their reputation •

deliberately • deliberately • intentionally

adverb

– I'm sure he says these things deliberately to annoy me.

• • • slowly and carefully – Calmly and deliberately, she poured petrol over the car and set it alight. 

CAVORT • ca‧vort [intransitive] • to jump or dance around in a playful or sexual way • cavort about/around – She cavorted about in the water.

• cavort with – The photograph shows him cavorting with two young women. 

ASSIDUOUS • as‧sid‧u‧ous formal • very careful to make sure that something is done properly or completely [= meticulous] • assiduous in – He was assiduous in his attendance at church.

• assiduously

adverb:

– Even young children worked assiduously for a reward.

• assiduity

noun [uncountable]

ELDRITCH • eldritch \EL-drich\, adjective: • Strange; unearthly; weird; eerie. •

COGNOSCENTE • cognoscente \kon-yuh-SHEN-tee; kognuh-; -SEN-\, noun: • A person with special knowledge of a subject; a connoisseur. •

TCHOTCHKE • tchotchke \CHOCH-kuh\, noun: • A trinket; a knickknack. •

FARRAGO • farrago \fuh-RAH-go; fuh-RAY-go\, noun: • A confused mixture; an assortment; a medley. • • Ivan Illich writes "a farrago of subMarxist cliches, false analogies, non sequiturs, false or bent facts and weird prophesies.

ALACRITY • alacrity \uh-LACK-ruh-tee\, noun: • A cheerful or eager readiness or willingness, often manifested by brisk, lively action or promptness in response. •

brisk • brisk • 1 quick and full of energy: – a brisk walk – They set off at a brisk pace.

• 2 quick, practical and showing that you want to get things done quickly: – Her tone of voice is brisk.

• 3 trade or business that is brisk is very busy, with a lot of products being sold: – The public bar was already doing a brisk trade.

• 4 weather that is brisk is cold and clear 

• briskly adverb: – They walked briskly.

• briskness noun [uncountable]

LOGORRHEA • logorrhea \law-guh-REE-uh\, noun: • 1. Pathologically incoherent, repetitious speech. 2. Incessant or compulsive talkativeness; wearisome volubility. • • It's also not good if your date has logorrhea.

INCESSANT • in‧ces‧sant [usually before noun] • continuing without stopping [= constant]: – The child's incessant talking started to irritate her.

• incessant rain • —incessantly adverb: They quarreled incessantly. 

WEARISOME • wear‧i‧some formal • making you feel bored, tired, or annoyed: – a wearisome task 

LUCUBRATION • lucubration \loo-kyoo-BRAY-shun; lookuh-\, noun: • 1. The act of studying by candlelight; nocturnal study; meditation. 2. That which is composed by night; that which is produced by meditation in retirement; hence (loosely) any literary composition. •

CRAPULOUS • crapulous \KRAP-yuh-lus\, adjective: • 1. Given to or characterized by gross excess in drinking or eating. 2. Suffering from or due to such excess.

• • The new money was spent in so much riotous living, and from end to end there settled on the country a mood of fretful, crapulous irritation. -- Stephen McKenna, Sonia

riotous • ri‧ot‧ous [usually before noun] formal • 1 noisy, exciting, and enjoyable in an uncontrolled way [= wild]: a riotous party • 2 noisy or violent, especially in a public place: – Their riotous behaviour led to their arrest. 

• riotously

adverb

fretful • fret‧ful • anxious and complaining, and unable to relax: The child was tired and fretful. • fretfully adverb • fretfulness noun [uncountable] •

IMPERATIVE • im‧per‧a‧tive (adj) • 1 extremely important and needing to be done or dealt with immediately: – It is imperative that politicians should be good communicators. 

• it is imperative (for somebody) to do something – It is imperative to meet face to face with the client.

• 2 technical an imperative verb is one that expresses an order, such as 'stand up' 

IMPERATIVE • imperative2 [countable] • 1 something that must be done urgently: A broad and balanced education is an imperative for raising standards. • 2 formal an idea or belief that has a strong influence on people, making them behave in a particular way: – Sharing food is the most important moral imperative in Semai society.

• 3



the form of a verb that expresses an order. For example, in the order 'come here', 'come' is in the imperative

technical

Convivial • Convivial adjective: • 1. Fond of feasting, drinking, and good company; sociable. 2. Merry; festive. • • He hated to drink to excess, disliked convivial entertaining and had no gift for bonhomie.

titivate • titivate \TIT-uh-vayt\,

transitive and

intransitive verb:

• 1. To make decorative additions to; spruce. • intransitive verb: 1. To make oneself smart or spruce. •

FOOFARAW • foofaraw \FOO-fuh-raw\, noun: • 1. Excessive or flashy ornamentation or decoration. 2. A fuss over a matter of little importance. •

burgeon • burgeon \BUR-juhn\, intransitive verb: 1.To grow or develop quickly; flourish. – the burgeoning market for digital cameras

2.To begin to grow or blossom. • transitive verb: 1. To put forth, as buds. • noun: 1. A bud; sprout. •

• esurient \ih-SUR-ee-uhnt; -ZUR-\, adjective: • Hungry; greedy.

• •

• bifurcate \BY-fur-kayt; by-FUR-kayt\, transitive verb:

• 1. To divide into two branches or parts. • intransitive verb:

1. To branch or separate into two parts.

• adjective:

1. Divided into two branches or parts;

raffish • raf‧fish literary • behaving or dressing in a way which is not respected by many people but which is still confident and attractive: – an interesting character with a raffish air adverb • raffishly • raffishness noun [uncountable] 

incarnadine • incarnadine \in-KAR-nuh-dyn\, adjective: • 1. Having a fleshy pink color. 2. Red; blood-red. • transitive verb:

1. To make red or crimson. •

reverie • reverie \REV-uh-ree\, noun: • 1. A state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing. 2. A daydream. 

She was startled out of her reverie by a loud crash.

3. A fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea. 4. Music. An instrumental composition of a vague and dreamy