gre vocab 4 me

abase

to lower in esteem, degrade; to humble

abeyance

temporary suppression or suspension; inactivity

abscond

to leave suddenly and secretly

acerbic

biting, bitter in tone or taste

adumbrate

to sketch out in a vague way

aerie

a nest built high in the air; an elevated, often secluded, dwelling

alacrity

brisk and cheerful readiness

ameliorate

to improve, make better, correct a flaw

amortize

pay off a debt in installments

anodyne

something that calms or soothes pain

apocryphal

of questionable authenticity

apposite

strikingly appropriate and relevant

arrogate

to claim or take without right

ascetic

practicing self-denial; austere

asperity

roughness or harshness; severity

assiduous

persistent, attentive, diligent

augury

an omen or prophecy

aver

to affirm or declare confidently

bevy

a large group (of animals)

birfurcate

to divide into two parts

bonhomie

good-naturedness

bucolic

characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral

burnish

to polish

calumny

a false and malicious accusation

canard

false; deliberately misleading story

capricious

impulsive and unpredictable

castigate

to criticize or punish severely

chicanery

trickery; deception

cloying

sickly sweet; excessive

cogent

convincing, logical

commensurate

proportional

contrite

extremely apologetic, remorseful, repentant

contumacious

rebellious

conversant

familiar with; having knowledge of

cosset

Treat as a pet, pamper

coterie

Close or exclusive group, clique

craven

cowardly

cupidity

greed; strong desire

declaim

formal, impassioned, or pompous speech

declivity

downward slope

diaphanous

very sheer and light

dilatory

tending to delay or procrastinate

dilettante

someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

din

a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise

disabuse

to free someone from a mistake in thinking

dissemble

to disguise, to pretend, mislead

distaff

Female, esp. relating to the maternal side of the family; women or women's work; a staff that holds wool or flax for spinning

doff

Take off (such as clothes), put aside; remove one's hat as a gesture

dyspeptic

Grumpy, pessimistic, irritable; suffering from dyspepsia (indigestion)

ebullient

enthusiastic, bubbling

effrontery

shameless boldness

encomium

a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

enervate

to weaken

equanimity

composure; calmness

equivocate

use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself

ersatz

Artificial, synthetic; being an inferior substitute

erudite

scholarly, possessing deep, systematic knowledge

euphony

pleasant, harmonious sound

exculpate

to clear from blame; prove innocent

exigent

urgent; requiring immediate action

expurgate

to remove vulgar or objectionable material, to censor

fallow

plowed but not sowed; uncultivated

fatuous

silly and pointless, esp in a smug or complacent manner

fecund

fruitful; fertile; productive

ford

Place where a river or similar body of water is shallow enough to walk or ride a vehicle across (noun); to cross at such a place (verb)

fracas

a noisy quarrel or brawl

fulminate

to loudly attack or denounce explosively w/ words

gambol

to frolic; to romp about playfully

garrulous

excessively talkative, rambling

gauche

lacking social graces; tactless

grandiloquent

pompous or bombastic in speech, esp to impress

hackneyed

commonplace; overused

halcyon

calm, peaceful, prosperous,joy upon thee

harangue

Long, intense verbal attack, esp. when delivered publicly

hew

Strike, chop, or hack (as with an axe, sword. etc.); make or shape something (such as a statue) with a cutting tool

hoary

very old; whitish or gray from age

husband

to manage prudently; conserve

iconoclast

one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions

immutable

unchangeable

impecunious

having little or no money

impetuous

rash, impulsive

imprecation

curse; damnation upon thee

imputed

attributed to; charged to, sometimes falsely

incarnidine

blood-red/flesh-colored; crimson

inchoate

in an initial stage; not fully formed

incipient

just beginning

inculcate

teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions

indigence

extreme poverty

inimical

Hostile, adverse, harmful

insular

isolated; narrow or provincial

inter

to bury, commit to the earth

interregnum

interval between reigns or period of freedom from authority; gap in continuity

inure

to harden; accustom or habituate to hardship

invective

emotionally violent denunciation, verbal abuse

inveigle

to tempt or persuade by using deception or flattery; lure

invidious

hateful or spiteful

irascible

easily angered, irritable

jocular

humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

lachrymose

tearful, weepy, mournful

laconic

concise, using few words