Gre Barrons Wordlist O

Front 1

oaf

Back 1

n. stupid, clumsy and awkward person (usu male)

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oath

Back 2

n. (words used in making a) solemn promise to do sth or solemn declaration that sth is true (usu appealing to God, etc as a witness)

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oatmeal

Back 3

n. meal made from crushed oats, used in porridge, oatcakes, etc

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obdurate

Back 4

adj. impossible to change; stubborn

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obeisance

Back 5

n. deep bow (of respect or obedience)

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obelisk

Back 6

n. tall pointed stone pillar with four sides, set up as a monument or landmark

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obese

Back 7

adj. (of people) very fat

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obfuscate

Back 8

v. (deliberately) make (sth) confused or difficult to understand

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obituary

Back 9

n. printed notice (eg in a newspaper) of a person's death, often with a short account of his life and achievements

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objective

Back 10

adj. not influenced by personal feelings or opinions; unbiased; fair

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obligatory

Back 11

adj. required by rule, law or custom; compulsory

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oblique

Back 12

adj. not horizontal or vertical; sloping; slanting

Front 13

obliterate

Back 13

v. remove all signs of (sth); rub or blot out

Front 14

oblivion

Back 14

n. state of forgetting; state of being unaware or unconscious

Front 15

oblivious

Back 15

adj. ~ of/to sth unaware of or not noticing sth; having no memory of sth

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obloquy

Back 16

n. public shame or disgrace; abuse; discredit ;

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obnoxious

Back 17

adj. very unpleasant; nasty; offensive

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obscure

Back 18

adj. not easily or clearly seen or understood; indistinct; hidden

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obsequious

Back 19

adj. ~ (to sb) too willing to obey or serve; too respectful (esp in the hope of getting a reward or favour from sb)

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obsequy

Back 20

exequies; funeral; interment

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obsession

Back 21

n. ~ state of being obsessed

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obsessive

Back 22

adj. of or having an obsession

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obsidian

Back 23

black volcanic rock

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obsolete

Back 24

adj. no longer used; out of date

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obstetrician

Back 25

n. doctor who specializes in obstetrics ; specialised in delivery of chidren

Front 26

obstinate

Back 26

adj. refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action; stubborn

Front 27

obstreperous

Back 27

adjnoisy and uncontrolled; unruly

Front 28

obtrude

Back 28

v. ~(on/upon sb/sth) (fml ) force (oneself, one's opinions, ideas, etc) upon sb/sth, esp when unwanted

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obtrusive

Back 29

adj. very noticeable or obvious; inclined to obtrude

Front 30

obtuse

Back 30

adj. slow to understand; stupid

Front 31

obviate

Back 31

v. remove (sth); get rid of

Front 32

Occident

Back 32

n. the Occident the countries of the West, ie Europe and America

Front 33

occlude

Back 33

to close up or block off:OBSTRUCT

Front 34

occult

Back 34

adj. only for those with special knowledge or powers; hidden, secret

Front 35

oculist

Back 35

n. specialist in treating diseases and defects of the eye

Front 36

odds

Back 36

n. probability or chance

Front 37

odious

Back 37

adj. disgusting; hateful

Front 38

odium

Back 38

n. general or widespread hatred or disgust felt towards a person or his actions

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odoriferous

Back 39

giving off an order

Front 40

odorous

Back 40

adj. having a (pleasant or unpleasant) smell

Front 41

odyssey

Back 41

n. long adventurous journey

Front 42

offensive

Back 42

adj. upsetting or annoying; insulting

Front 43

offhand

Back 43

adj. too casual; abrupt ; with little or no prep

Front 44

officious

Back 44

adj. too ready or willing to give orders, offer advice or help, or use one's authority; bossy and interfering

Front 45

ogle

Back 45

v. ~ at sb look or stare at (esp a woman) in a way that suggests sexual interest

Front 46

olfactory

Back 46

adj. of or concerned with the sense of smell

Front 47

oligarchy

Back 47

n. form of government in which a small group of people hold all the power

Front 48

ominous

Back 48

adj. suggesting that sth bad is about to happen; threatening

Front 49

omnipotent

Back 49

adj. having unlimited or very great power

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omnipresent

Back 50

adj. present everywhere

Front 51

omniscient

Back 51

adj. knowing everything

Front 52

omnivorous

Back 52

adj. (of animals) eating both plants and animal flesh

Front 53

onerous

Back 53

adj. needing effort; burdensome

Front 54

onomatopoeia

Back 54

n. combination of sounds in a word that imitates or suggests what the word refers to eg hiss, cuckoo, thud ; hiss cuckoo thud

Front 55

onslaught

Back 55

n. ~ fierce attack

Front 56

onus

Back 56

n. the onus duty or responsibility (for doing sth); burden

Front 57

ooze

Back 57

v. ~ from/out of sth; ~ out/away come or flow out slowly

Front 58

opalescent

Back 58

adj. changing colour like an opal; iridescent

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opaque

Back 59

adj. not allowing light to pass through; not transparent

Front 60

opiate

Back 60

n. drug containing opium, used to relieve pain or to help sb sleep

Front 61

opportune

Back 61

adj. (of time) suitable or favourable for a purpose

Front 62

opportunist

Back 62

n. person who acts like this

Front 63

opprobrium

Back 63

n. public disgrace and shame

Front 64

optician

Back 64

n. person who makes and sells optical instruments, esp contact lenses and glasses

Front 65

optimist

Back 65

n. person who is always hopeful and expects the best in all things

Front 66

optimum

Back 66

adj. best or most favourable

Front 67

optional

Back 67

adj. that may be chosen or not, as one wishes; not compulsory

Front 68

optometrist

Back 68

one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects

Front 69

opulence

Back 69

n. opulently ; Wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living

Front 70

opus

Back 70

n. musical composition numbered as one of a composer's works (work1 5b) (usu in order of publication)

Front 71

oracular

Back 71

adj. of or like an oracle; with hidden meaning

Front 72

orator

Back 72

n. person who makes formal speeches in public

Front 73

oratorio

Back 73

n. musical composition for solo voices, chorus and orchestra,usu with a Biblical theme

Front 74

ordain

Back 74

v. make a priest or minister

Front 75

ordeal

Back 75

n. difficult or painful experience

Front 76

ordinance

Back 76

n. order, rule or law made by a government or an authority

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ordination

Back 77

n. ceremony of ordaining (a priest or minister)

Front 78

orgy

Back 78

n. wild party, usu with a lot of drinking and/or sexual activity

Front 79

orient

Back 79

n. the Orient countries of the (Far) East (eg Japan, China)

Front 80

orientation

Back 80

n. activity of orientating oneself; state of being orientated

Front 81

orifice

Back 81

n. outer opening in the body, etc

Front 82

ornate

Back 82

adj. richly decorated

Front 83

ornithologist

Back 83

n. expert in ornithology

Front 84

orthodox

Back 84

adj. generally accepted or approved

Front 85

orthography

Back 85

n. (study or system of) spelling

Front 86

oscillate

Back 86

v. move repeatedly and regularly from one position to another and back again

Front 87

osseous

Back 87

adj. of bone; having bones; bony ;

Front 88

ossify

Back 88

v. (fml ) (cause sth to) become hard like bone; change into bone ;

Front 89

ostensible

Back 89

adj. stated though perhaps not true; apparent

Front 90

ostentatious

Back 90

adj. showing or liking ostentation

Front 91

ostracize

Back 91

exclude from public favor; ban

Front 92

oust

Back 92

v. ~ sb (fml ) remove sb (from a position, job, etc) sometimes in order to take his place

Front 93

outcast

Back 93

n, adj ~ (person) driven away from home, friends, society, etc; homeless and friendless (person)

Front 94

outfit

Back 94

n. all the equipment or articles needed for a particular purpose; kit

Front 95

outgoing

Back 95

adj. going out; leaving

Front 96

outlandish

Back 96

adj. looking or sounding strange

Front 97

outlaw

Back 97

n. person who has broken the law and is hiding to avoid being caught

Front 98

outlook

Back 98

n. ~ view on which one looks out

Front 99

outmoded

Back 99

adj. no longer fashionable

Front 100

outrage

Back 100

n. (act of) great violence or cruelty

Front 101

outskirts

Back 101

n. outlying districts (esp of a city or large town); outer areas

Front 102

outspoken

Back 102

adj. ~ saying openly exactly what one thinks; frank

Front 103

outstrip

Back 103

v. run faster than (sb in a race) and leave him behind

Front 104

outwit

Back 104

v. win or defeat (sb) by being cleverer or more cunning than him

Front 105

ovation

Back 105

n. great applause or cheering expressing welcome or approval

Front 106

overbearing

Back 106

adj. forcing others to do what one wants (without caring about their feelings); domineering

Front 107

overblown

Back 107

adj. past their best; too fully open

Front 108

overhaul

Back 108

v. examine carefully and thoroughly and make any necessary repairs

Front 109

oversee

Back 109

v. watch over and control (sb/sth); supervise

Front 110

overt

Back 110

adj. done or shown openly or publicly; not secret or hidden

Front 111

overthrow

Back 111

v. cause the downfall or defeat of (sb/sth); put an end to

Front 112

overture

Back 112

n. ~ (fml ) friendly approach, proposalor offer made (to sb) with the aim of starting discussions

Front 113

overturn

Back 113

v. turn over or upside-down; upset

Front 114

overweening

Back 114

adj. showing too much self-confidence or conceit

Front 115

overwhelm

Back 115

v. cover (sth/sb) completely by flowing over or pouring down on it/him; submerge suddenly

Front 116

overwrought

Back 116

adj. in a state of nervous excitement, anxiety, etc; tense and upset

Front 117

ovoid

Back 117

adj. n egg-shaped (object)