Gre Deck Basic 3

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ingenuity

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noun: the power of creative imagination

Daedalus was famous for his ingenuity; he was able to fashion his son Icarus with a pair of wings, using wax to hold them together.

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ornate

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adjective: marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details

The ornate Victorian and Edwardian homes spread throughout San Francisco are my favorite part of the city.

syn: embellish

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patronize

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verb: treat condescendingly

She says she genuinely wanted to help me, but instead she patronized me, constantly pointing out how I was inferior to her.

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Morsely

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adjective: ill-tempered and not inclined to talk; gloomy

After Stanley found out he was no longer able to go on vacation with his friends, he sat in his room morosely.

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degrade

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verb: reduce in worth or character, usually verbally

Jesse had mockingly pointed out all of Nancy's faults in front of their friends, publicly degrading the poor girl.

syn: abash, denounce, debase

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obdurate

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adjective: unable to be persuaded or moved emotionally; stubborn; unyielding.

No number of pleas and bribes would get him to change his obdurate attitude.

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flounder

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verb: behave awkwardly; have difficulties

Sylvia has excelled at advanced calculus, but ironically, when she has to deal with taxes, she flounders.

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quandary

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noun: state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options

Steve certainly is in a quandary: if he doesn't call Elaine, she will blame him for everything, but if he does call her, the evidence of where he currently is could cost him his job.

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pithy

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adjective: concise and full of meaning

I enjoy reading the Daodejing for its pithy and insightful prose; it always gives me something to think about.

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elusive

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adjective: difficult to capture or difficult to remember

Many first time skydivers say that describing the act of falling from the sky is elusive.

ant: elucidate

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snide

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adjective: expressive of contempt; derogatory or mocking in an indirect way

The chairman interpreted Taylor's question about promotions as a snideremark, but in all innocence Taylor was trying to figure out the company's process.

syn: travesty

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impermeable

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adjective: does not allow fluids to pass through

The sand bags placed on the river formed an impermeable barrier, protecting the town from flooding.

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thwart

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verb: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

I wanted to spend a week in New York this autumn, but the high costs of travel and lodging thwarted my plans.

syn: stymie, impede, hamper, frustrate

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transitory

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adjective: lasting a very short time

If we lived forever and life was not transitory, do you think we would appreciate life less or more?

syn: transient, ephemeral, evanescent.

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impede

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verb: be a hindrance or obstacle to

Since the police sergeant had to train the pair of new hires, progress in his own case was impeded.

syn: thwart, stymie, preclude, hamper

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respite

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noun: a pause from doing something (as work)

Every afternoon, the small company has a respite in which workers play foosball or board games.

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apprehensive

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noun: a pause from doing something (as work)

Every afternoon, the small company has a respite in which workers play foosball or board games.

syn: daunting, trepid, timid

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inclement

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adjective: (of weather) unpleasant, stormy

After a week of inclement weather, we finally are able to go outside and enjoy the sun.

adjective: used of persons or behavior; showing no mercy

Marcus Aurelius, though a fair man, was inclement to Christians during his reign, persecuting them violently.

ant: Clement

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archaic

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adjective: so old as to appear to belong to a different period

Hoping to sound intelligent, Mary spoke in archaic English that was right out of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice--needless to sa

syn: anachronism, retro, archetype

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stolid

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adjective: having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited

Elephants may appear stolid to casual observers, but they actually have passionate emotional lives.

syn: dispassionate

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advocate

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verb: speak, plead, or argue in favor of

While the senator privately approved of gay marriage, he was unwilling to advocate for the cause in a public venue.

noun: a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea

Martin Luther King Jr. was a tireless advocate for the rights of African-Americans in the United States. 
syn: proponent, endorse, champion, corroborate, espouse, exponent

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incessant

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adjective: uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing

I don't mind small children in brief doses, but I think the incessant exposure that their parents have to them would quickly wear me down.

ant: intermittent

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jocular

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adjective: characterized by jokes and good humor

My uncle was always in a jocular mood at family gatherings, messing up people's hair and telling knock-knock jokes to anyone who would listen.

syn: mirth, beatific

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proponent

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noun: a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea

Ironically, the leading proponent of Flat-Earth Theory flies all over the world in an effort to win more adherents.

syn: exponent, champion, endorse, espouse, corroborate, advocate

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disheartened

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adjective: made less hopeful or enthusiastic

After the visiting team scored nine times, the home team's fans were disheartened, some leaving the game early.

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avid

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adjective: marked by active interest and enthusiasm

Martin is an avid birdwatcher, often taking long hikes into remote mountains to see some rare eagle.

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resolve

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verb: reach a conclusion after a discussion or deliberation

After much thought, Ted resolved not to travel abroad this summer because he didn't have much money in his bank account.

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stolid

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adjective: having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited

Elephants may appear stolid to casual observers, but they actually have passionate emotional lives.

syn: stoical, indifference, disinterested, nonchalance

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entice

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verb: get someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises

Harold enticed his wife, Maude, to go on a vacation to Hawaii, with promises of luaus on the beach and all-you-can-eat seafood buffets.

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disenfranchise

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verb: deprive of voting rights

The U.S. Constitution disenfranchisedwomen until 1920 when they were given the right to vote.

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autonomous

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adverb: Acting independently; self-governing (of a country)

Many of the factory workers are worried about being replaced by machines and computers that will work completely autonomously

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consummate

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adjective: having or revealing supreme mastery or skill

Tyler was the consummate musician: he was able to play the guitar, harmonica, and the drum at the same time.

verb: to make perfect and complete in every respect

The restoration of the ancient church was only consummated after a twenty years of labor.

syn: flawless, impeccable, perfect

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deter

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verb: turn away from by persuasion

His mother tried to deter him from joining the army, but he was too intoxicated with the idea of war to listen.

verb: try to prevent; show opposition to

The government's primary job should involve deterring paths to war, not finding ways to start them.

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meander

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verb: to wander aimlessly

A casual observer might have thought that Peter was meandering through the city, but that day he was actually seeking out those places where he and his long lost love had once visited.

syn: wandering, errant, itinerant, nomadic, peripatetic, wayfarers, maunder

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dearth

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noun: a lack or shortage

I am surprised by the dearth of fast food chains; this is America and I assumed they were on every street.

syn: paucity

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fete

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verb: to celebrate a person

After World War II, war heroes were feted at first but quickly forgotten.

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moot

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adjective: open to argument or debate; undecidable in a meaningless or irrelevant way

Since the Board just terminated Steve as the CEO, what the finance committe might have thought of his proposed marketing plan for next year is now a moot point.
syn: apocryphal

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fledgling

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adjective: young and inexperienced 
noun: any new participant in some activity

Murray has years of experience in family practice, but he is just a fledgling in surgery.

syn: puerile, protégé, ingenue

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muted

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adjective: softened, subdued

Helen preferred muted earth colors, such as green and brown, to the bright pinks and red her sister liked.

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guffaw

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verb: laugh boisterously

Whenever the jester fell to the ground in mock pain, the king guffawed, exposing his yellow, fang-like teeth.

syn: beatific,

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boon

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noun: a desirable state

Modern technology has been a boon to the travel industry.

adjective: very close and convivial

He was a boon companion to many, and will be sadly missed.

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renege

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verb: fail to fulfill a promise or obligation

We will no longer work with that vendor since it has reneged on nearly every agreement

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rakish

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adjective: marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputable ness

The men found him raffish, but the women adored his smart clothes and casual attitude.

syn: raffish

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malady

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noun: a disease or sickness

The town was struck by a malady throughout the winter that left most people sick in bed for two weeks.

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plodding

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laborious

Charlie may seem to run at a ploddingpace, but he is an ultramarathoner, meaning he runs distances of up to 100 miles, and can run for ten hours at a stretch.

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sabbatical

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noun (plural sabbaticals)
An extended period of leave, often one year long, taken by an employee in order to carry out projects not otherwise associated with the employee's job. During the sabbatical, the employer may pay some or all of the wages that would have been otherwise earned or some or all of the expenses incurred. University lecturers, for example, may be granted a one-year paid sabbatical once every seven years.

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robust

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adjective: sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction

Chris preferred bland and mild beers, but Bhavin preferred a beer with more robust flavor.

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endemic

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adjective: native; originating where it is found

Irish cuisine makes great use of potatoes, but ironically, the potato is not endemic to Ireland

syn: indigenous

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malleable

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adjective: capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out

The clay became malleable and easy to work with after a little water was added.

adjective: easily influenced

My little brother is so malleable that I can convince him to sneak

syn: amenable

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ascendancy

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noun: the state that exists when one person or group has power over another

The ascendancy of the Carlsbad water polo team is clear—they have a decade of championships behind them.

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discrimination

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verb: recognize or perceive the difference

Sarah couldn't discriminate between a good wine and a bad wine, so she avoided wine tastings.

syn: disparate, incongruous