Gre Test 10

Front 1

embryonic

Back 1

undeveloped; rudimentary
The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated while it is still in an embryonic state; otherwise, it may
grow to dangerous proportions.

Front 2

emendation

Back 2

correction of errors; improvement
Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract.

Front 3

emend

Back 3

correct, usually a text
The critic emended the book by retranslating several passages.

Front 4

emetic

Back 4

substance causing vomiting
The use of an emetic like mustard is useful in cases of poisoning.

Front 5

eminent

Back 5

high; lofty
After his appointment to this emiment position, he seldom had time for his former friends.

Front 6

emissary

Back 6

agent; messenger
The secretary of State was sent as the President's special emissary to the conference on disarmament.

Front 7

emollient

Back 7

soothing or softening remedy
He applied an emollient to the inflamed area.

Front 8

emolument

Back 8

salary; compensation
In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must consider the social prestige it carries with it.

Front 9

empathy

Back 9

ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc
What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empathy, her ability to put herself in her client's place and
feel his emotions as if they were her own.

Front 10

empirical

Back 10

based on experience
He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data.

Front 11

emulate

Back 11

rival; imitate
As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great leaders of this country, we shall flourish.

Front 12

enamored

Back 12

in love
Narcissus became enamored of his own beauty.

Front 13

enclave

Back 13

territory enclosed within an alien land
The Vatican is an independent enclave in Italy.

Front 14

encomiastic

Back 14

praising; eulogistic
Some critics believe that his encomiastic statements about Napoleon were inspired by his desire for
material advancement rather than by an honest belief in the Emperor's genius.

Front 15

encomium

Back 15

high praise; eulogy
Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters, Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise.

Front 16

encompass

Back 16

surround
Although we were encompassed by enemy forces, we were cheerful for we were well stocked and could
withstand a siege until our allies joined us.

Front 17

encroachment

Back 17

gradual intrusion
The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood lowered the value of the real estate.

Front 18

encumber

Back 18

burden
Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage, when they take short trips.

Front 19

endearment

Back 19

fond word or act
Your gifts and endearments cannot make me forget your earlier insolence.

Front 20

endemic

Back 20

prevailinig among a specific group of people or in a specific are or country
This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80 percent of the population are at one time or
another affected by it.

Front 21

endorse

Back 21

approve; support
Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse.

Front 22

endue

Back 22

provide with some quality; endow
He was endued with a lion's courage.

Front 23

enduring

Back 23

lasting; surviving
Keats believed in the enduring power of great art, which outlast its creator's brief lives.

Front 24

energize

Back 24

invigorate; make forceful and active
Rather than exhausting Maggie, dancing energized her.

Front 25

enervate

Back 25

weaken
She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to the window evervated her.

Front 26

enfranchise

Back 26

admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote)
Although blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War, women did not receive the right to vote
until 1920.

Front 27

engage

Back 27

attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront
"Your case has engaged my interest, my lord," said Holmes, "You many engage my services."

Front 28

engender

Back 28

cause; produce
To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child.

Front 29

engross

Back 29

occupy fully
John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his mother call.

Front 30

enhance

Back 30

advance; improve
Your chances for promotion in this department will be enhanced if you take some more courses in evening
school.

Front 31

enigmatic

Back 31

obscure; puzzling
Many have sought to fathom the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa.

Front 32

enigma

Back 32

puzzle
Depite all attempts to decipher the code, it remained an enigma.

Front 33

enjoin

Back 33

command; order; forbid
The owners of the company asked the court to enjoin the union from picketing the plant.

Front 34

enmity

Back 34

ill will; hatred
At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the enmity that prevented Egypt and Israel
from living in peace.

Front 35

ennui

Back 35

boredom
The monotonous routine of hopital life induced a feeling of ennui which made him moody and irritable.

Front 36

enormity

Back 36

hugeness (in a bad sense)
He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what suffering he had caused.

Front 37

enrapture

Back 37

please intensely
The audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration.

Front 38

ensconce

Back 38

settle comfortably
The parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in the private school and decided to leave
for Europe.

Front 39

ensue

Back 39

follow
The evils that ensued were the direct result of the miscalculations of the leaders.

Front 40

enthrall

Back 40

capture; enslave
From the moment he saw her picture, he was enthralled by her beauty.

Front 41

entice

Back 41

lure; attract; tempt
She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief.

Front 42

entity

Back 42

real being
As soon as the charter was adopted, the United Nations became an entity and had to be considered as a
factor in world diplomacy.

Front 43

entomology

Back 43

study of insects
I found entomology the least interesting part of my course in biology; studying insects bored me.

Front 44

entrance

Back 44

put under a spell; carry away with emotion
Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her spellbound.

Front 45

entreat

Back 45

plead; ask earnestly
She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight.

Front 46

entree

Back 46

entrance; a way in
Because of his wealth and social position, he had entree into the most exclusive circles.

Front 47

entrepreneur

Back 47

businessperson; contractor
Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages entrepreneurs from trying new fields of
business activity.

Front 48

enumerate

Back 48

list; mention one by one
Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his many flaws.

Front 49

enunciate

Back 49

speak distinctly
How will people understand you if you do not enunciate?

Front 50

environ

Back 50

enclose; surround
Paris was environed by a wall

Front 51

eon

Back 51

long period of time; an age
It has taken eons for our civilization to develop.

Front 52

epaulet

Back 52

ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.)
The shoulder loops on Sam Spade's trench coat are the nonmilitary counterparts of the fringed epaulets on
George Washington's uniform.

Front 53

ephemeral

Back 53

short-lived; fleeting
The mayfly is an ephemeral creature.

Front 54

epicure

Back 54

connoisseur of food and drink
epicures frequent this restaurant because it features exotic wines and dishes.

Front 55

epic

Back 55

long heroic poem, novel, or similar work of art
Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the struggle of seven warriors to destroy a band of
robbers.

Front 56

epigram

Back 56

witty thought or saying, usually short
Poor Richard's epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous.

Front 57

epilogue

Back 57

short speech at conclusion of dramatic work
The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue.

Front 58

episodic

Back 58

loosely connected
Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow, John found the novel too episodic.

Front 59

epistemologist

Back 59

philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge
"What is more important, a knowledge of nature of the nature of knowledge?" the epistemologist asked the
naturalist.

Front 60

epitaph

Back 60

inscription in memory of a dead person
In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tombstone.

Front 61

epithet

Back 61

word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing
So many kings of France were named Charles that modern students need epithets to tell them apart:
Charles the Wise, for example, was someone far different from Charles the Fat.

Front 62

epitome

Back 62

perfect example or embodiment
Singing "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General
Stanley proclaimed himself the epitome of an officer and a gentleman.

Front 63

epoch

Back 63

period of time
The glacial epoch lasted for thousands of years.

Front 64

equable

Back 64

tranquil; steady; uniform
After the hot summers and cold winters of New England, he found the climate of the West Indies equable
and pleasant.

Front 65

equanimity

Back 65

calmness of temperament
In his later years, he could look upon the foolishness of the world with equanimity and humor.

Front 66

equestrian

Back 66

rider on horseback
These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds.

Front 67

equilibrium

Back 67

balance
After the divorce, he needed some time to regain his equilibrium.

Front 68

equine

Back 68

resembling a horse
His long, bony face had an equine look to it.

Front 69

equinox

Back 69

period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn
The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms.

Front 70

equipoise

Back 70

balance; balancing force; equilibrium
The high-wire acrobat used his pole as an equipose to overcome the swaying caused by the wind.

Front 71

equitable

Back 71

fair; impartial
I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute, one which will be fair and acceptable to both sides.

Front 72

equity

Back 72

fairness; justice
Our courts guarantee equity to all.

Front 73

equivocal

Back 73

doubtful; ambiguous
Macbeth was misled by the equivocal statements of the witches.

Front 74

equivocate

Back 74

lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth
The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his
remarks.

Front 75

erode

Back 75

eat away
The limestone was eroded by the dripping water

Front 76

erotic

Back 76

pertaining to passionate love
The erotic passages in this novel should be removed as they are merely pornographic.

Front 77

errant

Back 77

wandering
Many a charming tale has been written about the knights-errant who helped the weak and punished the
guilty during the Age of Chivalry.

Front 78

erratic

Back 78

odd; unpredictable
Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic.

Front 79

erroneous

Back 79

mistaken; wrong
I thought my answer was correct, but it was erroneous.

Front 80

erudite

Back 80

learned; scholarly
His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many allusions which were unfamiliar to most
readers.

Front 81

escapade

Back 81

prank; flighty conduct
The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a boyish joke and expelled the young man.

Front 82

eschew

Back 82

avoid
He tried to eschew all display of temper.

Front 83

esoteric

Back 83

hard to understand; known only to the chosen few
New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if
you are in the in-crowd, you'll get the reference; if you come from Cleveland, you won't.

Front 84

espionage

Back 84

spying
In order to maintain its power, the government developed a system of espionage that penetrated every
hosehold.

Front 85

espouse

Back 85

adopt; support
She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause.

Front 86

esteem

Back 86

repect; value; judge
I esteem Ezra Pound both for his exciting poetry and for his acute comments on literature.

Front 87

estranged

Back 87

separated; alienated
The estranged wife sought a divorce.

Front 88

ethereal

Back 88

light; heavenly; fine
Visitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty, her delicate charm.

Front 89

ethnic

Back 89

relating to races
Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is based on lack of information.

Front 90

ethnology

Back 90

study of mankind
Sociology is one aspect of the science of ethnology.

Front 91

ethos

Back 91

underlying character of a culture, group, etc.
Seeing how tenderly Spaniards treated her small daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how
greatly children were valued in the Spanish ethos.

Front 92

etymology

Back 92

study of word parts
A knowledge of etymology can help you on many English tests.

Front 93

eugenic

Back 93

pertaining to the improvement of race
It is easier to apply eugenic principles to the raising of racehorses or prize cattle than t the development of
human beings.

Front 94

eulogistic

Back 94

praising
To everyone's surprise, the speech was eulogistic rather than critical in tone.

Front 95

eulogy

Back 95

praise
All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the calumny heaped upon him by his enemies.

Front 96

euphemism

Back 96

mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died."

Front 97

euphony

Back 97

sweet sound
Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken, the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when
sung.

Front 98

euphoria

Back 98

feeling of exaggerated (or unfounded) well-being
"Jill's been on cloud nine ever since Jacj asked her out," said Betty, dismissing her friend's euphoria.

Front 99

euthanasia

Back 99

mercy killing
Many people support euthanasia for terminally ill patients who wish to die.

Front 100

evanescent

Back 100

fleeting; vanishing
For a brief moment, the entire skyline was bathed in an orange-red hue in the evanescent rays of the
sunset.

Front 101

evasive

Back 101

not frank; eluding
Your evasive answers convinced the judge that you were witholding important evidence.

Front 102

evenhanded

Back 102

impartial; fair
Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their teachers, or, as recent studies suggest, do teachers pay more attention to male students than to females?

Front 103

evince

Back 103

show clearly
When he tried to answer the questions, he evinced his ignorance of the subject matter.

Front 104

evoke

Back 104

call forth
He evoked much criticism by his hostile manner.

Front 105

ewe

Back 105

female sheep
The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes, together with only a handful of rams.

Front 106

exacerbate

Back 106

worsen; embitter
This latest arrest will exacerbate the already existing discontent of the people and enrage them.

Front 107

exacting

Back 107

extremely demanding
The colonies rebelled against the exacting financial claims of the mother country.

Front 108

exalt

Back 108

raise in rank or dignity; praise
The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the Queen; he now is known as Sir Alec
Guinness.

Front 109

exasperate

Back 109

vex
Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks.

Front 110

excerpt

Back 110

selected passage (written or musical)
The cinematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film.

Front 111

exchequer

Back 111

treasury
He had been Chancellor of the exchequer before his promotion to the office he now holds.

Front 112

excise

Back 112

cut away; cut out
When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree, you not only improve its appearance but also enhance
its chances of bearing fruit.

Front 113

excoriate

Back 113

flay; abrade
These shoes are so ill-fitting that they will excoriate the feet and create blisters.

Front 114

exculpate

Back 114

clear from blame
He was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed.

Front 115

execrable

Back 115

very bad
The anecdote was in execrable taste and shocked the audience.

Front 116

execrate

Back 116

curse; express abhorrence for
The world execrates the memory of Hitler and hopes that genocide will never again be the policy of any
nation.

Front 117

execute

Back 117

put into effect; carry out
The choreographer wanted to see how well she could execute a pirouette.

Front 118

exegesis

Back 118

explanation, especially of biblical passages
I can follow your exegesis of this passage to a limited degree; some of your reasoning eludes me.

Front 119

exemplary

Back 119

serving as a model; outstanding
Her exemplary behavior was praised at commencement.

Front 120

exemplify

Back 120

show by example; furnish an example
Three-time winner of the Super Bowl, Joe Montana exemplifies the ideal quarterback.