Gre Vocab: O-P

Front 1

obdurate

Back 1

firm, stubborn

Front 2

obscurity

Back 2

the condition of being unknown

Front 3

obsolete

Back 3

no longer in use; outmoded or old-fashioned

Front 4

obtuse

Back 4

lacking intellectual clarity; blunt, or slow-witted

Front 5

obviate

Back 5

to render unnecessary

Front 6

odious

Back 6

arousing or deserving strong hatred

Front 7

onerous

Back 7

very troublesome or oppressively difficult

Front 8

ostracize

Back 8

to eliminate from a group

Front 9

paradox

Back 9

a self-contradiction; something that appears to be self-contradictory, but is nonetheless true

Front 10

paragon

Back 10

an example of excellence

Front 11

parse

Back 11

to break down into components

Front 12

penchant

Back 12

a tendency or fondness

Front 13

pedantic

Back 13

characterized by a narrow concern for detail, particularly in academics

Front 14

perceive

Back 14

to become aware of something, usually through the senses

Front 15

percolate

Back 15

to slowly pass through

Front 16

peripatetic

Back 16

adj. moving or traveling from place to place. n. one who travels frequently from place to place

Front 17

periphery

Back 17

the outermost boundary of an area

Front 18

perjury

Back 18

knowingly lying under oath

Front 19

perpetuate

Back 19

to prolong the existence or idea of; to make everlasting

Front 20

pertinent

Back 20

relevant or appropriate

Front 21

peruse

Back 21

to examine or review something

Front 22

pervasive

Back 22

capable of spreading or flowing throughout

Front 23

phenomenon

Back 23

observable fact or event; an unusual, significant, or outstanding occurrence

Front 24

pith

Back 24

significance, importance

Front 25

placate

Back 25

to calm

Front 26

placid

Back 26

calm or quiet

Front 27

plagiarize

Back 27

to copy another's work and pretend that it is original

Front 28

plausible

Back 28

reasonable, likely

Front 29

plethora

Back 29

excess or overabundance

Front 30

poignant

Back 30

profoundly moving; incisive

Front 31

polarity

Back 31

the possession of two opposing attributes or ideas

Front 32

postulate

Back 32

to put forth or assert

Front 33

pragmatic

Back 33

practical

Front 34

precarious

Back 34

in a dangerous state, lacking security or stability

Front 35

precedent

Back 35

an example or event that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time; custom arising from long-term practice

Front 36

precipitate

Back 36

to cause something to happen very suddenly or prematurely

Front 37

precept

Back 37

a guiding rule or principle

Front 38

preclude

Back 38

to prevent or make impossible

Front 39

precursor

Back 39

one that precede or suggests the approach of another

Front 40

presage

Back 40

an omen or other warning sign

Front 41

prescience

Back 41

foresight; the power to see the future

Front 42

presume

Back 42

to take something for granted as being fact

Front 43

prevaricate

Back 43

to lie

Front 44

probity

Back 44

integrity and uprightness

Front 45

prodigal

Back 45

wasteful; extravagent

Front 46

profuse

Back 46

plentiful or abundant

Front 47

progeny

Back 47

offspring or product

Front 48

prognosis

Back 48

forecast or prediction

Front 49

proliferate

Back 49

to grow or increase rapidly

Front 50

promulgate

Back 50

to proclaim; usually in reference to rules or laws

Front 51

propagate

Back 51

to cause to multiply or spread

Front 52

prototype

Back 52

an original form of something

Front 53

protract

Back 53

to lengthen or prolong

Front 54

prowess

Back 54

great skill or ability in something

Front 55

prudish

Back 55

exaggeratedly proper; righteous