Gre Words In Context (C)

Front 1

Cacophony

Back 1

harsh, jarring noise

e.g The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable CACOPHONY as they tried to tune their instruments.

Front 2

Candid

Back 2

impartial and honest in speech

e.g The observations of a child can be charming since they are CANDID and unpretentious.

Front 3

Capricious

Back 3

changing one's mind quickly and often

e.g Queen Elizabeth I was quite CAPRICIOUS; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy.

Front 4

Castigate

Back 4

to punish or criticize harshly

e.g Many Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore CASTIGATE perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States.

Front 5

Catalyst

Back 5

something that brings about a change in something else

e.g The imposition of harsh taxes was the CATALYST that finally brought on the revolution.

Front 6

Caustic

Back 6

biting in wit

e.g Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for CAUSTIC with from her cutting, yet clever, insults.

Front 7

Chaos

Back 7

great disorder or confusion

e.g In many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from CHAOS.

Front 8

Chauvinist

Back 8

someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs

e.g The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male CHAUVINISTS.

Front 9

Chicanery

Back 9

deception by means of craft or guile

e.g Dishonest used car salespeople

Front 10

Cogent

Back 10

convincing and well reasoned

e.g Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.

Front 11

Condone

Back 11

to overlook, pardon, or disregard

e.g Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as CONDONING an air of lawlessness.

Front 12

Convoluted

Back 12

intricate and complicated

e.g Although many people bought a Brief History of Time, few could follow its CONVOLUTED ideas and theories.

Front 13

Corroborate

Back 13

to provide supporting evidence

e.g Fingerprints CORROBORATED the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment.

Front 14

Credulous

Back 14

too trusting; gullible

e.g Although some four-years-old believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most CREDULOUS nine-years-old still believe in him.

Front 15

Crescendo

Back 15

steadily increasing volume or force

e.g The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses.