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29 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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denigrate |
attack someone's reputation negatively |
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debonair |
very handsome, suave |
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esoteric |
only few can understand |
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pseudonym |
pet name |
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elusive |
rarely seen; difficult to describe; |
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eloquent - |
fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing. |
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ornithologist |
a zoologist who studies birds |
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theological |
related to the study of religion |
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pugnacious |
naturally aggressive and rebellious |
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nonchalantly |
indifferent attitude |
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intrepid |
fearless and adventurous; |
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gauche |
Lacking social polish; tactless; Awkward or lacking in social graces; bumbling |
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remiss |
negligent |
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stark |
bare/barren; complete/utter |
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foment |
to incite/instigate |
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clandestine |
very secretively |
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dejected |
depressed |
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compatriots |
fellow citizens |
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resilient |
tough,strong,hardy |
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He was anything but _________, always giving to those in need. |
Well, it’s a rhetorical expression that implies that the “he” is many things, A, B, C, and D…but “he” is definitely not E. In this case, E would be the opposite of the second part of the sentence. A simple way to think about it is to make “anything but” equivalent to “not”. |
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Nothing but |
Nothing but = only (something). When we went to her house she was nothing but kind, showering us with gifts. In his book critiques, Jones was nothing but fair, always judging an author on the merits of his or her latest novel, regardless of previous flops. - See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
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all but |
This phrase is identical to almost. It can also mean everything except the ones mentioned. Contrast the two sentences below to see the differences in how the phrase is used. All but the most famous actors of our day will likely be remembered 50 years from now. At the end of the marathon Charles was all but dead; he stumbled across the finish line, mentioning something about his pet iguana. - See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
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at once X and Y |
This is a tricky structure! First off, X and Y are words or phrases that are opposite in meaning. Secondly, that is an “and” you see, and not an “or”. Finally, this phrase is used to imply an element of surprise because a person/thing embodies these contradictory qualities. At once melodious and dissonant, Perkin’s symphony is full of beautiful melodies that are suddenly interrupted by a burst of clashing gongs and screeching sopranos. Melodious = X; Dissonant = Y He was at once hysterically funny, making people roll on the floor in laughter, and overly serious, as soon as the conversation turned to politics. Hysterically funny = X; overly serious = Y At once forward-thinking and traditionalist, the mayor’s new plan will usher in unprecedented changes while using approaches that have shown enduring efficacy in the civic sphere. Forward-thinking = X, traditionalist = Y - See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
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nothing more than |
This phrase is used disparagingly to show that somebody is not very good at something. The word that follows “than” should be a negative description He is nothing more than a second-rate musician, busking at a bus stop; his friends are always happy to escape his warbling falsetto. Harry is nothing more than a seasoned Hollywood hack: his scripts are as numerous as they are contrived. - See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
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All the more so |
If you want to add emphasis, but need an entire phrase to do so, you can use “all the more so”. Quentin’s sudden termination was shocking; all the more so because he helped build the company as many know it today. - See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
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for all |
This phrase is another way of saying “despite”. For all his hard work, Michael was passed over for a promotion. For all their talk on purging the environment of toxins, the two brothers can’t do without their hourly smoke break.
- See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
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if anything |
This phrase means “if at all”. It is meant to suggest that somebody is disagreeing with something, and wants to prove that the other case is actually true. Bob: It seems like this city is getting more dangerous every day. Steve: Actually, it doesn’t seem that much worse from when I first moved here. If anything, the crime rate has actually dropped, since the city’s population has almost doubled in the last ten years. - See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
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as such |
We were a wayward bunch, living for the moment and thinking little of the future. As such, it shouldn’t be surprising that none of us went to college. Here the question “as what” is clearly answered: As a wayward bunch. Just substitute As <a wayward bunch> and the sentence makes perfect sense. In other words, the antecedent is the phrase “a wayward bunch”. - See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
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but for |
This phrase is just another way of saying except. But for her eloquence, she had little aptitude as an attorney. His contribution to cinema has been mostly forgotten but for his Oscar-winning role.
- See more at: http://magoosh.com/gre/2014/gre-academic-structures/#sthash.TAp0VnN3.dpuf |
