Gre Words From The Ets Practice Test Book

Front 1

duress

Back 1

Lacking in courage

courage (pusill(us) very small, petty + -anim(is) -spirited, -minded (anim(us) spirit + -is adj. suffix)

Front 2

Cloying

Back 2

Sickeningly sweet

(in- + Latin clāvāre, to nail)

Front 3

Doctrinaire

Back 3

Rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality, dogmatic

(doctrīna teaching, equiv. to doct(o)r DOCTOR + -īna -INE2 ] )

Front 4

Meretricious

Back 4

Falsely attractive, OR related to a prostitute

(meretrix prostitute, from merēre to earn)

Front 5

Invective

Back 5

Abusive language

Front 6

Sardonic

Back 6

Cynical, mocking scornfully. Disdainfully humourous

Front 7

Peregrinate

Back 7

To travel, esp. on foot

Front 8

Decorous

Back 8

Socially correct

(think decorum)

Front 9

Lugubrious

Back 9

Mournful, dismal

(lygros mournful)

Front 10

Diffident

Back 10

Lacking self-confidence

(dis- + fidere to trust)

Front 11

Inchoate

Back 11

Being only partially formed or in existence OR incoherent

(in- + cohum part of a yoke to which the beam of a plow is fitted)

Front 12

Exigent

Back 12

Urgent

[exigere to demand]

Front 13

Die

Back 13

A tool used for shaping

Front 14

Mercenary

Back 14

A greedy person, or one who is only motivated by money in doing a job

Front 15

Strut

Back 15

A structural piece that resists pressure in the direction of its length. OR a pompous step or walk

Front 16

Literati

Back 16

A member of an educated class

Front 17

Signatory

Back 17

One who signes, or people who are bound by an agreement

Front 18

Beam

Back 18

The part of a plow to which handles, standard, and coulter are attached

Front 19

Covetous

Back 19

Very greedy

Front 20

Rapacious

Back 20

Excessively covetous, extremely greedy

Front 21

Pundit

Back 21

An authority. A learned person

Front 22

Divestiture

Back 22

To get rid of property, to take away

Front 23

Burnish

Back 23

To make shiny or brown by rubbing, to polish or rub

Front 24

Dampen

Back 24

To become depressed

Front 25

Ardor

Back 25

Zeal, or warmth of feeling

Front 26

Lustrous

Back 26

Radiant, but in an even, efficient way (no glitter)

Front 27

Sinuous

Back 27

Having a serpentine form

Front 28

Centrifuge

Back 28

A machine that uses centrifugal forces to separate densities

Front 29

Intransigent

Back 29

Uncompromising

Front 30

Refractory

Back 30

Resisting control OR unresponsive to stimulus

Front 31

Laconinc

Back 31

Sparse with words, to the point of being rude

Front 32

Sordid

Back 32

Muddy or nasty, vile, muddy, greedy

Front 33

Odious

Back 33

Deserving hatred

Front 34

Volubility

Back 34

Rapid speech, OR quickly turning


[volvere to roll]

Front 35

Abrogate

Back 35

To abolish

[ab- + rogare to ask, propose a law]

Front 36

Sedulous

Back 36

Diligent and hard working

Front 37

Incursion

Back 37

A hostile entrance to a territory

Front 38

Propitate

Back 38

To appease

[propicius < L propitius favorably inclined, propitious, prob. equiv. to pro- pro-1 + -pit-, comb. form of petere to head for, resort to, solicit + -ius]

Front 39

Edify

Back 39

To instruct in moral/ religious knowledge, or to uplift

(think 'educate')

Front 40

Cavalier

Back 40

Debonair, nonchalant.Or disdainfully dismissive

Front 41

Indelicate

Back 41

Improper

Front 42

Amortize

Back 42

To gradually write off a debt or to write off an expenditure

Front 43

Minatory

Back 43

Threatening

Front 44

Emaciate

Back 44

To make feeble

[e- + macies leanness, from macer lean]

Front 45

Innundate

Back 45

To cover with a flood of

[in- + unda wave]

Front 46

Bombast

Back 46

Pretentious, inflated speech

[bombac-, bombax cotton, alteration of Latin bombyc-, bombyx silkworm, silk, from Greek bombyk-, bombyx]

Front 47

Excoriation

Back 47

To wear off skin

[ex- + corium skin, hide]

Front 48

Haughty

Back 48

Blatantly and disdainfully proud

[high, from Latin altus]

Front 49

Chary

Back 49

Discreetly cautious, slow to accept. Or hesitant

[caru sorrow — more at care]

Front 50

Usury

Back 50

Interest, like charging a high interest

Front 51

Circumspect

Back 51

Investigating all possibilities, prudent, cautious

Front 52

Cavern

Back 52

To hollow out. Or, one of indefinie extent

Front 53

Epithet

Back 53

A disparaging comment (think "racial epithet"}

Front 54

Turpitude

Back 54

Inherent baseness

think: Moral turpitude

[turpis- Vile or base]

Front 55

Viscid

Back 55

Covered with a sticky layer, or having an adhesive quality

Front 56

Philistine

Back 56

An artless, materialistic person. Or a person uninformed about a certain subject.

Front 57

Miser

Back 57

1. A person who lives in wretched circumstances in order to save and hoard money

2. A mean grasping person; especially (esp. one who is extremely stingy with money)

Front 58

Functionary

Back 58

1. A person who functions in a specific capacity (esp. in government).
2. An office-holder

Front 59

Raconteur

Back 59

A person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

[re- + aconter, acompter to tell, count]

Front 60

Calipers

Back 60

1. Any of various calibrated instruments for measuring thicknesses or distance

2.Thickness or depth, as of paper or a tree

Front 61

Sextant

Back 61

An astronomical instrument used to determine latitude and longitude at sea by measuring angular distances, esp. the altitudes of sun, moon, and stars.

Front 62

Feint

Back 62

1.Mock blow or attack on or toward one part in order to distract attention from the point one really intends to attack

2.A feigned or assumed appearance

[feint pretended, ptp. of feindre to feign]

Front 63

Dodge

Back 63

1. To elude or evade by a sudden shift of position or by strategy

2. To evade a responsibility or duty especially by trickery or deceit (like, to dodge the draft)

3. To move aside or change position suddenly, as to avoid a blow or get behind something.

Front 64

Cordon

Back 64

1. A line of police, sentinels, military posts, warships, etc., enclosing or guarding an area.

2. A cord or braid worn for ornament or as a fastening.

[MF, dim. of corde]

Front 65

Moat

Back 65

A deep, wide trench, usually filled with water, surrounding the rampart of a fortified place, as a town or a castle.

Front 66

Conviviality

Back 66

1. Friendly; agreeable (like, a convivial atmosphere)

2. Fond of feasting, drinking, and merry company; jovial

[feast (convīv(ere) to live together, dine together (con- con- + vīvere to live]

Front 67

Martial

Back 67

1. Inclined or disposed to war; warlike

[Mārtiālis of, belonging to Mars]

Front 68

Limn

Back 68

1. To represent in drawing or painting.

2. To portray in words; describe in sharp detail

[luminen to illuminate]

Front 69

Parse

Back 69

1. To describe (a word in a sentence) grammatically, identifying the part of speech, inflectional form, syntactic function, etc.

[pars ōrātiōnis part of speech]

Front 70

Stint

Back 70

1. To be frugal; get along on a scanty allowance (like, to stint on food)

2. a period of time spent doing something

3. Imitation or restriction, esp. as to amount: to give without stint.

[styntan to make blunt, dull]

Front 71

Curator

Back 71

one who has the care and superintendence of something

[cūrā(re) to care for, attend to ]

Front 72

Prevaricate

Back 72

To speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.

[praevaricari to act in collusion, literally, to straddle]

Front 73

Perjury

Back 73

Intentionally giving a false testimony. False swearing.

[per- through, i.e., beyond the limits (see per-) + jūrāre to swear, lit., to be at law]

Front 74

Dormancy

Back 74

State of being dormant: Temporarily in abeyance yet capable of being activated

[dormir to sleep]

Front 75

Burgeon

Back 75

1. To grow or develop quickly; flourish
2. To send forth new growth (as buds or branches)

[burion; shoot, bud]

Front 76

Occult

Back 76

1. Beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or understanding; mysterious

2. Secret or hidden from view

3. Verb: To hide


[occultus (ptp. of occulere to hide from view, cover up), equiv. to oc- oc- + -cul-, akin to célāre]

Front 77

Nascent

Back 77

Beginning to exist or develop

Front 78

Disburse

Back 78

1. To pay out (money), esp. for expenses; expend

2. To distribute, scatter

[borser, deriv. of borse purse ]

Front 79

Abridge

Back 79

1. To shorten by omissions while retaining the basic contents

2. To reduce or lessen in duration

[ad- + brevis shor]

Front 80

Extenuating

Back 80

1. To represent as less serious, severe (extenuating circumstances)

2. To underestimate, underrate, or make light of

[ex- ex-1 + tenuāre to make thin or small]

Front 81

Intractable

Back 81

Not easily controlled or directed; not docile or manageable; stubborn; obstinate

[in + tractā(re) to handle, deal with]

Front 82

Pastoral

Back 82

Having the simplicity, charm, serenity, or other characteristics generally attributed to rural areas

[pāstor shepherd]

Front 83

Padding

Back 83

1. Something added unnecessarily or dishonestly, as verbiage to a speech or a false charge on an expense account.
2. To go on foot

[pad path]

Front 84

Cloudburst

Back 84

1. A sudden and very heavy rainfall

2. A sudden outpouring : deluge

Front 85

Fracas

Back 85

A noisy brawl

[fracassare to shatter]

Front 86

Harrow

Back 86

1. To disturb keenly or painfully; distress the mind, feelings, etc., of.

2. A cultivating implement set with spikes, spring teeth, or disks and used primarily for pulverizing and smoothing the soil

Front 87

Boor

Back 87

1. A churlish, rude, or unmannerly person

[bū- to dwell, build, cultivate]

Synonyms (good for the GRE's): lout, oaf, boob, churl, philistine, vulgarian.

Front 88

Sodden

Back 88

1. Dull or expressionless especially from continued indulgence in alcoholic beverages

2. Soaked with liquid or moisture; saturated

Synonym: Torpid

[oden, sothen, ptp. of sethen to seethe]

Front 89

Gainsay

Back 89

1. To deny, contradict, speak against

[again, say]

Front 90

Nice

Back 90

1. Having fastidious, finicky, or fussy tastes

2. Characterized by, showing, or requiring great accuracy, precision, skill, tact, care, or delicacy

3. Minute, fine, or subtle

[foolish, stupid < OF: silly, simple < L nescius ignorant, incapable, equiv. to ne- negative prefix + sci- (s. of scīre to know; see science)]

Front 91

Punctilious

Back 91

Marked by or concerned about precise accordance with the details of codes or conventions

Front 92

Obviate

Back 92

1. to anticipate and prevent or eliminate (difficulties, disadvantages, etc.) by effective measures

2. Render unnecessary.

(like, to obviate the risk of drowning)

[obviare to meet, withstand]

Front 93

Sanction

Back 93

1. To authorize, approve, or allow

2. To impose a sanction on; penalize, esp. by way of discipline.

3. Something that gives binding force, as to an oath, rule of conduct, etc.

[sancire to make holy]

Front 94

Approbation

Back 94

An act of approving formally or officially

Front 95

Unencumbered

Back 95

1. Not burdened with care or responsibility.

2. Property that is not subject to any creditor claims or lien

Front 96

Territoriality

Back 96

1. Attachment to or protection of a territory or domain

2. Behavior associated with defense of a territory

Front 97

Ledger

Back 97

1. A book containing accounts to which debits and credits are posted from books of original entry

2. Horizontal board used for vertical support

[leger large breviary, beam, probably from leyen, leggen to lay]

Front 98

Rumination

Back 98

1. To meditate or muse; ponder.

2. To chew over and over again

Front 99

Castigate

Back 99

To subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism

[driven to be faultless (ptp. of castigāre to chasten), equiv. to cast(us) pure, chaste + -īg-, comb. form of agere to drive, incite + -ātus -ate]

Front 100

Reagent

Back 100

A substance used (as in detecting or measuring a component, in preparing a product, or in developing photographs) because of its chemical or biological activity

[re(act) + agent; cf. act]]

Front 101

Summarily

Back 101

1. Comprehensive

2. Done without delay or formality

[summa sum]

Front 102

Stolid

Back 102

Not easily stirred or moved mentally; unemotional; impassive

[stolidus dull, stupid]

Front 103

Asperity

Back 103

1. Rigor, severity

2. Roughness of surface : unevenness

3. Harshness or sharpness of tone, temper, or manner; severity; acrimony

[asperitās, equiv. to asper rough]

Front 104

Desultory

Back 104

1. Marked by lack of definite plan, regularity, or purpose. Jumping around and unconnected.

2. Disappointing in progress, performance, or quality

[de- + salire to leap]

Front 105

Adroit

Back 105

1. Expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body

2. Having or showing skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations

[droit, dreit straight, just, correct]

Front 106

Procure

Back 106

1. Get possession of

2. Bring about, achieve

[pro- for + cura care]

Front 107

Innundate

Back 107

1. Cover with a flood
2. Overwhelm

[in- + unda]

Front 108

Flourish

Back 108

1. To grow luxuriantly, or thrive in growth, as a plant
2. To achieve success
3. To make bold and sweeping gestures
4. An act or instance of brandishing (to shake or wave)
5. An ostentatious display.
6. A florid bit of speech or writing
7. A sudden burst

[flōrére to bloom]

Front 109

Idyll

Back 109

1. A simple poem or prose about rustic life or pastoral scenes suggesting a mood of peace and contentment
2. A romantic interlude
3. A composition, usually instrumental, of a pastoral or sentimental character.

[Greek idein to see]

Front 110

Inimical

Back 110

Being adverse often by reason of hostility or malevolence

[inimicus enemy ]

Front 111

Hack

Back 111

1. To cut or sever with repeated irregular or unskillful blow
2. Loaf
3. Annoy or vex
4. To damage or injure by crude, harsh, or insensitive treatment; mutilate; mangle
5. Working for hire especially with mediocre professional standard

Front 112

Mar

Back 112

1. To detract from the perfection or wholeness of

Front 113

Mettle

Back 113

Strength of spirit

Front 114

Erudition

Back 114

Extensive knowledge acquired chiefly from books : profound, recondite, or bookish learning

Front 115

Esoterica

Back 115

1. Designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone (private, confidential)

2. Of special, rare, or unusual interest

[esō within]