Barron's GRE Master Words 1

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Barron's GRE Master Words. 1. A. 1. abbreviate. 뜻: shorten. 예: Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech. 2. abate.
Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.

A 1. abbreviate

13. adamant

뜻: shorten

뜻: hard, inflexible

예: Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to

예: He was adamant in his determination to punish the wrongdoer.

abbreviate her speech. 14. adulterate 2. abate

뜻: make impure by mixing with baser substances

뜻: subside or moderate

예: It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer.

예: Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate.

15. adversity 뜻: poverty, misfortune 예: We must learn to meet adversity gracefully.

3. abortive 뜻: unsuccessful; fruitless 예: We had to abandon our abortive attempts.

16. abase

4. absolute

예: Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to

뜻: complete; totally unlimited; certain

cast herself down on the ground before him, however she refused to

예: Although the King of Siam was an absolute monarch, he did not

abase herself.

뜻: lower; degrade; humiliate

want to behead his unfaithful wife without absolute evidence of her infidelity.

17. abash

5. abstract

예: He was not at all abashed by her open admiration.

뜻: embarrass 뜻: theoretical; not concrete; non-representational 예: To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a

18. abdicate

meal.

뜻: renounce; give up 예: When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the

6. abusive

entire world.

뜻: coarsely insulting; physically harmful 예: An abusive parent damages a child both mentally and physically.

19. abet 뜻: assist, usually in doing something wrong 예: She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.

7. accelerate 뜻: move faster 예: In our science class, we learn how falling bodies accelerate.

20. abject 뜻: wretched; lacking pride

8. accessible

예: On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty,

뜻: easy to approach; obtainable

huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind.

예: We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot. 21. abjure 9. accessory

뜻: renounce upon oath

뜻: additional object; useful but not essential thing

예: He abjured his allegiance to the king.

예: She bought an attractive handbag as an accessory for her dress. 22. ablution 10. abscond

뜻: washing

뜻: depart secretly and hide

예: His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he

예: The teller absconded with the bonds and was not found.

humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath."

11. aberrant

23. abnegation

뜻: abnormal or deviant

뜻: renunciation; self-sacrifice

예: Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the

예: Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their

validity of the entire experiment.

love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom.

12. abeyance 뜻: suspended action

24. abominate

1

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: loathe; hate

뜻: approach and speak first to a person

예: Moses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe because he

예: When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because

abominated the custom.

I thought they were going to attack me.

25. abrasive

37. accoutre

뜻: rubbing away; tending to grind down

뜻: equip

예: Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish,

예: The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting

abrasive remarks can wear away a listener's patience.

goods store could supply

26. abrogate

38. accretion

뜻: abolish

뜻: growth; increase

예: He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.

예: The accretion of wealth marked the family's rise in power.

27. absolve

39. accrue

뜻: pardon (an offense)

뜻: come about by addition

예: The father confessor absolved him of his sins.

예: You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum.

28. abstain 뜻: refrain; withhold from participation

40. acidulous

예: After considering the effect of alcohol on his athletic performance,

뜻: slightly sour; sharp; caustic

he decided to abstain from drinking while he trained for the race.

예: James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.

29. abut 뜻: border upon; adjoin

41. acme

예: Where our estates abut, we must build a fence.

뜻: peak; pinnacle; highest point 예: Welles's success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career

30. abysmal

as an actor; never again did he achieve such popular acclaim.

뜻: bottomless 예: His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance.

42. acquiesce 뜻: assent; agree passively

31. accede

예: Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's

뜻: agree

suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about the changes he

예: If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be

wanted made.

the victim of future demands. 43. acquittal 32. acclimate

뜻: deliverance from a charge

뜻: adjust to climate or environment

예: His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him

예: One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of

guilty.

travellers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments.

44. acrid 뜻: sharp; bitterly pungent

33. acclivity

예: The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol

뜻: sharp upslope of a hill

had been fired.

예: The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear. 45. acrimonious 34. accolade

뜻: stinging, caustic

뜻: award of merit

예: His tendency to utter acrimonious remarks alienated his audience.

예: In Hollywood, an "Oscar" is the highest accolade. 46. actuarial 35. accord

뜻: calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics

뜻: agreement

예: According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater

예: She was in complete accord with the verdict.

today than it was a century ago.

36. accost

47. actuate

2

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: motivate

예: Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple.

예: I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily.

59. adroit

48. acuity

예: His adroit handling of the delicate situation pleased his

뜻: sharpness

employers.

뜻: skillful

예: In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needed glasses.

60. adulation 뜻: flattery; admiration

49. acumen

예: The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-

뜻: mental keenness

men.

예: His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed.

61. advent

50. adage

예: Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age

뜻: wise saying; proverb

until the news of Hiroshima reached them.

뜻: arrival

예: There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money. 62. adventitious 51. addendum

뜻: accidental; casual

뜻: addition; appendix to book

예: He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely

예: Jane's editor approved her new comparative literature text but

fortunate.

thought it would be even better with an addendum on recent developments in literary criticism.

63. adversary 뜻: opponent; enemy

52. addle

예: Batman struggled to save Gotham City from the machinations of

뜻: muddle; drive crazy

his wicked adversary, the Joker.

예: This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone. 64. adverse 53. adherent

뜻: unfavorable; hostile

뜻: supporter; follower

예: adverse circumstances compelled him to close his business.

예: In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherent quietly deserted him.

65. advert 뜻: refer to

54. adjunct

예: Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it

뜻: something attached to but holding an inferior position

as important.

예: I will entertain this concept as an adjunct to the main proposal. 66. advocate 55. adjuration

뜻: urge; plead for

뜻: solemn urging

예: The abolitionists advocated freedom for the slaves.

예: Her adjuration to tell the truth did not change the witnesses' testimony.

67. aegis 뜻: shield; defense

56. adjutant

예: Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured

뜻: staff officer assisting the commander; assistant

freedoms.

예: Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made

68. affable

all major decisions.

뜻: courteous 예: Although he held a position of responsibility, he was an affable

57. admonish

individual and could be reached by anyone with a complaint.

뜻: warn; reprove 예: He admonished his listeners to change their wicked ways.

69. affected 뜻: artificial; pretended

58. adorn

예: His affected mannerisms irritated may of us who had known him

뜻: decorate

before his promotion.

3

Barron’s GRE Master Words may aggrandize his power to act aggressively in international affairs 70. affidavit

without considering the wishes of Congress.

뜻: written statement made under oath 예: The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it

81. aggregate

in the form of an affidavit.

뜻: sum; total 예: The aggregate wealth of this country is staggering to the

71. affiliation

imagination.

뜻: joining; associating with 예: His affiliation with the political party was of short duration for he

82. aghast 뜻: horrified

soon disagreed with his colleagues.

예: He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his 72. affinity

host.

뜻: kinship 예: She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her

83. agility

pains.

뜻: nimbleness 예: The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience.

73. affirmation 뜻: positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who

84. agitate

refuses to take an oath

뜻: stir up; disturb

예: Despite Tom's affirmation of innocence, Aunt Polly still suspected

예: Her fiery remarks agitated the already angry mob.

he had eaten the pie. 85. agnostic 74. affix

뜻: one who is skeptical of the existence of knowability of a god

뜻: attach or add on; fasten

or any ultimate reality

예: First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he

예: The agnostic demanded proof before she would accept the

had to affix his official seal.

statement of the minister.

75. affluence

86. agog

뜻: abundance; wealth

뜻: highly excited; intensely curious

예: Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the

예: We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was

American way of life.

giving up his career in order to enter a monastery.

76. affront

87. agrarian

뜻: insult; offend

뜻: pertaining to land or its cultivation

예: Accustomed to being treated with respect, Miss Challoner was

예: As a result of its recent industrialization, the country is gradually

affronted by Vidal's offensive behavior.

losing its agrarian traditions.

77. agape

88. alacrity

뜻: openmouthed

뜻: cheerful promptness

예: She stared, agape, at the many strange animals in the zoo.

예: He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master.

78. agenda 뜻: items of business at a meeting

89. alchemy

예: We had so much difficulty agreeing upon an agenda that there

뜻: medieval chemistry

was very little time for the meeting.

예: The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy.

79. agglomeration 뜻: collection; heap

90. alcove

예: It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items

뜻: nook; recess 예: Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove

she had collected on her trip.

adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the 80. aggrandize

young couple.

뜻: increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank or honor 예: The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a President

91. alias

4

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: an assumed name

toward the reef.

예: John Smith's alias was Bob Jones. 103. allusion 92. alienate

뜻: indirect reference

뜻: make hostile; separate

예: the allusions to mythological characters in Milton's poems

예: Her attempts to alienate the two friends failed because they had

bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin.

complete faith in each other. 104. alluvial 93. alimentary

뜻: pertaining to soil deposits left by running water

뜻: supplying nourishment

예: The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river

예: The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because

very fertile.

digestion of foods occurs there. 105. aloof 94. alimony

뜻: apart; reserved

뜻: payments make to an ex-spouse after divorce

예: Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed.

예: Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award him $500 a month in

106. aloft

alimony.

뜻: upward 예: The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging.

95. allay 뜻: calm; pacify

107. altercation

예: The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing

뜻: noisy quarrel

that the fire had been controlled.

예: Throughout the altercation, not one sensible word was uttered.

96. allege

108. altruistic

뜻: state without proof

뜻: unselfishly generous; concerned for others

예: It is alleged that she had worked for the enemy.

예: In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships to hundreds of economically disadvantaged youths, Eugene Lang

97. allegory

performed a truly altruistic deed.

뜻: story in which characters are used as symbols; fable 예: Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories

109. amalgamate 뜻: combine; unite in one body

of the human soul.

예: The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one 98. alleviate

national body.

뜻: relieve 예: This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use

110. amass

stronger drugs.

뜻: collect 예: The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible.

99. alliteration 뜻: repetition of beginning sound in poetry

111. amazon

예: "The furrow followed free" is an example of alliteration.

뜻: female warrior 예: Ever since the days of Greek mythology we refer to strong and

100. alloy

aggressive women as amazons.

뜻: mixture as of metals 예: alloy of gold are used more frequently than the pure metal.

112. ambidextrous 뜻: capable of using either hand with equal ease 예: A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous.

101. allude 뜻: refer indirectly 예: Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic

113. ambience

annoys him.

뜻: environment; atmosphere 예: She went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambience.

102. allure 뜻: entice; attract

114. ambiguous

예: allured by the song of the sirens, the helmsman steered the ship

뜻: unclear or doubtful in meaning

5

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which

125. amiss

road to take.

뜻: wrong; faulty 예: Seeing her frown, he wondered if anything were amiss.

115. ambivalence 뜻: the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional

126. amity

attitudes

뜻: friendship

예: Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the

예: Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in

next, she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings.

International Living were established to promote international amity.

116. amble

127. amnesia

뜻: moving at an easy pace

뜻: loss of memory

예: When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the

예: Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not

animal to go faster than a gentle amble.

get the young girl to identify herself.

117. ambrosia

128. amnesty

뜻: food of the gods

뜻: pardon

예: ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any human who

예: When his first child was born, the king granted amnesty to all in

ate it.

prison.

118. ambulatory

129. amoral

뜻: able to walk

뜻: non-moral

예: He was described as an ambulatory patient because he was not

예: The amoral individual lacks a code of ethics; he should not be

confined to his bed.

classified as immoral.

119. ameliorate

130. amorous

뜻: improve

뜻: moved by sexual love; loving

예: Many social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions

예: Don Juan was known for his amorous adventures.

of people living in the slums. 131. amorphous 120. amenable

뜻: shapeless; vague; indeterminate

뜻: readily managed; willing to be led

예: John was subject to panic attacks that left him prey to vague,

예: He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he

amorphous fears: he knew he was terrified, but could neither define

looked up to; he resented advice from his inferiors.

nor explain the cause of his terror.

121. amend

132. amphibian

뜻: correct; change, generally for the better

뜻: able to live both on land and in water

예: Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United

예: Frogs are classified as amphibian.

States. 133. amphitheater 122. amenities

뜻: oval building with tiers of seats

뜻: convenient features; courtesies

예: The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators.

예: In addition to the customary amenities for the business traveler -fax machines, modems, a health club -- the hotel offers the services

134. ample

of a butler versed in social amenities.

뜻: abundant 예: He had ample opportunity to dispose of his loot before his police

123. amiable

caught up with him.

뜻: agreeable; lovable 예: His amiable disposition pleased all who had dealings with him.

135. amplify 뜻: enlarge

124. amicable

예: Her attempts to amplify her remarks were drowned out by the

뜻: friendly

jeers of the audience.

예: The dispute was settled in an amicable manner with no harsh words.

136. amputate 뜻: cut off part of body; prune

6

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: When the doctors had to amputate Ted Kennedy's leg to prevent

148. ancillary

the spread of cancer, he did not let the loss of his leg keep him from

뜻: serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary

participating in sports.

예: In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on

137. amok

his own.

뜻: in a state of rage 예: The police had to be called in to restrain him after he ran amok in

149. anecdote

the department store.

뜻: short account of an amusing or interesting event 예: Rather than make concrete proposals for welfare reform,

138. amulet

President Raegan told anecdotes about poor people who became

뜻: charm; talisman

wealthy despite their impoverished backgrounds.

예: Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her.

150. anemia

139. anachronism

예: The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia.

뜻: condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles 뜻: something or someone misplaced in time 예: Shakespeare's reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an

151. anesthetic

anachronism; no clocks existed in Caesar's time.

뜻: substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness

140. analgesic

예: His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was

뜻: causing insensitivity to pain

soon asleep.

예: The analgesic qualities of his lotion will provide temporary relief. 152. anguish 141. analogous

뜻: acute pain; extreme suffering

뜻: comparable

예: Visiting the site of explosion, Premier Gorbachev wept to see the

예: She called our attention to the things that had been done in an

anguish of the victims and their families.

analogous situation and recommended that we do the same. 153. angular 142. analogy

뜻: sharp-cornered; stiff in manner

뜻: similarity; parallelism

예: His features, though angular, were curiously attractive.

예: Your analogy is not a good one because the two situations are not similar.

154. animadversion 뜻: critical remark

143. anarchist

예: He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly

뜻: person who rebels against the established order

because he realized they were true.

예: Only the total overthrow of all governmental regulations would satisfy the anarchist.

155. animated 뜻: lively 예: Her animated expression indicated a keenness of intellect.

144. anarchy 뜻: absence of governing body; state of disorder 예: The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.

156. animosity 뜻: active enmity

145. anathema

예: He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he

뜻: solemn curse; someone or something that is despised

advocated limitations of their power.

예: He heaped anathema upon his foe. 157. animus 146. anathematize

뜻: hostile feeling or intent

뜻: curse

예: The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began

예: The high priest anathematized the heretic.

to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks.

147. anchor

158. annals

뜻: secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place

뜻: records; history

예: We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place.

예: In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements.

7

Barron’s GRE Master Words 170. antecede 159. anneal

뜻: precede

뜻: reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and

예: The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development

cooling

of television by a quarter of a century.

예: After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking.

171. antecedents 뜻: preceding events or circumstances that influence what

160. annihilate

comes later; early life; ancestors

뜻: destroy

예: Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella, Miss

예: The enemy in its revenge tried to annihilate the entire population.

Havisham had a few questions about the young man's birth and antecedents.

161. annotate 뜻: comment; make explanatory notes

172. antediluvian

예: In the appendix to the novel, the critic sought to annotate many of

뜻: antiquated; ancient

the more esoteric references.

예: The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years.

162. annuity 뜻: yearly allowance

173. anthropoid

예: The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements

뜻: manlike

his social security benefits so that he can live very comfortably

예: The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals.

without working. 174. anthropologist 163. annul

뜻: student of the history and science of humankind

뜻: make void

예: Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric

예: The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage.

humans in this area.

164. anodyne

175. anthropomorphic

뜻: drug that relieves pain; opiate

뜻: having human form or characteristics

예: His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it.

예: Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics.

165. anoint 뜻: consecrate

176. anticlimax

예: The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil, crowning him king

뜻: letdown in thought or emotion

of Israel.

예: After the fine performance in the first act, the rest of the play was an anticlimax.

166. anomalous 뜻: abnormal; irregular

177. antipathy

예: He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve

뜻: aversion; dislike

procedures that he despised.

예: His extreme antipathy to dispute caused him to avoid argumentative discussions with his friends.

167. anomaly 뜻: irregularity

178. antiquated

예: A bird that cannot fly is an anomaly.

뜻: obsolete; outdated 예: Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip

168. anonymity

thought typewriters were too antiquated for him to use.

뜻: state of being nameless; anonymousness 예: The donor of the gift asked the college not to mention him by

179. antiseptic 뜻: substance that prevents infection

name; the dean readily agreed to respect his anonymity.

예: It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how 169. antagonistic

slight or insignificant.

뜻: hostile; opposed 예: Despite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner

180. antithesis

continued to make antagonistic remarks to the judge.

뜻: contrast; direct opposite of or to 예: This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and

8

Barron’s GRE Master Words he fought it with all his strength.

surmises.

181. anvil

192. apocryphal

뜻: iron block used in hammering out metals

뜻: untrue; made up

예: After heating the iron horseshoe in the forge, the blacksmith

예: To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his

picked it up with his tongs and set it on the anvil.

adventures in the big city.

182. apathetic

193. apogee

뜻: indifferent

뜻: highest point

예: He felt apathetic about the conditions he had observed and did

예: When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth, it is at

not care to fight against them.

its apogee.

183. apathy

194. apoplexy

뜻: lack of caring; indifference

뜻: stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis

예: A firm believer in democratic government, she could not

예: He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy.

understand the apathy of people who never bothered to vote. 195. apostate 184. ape

뜻: one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs

뜻: imitate or mimic

예: Because he switched from one party to another, his former

예: He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal

friends shunned him as an apostate.

in front of the whole school. 196. apothecary 185. aperture

뜻: druggist

뜻: opening; hole

예: In Holland, apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and

예: She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the

pills.

insects had entered the room. 197. apothegm 186. apex

뜻: pithy, compact saying

뜻: tip; summit; climax

예: Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings.

예: He was at the apex of his career. 198. apotheosis 187. aphasia

뜻: deification; glorification

뜻: loss of speech due to injury or illness

예: The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his

예: After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia

apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too, would be exalted

when he could not speak at all or could only mumble incoherently.

to the rank of a god.

188. aphorism

199. appal

뜻: pithy maxim

뜻: dismay; shock

예: An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical

예: We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails.

or scientific. 200. apparition 189. apiary

뜻: ghost; phantom

뜻: a place where bees are kept

예: Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had

예: Although he spent many hours daily in the apiary, he was very

appeared and spoken to him.

seldom stung by a bee. 201. appease 190. aplomb

뜻: pacify; soothe

뜻: poise; composure

예: We have discovered that, when we try to appease our enemies,

예: Wellington's nonchalance and aplomb in the heat of battle always

we encourage them to make additional demands.

heartened his followers. 202. appellation 191. apocalyptic

뜻: name; title

뜻: prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster

예: He was amazed when the witches hailed him with his correct

예: His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild

appellation.

9

Barron’s GRE Master Words 214. apropos 203. append

뜻: with reference to; regarding

뜻: attach

예: I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and

예: I shall append this chart to my report.

pertinent.

204. application

215. aptitude

뜻: diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply

뜻: fitness; talent

예: Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt

예: The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about

Polly praised him for his application.

the career he should follow.

205. apposite

216. aquiline

뜻: appropriate; fitting

뜻: curved, hooked

예: He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct

예: He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak

expression for every occasion.

of the eagle.

206. appraise

217. arable

뜻: estimate the value of

뜻: fit for plowing

예: It is difficult to appraise old paintings; it is easier to call them

예: The land was no longer arable; erosion had removed the

priceless.

valuable topsoil.

207. appreciate

218. arbiter

뜻: be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious

뜻: person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge

of

예: As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the

예: Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks

workers and the employers.

ave her, whose value appreciated considerably over the years. 219. arbitrary 208. apprehend

뜻: unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical

뜻: arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive

예: The coach claimed the team lost because the umpire made some

예: The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long.

arbitrary calls.

209. apprehensive

220. arbitrate

뜻: fearful; discerning

뜻: act as judge

예: His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the

예: She was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between the union

street revealed his nervousness.

and the management.

210. apprise

221. arboretum

뜻: inform

뜻: place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are

예: When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions, he

studied and exhibited

decided to postpone his trip.

예: Walking along the treelined paths of the arboretum, Rita noted poplars, firs, and some particularly fine sycamores.

211. approbation 뜻: approval

222. arcade

예: Wanting her parents' regard, she looked for some sign of their

뜻: a covered passageway, usually lined with shops

approbation.

예: The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the winter rain.

212. appropriate 뜻: acquire; take possession of for one's own use

223. arcane

예: The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been

뜻: secret; mysterious

set aside for the Indians' use.

예: What was arcane to us was clear to the psychologist.

213. appurtenances

224. archaeology

뜻: subordinate possessions

뜻: study of artifacts and relics of early mankind

예: He bought the estate and all its appurtenances.

예: The professor of archaeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins.

10

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: fragrant 225. archaic

예: Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to

뜻: antiquated

Europe.

예: "Methinks," "thee," and "thou" are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary.

237. arraign 뜻: charge in court; indict

226. archetype

예: After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was

뜻: prototype; primitive pattern

arraigned in the County Criminal Court.

예: The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island and New Jersey.

238. array 뜻: marshal; draw up in order 예: His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him.

227. archipelago 뜻: group of closely located islands 예: When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the

239. array

South Seas, he longed to visit them.

뜻: clothe; adorn 예: She liked to watch her motherarray herself in her finest clothes

228. archives

before going out for the evening.

뜻: public records; place where public records are kept 예: These documents should be part of the archives so that

240. arrears

historians may be able to evaluate them in the future.

뜻: being in debt 예: He was in arrears with his payments on the car.

229. ardor 뜻: heat; passion; zeal

241. arrogance

예: Katya's ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow demonstrators

뜻: pride, haughtiness

were busily making posters and handing out flyers, inspired by her

예: The arrogance of the nobility was resented by the middle class.

ardent enthusiasm for the cause. 242. arroyo 230. arduous

뜻: gully

뜻: hard; strenuous

예: Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a

예: Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy.

dry bed.

231. argot

243. articulate

뜻: slang

뜻: effective; distinct

예: In the argot of the underworld, she "was taken for a ride."

예: Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers.

232. aria 뜻: operatic solo

244. artifacts

예: At her Metropolitan Opera audition, Marian Anderson sang an

뜻: products of primitive culture

aria from Norma.

예: Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to no conclusion.

233. arid 뜻: dry; barren

245. artifice

예: The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment.

뜻: deception; trickery 예: The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice

234. aristocracy

were often more effective than military might.

뜻: hereditary nobility; privileged class 예: Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy:

246. artisan

235. armada

예: Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a

뜻: fleet of warships

culture.

뜻: a manually skilled worker

예: Queen Elizabeth's navy was able to defeat the mighty armada that threatened the English coast.

247. artless 뜻: without guile; open and honest 예: Red Riding Hood's artless comment, "Grandma, what big eyes

236. aromatic

11

Barron’s GRE Master Words you have!" indicates the child's innocent surprises at her

뜻: seeker after position or status

"grandmother's" changed appearance.

예: Although I am as aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses.

248. ascendancy 뜻: controlling influence

260. aspiration

예: President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendency over

뜻: noble ambition

Philippines.

예: Youth's aspirations should be as lofty as the stars.

249. ascetic

261. assail

뜻: practicing self-denial; austere

뜻: assault

예: The wealthy young man could not understand the ascetic life led

예: He was assailed with questions after his lecture.

by the monks. 262. assay 250. asceticism

뜻: analyze; evaluate

뜻: doctrine of self-denial

예: When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered

예: We find asceticism practiced in many monastries.

a very rich vein.

251. ascribe

263. assent

뜻: refer; attribute; assign

뜻: agree; accept

예: I can ascribe no motive for her acts.

예: It gives me great pleasure to assent to your request.

252. asceptic

264. assert

뜻: preventing infection; having a cleansing effect

뜻: state strongly or positively; insist on or demand recognition

예: Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as

of (rights, claims, etc).

they introduced asceptic conditions.

예: When Jill asserted that nobody else in the junior class had such an early curfew, her parents Asserted themselves, telling her that if

253. ashen

she didn't get home by nine o'clock she would be grounded for the

뜻: ash-colored; deadly pale

week.

예: Her face was ashen with fear. 265. assessment 뜻: estimation; appraisal

254. asinine 뜻: stupid

예: I would like to have your assessment of the situation in South

예: Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem

Africa.

any serious consideration. 266. assiduous 255. askance

뜻: diligent

뜻: with a sideways or indirect look

예: It took Rembrandt weeks of assiduous labor before he was

예: Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn.

satisfied with his portrait of his son.

256. askew

267. assimilate

뜻: crookedly; slanted; at an angle

뜻: absorb; cause to become homogenous

예: When he placed his hat askew upon his head, his observers

예: The manner in which the United States was able to assimilate the

laughed.

hordes of immigrants during the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth centuries will always be a source of pride.

257. asperity 뜻: sharpness (of temper)

268. assuage

예: These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom

뜻: ease; lessen(pain)

they had been directed.

예: Your messages of cheer should assuage her suffering.

258. aspersion

269. assumption

뜻: slanderous remark

뜻: something taken for granted; the taking over or taking

예: Do not cast aspersions on her character.

possession of 예: The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent

259. aspirant

would not object to her Assumption of power.

12

Barron’s GRE Master Words great care on their small plots of soil. 270. assurance 뜻: promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence

281. atheistic

예: When Gutherie gave Guiness his assurance that rehearsals were

뜻: denying the existence of God

going well, he spoke with such assurance that Guiness was

예: His atheistic remarks shocked the religious worshippers.

convinced. 282. atone 271. asteroid

뜻: make amends for; pay for

뜻: small planet

예: He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime.

예: asteroids have become commonplace to the readers of interstellar travel stories in science fiction magazines.

283. atrocity

272. astigmatism

예: In time of war, many atrocities are committed by invading armies.

뜻: brutal deed 뜻: eye defect that prevents proper focus 예: As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from

284. atrophy

astigmatism, they took him to the optometrist for corrective glasses.

뜻: wasting away 예: Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of

273. astral

affected limbs.

뜻: relating to the stars 예: She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new

285. attenuate

telescope revealed.

뜻: make thin; weaken

274. astringent

enemy lines.

예: By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the 뜻: binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe 예: The astringent quality of unsweetened lemon juice made

286. attest

swallowing difficult.

뜻: testify; bear witness 예: Having served as a member of a grand jury, I can attest that our

275. astronomical

system of indicting individuals is in need of improvement.

뜻: enormously large or extensive 예: The government seemed willing to spend astronomical sums on

287. attribute

weapons development.

뜻: essential quality 예: His outstanding attribute was his kindness.

276. astute 뜻: wise; shrewd

288. attribute

예: That was a very astute observation.

뜻: ascribe; explain 예: I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she

277. asunder

received from her parents.

뜻: into parts; apart 예: Their points of view are poles asunder.

289. attrition 뜻: gradual wearing down

278. asylum

예: They decided to wage a war of attrition rather than to rely on all-

뜻: place of refuge or shelter; protection

out attack.

예: The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land.

290. audacious 뜻: daring; bold

279. asymmetric

예: Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made

뜻: not identical on both sides of a dividing central line

their audacious, death-defying leap to freedom and escaped Darth

예: Because one eyebrow was set markedly higher than the other,

Vader's troops.

William's face had a particularly asymmetric appearance. 291. audit 280. atavism

뜻: examination of accounts

뜻: resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents;

예: When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual audit, they

reversion to an earlier type; throwback

discovered the embezzlements of the chief cashier.

예: Martin seemed an atavism to his Tuscan ancestors who lavished

13

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He ran his office like an autocrat, giving no one else any authority.

292. augment 뜻: increase 예: How can we hope to augment our forces when our allies are

304. automaton 뜻: mechanism that imitates actions of humans

deserting us?

예: Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots, 293. augury

writers were creating stories of automation who could outperform

뜻: omen; prophecy

humans.

예: He interpreted the departures of the birds as an augury of evil. 305. autonomous 294. august

뜻: self-governing

뜻: impressive; majestic

예: This island is a colony; however, in most matters, it is

예: Visiting the palace at Versailes, she was impressed by the

autonomous and receives no orders from the mother country.

august surroundings in which she found herself. 306. autopsy 295. aureole

뜻: examination of a dead body; postmortem

뜻: sun's corona; halo

예: The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the

예: Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureols

cause of death.

around their heads. 307. auxiliary 296. auroral

뜻: offering or providing help; additional or sub-sidiary

뜻: pertaining to the aurora borealis

예: To prepare for the emergency, they built an auxiliary power

예: The auroral display was particularly spectacular that evening.

station.

297. auspicious

308. avarice

뜻: favoring success

뜻: greed for wealth

예: With favorable weather conditions, it was an auspicious moment

예: King Midas's avarice has been famous for centuries.

to set sail. 309. aver 298. austere

뜻: state confidently

뜻: strict, stern

예: I wish to aver that I am certain of success.

예: His austere demeanor prevented us from engaging in our usual frivolous activities.

310. averse 뜻: reluctant 예: He was averse to revealing the sources of his information.

299. austerity 뜻: sternness; severity; lack of luxuries 예: The austerity and dignity of the court were maintained by the new

311. aversion

justices, who were a strict and solemn group.

뜻: firm dislike 예: Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to

300. authenticate

one another.

뜻: prove genuine 예: An expert was needed to authenticate the original Van Gogh

312. avert 뜻: prevent; turn away

painting, distinguishing it from its imitation.

예: She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway. 301. authoritarian 뜻: favoring or exercising total control; non-democratic

313. aviary

예: The people had no control over their destiny; they were forced to

뜻: enclosure for birds

obey the dictates of the authoritarian regime.

예: The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds.

302. authoritative

314. avid

뜻: having the weight of authority; dictatorial

뜻: greedy; eager for

예: We accepted her analysis of the situation as authoritative.

예: He was avid for learning and read everything he could get.

303. autocrat

315. avocation

뜻: monarch with supreme power

뜻: secondary or minor occupation

14

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation and concentrated on

326. badinage

his avocation.

뜻: teasing conversation 예: Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with

316. avow

cheerful badinage.

뜻: declare openly 예: I must avow that I am innocent.

327. baffle 뜻: frustrate; perplex 예: The new code baffled the enemy agents.

317. avuncular 뜻: like an uncle 예: Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's

328. bait

shortcomings.

뜻: harass; tease 예: The soldiers baited the prisoners, terrorizing them.

318. awe 뜻: solemn wonder

329. baleful

예: The tourists gazed with awe at the tremendous expanse of the

뜻: menacing; deadly

Grand Canyon.

예: Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge.

319. awl 뜻: pointed tool used for piercing

330. balk

예: She used an awl to punch additional holes in the leather belt she

뜻: stoop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to

had bought.

continue 예: The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn

320. awry

area.

뜻: distorted; crooked 예: He held his head awry, giving the impression that he had caught

331. balk

cold in his neck during the night.

뜻: foil 예: When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to

321. axiom

escape, he took steps to balk their attempt.

뜻: self-evident truth requiring no proof 예: Before a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean

332. ballast

geometry, he must accept certain principles or axioms.

뜻: heavy substance used to add stability or weight 예: The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift

322. azure

the ballast in the hold to get her back on an even keel.

뜻: sky blue 예: azure skies are indicative of good weather.

333. balm 뜻: something that relieves pain 예: Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. 334. balmy 뜻: mild; fragrant

B

예: A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast. 323. babble 뜻: chatter idly

335. banal

예: The little girl babbled about her doll.

뜻: hackneyed; commonplace; trite 예: His frequent use of cliches made his essay seem banal.

324. bacchanalian 뜻: drunken

336. bandy

예: Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy.

뜻: discuss lightly; exchange blows or words 예: The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press

325. badger

conference.

뜻: pester; annoy 예: She was forced to change her telephone number because she

337. bane

was badgered by obscene phone calls.

뜻: cause of ruin

15

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Lack of public transportation is the bane of urban life. 349. bauble 뜻: trinket; trifle

338. bantering 뜻: good-naturedly ridiculing

예: The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab

예: They resented his bantering remarks because they

bag.

misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm. 350. bawdy 339. barb

뜻: indecent; obscene

뜻: sharp projection form fishhook, etc.; pointed comment

예: She took offense at his bawdy remarks.

예: The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish.

351. beatific 뜻: giving bliss; blissful 예: The beatific smile on the child's face made us very happy.

340. bard 뜻: poet 예: The ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy.

352. beatitude 뜻: blessedness; state of bliss

341. barefaced

예: Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of

뜻: shameless; bold; unconcealed

indescribable beatitude.

예: Shocked by Huck Finn's barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his unregenerate wickedness.

353. bedizen 뜻: dress with vulgar finery 예: The witch doctors were bedizened in their gaudiest costumes.

342. baroque 뜻: highly ornate 예: Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers,

354. bedraggle

they found the flamboyance of baroque architecture amusing.

뜻: wet thoroughly 예: We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to

343. barrage

change into dry clothing.

뜻: barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion 예: The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy

355. befuddle 뜻: confuse thoroughly

canyons.

예: His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling 344. barrister

her further.

뜻: counselor-at-law 예: Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice

356. beget

of law boring, turned to writing.

뜻: father; produce; give rise to 예: One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily

345. barterer

beget another.

뜻: trader 예: The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives' furs.

357. begrudge

346. bask

예: I begrudge every minute I have to spend attending meetings.

뜻: resent 뜻: luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth 예: basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell

358. beguile

asleep.

뜻: amuse; delude; cheat 예: I beguiled himself during the long hours by playing solitaire.

347. bastion 뜻: stronghold; something seen as a source of protection

359. behemoth

예: The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised

뜻: huge creature; something of monstrous size or power

bastion could protect them from the guerrila raids.

예: Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker "The Behemoth."

348. bate

360. beholden

뜻: let down; restrain

뜻: obligated; indebted

예: Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate

예: Since I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, I cannot accept

their curiosity.

this favor.

16

Barron’s GRE Master Words benediction. 361. behoove 뜻: be suited to; be incumbent upon

372. beneficent

예: In this time of crisis, it behooves all of us to remain calm and

뜻: kindly; doing good

await the instructions of our superiors.

예: The overgenerous philanthropist had to curb his beneficent impulses before he gave away all his money and left himself with

362. belabor

nothing.

뜻: explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally

373. beneficiary

예: The debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience

뜻: person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance

by belaboring his point.

policy 예: You may change your beneficiary as often as you wish.

363. belated 뜻: delayed

374. benevolent

예: He apologized for his belated note of condolence to the widow of

뜻: generous; charitable

his friend and explained that he had just learned of her husband's

예: His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar

untimely death.

who accosted him.

364. beleaguer

375. benign

뜻: besiege

뜻: kindly; favorable; not malignant

예: As soon as the city was beleaguered, the life became more

예: The old man was well liked because of his benign attitude toward

subdued as the citizens began their long wait for outside assitance.

friend and stranger alike.

365. belie

376. benison

뜻: contradict; give a false impression

뜻: blessing

예: His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity.

예: Let us pray that the benison of peace once more shall prevail among the nations of the world.

366. belittle 뜻: disparage; depreciate

377. bent

예: Parents should not belittle their children's early attempts at

뜻: determined; natural talent or inclination

drawing, but should encourage their efforts.

예: bent on advancing in the business world, the secretary heroine of Working Girl had a true bent for high finance.

367. bellicose 뜻: warlike

378. bequeath

예: His bellicose disposition alienated his friends.

뜻: leave to someone by means of a will; hand down

368. belligerent

meant a great deal to the boy.

예: In his will, Father bequeathed his watch to Phillip; the bequest 뜻: quarrelsome 예: Whenever he had too much to drink, he became belligerent and

379. berate

tried to pick fights with strangers.

뜻: scold strongly 예: He feared she would berate him for his forgetfulness.

369. bemused 뜻: confused; lost in thought; preoccupied

380. bereavement

예: Jill studied the garbled instructions with a bemused look on her

뜻: state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved

face.

예: His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement.

370. benediction 뜻: blessing

381. bereft

예: The appearance of the sun after the many rainy days was like a

뜻: deprived of; lacking

benediction.

예: The foolish gambler soon found himself bereft of funds.

371. benefactor

382. berserk

뜻: gift giver; patron

뜻: frenzied

예: Scrooge later became Tiny Tim's benefactor and gave him a

예: Angered, he went berserk and began to wreck the room.

17

Barron’s GRE Master Words about his difficulties. 383. beset 뜻: harass; trouble

395. bilk

예: Many problems beset the American public school system.

뜻: swindle; cheat 예: The con man specialized in bilking insurance companies.

384. besmirch 뜻: soil, defile

396. bivouac

예: The scandalous remarks in the newspaper besmirch the

뜻: temporary encampment

reputations of every member of the society.

예: While in bivouac, we spent the night in our sleeping bags under the stars.

385. bestial 뜻: beastlike; brutal; inhuman

397. bizarre

예: The Red Cross sought to put an end to the bestial treatment of

뜻: fantastic; violently contrasting

prisoners of war.

예: The plot of the novel was too bizarre to be believed.

386. bestow

398. blanch

뜻: confer

뜻: bleach; whiten

예: He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero.

예: Although age had blanched his hair, he was still vigorous and energetic.

387. betroth 뜻: become engaged to marry

399. bland

예: The announcement that they had become betrothed surprised

뜻: soothing; mild

their friends who had not suspected any romance.

예: She used a bland ointment for her sunburn.

388. bevy

400. blandishment

뜻: large group

뜻: flattery

예: The movie actor was surrounded by a bevy of startlets.

예: Despite the salesperson's blandishments, the customer did not buy the outfit.

389. bicameral 뜻: two-chambered, as a legislative body

401. blase

예: The United States Congress is a bicameral body.

뜻: bored with pleasure or dissipation 예: Your blase attitude gives your students an erroneous impression

390. bicker

of the joys of scholarship.

뜻: quarrel 예: The children bickered morning, noon, and night, exasperating

402. blasphemous 뜻: profane; impious

their parents.

예: The people in the room were shocked by his his blasphemous 391. biennial

language.

뜻: every two years 예: The group held biennial meetings instead of annual ones.

403. blatant 뜻: extremely obvious; loudly offensive

392. bifurcated

예: Caught in a blatant lie, the scoundrel had only one regret: he

뜻: divided into two branches; forked

wished that he had lied more subtly.

예: With a bifurcated branch and a piece of elastic rubber, he made a crude but effective slingshot.

404. bleak 뜻: cold; cheerless 예: The Aleutian Islands are bleak military outposts.

393. bigotry 뜻: stubborn intolerance 예: Brought up in a democratic atmosphere, student was shocked by

405. blighted 뜻: suffering from a disease; destroyed

the bigotry and narrowness expressed by several of his classmates.

예: The extent of the blighted areas could be seen only when viewed 394. bilious

from the air.

뜻: suffering from indigestion; irritable 예: His bilious temperament was apparent to all who heard him rant

406. blithe

18

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: gay; joyous; careless

impressed with his pomposity than with his logic.

예: Shelley called the skylark a "blithe spirit" because of its happy song.

418. boon

407. bloated

예: The recent rains that filled our empty reservoirs were a boon to

뜻: swollen or puffed as with water or air

the whole community.

뜻: blessing; benefit

예: Her bloated stomach came from drinking so much water. 419. boorish 408. blowhard

뜻: rude; insensitive

뜻: talkative boaster

예: Though Mr. Potts constantly interrupted his wife, she ignored his

예: After all Sol's talk about his big show business connections led

boorish behavior, for she had lost hope of teaching him courtesy.

nowhere, Sally decided he was just another blowhard. 420. bouillon 409. bludgeon

뜻: clear beef soup

뜻: club; heavy-headed weapon

예: The cup of bouillon served by the stewards was welcomed by

예: His walking stick served him as a bludgeon on many occasions.

those who had been chilled by the cold ocean breezes.

410. bluff

421. bountiful

뜻: pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff

뜻: generous; showing bounty

예: Claire thought Lord Byron's boast that he would swim the

예: She distributed gifts in a bountiful and gracious manner.

Hellespont was just a bluff, she was astounded when he dove from the high bluff into the waters below.

422. bourgeois 뜻: middle class

411. blunder

예: The French Revolution was inspired by the bourgeois, who

뜻: error

resented the aristocracy.

예: The criminal's fatal blunder led to his capture. 423. bovine 412. blurt

뜻: cowlike; placid and dull

뜻: utter impulsively

예: Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the state lottery, she

예: Before she could stop him, he blurted out the news.

still preserved her air of bovine calm.

413. bode

424. bowdlerize

뜻: foreshadow; portend

뜻: expurgate

예: The gloomy skies and the sulfurious odors from the mineral

예: After the film editors had bowdlerized the language in the script,

springs seemed to bode evil to those who settled in the area.

the motion picture's rating was changed from "R" to "PG."

414. bogus

425. brackish

뜻: counterfeit; not authentic

뜻: somewhat saline

예: The police quickly found the distributors of the bogus twenty-

예: He found the only wells in the area were brackish; drinking the

dollar bills.

water made him nauseous.

415. boisterous

426. braggadocio

뜻: violent; rough; noisy

뜻: boasting

예: The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to

예: He was disliked because his manner was always full of

quiet them.

braggadocio.

416. bolster

427. braggart

뜻: support; reinforce

뜻: boaster

예: The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to bolster their

예: Modest by nature, she was no braggart, preferring to let her

arguments.

accomplishments speak for themselves.

417. bombast

428. bravado

뜻: pompous, inflated language

뜻: swagger; assumed air of defiance

예: Filled with bombast, the orator's speech left the audience more

예: The bravado of the young criminal disappeared when he was

19

Barron’s GRE Master Words confronted by the victims of his brutal attack. 441. brook 뜻: tolerate; endure

429. brawn 뜻: muscular strength; sturdiness

예: The dean would brook no interference with his disciplinary

예: It takes brawn to become a champion weight-lifter.

actions.

430. brazen

442. browbeat

뜻: insolent

뜻: bully; intimidate

예: Her brazen contempt for authority angered the officials.

예: Billy resisted Ted's attempts to browbeat him into handing over his lunch money.

431. breach 뜻: breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gap

443. brusque

예: They found a breach in the enemy's fortifications and penetrated

뜻: blunt; abrupt

their lines.

예: She was offended by his brusque reply.

432. breadth

444. bucolic

뜻: width; extent

뜻: rustic; pastoral

예: We were impressed by the breadth of her knowledge.

예: The meadow was the scene of bucolic gaiety.

433. brevity

445. buffoonery

뜻: conciseness

뜻: clowning

예: brevity is essential when you send a telegram or cablegram; you

예: John Candy's buffoonery in Uncle Buck was hilarious.

are charged for every word. 446. bugaboo 434. brindled

뜻: bugbear; object of baseless terror

뜻: tawny or grayish with streaks or spots

예: If we become frightened by such bugaboos, we are no wiser than

예: He was disappointed in the litter because the puppies were

the birds who fear scarecrows.

brindled; he had hoped for animals of uniform color. 447. bullion 435. bristling

뜻: gold and silver in the form of bars

뜻: rising like bristles; showing irritation

예: Much bullion is stored in the vaults at Fort Knox.

예: The dog stood there, bristling with anger. 448. bulwark 436. brittle

뜻: earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends

뜻: easily broken; difficult

예: The navy is our principal bulwark against invasion.

예: My employer's brittle personality made it difficult for me to get along with her.

449. bungle

437. broach

예: I was afraid you would bungle his assignment but I had no one

뜻: open up

else to send.

뜻: spoil by clumsy behavior

예: He did not even try to broach the subject of poetry. 450. bureaucracy 438. brocade

뜻: government by bureaus

뜻: rich, figured fabric

예: Many people fear that the constant introduction of federal

예: The sofa was covered with expensive brocade.

agencies will create a government by bureaucracy.

439. brochure

451. burgeon

뜻: pamphlet

뜻: grow forth; send out buds

예: This brochure on farming was issued by the Department of

예: In the spring, the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty

Agriculture.

that is to come.

440. brooch

452. burlesque

뜻: ornamental clasp

뜻: give an imitation that ridicules

예: She treasured the brooch because it was an heirloom.

예: In his caricature, he burlesqued the mannerisms of his adversary.

20

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: coax; wheedle 예: I will not be cajoled into granting your wish.

453. burly 뜻: husky; muscular 예: The burly mover lifted the packing crate with ease.

464. calamity 뜻: disaster; misery

454. burnish

예: As news of the calamity spread, offers of relief poured in to the

뜻: make shiny by rubbing; polish

stricken community.

예: The maid burnished the brass fixtures until they reflected the lamplight.

465. caliber 뜻: ability; capacity 예: A man of such caliber should not be assigned such menial tasks.

455. buttress 뜻: support; prop up 예: Just as architects buttress the walls of cathedrals with flying

466. calligraphy 뜻: beautiful writing; excellent penmanship

buttresses, debates buttress their arguments with facts.

예: As we examine ancient manuscripts, we became impressed with 456. buxom

the calligraphy of the scribes.

뜻: full-bosomed; plump; jolly 예: High fashion models usually are slender rather than buxom.

467. callous 뜻: hardened; unfeeling 예: He had worked in the hospital for so many years that he was callous to the suffering in the wards.

C

468. callow 뜻: youthful; immature

457. cabal

예: In that youthful movement, the leaders were only a little less

뜻: small group of persons secretly united to promote their own

callow than their immature followers.

interests 예: The cabal was defeated when its scheme was discovered.

469. calorific 뜻: heat-producing 예: Coal is much more calorific than green wood.

458. cache 뜻: hiding place 예: The detectives followed the suspects until he led them to the

470. calumny

cache where he had stored his loot.

뜻: malicious misrepresentation 예: He could endure his financial failure, but he could not bear the

459. cacophony

calumny that his foes heaped upon him.

뜻: discord 예: Some people seem to enjoy the cacophony of an orchestra that

471. camaraderie

is tuning up.

뜻: good-fellowship 예: What he loved best about his job was the sense of camaraderie

460. cadaver

he and his co-workers shared.

뜻: corpse 예: In some states, it is illegal to dissect cadavers.

472. cameo 뜻: shell or jewel carved in relief

461. cadaverous

예: Tourists are advised not to purchase cameos from the street

뜻: like a corpse; pale

peddlers of Rome who sell poor specimens of the carver's art.

예: From his cadaverous appearance, we could see how the disease had ravaged him.

473. canard

462. cadence

예: It is almost impossible to protect oneself from such a base

뜻: rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat

canard.

뜻: unfounded rumor

예: Marching down the road, the troops sang out, following the cadence set by the sergeant.

474. candor 뜻: frankness 예: The candor and simplicity of his speech impressed all, it was all

463. cajole

21

Barron’s GRE Master Words clear he held nothing back. 486. capitulate 475. canine

뜻: surrender

뜻: related to dogs; doglike

예: The enemy was warned to capitulate or face annihilation.

예: Some days the canine population of Berkeley seems almost to outnumber the human population.

487. caprice 뜻: whim

476. canker

예: She was an unpredictable creature, acting on caprice, never

뜻: any ulcerous sore; any evil

taking thought of the consequences.

예: Poverty is a canker in the body politic; it must be cured. 488. capricious 477. canny

뜻: fickle; incalculable

뜻: shrewd; thrifty

예: The storm was capricious and changed course constantly.

예: The canny Scotsman was more than a match for the swindlers. 489. caption 478. cant

뜻: title; chapter heading; text under illustration

뜻: pious phraseology; jargon of criminals

예: I find the captions that accompany these cartoons very clever

예: Angry that the president had slashed the education budget, we

and humorous.

dismissed his speech on the importance of education as mere cant. 490. captious 479. cantankerous

뜻: faultfinding

뜻: ill-humored; irritable

예: His criticisms were always captious and frivolous, never offering

예: Constantly complaining about his treatment and refusing to

constructive suggestions.

cooperate with the hospital staff, he was a cantankerous patient. 491. carafe 480. cantata

뜻: glass water bottle

뜻: story set to music, to be sung by a chorus

예: With each dinner, the patron receives a carafe of red or white

예: The choral society sang the new cantata composed by its leader.

wine.

481. canter

492. carapace

뜻: slow gallop

뜻: shell covering the back (of a turtle, crab, etc)

예: Because the racehorse had outdistanced its competition so

예: At the children's zoo, Richard perched on top of the giant turtle's

easily, the reporter wrote that the race was won in a canter.

hard carapace as it slowly made its way around the enclosure.

482. canto

493. carat

뜻: division of a long poem

뜻: unit of weight for precious stones; measure of fineness of

예: Dante's poetic masterpiece The Divine Comedy is divided into

gold

cantos.

예: He gave her a diamond that weighed three carats and was mounted in an eighteen-carat gold band.

483. canvass 뜻: determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.

494. carcinogenic

예: After canvassing the sentiments of his constituents, the

뜻: causing cancer

congressman was confident that he represented the majority opinion

예: Many supposedly harmless substances have been revealed to

of his district.

be carcinogenic.

484. capacious

495. cardinal

뜻: spacious

뜻: chief

예: In the capacious areas of the railroad terminal, thousands of

예: If you want to increase your word power, the cardinal rule of

travelers lingered while waiting for their train.

vocabulary-building is to read.

485. capillary

496. careen

뜻: having a very fine bore

뜻: lurch; sway from side to side

예: The changes in surface tension of liquids in capillary vessels is of

예: The taxicab careened wildly as it rounded the corner.

special interest to physicists.

22

Barron’s GRE Master Words 497. caricature

508. castigation

뜻: distortion; burlesque

뜻: punishment; severe criticism

예: The caricatures he drew always emphasized personal

예: Sensitive even to mild criticism, Woolf could not bear castigation

weaknesses of the people he burlesqued.

that she found in certain reviews.

498. carillon

509. casualty

뜻: set of bells capable of being played

뜻: serious or fatal accident

예: The carillon in the bell tower of the Coca-Cola pavilion at the New

예: The number of automotive casualties on this holiday weekend

York World's Fair provided musical entertainment every hour.

was high.

499. carnage

510. cataclysm

뜻: destruction of life

뜻: deluge; upheaval

예: The carnage that can be caused by atomic warfare adds to the

예: A cataclysm such as the French Revolution affects all countries.

responsibilities of our statesmen. 511. catalyst 500. carnal

뜻: agent that brings about a chemical change while it remains

뜻: fleshly

unaffected and unchanged

예: The public was more interested in carnal pleasures than in

예: Many chemical reactions cannot take place without the presence

spiritual matters.

of a catalyst.

501. carnivorous

512. catapult

뜻: meat-eating

뜻: slingshot; hurling machine

예: The lion is a carnivorous animal.

예: Airplanes are sometimes launched from battleships by catapults.

502. carousal

513. cataract

뜻: drunken revel

뜻: great waterfall; eye abnormality

예: The party degenerated into an ugly carousal.

예: She gazed with awe at the mighty cataract known as Niagara Falls.

503. carping 뜻: petty criticism; fault-finding

514. catastrophe

예: Welcoming constructive criticism, Lexy appreciated her editor's

뜻: calamity

comments, finding them free of carping.

예: The Johnstown flood was a catastrophe.

504. carrion

515. catechism

뜻: rotting flesh of a dead body

뜻: book for religious instruction; instruction by question and

예: Buzzards are nature's scavengers; they eat the carrion left

answer

behind by other predators.

예: He taught by engaging his pupils in a catechism until they gave him the correct answer.

505. cartographer 뜻: map-maker

516. categorical

예: Though not a professional cartographer, Tolkien was able to

뜻: without exceptions; unqualified; absolute

construct a map of the fictional world.

예: Though the captain claimed he was never, never sick at sea, he finally qualified his categorical denial; he was hardly ever sick at sea.

506. cascade 뜻: small waterfall

517. catharsis

예: We could not appreciate the beauty of the many cascades as we

뜻: purging or cleansing of any passage of the body

made detours around each of them to avoid getting wet.

예: Aristotle maintained that tragedy created a catharsis by purging the soul of base concepts.

507. caste 뜻: one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society, social

518. cathartic

stratification; prestige

뜻: purgative

예: The differences created by caste in India must be wiped out if

예: Some drugs act as laxatives when taken in small doses but act

true democracy is to prevail in that country.

as cathartics when taken in much larger doses.

23

Barron’s GRE Master Words 519. catholic

month after his father's death.

뜻: universal; wide-ranging liberal 예: He was extremely catholic in his taste and read everything he

530. celestial

could find in the library.

뜻: heavenly 예: She spoke of the celestial joys that awaited virtuous souls in the

520. caucus

hereafter.

뜻: private meeting of members of a party to select officers or determine policy

531. celibate

예: At the opening of Congress the members of the Democratic Party

뜻: abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried

held a caucus to elect the majority leader of the House and the party

예: Though the late Havelock Ellis wrote extensively about sexual

whip.

customs and was considered an expert in such matters, recent studies maintain he was celibate throughout his life.

521. caulk

532. censor

뜻: to make watertight (by plugging seams)

뜻: overseer of morals; person who eliminates inappropriate

예: When water from the shower leaked into the basement, we knew

matter

it was time to caulk the tiles at the edges of the shower stall.

예: Soldiers dislike having their mail read by a censor but understand the need for this precaution.

522. causal 뜻: implying a cause-and-effect relationship

533. censorious

예: The psychologist maintained there was a causal relationship

뜻: critical

between the nature of one's early childhood experiences and one's

예: censorious people delight in casting blame.

adult personality. 534. censure 523. caustic

뜻: blame; criticize

뜻: burning; sarcastically biting

예: He was censured for his inappropriate behavior.

예: The critic's caustic remarks angered the hapless actors who were the subjects of his sarcasm.

535. centaur

524. cauterize

예: I was particularly impressed by the statue of the centaur in the

뜻: burn with hot iron or caustic

Roman Hall of the museum.

뜻: mythical figure, half man and half horse

예: In order to prevent infection, the doctor cauterized the wound. 536. centigrade 525. cavalcade

뜻: denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as

뜻: procession; parade

Celsius)

예: As described by Chaucer, the cavalcade of Canterbury pilgrims

예: On the centigrade thermometer, the freezing point of water is

was motley group.

zero degrees.

526. cavalier

537. centrifugal

뜻: casual and offhand; arrogant

뜻: radiating; departing from the center

예: Sensitive about having her ideas taken lightly, Marcia felt insulted

예: Many automatic drying machines remove excess moisture from

by Mark's cavalier dismissal of her suggestion.

clothing by centrifugal force.

527. cavil

538. centrifuge

뜻: make frivolous objections

뜻: machine that separates substances by whirling them

예: I respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislike the way you cavil

예: At the dairy, we employ a centrifuge to separate cream from milk.

about unimportant details. 539. centripetal 528. cede

뜻: tending toward the center

뜻: transfer; yield title to

예: Does centripetal force or the force of gravity bring orbiting bodies

예: I intend to cede this property to the city.

to the earth's surface?

529. celerity

540. centurion

뜻: speed; rapidity

뜻: Roman army officer

예: Hamlet resented his mother's celerity in remarrying within a

예: Because he was in command of a company of one hundred

24

Barron’s GRE Master Words soldiers, he was called a centurion.

552. champion 뜻: support militantly

541. cerebral

예: Martin Luther King, Jr., won the Nobel Peace Prize because he

뜻: pertaining to the brain or intellect

championed the oppressed in their struggle for equality.

예: The content of philosophical works is cerebral in nature and requires much thought.

553. chaotic 뜻: in utter disorder 예: He tried to bring order into the chaotic state of affairs.

542. cerebration 뜻: thought 예: Mathematics problems sometimes require much cerebration.

554. charisma 뜻: divine gift; great popular charm or appeal

543. ceremonious

예: Political commentators have deplored the importance of a

뜻: marked by formality

candidate's charisma in these days of television campaigning.

예: Ordinary dress would be in appropriate at so ceremonious an affair.

555. charlatan 뜻: quack; pretender to knowledge

544. cessation

예: When they realized that the Wizard didn't know how to get them

뜻: stopping

back to Kansas, Dorothy and her friends were sure they'd been

예: The workers threatened a cessation of all activities if their

duped by a charlatan.

demands were not met. 556. chary 545. cession

뜻: cautious; sparing or restrained about giving

뜻: yielding to another; ceding

예: A prudent, thrifty New Englander, DeWitt was as chary of

예: The cession of Alaska to the United States is discussed in this

investing money in junk bonds as he was chary of paying people

chapter.

unnecessary compliments.

546. chafe

557. chase

뜻: warm by rubbing

뜻: ornament a metal surface by indenting

예: The collar chafed his neck.

예: With his hammer, he carefully chased an intricate design onto the surface of the chalice.

547. chaff 뜻: worthless products of an endeavor

558. chasm

예: When you separate the wheat from the chaff, be sure you throw

뜻: abyss

out the chaff.

예: They could not see the bottom of the chasm.

548. chaffing

559. chassis

뜻: bantering; joking

뜻: framework and working parts of an automobile

예: Sometimes his flippant and chaffing remarks annoy us.

예: Examining the car after the accident, the owner discovered that the body had been ruined but that the chassis was unharmed.

549. chagrin 뜻: vexation; disappointment

560. chaste

예: Her refusal to go with us filled us with chagrin.

뜻: pure 예: Her chaste and decorous garb was appropriately selected for the

550. chalice

solemnity of the occasion.

뜻: goblet; consecrated cup 예: In a small room adjoining the cathedral, many ornately decorated

561. chasten

chalices made by the most famous European goldsmiths were on

뜻: discipline; punish in order to correct

display.

예: Whom God loves, God chastens.

551. chameleon

562. chastise

뜻: lizard that changes color in different situations

뜻: punish

예: Like the chameleon, he assumed the political coloration of every

예: I must chastise you for this offense.

group he met. 563. chauvinist

25

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: blindly devoted patriot

of the socially prominent celebrities.

예: A chauvinist cannot recognize any faults in his country, no matter how flagrant they may be.

575. churlish 뜻: boorish; rude

564. check

예: Dismayed by his churlish manners at the party, the girls vowed

뜻: stop motion; curb or restrain

never to invite him again.

예: Thrusting out her arm, Grandma checked Bobby's lunge at his sister. "Young man," she said, "you'd better check your temper."

576. ciliated 뜻: having minute hairs 예: The paramecium is a ciliated, one-celled animal.

565. checkered 뜻: marked by changes in fortune 예: During his checkered career he had lived in palatial mansions

577. cipher

and in dreary boardinghouses.

뜻: nonentity; worthless person or thing 예: She claimed her ex-husband was a total cipher and wondered

566. cherubic

why she had ever married him.

뜻: angelic; innocent-looking 예: With her cheerful smile and rosy cheeks, she was a particularly

578. cipher

cherubic child.

뜻: secret code 예: Lacking his code book, the spy was unable to decode the

567. chicanery

message sent to him in cipher.

뜻: trickery 예: Your deceitful tactics in this case are indications of chicanery.

579. circlet 뜻: small ring; band

568. chide

예: This tiny circlet is very costly because it is set with precious

뜻: scold

stones.

예: Grandma began to chide Steven for his lying. 580. circuitous 569. chimerical

뜻: roundabout

뜻: fantastic; highly imaginative

예: Because of the traffic congestion on the main highways, she took

예: Poe's chimerical stories are sometimes too morbid for reading in

a circuitous route.

bed. 581. circumlocution 570. chivalrous

뜻: indirect or roundabout expression

뜻: courteous; faithful; brave

예: He was afraid to call spade a spade and resorted to

예: chivalrous behavior involves noble words and good deeds.

circumlocutions to avoid direct reference to his subject.

571. choleric

582. circumscribe

뜻: hot-tempered

뜻: limit; confine

예: His flushed, angry face indicated a choleric nature.

예: Although I do not wish to circumscribe your activities, I must insist that you complete this assignment before you start anything

572. choreography

else.

뜻: art of dancing 예: Martha Graham introduced a form of choreography that seemed

583. circumspect

awkward and alien to those who had been brought up on classic

뜻: prudent; cautious

ballet.

예: Investigating before acting, she tried always to be circumspect.

573. chronic

584. circumvent

뜻: long established, as a disease

뜻: outwit; baffle

예: The doctors were finally able to attribute his chronic headaches

예: In order to circumvent the enemy, we will make two preliminary

and nausea to traces of formaldehyde gas in his apartment.

attacks in other sections before starting our major campaign.

574. chronicle

585. citadel

뜻: report; record (in chronological order)

뜻: fortress

예: The gossip columnist was paid to chronicle the latest escapades

예: The citadel overlooked the city like a protecting angel.

26

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The lightening cleaves the tree in two. 586. cite 뜻: quote; commend

598. cleft

예: She could cite passages in the Bible from memory.

뜻: split 예: Erosion caused a cleft in the huge boulder.

587. civil 뜻: having to do with citizens or the state; courteous and polite

599. clemency

예: Although internal Revenue Service agents are civil servants, they

뜻: disposition ot be lenient; mildness, as of the weather

are not always civil to suspected tax evaders.

예: The lawyer was pleased when the case was sent to Judge

588. clairvoyant

toward first offenders.

Smith's chambers because Smith was noted for her clemency 뜻: having foresight; fortuneteller 예: Cassandra's clairvoyant warning was not heeded by the Trojans.

600. cliche 뜻: phrase culled in meaning by repetition

589. clamber

예: High school compositions are often marred by such cliches as

뜻: climb by crawling

"strong as an ox."

예: She clambered over the wall. 601. clientele 590. clamor

뜻: body of customers

뜻: noise

예: The rock club attracted a young, stylish clientele.

예: The clamor of the children at play outside made it impossible for her to take a nap.

602. climactic 뜻: relating to the highest point

591. clandestine

예: When he reached the climactic portions of the book, he could not

뜻: secret

stop reading.

예: After avoiding their chaperon, the lovers had a clandestine meeting.

603. clime

592. clangor

예: His doctors advised him to move to a milder clime.

뜻: region; climate 뜻: loud, resounding noise 예: The blacksmith was accustomed to the clangor of hammers on

604. clique

steel.

뜻: small, exclusive group 예: She charged that a clique had assumed control of school affairs.

593. clapper 뜻: striker (tongue) of a bell

605. cloister

예: Wishing to be undisturbed by the bell, Dale wound his scarf

뜻: monastery or convent

around the clapper to muffle its striking.

예: The nuns lived in the cloister.

594. clarion

606. clout

뜻: shrill, trumpetlike sound

뜻: great influence (especially political or social)

예: We woke to the clarion to muffle its striking.

예: Gatsby wondered whether he had enough clout to be admitted to the exclusive club.

595. claustrophobia 뜻: fear of being locked in

607. cloying

예: His fellow classmates laughed at his claustrophobia and often

뜻: distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or

threatened to lock him in his room.

sentimental 예: Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody

596. clavicle

and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake for their reception.

뜻: collarbone 예: Even though he wore shoulder pads, the football player broke his

608. coagulate

clavicle during a practice scrimmage.

뜻: thicken; congeal; clot 예: Even after you remove the pudding from the burner, it will

597. cleave

continue to coagulate as it stands.

뜻: split asunder

27

Barron’s GRE Master Words 609. coalesce

예: Though Jack was emotionally immature, his cognitive

뜻: combine; fuse

development was admirable; he was very advanced intellectually.

예: The brooks coalesce into one large river. 621. cognizance 610. coda

뜻: knowledge

뜻: concluding section of a musical or literary composition

예: During the election campaign, the two candidates were kept in

예: The piece concluded with a distinctive coda that strikingly

full cognizance of the international situation.

brought together various motifs. 622. cohere 611. coddle

뜻: stick together

뜻: treat gently; pamper

예: Solids have a greater tendency to cohere than liquids.

예: Don't coddle the children to much; they need a taste of discipline. 623. cohesion 612. codicil

뜻: tendency to keep together

뜻: supplement to the body of a will

예: A firm believer in the maxim "Divide and conquer," the emperor,

예: This codicil was drawn up five years after the writing of the

by lies and trickery, sought to disrupt the cohesion ofthe free nations.

original will. 624. cohorts 뜻: armed band

613. codify 뜻: arrange (laws, rules) as a code; classify

예: Caesar and his Roman cohorts conquered almost all of the

예: We need to take the varying rules and regulations of the different

known world.

health agencies and codify them into a national health code. 625. coiffure 614. coercion

뜻: hairstyle

뜻: use of force

예: You can make a statement with your choice of coiffure: in the

예: They forced him to obey, but only by great coercion.

60's many African-Americans affirmed their racial heritage by wearing their hair in Afros.

615. coeval 뜻: living at the same time as; contemporary

626. coincident

예: coeval with the dinosaur, the pterodactyl flourished during the

뜻: occurring at the same time

Mesozoic era.

예: Some people find the coincident events in Hardy's novels annoyingly improbable.

616. cog 뜻: tooth projecting from a wheel

627. colander

예: A bicycle chain moves through a series of cogs in order to propel

뜻: utensil with perforated bottom used for straining

the bike.

예: Before serving the spaghetti, place it in a colander to drain it.

617. cogent

628. collaborate

뜻: convincing

뜻: work together

예: She presented cogent arguments to the jury.

예: Two writers collaborated in preparing this book.

618. cogitate

629. collage

뜻: think over

뜻: work of art put together from fragments

예: cogitate on this problem; the solution will come.

예: Scraps of cloth, paper doilies, and old photographs all went into her collage.

619. cognate 뜻: related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in

630. collate

nature

뜻: examine in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order

예: The English word "mother" cognate to the Latin word "mater,"

예: They collated the newly found manuscripts to determine their age.

whose influence is visible in the words "maternal" and "maternity." 631. collateral 620. cognitive

뜻: security given for loan

뜻: having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the

예: The sum you wish to borrow is so large that it must be secured

mental precesses

by collateral.

28

Barron’s GRE Master Words comeuppance. 632. collation 뜻: a light meal

643. comity

예: Tea sandwiches and cookies were offered at the collation.

뜻: courtesy; civility 예: A spirit of comity should exist among nations.

633. colloquial 뜻: pertaining to conversational or common speech

644. commandeer

예: Your use of colloquial expressions in a formal essay such as the

뜻: to draft for military purposes; to take for public use

one you have presented spoils the effect you hope to achieve.

예: The policeman commandeered the first car that approached and ordered the driver to go to the nearest hospital.

634. colloquy 뜻: informal discussion

645. commemorative

예: I enjoy our colloquies but I sometimes wish that they could be

뜻: remembering; honoring

made more formal and more searching.

예: The new commemorative stamp honors the late Martin Luther King, Jr.

635. collusion 뜻: conspiring in a fraudulent scheme

646. commensurate

예: The swindlers were found guilty of collusion.

뜻: equal in extent 예: Your reward will be commensurate with your effort.

636. colossal 뜻: huge

647. commiserate

예: Radio City Music Hall has a colossal stage.

뜻: feel or express pity or sympathy for 예: Her friends commiserated with the widow.

637. colossus 뜻: gigantic statue

648. commodious

예: The legendary Colossus of Rhodes, bronze statue of the sun god

뜻: spacious and comfortable

that dominated the harbor of the Greek seaport, was one of the

예: After sleeping in a small roadside cabins, they found their hotel

Seven Wonders of the World.

suite commodious.

638. comatose

649. communal

뜻: in a coma; extremely sleepy

뜻: held in common; of a group of people

예: The long-winded orator soon had his audience in a comatose

예: When they were divorced, they had trouble dividing their

state.

communal property.

639. combustible

650. compact

뜻: easily burned

뜻: agreement; contract

예: After the recent outbreak of fires in private homes, the fire

예: The signers of the Mayflower Compact were establishing a form

commissioner ordered that all combustible materials be kept in safe

of government.

containers. 651. compact 뜻: tightly packed; firm; brief

640. comely 뜻: attractive; agreeable

예: His short, compact body was better suited to wrestling than to

예: I would rather have a poor and comely wife than a rich and

basketball.

homely one. 652. compatible 641. comestible

뜻: harmonious; in harmony with

뜻: something fit to be eaten

예: They were compatible neighbors, never quarreling over

예: The roast turkey and other comestibles, the wines, and the

unimportant matters.

excellent service made this Thanksgiving dinner particularly memorable.

653. compelling 뜻: overpowering; irresistible in effect

642. comeuppance

예: The prosecutor presented a well-reasoned case, but the defense

뜻: rebuke; deserts

attorney's compelling arguments for leniency won over the jury.

예: After his earlier rudeness, we were delighted to see him get his

29

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Even the latest work crisis failed to shake her composure.

654. compendium 뜻: brief, comprehensive summary 예: This text can serve as a compendium of the tremendous amount

666. compound

of new material being developed in this field.

뜻: combine; constitute; pay interest; increase 예: The makers of the popular cold remedy compounded a nasal

655. compensatory

decongestant with an antihistamine.

뜻: making up for; repaying 예: Can a compensatory education program make up for the

667. comprehensive

inadequate schooling he received in earlier years?

뜻: thorough; inclusive 예: This book provides a comprehensive review of verbal and math

656. compilation

skills for the SAT.

뜻: listing of statistical information in tabular or book form 예: The compilation of available scholarships serves a very valuable

668. compress

purpose.

뜻: close; squeeze; contract 예: She compressed the package under her arm.

657. complacent 뜻: self-satisfied

669. comprise

예: There was a complacent look on his face as he examined his

뜻: include; consist of

paintings.

예: If the District of Columbia were to be granted a statehood, the United States of America would comprise fifty-onestates, not just fifty.

658. complaisant 뜻: trying to please; obliging

670. compromise

예: The courtier obeyed the king's orders in a complaisant manner.

뜻: adjust; endanger the interests or reputation of

659. complement

claim to neutrality in this matter.

예: Your presence at the scene of the dispute compromises our 뜻: complete; consummate; make perfect 예: The waiter recommended a glass of port to complement the

671. compunction 뜻: remorse

cheese.

예: The judge was especially severe in this sentencing because he 660. compliance

felt that the criminal had shown no compunction for his heinous

뜻: conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield

crime.

예: The design for the new school had to be in compliance with the local building code.

672. compute 뜻: reckon; calculate

661. compliant

예: He failed to compute the interest, so his bank balance was not

뜻: yielding

accurate.

예: He was compliant and ready to go along with his friends' desires. 673. concatenate 662. complicity

뜻: link as in a chain

뜻: participation; involvement

예: It is difficult to understand how these events could concatenate

예: You cannot keep your complicity in this affair secret very long;

as they did without outside assistance.

you would be wise to admit your involvement immediately. 674. concave 663. component

뜻: hollow

뜻: element; ingredient

예: The back-packers found partial shelter from the storm by

예: I wish all the components of my stereo system were working at

huddling against the concave wall of the cliff.

the same time. 675. concede 664. comport

뜻: admit; hield

뜻: bear one's self; behave

예: Despite all the evidence Monica had assembled, Mark refused to

예: He comported himself with great dignity.

concede that she was right.

665. composure

676. conceit

뜻: mental calmness

뜻: whimsical idea; extravagant metaphor

30

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He was an entertaining companion, always expressing himself in

뜻: agree

amusing conceits and witty turns of phrase.

예: Did you concur with the decision of the court or did you find it unfair?

677. concentric 뜻: having a common center

689. concurrent

예: The target was made of concentric circles.

뜻: happening at the same time 예: In America, the colonists were resisting the demands of the

678. conception

mother contry; at the concurrent moment in France, the middle class

뜻: beginning; forming of a idea

was sowing the seeds of rebellion.

예: At the first conception of the work, he was consulted. 690. condescend 679. concerted

뜻: bestow courtesies with a superior air

뜻: mutually agreed on; done together

예: The king condescended to grant an audience to the friends of the

예: The girl scouts in the troop made a concerted effort to raise funds

condemned man.

for their annual outing, and emitted a concerted sigh when their leader announced that they had reached their goal.

691. condign 뜻: adequate; deservedly severe 예: The public approved the condign punishment for the crime.

680. concession 뜻: an act of yielding 예: Before they could reach an agreement, both sides had to make

692. condiments

certain concessions.

뜻: seasonings; spices 예: Spanish food is full of condiments.

681. conciliatory 뜻: reconciling; soothing

693. condole

예: She was still angry despite his conciliatory words.

뜻: express sympathetic sorrow 예: His friends gathered to condole with him over his loss.

682. concise 뜻: brief and compact

694. condone

예: When you define a new word, be concise; the shorter the

뜻: overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse

definition, the easier it is to remember.

예: Unlike Widow Douglass, who condoned Huck's minor offenses, Miss Watson did nothing but scold.

683. conclave 뜻: private meeting

695. conducive

예: He was present at all their conclaves as an unofficial observer.

뜻: helpful; contributive 예: Rest and proper diet are conducive to good health.

684. conclusive 뜻: decisive; ending all debate

696. conduit

예: When the stolen books turned up in John's locker, we finally had

뜻: aqueduct; passageway for fluids

conclusive evidence of the identity of the mysterious thief.

예: Water was brought to the army in the desert by an improvised conduit from the adjoining mountain.

685. concoct 뜻: prepare by combining; make up in concert

697. confidant

예: How did the inventive chef ever concoct such strange dish?

뜻: trusted friend

686. concomitant

at home.

예: He had no confidants with whom he could discuss his problems 뜻: that which accompanies 예: Culture is not always a concomitant of wealth.

698. confiscate 뜻: seize; commandeer 예: The army confiscated all available supplies of uranium.

687. concord 뜻: harmony 예: Watching Tweediedum and Tweedledee battle, Alice wondered

699. conflagration

why the two brothers could not manage to life in concord.

뜻: great fire 예: In the conflagration that followed the 1906 earthquake, much of

688. concur

San Francisco was destroyed.

31

Barron’s GRE Master Words completely under his spell. 700. confluence 뜻: flowing together; crowd

712. connivance

예: They built the city at the confluence of two rivers.

뜻: pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend

701. conformity

예: With the connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the

뜻: harmony; agreement

teacher.

예: In conformity with our rules and regulations, I am calling a meeting of our organization.

713. connoisseur 뜻: person competent to act as judge of art, ect.; a lover of an

702. confound

art

뜻: confuse; puzzle

예: She had developed into a connoisseur of fine china.

예: No mystery could confound Sherlock Holmes for long. 714. connotation 703. congeal

뜻: suggested or implied meaning of an expression

뜻: freeze; coagulate

예: Foreigners frequently are unaware of the connotations of the

예: His blood congealed in his veins as he saw the dread monster

words they use.

rush toward him. 715. connubial 704. congenial

뜻: pertaining to maffige or the matrimonial state

뜻: pleasant; friendly

예: In his telegram, he wished the newlyweds a lifetime of connubial

예: My father loved to go out for a meal with congenial companions.

bliss.

705. congenital

716. consanguinity

뜻: existing at birth

뜻: kinship

예: His congenital deformity disturbed his parents.

예: The lawsuit developed into a test of the consanguinity of the claimant to the estate.

706. conglomeration 뜻: mass of material sticking together

717. conscientious

예: In such a conglomeration of miscellaneous statistics, it was

뜻: scrupulous; careful

impossible to find a single area of analysis.

예: A conscientious editor checked every definition for its accuracy.

707. congruence

718. conscript

뜻: correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship

뜻: draftee; person forced into military service

예: The student demonstrated the congruence of the two triangles by

예: Did Rambo volunteer to fight in Vietnam, or was he a conscript,

using the hypotenuse-arm theorem.

drafted against his will?

708. conifer

719. consecrate

뜻: pine tree; cone-bearing tree

뜻: dedicate; sanctify

예: According to geologists, the conifers were the first plants to bear

예: We shall consecrate our lives to this noble purpose.

flowers. 720. consensus 709. conjecture

뜻: general agreement

뜻: surmise; guess

예: The consensus indicates that we are opposed to entering into

예: I will end all your conjectures; I admit I am guilty as charged.

this pact.

710. conjugal

721. consequential

뜻: pertaining to marriage

뜻: pompous; self-important

예: Their dreams of conjugal bliss were shattered as soon as their

예: Convinced of his own importance, the actor strutted about the

temperaments clashed.

dressing room with a consequential air.

711. conjure

722. conservatory

뜻: summon a devil; proactive magic; imagine; invent

뜻: school of the fine arts (especiallymusic or drama)

예: He conjured up an image of a reformed city and had the voters

예: A gifted violinist, Marya was selected to study at the conservatory.

32

Barron’s GRE Master Words 734. contagion 723. consign

뜻: infection

뜻: deliver officially; entrust; set apart

예: Fearing contagion, they took drastic steps to prevent the spread

예: The court consigned the child to her paternal grandmother's care.

of the disease.

724. consistency

735. contaminate

뜻: absence of contradictions; dependability; uniformity; degree

뜻: pollute

of thickness

예: The sewage system of the city so contaminated the water that

예: Holmes judged puddings and explanations on their consistency;

swimming was forbidden.

he liked his puddings without lumps and his explanations without improbabilities.

736. contempt 뜻: scorn; disdain

725. console

예: Even if you feel superior to others, it is unwise to show your

뜻: lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort

contempt for them.

예: When her father died, Marius did his best to console Cosette. 737. contend 726. consonance

뜻: struggle; compete; assert earnestly

뜻: harmony; agreement

예: In Revolt of the Black Athlete, sociologist Harry Edwards

예: Her agitation seemed out of consonance with her usual calm.

contends that young black athletes have been exploited by some college recruiters.

727. consort 뜻: associate with

738. contentious

예: We frequently judge people by the company with whom they

뜻: quarrelsome

consort.

예: We heard loud and contentious noises in the next room.

728. consort

739. contest

뜻: husband or wife

뜻: dispute

예: The search for a consort for the young Queen Victoria ended

예: The defeated candidate attempted to contest the election results.

happily. 740. context 729. conspiracy

뜻: writings preceding and following the passage quoted

뜻: treacherous plot

예: Because these lines are taken out of context, they do not convey

예: Brutus and Cassius joined in the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar.

the message the author intended.

730. constituent

741. contiguous

뜻: supporter

뜻: adjacent to; touching upon

예: The congressman received hundreds of letters from angry

예: The two countries are contiguous for a few miles; then they are

constituents after the Equal Rights Amendment failed to pass.

separated by the gulf.

731. constraint

742. continence

뜻: compulsion; repression of feelings

뜻: self-restraint; sexual chastity

예: There was a feeling of constraint in the room because no one

예: She vowed to lead a life of continence.

dared to criticize the speaker. 743. contingent 732. construe

뜻: conditional

뜻: explain; interpret

예: The continuation of this contract is contingent on the quality of

예: If I construe your remarks correctly, you disagree with the theory

your first output.

already advanced. 744. contortions 733. consummate

뜻: twistings; distortions

뜻: complete

예: As the effects of the opiate wore away, the contortions of the

예: I have never seem anyone who makes as many stupid errors as

patient became more violent and demonstrated how much pain she

you do; you must be a consummate idiot.

was enduring.

33

Barron’s GRE Master Words 745. contraband

756. converge

뜻: illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods

뜻: come together

예: The coast guard tries to prevent contraband in U.S. waters.

예: Marchers converged on Washington for the great Save Our Cities-Save Our Children March.

746. contravene 뜻: contradict; oppose: infringe on or transgress

757. conversant

예: Mr. Barrett did not expect his frail daughter Elizabeth to

뜻: familiar with

contravene his will by eloping with Robert Browning.

예: The lawyer is conversant with all the evidence.

747. contrite

758. converse

뜻: penitent

뜻: opposite

예: Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed

예: The inevitable converse of peace is not war but annihilation.

sentence. 759. convert 748. contrived

뜻: one who has adopted a different religion or opinion

뜻: forced; artificial; not spontaneous

예: On his trip to Japan, though the President spoke at length about

예: Feeling ill at ease with his new in-laws; James made a few

the merits of American automobiles, he made few converts to his

contrived attempts at conversation and then retreated into silence.

beliefs.

749. controvert

760. convex

뜻: oppose with arguments; contradict

뜻: curving outward

예: To controvert your theory will require much time but it is essential

예: He polished the convex lens of his telescope.

that we disprove it. 761. conveyance 750. contumacious

뜻: vehicle; transfer

뜻: disobedient; resisting authority

예: During the transit strike, commuters used various kinds of

예: The contumacious mob shouted defiantly at the police.

conveyances.

751. contusion

762. conviction

뜻: bruise

뜻: strongly held belief

예: She was treated for contusions and abrasions.

예: Nothing could shake his conviction that she was innocent.

752. conundrum

763. convivial

뜻: riddle; difficult problem

뜻: festive; gay; characterized by joviality

예: During the long car ride, she invented conundrums to entertain

예: The convivial celebrators of the victory sang their college songs.

the children. 764. convoke 753. convene

뜻: call together

뜻: assemble

예: Congress was convoked at the outbreak of the emergency.

예: Because much is needed legislation had to be enacted, the governor ordered the legislature to convene in special session by

765. convoluted

January 15.

뜻: coiled around; involved; intricate 예: His argument was so convoluted that few of us could follow a it

754. convention

intelligently.

뜻: social or moral custom; established practice 예: Flying in the face of convention, George Sand (Amandine

766. copious

Dudevant) shocked her contemporaries by taking lovers and wearing

뜻: plentiful

men's clothes.

예: She had copious reasons for rejecting the proposal.

755. conventional

767. coquette

뜻: ordinary; typical

뜻: flirt

예: His conventional upbringing left him wholly unprepared for his

예: Because she refused to give him an answer to his proposal of

wife's eccentric family.

marriage, he called her a coquette.

34

Barron’s GRE Master Words 768. cordial

corrugated brow.

뜻: gracious; heartfelt 예: Our hosts greeted us at the airport with a cordial welcome and a

779. cosmic 뜻: pertaining to the universe; vast

hearty hug.

예: cosmic rays derive their name from the fact that they bombard 769. cordon

the earth's atmosphere from outer space.

뜻: extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress

780. coterie

예: The police cordon was so tight that the criminals could not leave

뜻: group that meets socially; select circle

the area.

예: After his book had been published, he was invited to join the literary coteri that lunched daily at the hotel.

770. cornice 뜻: projecting molding on building (usually above columns)

781. countenance

예: Because the stones forming the cornice had been loosened by

뜻: approve; tolerate

the storms, the police closed the building until repairs could be made.

예: He refused to countenance such rude behavior on their part.

771. cornucopia

782. countenance

뜻: horn overflowing wiht fruit and grain; symbol of abundance

뜻: face

예: The encyclopedia salesman claimed the new edition was a

예: Whe Jose saw his newborn daughter, a proud smile spread

veritable cornucopia of information, an inexhaustible source of

across his countenance.

knowledge for the entire family. 783. countermand 772. corollary

뜻: cancel; revoke

뜻: consequence; accompaniment

예: The general countermand the orders issued in his absence.

예: Brotherly love is a complex emotion, with a sibling rivalry its natural corollary.

784. counterpart 뜻: a thing that completes another; things very much alike 예: Night and day are counterparts.

773. corporeal 뜻: bodily; material 예: He was not a churchgoer; he was interested only in corporeal

785. coup

matters.

뜻: highly successful action or sudden attack 예: As the news of his coup spread throughout Wall Street, his fellow

774. corpulent

brokers dropped by to congratulate him.

뜻: very fat 예: The corpulent man resolved to reduce.

786. couple 뜻: join; unite

775. correlation

예: The Flying Karamazovs couple expert juggling and amateur

뜻: mutual relationship

joking in their nightclub act.

예: He sought to determine the correlation that existed between ability in algebra and ability to interpret reading exercises.

787. courier 뜻: messenger 예: The publisher sent a special courier to pick up the manuscript.

776. corroborate 뜻: confirm 예: Unless we find a witness to corroborate your evidence, it will not

788. covenant

stand up in court.

뜻: agreement 예: We must comply with the terms of the covenant.

777. corrosive 뜻: eating away by chemicals or disease

789. covert

예: Stainless steel is able to withstand the effects of corrosive

뜻: secret; hidden; implied

chemicals.

예: She could understand the covert threat in the letter.

778. corrugated

790. covetous

뜻: wrinkled; ridged

뜻: avaricious; eagerly desirous of

예: She wished she could smooth away the wrinkles from his

예: The child was covetous by nature and wanted to take the toys

35

Barron’s GRE Master Words belonging to his classmates.

802. crescendo 뜻: increase in the volume or intensity, as in a musical passage;

791. cow

climax

뜻: terrorize; intimidate

예: The overture suddenly changed from a quiet pastoral theme to a

예: The little boy was so cowed by the hulking bully that he gave up

crescendo featuring blaring trumpets and clashing cymbols.

his lunch money without a word of protest. 803. crestfallen 792. cower

뜻: dejected; dispirited

뜻: shrink quivering, as from fear

예: We were surprised at his reaction to the failure of his project;

예: The frightened child cowered in the corner of the room.

instead of being crestfallen, he was busily engaged in planning new activities.

793. coy 뜻: shy; modest; coquettish

804. crevice

예: She was coy in her answers to his offer.

뜻: crack; fissure 예: The mountain climbers found footholds in the tiny crevices in the

794. cozen

mountainside.

뜻: cheat; hoodwink; swindle 예: He was the kind of individual who would cozen his friends in a

805. cringe

cheap card game but remain eminently ethical in all his business

뜻: shrink back, as if in fear

dealings.

예: The dog cringed, expecting a blow.

795. crabbed

806. criteria

뜻: sour; peevish

뜻: standards used in judging

예: The children avoided the crabbed old man because he scolded

예: What criteria did you use when you selected this essay as the

them when they made noise.

prize winner?

796. crass

807. crone

뜻: very unrefined; grossly insensible

뜻: hag

예: The philosophers deplored the crass commercialism.

예: The toothless crone frightened us when she smiled.

797. craven

808. crotchety

뜻: cowardly

뜻: eccentric; whimsical

예: When he saw the enemy troops advancing, he had a craven

예: Although he was reputed to be a crochety old gentleman, I found

impulse to run for his life.

his ideas substantially sound and sensible.

798. credence

809. crux

뜻: belief

뜻: crucial point

예: Do not place any credence in his promises.

예: This is the crux of the entire problem.

799. credo

810. crypt

뜻: creed

뜻: secret recess or vault usually used for burial

예: I believe we may best describe his credo by saying that it

예: Until recently only bodies of rulers and leading statesmen were

approximates the Goldren Rule.

interred in this crypt.

800. credulity

811. cryptic

뜻: belief on slight evidence

뜻: mysterious; hidden; secret

예: The witch doctor took advantage of the credulity of the

예: His cryptic remarks could not be interpreted.

superstitious natives. 812. cubicle 801. creed

뜻: small chamberused for sleeping

뜻: system of religious or ethical belief

예: After his many hours of intensive study in the library he retired to

예: In any loyal American's creed, love of democracy must be

his cubicle.

emphasized. 813. cuisine

36

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: style of cooking 예: French cuisine is noted for its use of sauces and wines.

824. cursive 뜻: flowing, running

814. culinary

예: In normal writing we run our letters together in cursive form; in

뜻: relating to cooking

printing, we separate the letters.

예: Many chefs attribute their culinary skill to the wise use of spices. 825. cursory 815. cull

뜻: casual; hastily done

뜻: pick out; reject

예: A cursory examination of the ruins indicates the possibility of

예: Every month the farmer culls the nonplaying hens from his flock

arson; a more extensive study should be undertaken.

and sells them to the local butcher. 826. curtail 816. culmination

뜻: shorten; reduce

뜻: attainment of highest point

예: During the coal shortage, we must curtail our use of this vital

예: His inauguration as President of the United States marked the

commodity.

culmination of his political career. 827. cynical 817. culpable

뜻: skeptical or distrustful of human motives

뜻: deserving blame

예: cynical at all times, he was suspicious of all altruistic actions of

예: Corrupt politicians who condone the activities of the gamblers are

others.

equally culpable. 828. cynosure 818. culvert

뜻: object of general attention

뜻: artificial channel for water

예: As soon as the movie star entered the room, she became the

예: If we build a culvert under the road at this point, we will reduce

cynosure of all eyes.

the possibility of the road at this point, we will reduce the possibility of the road's being flooded during the rainy season.

829. consternation 뜻: anxiety, dismay

819. cumbersome

예: Lincoln is famous for saying that the consternations during the

뜻: heavy; hard to manage

civil war had left him decrepit.

예: He was burdened down with cumbersome parcels. 830. casual 820. cumulative

뜻: accidental; not regular or permanent; careless; informal

뜻: growing by addition

예: It can be argued that physical laws can be casual as well as

예: Vocabulary building is a cumulative process: as you go through

inveterate, since it is based on an induction.

your flash cards, you will add new words to your vocabulary, one by one. 821. cupidity 뜻: greed

D

예: The defeated people could not satisfy the cupidity of the 831. dais

conquerors, who demanded excessive tribute.

뜻: raised platform for guests of honor 822. curator

예: When he approached the dais, he was greeted by cheers from

뜻: superintendent; manager

the people who had come to honor him.

예: The members of the board of trustees of the museum expected the new curator to plan events and exhibitions that would make the

832. dally

museum more popular.

뜻: trifle with; procrastinate 예: Laertes told Ophelia that Hamlet could only dally with her affections.

823. curmudgeon 뜻: churlish, miserly individual 예: Although he was regarded by many as a curmudgeon, a few of

833. dank

us were aware of the many kindnesses and acts of charity that he

뜻: damp

secretly performed.

예: The walls of the dungeon were dank and slimy.

37

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: corrupt; make intemperate 예: A vicious newspaper can debauch public ideals.

834. dapper 뜻: neat and trim 예: In "The Odd Couple," Tony Randall played Felix Unger, an

846. debilitate

excessively dapper soul who could not stand to have a hair out of

뜻: weaken; enfeeble

place.

예: Overindulgence debilitates character as well as physical stamina.

835. dappled

847. debonair

뜻: spotted

뜻: friendly; aiming to please

예: The sunlight filtering though the screens created a dappled effect

예: The debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his

on the wall.

cheerful and obliging manner.

836. daub

848. debris

뜻: smear (as with paint)

뜻: rubble

예: From the way he daubed his paint on the canvas, I could tell he

예: A full year after the earthquake in Mexico City, workers were still

knew nothing of oils.

carting away the debris.

837. daunt

849. debunk

뜻: intimidate

뜻: expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule

예: Your threats cannot daunt me.

예: Pointing out that he conhsistently had voted afainst strenghtening antipollution legislation, reporters debunked the candidate's claim

838. dauntless

that he was a fervent environmentalist.

뜻: bold 예: Despite the dangerous nature of the undertaking, the dauntless

850. debutante

soldier volunteered for the assignment.

뜻: yound woman making formal entrance into society 예: As a debutante, she was often mentioned in the society columns

839. dawdle

of the newspapers.

뜻: loiter; waste time 예: Inasmuch as we must meet a deadline, do not dawdle over this

851. decadence

work.

뜻: decay 예: The moral decadence of the people was reflected in the lewd

840. deadlock

literature of the period.

뜻: standstill; stalemate 예: The negotiations had reached a deadlock.

852. decant 뜻: pour off gently 예: Be sure to decant this wine before serving it.

841. deadpan 뜻: wooden; impassive 예: We wanted to see how long he could maintain his deadpan

853. decapitate

expression.

뜻: behead 예: They did not hang Lady Jane Grey; they decapitated her.

842. dearth 뜻: scarcity

854. decelerate

예: The dearth of skilled labor compelled the employers to open

뜻: slow down

trade schools.

예: Seeing the emergency blinkers in the road ahead, he decelerated quickly.

843. debacle 뜻: breaking up; downfall

855. deciduous

예: This debacle in the government can only result in anarchy.

뜻: falling off, as of leaves 예: The oak is a deciduous tree.

844. debase 뜻: reduce to lower state

856. decimate

예: Do not debase youself by becoming maudlin.

뜻: kill, usually one out of ten 예: We do more to decimate our population in automobile accidents

845. debauch

than we do in war.

38

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: As a result of her husband's failure to appear in court, she was 857. decipher

granted a divorce by default.

뜻: decode 예: I could not decipher the doctor's handwriting.

869. defeatist 뜻: resigned to defeat; accepting defeat as a natural outcome 예: If you maintain your defeatist attitude, you will never succeed.

858. declivity 뜻: downward slope 예: The children loved to ski down the declivity.

870. defection 뜻: desertion

859. decollete

예: The children, who had made him an idol, were hurt most by his

뜻: having a low-cut neckline

defection from our cause.

예: Fashion decrees that evening gowns be decollete this season; bare shoulders are again the vogue.

871. deference

860. decomposition

예: In deference to his desires, the employers granted him a holiday.

뜻: courteous regard for another's wish 뜻: decay 예: Despite the body's advanced state of decomposition, the police

872. defile

were able to identify the murdered man.

뜻: pollute; profane 예: The hoodlums defiled the church with their scurrilous writing.

861. decorum 뜻: propriety; seemliness

873. definitive

예: Shocked by the unruly behavior, the teacher criticized the class

뜻: most reliable or complee

for its lack of decorum.

예: Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln may be regarded as the definitive work on the life of the Great Emancipator.

862. decoy 뜻: lure or bait

874. deflect

예: The wild ducks were not fooled by the decoy.

뜻: turn aside 예: His life was saved when his cigarette case deflected the bullet.

863. decrepitude 뜻: state of collagse caused by illness or old age

875. defoliate

예: I was unprepared for the state of decrepitude in which I had

뜻: destroy leaves

found my old friend; he seemed to have aged twenty years in six

예: In Vietnam the army made extensive use of chemical agents to

months.

defoliate the woodlands.

864. decry

876. defray

뜻: express strong disapproval of ; disparage

뜻: provide ofr the payment of

예: The founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright

예: Her employer offered to defray the costs of her postgraduate

Edelman, strongly decries the lack of financial and moral support for

education.

children in America today. 877. defrock 865. deducible

뜻: to strip a priest or minister of church authority

뜻: derived byreasoning

예: We knew the minister had violated church regulations, but we

예: If we accept your premise, your conclusions are easily deducible.

had not realized his offense was serious enough to cause him to be defrocked.

866. deface 뜻: mar; disfigure

878. deft

예: If you deface a library book, you will have to pay a hefty fine.

뜻: neat; skillful 예: The deft waiter uncorked the champagne without spilling a drop.

867. defamation 뜻: harming a person's reputation

879. defunct

예: Such defamation of character may result in a slander suit.

뜻: dead; no longer in use or existence

868. default

corporation.

예: The lawyers sought to examine the books of the defunct 뜻: failure to do

39

Barron’s GRE Master Words 880. degenerate 뜻: become worse; deteriorate

892. deluge

예: As the fight dragged on, the champion's style degenerated until

뜻: flood; rush

he could barely keep on his feet.

예: When we advertised the position, we received a deluge of applications.

881. degraded 뜻: lowered in rank; debased

893. delusion

예: The degraded wretch spoke only of his past glories and honors.

뜻: false belief; hallucination 예: This scheme is a snare and a delusion.

882. dehydrate 뜻: remove water from; dry out

894. delusive

예: Vigorous dancing quickly dehydrates the body; between dances,

뜻: deceptive; raising vain hopes

be sure to drink more water than normal.

예: Do not raise your hopes on the basis of his delusive promises.

883. deify

895. delve

뜻: turn into a god; idolize

뜻: dig; investigate

예: Admire the rock star all you want; just don't deify him.

예: delving into old books and manuscripts is part of a researcher's job.

884. deign 뜻: condescend

896. demagogue

예: He felt that he would debase himself if he deigned to answer his

뜻: person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader

critics.

예: He was accused of being a demogogue because he made promises that aroused futile hopes in his listeners.

885. delete 뜻: erase; strike out

897. demean

예: If you delete this paragraph, the composition will have more

뜻: degrade; humiliate

appeal.

예: He felt that he would demean himself if he replied to the scurrilous letter.

886. deleterious 뜻: harmful

898. demeanor

예: Workers in nuclear research must avoid the deleterious effects of

뜻: behavior; bearing

radioactive substances.

예: His sober demeanor quieted the noisy revelers.

887. deliberate

899. demented

뜻: consider; ponder; unhurried

뜻: insane

예: Offered the new job, she asked for time to deliberate before she

예: She became increasingly demented and had to be hospitalized.

made her decision. 900. demise 888. delineate

뜻: death

뜻: portray

예: Upon the demise of the dictator, a bitter dispute about

예: He is weakest when he attempts to delineate character.

succession to power developed.

889. delirium

901. demographic

뜻: mental disorder marked by confusion

뜻: related to population balance

예: The drunkard in his delirium saw strange animals.

예: In conducting a survey, one should take into account demographic trends in the region.

890. delta 뜻: flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river

902. demolition

예: His dissertation discussed the effect of intermittent flooding on

뜻: destruction

the fertility of the Nile delta.

예: One of the major aims of the air force was the complete demolition of all means of transportation by the bombing of rail lines

891. delude

and the terminals.

뜻: deceive 예: Do not delude yourself into believing that he will relent.

903. demoniac

40

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: fiendish

뜻: regret

예: The Spanish Inquisition devised many demoniac means of

예: Although I deplore the vulgarity of your language, I defend your

torture.

right to express yourself freely.

904. demotic

915. deploy

뜻: pertaining to the people

뜻: move troops so that the battle line is extended at the

예: He lamented the passing of aristocratic society and maintained

expense of depth

that a demotic society would lower the nation's standards.

예: The general ordered the battalion to deploy in order to meet the offensive of the enemy.

905. demur 뜻: delay; object

916. depose

예: To demur at this time will only worsen the already serious

뜻: dethrone; remove form office

situation; now is the time for action.

예: The army attempted to depose the king and set up a military government.

906. demure 뜻: grave; serius; coy

917. deposition

예: She was demure and reserved.

뜻: testimony under oath 예: He made his deposition in the judge's chamber.

907. denigrate 뜻: blacken

918. depravity

예: All attempts to denigrate the character of our late President have

뜻: corruption; wickedness

failed; the people still love him and cherish his memory.

예: The depravity of the tyrant's behavior shocked us all.

908. denizen

919. deprecate

뜻: inhabitant of

뜻: express disapproval of; protest against; belittle

예: Ghosts are denizens of the land of the dead who return to earth.

예: A firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy, Miss Post deprecated the modern tendency to address new acquaintances by their first

909. denotation

names.

뜻: meaning; distinguishing by name 예: A dictionary will always give us the denotation of a word;

920. depreciate

frequently, it will always give us its connotation.

뜻: lessen in value 예: If you neglect this properly, it will depreciate.

910. denouement 뜻: outcome; final development of the plot of a play or other

921. depredation

literary work

뜻: plundering

예: The play was childishly written; the denouement was obvious to

예: After the depredations of the invaders, the people were penniless.

sophisticated theatergoers as early as the middle of the first act. 922. deranged 911. denounce

뜻: insane

뜻: condemn; critcize

예: He had to be institutionalized because he was deranged.

예: The reform candidate denounced the corrupt city officers for having betrayed the public's trust.

923. derelict 뜻: neglectful of duty; abandoned

912. depict

예: The corporal who fell asleep while on watch was thrown into the

뜻: portray

guardhouse for being derelic in his duty.

예: In this book, the author depicts the slave owners as kind and benevolent masters.

924. deride 뜻: scoff at 예: The people derided his grandiose schemes.

913. deplete 뜻: reduce; exhaust 예: We must wait until we deplete our present inventory before we

925. derision

order replacements.

뜻: ridicule 예: They greeted his proposal with derision and refused to consider it

914. deplore

seriously.

41

Barron’s GRE Master Words depondent every day. 926. derivative 뜻: unoriginal; obtained from another source

938. despotism

예: Although her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature, the

뜻: tyranny

critics thought she had promise and eventually would find her own

예: The people rebelled against the despotism of the king.

voice. 939. destitute 927. dermatologist

뜻: extremely poor

뜻: one who studies the skin and its diseases

예: The costs of the father's illness left the family destitute.

예: I advise you to consult a dermatologist about your acne. 940. desultory 928. derogatory

뜻: aimless; haphazard; digressing at random

뜻: expressing a low opinion

예: In prison Malcolm X set himself the task of reading straight

예: I resent your derogatory remarks.

through the dictionary; to him reading was purposeful, not desultory.

929. descry

941. detached

뜻: catch sight of

뜻: emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent

예: In the distance, we could barely descry the enemy vessels.

예: A psychoanalyst must maintain a detached point of view and stay uninvolved with her patients' perssonal lives.

930. desecrate 뜻: profane; violate the sanctity of

942. determinate

예: The soldiers desecrated the temple.

뜻: having a fixed order of procedure; invariable 예: At the royal wedding, the procession of the nobles followed a

931. desiccate

determinate order of precedence.

뜻: dry up 예: A tour of this smokehouse will give you an idea of how the

943. deterrent

pioneers used to desiccate food in order to preserve it.

뜻: something that discourages; hindrance

932. desolate

potential killers?

예: Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a deterrent to 뜻: rob of joy; lay waste to; forsake 예: The bandits desolated the countryside, burning farms and

944. detonation

carrying off the harvest.

뜻: explosion 예: The detonation of the bomb could be heard miles away.

933. desperado 뜻: reckless outlaw

945. detraction

예: Butch Cassidy was a bold desperado with a price on his head.

뜻: slandering; aspersion 예: He is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a

934. despicable

leader.

뜻: contemptible 예: Your despicable remarks call for no reply.

946. detrimental 뜻: harmful; damaging

935. despise

예: Your acceptance of her support will ultimately prove detrimental

뜻: scorn

rather than helpful to your cause.

예: I despise your attempts at a reconciliation at this time and refuse to meet you.

947. deviate

936. despoil

예: Do not deviate from the truth; you must face the facts.

뜻: turn away from 뜻: plunder 예: If you do not yield, I am afraid the enemy will despoil the

948. devious

countryside.

뜻: going astray; erratic 예: Your devious behavior in this matter puzzles me since you are

937. despondent

usually direct and straightforward.

뜻: depressed; gloomy 예: To the dismay of his parents, he became more and more

949. devoid

42

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: lacking

961. didactic

예: He was devoid of any personal desire for gain in his endeavor to

뜻: teaching; instructional; preaching or moralizing

secure improvement in the community.

예: The didactic qualities of his poetry overshadow its literary qualities; the lesson he teaches is more memorable than the lines.

950. devolve 뜻: deputize; pass to others

962. die

예: It devolved upon us, the survivors, to arrange peace terms with

뜻: device for stamping or impressing; mold

the enemy.

예: In coining pennies, workers at the old mint squeezed sheets of softened copper between two dies.

951. devotee 뜻: enthusiastic follower

963. diffidence

예: A devotee of the opera, he bought season tickets every year.

뜻: shyness 예: You must overcome your diffidence if you intend to become a

952. devout

salesperson.

뜻: pious 예: The devout man prayed daily.

964. diffusion 뜻: wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gas

953. dexterous

예: Your composition suffers from a diffusion of ideas; try to be more

뜻: skillful

compact.

예: The magician was so dexterous that we could not follow his movements as he performed his tricks.

965. digression

954. diabolical

예: Nobody minded when Professor Renoir's lectures wandered

뜻: devilish

away from their offical theme; his digressions were always more

예: This scheme is so diabolical that I must reject it.

fascinating than the topic of the day.

955. diadem

966. dilapidated

뜻: wandering away from the subject

뜻: crown

뜻: ruined because of neglect

예: The king's diadem was on display at the museum.

예: We felt that the dilapidated building needed several coats of paint.

956. dialectic

967. dilate

뜻: art of debate

뜻: expand

예: I am not skilled in dialectic and therefore, cannot answer your

예: In the dark, the pupils of your eyes dilate.

arguments as forcefully as I wish. 968. dilatory 957. diaphanous

뜻: delaying

뜻: sheer; transparent

예: Your dilatory tactics may compel me to cancel the contract.

예: They saw the burglar clearly through the diaphanous curtain. 969. dilemma 958. diatribe

뜻: problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives

뜻: bitter scolding; invective

예: In this dilemma, he knew no one to whom he could turn for

예: During the lengthy diatribe delivered by his opponent he

advice.

remained calm and self-controlled. 970. dilettante 959. dichotomy

뜻: aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler

뜻: branching into two parts

예: He was not serious in his painting; he was rather a dilettante.

예: The dichotomy of our legislative system provides us with many safeguards.

971. diligence 뜻: steadiness of effort; persisten hard work

960. dictum

예: Her employers were greatly impressed by her diligence and

뜻: arthoritative and weighty statement

offered her a partnership in the firm.

예: She repeated the statement as though it were the dictum of the most expert worker in the group.

972. dilute 뜻: make less concentrated; reduce in strength

43

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: She preferred her coffee diluted with milk.

예: The conservative father viewed his daughter's radical boyfriend with disapprobation.

973. diminution 뜻: lessening; reduction in size

984. disarray

예: The blockaders hoped to achieve victory as soon as the

뜻: a disorderly or untidy state

diminution of the enemy's supplies became serious.

예: After the New Year's party, the once orderly house was in total disarray.

974. din 뜻: continued loud noise

985. disavowal

예: The din of the jackhammers outside the classroom window

뜻: denial; disclaiming

drowned out the lecturer's voice.

예: His disavowal of his part in the conspiracy was not believed by the jury.

975. dinghy 뜻: small boat (often ship's boat)

986. disband

예: In the film Lifeboat, an ill-assorted group of passengers from a

뜻: dissolve; disperse

sunken ocean liner are marooned at sea in a dinghy.

예: The chess club disbanded after its disastrous initial season.

976. dingy

987. disburse

뜻: dull; not fresh; cheerless

뜻: pay out

예: Refusing to be depressed by her dingy studio apartment, Bea

예: When you disburse money on the company's behalf, be sure to

spent the weekend polishing the floors and windows and hanging

get a receipt.

bright posters on the walls. 988. discernible 977. dint

뜻: distinguishable; perceivable

뜻: means; effort

예: The ships in the harbor were not discernible in the fog.

예: By dint of much hard work, the volunteers were able to control the raging forest fire.

989. discerning 뜻: mentally quick and observant; having insight

978. diorama

예: Because he was considered the most discerning member of the

뜻: like-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history

firm, he was assigned the most difficult cases.

예: Because they dramatically pose actual stuffed animals against realistic painted landscapes, the dioramas at the Museum of Natural

990. disclaim

History particularly impress high school biology students.

뜻: disown; renounce claim to 예: If I grant you this previlege, will you disclaim all other rights?

979. dire 뜻: disastrous

991. disclose

예: People ignored her dire predictions of an approaching depression.

뜻: reveal 예: Although competitors offered him bribes, he refused to disclose

980. dirge

any information about his company's forthcoming product.

뜻: lament with music 예: The funeral dirge stirred us to tears.

992. discombobulated 뜻: confused; discomposed

981. disabuse

예: The novice square dancer became so discombobulated that he

뜻: correct a false impression; undeceive

wandered into wrong set.

예: I will attempt to diabuse you of your impression of my client's guilt; I know he is innocent.

993. discomfit 뜻: put to rout; defeat; disconcert 예: This ruse will discomfit the enemy.

982. disaffected 뜻: disloyal 예: Once the most loyal of Gorbachev's supporters, Shverdnaze

994. disconcert

found himself becoming increasingly disaffected.

뜻: confuse; upset; embarrass 예: The lawyer was disconcerted by the evidence produced by her

983. disapprobation

adversary.

뜻: disapproval; condemnation

44

Barron’s GRE Master Words 995. disconcolate

1007. disenfranchise

뜻: sad

뜻: deprive of a civil right

예: The death of his wife left him disconsolate.

예: The imposition if the poll tax effectively disenfranchised poor Southern blacks, who lost their right to vote.

996. discordant 뜻: inharmonious; conflicting

1008. disengage

예: She tried to unite the discordant factions.

뜻: uncouple; separate; disconnect 예: A standard movie routine involves the hero's desperate attempt

997. discount

to disengage a railroad car from a moving train.

뜻: disregard 예: Be prepared to discount what he has to say about his ex-wife.

1009. disfigure 뜻: mar the appearance of; spoil 예: An ugly frown disfigured his normally pleasant face.

998. discourse 뜻: formal disscussion; conversation 예: The young Plato was drawn to the Agora to hear the

1010. disgorge

philosophical discourse of Socrates and his followers.

뜻: surrender something; efect; vomit 예: Unwilling to disgorge the cash he had stolen from the pension

999. discredit

fund, the embezzler tried to run away.

뜻: defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve 예: The campaign was highly negative in tone; each candidate tried

1011. disgruntle

to discredit the other.

뜻: make discontented 예: The passengers were disgruntled by the numerous delays.

1000. discrepancy 뜻: lack of consistency; difference

1012. dishearten

예: The police noticed some discrepancies in his description of the

뜻: discourage

crime and did not believe him.

예: His failure to pass the bar exam disheartened him.

1001. discrete

1013. disheveled

뜻: separate; unconnected

뜻: untidy

예: The universe is composed of discrete bodies.

예: Your disheveled appearance will hurt your chances in this interview.

1002. discretion 뜻: prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances

1014. disinclination

예: Use your discretion in this matter and do not discuss it with

뜻: unwilingness

anyone.

예: Some mornings I feel a great disinclination to get out of bed.

1003. discrimination

1015. disingenuous

뜻: ability to see differences; prejudice

뜻: not naive; sophisticated

예: They feared he lacked sufficient discrimination to judge complex

예: Although he was young, his remarks indicated that he was

works of modern art.

disingenous.

1004. discursive

1016. disinter

뜻: digressing; rambling

뜻: dig up; unearth

예: They were annoyed and bored by her discursive remarks.

예: They disinterred the body and held an autopsy.

1005. disdain

1017. disinterested

뜻: treat with scorn or contempt

뜻: unprejudiced

예: You make enemies of all you disdain.

예: The only disinterested person in the room was the judge.

1006. disembark

1018. disjointed

뜻: go ashore; unload cargo from a ship

뜻: disconnected

예: Before the passengers could disembark, they had to pick up their

예: His remarks were so disjointed that we could not follow his

passports from the ship's purser.

reasoning.

45

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The police fired tear gas into crowd to disperse the protesters.

1019. dislodge 뜻: remove (forcible) 예: Thrusting her fist up under the choking man's lower ribs,

1030. dispirited

Margaret used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the food caught in

뜻: lacking in spirit

this throat.

예: The coach used all the tricks at his command to buoy up the enthusiasm of his team, which I had become dispirited at the loss of

1020. dismantle

the star player.

뜻: take apart 예: When the show closed, they dismantled the scenery before

1031. disport 뜻: amuse

restoring it.

예: The popularity of Florida as a winter resort is constantly 1021. dismember

increasing; each year, thousands more disport themselves at Miami

뜻: cut into small parts

and Palm Beach.

예: When the Austrian Empire was dismembered, several new countries were established.

1032. disputatious 뜻: argumentative; fond of argument

1022. dismiss

예: People avoided discussing contemporary problems with him

뜻: eliminate from consideration; reject

because of his disputatious manner.

예: Believing in John's love for her, she dismissed the notion that he might be unfaithful.

1033. disquisition 뜻: a formal systematic inquiry; an explanation of the results of

1023. disparage

a formal inquiry

뜻: belittle

예: In his disquisition, he outlined the steps he had taken in reaching

예: Do not disparage anyone's contribution; these little gifts add up to

his conclusions.

large sums. 1034. dissection 1024. disparate

뜻: analysis; cutting apart in order to examine

뜻: basically different; unrelated

예: The dissection of frogs on the laboratory is particularly

예: It is difficult, if not impossible, to organize these disparate

unpleasant to some students.

elements into a coherent whole. 1035. dissemble 1025. disparity

뜻: disguise; pretend

뜻: difference; condition of inequality

예: Even though John tried to dissemble his motive for taking

예: The disparity in their ages made no difference at all.

modern dance, we all knew there not to dance but to meet girls.

1026. dispassionate

1036. disseminate

뜻: calm; impartial

뜻: scatter (like seeds)

예: In a dispassionate analysis of the problem, he carefully examined

예: The invention of the radio helped propagandists to disseminate

the causes of the conflict and proceeded to suggest suitable

their favorite doctrines very easily.

remedies. 1037. dissent 1027. dispatch

뜻: disagree

뜻: speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due

예: In a landmark Supreme Court decision, Justice Marshall

speed

dissented from the majority opinion.

예: Young Napoleon defeated the enemy with all possible dispatch; he then sent a dispatch to headquarters, informing his commander of

1038. dissertation

the great victory.

뜻: formal essay 예: In order to earn a graduate degree from many of our universities,

1028. dispel

a candidate is frequently required to prepare a dissertation on some

뜻: scatter; drive away; cause to vanish

scholarly subject.

예: The bright sunlight eventually dispelled the morning mist. 1039. dissident 1029. disperse

뜻: dissenting; rebellious

뜻: scatter

예: In the purge that followed the student demonstrations at

46

Barron’s GRE Master Words Tianamen Square, the government hunted down the dissident students and their supporters.

1051. diurnal 뜻: daily

1040. dissimulate

예: A farmer cannot neglect his diurnal tasks at any time; cows, for

뜻: pretend; conceal by feigning

example, must be milked regularly.

예: She tried to dissimulate her grief by her exuberant attitude. 1052. diva 1041. dissipate

뜻: operatic singer; prima donna

뜻: squander

예: Although world famous as a diva, she did not indulge in fits of

예: The young man quickly dissipated his inheritance and was soon

temerament.

broke. 1053. diverge 1042. dissolution

뜻: vary; go in different directionsfrom the same point

뜻: disintegration; looseness in morals

예: The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub.

예: The profligacy and dissolution of life in Caligula's Rome appall some historians.

1054. divergent 뜻: differing; deviating

1043. dissonance

예: The two witnesses presented the jury with remarkably divergent

뜻: discord

accounts of the same epipode.

예: Some contemporary musicians deliberately use dissonance to achieve certain effects.

1055. diverse 뜻: differing in some characteristics; various 예: There are diverse ways of approaching this problem.

1044. dissuade 뜻: advise against 예: He could not dissuade his friend from joining the conspirators.

1056. diversion

1045. distant

예: After studying for several hours, he needed a diversion from work.

뜻: act of turning aside; pastime 뜻: reserved or aloof; cold in manner 예: His distant greeting made me feel unwelcome from the start.

1057. diversity

1046. distend

예: The diversity of colleges in this country indicates that many levels

뜻: expand;swell out

of ability are being served.

뜻: variety; dissimilitude

예: I can tell when he is under stress by the way the veins distend on his forehead.

1058. divest 뜻: strip; deprive 예: He was divested of his power to act and could no longer govern.

1047. distill 뜻: purify; refine; concentrate 예: A moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; an epigrammatist distills

1059. divine

thoughts into quips.

뜻: perceive intuitively; foresee the future 예: Nothing infuriated Tom more than Aunt Polly's ability to divine

1048. distortion

when he was not telling the truth.

뜻: twisting out of shape 예: It is difficult to believe the newspaper accounts of this event

1060. divulge

because of the distortions and exaggerations of the reporters.

뜻: reveal 예: I will not tell you this news because I am sure you will divulge it

1049. distrait

prematurely.

뜻: absentminded 예: Because of his concentration on the problem, the professor often

1061. docile

appeared distrait and unconcerned about routine.

뜻: obedient; easily managed

1050. distraught

snarling beast.

예: As docile as he seems today, that old lion was once a ferocious, 뜻: upset; distracted by anxiety 예: The distraught parents frantically searched the ravine for their

1062. docket

lost child.

뜻: program asfor trial; book where such entries are made

47

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The case of Smith v. Jones was entered in the docket for July 15.

1073. domicile 뜻: home

1063. doctrinaire

예: Althoughhis legal domicile was in New York City, his work kept

뜻: unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic;

him away from his residence for many years.

unyielding 예: Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy movement

1074. domineer

might bring about change in China, but the repressive response of

뜻: rule over tyrannically

the doctrinaire hard-liners crushed his dreams of democracy.

예: Students prefer teachers who guide, not ones who domineer.

1064. document

1075. don

뜻: provide written evidence

뜻: put on

예: She kept all the receipts from her business trip in order to

예: When Clark Kent had to don his Superman outfit, he changed

document her expenses for the firm.

clothes in a convenient phone booth.

1065. doddering

1076. dormant

뜻: shaky; infirm from old age

뜻: sleeping; lethargic; torpid

예: Although he is not as yet a doddering and senile old man, his

예: Sometimes dormant talents in our friends surprise those of us

ideas and opinions no longer can merit the respect we gave them

who never realize how gifted our acquaintances really are.

years ago. 1077. dormer 1066. doff

뜻: window projecting from roof

뜻: take off

예: In remodeling the attic into a bedroom, we decided that we

예: A gentleman used to doff his hat to a lady.

needed to put in dormers to provide sufficient ventilation for the new room.

1067. dogged 뜻: determined;stubborn

1078. dorsal

예: Les Miserables tells of Inspector Javert's long, dogged pursuit of

뜻: relating to the back of an animal

the criminal Jean Valjean.

예: A shark may be identified by its dorsal fin, which projects above the surface of the ocean.

1068. doggerel 뜻: poorverse

1079. dossier

예: Although we find occasional snatches of genuine poetry in her

뜻: file of documents on a subject

work, most of her writing is mere doggerel.

예: Ordered by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the senator, the FBI compiled a complete dossier.

1069. dogmatic 뜻: positive; arbitrary

1080. dotage

예: Do not be so dogmatic about that statement; it can be easily

뜻: senility

refuted.

예: In his dotage, the old man bored us with long tales of events in his childhood.

1070. doldrums 뜻: blues; listlessness; slack period

1081. dote

예: Once the excitement of meeting her deadline was over, she

뜻: be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline

found herself in the doldrums.

예: Not only grandmothers bore you with stories about their brilliant grandchildren; grandfathers dote on the littel rascals, too.

1071. dolorous 뜻: sorrowfrl

1082. dour

예: He found the dolorous lamentations of the bereaved family

뜻: sullen; stubborn

emotionally disturbing and he left as quickly as he could.

예: The man was dour abd taciturn.

1072. dolt

1083. douse

뜻: stupid person

뜻: plunge into water; drench; extinguish

예: I thought I was talking to a mature audience; instead, I find

예: They doused each other with hoses and balloons.

myself addressing a pack of dolts. 1084. dowdy

48

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: slovenly; untidy

예: The dulcet sounds of the birds at dawn were soon drowned out

예: She tried to change her dowdy image by buying a fashionable

by the roar of traffic passing our motel.

new wardrobe. 1096. dupe 뜻: someone easily fooled

1085. downcast 뜻: disheartened; sad

예: While the gullible Watson often was made a dupe by

예: Cheerful and optimistic by nature, Beth was never downcast

unscrupulous parties, Sherlock Holmes was far more difficult to fool.

despite the difficulties she faced. 1097. deplicity 1086. drab

뜻: double-dealing; hypocrisy

뜻: dull; lacking color; cheerless

예: People were shocked and dismayed when they learned of his

예: The Dutch woman's drab winter coat contrasted with the

duplicity in this affair, as he had always seemed honest and

distinctive, colorful native costume she wore beneath it.

straightforward.

1087. dregs

1098. duress

뜻: sediment; worthless residue

뜻: forcible restraint, especially unlawfully

예: David poured the wine carefully to avoid stirring up the dregs.

예: The hostages were held under duress until the prisoners' demands were met.

1088. droll 뜻: queer and amusing

1099. dutiful

예: He was a popular guest because his droll anecdotes were always

뜻: respectful; obedient

entertaining.

예: The dutiful child grew up to be a conscientious adult aware of his civic obligations.

1089. drone 뜻: idle person; male bee

1100. dwindle

예: Content to let his wife support him, the would-be writer was in

뜻: shrink; reduce

reality nothing but a drone.

예: They spent so much money that their funds dwindled to nothing.

1090. drone

1101. dynamic

뜻: talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee

뜻: active; efficient

예: On a gorgeous day, who wants to be stuck in a classroom

예: A dynamic government is necessary to meet the demands of a

listening to the teacher drone?

changing society.

1091. dross

1102. dyspeptic

뜻: waste matter; worhtless impurities

뜻: suffering from indigestion

예: Many methods have been devised to separate the valuable metal

예: All the talk about rich food made him feel dyspeptic.

from the dross. 1092. drudgery 뜻: menial work 예: Cinderella's fairy godmother rescued her from a life of drudgery.

E

1093. dubious

1103. earthy

뜻: doubtful

뜻: unrefined; coarse

예: He has the dubious distinction of being the lowest man in his

예: His earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in the

class.

audience.

1094. ductility

1104. ebb

뜻: malleability; flexibility; ability to be drawn out

뜻: recede; lessen

예: Copper wire has many industrial uses because of its extreme

예: His fortunes began to ebb during the recession.

ductility. 1105. ebullient 1095. dulcet

뜻: showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm

뜻: sweet sounding

예: His ebullient nature could not be repressed.

49

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: In that eerie setting, it was easy to believe in ghosts and other 1106. eccentric

supernatural beings.

뜻: odd; whimsical; irregular 예: The comet passed close by the earth in its eccentric orbit.

1117. efface 뜻: rub out

1107. eccentricity

예: The coin had been handled so many times that its data had been

뜻: oddity; idiosyncrasy

effaced.

예: Some of his friends tried to account for his rudeness to strangers as the eccentricity of genius.

1118. effectual 뜻: efficient

1108. ecclesiastic

예: If we are to succeed, we must seek effectual means of securing

뜻: pertaining to the church

our goals.

예: The minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and walked to the pulpit.

1119. effeminate 뜻: having womanly traits 예: His voice was high-pitched and effeminate.

1109. eclectic 뜻: selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources

1120. effervescence

예: His style of interior decoration was eclectic: bits and pieces of

뜻: inner excitement; exuberance

furnishings from widely divergent periods, strikingly juxtaposed to

예: Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon

create a unique color.

reasserted itself.

1110. eclipse

1121. effete

뜻: darken; extinguish; surpass

뜻: worn out; exhausted; barren

예: The new stock market high eclipsed the previous record set in

예: The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the

1985.

writers; no new ideas were forthcoming.

1111. ecologist

1122. efficacy

뜻: person concerned with the interrelationship between living

뜻: power to produce desired effect

organisms and their environment

예: The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage.

예: The ecologist was concerned that the new dam would upset the natural balance of the creatures living in Glen Canyon.

1123. effigy 뜻: dummy 예: The mob showed its irritation by hanging the judge in effigy.

1112. economy 뜻: efficiency or conciseness in using something 예: Reading the epigrams of Pope, I admire the economy of his

1124. effluvium

verse: in few words he conveys worlds of meaning.

뜻: noxious smell 예: Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities;

1113. ecstasy

the effluvium and the poisons in the air are hazards to life.

뜻: rapture, joy; any overpowering emotion 예: The announcement that the war had ended brought on an

1125. effrontery

ecstasy that resulted in many uncontrolled celebrations.

뜻: shameless boldness 예: She had the effrontery to insult the guest.

1114. eddy 뜻: swirling current of water, air, etc.

1126. effusion

예: The water in the tide pool was still, except for an occasional eddy.

뜻: pouring forth 예: The critics objected to her literary effusion because it was too

1115. edify

flowery.

뜻: instruct; correct morally 예: Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his

1127. effusive

audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened.

뜻: pouring forth; gushing

1116. eerie

irritate them.

예: Her effusive manner of greeting her friends finally began to 뜻: weird

50

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1128. egoism

1139. elliptical

뜻: excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be

뜻: oval; ambiguous, either purposely or because key words

interested in one's self rather than in others

have been left out

예: His egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his

예: An elliptical billiad ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round;

colleagues.

an elliptical remark baffles because it is not perfectly clear.

1129. egotism

1140. eloquence

뜻: conceit; vanity

뜻: expressiveness; persuasive speech

예: She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism

예: The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King's eloquence.

unwarranted and irritating. 1141. elucidate 1130. egregious

뜻: explain; enlighten

뜻: notorious; conspicuously bad; shocking

예: He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article.

예: She was an egregious liar; we all knew better than to believe a word she said.

1142. elusive

1131. egress

예: His elusive dreams of wealth were costly to those of his friends

뜻: exit

who supported him financially.

뜻: evasive; baffling; hard to grasp

예: Barnum's sign "To the Egress" fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and instead found themselves in

1143. elysian

the street.

뜻: relating to paradise; blissful 예: An afternoon sail on the bay was for her an elysian journey.

1132. ejaculation 뜻: exclamation

1144. emaciated

예: He could not repress an ejaculation of surprise when he heard

뜻: thin and wasted

the news.

예: His long period of starvation had left him emaciated.

1133. elaboration

1145. emanate

뜻: addition of details; intricacy

뜻: issue forth

예: Tell what happened simply, without any elaboration.

예: A strong odor of sulfur emanated from the spring.

1134. elated

1146. emancipate

뜻: overjoyed; in high spirits

뜻: set free

예: Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her

예: At first, the attempts of the Abolitioninst to emancipate the slaves

Olympic victory.

were unpopular in New England as well as in the South.

1135. elegy

1147. embargo

뜻: poem or song expressing lamentation

뜻: ban on commerce or other activity

예: On the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy

예: As a result of the embargo, trade with colonies was at a standstill.

"Lycidas." 1148. embark 1136. elicit

뜻: commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey

뜻: draw out by discussion

예: In devoting herself to the study of gorillas, Dian Fossey

예: The detectives tried to elicit where he had hidden his loot.

embarked on a course of action that was to cost her her life.

1137. elixir

1149. embed

뜻: cure-all; something invigorating

뜻: enclose; place in something

예: The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir.

예: Tales of actual historical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends.

1138. ellipsis 뜻: omission of words from a text

1150. embellish

예: Sometimes an ellipsis can lead to a dangling modifier, as in the

뜻: adorn

sentence "Once dressed, you should refrigerate the potato salad.

예: My mother-in-law's stories about her journey from Russia made us laugh because she embellished the bare facts of her travels with

51

Barron’s GRE Master Words humourous acecdotes.

1162. empirical

1151. embezzlement

예: He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his

뜻: stealing

reliance entirely on empirical data.

뜻: based on experience

예: The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds. 1163. emulate 1152. embroil

뜻: rival; imitate

뜻: throw into confusion

예: As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great

예: He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to

leaders of this country, we shall flourish.

arbitrate the dispute. 1164. enamored 1153. embryonic

뜻: in love

뜻: undeveloped; rudimentary

예: Narcissus became enamored of his own beauty.

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

1165. enclave 뜻: territory enclosed within an alien land

proportions.

예: The Vatican is an independent enclave in Italy. 1154. emend 뜻: correct, usually a text

1166. encomiastic

예: The critic emended the book by retranslating several passages.

뜻: praising; eulogistic 예: Some critics believe that his encomiastic statements about

1155. emendation

Napoleon were inspired by his desire for material advancement

뜻: correction of errors; improvement

rather than by an honest belief in the Emperor's genius.

예: Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract. 1167. encomium 1156. emetic

뜻: high praise; eulogy

뜻: substance causing vomiting

예: Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters,

예: The use of an emetic like mustard is useful in cases of poisoning.

Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise.

1157. eminent

1168. encompass

뜻: high; lofty

뜻: surround

예: After his appointment to this emiment position, he seldom had

예: Although we were encompassed by enemy forces, we were

time for his former friends.

cheerful for we were well stocked and could withstand a siege until our allies joined us.

1158. emissary 뜻: agent; messenger

1169. encroachment

예: The secretary of State was sent as the President's special

뜻: gradual intrusion 예: The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood

emissary to the conference on disarmament.

lowered the value of the real estate. 1159. emollient 뜻: soothing or softening remedy

1170. encumber

예: He applied an emollient to the inflamed area.

뜻: burden 예: Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage,

1160. emolument

when they take short trips.

뜻: salary; compensation 예: In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must

1171. endearment

consider the social prestige it carries with it.

뜻: fond word or act

1161. empathy

insolence.

예: Your gifts and endearments cannot make me forget your earlier 뜻: ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc 예: What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empathy, her

1172. endemic

ability to put herself in her client's place and feel his emotions as if

뜻: prevailinig among a specific group of people or in a specific

they were her own.

are or country 예: This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80

52

Barron’s GRE Master Words percent of the population are at one time or another affected by it.

1184. enigmatic 뜻: obscure; puzzling

1173. endorse

예: Many have sought to fathom the enigmatic smile of the Mona

뜻: approve; support

Lisa.

예: Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse.

1185. enjoin 뜻: command; order; forbid

1174. endue

예: The owners of the company asked the court to enjoin the union

뜻: provide with some quality; endow

from picketing the plant.

예: He was endued with a lion's courage. 1186. enmity 1175. enduring

뜻: ill will; hatred

뜻: lasting; surviving

예: At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the

예: Keats believed in the enduring power of great art, which outlast

enmity that prevented Egypt and Israel from living in peace.

its creator's brief lives. 1187. ennui 1176. energize

뜻: boredom

뜻: invigorate; make forceful and active

예: The monotonous routine of hopital life induced a feeling of ennui

예: Rather than exhausting Maggie, dancing energized her.

which made him moody and irritable.

1177. enervate

1188. enormity

뜻: weaken

뜻: hugeness (in a bad sense)

예: She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to

예: He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what

the window evervated her.

suffering he had caused.

1178. enfranchise

1189. enrapture

뜻: admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote)

뜻: please intensely

예: Although blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War,

예: The audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and

women did not receive the right to vote until 1920.

the excellent orchestration.

1179. engage

1190. ensconce

뜻: attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront

뜻: settle comfortably

예: "Your case has engaged my interest, my lord," said Holmes,

예: The parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in

"You many engage my services."

the private school and decided to leave for Europe.

1180. engender

1191. ensue

뜻: cause; produce

뜻: follow

예: To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-

예: The evils that ensued were the direct result of the miscalculations

confidence in a child.

of the leaders.

1181. engross

1192. enthrall

뜻: occupy fully

뜻: capture; enslave

예: John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his

예: From the moment he saw her picture, he was enthralled by her

mother call.

beauty.

1182. enhance

1193. entice

뜻: advance; improve

뜻: lure; attract; tempt

예: Your chances for promotion in this department will be enhanced

예: She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief.

if you take some more courses in evening school. 1194. entity 1183. enigma

뜻: real being

뜻: puzzle

예: As soon as the charter was adopted, the United Nations became

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

an entity and had to be considered as a factor in world diplomacy.

53

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1195. entomology

of seven warriors to destroy a band of robbers.

뜻: study of insects 예: I found entomology the least interesting part of my course in

1207. epicure

biology; studying insects bored me.

뜻: connoisseur of food and drink 예: epicures frequent this restaurant because it features exotic wines

1196. entrance

and dishes.

뜻: put under a spell; carry away with emotion 예: Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her

1208. epigram

spellbound.

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

1197. entreat 뜻: plead; ask earnestly

1209. epilogue

예: She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight.

뜻: short speech at conclusion of dramatic work 예: The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not

1198. entree

remain to hear the epilogue.

뜻: entrance; a way in 예: Because of his wealth and social position, he had entree into the

1210. episodic 뜻: loosely connected

most exclusive circles.

예: Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow, John 1199. entrepreneur

found the novel too episodic.

뜻: businessperson; contractor 예: Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages

1211. epistemologist

entrepreneurs from trying new fields of business activity.

뜻: philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge 예: "What is more important, a knowledge of nature of the nature of

1200. enumerate

knowledge?" the epistemologist asked the naturalist.

뜻: list; mention one by one 예: Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his

1212. epitaph

many flaws.

뜻: inscription in memory of a dead person 예: In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his

1201. enunciate

tombstone.

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

1213. epithet 뜻: word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person

1202. environ

or thing

뜻: enclose; surround

예: So many kings of France were named Charles that modern

예: Paris was environed by a wall

students need epithets to tell them apart: Charles the Wise, for example, was someone far different from Charles the Fat.

1203. eon 뜻: long period of time; an age

1214. epitome

예: It has taken eons for our civilization to develop.

뜻: perfect example or embodiment 예: Singing "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in The

1204. epaulet

Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley proclaimed himself the

뜻: ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.)

epitome of an officer and a gentleman.

예: The shoulder loops on Sam Spade's trench coat are the nonmilitary counterparts of the fringed epaulets on George

1215. epoch

Washington's uniform.

뜻: period of time 예: The glacial epoch lasted for thousands of years.

1205. ephemeral 뜻: short-lived; fleeting

1216. equable

예: The mayfly is an ephemeral creature.

뜻: tranquil; steady; uniform 예: After the hot summers and cold winters of New England, he

1206. epic

found the climate of the West Indies equable and pleasant.

뜻: long heroic poem, novel, or similar work of art 예: Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the struggle

1217. equanimity

54

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: calmness of temperament

1229. errant

예: In his later years, he could look upon the foolishness of the world

뜻: wandering

with equanimity and humor.

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

1218. equestrian

Chivalry.

뜻: rider on horseback 예: These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their

1230. erratic 뜻: odd; unpredictable

steeds.

예: Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic. 1219. equilibrium 뜻: balance

1231. erroneous

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

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

1220. equine 뜻: resembling a horse

1232. erudite

예: His long, bony face had an equine look to it.

뜻: learned; scholarly 예: His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many

1221. equinox

allusions which were unfamiliar to most readers.

뜻: period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn

1233. escapade

예: The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms.

뜻: prank; flighty conduct

1222. equipoise

boyish joke and expelled the young man.

예: The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a 뜻: balance; balancing force; equilibrium 예: The high-wire acrobat used his pole as an equipose to overcome

1234. eschew

the swaying caused by the wind.

뜻: avoid 예: He tried to eschew all display of temper.

1223. equitable 뜻: fair; impartial

1235. esoteric

예: I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute, one which will

뜻: hard to understand; known only to the chosen few

be fair and acceptable to both sides.

예: New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if you are in the in-

1224. equity

crowd, you'll get the reference; if you come from Cleveland, you

뜻: fairness; justice

won't.

예: Our courts guarantee equity to all. 1236. espionage 1225. equivocal

뜻: spying

뜻: doubtful; ambiguous

예: In order to maintain its power, the government developed a

예: Macbeth was misled by the equivocal statements of the witches.

system of espionage that penetrated every hosehold.

1226. equivocate

1237. espouse

뜻: lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth

뜻: adopt; support

예: The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the

예: She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause.

subject under discussion and ridiculed his remarks. 1238. esteem 1227. erode

뜻: repect; value; judge

뜻: eat away

예: I esteem Ezra Pound both for his exciting poetry and for his acute

예: The limestone was eroded by the dripping water

comments on literature.

1228. erotic

1239. estranged

뜻: pertaining to passionate love

뜻: separated; alienated

예: The erotic passages in this novel should be removed as they are

예: The estranged wife sought a divorce.

merely pornographic. 1240. ethereal

55

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: light; heavenly; fine

예: Many people support euthanasia for terminally ill patients who

예: Visitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty, her delicate

wish to die.

charm. 1252. evanescent 1241. ethnic

뜻: fleeting; vanishing

뜻: relating to races

예: For a brief moment, the entire skyline was bathed in an orange-

예: Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is

red hue in the evanescent rays of the sunset.

based on lack of information. 1253. evasive 1242. ethnology

뜻: not frank; eluding

뜻: study of mankind

예: Your evasive answers convinced the judge that you were

예: Sociology is one aspect of the science of ethnology.

witholding important evidence.

1243. ethos

1254. evince

뜻: underlying character of a culture, group, etc.

뜻: show clearly

예: Seeing how tenderly Spaniards treated her small daughter made

예: When he tried to answer the questions, he evinced his ignorance

author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how greatly children were

of the subject matter.

valued in the Spanish ethos. 1255. evenhanded 1244. etymology

뜻: impartial; fair

뜻: study of word parts

예: Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their

예: A knowledge of etymology can help you on many English tests.

teachers, or, as recent studies suggest, do teachers pay more attention to male students than to females?

1245. eugenic 뜻: pertaining to the improvement of race

1256. evoke

예: It is easier to apply eugenic principles to the raising of racehorses

뜻: call forth

or prize cattle than t the development of human beings.

예: He evoked much criticism by his hostile manner.

1246. eulogistic

1257. ewe

뜻: praising

뜻: female sheep

예: To everyone's surprise, the speech was eulogistic rather than

예: The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes, together

critical in tone.

with only a handful of rams.

1247. eulogy

1258. exacerbate

뜻: praise

뜻: worsen; embitter

예: All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the

예: This latest arrest will exacerbate the already existing discontent

calumny heaped upon him by his enemies.

of the people and enrage them.

1248. euphemism

1259. exacting

뜻: mild expression in place of an unpleasant one

뜻: extremely demanding

예: The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died."

예: The colonies rebelled against the exacting financial claims of the mother country.

1249. euphony 뜻: sweet sound

1260. exalt

예: Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken, the Italian

뜻: raise in rank or dignity; praise

language is particularly pleasing to the ear when sung.

예: The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the Queen; he now is known as Sir Alec Guinness.

1250. euphoria 뜻: feeling of exaggerated (or unfounded) well-being

1261. exasperate

예: "Jill's been on cloud nine ever since Jacj asked her out," said

뜻: vex

Betty, dismissing her friend's euphoria.

예: Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks.

1251. euthanasia

1262. excerpt

뜻: mercy killing

뜻: selected passage (written or musical)

56

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The cinematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film.

1274. exhort 뜻: urge 예: The evangelist will exhort all sinners in his audience to reform.

1263. exchequer 뜻: treasury 예: He had been Chancellor of the exchequer before his promotion

1275. exhume

to the office he now holds.

뜻: dig out of the ground; remove from a grave 예: Because of the rumor that he had been poisoned, his body was

1264. excise

exhumed in order that an autopsy might be performed.

뜻: cut away; cut out 예: When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree, you not only

1276. exigency

improve its appearance but also enhance its chances of bearing fruit.

뜻: urgent situation 예: In this exigency, we must look for aid from our allies.

1265. excoriate 뜻: flay; abrade

1277. exiguous

예: These shoes are so ill-fitting that they will excoriate the feet and

뜻: small; minute

create blisters.

예: Grass grew there, an exiguous outcropping among the rocks.

1266. exculpate

1278. existential

뜻: clear from blame

뜻: pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of

예: He was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed.

existentialism 예: To the existential philosopher, human reason is inadequate to

1267. execrable

explain an irrational, meaningless universe.

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

1279. exodus 뜻: departure

1268. execrate

예: The exodus from the hot and stuffy city was particularly

뜻: curse; express abhorrence for

noticeable on Friday evenings.

예: The world execrates the memory of Hitler and hopes that genocide will never again be the policy of any nation.

1280. exonerate 뜻: acquit; exculpate 예: I am sure this letter naming the actual culprit will exonerate you.

1269. execute 뜻: put into effect; carry out 예: The choreographer wanted to see how well she could execute a

1281. exorbitant

pirouette.

뜻: excessive

1270. exegesis

because he had a monopoly.

예: The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but paid them 뜻: explanation, especially of biblical passages 예: I can follow your exegesis of this passage to a limited degree;

1282. exorcise

some of your reasoning eludes me.

뜻: drive our evil spirits 예: By incantation and prayer, the medicine man sought to exorcise

1271. exemplary

the evil spirits that had taken possession of the young warrior.

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

1283. exotic 뜻: not native; strange

1272. exemplify

예: Because of his exotic headdress, he was followed in the streets

뜻: show by example; furnish an example

by small children who laughed at his strange appearance.

예: Three-time winner of the Super Bowl, Joe Montana exemplifies the ideal quarterback.

1284. expatiate

1273. exertion

예: At this time, please give us a brief resume of your work; we shall

뜻: effort; expenditure of much physical work

permit you to expatiate later.

뜻: talk at length

예: The exertion involved in unscrewing the rusty bolt left her exhausted.

1285. expatriate

57

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land

1296. expostulation

예: Henry James was an American expatriate who settled in England.

뜻: protest; remonstrance 예: Despite the teacher's scoldings and expostulations, the class

1286. expedient

remained unruly.

뜻: suitable; practical; politic 예: A pragmatic politician, he was guided by what was expedient

1297. exposure

rather than by what was ethical.

뜻: risk, particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements; unmasking; act of laying something open

1287. expedite

예: Exposure to sun and wind had dried out her hair and weathered

뜻: hasten

her face.

예: We hope you will be able to expedite delivery because of our tight schedule.

1298. expunge 뜻: cancel; remove 예: If you behave, I will expunge this notation from your record.

1288. expertise 뜻: specialized knowledge; expert skill 예: Although she was knowledgeable in a number of fields, she was

1299. expurgate

hired for her particular expertise in computer programming.

뜻: clean; remove offensive parts of a book 예: The editors felt that certain passages in the book had to be

1289. expiate

expurgated before it could be used in the classroom.

뜻: make amends for (a sin) 예: He tried to expiate his crimes by a full confession to the

1300. extant

authorities.

뜻: still in existence 예: Although the authorities suppressed the book, many copies are

1290. expletive

extant and may be purchased at exorbitant prices.

뜻: interjection; profane oath 예: The sergeant's remarks were filled with expletives that offended

1301. extemporaneous

the new recruits.

뜻: not planned; impromtu

1291. explicate

decided to write all his speeches in advance.

예: Because his extemporaneous remarks were misinterpreted, he 뜻: explain; interpret; clarify 예: Harry Levin explicated James Joyce's novels with such clarity

1302. extenuate 뜻: weaken; mitigate

that even Finnegan's Wake seemed comprehensible to his students.

예: It is easier for us to extenuate our own shortcomings than those 1292. explicit

of others.

뜻: totally clear; definite; outspoken 예: Don't just hint around that you're dissatisfied: be explicit about

1303. extirpate

what's bugging you.

뜻: root up 예: The Salem witch trials were a misguided attempt to extirpate

1293. exploit

superstition and heresy.

뜻: deed or action, particularly a brave deed 예: Raoul Wallenberg was noted for his exploits in rescuing Jews

1304. extol

from Hitler's forces.

뜻: praise; glorify 예: The astronauts were extolled as the pioneers of the Space Age.

1294. exploit 뜻: make use of, sometimes unjustly

1305. extort

예: Caesar Chavez fought attempts to exploit migrant farmworkers in

뜻: wring from; get money by threats, etc.

California.

예: The blackmailer extorted money from his victim.

1295. expository

1306. extradition

뜻: explanatory; serving to explain

뜻: surrender of prisoner by one state to another

예: The mannual that came with my VCR was no masterpiece of

예: The lawyers opposed the extradition of their client on the grounds

expository prose: its explanations were so garbled that I couldn't

that for more than five years he had been a model citizen.

even figure out how to rewind a tape. 1307. extraneous

58

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: not essential; external

예: The facade of the church had often been photographed by

예: Do not pad your paper with extraneous matters; stick to essential

tourists because it was more interesting than the rear.

items only. 1318. facet 1308. extrapolation

뜻: small plane surface (of a gem); a side

뜻: projection; conjecture

예: The stonecutter decided to improve the rough diamond by

예: Based on their extrapolation from the results of the primaries on

providing it with several facets.

Super Tuesday, the networks predicted that George Bush would be the Republican candidate for the presidency.

1319. facetious 뜻: humorous; jocular

1309. extricate

예: Your facetious remarks are not appropriate at this serious

뜻: free; disentangle

moment.

예: He found that he could not extricate himself from the trap. 1320. facile 1310. extrinsic

뜻: easy; expert

뜻: external; not inherent; foreign

예: Because he was a facile speaker, he never refused a request to

예: Do not be fooled by extrinsic causes. We must look for the

address an organization.

intrinsic reason. 1321. facilitate 1311. extrovert

뜻: make less difficult

뜻: person interested mostly in external objects and actions

예: He tried to facilitate repayment of the loan by getting a part-time

예: A good salesperson in usually an extrovert, who likes to mingle

job.

with people. 1322. facsimilie 1312. extrude

뜻: copy

뜻: force or push out

예: Many museums sell facsimilies of the works of art on display.

예: Much pressure is required to extrude these plastics. 1323. faction 1313. exuberant

뜻: party; clique; dissension

뜻: abundant; effusive; lavish

예: The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the

예: His speeches were famous for his exuberant language and vivid

club disturbed the majority of the members.

imagery. 1324. factious 1314. exude

뜻: inclined to form factions; causing dissension.

뜻: discharge; give forth

예: Your statement is factious and will upset the harmony that now

예: The maple syrup is obtained from the sap that the trees exude in

exists.

early spring. 1325. factitous 1315. exult

뜻: artificial; sham

뜻: rejoice

예: Hollywood actresses often create factitious tears by using

예: We exulted when our team won the victory.

glycerine. 1326. factotum 뜻: handyman; person who does all kinds of work 예: Although we had hired him as a messenger, we soon began to

F

use him as a general factotum around the office.

1316. fabricate

1327. faculty

뜻: build; lie

뜻: mental or bodily powers; teaching staff

예: Because of the child's tendency to fabricate, we had trouble

예: As he grew old, he feared he might lose his faculties and become

believing her.

useless to his employer.

1317. facade

1328. fallacious

뜻: front of the building

뜻: misleading

59

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Your reasoning must be fallacious because it leads to a ridiculous answer.

1340. fatalism 뜻: belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's

1329. fallible

control

뜻: liable to err

예: With fatalism, he accepted the hardships that beset him.

예: I know I am fallible, but I feel confident that I am right this time. 1341. fathom 1330. fallow

뜻: comprehend; investigate

뜻: plowed but sowed; uncultivated

예: I find his motives impossible to fathom.

예: Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to le fallow every few years.

1342. fatuous 뜻: foolish; inane 예: He is far too intelligent to utter such fatuous remarks.

1331. falter 뜻: hesitate 예: When told to dive off the high board, she did not falter, but

1343. fauna

proceeded at once.

뜻: animals of a period or region 예: The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining

1332. fanaticism

the skeletal remains and the fossils.

뜻: excessive zeal 예: The leader of the group was held responsible even though he

1344. fawning

could not control the fanaticism of his followers.

뜻: courting favor by cringing and flattering

1333. fancied

who had hoped to win some favor.

예: She was constantly surrounded by a group of fawning admirers 뜻: imagined; unreal 예: You are resenting fancied insults. No one has ever said such

1345. faze 뜻: disconcert; dismay

things about you.

예: No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager. 1334. fancier 뜻: breeder or dealer of animals

1346. feasible

예: The dog fancier exhibited her prize collie at the annual Kennel

뜻: practical

Club show.

예: This is an entirely feasible proposal. I suggest we adopt it.

1335. fanciful

1347. febrile

뜻: whimsical; visionary

뜻: feverish

예: This is a fanciful scheme because it does not consider the facts.

예: In his febrile condition, he was subject to nightmares and hallucinations.

1336. fanfare 뜻: call by bugles or trumpets; showy display

1348. fecundity

예: The exposition was opened with fanfare of trumpets and the firing

뜻: fertility; fruitfulness

of cannon.

예: The fecundity of his mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in his poems.

1337. fantastic 뜻: unreal; grotesque; whimsical

1349. feign

예: Your fears are fantastic because no such animal as you have

뜻: pretend

described exists.

예: Lady Macbeth feigned illness in the courtyard although she was actually healthy.

1338. farce 뜻: broad comedy; mockery

1350. feint

예: Nothing went right; the entire interview degenerated into a farce.

뜻: trick; shift; sham blow 예: The boxer was fooled by his opponent's feint and dropped his

1339. fastidious

guard.

뜻: difficult to please; squeamish 예: The waitresses disliked serving him dinner because of his very

1351. felicitous

fastidious taste.

뜻: apt; suitably expressed; well chosen

60

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He was famous for his felicitous remarks and was called upon to

뜻: honor at a festival

serve as master-of-ceremonies at many banquet.

예: The returning hero was feted at a community supper and dance.

1352. felicity

1364. fetid

뜻: happines; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.)

뜻: malodorous

예: She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in

예: The neglected wound became fetid.

their wedded life. 1365. fetter 1353. fell

뜻: shackle

뜻: cruel; deadly

예: The prisoner was fettered to the wall.

예: The newspapers told of the tragic spread of the fell disease 1366. fiasco 1354. felon

뜻: total failure

뜻: person convicted of a grave crime

예: Our ambitious venture ended in a fiasco and we were forced to

예: A convicted felon loses the right to vote

flee.

1355. ferment

1367. fiat

뜻: agitation; commotion

뜻: command

예: With the breakup of the Soviet Union, much of Eastern Europe

예: I cannot accept government by fiat; I feel that I must be consulted.

was in a state of ferment. 1368. fickle 1356. ferret

뜻: changeable; faithless

뜻: drive or hunt out of hiding

예: He discovered his supposedly faithful girlfriend was fickle

예: She was ferreted out their secret. 1369. fictitious 1357. fervent

뜻: imaginary

뜻: ardent; hot

예: Although this book purports to be a biography of George

예: She felt that the fervent praise was excessive and somewhat

Washington, many of the incidents are fictitious.

undeserved. 1370. fidelity 1358. fervid

뜻: loyalty

뜻: ardent

예: A dog's fidelity to its owner is one of the reasons why that animal

예: Her fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us to undertake the

is a favorite household pet.

dangerous mission. 1371. figment 1359. fervor

뜻: invention; imaginary thing

뜻: glowing ardor

예: That incident never took place; it is a figment of your imagination.

예: Their kiss was full of the fervor of first love. 1372. figurative 1360. fester

뜻: not literal, but metaphorical; using a figure of speech

뜻: generate pus

예: "To lose one's marbles" is a figurative expression; if you're told

예: When her finger began to fester, the doctor lanced it and

Jack has lost his marbles, no one expects you to rush out to buy him

removed the splinter that had caused the pus to form.

a replacement set.

1361. fester

1373. figurine

뜻: rankle, produce irritation or resentment

뜻: small ornamental statuette

예: Joe's insult festered in Anne's mind for days, and made her too

예: In the Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing

angry to speak to him.

figurine of a black bird.

1362. festive

1374. filch

뜻: joyous; celebratory

뜻: steal

예: Their wedding in the park was a festive occasion.

예: The boys filched apples from the fruit stand.

1363. fete

1375. filial

61

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: pertaining to a son or daughter

뜻: droop; grow feeble

예: Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the

예: When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only

wishes of their parents.

minutes into the first period, the home team's spirits flagged.

1376. filibuster

1387. flagrant

뜻: block legislation by making long speeches

뜻: conspicuously wicked

예: Even though we disapproved of Senator Foghorn's political goals,

예: We cannot condone such flagrant violations of the rules.

we were impressed by his ability to filibuster endlessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote.

1388. flail 뜻: thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about

1377. filigree

예: In medieval times, warriors flailed their foe with a metal ball

뜻: delicate, lacelike metalwork

attached to a handle.

예: The pendant with gold filigree that she wore round her neck trembled with each breath she took.

1389. flair 뜻: talent

1378. finale

예: She has an uncanny flair for discovering new artists before the

뜻: conclusion

public has become aware of their existence.

예: It is not until we reach the finale of this play that we can understand the author's message.

1390. flamboyant

1379. finesse

예: Modern architecture has discarded the flamboyant trimming on

뜻: delicate skill

buildings and emphasizes simplicity of line.

뜻: ornate

예: The finesse and adroitness of the surgeon impressed the observers in the operating room.

1391. flaunt 뜻: display ostentatiously

1380. finicky

예: She is not the one of those actresses who flaunt their physical

뜻: too particular; fussy

charms; she can act.

예: The old lady was finicky about her food and ate very little. 1392. flay 1381. finite

뜻: strip off skin; plunder

뜻: limited

예: The criminal was condemned to be flayed alive.

예: It is difficult for humanity with its finite existence to grasp the infinite.

1393. fleck

1382. firebrand

예: Her cheeks flecked with tears, were testimony to the hours of

뜻: hothead; troublemaker

weeping.

뜻: spot

예: The police triedto keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town.

1394. fledgling 뜻: inexperienced

1383. fissure

예: While it is necessary to provide these fledgling poets with an

뜻: crevice

opportunity to present their work, it is not essential that we admire

예: The mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the

everything they write.

rock. 1395. fleece 1384. fitful

뜻: wool coat of a sheep

뜻: spasmodic; intermittent

예: They shear sheep of their fleece, which they then comb into

예: After several fitful attempts, he decided to postpone the start of

separate strands of wool.

the project until he felt more energetic. 1396. fleece 1385. flaccid

뜻: rob; plunder

뜻: flabby

예: The tricksters fleeced him of his inheritance.

예: His sedentary life had left him with flaccid muscles. 1397. flick 뜻: light stroke as with a whip

1386. flag

62

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The horse needed no encouragement; only one flick of the whip

1409. fluke 뜻: unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune

was all the jockey had to apply to get the animal to run at top speed.

예: When Douglass defeated Tyson for the heavyweight 1398. flinch

championship, some sportscasters dismissed his victory as a fluke.

뜻: hesitate; shrink 예: He did not flinch in the face of danger but fought back bravely.

1410. fluster 뜻: confuse

1399. flippancy

예: The teacher's sudden question flustered him and he stammered

뜻: trifling gaiety

his reply.

예: Your flippancy at this serious moment is offensive. 1411. fluted 1400. flit

뜻: having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar)

뜻: fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by

예: All that remained of the ancient building were the fluted columns.

예: Like a bee flitting from flower to flower, Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next.

1412. flux 뜻: flowing; series of changes

1401. floe

예: While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to

뜻: mass of floating ice

commit myself too deeply in this affair.

예: The ship made slow progress as it battered its way through the ice floes.

1413. fodder 뜻: coarse food for cattle, horses etc.

1402. flora

예: One of Nancy's chores ar the ranch was to put fresh supplies of

뜻: plants of a region or era

fodder in the horses' stalls.

예: Because she was a botanist, she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert.

1414. foible 뜻: weakness; slight fault 예: We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect.

1403. florid 뜻: flowery; ruddy 예: His complexion was even more florid than usual because of his

1415. foil 뜻: contrast

anger.

예: In "Star Wars," dark, evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair1404. flotsam

haired, naive Luke Skywalker.

뜻: drifting wreckage 예: Beachcombers eke out a living by salvaging the flotsam and

1416. foil

jetsam of the sea.

뜻: defeat; frustrate 예: In the end, Skywalker is able to foil Vader's diabolical schemes.

1405. flourish 뜻: grow well; prosper; make sweeping gestures

1417. foist

예: The orange trees flourished in the sun.

뜻: insert improperly; palm off 예: I will not permit you to foist such ridiculous ideas upon the

1406. flout

membership of this group.

뜻: reject; mock 예: The headstrong youth flouted all authority; he refused to be

1418. foliage

curbed.

뜻: masses of leaves 예: Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he

1407. fluctuation

would drive though the New England to admire the colorful fall

뜻: wavering

foliage.

예: Meteorologists watch the fluctuations of the barometer in order to predict the weather.

1419. foment 뜻: stir up; instigate 예: This report will foment disssension in the club.

1408. fluency 뜻: smoothness of speech 예: He spoke French with fluency and ease.

1420. foolhardy 뜻: rash

63

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Don't be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before

예: Determined to lose weight for the summer, Ida decided to forgo

undertaking this venture.

dessert until she could fit into a size eight again.

1421. foppish

1432. formality

뜻: vain about dress and appearance

뜻: adherence to established rules or procedures

예: He tried to imitate the foppish manner of the young men of the

예: Signing this petition is a mere formality; it does not obligate you

court.

in any way.

1422. foray

1433. formidable

뜻: raid

뜻: menacing; threatening

예: The company staged a midnight foray against the enemy outpost.

예: We must not treat the battle lightly for we are facing a formidable foe.

1423. forberance 뜻: patience

1434. forsake

예: We must use forbearance in dealing with him because he is still

뜻: desert; abandon; renounce

weak from his illness.

예: No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children and run off with another woman.

1424. ford 뜻: place where a river can be crossed on foot

1435. forswear

예: Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge, David walked a

뜻: renounce; abandon

half-mile downstream until he came to the neartest ford.

예: The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christianity and embrace Islam as the one true faith.

1425. forebears 뜻: ancestors

1436. forte

예: Reverence for one's forebears (sometimes referred to as

뜻: strong point or special talent

ancestor worship) plays an important part in many Oriental cultures.

예: I am not eager to play this rather seious role, for my forte is comedy.

1426. foreboding 뜻: premonition of evil

1437. forthright

예: Caeser ridiculed his wife's foreboding about the Ides of March.

뜻: straightforward; direct; frank 예: I prefer Jill's forthright approach to Jack's tendency to beat

1427. forensic

around the bush.

뜻: suitable to debate or courts of law 예: In her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed the jury.

1438. fortitude 뜻: bravery; courage 예: He was awarded the medal for his fortitude in the battle.

1428. foreshadow 뜻: give an indication beforehand; portend; prefigure 예: In retrospect, political analysts realized that Yeltsin's defiance of

1439. fortuitous

the attempted coup foreshadowed his emergence as the dominant

뜻: accidental; by chance

figure of the new Russian republic.

예: There is no connection between these two events; their timing is entirely fortuitous.

1429. foresight 뜻: ability to foresee future happenings; prudence

1440. foster

예: A wise investor, she had the foresight to buy land just before the

뜻: rear; encourage

current real estate boom.

예: According to the legend, Romulus and Remus were fostered by a she-wolf that raised the abandoned infants as her own.

1430. forestall 뜻: prevent by taking action in advance

1441. founder

예: By setting up a prenuptial agreement, the prospective bride and

뜻: fail completely; sink

groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in the

예: After hitting the submerged iceberg, the Titanic started taking in

event of a divorce.

water rapidly and soon foundered.

1431. forgo

1442. founder

뜻: give up; do without

뜻: person who establishes (an organization, business)

64

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Among those drowned when the Titanic sank was the founder of the Abraham & Straus chain.

1454. fret 뜻: to be annonyed or vexed

1443. fracas

예: To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead, decide to work

뜻: brawl; melee

harder in the future.

예: The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents.

1455. friction 뜻: clash in opinion; rubbing against

1444. fractious

예: At this time when harmony is essential, we cannot afford to have

뜻: unruly

any friction in our group.

예: The fractious horse unseated its rider. 1456. frieze 1445. frailty

뜻: ornamental band on a wall

뜻: weakness

예: The frieze of the church was adorned with sculpture.

예: The doctor prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements for the sick old woman because of her frailty.

1457. frigid 뜻: intensely cold 예: Alaska is in the frigid zone.

1446. franchise 뜻: right granted by authority 예: The city issued a franchise to the company to operate surface

1458. fritter

transit lines on the streets for ninety-nine years.

뜻: waste 예: He could not apply himself to any task and frittered away his time

1447. frantic

in idle conversation.

뜻: wild 예: At the time of the collision, many people became frantic with fear.

1459. frivolous 뜻: lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively

1448. fraudulent

unimportant

뜻: cheating; deceitful

예: Though Nancy enjoyed Bill's frivolous, lighthearted

예: The government seeks to prevent fraudulent and misleading

companionship, she sometimes wondered whether he could ever be

advertising.

serious.

1449. fraught

1460. frolicsome

뜻: filled

뜻: prankish; gay

예: Since this enterprise is fraught with danger, I will ask for

예: The frolicsome puppy tried to lick the face of its master.

volunteers who are willing to assume the risks. 1461. frond 뜻: fern leaf; palm or banana leaf

1450. fray 뜻: brawl

예: After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm

예: The three musketeers were in the thick of fray.

trees.

1451. frenetic

1462. fructify

뜻: frenzied; frantic

뜻: bear fruit

예: His frenetic activities convinced us that he had no organized plan

예: This peach tree should fructify in three years.

of operation. 1463. frugality 1452. frenzied

뜻: thrift; economy

뜻: madly excited

예: In these economically difficult days businesses must practice

예: As soon as they smelled smoke, the frenzied animals milled

frugality or risk bankruptcy.

about in their cages. 1464. fruition 1453. fresco

뜻: bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization

뜻: painting in plaste (usually fresh)

예: This building marks the fruition of all our aspirations and years of

예: The cathedral is visited by many tourists who wish to admire the

hard work.

frescoes by Glotto.

65

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1465. fugitive

1476. futile

뜻: fleeting or transitory; roving

뜻: ineffective; fruitless

예: The film brought a few fugitive images to her mind, but on the

예: Why waste your time on futile pursuits?

whole it made no lasting impression upon her. 1477. feckless 1466. fulcrum

뜻: feeble, ineffective; unthinking, irresponsible

뜻: support on which a lever rests

예: Einstein was noted for his extraordinary inspirations; on the other

예: If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever, we

hand, he was noted for being feckless in his daily chores.

may be able to move this boulder. 1467. fulminate 뜻: thunder; explode 예: The people against whom she fulminated were innocent of any

G

wrongdoing. 1478. gadfly 1468. fulsome

뜻: animal-biting fly; an irritating person

뜻: disgustingly excessive

예: Like a gadfly, he irritated all the guests at the hotel; within forty

예: His fulsome praise of the dictator annoyed his listeners.

eight hours, everyone regarded him as an annoying busybody.

1469. functionary

1479. gaffe

뜻: official

뜻: social blunder

예: As his case was transferred from one functionary to another, he

예: According to Miss Manners, to call your husband by your lover's

began to despair of ever reaching a settlement.

name is worse than a mere gaffe; it is a tactical mistake.

1470. fundamental

1480. gainsay

뜻: basic; primary; essential

뜻: deny

예: The committee discussed all sorts of side issues without ever

예: She was too honest to gainsay the truth of the report.

getting down to addressing the fundamental problem. 1481. gait 1471. funereal

뜻: manner of walking or running; speed

뜻: sad; solemn

예: The lame man walked with an uneven gait.

예: I fail to understand why there is such a funereal atmosphere; we 1482. galaxy

have lost a battle, not a war.

뜻: the Milky Way; any collection of brilliant personalities 1472. furor

예: The deaths of such famous actors as Clark Gable, Gary Cooper,

뜻: frenzy; great excitement

Spencer Tracy, and Marlene Dietrich demonstrate that the galaxy of

예: The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on

Hollywood superstars is rapidly disppearing.

the stock exchange. 1483. gall 1473. furtive

뜻: bitterness; nerve

뜻: stealthy; sneaky

예: The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall.

예: The boy gave a furtive look at his classmate's test paper. 1484. gall 1474. fusilade

뜻: annoy; chafe

뜻: simultaneous firing or outburs (of missiles, questions, etc.)

예: Their taunts galled him.

예: Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture concludes with a thunderous 1485. galleon

fusilade of cannon fire.

뜻: large sailing ship 1475. fusion

예: The Spaniards pinned their hopes on the galleon, the large

뜻: union; coalition

warship; the British, on the smaller and faster pinnace.

예: The opponents of the political party in power organized a fusion of disgruntled groups and became an important element in the

1486. galvanize

election.

뜻: stimulate by shock; stir up 예: The entire nation was galvanized into strong military activity by

66

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The man who married a dumb wife asked the doctor to make him

the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

deaf because of his wife's garrulity after her cure. 1487. gambit 뜻: opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed

1499. garrulous

예: The player was afraid to accept his opponent's gambit because

뜻: excessively talkative, especially about unimportant subjects;

he feared a trap which as yet he could not see.

loquacious; wordy 예: Many club members avoided the company of the garrulous junior

1488. gambol

executive because his contant chatter bored them to tears.

뜻: skip; leap playfully 예: Watching children gamboling in the park is a pleasant experience

1500. gastronomy 뜻: science of preparing and serving good food

1489. gamely

예: One of the by-products of his trip to Europe was his interest in

뜻: in a spirited manner; with courage

gastronomy; he enjoyed preparing and serving foreign dishes to his

예: Because he had fought gamely against a much superior boxer,

friends.

the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the arena. 1501. gauche 1490. gamut

뜻: clumsy; boorish

뜻: entire range

예: Such remarks are gauche and out of place; you should apologize

예: In this performance, the leading lady was able to demonstrate the

for making them.

complete gamut of her acting ability. 1502. gaudy 1491. gape

뜻: flashy; showy

뜻: open widely

예: Her gaudy taste in clothes apalled us.

예: The huge pit gaped before him; if he stumbled, he would fall in. 1503. gaunt 1492. garbled

뜻: lean and angular; barren

뜻: mixed up; jumbled; distorted

예: His once-round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost

예: A favorite party game involves passing a whispered message

weight.

from one person to another; by the time it reaches the last player, the message has become totally garbled.

1504. gawk 뜻: stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe

1493. gargantuan

예: The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of

뜻: huge; enormous

the big city.

예: The gargantuan wrestler was terrified of mice. 1505. gazette 1494. gargolye

뜻: official publication

뜻: waterspout carved in groteque figures on a building

예: He read the gazettes regularly for announcement of his

예: The gargoyles adorning the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris are

promotion.

amusing in their grotesqueness. 1506. genealogy 1495. garish

뜻: record of descent; lineage

뜻: gaudy

예: He was proud of his genealogy and constantly referred to the

예: She wore a garish rhinestone necklace.

achievements of his ancestors.

1496. garner

1507. generality

뜻: gather; store up

뜻: vague statement

예: She hoped to garner the world's literature in one library.

예: This report is filled with generalities; you must be more specific in you statements.

1497. garnish 뜻: decorate

1508. generic

예: Parsley was used to garnish the boiled potato.

뜻: characteristic of an entire class or species 예: Sue knew so many computer programmers who spent their spare

1498. garrulity

time playing fantasy games that she began to think that playing

뜻: talkativeness

Dungeon & Dragons was a generic trait.

67

Barron’s GRE Master Words

1509. genesis

1520. gerrymander

뜻: beginning; origin

뜻: change in voting district lines in order to favor a political

예: Tracing the genesis of a family is the theme of "Roots."

party 예: The illogical pattern of the map of this congressional district is

1510. geniality

proof that the state legislature gerrymandered this area in order to

뜻: cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy

favor the majority party.

예: This restaurant is famous and popular because of the geniality of the proprietor, who tries to make everyone happy.

1521. gestate 뜻: evolve, as in prenatal growth

1511. genre

예: While this scheme was being gestated by the conspirators, they

뜻: particular variety of art or literature

maintained complete silence about their intentions.

예: Both a short story writer and a poet, Langston Hughes proved himself equally skilled in either genre.

1522. gesticulation 뜻: motion; gesture

1512. genteel

예: Operatic performers are trained to make exaggerated

뜻: well-bred; elegant

gesticulations because of the large auditoriums in whic they appear.

예: We are looking for a man with a genteel apperance who can inspire confidence by his cultivated manner.

1523. ghastly 뜻: horrible 예: The murdered man was a ghastly sight.

1513. gentility 뜻: those of gentle birth; refinement 예: Her family was proud of its gentility and elegance.

1524. gibberish 뜻: nonsense; babbling

1514. gentry

예: Did you hear that foolish boy spouting gibberish about monsters

뜻: people of standing; class of people just below nobility

from outer space?

예: The local gentry did not welcome the visits of the summer tourists and tried to ignore their presence in the community.

1525. gibe 뜻: mock

1515. genuflect

예: As you gibe at their superstitious beliefs, do you realize that you,

뜻: bend the knee as in worship

too, are guilty of similarly foolish thoughts?

예: A proud denocrat, he refused to genuflect to any man. 1526. giddy 1516. germane

뜻: light-hearted; dizzy

뜻: pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand

예: He felt his giddy youth was past.

예: The lawyer objected that the testimony being offered was not germane to the case at hand.

1527. gingerly 뜻: very carefully 예: To separate egg whites, first crack the egg gingerly.

1517. germinal 뜻: pertaining to a germ; creative 예: Such an idea is germinal; I am certain that it will influence

1528. girth

thinkers and philosophers for many generations.

뜻: distance around something; circunference 예: It took an extra-large cummerbund to fit around Andrew

1518. germinate

Carnegie's considerable girth.

뜻: cause to sprout; sprout 예: After the seeds germinate and develop their permanent leaves,

1529. gist

the plants may be removed from the cold frames and transplanted to

뜻: essence

the garden.

예: she was asked to give the gist of the essay in two sentence.

1519. gerontocracy

1530. glacial

뜻: government ruled by old people

뜻: like a glacier; extremely cold

예: Gulliver visited a gerontocracy in which the young people acted

예: Never a warm person, when offended hugo could seem positively

as servants to their elders, all the while dreaming of the day they

glacial.

would be old enough to have servants of their own.

68

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Molasses is a glutinous substance.

1531. glaring 뜻: highly conspicuous; harshly bright 예: glaring spelling or grammatical errors in your resume will

1543. glutton

unfavorably impress potential employers.

뜻: someone who eats too much 예: When Mother saw that Bobby had eaten all the cookies, she

1532. glaze

called him a little glutton.

뜻: cover with a thin and shiny surface 예: The freezing rain glazed the streets and made driving hazardous.

1544. gnarled 뜻: twisted

1533. glean

예: The gnarled oak tree had been a landmark for years and was

뜻: gather leavings

mentioned in several deeds.

예: After the crops had been harvested by the machines, the peasants were permitted to glean the wheat left in the fields.

1545. gnome 뜻: dwarf; underground spirit

1534. glib

예: In medieval mythology, gnomes were the special guardians and

뜻: fluent

inhabitants of subterranean mines.

예: He is a glib and articulate speaker. 1546. goad 1535. glimmer

뜻: urge on

뜻: shine erratically; twinkle

예: He was goaded by his friends until he yielded to their wishes.

예: In the darkness of the cavern, the glowworms hanging from the cavern roof glimmered like distant stars.

1547. gorge 뜻: narrow canyon; steep, rocky cleft

1536. gloat

예: Terrified of heights, George could not bring himself to peer down

뜻: express evil satisfaction; view malevolently

into the gorge to see the rapids below.

예: As you gloat over your ill-gotten wealth, do you think of the many victims you have defrauded?

1548. gorge

1537. gloss over

예: The gluttonous guest gorged himself with food as though he had

뜻: explain away

not eaten for days.

뜻: stuff oneself

예: No matter how hard he tried to talk around the issue, President Bush could not gloss over the fact that he had raised the taxes after

1549. gory

all.

뜻: bloody 예: The audience shuddered as they listened to the details of the

1538. glossary

gory massacre.

뜻: brief explanation of words used in the text 예: I have found the glossary in this book very useful; it has

1550. gossamer

eliminated many trips to the dictionary.

뜻: sheer; like cobwebs 예: Nylon can be woven into gossaner or thick fabrics.

1539. glossy 뜻: smooth and shining

1551. gouge

예: I want this photograph printed on glossy paper, not matte.

뜻: tear out 예: In that fight, all the rules were forgotten; the adversaries bit,

1540. glower

kicked, and tried to gouge each other's eyes out.

뜻: scowl 예: The angry boy glowered at his father.

1552. gourmand 뜻: epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and

1541. glut

drink

뜻: overstock; fill to excess

예: goumands lack self-restraint; if they enjoy a particular cuisine,

예: The many manufacturers glutted the market and could not find

they eat far too much of it.

purchasers for the many articles they had produced. 1553. gourmet 1542. glutinous

뜻: connoisseur of food and drink

뜻: sticky; viscous

예: The gourmet stated that this was the best onion soup she had

69

Barron’s GRE Master Words ever tasted. 1565. gratuitous 1554. graduated

뜻: given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for

뜻: arraged by degree (of height, difficulty, etc.)

예: Quit making gratuitous comments about my driving; no one

예: Margaret loved her graduated set of Russian hollow wooden

asked you for your opinion.

dolls; she spent hours happily putting the smaller dolls into their larger counterparts.

1566. gratuity 뜻: tip

1555. granary

예: Many service employees rely more on gratuities than on salaries

뜻: storehouse for grain

for their livelihood.

예: We have reason to be thankful, for our crops were good and our granaries are full.

1567. gravity 뜻: seriousness

1556. grandeur

예: We could tell we were in serious trouble from the gravity of her

뜻: impressiveness; stateliness; majesty

expression.

예: No matter how often he hiked through the mountains, David never failed to be struck by the grandeur of the Sierra Nevada range.

1568. gregarious

1557. grandiloquent

예: Typically, party-throwers are gregarious; hermits are not.

뜻: sociable 뜻: pompous; bombastic; using high-sounding language 예: The politician could bever speak simply; she was always

1569. grievance 뜻: cause of complaint

grandiloquent.

예: When her supervisor ignored her complaint, she took her 1558. grandiose

grievance to the union.

뜻: imposing; impressive 예: His grandiose manner impressed those who met him for the first

1570. grill

time.

뜻: question severely 예: In violation of the Miranda law, the police grilled the suspect for

1559. granulate

several hours before reading him his rights.

뜻: form into grains 예: Sugar that has been granulated dissolves more readily than lump

1571. grimace

sugar.

뜻: a facial distortion to show feeling such as pain, disgust, etc. 예: Even though he remained silent, his grimace indicated his

1560. graphic

displeasure.

뜻: pertaining to the art of delineating; vividly described 예: I was particularly impressed by the graphic presentation of the

1572. grisly

storm.

뜻: ghastly 예: She shuddered at the grisly sight.

1561. grapple 뜻: wrestle; come to grips with

1573. grotesque

예: He grappled with the burglar and overpowered him.

뜻: fantastic; comically hideous 예: On Halloween people enjoy wearing groteque costumes.

1562. grate 뜻: make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect; shred

1574. grotto

예: The screams of the quarreling children grated on her nerves.

뜻: small cavern 예: The Blue Grotto in Capri can be entered only by small boats

1563. gratify

rowed by natives through a natural opening in the rocks.

뜻: please 예: Her parents were gratified by her success.

1575. grouse

1564. gratis

예: Students traditionally grouse about the abysmal quality of

뜻: free

"mystery meat" and similar dornitory food.

뜻: complain; fuss

예: The company offered to give one package gratis to every purchaser of one of their products.

1576. grovel

70

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate

예: The Thai restaurant offered an unusual gustatory experience for

예: Even though we have been defeated, we do not have to grovel

those used in a bland cuisine.

before our conquerors. 1588. gusto 뜻: enjoyment; enthusiasm

1577. grudging 뜻: unwilling; reluctant; stingy

예: He accepted the assignment with such gusto that I feel he would

예: We received only grudging support from the mayor despite his

have been satisfied with a smaller salary.

earlier promises of aid. 1589. gusty 1578. gruel

뜻: windy

뜻: thin, liquid porridge

예: The gusty weather made sailing precarious.

예: Our daily allotment of gruel made the meal not only monotonous but also unpalatable.

1590. gyroscope

1579. grueling

예: By using a rotating gyroscope, they were able to stabilize the

뜻: exhausting

vessel, counteracting the rolling movements of the sea.

뜻: apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.

예: The marathon is a grueling race. 1591. 1580. gruesome

뜻: apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.

뜻: grisly

예:

예: People screamed when her gruesome appearance was flashed on the screen. 1581. gruff 뜻: rough-mannered

H

예: Although he was blunt and gruff with most people, he was always 1592. hackles

gentle with children.

뜻: hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog 1582. guffaw

예: The dog's hackles rose and he began to growl as the sound of

뜻: boisterous laughter

footsteps grew louder.

예: The loud guffaws that came from the closed room indicated that the members of the committe had not yet settled down to a serious

1593. hackneyed

business.

뜻: commonplace; trite 예: The English teacher criticized her story because of its hackneyed and unoriginal plot.

1583. guile 뜻: deceit; duplicity 예: She achieved her high position by guile and treachery.

1594. haggard 뜻: wasted away; gaunt 예: After his long illness, he was pale and haggard.

1584. guileless 뜻: without deceit 예: He is naive, simple, and guileless; he cannot be guilty of fraud.

1595. haggle

1585. guise

예: I prefer to shop in a store that has a one-price policy because,

뜻: appearance; costume

whenever I haggle with a shopkeeper, I am never certain that I paid

예: In the guise of a plumber, the detective investigated the murder

a fair price for the articles I purchased.

뜻: argue about prices

case. 1596. halcyon 1586. gullible

뜻: calm; peaceful

뜻: easily deceived

예: In those halcyon days, people were not worried about sneak

예: He preyed upon gullible people, who believed his stories of easy

attacks and bombings.

wealth. 1597. hale 1587. gustatory

뜻: healthy

뜻: affecting the sense of taste

예: After a brief illness, he was soon hale.

71

Barron’s GRE Master Words plants that could withstand our harsh New England winters. 1598. hallowed 뜻: blessed; consecrated

1610. harping

예: She was laid to rest in hallowed ground.

뜻: tiresome dwelling on a subject 예: After he had reminded me several times about what he had done

1599. hallucination

for me I told him to stop his harping on my indebtedness to him.

뜻: delusion 예: I think you were frightened by a hallucination that you created in

1611. harrow

you own mind.

뜻: break up ground after plowing; torture 예: I don't want to harrow you at this time by asking you to recall the

1600. halting

details of your unpleasant experience.

뜻: hesitant; faltering 예: Novice extemporaneous speakers often talk in a halting fashion

1612. harry

as they grope for the right words.

뜻: harass, annoy, torment; raid 예: The guerrilla band harried the enemy nightly.

1601. hamper 뜻: obstruct

1613. hatch

예: The minority party agreed not to hamper the efforts of the leaders

뜻: deck opening; lid covering a deck opening

to secure a lasting peace.

예: The latch on the hatch failed to catch, so the hatch remained unlatched.

1602. hap 뜻: chance; luck

1614. haughtiness

예: In his poem hap, Thomas Hardy objects to the part chance plays

뜻: pride; arrogance

in our lives.

예: I resent his haughtiness because he is no better than we are.

1603. haphazard

1615. hazardous

뜻: random; by chance

뜻: dangerous

예: His haphazard reading left him unaquainted with the authors of

예: Your occupation is too hazardous for insurance companies to

the books.

consider your application.

1604. hapless

1616. hazy

뜻: unfortunate

뜻: slightly obscure

예: This hapless creature had never known a moment's pleasure.

예: In hazy weather, you cannot see the top of this mountain.

1605. harangue

1617. headlong

뜻: long, passionate, and vehement speech

뜻: hasty; rash

예: In her lengthy harangue, the principal berated the offenders.

예: The slave seized the unexpected chance to make a headlong dash across the border to freedom.

1606. harass 뜻: annoy by repeated attacks

1618. headstrong

예: When he could not pay his bills as quickly as he had promised,

뜻: stubborn; willful; unyielding

he was harrassed by his creditors.

예: Because she refused to marry the man her parents had chosen for her, everyone scolded Minna and called her a foolish, headstrong

1607. harbinger

girl.

뜻: forerunner 예: The crocus is an early harbinger of spring.

1619. heckler 뜻: person who verbally harasses others 예: The heckler kept interrupting the speaker with rude remarks.

1608. harbor 뜻: provide a refuge for; hide 예: The church harbored illegal aliens who were political refugees.

1620. hedonism 뜻: belief that pleasure is the sole aim in life

1609. hardy

예: hedonism and asceticism are opposing philosophies of human

뜻: sturdy; robust; able to stand inclement weather

behavior.

예: We asked the gardening expert to recommend particularly hardy

72

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1621. heedless

예: To those who upheld the belief that the earth did not move,

뜻: not noticing; disregarding

Galileo's theory that the earth circled the sun was disturbingly

예: He drove on, heedless of the warnings that the road was

heterodox.

dangerous. 1632. heterogeneous 1622. hegemony

뜻: dissimilar

뜻: dominance, especially of one nation over others

예: In a heterogeneous group, we have an unassorted assemblage,

예: As one Eastern European nation after another declared its

while in a homogeneous group we have people or things that have

independence, commentators marveled at the sudden breakdown of

common traits.

the once monolithic Soviet hegemony. 1633. hew 1623. heinous

뜻: cut to pieces with ax or sword

뜻: atrocious; hatefully bad

예: The cavalry rushed into melee and hewed the enemy with their

예: Hitler's heinous crimes will never be forgotten.

swords.

1624. herbivorous

1634. heyday

뜻: grain-eating

뜻: time of greatest success; prime

예: Some herbivorous animals have two stomachs for digesting their

예: In their heyday, the San Francisco Forty-Niners won the Super

food.

Bowl two years running.

1625. heresy

1635. hiatus

뜻: opinion contrary to popular belief or to accepted religion

뜻: gap; pause

예: He was threatened with excommunication because his remarks

예: Except for a brief two-year hiatus, during which she enrolled in

were considered to be pure heresy.

the Peace Corps, Ms. Clements has devoted herself to her medical career.

1626. heretic 뜻: person who maintains opinions contrary to the doctrines of

1636. hibernal

the church

뜻: wintry

예: She was punished by the Spanish Inquisition because she was a

예: Bears prepare for their long hibernal sleep by overeating.

heretic. 1637. hibernate 1627. hermetic

뜻: sleep throughout the winter

뜻: sealed by fusion so as to be airtight

예: Bears are one of the many species of animals that hibernate.

예: After these bandages are sterilized, they are placed in hermetic containers.

1638. hierarchy 뜻: body divided into ranks 예: It was difficult to step out of one's place in this hierarchy.

1628. hermetic 뜻: obscure and mysterious; occult 예: It is strange to consider that modern chemistry originated in the

1639. hieroglyphic 뜻: picture writing

hermetic teachings of the ancient alchemists.

예: The discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled scholars to read the 1629. hermitage

ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

뜻: home of a hermit 예: Even in his remote hermitage he could not escape completely

1640. hilarity

from the world.

뜻: boisterous mirth 예: The hilarity is improper on this solemn day of mourning.

1630. herpetologist 뜻: one who studies reptiles

1641. hindmost

예: As a boy, Indiana Jones had a traumatic experience involving

뜻: furthest behind

snakes; sensibly enough, he studies to be archaeologist, not a

예: The coward could always be found in the hindmost lines

herpetologist.

whenever a battle was being waged.

1631. heterodox

1642. hindrance

뜻: unorthodox; unconventional

뜻: block; obstacle

73

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Stalled cars along the highway are a hindrance to traffic that tow trucks should remove without delay.

1654. homespun 뜻: domestic; made at home 예: homespun wit, like homespun cloth, was often coarse and plain.

1643. hinterlands 뜻: back country 예: They seldom had visitors, living as they did way out in the

1655. homily

hinderlands.

뜻: sermon; serious warning 예: His speeches were always homilies, advising his listeners to

1644. hireling

repent and reform.

뜻: one who serves for hire (usually used contemptuously) 예: In a matter of such importance, I do not wish to deal with

1656. homogeneous 뜻: of the same kind

hirelings; I must meet with the chief.

예: Many educators try to put pupils of similar abilities in the same 1645. hirsute

class because they believe that his homogeneous grouping is

뜻: hairy

advisable.

예: He was a hitsute individual with a heavy black beard. 1657. hone 1646. histrionic

뜻: sharpen

뜻: theatrical

예: To make shaving easier, he honed his razor with great care.

예: He was proud of his histrionic ability and wanted to paly the role of Hamlet.

1658. hoodwink 뜻: deceive; delude

1647. hoard

예: Having been hoodwinked once by the fast-talking salesman, he

뜻: stockpile; accumulate for future use

was extremely cautious when he went to purchase a used car.

예: Whenever there are rumors of a food shortage, people are tempted to hoard food.

1659. horde 뜻: crowd

1648. hoary

예: Just before Christmas the stores are filled with hordes of

뜻: white with age

shoppers.

예: The man was hoary and wrinkled when he was 70. 1660. hortatory 1649. hoax

뜻: encouraging; exhortive

뜻: trick; practical joke

예: The crowd listened to his hortatory statements with ever-growing

예: Embarrassed by the hoax, he reddened and left the room.

excitement; finally they rushed from the hall to carry to his suggestions.

1650. holocaust 뜻: destruction by fire

1661. horticultural

예: Citizens of San Francisco remember that the destruction of the

뜻: pertaining to cultivation of gardens

city was caused not by the earthquake but by the holocaust that

예: When he bought his house, he beganto look for flowers and

followed.

decorative shrubs, and began to read books dealing with horticultural matters.

1651. holster 뜻: pistol case

1662. hovel

예: Even when he was not in uniform, he carried a holster and pistol

뜻: shack; small, wretched house

under his arm.

예: He wondered how poor people could stand living in such a hovel.

1652. homage

1663. hover

뜻: honor; tribute

뜻: hang about; wait nearby

예: In her speech she tried to pay homage to a great man.

예: The police helicopter hovered above the accident.

1653. homeostasis

1664. hubbub

뜻: tendency of a system to maintain relative stability

뜻: confused uproar

예: A breakdown of the body's immune system severely undermines

예: The marketplace was a scene of hubbub and excitement.

the body's ability to maintain homeostasis.

74

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1665. hubris 뜻: arrogance; excessive self-conceit

1677. hydrophobia

예: Filled with hubris, Lear refused to heed his friends' warnings.

뜻: fear of water; rabies 예: A dog that bites a human being must be observed for symptoms

1666. hue

of hydrophobia.

뜻: color; aspect 예: The aviary contained birds of every possible hue.

1678. hyperbole 뜻: exaggeration; overstatement

1667. hue

예: This salesman is guilty of hyperbole in describing his product; it is

뜻: outcry

wise to discount his claims.

예: When her purse was snatched, she raised such a hue and cry that the thief was captured.

1679. hypercritical 뜻: excessively exacting

1668. humane

예: You are hypercritical in your demands for perfection; we all make

뜻: kind

mistakes.

예: His humane and considerate treatment of the unfortunate endeared him to all.

1680. hypochondriac 뜻: person unduly worried about his health; worrier without

1669. humdrum

cause about illness

뜻: dull; monotonous

예: The doctor prescribed chocolate pills for his patient who was a

예: After years of adventure, he could not settle down to a humdrum

hypocondriac.

existence. 1681. hypocritical 1670. humid

뜻: pretending to be virtuous; deceiving

뜻: damp

예: I resent his hypocritical posing as a friend for I know he is

예: She could not stand the humid climate and moved to a drier area.

interested only in his own advancement.

1671. humility

1682. hypothetical

뜻: humbleness of spirit

뜻: based on assumptions or hypotheses

예: He spoke with a humility and lack of pride that impressed his

예: Why do we have to consider hypothetical cases when we have

listeners.

actual case histories that we may examine?

1672. hummock 뜻: small hill 예: The ascent of the hummock is not difficult and the view from the I

hilltop is ample reward tor the effort. 1673. humus

1683. ichthyology

뜻: substance formed by decaying vegetable matter

뜻: study of fish

예: In order to improve his garden, he spread humus over his lawn

예: Jacques Cousteau's rpograms about sea life have advanced the

and flower beds.

cause of ichthyology.

1674. hurtle

1684. icon

뜻: crash; rush

뜻: religious image; idol

예: The runaway train hurtled toward disaster.

예: The icons on the walls of the church were painted in the 13th century.

1675. husbandry 뜻: frugality; thrift; agriculture

1685. iconoclastic

예: He accumulated his small fortune by diligence and husbandry.

뜻: attacking cherished traditions 예: George Bernard Shaw's iconoclastic plays often startled more conventional people.

1676. hybrid 뜻: mongrel; mixed breed 예: Mendel's formula explains the appearance of hybrids and pure

1686. ideology

species in breeding.

뜻: ideas of a group of people

75

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: That ideology is dangerous to this country because it embraces

뜻: infinite

undemocratic philosophies.

예: Human beings, having explored the far corners of the earth, are now reaching out into illimitable space.

1687. idiom 뜻: spcial usage in language

1698. illuminate

예: I could not understand their idioms because literal translation

뜻: brighten; clear up or make understandable; enlighten

made no sense.

예: Just as a lamp can illuminate a dark room, a perceptive comment can illuminate a knotty problem.

1688. idiosyncrasy 뜻: peculiarity; eccentricity

1699. illusion

예: One of his personal idiosyncrasies was his habit of rinsing all

뜻: misleading vision

cutlery given him in a restaurant.

예: It is easy to create an optical illusion in which lines of equal length appear different.

1689. idiosyncratic 뜻: private; peculiar to an individual

1700. illusive

예: Such behavior is idiosyncratic, it is as easily identifiable as a

뜻: deceiving

signature.

예: This is only a mirage; let us not be fooled by its illusive effect.

1690. idolatry

1701. illusory

뜻: worship of idols; excessive admiration

뜻: deceptive; not real

예: Such idolatry of singers of country music is typical of the

예: Unfortunately, the costs of running the lemonade stand were so

excessive enthusiasm of youth.

high that Tom's profits proved illusory.

1691. idyllic

1702. imbalance

뜻: charmingly carefree; simple

뜻: lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion

예: Far from the city, she led an idyllic existence in her rural retreat.

예: Because of the great imbalance between the number of men and women invited, the dance was unsuccessful.

1692. igneous 뜻: produced by fire; volcanic

1703. imbecility

예: Lava, pumice, and other igneous rocks are found in great

뜻: weakness of mind

abundance around Mount Vesuvius near Naples.

예: I am amazed at the imbecility of the readers of these trashy magazines.

1693. ignite 뜻: kindle; light

1704. imbibe

예: When Desi crooned, "Baby, light my fire," literal-minded Lucy

뜻: drink in

looked around for some paper to ignite.

예: The dry soil imbibed the rain quickly.

1694. ignoble

1705. imbroglio

뜻: of lowly origin; unworthy

뜻: complicated situation; perplexity; entanglement

예: This plan is inspired by ignoble motives and I must, therefore,

예: He was called in to settle the imbroglio but failed to bring

oppose it.

harmony into the situation.

1695. ignominious

1706. imbue

뜻: disgraceful

뜻: saturate, fill

예: The country smarted under the ignominious defeat and dreamed

예: His visits to the famous Gothic cathedrals imbued him with

of the day when it would be victorious.

feelings of awe and reverence.

1696. illicit

1707. immaculate

뜻: illegal

뜻: pure; spotless

예: The defense attorney claimed that the police had entrapped his

예: The West Point cadets were immaculate as they lined up for

client; that is, they had elicited the illicit action of which they now

inspection.

accuse of him. 1708. imminent 뜻: near at hand; impending

1697. illimitable

76

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Rosa was such a last-minute worker that she could never start

1720. impecunious 뜻: without money

writing a paper till the deadline was imminent.

예: Now that he was wealthy, he gladly contributed to funds to assist 1709. immobility

impecunious and disbled persons.

뜻: state of being immovable 예: Modern armies cannot afford the luxury of immobility, as they are

1721. impede

vulnerable to attack while standing still.

뜻: hinder; block 예: The special prosecutor determined that the Attorney General,

1710. immolate

though inept, had not intentionally set out to impede the progress of

뜻: offer as a sacrifice

the investigation.

예: The tribal kind offered to immolate his daughter to quiet the angry gods.

1722. impediment 뜻: hindrance; stumbling-block

1711. immure

예: She had a speech impediment that prevented her from speaking

뜻: imprison; shut up in confinement

clearly.

예: For the two weeks before the examination, the student immureed himself in his room and concentrated upon his studies.

1723. impending 뜻: nearing; approaching

1712. immutable

예: The entire country was saddened by the news of his impending

뜻: unchangeable

death.

예: Scientists are constantly seeking to discover the immutable laws of nature.

1724. impenetrable 뜻: not able to be pierced or entered

1713. impair

예: How could the murderer have gotten into the locked room? To

뜻: worsen; diminish in value

Watson, the mystery, like the room, was impenetrable.

예: This arrest will impair her reputation in the community. 1725. impenitent 1714. impale

뜻: not repentant

뜻: pierce

예: We could see by his brazen attitude that he was impenitent.

예: He was impaled by the spear hurled by his adversary. 1726. imperial 1715. impalpable

뜻: like an emperor; related to an empire

뜻: imperceptible; intangible

예: When hotel owner Leona Helmsley appeared in ads as Queen

예: The ash is so fine that it is impalpable to the touch but it can be

Leona standing guard over the Palace Hotel, her critics mocked her

seen as a fine layer covering the window ledge.

imperial fancies.

1716. impasse

1727. imperiousness

뜻: predicament from which there is no escape

뜻: lordliness; domineering manner; arrogance

예: In this impasse, all turned to prayer as their last hope.

예: His imperiousness indicated that he had long been accustomed to assuming command.

1717. impassive 뜻: without feeling; not affected by pain

1728. impermeable

예: The Native American has been incorrectly depicted as an

뜻: impervious; not permitting passage through its substance

impassive individual, undemonstrative and stoical.

예: This new material is impermeable to liquids.

1718. impeach

1729. impertinent

뜻: charge with crime in office; indict

뜻: insolent

예: The angry congressman wanted to impeach the President for his

예: I regard your remarks as impertinent and I resent them.

misdeeds. 1730. imperturbable 1719. impeccable

뜻: calm; placid

뜻: faultless

예: Wellington remained imperturbable and in full command of the

예: He was proud of his impeccable manners.

situation in spite of the hyteria and panic all around him.

77

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1731. impervious

뜻: beg

뜻: not penetrable; not permitting passage through

예: He implored her to give him a second chance.

예: You cannot change their habits for their minds are impervious to reasoning.

1743. imply 뜻: suggest a meaning not expressed

1732. impetuous

예: Even though your statement does not declare that you are at war

뜻: violent; hasty; rash

with that country, your actions imply that that is the actual situation.

예: We tried to curb his impetuous behavior because we felt that in his haste he might offend some people.

1744. impolitic

1733. impetus

예: I think it is impolitic to raise this issue at the present time because

뜻: moving force; incentive; stimulus

the public is too angry.

뜻: not wise

예: A new federal highway program would create jobs and five added impetus to our economic recovery.

1745. imponderable 뜻: weightless

1734. impiety

예: I can evaluate the data gathered in this study; the imponderable

뜻: irreverence; wickedness

items are not so easily analyzed.

예: We must regard your blasphemy as an act of impiety. 1746. import 1735. impinge

뜻: significance

뜻: infringe; touch; collide with

예: I feel that you have not grasped the full import of the message

예: How could they be married without impinging on one another's

sent tous by the enemy.

freedom? 1747. importunate 1736. impious

뜻: urging; demanding

뜻: irreverent

예: He tried to hide from his importunate creditors until his allowance

예: The congregation was offended by her impious remarks.

arrived.

1737. implacable

1748. importune

뜻: incapable of being pacified

뜻: beg persistently

예: Madame Defarge was the implacable enemy of the Evremonde

예: Democratic and Republican phone solicitors importuned her for

family.

contributions so frequently that she decided to give nothing to either party.

1738. implausible 뜻: unlikely; unbelievable

1749. imposture

예: Though her alibi seened implausible, it in fact turned out to be

뜻: assuming a false identity; masquerade

true.

예: She was imprisoned for her imposture of a doctor.

1739. implement

1750. impotent

뜻: put into effect; supply with tools

뜻: weak; ineffective

예: The mayor was unwilling to implement the plan until she was

예: Although he wished to break the nicotine habit, he found himself

sure it had the governor's backing.

impotent in resisisting the craving for a cigarette.

1740. implication

1751. imprecation

뜻: that which is hinted at or suggested

뜻: curse

예: If I understand the implications of your remark, you do not trust

예: Roused from the bed at what he considered an ungodly hour,

our captain.

Roy muttered imprecations under his breath.

1741. implicit

1752. impregnable

뜻: understood but not stated

뜻: invulnerable

예: Jack never told Jill he adored her; he believed his love was

예: Until the development of the airplane as a military weapon, the

implicit in his deeds.

fort was considered impregnable.

1742. implore

1753. impromptu

78

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: without previous preparation

뜻: silly; senseless

예: Her listeners were amazed that such a thorough presentation

예: Such comments are inane because they do not help us solve our

could be made in an impromptu speech.

program.

1754. impropriety

1765. inanimate

뜻: state of being inappropriate

뜻: lifeless

예: Because of the impropriety of his costume, he was denied

예: she was asked to identify the still and inanimate body.

entrance into the dining room. 1766. inarticulate 1755. improvident

뜻: speechless; producing indistinct speech

뜻: thriftless

예: He became inarticulate with rage and uttered sounds without

예: He was constantly being warned to mend his improvident ways

meaning.

and begin to "save for a rainy day." 1767. inaugurate 1756. improvise

뜻: begin formally; install in office

뜻: compose on the spur of the moment

예: The candidate promised that he would inaugurate a new

예: She would sit at the piano and improvise for hours on themes

nationwide health care plan as soon as he was inaugurated as

from Bach and Handel.

president.

1757. imprudent

1768. incandescent

뜻: lacking caution; injudicious

뜻: stikingly bright; shining with intense heat

예: It is imprudent to exercise vigorously and become overheated

예: If you leave on an incandescent light bulb, it quickly grows too

when you are unwell.

hot to touch.

1758. impugn

1769. incantation

뜻: doubt; challenge; gainsay

뜻: singing or chanting of magical formula

예: I cannot impugn your honesty without evidence.

예: Uttering incantations to make the brew more potent, the witch doctor stirred the liquid in the caldron.

1759. impuissance 뜻: powerlessness; feebleness

1770. incapacitate

예: The lame duck President was frustrated by his shift from

뜻: disable 예: During the winter, many people were incapacitated by respiratory

enormous power to relative impuissance.

ailments. 1760. impunity 뜻: freedom from punishment

1771. incarcerate

예: The bully mistreated everyone in the class with impunity for he

뜻: imprison

felt that no one would dare retaliate.

예: The warden will incarcerate the felon after conviction.

1761. impute

1772. incarnate

뜻: attribute; ascribe

뜻: endowed with flesh; personified

예: If I wished to impute blame to the officers in charge of this

예: Your attitude is so fiendish that you must be a devil incarnate.

program, I would state my feelings definitely and immediately. 1773. incarnation 1762. inadvertently

뜻: act of assuming a human body and human nature

뜻: carelessly; unintentionally; by oversight

예: The incarnation of Jesus Christ is a basic tenet of Christian

예: She inadvertently omitted two questions on the examination and

theology.

mismarked her answer sheet. 1774. incendiary 1763. inalienable

뜻: arsonist

뜻: not to be taken away; nontransferable

예: The fire spread in such an unusual manner that the fire

예: The Declaration of Independence mentions the inalienable rights

department chiefs were certain that it had been set by an incendiary.

that all of us possess. 1775. incense 뜻: enrage; infuriate

1764. inane

79

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Unkindness to children incensed her. 1788. inclusive 1776. incentive

뜻: tending to include all

뜻: spur; motive

예: The comedian turned down the invitation to join the Player's Club,

예: Students who dislike school must be given an incentive to learn.

saying any club that would let him in was too inclusive for him.

1777. inception

1789. incognito

뜻: start; beginning

뜻: with identity concealed; using an assumed name

예: She was involved with the project from its inception.

예: The monarch enjoyed traveling throughthe town incognito and mingling with the populace.

1778. incessant 뜻: uninterrupted

1790. incoherent

예: The crickets kept up an incessant chirping that disturbed our

뜻: unintelligible; muddled; illogical

attempts to fall asleep.

예: The bereaved father sobbed and stammered, his words becoming almost incoherent in his grief.

1779. inchoate 뜻: recently begun; rudimentary; elementary

1791. incommodious

예: Before the Creation, the world was an inchoate mass.

뜻: not spacious; inconvenient 예: In their incommodious quarters, they had to improvise for closet

1780. incidence

space.

뜻: rate of occurrence; particular occurrence 예: Health professionals expressed great concern over the high

1792. incompatible

incidence of infant mortality in major urban areas.

뜻: inharmonious 예: The married couple argued incessantly and finally decided to

1781. incidental

separate because they were incompatible.

뜻: not essential; minor 예: The scholarship covered his major expenses at college and

1793. incongruity 뜻: lack of harmony; absurdity

some of his incidental expenses as well.

예: The incongruity of his wearing sneakers with formal attire 1782. incipient

amused the observers.

뜻: beginning; in an early stage 예: I will go to sleep early for I want to break an incipient cold.

1794. inconsequential 뜻: insignificant; unimportant

1783. incisive

예: Brushing off Ali's apologies for having broken the wine glass,

뜻: cutting; sharp

Tamara said, "Don't worry about it; it's inconsequential."

예: His incisive remarks made us see the fallacy in our plans. 1795. inconsistency 1784. incite

뜻: state of being self-contradictory; lack of uniformity or

뜻: arouse to action

steadiness

예: The demogogue incited the mob to take action into its own hands.

예: How are lawyers different from agricultural inspectors? Where lawyers check inconsistencies in witnesses' statements, agricultural

1785. inclement

inspectors check inconsistencies in Grade A eggs.

뜻: stormy; unkind 예: I like to read a good book in inclement weather.

1796. incontinent 뜻: lacking self-restraint

1786. incline

예: His incontinent behavior off stage shocked many people and they

뜻: slope; slant

refused to attend the plays and movies in which he appeared.

예: The architect recommended that the nursing home's ramp be rebuilt because its incline was too steep for wheelchairs.

1797. incontrovertible

1787. inclined

예: We must yield to the incontrovertible evidence that you have

뜻: tending or leaning toward; bent

presented and free your client.

뜻: indisputable

예: Though I am inclined to be skeptical, the witness's manner inclines me to believe his story.

1798. incorporate

80

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite

뜻: temporary invasion

예: Breaking with precedent, President Truman ordered the military

예: The nightly incursions and hit-and-run raids of our neighbors

to incorporate blacks into every branch of the armed services.

across the border tried the patience of the country to the point where we decided to retaliate in force.

1799. incorporeal 뜻: immaterial; without a material body

1810. indefatigable

예: We must devote time to the needs of our incorporeal mind as

뜻: tireless

well as our corporeal body.

예: He was indefatigable in his constant efforts to raise funds for the Red Cross.

1800. incorrigible 뜻: uncorrectable

1811. indemnify

예: Though Widow Douglass hoped to reform Huck, Miss Watson

뜻: make secure against loss; compensate for loss

pronounced him incorrigible and said he would come to no good end.

예: The city will indemnify all home owners whose property is spoiled by this project.

1801. incredulity 뜻: a tendency to disbelief

1812. indenture

예: Your incredulity in the face of all the evidence is hard to

뜻: bind as servant or apprentice to master

understand.

예: Many immigrants could come to America only after they had indentured themselves for several years.

1802. incredulous 뜻: withholding belief; skeptical

1813. indeterminate

예: When Jack claimed he hadn't eaten the jelly doughnut, Jill took

뜻: uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite

an incredulous look at his smeared face and laughed.

예: That interest rates shall rise appears certain; when they will do so, however, remains indeterminate.

1803. increment 뜻: increase

1814. indicative

예: The new contract calls for a 10 percent increment in salary for

뜻: suggestive; implying

each employee for the next two years.

예: A lack of appetite may be indicative of a major mental or physical disorder.

1804. incriminate 뜻: accuse; serve as evidence against

1815. indict

예: The witness's testimony against the racketeers incriminates

뜻: charge

some high public officials as well.

예: If the grand jury indicts the suspect, he will go to trial.

1805. incubate

1816. indifferent

뜻: hatch; scheme

뜻: unmoved; lacking concern

예: Inasmuch as our supply of electricity is cut off, we shall have to

예: Because she felt no desire to marry, she was indifferent to his

rely on the hens to incubate these eggs.

constant proposals.

1806. incubus

1817. indigence

뜻: burden; mental care; nightmare

뜻: poverty

예: The incubus of financial worry helped bring on her nervous

예: Neither the economists nor the political scientists have found a

breakdown.

way to wipe out the inequities of wealth and eliminate indigence from our society.

1807. incumbent 뜻: officeholder

1818. indigenous

예: The newly elected public official received valuable advice from

뜻: native

the present incumbent.

예: Tobacco is one of the indigenous plants that the early explorers found in this country.

1808. incur 뜻: bring upon oneself

1819. indignation

예: His parents refused to pay any future debts he might incur.

뜻: anger ar an injustice 예: He felt indignation at the ill-treatment of the helpless animals.

1809. incursion

81

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1820. indignity

1831. inebriety

뜻: offensive or insulting treatment

뜻: habitual intoxication

예: Although he seemed to accept cheerfully the indignities heaped

예: Because of his inebriety, he was discharged from his position as

upon him, he was inwardly very angry.

family chauffeur.

1821. indiscriminate

1832. ineffable

뜻: choosing at random; confused

뜻: unutterable; cannot be expressed in speech

예: She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing

예: Such ineffable joy must be experienced; it cannot be described.

and decided to restrict him to educational programs. 1833. ineffectual 1822. indisputable

뜻: not effective; weak

뜻: too certain to be disputed

예: Because the candidate failed to get across his message to the

예: In the face of these indisputable statements, I withdraw my

public, his campaign was ineffectual.

complaint. 1834. ineluctable 1823. indissoluble

뜻: irresistable; not to be escaped

뜻: permanent

예: He felt that his fate was ineluctible and refused to make any

예: The indissoluble bonds of marriage are all too often being

attempt to improve his lot.

dissolved. 1835. inept 1824. indite

뜻: lacking skill; inadequate; inappropriate

뜻: write; compose

예: inept as a carpenter, Ira was all thumbs.

예: Cyrano indited many letters for Christian. 1836. inequity 1825. indolence

뜻: unfairness

뜻: laziness

예: In demanding equal pay for equal work, women protest the basic

예: He outgrew his youthful indolence to become a model of industry

inequity of a system that allots greater financial rewards to men.

and alertness on the job. 1837. inerrancy 1826. indomitable

뜻: infallibility

뜻: unconquerable

예: Jane refused to believe in the pope's inerrancy, reasoning: "All

예: The founders of our country had indomitable willpower.

human beings are capable of error. The pope is a human being. Therefore, he pope is capable of error.

1827. indubitably 뜻: beyond a doubt

1838. inertia

예: Because her argument was indubitably valid, the judge accepted

뜻: state of being inert or indisposed to move

it.

예: Our inertia in this matter may prove disastrous; we must move to aid our allies immediately.

1828. induce 뜻: persuade; bring about

1839. inevitable

예: After the quarrel, Tina said nothing could induce her to talk to

뜻: unavoidable

Tony again.

예: Death and taxes are both inevitable.

1829. inductive

1840. inexorable

뜻: pertaining to induction or preceeding from the specific to

뜻: relentless; unyielding; implacable

the general

예: After listening to the pleas for clemency, the judge was

예: The discovery of the planet Pluto is an excellent example of the

inexorable and gave the convicted man the maximum punishment

results that can be obtained from inductive reasoning.

allowed by law.

1830. indulgent

1841. infallible

뜻: humoring; yielding; lenient

뜻: unerring

예: indulgent parents spoil their children by giving in to their every

예: We must remember that none of us is infallible; we all make

whim.

mistakes.

82

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1842. infamous 뜻: notoriously bad

1854. ingenious

예: Jesse James was an infamous outlaw.

뜻: clever 예: He came up with a use for Styrofoam packing balls that was so

1843. infantile

ingenious that his business school professors declared it was

뜻: childish; infantlike

marketable.

예: When will he outgrow such infantile behavior? 1855. ingenuous 1844. infer

뜻: naive; young and unsophisticated

뜻: deduce; conclude

예: Although she was over forty, the movie star still insisted that she

예: We must be particularly cautious when we infer that a person is

be cast as an ingenuous sweet young thing.

guilty on the basis of circumstantial evidence. 1856. ingrained 1845. infernal

뜻: deeply established; firmly rooted

뜻: pertaining to hell; devilish

예: Try as they would, the missionaries were unable to uproot the

예: They could think of no way to hinder his infernal scheme.

ingrained superstitions of the natives.

1846. infidel

1857. ingrate

뜻: unbeliever

뜻: ungrateful person

예: The Saracens made war against tne infidels.

예: That ingrate Bob sneered at the tie I gave him.

1847. infiltrate

1858. ingratiate

뜻: pass into or through; penetrate (an organization) sneakily

뜻: become popular with

예: In order to infiltrate enemy lines at night without being seen, the

예: He tried to ingratiate himself into her parents' good graces.

scouts darkened their faces and wore black coveralls. 1859. inherent 1848. infinitesimal

뜻: firmly established by nature or habit

뜻: very small

예: His inherent love of justice compelled him to come to their aid.

예: In the twentieth century, physicists have made their greatest discoveries about the characteristics of infinitesimal objects like the

1860. inhibit

atom and its parts.

뜻: prohibit; restrain 예: The child was not inhibited in her responses.

1849. infirmity 뜻: weakness

1861. inimical

예: Her greatest infirmity was lack of willpower.

뜻: unfriendly; hostile 예: She felt that they were inimical and were hoping for her downfall.

1850. inflated 뜻: exaggerated; pompous; enlarged (with air or gas)

1862. inimitable

예: His claims about the new product were inflated; it did not work as

뜻: matchless; not able to be imitated

well as he had promised.

예: We admire Auden for his inimitable use of language; he is one of a kind.

1851. influx 뜻: flowing into

1863. iniquitous

예: The influx of refugees into the country has taxed the relief

뜻: unjust; wicked

agencies severely.

예: I cannot approve of the iniquitous methods you used to gain your present position.

1852. infraction 뜻: violation

1864. initiate

예: Because of his many infractions of school regulations, he was

뜻: begin; originate; receive into a group

suspended by the dean.

예: The college is about to initiate a program for reducing math anxiety among students.

1853. infringe 뜻: violate; encroach

1865. injurious

예: I think your machine infringes on my patent and intend to sue.

뜻: harmful

83

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Smoking cigarettes can be injurious to your health.

뜻: without feeling 예: She lay there as insensate as a log.

1866. inkling 뜻: hint

1878. insensible

예: This came as a complete surprise to me as I did not have the

뜻: unconscious; unresponsive

slightest inkling of your plans.

예: Sherry and I are very different; at times when I would be covered with embarrassment, she seems insensible to shame.

1867. innate 뜻: inborn

1879. insidious

예: His innate talent for music was soon recognized by his parents.

뜻: treacherous; stealthy; sly 예: The fifth column is insidious because it works secretly within our

1868. innocuous

territory for our defeat.

뜻: harmless 예: Let him drink it; it is innocuous and will have no ill effect.

1880. insinuate 뜻: hint; imply 예: What are you trying to insinuate by that remark?

1869. innovation 뜻: change; introduction of something new 예: She loved innovatins just because they were new.

1881. insipid 뜻: lacking in flavor; dull

1870. innuendo

예: Flat prose and flat ginger ale are equally insipid: both lack

뜻: hint; insinuation

sparkle.

예: I can defend myself against direct accusations; innuendos and oblique attacks on my character are what trouble me.

1882. insolence 뜻: imprudent disrespect; haughtiness

1871. inopportune

예: How dare you treat me so rudely! The manager will hear of you

뜻: untimely; poorly chosen

insolence.

예: A rock concert is an inopportune setting for a quiet conversation. 1883. insolvent 1872. inordinate

뜻: bankrupt; lacking money to pay

뜻: unrestrained; excessive

예: When rumors that he was insolvent reached his creditors, they

예: She had an inordinate fondness for candy.

began to press him for payment of the money due them.

1873. inquisitor

1884. insomnia

뜻: questioner (specially harsh); investigator

뜻: wakefulness; inability to sleep

예: Fearing being grilled ruthlessly by the secret police, Marsha

예: He refused to join us in a midnight cup of coffee because he

faced her inquisitors with trepidation.

claimed it gave him insomnia.

1874. insalubrious

1885. insouciant

뜻: unwholesome; not healthful

뜻: indifferent; without concern or care

예: The mosquito-ridden swamp was an insalubrious place, a

예: Your insouciant attitude at such a critical moment indicates that

breeding ground for malarial contagion.

you do not understand the gravity of the situation.

1875. insatiable

1886. instigate

뜻: not easily satisfied; greedy

뜻: urge; start; provoke

예: Welty's thirst for knowledge was insatiable; she was in the library

예: I am afraid that this statement will instigate a revolt.

day and night. 1887. insubordinate 1876. inscrutable

뜻: disobedient

뜻: impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious

예: The insubordinate private was confined to the barracks.

예: Experienced poker players try to keep their expressions inscrutable, hiding their reactions to the cards behind a so-called

1888. insubstantial

poker face.

뜻: lacking substance; insignificant; frail 예: His hopes for a career in acting proved insubstantial; no one

1877. insensate

would cast him, even in an insubstantial role.

84

Barron’s GRE Master Words

1889. insularity

1900. interdict

뜻: narrow-mindedness; isolation

뜻: prohibit; forbid

예: The insularity of the islanders manifested itself in their suspicion

예: Civilized nations must interdict the use of nuclear weapons if we

of anyuthing foreign.

expect out society to live.

1890. insuperable

1901. interim

뜻: insurmountable; invincible

뜻: meantime

예: In the face of insuperable difficulties they maintained their

예: The company will not consider our proposal until next week; in

courage and will to resist.

the interim, let us proceed as we have in the past.

1891. insurgent

1902. interloper

뜻: rebellious

뜻: intruder

예: We will not discuss reforms until the insurgent troops have

예: The merchant thought of his competitors as interlopers who were

returned to their homes.

stealing away his trade.

1892. insurrection

1903. interminable

뜻: rebellion; uprising

뜻: endless

예: Given the current state of affairs in South Africa, an insurrection

예: Although his speech lasted for only twenty minutes, it seemed

seems unavoidable.

interminable to his bored audience.

1893. intangible

1904. intermittent

뜻: not able to be perceived by touch; vague

뜻: periodic; on and off

예: Though the financial benefits of his Oxford post were meager,

예: Our picnic was marred by intermittent rains.

Lewis was drawn to it by its intangible rewards: prestige, intellectual freedom, the fellowship of his peers.

1905. internecine 뜻: mutually destructive

1894. integral

예: The rising death toll on both sides indicates the internecine natire

뜻: complete; necessary for completeness

of his conflict.

예: Physical education is an integral part of our curriculum; a sound mind and a sound body are complementary.

1906. interpolate

1895. integrate

예: She talked so much that I could not interpolate a single remark.

뜻: insert between 뜻: make whole; combine; make into one unit 예: She tried to integrate all their activities into one program.

1907. interregnum 뜻: period between two reigns

1896. integrity

예: Henry VIII desperately sought a male heir because he feared the

뜻: uprightness; wholeness

civil strife that might occur if any prolonged interregum succeeded

예: Lincoln, whose personal integrity has inspired millions, fought a

his death.

civil war to maintain the integrity of the republic, that these United States might remain undivided for all time.

1908. interrogate

1897. intellect

예: Knowing that the Nazis would interrogate him about his

뜻: question closely; cross-examine 뜻: higher mental powers

background, the secret agent invented a cover story that would help

예: He thought college would develop his intellect.

him meet their quesions.

1898. intelligentsia

1909. intervene

뜻: intellectuals; members of the educated elite

뜻: come between

예: She preferred discussions about sports and politics to the literary

예: She intervened in the argument between her two sons.

conversations of the intelligentsia. 1910. intimate 1899. inter

뜻: hint

뜻: bury

예: She intimated rather than stated her preferences.

예: They are going to inter the body tomorrow ar Broadlawn Cemetry.

85

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1911. intimidation

when he signed the document.

뜻: fear 예: A ruler who maintains his power by intimidation is bound to

1923. invective

develop clandestine resistance.

뜻: abuse 예: He had expected criticism but not the invective that greeted his

1912. intractable

proposal.

뜻: unruly; refractory 예: The horse was intractable and refused to enter the starting gate.

1924. inveigh 뜻: denounce; utter censure or invective

1913. intransigence

예: He inveighed against the demagoguery of the previous speaker

뜻: state of stubborn unwillingness to compromise

and urged that the audience reject his philosophy as dangerous.

예: The intransigence of both parties in the dispute makes an early settlement almost impossible to obtain.

1925. inveigle 뜻: lead astray; wheedle 예: She was inveigled into joining the club after an initial reluctance.

1914. intrepid 뜻: fearless 예: For his intrepid conduct in battle, he was promoted.

1926. inverse

1915. intrinsically

예: There is an inverse ratio between the strength of light and its

뜻: essentially; inherently; naturally

distance.

뜻: opposite

예: Although my grandmother's china has intrinsically little value, I shall always cherish it for the memories it evokes.

1927. invert 뜻: turn upside down or inside out

1916. introspective

예: When he inverted his body in a hand stand, he felt the blood rush

뜻: looking within oneself

to his head.

예: We all have our introspective moments during which we examine our souls.

1928. inveterate 뜻: deep-rooted; habitual 예: She is an inveterate smoker and cannot break the habit.

1917. introvert 뜻: one who is introspective; inclined to think more about oneself

1929. invidious

예: In his poetry, he reveals that he is an introvert by his intense

뜻: designed to create ill will or envy

interest in his own problems.

예: We disregarded her invidious remarks because we realized how jealous she was.

1918. intrude 뜻: trespass; enter as an uninvited person

1930. invincible

예: She hesitated to intrude on their conversation.

뜻: unconquerable 예: Superman is invincible.

1919. intuition 뜻: power of knowing without reasoning

1931. inviolability

예: She claimed to know the truth by intuition.

뜻: security from being destroyed, corrupted or profaned

1920. inundate

change her manner of living.

예: They respected the inviolability of her faith and did not try to 뜻: overflow; flood 예: The tremendous waves inundated the town.

1932. invoke 뜻: call upon; ask for 예: She invoked her advisor's aid in filling out her financial aid forms.

1921. inured 뜻: accustomed; hardened 예: She became inured to the Alaskan cold.

1933. invulnerable

1922. invalidate

예: Achilles was invulnerable except in his heel.

뜻: incapable of injury 뜻: weaken; destroy 예: The relatives who received little or nothing sought to invalidate

1934. iota

the will by claiming that the deceased had not been in his right mind

뜻: very small quantity

86

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: She hadn't an iota of common sense.

예: Her high spirits were irrepressible.

1935. irascible

1946. irresolute

뜻: irritable; easily angered

뜻: uncertain how to act; weak

예: Her irascible temper frightened me.

예: She had no respect for him because he seemed weak-willed and irresolute.

1936. irate 뜻: angry

1947. irreverent

예: When John's mother found out that he had overthrown his

뜻: lacking proper respect

checking account for the third month in a row, she was so irate that

예: The worshippers resented her irreverent remarks about their faith.

she could scarcely speak to him. 1948. irrevocable 1937. iridescent

뜻: unalterable

뜻: exhibiting rainbowlike colors

예: Let us not brood over past mistakes since they are irrevocable.

예: She admired the iridescent hues of the oil that floated on the surface of the water.

1949. isotope 뜻: varying form of an element

1938. irksome

예: The study of the isotopes of uranium led to the development of

뜻: annoying; tedious

the nuclear bomb.

예: He found working on the assembly line irksome because of the monotony of the operation he had to perform.

1950. isthmus 뜻: narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land

1939. ironic

예: In a magnificent feat of engineering, Goethals and his men cut

뜻: occurring in an unexpected and contrary manner

through the isthmus of Panama in constructing the Panama Canal.

예: It is ironic that his success came when he least wanted it. 1951. itinerant 1940. irony

뜻: wandering; traveling

뜻: hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that convey a

예: He was an itinerant peddler and traveled through Pennsylvania

meaning opposite to the literal meaning

and Virginia selling his wares.

예: Gradually his listeners began to realize that the excessive praise he was lavishing was merely irony; he was actually denouncing his

1952. itinerary 뜻: plan of a trip

opponent.

예: Before leaving for his first visit to France and England, he 1941. irreconsilable

discussed his itinerary with people who had been there and with his

뜻: incompatible; not able to be resolved

travel agent.

예: Because the separated couple were irreconcilable, the marriage counselor recommended a divorce.

1953. intersperse 뜻: scatter

1942. irrelevant

예: The molecules will intersperse throughout the space according to

뜻: not applicable; unrelated

the second law of thermodynamics.

예: This statement is irrelevant and should be disregarded by the jury. 1954. inquisitive 1943. irremediable

뜻: unduly curious; prying; seeking knowledge

뜻: incurable; uncorrectable

예: We need more inquisitive students in this school; lectures are dull.

예: The error she made was irremediable; she could see no way to repair it. 1944. irreparable 뜻: not able to be corrected or repaired

J

예: Your apology cannot atone for the irreparable damage you have 1955. jaded

done to her reputation.

뜻: fatigued; surfeited 예: He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite.

1945. irrepressible 뜻: unable to be restrained or held back

87

Barron’s GRE Master Words 1956. jargon 뜻: language used by special group; gibberish

1968. jovial

예: We tried to understand the jargon of the peddlers in the market

뜻: good natured; merry

place but could not find any basis for comprehension.

예: A frown seemed out of place on his invariably jovial face.

1957. jaundiced

1969. jubilation

뜻: yellowed; prejudiced; envious

뜻: rejoicing

예: She gazed at the painting with jaundiced eyes; she knew it was

예: There was great jubilitation when the armistice was announced.

better than hers. 1970. judicious 1958. jaunt

뜻: sound in judgment; wise

뜻: trip; short journey

예: At a key moment in his life, he made a judicious investment that

예: He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City.

was the foundation of his later wealth.

1959. jaunty

1971. juggernaut

뜻: lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree

뜻: irresistible crushin force

예: In Singing in the Rain, Gene Kelly sang and danced his way

예: Nothing could survive in the path of the juggernaut.

throughtthe lighthearted title number in a properly jaunty style. 1972. juncture 1960. jeopardy

뜻: crisis;joining point

뜻: exposure to death or danger

예: At this critical juncture, let us think carefully before determining

예: Legally, one cannot be placed in double jeopardy.

the course we shall follow.

1961. jettison

1973. junket

뜻: throw overboard

뜻: trip, especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public

예: In order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm, the

expense

captain had to jettison much of his cargo.

예: Though she maintained she had gone abroad to collect firsthand data on the Common Market, the opposition claimed that her trip

1962. jingoism

was merely a political junket.

뜻: extremely aggressive and militant patriotism 예: We must be careful to prevent a spirit of jingoism from spreading

1974. junta 뜻: group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal

at this time.

예: As soon as he learned of its existence, the dictator ordered the 1963. jocose

execution of all of the members of the junta.

뜻: given to joking 예: The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers

1975. jurisprudence

suggested that he become a stand-up comic.

뜻: science of law 예: He was more a student of jurisprudence than a practitioner of the

1964. jocular

law.

뜻: said or done in jest 예: Do not take my jocular remarks seriously.

1976. juxtapose 뜻: place side by side 예: Comparison will be easier if you juxtapose the two objects.

1965. jocund 뜻: merry 예: Santa Claus is always vivacious and jocund. 1966. jollity 뜻: gaiety; cheerfulness

K

예: The festive Christmas dinner was a merry one, and old and 1977. kaleidoscope

young alike joined in the general jollity.

뜻: tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of 1967. jostle

colored pieces of glass, etc., produce interesting symmetrical

뜻: shove; bump

effects

예: In the subway he was jostled by the crowds.

예: People found a new source of entertainment while peering

88

Barron’s GRE Master Words through the kaleidoscope; they found the ever-changing patterns

1989. knoll 뜻: little, round hill

fascinating.

예: Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach 1978. ken

the grave site, you must climb uphill and walk a short distance along

뜻: range of knowledge

a marked path.

예: I cannot answer your question since this matter is beyond my ken. 1990. knotty 1979. killjoy

뜻: intricate; difficult; tangled

뜻: grouch; spoilsport

예: What to Watson had been a knotty problem to Sherlock Holmes

예: At breakfast we had all been enjoying our bacon and eggs until

was simplicity itself.

that killjoy John started talking about how bad animal fats and cholesterol were for our health.

1991. kudos 뜻: honor; glory; praise

1980. kindle

예: The singer complacently received kudos on his performance from

뜻: start a fire; inspire

his entourage.

예: Her teacher's praise kindled a spark a hope inside her. 1981. kindred 뜻: related; similar in nature or character 예: Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were two kindred spirits.

L

1982. kinetic

1992. labile

뜻: producing motion

뜻: likely to change; unstable

예: Designers of the electric automobile find that their greatest

예: Because the hormonal changes they undergo affect their spirits,

obstacle lies in the development of light and efficient storage

adolescents may become emotionally labile and experience sudden

batteries, the source of the kinetic energy needed to propel the

shifts of mood.

vehicle. 1993. laborious 1983. kismet

뜻: demanding much work or care; tedious

뜻: fate

예: In putting together his dictionary of the English language, Doctor

예: kismet is the Arabic word for "fate."

Johnson undertook a laborious task.

1984. kleptomaniac

1994. labyrinth

뜻: person who has a compulsive desire to steal

뜻: maze

예: They discovered that the wealthy customer was a kleptomaniac

예: Tom and Becky were lost in the labyrinth of secret caves.

when they caught her stealing some cheap trinkets. 1995. lacerate 1985. knavery

뜻: mangle; tear

뜻: rascality

예: Her body was lacerated in the automobile crash.

예: We cannot condone such knavery in public officials. 1996. lachrymose 1986. knead

뜻: producing tears

뜻: mix; work dough

예: His voice has a lachrymose quality that is more appropriate at a

예: Her hands grew strong from kneading bread.

funeral than a class reunion.

1987. knell

1997. lackadaisical

뜻: tolling of a bell, especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.;

뜻: affectedly languid

sound of the funeral bell

예: He was lackadaisical and indifferent about his part in the affair.

예: "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day." 1998. lackluster 1988. knit

뜻: dull

뜻: contract into wrinkles

예: We were disappointed by the lackluster performance.

예: Whenever David worries, his brow knits in a frown. 1999. laconic

89

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: brief and to the point

뜻: pantry; place where food is kept

예: Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic

예: The first thing Bill did on returning home from school was to

types: strong men of few words.

check what snacks his mother had in the larder.

2000. laggard

2012. largess

뜻: slow; sluggish

뜻: generous gift

예: The sailor had been taught not to be laggard in carrying out

예: Lady Bountiful distributed largess to the poor.

orders. 2013. lascivious 2001. lagoon

뜻: lustful

뜻: shallow body of water near a sea; lake

예: Because they might arouse lascivious impulses in their readers,

예: They enjoyed their swim in the calm lagoon.

the lewd books were banned by the clergy.

2002. laity

2014. lassitude

뜻: laypersons; persons not connected with the clergy

뜻: languor; weariness

예: The laity does not always understand the clergy's problems.

예: The hot, tropical weather created a feeling of lassitude and encouraged drowsiness.

2003. lambaste 뜻: beat; thrash verbally or physically

2015. latent

예: It was painful to watch the champion lambaste his opponent,

뜻: dormant; hidden

tearing into him mercilessly.

예: Her latent talent was discovered by accident.

2004. lament

2016. lateral

뜻: grieve; express sorrow

뜻: coming from the side

예: Even advocates of the war lamented the loss of so many lives in

예: In order to get good plant growth, the gardener must pinch off all

combat.

lateral shoots.

2005. lampoon

2017. latitude

뜻: ridicule

뜻: freedom from narrow limitations

예: This article lampoons the pretensions of some movie moguls.

예: I think you have permitted your son too much latitude in this matter.

2006. languid 뜻: weary; sluggish; listless

2018. laudable

예: Her siege of illness left her languid and pallid.

뜻: praiseworthy; commendable 예: His laudable deeds will be remarked by all whom he aided.

2007. languish 뜻: lose animation; lose strength

2019. laudatory

예: In stories, lovelorn damsels used to languish and pine away.

뜻: expressing praise 예: The critics' laudatory comments helped to make her a star.

2008. languor 뜻: lassitude; depression

2020. lavish

예: His friends tried to overcome the languor into which he had fallen

뜻: liberal; wasteful

by taking him to parties and to the theater.

예: The actor's lavish gifts pleased her.

2009. lank

2021. lax

뜻: long and thin

뜻: careless

예: lank, gaunt, Abraham Lincoln was a striking figure.

예: We dislike restaurants where the service is lax and inattentive.

2010. larceny

2022. leaven

뜻: theft

뜻: cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven

예: Because of the prisoner's record, the district attorney refused to

예: As bread dough is leavened, it puffs up, expanding in volume.

reduce the charge from grand larceny to petit larceny. 2023. lechery 뜻: gross lewdness; lustfulness

2011. larder

90

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: In his youth he led a life of lechery and debauchery; he did not

emergency workers rushed to reinforce the walls with sandbags.

mend his ways until middle age. 2035. levitate 2024. lectern

뜻: float in the air (especially by magical means)

뜻: reading desk

예: As the magician passed his hands over the recumbent body of

예: The chaplain delivered his sermon from a hastily improvised

his assistant, she appeared to rise and levitate about three feet

lectern.

above the table.

2025. leery

2036. levity

뜻: suspicious; cautious

뜻: lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity

예: Don't eat sushi at this restaurant; I'm a bit leery about how fresh it

예: Stop giggling abd wriggling around in the pew; such levity is

is.

improper in church.

2026. leeway

2037. levy

뜻: room to move; margin

뜻: impose (a fine); collect (a payment)

예: When you set a deadline, allow a little leeway.

예: Crying "No taxation withouth representation," the colonists demonstrated against England's power to levy taxes.

2027. legacy 뜻: a gift made by a will

2038. lewd

예: Part of my legacy from my parents is an album of family

뜻: lustful

photographs.

예: They found his lewd stories objectionable.

2028. legend

2039. lexicographer

뜻: explanatory list of symbols on a map

뜻: compiler of a dictionary

예: The legend at the bottom of the map made it clear which symbols

예: The new dictionary is the work of many lexicographers who spent

stood for rest areas along the highway and which stood for public

years compiling and editing the work.

camp sites. 2040. lexicon 2029. legerdemain

뜻: dictionary

뜻: sleight of hand

예: I cannot find this word in any lexicon in the library.

예: The magician demonstrated his renowned legerdemain. 2041. liability 2030. leniency

뜻: drawback; debts

뜻: mildness; permissiveness

예: Her lack of an extensive vocabulary was a liability that she was

예: Considering the gravity of the offense, we were surprised by the

able to overcome.

leniency of the sentence. 2042. liaison 2031. leonine

뜻: officer who acts as go-between for two armies; intermediary

뜻: like a lion

예: As the liason, he had to avoid offending the leaders of the two

예: He was leonine in his rage.

armies.

2032. lethal

2043. libelous

뜻: deadly

뜻: defamatory; injurious to the good name of a person

예: It is unwise to leave lethal weapons where children may find

예: He sued the newspaper because of its libelous story.

them. 2044. libertine 뜻: debauched person, roue

2033. lethargic 뜻: drowsy; dull

예: Although she was aware of his reputation as a libertine, she felt

예: The stuffy room made her lethargic; she felt as if she was about

she could reform him and help him break his dissolute way of life.

to nod off. 2045. libidinous 2034. levee

뜻: lustful

뜻: earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding

예: They objected to his libidinous behavior.

예: As the river rose and threatened to overflow the levee,

91

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2046. libido

2058. linguistic

뜻: emotional urges behind human activity

뜻: pertaining to language

예: The psychiatrist maintained that suppression of the libido often

예: The modern tourist will encounter very little linguistic difficulty as

resulted in maladjustment and neuroses.

English has become an almost universal language.

2047. libretto

2059. lionize

뜻: text of an opera

뜻: treat as a celebrity

예: The composer of an opera's music is remembered more

예: She enjoyed being lionized and adored by the public.

frequently than the author of its libretto. 2060. liquidate 2048. licentious

뜻: settle accounts; clear up

뜻: wanton; lewd; dissolute

예: He was able to liquidate all his debts in short period of time.

예: The licentious monarch helped bring about his country's downfall. 2061. list 뜻: tilt; lean over

2049. lien 뜻: legal claim on a property

예: That flagpole should be absolutely vertical; instead, it lists to one

예: There was a delay before Ralph could take possession of his late

side.

uncle's home; apparently, another claimant had a lien upon the estate.

2062. listless 뜻: lacking in spirit or energy

2050. ligneous

예: We had expected him to be full of enthusiasm and were

뜻: like wood

surprised by his listless attitude.

예: Petrified wood may be ligneous in appearance, but it is stonelike in composition.

2063. litany 뜻: supplicatory prayer

2051. lilliputian

예: On this solemn day, the congregation responded to the prayers

뜻: extremely small

of the priest during the litany with fervor and intensity.

예: Tiny and delicate, the model was built on a lilliputian scale. 2064. lithe 2052. limber

뜻: flexible; supple

뜻: flexible

예: Her figure was lithe and willowy.

예: Hours of ballet classes kept him limber. 2065. litigation 2053. limbo

뜻: lawsuit

뜻: region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept

예: Try to settle this amicably; I do not want to start litigation.

예: Among the divisions of Hell are Purgatory and limbo. 2066. litotes 2054. limn

뜻: understatement for emphasis

뜻: draw; outline; describe

예: To say, "He little realizes," when we mean that he does not

예: Parodoxically, the more realistic the details this artist chooses,

realize at all, is an example of the kind of understatement we call

the better able to limn her fantastic, other-worldly landscapes.

litotes.

2055. limpid

2067. livid

뜻: clear

뜻: lead-coloredl; black and blue; ashen; enraged

예: A limpid stream ran through his property.

예: His face was so livid with rage that we were afraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy.

2056. lineage 뜻: descent; ancestry

2068. loath

예: He traced his lineage back to Mayflower days.

뜻: averse; reluctant 예: They were both loath for him to go.

2057. lineaments 뜻: features, especially of the face

2069. loathe

예: She quickly sketched the lineaments of his face.

뜻: detest 예: We loathed the wicked villain.

92

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: laughable; trifling 예: Let us be serious; this is not a ludicrous issue.

2070. lode 뜻: metal-bearing vein 예: If this lode that we have discovered extends for any distance, we

2083. lugubrious

have found a fortune.

뜻: mournful 예: The lugabrious howling of the dogs added to our sadness.

2071. lofty 뜻: very high

2084. lull

예: They used to tease him about his lofty ambitions.

뜻: moment of calm 예: Not wanting to get wet, they waited under the awning for a lull in

2072. loiter

the rain.

뜻: hang around; linger 예: The policeman told him not to loiter in the alley.

2085. lumber

2073. loll

예: Still somewhat torpid after its long hibernation, the bear lumbered

뜻: lounge about

through the woods.

뜻: move heavily of clumsily

예: They lolled around in their chairs watching television. 2086. lumen 2074. longevity

뜻: unit of light energy (one candle's worth)

뜻: long life

예: In buying light bulbs, she checked not only their power, as

예: When he reached ninety, the old man was proud of his longevity.

measured in watts, but their brightness, as measured in lumens.

2075. lope

2087. luminary

뜻: gallop slowly

뜻: celebrity; dignitary

예: As the horses loped along, we had an opportunity to admire the

예: A leading light of the American stage, Ethel Barrymore was a

ever-changing scenery.

theatrical luminary whose name lives on.

2076. loquacious

2088. luminous

뜻: talkative

뜻: shining; issuing light

예: She is very loquacious and can speak on the telephone for hours.

예: The sun is a luminous body.

2077. lout

2089. lunar

뜻: clumsy person

뜻: pertaining to the moon

예: The delivery boy is an awkward lout.

예: lunar craters can be plainly seen with the aid of a small telescope.

2078. low

2090. lurid

뜻: moo

뜻: wild; sensational

예: From the hilltop, they could see the herd like ants in the distance;

예: The lurid stories he told shocked his listeners.

they could barely hear the cattle low. 2091. lurk 2079. lucid

뜻: stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived

뜻: easily understood; clear; intelligible

예: "Who knows what evils lurk in the hearts of men? The shadow

예: Her explanation was lucid enought for a child to grasp.

knows."

2080. lucrative

2092. luscious

뜻: profitable

뜻: pleasing to taste or smell

예: He turned his hobby into a lucrative profession.

예: The ripe peach was luscious.

2081. lucre

2093. luster

뜻: money

뜻: shine; gloss

예: Preferring lucre to undying fame, he wrote stories of popular

예: The soft luster of the silk in the dim light was pleasing.

appeal. 2094. lustrous 뜻: shining

2082. ludicrous

93

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Her large and lustrous eyes gave a touch of beauty to an

예: The canoe was tossed about in the maelstrom.

otherwise drab face. 2105. magisterial 2095. luxuriant

뜻: authoritative; imperious

뜻: fertile; abundant; ornate

예: The learned doctor laid down the law to his patient in a

예: Farming was easy in this luxuriant soil.

magisterial tone of voice.

2096. laxative

2106. magnanimity

뜻: facilitating evacuation of the bowels

뜻: generosity

예: The effect of the constipation medicine is laxative; it empties the

예: Noted for his magnanimity, philanthropist Eugene Lang donated

bowels.

millions to charity. 2107. magnate 뜻: person of prominence or influence 예: The steel magnate decided to devote more time to city politics. M 2108. magniloquent

2097. macabre

뜻: boastful, pompous

뜻: gruesome; grisly

예: In their stories of the trial, the reporters ridiculed the

예: The city morgue is a macabre spot for the uninitiated.

magniloquent speeches of the defense attorney.

2098. mace

2109. magnitude

뜻: ceremonial staff; clublike medieval weapon

뜻: greatness; extent

예: The Grand Marshal of the parade raised his mace to signal that it

예: It is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of his crime.

was time for the procession to begin. 2110. maim 2099. macerate

뜻: mutilate; injure

뜻: soften by soaking in liquid; waste away

예: The hospital could not take care of all who had been mangled or

예: The strawberries had been soaking in the champagn for so long

maimed in the railroad accident.

that they had begun to macerate: they literally fell apart at the touch of a spoon.

2111. maladroit 뜻: clumsy; bungling

2100. machiavellian

예: In his usual maladroit way, he managed to upset the cart and

뜻: crafty; double-dealing

spill the food.

예: I do not think he will be a good embassador because he is not accustomed to the machiavellian maneuverings of foreign diplomats.

2112. malaise 뜻: uneasiness; distress

2101. machinations

예: She felt a sudden vague malaise when she heard sounds at the

뜻: schemes

door.

예: I can see through your wily machinations. 2113. malapropism 2102. maculated

뜻: comic misuse of a word

뜻: spotted; stained

예: When Mrs. Malaprop criticizes Lydia for being "as headstrong as

예: Instead of writing that Gorbachev had a birthmark on his

an allegory on the banks of the Nile," she confuses "allegory" and

forehead, the pompous young poet sang of the former premier's

"allegator" in a typical malapropism.

maculated brow. 2114. malcontent 2103. madrigal

뜻: person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs

뜻: pastoral song

예: He was one of the few malcontents in the Congress; he

예: His program of folk songs included several madrigals which he

constantly voiced his objections to the Presidential program.

sang to the accompaniment of a lute. 2115. malediction 2104. maelstrom

뜻: curse

뜻: whirlpool

예: The witch uttered maledictions against her captors.

94

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The police immediately manacled the prisoner so he could not 2116. malefactor

escape.

뜻: criminal 예: We must try to bring these malefactors to justice.

2128. mandate 뜻: order; charge

2117. malevolent

예: In his inaugural address, the President stated that he had a

뜻: wishing evil

mandate from the people to seek an end to social evils such as

예: We must thwart his malevolent schemes.

poverty and poor housing.

2118. malfeasance

2129. mandatory

뜻: wrongdoing

뜻: obligatory

예: The authorities did not discover the campaign manager's

예: These instructions are mandatory; any violation will be severely

malfeasance until after he had spent most of the money he had

punished.

embezzled. 2130. mangy 2119. malicious

뜻: shabby; wretched

뜻: dictated by hatred or spite

예: We finally thew out the mangy rug that the dog had destroyed.

예: The malicious neighbor spread the gossip. 2131. maniacal 2120. malign

뜻: raving mad

뜻: speak evil of; defame

예: His maniacal laughter frightened us.

예: Because of her hatred of the family, she maligns all who are friendly to them.

2132. manifest 뜻: understandable; clear 예: His evil intentions were manifest and yet we could not stop him.

2121. malignant 뜻: having an evil influence; virulent 예: This is a malignant disease; we must have to use drastic

2133. manifestation

measures to stop its spread.

뜻: outward demonstration; indication 예: Mozart's early attraction to the harsichord was the first

2122. malingerer

manifestation of his pronounced musical bent.

뜻: one who feigns illness to escape duty 예: The captain ordered the sergeant to punish all malingerers and

2134. manifesto

force them to work.

뜻: declaration; statement of policy 예: The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels proclaimed the

2123. malleable

principles of modern communism.

뜻: capable of being shaped by pounding 예: Gold is a malleable metal.

2135. manifold 뜻: numerous; varied

2124. malodorous

예: I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate your manifold

뜻: foul-smelling

kindnesses.

예: The component heap was most malodorous in summer. 2136. manipulate 2125. mammal

뜻: operate with the hands; control or change by artful means

뜻: vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young

예: How do you manipulate these puppets?

예: Many people regard the whale as a fish and do not realize that it is a mammal.

2137. mannered 뜻: affected; not natural

2126. mammoth

예: Attempting to copy the style of his wealthy neighbors, Gatsby

뜻: gigantic

adopted a mannered, artificial way of speech.

예: The mammoth corporations of the twentieth century are a mixed blessing

2138. manumit

2127. manacle

예: Enlightened slave owners were willing to manumit their slaves

뜻: restrain; handcuff

and thus put an end to the evil slavery in the country.

뜻: emancipate; free from bondage

95

Barron’s GRE Master Words emphasizes the needs of the soul. 2139. marital 뜻: pertaining to marriage

2150. maternal

예: After the publication of his book on marital affairs, he was often

뜻: motherly

consulted by married people on the verge of divorce.

예: Many animals display maternal instincts only while their offspring are young and helpless.

2140. maritime 뜻: bordering on the sea; nautical

2151. matriarch

예: The maritime Provinces depend on the sea for their wealth.

뜻: woman who rules a family or larger social group 예: The matriarch ruled her gypsy tribe with a firm hand.

2141. marked 뜻: noticeable; targeted for vengeance

2152. martrix

예: He walked with a marked limp, a souvenir of an old IRA attack.

뜻: point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold

As British ambassador, he knew he was a marked man.

or die 예: Some historians claim the Nile Valley was the matrix of the

2142. marred

Western civilization.

뜻: damaged; disfigured 예: She had to refinish the marred surface of the table.

2153. maudlin 뜻: effusively sentimental 예: I do not like such maudlin pictures. I call them tearjerkers.

2143. marshal 뜻: put in order 예: At a debate tournament, extemporaneous speakers have only a

2154. maul

minute or two to marshal their thoughts before addressing their

뜻: handle roughly

audience.

예: The rock star was mauled by his overexcited fans.

2144. marsupial

2155. mausoleum

뜻: one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a

뜻: monumental tomb

pouch

예: His body was placed in the family mausolem.

예: The most common marsupial in North America is the opposum. 2156. mauve 2145. martial

뜻: pale purple

뜻: warlike

예: The mauve tint in the lilac bush was another indication that spring

예: The sound of marital music was always inspiring to the young

had finally arrived.

poet. 2157. maverick 2146. martinet

뜻: rebel; nonconformist

뜻: strict disciplinarian

예: To the masculine literary establishment, George Sand with her

예: The commanding officer was a martinet who observed each

insistence on wearing trousers and smoking cigars was clearly a

regulation to the ltter.

maverick who fought her proper womanly role.

2147. masochist

2158. mawkish

뜻: person who enjoys his own pain

뜻: sickening; insipid

예: The masochist begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says, "I

예: Your mawkish sighs fill me with disgust.

won't." 2159. maxim 2148. masticate

뜻: proverb; a truth pithily stated

뜻: chew

예: Aesop's fables illustrate moral maxims.

예: We must masticate our food carefully and slowly in order to avoid digestive disorders.

2160. mayhem 뜻: injury to the body

2149. materialism

예: The riot was marked not only by mayhem, with its attendant loss

뜻: preoccupation with physical comforts and things

of life and limb, but also by arson and pillage.

예: By its nature, materialism is opposed to idealism, for where the materialist emphasizes the needs of the body, the idealist

2161. meager

96

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: scanty; inadequate 예: His salary was far too meager for him to afford to buy a new car.

2173. memento 뜻: token; reminder 예: Take this book as a memento of your visit.

2162. mealymouthed 뜻: indirect speech; hypocritical; evasive 예: Rather than tell Jill directly what he disliked, Jack made a few

2174. memorialize

mealymouthed comments and tried to change the subject.

뜻: commemorate 예: Let us memorialize his great contribution by dedicating this library

2163. meander

in his honor.

뜻: to wind or turn in its course 예: It is difficult to sail up this stream because of the way it meanders

2175. mendacious

through the countryside.

뜻: lying; false 예: He was pathological liar, and his friends learned to discount his

2164. meddlesome

mendacious stories.

뜻: interfering 예: He felt his marriage was suffering because of his meddlesome

2176. mendicant

mother-in-law.

뜻: beggar 예: From the moment we left the ship, we were surrounded by

2165. mediate

mendicants and peddlers.

뜻: settle a dispute through the services of an outsider 예: Let us mediate out differences rather than engage in a costly

2177. menial

strike.

뜻: suitable for sevants; low 예: I cannot understand why a person of your ability and talent

2166. mediocre

should engage in such menial activities.

뜻: ordinary; commonplace 예: We were disappointed because he gave a rather mediocre

2178. mentor

performance in this role.

뜻: counselor; teacher 예: During this very trying period, she could not have had a better

2167. meditation

mentor, for the teacher was sympathetic and understanding.

뜻: reflection; thought 예: She reached her decision only after much meditation.

2179. mercantile

2168. medley

예: I am more interested in the opportunites available in the

뜻: mixture

mercantile field than I am in those in the legal profession.

뜻: concerning trade

예: The band played a medley of Gershwin tunes. 2180. mercenary 2169. meek

뜻: motivated solely by money or gain

뜻: submissive; patient and long-suffering

예: "I'm not in this war because I get my kicks waving flags," said the

예: Mr. Barrett never expected his meek daughter would dare to defy

mercenary soldier. "I'm in it for the dough."

him by eloping with her suitor. 2181. mercurial 2170. megalomania

뜻: fickle; changing

뜻: mania for doing grandiose things

예: He was of a mercurial temperament and therefore unpredictable.

예: Developers who spend millions trying to build the world's tallest skyscraper suffer from megalomania.

2182. meretricious 뜻: flashy; tawdry; falsely attractive 예: Her jewels were inexpensive but not meretricious.

2171. melee 뜻: fight 예: The captain tried to ascertain the cause of the melee that had

2183. merger 뜻: combination (of two business corporations)

broken out among the crew members.

예: When the firm's president married the director of financial 2172. mellifluous

planning, the office joke was that it wasn't a marriage, it was a

뜻: flowing smoothly; smooth

merger.

예: Italian is a mellifluous language.

97

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2184. mesmerize 뜻: hypnotize

2195. miasma

예: The incessant drone seemed to mesmerize him and place him in

뜻: swamp gas; heavy, vaporous atmosphere, often emanating

a trance.

from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence 예: The smog hung over Victorian London like a dark cloud; noisome,

2185. metallurgical

reeking of decay, it was a visible miasma.

뜻: pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores 예: During the course of his metallurgical research, the scientist

2196. microcosm

developed a steel alloy of tremendous strength.

뜻: small world 예: In the microcosm of our rural village, we find illustrations of all the

2186. metamorphosis

evils that beset the universe.

뜻: change of form 예: The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many

2197. migrant 뜻: changing its habitat; wandering

such changes in animal life.

예: These migrant birds return every spring. 2187. metaphor 뜻: implied comparison

2198. migratory

예: "He soared like an eagle" is an example of a simile; "He is an

뜻: wandering

eagle in flight," is a metaphor.

예: The return of the migratory birds to the northern sections of this country is a harbinger of spring.

2188. metaphysical 뜻: pertaining to speculative philosophy

2199. milieu

예: The modern poets have gone back to the fanciful poems of the

뜻: environment; means of expression

metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century for many of their

예: His milieu is watercolors, although he has produced excellent oil

images.

paintings and lithographs.

2189. mete

2200. militant

뜻: measure; distribute

뜻: combative; bellicose

예: He tried to be impartial in his efforts to mete out justice.

예: Althoughat this time he was advocating a policy of neutrality, one could usually find him adopting a more militant attitude.

2190. meteoric 뜻: swift; momentarily brilliant

2201. militate

예: We all wondered at his meteoric rise to fame.

뜻: work against 예: Your record of lateness and absence will militate against your

2191. methodical

chances of promotion.

뜻: systematic 예: An accountant must be methodical and maintain order among his

2202. millenium

financial records.

뜻: thousand-year period; period of happiness and prosperity 예: I do not expect the milennium to come during my lifetime.

2192. meticulous 뜻: excessively careful

2203. mimicry

예: He was meticulous in checking his accounts and never made

뜻: imitation

mistakes.

예: Her gift for mimicry was so great that her friends said that she should be in the theater.

2193. metropolis 뜻: large city

2204. minatory

예: Every evening this terminal is filled with the thousands of

뜻: menacing; threatening

commuters who are going from this metropolis to their homes in the

예: Jabbing a minatory forefinger at Dorothy, the Wicked Witch cried,

suburbs.

"I'll get you, and your little dog, too!"

2194. mettle

2205. mincing

뜻: courage; spirit

뜻: affectedly dainty

예: When challenged by the other horses in the race, the

예: Yum-Yum walked across the stage with mincing steps.

thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination to hold the lead.

98

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2206. minion

2218. misconstrue

뜻: a servile dependent

뜻: interpret incorrectly; misjudge

예: He was always accompanied by several of his minions because

예: She took the passage seriously rather than humourously

he enjoyed their subservience and flattery.

because she misconstrued the author's ironic tone.

2207. minuscule

2219. miscreant

뜻: extremely small

뜻: wretch; villain

예: Why should I involve myself with a project with so minuscule a

예: His kindness to the miscreant amazed all of us who had

chance for success?

expected to hear severe punishment pronounced.

2208. minute

2220. misdemeanor

뜻: extremely small

뜻: minor crime

예: The twins resembled one another closely; only minute

예: The culprit pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor rather than face trial

differences set them apart.

for a felony.

2209. minutiae

2221. miserly

뜻: petty details

뜻: stingy; mean

예: She would have liked to ignore the minutiae of daily living.

예: The miserly old man hoarded his coins not out of prudence but out of greed.

2210. mirage 뜻: unreal reflection; optical illusion

2222. misgivings

예: The lost prospector was fooled by a mirage in the desert.

뜻: doubts 예: Hamlet described his misgivings to Horatio but decided to fence

2211. mire

with Laertes despite his foreboding of evil.

뜻: entangle; stick in swampy ground 예: Their rear wheels became mired in mud.

2223. mishap 뜻: accident 예: With a little care you could have avoided this mishap.

2212. mirth 뜻: merriment; laughter 예: Sober Malvolio found Sir Toby's mirth improper.

2224. misnomer 뜻: wrong name; incorrect designation

2213. misadventure

예: His tyrannical conduct proved to all that his nickname, King Eric

뜻: mischance; ill luck

the Just, was a misnomer.

예: The young explorer met death by misadventure. 2225. misogamy 2214. misanthrope

뜻: hatred of marriage

뜻: one who hates mankind

예: He remained a bachelor not because of misogamy but because

예: We thought the hermit was a miantrope because he shunned our

of ill fate: his fiancee died before the wedding.

society. 2226. misogynist 2215. misapprehension

뜻: hater of women

뜻: error; misunderstanding

예: She accused him of being a misogynist because he had been a

예: To avoid msapprehension, I am going to ask all of you to repeat

bachelor all his life.

the instructions I have given. 2227. missile 2216. miscellany

뜻: object to be thrown or projected

뜻: mixture of writings on various subjects

예: Scientists are experimenting with guided missiles.

예: This is an interesting miscellany of nineteenth-century prose and poetry.

2228. missive 뜻: letter 예: The ambassador received a missive from the Secretary of State.

2217. mischance 뜻: ill luck 예: By mischance, he lost his week's salary.

2229. mite 뜻: very small object or creature; small coin

99

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Gnats are annoying mites that sing.

2242. molten

2230. mitigate

예: The city of Pompeii was destroyed by volcanic ash rather than by

뜻: appease

molten lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius.

뜻: melted

예: Nothing he did could mitigate her wrath; she was unforgiving. 2243. momentous 2231. mnemonic

뜻: very important

뜻: pertaining to memory

예: On this momentous occasion, we must be very solemn.

예: He used mnemonic tricks to master new words. 2244. momentum 2232. mobile

뜻: quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus

뜻: movable; not fixed

예: The car lost momentum as it tried to ascend the steep hill.

예: The mobile blood bank operated by the Red Cross visited our neighborhood today.

2245. monarchy 뜻: government under a single hereditary ruler with varying

2233. mode

degrees of power

뜻: prevailing style

예: England today remains a monarchy.

예: She was not used to their lavish mode of living. 2246. monastic 2234. modicum

뜻: related to monks

뜻: limited quantity

예: Wanting to live a religious life, he took his monastic vows.

예: Although his story is based on a modicum of truth, most of the events he describes are fictitious.

2247. monetary 뜻: pertaining to money

2235. modish

예: Jane held the family purse strings: she made all monetary

뜻: fashionable

decisions affecting the household.

예: She always discarded all garments that were no longer modish. 2248. monochromatic 2236. modulation

뜻: having only one color

뜻: toning down; changing from one key to another

예: Most people who are color blind actually can distinguish several

예: When we she spoke, it was with quiet modulation of voice.

colors; some, however, have a truly monochromatic view of a world all in shades of gray.

2237. mogul 뜻: powerful person

2249. monolithic

예: The oil moguls made great profits when the price of gasoline rose.

뜻: solidly uniform; unyielding 예: Knowing the importance of appearing resolute, the patriots

2238. molecule

sought to present a monolithic front.

뜻: the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance

2250. monotheism

예: In chemistry, we study how atoms and molcules react to form

뜻: belief in one God

new substances.

예: Abraham was the first to proclaim his belief in monotheism.

2239. mollify

2251. monotony

뜻: soothe

뜻: sameness leading to boredom

예: We tried to mollify the hysterical child by promising her many gifts.

예: He took a clerical job, but soon grew to hate the monotony of his daily routine.

2240. mollycoddle 뜻: pamper; indulge excessively

2252. monumental

예: Don't mollycoddle the boy, Maud! You'll spoil him.

뜻: massive 예: Writing a dictionary is a monumental task.

2241. molt 뜻: shed or cast off hair or feathers

2253. moodiness

예: The male robin molted in the spring.

뜻: fits of depression or gloom 예: We could not discover the cause of her recurrent moodiness.

100

Barron’s GRE Master Words

2254. moratorium

2266. motley

뜻: legal delay of payment

뜻: parti-colored; mixed

예: If we declare a moratorium and delay collection of debts for six

예: The captain had gathered a motley crew to sail the vessel.

months, I am sure the farmers will be able to meet their bills. 2267. mottled 2255. morbid

뜻: spotted

뜻: given to unwholesome thought; gloomy

예: When he blushed, his face took on a mottled hue.

예: These morbid speculations are dangerous; we must lighten our spirits by emphasizing more pleasant matters.

2268. mountebank 뜻: charlatan; boastful pretender 예: The patent medicine man was a mountebank.

2256. mordant 뜻: biting; sarcastic; stinging 예: Actors feared the critic's mordant pen.

2269. muddle 뜻: confuse; mix up 예: His thoughts were muddled and chaotic.

2257. mores 뜻: customs 예: The mores of Mexico are those of Spain with some modifications.

2270. muggy 뜻: warm and damp 예: August in New York City is often muggy.

2258. moribund 뜻: at the point of death 예: The doctors called the family to the bedside of the moribund

2271. mulct

patient.

뜻: defraud a person of something 예: The lawyer was accused of trying to mulct the boy of his legacy.

2259. morose 뜻: ill-humored; sullen

2272. multifarious

예: When we first meet Hamlet, we find him morose and depressed.

뜻: varied; greatly diversified 예: A career woman and mother, she was constantly busy with the

2260. mortician

multifarious activities of her daily life.

뜻: undertaker 예: The mortician prepared the corpse for burial.

2273. multiform

2261. mortify

예: Snowflakes are multiform but always hexagonal.

뜻: having many forms 뜻: humiliate; punish the flesh 예: She was so mortified by her blunder that she ran to her room in

2274. multilingual

tears.

뜻: having many languages 예: Because they are bordered by so many countries, the Swiss

2262. mosaic

people are multilingual.

뜻: picture made of smell, colorful inlaid tiles 예: The mayor compared the ciry to a beautiful mosaic made up of

2275. multiplicity

people of every race and religion on earth.

뜻: state of being numerous 예: He was appalled by the multuplicity of details he had to complete

2263. mote

before setting out on his mission.

뜻: small speck 예: The tiniest mote in the eye is very painful.

2276. mundane 뜻: worldly as opposed to spiritual

2264. motif

예: He was concerned only with mundane matters, especially the

뜻: theme

daily stock market quotations.

예: This simple motif runs throughout the score. 2277. munificent 2265. motility

뜻: very generous

뜻: ability to move spontaneously

예: The munificent gift was presented to the bride by her rich uncle.

예: Certain organisms exhibit remarkable motility; motile spores, for example, may travel for miles before coming to rest.

2278. murkiness

101

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: darkness; gloom

예: The millinery displayed fashionable hats in the street where many

예: The murkiness and fog of the waterfront that evening depressed

women passed by.

me. 2279. muse 뜻: ponder 예: For a moment he mused about the beauty of the scene, but his

N

thought soon changed as he recalled his own personal problems. 2291. nadir 2280. musky

뜻: lowest point

뜻: having the odor of musk

예: Although few people realized it, the Dow-Jones averages had

예: She left a trace of musky perfume behind her.

reached their nadir and would soon begin an upward surge.

2281. muster

2292. naivete

뜻: gather; assemble

뜻: quality of being unsophisticated 예: I cannot believe that such naivete is unassumed in a person of

예: Washington mustered his forces at Trenton.

her age and experience. 2282. musty 뜻: stale; spoiled by age

2293. narcissist

예: The attic was dark and musty.

뜻: conceited person 예: A narcissist is his own best friend.

2283. mutable 뜻: changing in form; fickle

2294. narrative

예: His opinion were mutable and easily influenced by anyone who

뜻: related to telling a story

had any powers of persuasion.

예: A born teller of tales, Olsen used her impressive narrative skills to advantage in her story "I Stand Here Ironing."

2284. muted 뜻: silent; muffled; toned down

2295. nascent

예: In the funeral parlor, the mourners' voices had a muted quality.

뜻: incipient; coming into being 예: If we could identify these revolutionary movements in their

2285. mutilate

nascent state, we would be able to eliminate serious trouble in later

뜻: maim

years.

예: The torturer threatened to mutilate his victim. 2296. natation 2286. mutinous

뜻: swimming

뜻: unruly; rebellious

예: The Red Cross emphasizes the need for courses in natation.

예: The captain had to use force to quiet his mutinous crew. 2297. natty 뜻: neatly or smartly dresssed

2287. myopic 뜻: nearsighted

예: Priding himself on being a natty dresser, the gangster Bugsy

예: In thinking only of your present needs and ignoring the future,

Siegel collected a wardrobe of imported suits and ties.

you are being rather myopic. 2298. nauseate 2288. myriad

뜻: cause to become sick; fill with disgust

뜻: very large number

예: The foul smells began to nauseate him.

예: myriads of mosquitoes from the swamps invaded our village 2299. nautical

every twilight.

뜻: pertaining to ships or navigation 2289. mutter

예: The Maritime Museum contains many models of clipper ships,

뜻: murmur or grumble

logbooks, anchors and many other items of a nautical nature.

예: The child muttered at the doll. 2300. nebulous 2290. millinery

뜻: vague; hazy; cloudy

뜻: person who makes or sells women's hats

예: She had only a nebulous memory of her grandmother's face.

102

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: connection 2301. necromancy

예: I fail to see the nexus that binds these two widely separated

뜻: black magic; dealings with the dead

events.

예: Because he was able to perform feats of necromancy, the natives thought he was in league with the devil.

2313. nib 뜻: beak; pen point 예: The nibs of fountain pens often become clotted and corroded.

2302. nefarious 뜻: very wicked 예: He was universally feared because of his many nefarious deeds.

2314. nicety 뜻: precision; minute distinction 예: I cannot distinguish between such niceties of reasoning.

2303. negation 뜻: denial 예: I must accept his argument since you have been unable to

2315. niggardly 뜻: meanly stingy; parsimonious

present any negation of his evidence.

예: The niggardly pittance the widow receives from the government 2304. negligence

cannot keep her from poverty.

뜻: carelessness 예: negligence can prove costly near complicated machinery.

2316. niggle 뜻: spend too much time on minor points; carp 예: Let's not niggle over details.

2305. negligible 뜻: so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded 예: Because the damage to his car had been negligible, Michael

2317. nihilism

decided he wouldn't bother to report the matter to his insurance

뜻: denial of traditional values; total skepticism

company.

예: nihilism holds that existence has no meaning.

2306. nemesis

2318. nirvana

뜻: revenging agent

뜻: Buddihist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual

예: Captain Bligh vowed to be Christian's nemesis.

loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude 예: Despite his desire to achieve nirvana, the young Buddhist found

2307. neologism

that even the buzzing of a fly could distract him from his meditation.

뜻: new or newly coined word or phrase 예: As we invent new techniques and professions, we must also

2319. nocturnal

invent neologisms such as "microcomputer" and "astronaut" to

뜻: done at night 예: Mr. Jones obtained a watchdog to prevent the nocturnal raids on

describe them.

his chicken coops. 2308. neophyte 뜻: recent convert; beginner

2320. noisome

예: This monuntain slope contains slides that will challenge esperts

뜻: foul smelling; unwholesome

as well as neophytes.

예: I never could stand the noisome atmosphere surrounding the slaughter houses.

2309. nepotism 뜻: favoritism (to a relative)

2321. nomadic

예: John left his position with the company because he felt that

뜻: wandering

advancement was based on nepotism rather than ability.

예: Several nomadic tribes of Indians would hunt in this area each year.

2310. nether 뜻: lower

2322. nomenclature

예: Tradition locates hell in the nether regions.

뜻: terminology; system of names 예: She struggled to master scientific nomenclature.

2311. nettle 뜻: annoy; vex

2323. nominal

예: Do not let him nettle you with his sarcastic remarks.

뜻: in name only; trifling 예: He offered to drive her to the airport for only a nominal fee.

2312. nexus

103

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2324. nonchalance 뜻: indifference; lack of interest

2335. nuance

예: Few people could understand how he could listen to the news of

뜻: shade of difference in meaning or color

the tragedy with such nonchalance; the mahority regarded him as

예: The unskilled eye of the layperson has difficulty in dicerning the

callous and unsympathetic.

nuances of color in the paintings.

2325. noncommittal

2336. nubile

뜻: neutral; unpledged; undecided

뜻: marrigeable

예: We were annoyed by his noncommittal reply for we had been led

예: Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, was worried

to expect definite assurances of his approval.

about finding suitable husbands for her five nubile daughters.

2326. nondescript

2337. nugatory

뜻: undistinctive; ordinary

뜻: futile; worthless

예: The private detective was a short, nondescript fellow with no

예: This agreement is nugatory for no court will enforce it.

ourstanding features, the sort of person one would never notice in a crowd.

2338. nullify 뜻: to make invalid 예: Once the contract was nullified, it no longer had any legal force.

2327. nonentity 뜻: person of no importance; nonexistence 예: Don't dismiss John as a nonentity; in his quiet way, he's very

2339. numismatist

important to the firm.

뜻: person who collects coins 예: The numismatist had a splendid collection of antique coins.

2328. nonplus 뜻: bring to a halt by confusion; perplex

2340. nuptial

예: Jack's uncharacteristic rudeness nonplussed Jill, leaving her

뜻: related to marriage

uncertain how to react.

예: Their nuptial ceremony was performed in Golden Gate Park.

2329. nostalgia

2341. nurture

뜻: homesickness; longing for the past

뜻: nourish; educate; foster

예: The first settlers found so much work to do that they had little

예: The head Start program attempts to nurture prekindergarten

time for nostalgia.

children so that they will do well when they enter public school.

2330. nostrum

2342. nutrient

뜻: questionable medicine

뜻: nourishing substance

예: No quack selling nostrums is going to cheat me.

예: As a budding nutritionist, Kim has learned to design diets that contain foods rich in important basic nutrients.

2331. notoriety 뜻: disrepute; ill fame 예: To the starlet, any publicity was good publicity: if she couldn't have a good reputation, she'd settle for notoriety. O 2332. novelty 뜻: something new; newness

2343. oaf

예: The computer is no longer a novelty around the office.

뜻: stupid, awkward person 예: He called the unfortunate waiter a clumsy oaf.

2333. novice 뜻: beginner

2344. obdurate

예: Even a novice can do good work if he follows these simple

뜻: stubborn

directions.

예: He was obdurate in his refusal to listen to our complaints.

2334. noxious

2345. obeisance

뜻: harmful

뜻: bow

예: We must trace the source of these noxious gases before they

예: She made an obeisance as the king and queen entered the room.

asphyxiate us.

104

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2346. obelisk

뜻: dark; vague; unclear

뜻: tall column tapering and ending in a pyramid

예: Even after I read the poem a fourth time, its meaning was still

예: Cleopatra's Needle is an obelisk in New York City's Central Park.

obscure.

2347. obese

2359. obscure

뜻: excessively fat

뜻: darken; make unclear

예: It is advisable that obese people try to lose weight.

예: At times he seemed purposely to obscure his meaning, preferring mystery to clarity.

2348. obfuscate 뜻: confuse; muddle

2360. obsequious

예: Do not obfuscate the issues by dragging in irrelevant arguments.

뜻: slavishly attentive; servile; sycophantic 예: Helen valued people who behaved as if they respected

2349. obituary

themselves; nothing irritated her more than an excessively

뜻: dealth notice

obsequious waiter or a fawning salesclerk.

예: I first learned of her death when I read the obituary in the newspaper.

2361. obsequy 뜻: funeral ceremony 예: Hundreads paid their last respects at his obsequies.

2350. objective 뜻: not influenced by emotions; fair 예: Even though he was her son, she tried to be objective about his

2362. obsession

behavior.

뜻: fixed idea; continued brooding 예: This obsession with the supernatural has made him unpopular

2351. objective

with his neighbors.

뜻: goal; aim 예: A degree in medicine was her ultimate objective.

2363. obsidian 뜻: clak volcanic rock

2352. obligatory

예: The deposits of obsidian on the mountain slopes were an

뜻: binding; required

indiacation that volcano had erupted in ancient times.

예: It is obligatory that books borrowed from the library be returned within two weeks.

2364. obsolete 뜻: outmoded

2353. oblique

예: "Hip" is an obsolete expression; it went out with love beads and

뜻: slanting; deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight

tie-dye shirts.

line 예: The sergeant ordered the men to march "oblique right."

2365. obstetrician

2354. obliterate

예: Unlike midwives, who care for women giving birth at home,

뜻: destroy completely

obstetricians generally work in a hospital setting.

뜻: physician specializing in delivery of babies

예: The tidal wave obliterated several island villages. 2366. obstinate 2355. oblivion

뜻: stubborn

뜻: forgetfulness

예: We tried to persuade him to give up smoking, but he was

예: Her work had fallen into a state of oblivion; no one bothered to

obstinate and refused to change.

read them. 2367. obstreperous 2356. obloquy

뜻: boisterous; noisy

뜻: slander; disgrace; infamy

예: The crowd became obstreperous and shouted their disapproval

예: I resent the obloquy that you are casting upon my reputation.

of the proposals made by the speaker.

2357. obnoxious

2368. obtrusive

뜻: offensive

뜻: pushing forward

예: I find your behavior obnoxious; please mend your ways.

예: I found her a very obstrusive person, constantly seeking the center of the stage.

2358. obscure

105

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2369. obtuse

the ring.

뜻: blunt; stupid 예: Because he was so obtuse, he could not follow the teacher's

2381. offhand

reasoning and asked foolish questions.

뜻: casual; done without prior thought 예: Expecting to be treated with due propriety by her costs, Great-

2370. obviate

Aunt Maud was offended by their offhand manner.

뜻: make unnecessary; get rid of 예: I hope this contribution will obviate any need for further

2382. officious

collections of funds.

뜻: meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services 예: After her long flight, Jill just wanted to nap, but the officious

2371. occident

bellboy was intent on showing her all the special features of the

뜻: the West

deluxe suite.

예: It will take occident to understand the ways and customs of the orient.

2383. ogle 뜻: glance coquettishly at; make eyes at

2372. occlude

예: Sitting for hours at the sidewalk cafe, the old gentleman would

뜻: shut; close

oggle the young girls and recall his youthful romances.

예: A blood clot occluded an artery to the heart. 2384. olfactory 2373. occult

뜻: concerning the sense of smell

뜻: mysterious; secret; supernatural

예: The olfactory organ is the nose.

예: The occult rites of the organization were revealed only to members.

2385. oligarchy

2374. oculist

예: The feudal oligarchy was supplanted by an autocracy.

뜻: government by a few 뜻: physician who specialized in treatment of the eyes 예: In many states, an oculist is the only one who may apply

2386. ominous

medicinal drops to the eyes for the purpose of examining them.

뜻: threatening 예: Those clouds are ominous; they suggest that a severe storm is

2375. odious

on the way.

뜻: hateful 예: I find the task of punishing you most odious.

2387. omnipotent 뜻: all-powerful

2376. odium

예: The monarch regarded himself as omnipotent and responsible to

뜻: repugnance; dislike

no one for his acts.

예: I cannot express the odium I feel at your heinous actions. 2388. omnipresent 2377. odoriferous

뜻: universally present; ubiquitous

뜻: giving off an odor

예: On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus is omnipotent.

예: The odoriferous spices stimulated her jaded appetite. 2389. omniscient 2378. odorous

뜻: all-knowing

뜻: having an odor

예: I do not pretend to be omniscient, but I am positive about this fact.

예: This variety of hybrid tea rose is more odorous than the one you have in your garden.

2390. omnivorous

2379. odyssey

예: Some animals, including humans, are omnivorous and eat both

뜻: long, evenful journey

meat and vegetables; others are either carnivorous or herbivorous.

뜻: eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything

예: The refugee's journey from Cambodia was a terrifying odyssey. 2391. onerous 2380. offensive

뜻: burdensome

뜻: attacking; insulting; distasteful

예: He asked for an assistant because his work load was too

예: Getting into street brawls is no minor offense for professional

onerous.

boxers, who are required by law to restrict their offensive impulses to

106

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2392. onomatopoeia

2403. optimum

뜻: words formed in imitation of natural sounds

뜻: most favorable

예: Words like "rustle" and "gargle" are illustrations of onomatopoeia.

예: If you wait for the optimum moment to act, you may never begin your project .

2393. onslaught 뜻: vicious assault

2404. optional

예: We suffered many casualties during unexpected onslaght of the

뜻: not compulsory; left to one's choice

enemy troops.

예: I was impressed by the range of optional accessories for my microcomputer that were available.

2394. onus 뜻: burden; responsibility

2405. optometrist

예: The emperor was spared the onus of signing the surrender

뜻: one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects

papers; instead, he relegated the assignment to his generals.

예: Although an optometrist is qualified to treat many eye disorders, she may not use medicinesor surgery in her examinations.

2395. opalescent 뜻: iridescent

2406. opulence

예: The Ancient Mariner admired the opalescent sheen on the water.

뜻: extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance

2396. opaque

away.

예: The glitter and opulence of the ballroom took Cinderella's breath 뜻: dark; not transparent 예: The opaque window kept the sunlight out of the room.

2407. opus 뜻: work

2397. opiate

예: Although many critics hailed his Fifth Symphony, he did not

뜻: sleep producer; deadener of pain

regard it as his major opus.

예: By such opiates, she made the people forget their difficulties and accept their unpleasant circumstances.

2408. oracular 뜻: foretelling; mysterious 예: Oedipus could not understand the oracular warning he received.

2398. opportune 뜻: timely; well chosen 예: You have come at an opportune moment for I need a new

2409. oratorio

secretary.

뜻: dramatic poem set to music 예: The Glee Club decided to present an oratorio during their recital.

2399. opportunist 뜻: individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking

2410. ordain

advantage of circumstances

뜻: command; arrange; consecrate

예: Forget about ethics! He's such an opportunist that he'll vote in

예: The king ordained that no foreigner should be allowed to enter

favor of any deal that will give him a break.

the city.

2400. opprobrium

2411. ordeal

뜻: infamy; vilification

뜻: severe trial or affliction

예: He refused to defend himself against the slander and opprobrium

예: Terry Anderson spoke movingly of his long ordeal as a hostage

hurled against him by the newspapers; he preferred to rely on his

in Lebanon.

record. 2412. ordinance 2401. optician

뜻: decree

뜻: maker and seller of eyeglasses

예: Passing a red light is a violation of a city ordinance.

예: The patient took the prescription given him by his oculist to the optician.

2413. ordination 뜻: ceremony conferring holy orders

2402. optimist

예: The candidate for ordination had to meet with the bishop and the

뜻: person who looks on the bright side

diocean officers before being judged ready to be ordained a deacon.

예: The pessimist says the glass is half-empty; the optimist says it is half-full.

2414. orient 뜻: get one's bearings; adjust

107

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Philip spent his first day in Denver orienting himself to the city.

2425. ostentatious 뜻: showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention

2415. orientation

예: Trump's latest casino in Atlantic City is the most ostentatious

뜻: act of finding oneself in society

gambling place in the East: it easily outglitters its competitors.

예: Freshman orientation provides the incoming students with an opportunity to learn about their new environment and their place in it.

2426. ostracize 뜻: exclude from public favor; ban

2416. orifice

예: As soon as the newspapers carried the story of his connection

뜻: mouthlike opening; small opening

with the criminals, his friends began to ostracize him.

예: The Howe Caverns were discovered when someone observed that a cold wind was issuing from an orifice in the hillside.

2427. oust 뜻: expel; drive out

2417. ornate

예: The world wondered if Aquino would be able to oust Marcos from

뜻: excessively or elaborately decorated

office.

예: Furniture of the Baroque period can be recognized by its ornate carvings.

2428. outlandish 뜻: bizzare; peculiar; unconventional

2418. ornithologist

예: The eccentric professor who engages in markedly outlandish

뜻: scientific student of birds

behavior is a stock figure in novels with an academic setting.

예: Auduborn's drawings of American bird life have been of interest not only to the ornithologists but also to the general public.

2429. outmoded 뜻: no longer stylish; old-fahioned

2419. orthodox

예: Unconcerned about keeping in style, Lenore was perfectly happy

뜻: traditional; conservative in belief

to wear outmoded clothes as long as they were clean and unfrayed.

예: Faced with a problem, he preferred to take an orthodox approach rather than shock anyone.

2430. outskirts 뜻: fringes; outer borders

2420. orthography

예: Living outskirts of Boston, Sarah sometimes felt as if she were

뜻: correct spelling

cut off from the cultural heart of the city.

예: Many of us find English orthography difficult to master because so many of our words are written phonetically.

2431. outspoken 뜻: candid; blunt

2421. oscillate

예: The candidate was too outspoken to be a successful politician;

뜻: vibrate pendulumlike; waver

he had not yet learned to weigh his words carefully.

예: It is interesting to note how public opinion oscillates between the extremes of optimism and pessimism.

2432. outrtip 뜻: surpass; outdo

2422. osseus

예: Jesse Owens easily outstripped his competitors to win the gold

뜻: made of bone; bony

metal at the Olympic Games.

예: The hollow "soft spot" found at the top of the infant's skull gradually closes as new osseus tissue fills in the gap.

2433. outwit

2423. ossify

예: By disguising himself as an old woman, Holmes was able to

뜻: change or harden into bone

outwit his pursuers and escape capture.

뜻: outsmart; trick

예: When he called his opponent a "bonehead," he implied that his adversary's brain had ossified and that he was not capable of clear

2434. ovation

thinking.

뜻: enthusiastic applause 예: When Placido Domingo came on stage in the first act of La

2424. ostensible

Boheme, he was greeted by a tremendous ovation.

뜻: apparent; professed; pretended 예: Although the ostensible purpose of this expedition is to discover

2435. overbearing

new lands, we are really interested in finding new markets for our

뜻: bossy; arrogant; decisively important

products.

예: Certain of her own importance and of the unimportance of everyone else, Lady Bracknell was intolerably overbearing in manner.

108

Barron’s GRE Master Words "In choosing a husband," she said, "good birth is of overbearing

efforts on the part of our research staff.

importance; compared to that, neither wealth nor talent signifi 예: e 2446. palatable 2436. overt

뜻: agreeable; pleasing to the taste

뜻: open to view

예: Neither Jack's underbaked opinions nor his overcooked

예: According to the United States Constitution, a person must

casseroles were palatable to me.

commit an overt act before he may be tried for treason. 2447. palatial 2437. overweening

뜻: magnificent

뜻: presumptuous; arrogant

예: He proudly showed us through his palatial home.

예: His overweening pride in his accomplishments was not justified. 2448. paleontology 2438. overwrought

뜻: study of prehistoric life

뜻: extremely agitated; hysterical

예: The professor of paleontology had a superb collection of fossils.

예: When Kate heard the news of the sudden tragedy, she became too overwrought to work and had to leave the office early.

2449. palette 뜻: board on which a painter mixes pigments

2439. ovoid

예: At the present time, art supply stores are selling a paper palette

뜻: egg-shaped

that may be discarded after use.

예: At Easter she had to cut out hundreds of brightly colored ovoid shapes.

2450. palimpsest 뜻: parchment used for second time after original writing has

2440. overhaul

been erased

뜻: thoroughly examine the condition of and repair if necessary

예: Using chemical reagents, scientists have been able to restore the

예: It is necessary for the engineers of NASA to overhaul the rocket

original writings on many palimpsests.

everyday; otherwise, an incident similar to that of Challenger accident might happen.

2451. pall 뜻: grow tiresome 예: The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep. 2452. pallet 뜻: small, poor bed

P

예: The weary traveler went to sleep on his straw pallet. 2441. pachyderm 뜻: thick-skinned animal

2453. palliate

예: The elephant is probably the best-known pachyderm.

뜻: ease pain; make less severe or offensive 예: If we cannot cure this disease at present, we can, at least try to

2442. pacifist

palliate the symptoms.

뜻: one opposed to force; antimilitarist 예: The pacifists urged that we reduce our military budget and recall

2454. pallid

our troops stationed overseas.

뜻: pale; wan 예: Because his occupation required that he work at night and sleep

2443. pacify

during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion.

뜻: soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue 예: Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to

2455. palpable 뜻: tangible; easily perceptible

pacify them.

예: I cannot understand how you could overlook such a palpable 2444. paean

blunder.

뜻: song of praise or joy 예: paeans celebrating the victory filled the air.

2456. palpitate 뜻: throb; flutter

2445. painstaking

예: As he became excited, his heart began to palpitate more and

뜻: showing hard work; taking great care

more erratically.

예: The new high-frequency word list is the result of painstaking

109

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2457. paltry

2468. parable

뜻: insignificant; petty

뜻: short, simple story teaching a moral

예: This is a paltry sum to pay for such a masterpiece.

예: Let us apply to our own conduct the lesson that this parable teaches.

2458. pan 뜻: criticize harshly

2469. paradigm

예: Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was

뜻: model; example; pattern

miserable when the critics panned it unanimously.

예: Pavlov's experiment in which he trains a dog to salivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of the conditioned-response experiment

2459. panacea

in behavioal psychology.

뜻: cure-all; remedy for all diseases 예: There is no easy panacea that will solve our complicated

2470. paradox

international situation.

뜻: statement that looks false but is actually correct; a contradictory statement

2460. panache

예: Wordworth's "The child is father to the man" is an example of

뜻: flair; flamboyance

paradox.

예: Many performers imitate Noel Coward, but few have his panache and sense of style.

2471. paragon 뜻: model of perfection

2461. pandemic

예: The class disliked him because the teacher was always pointing

뜻: widespread; affecting the majority of people

him out as a paragon of virtue.

예: They feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach pandemic proportions.

2472. parallelism 뜻: state of being parallel; similarity 예: There is a striking parallelism between the twins.

2462. pandemonium 뜻: wild tumult 예: When the ships collided in the harbor, pandemonium broke out

2473. parameter

among the passengers.

뜻: limit; independent variable 예: We need to define the parameters of the problem.

2463. pander 뜻: cater to the low desires of others

2474. paramount

예: The reviewer accused the makers of Lethal Weapon of pandering

뜻: foremost in importance; supreme

to the masses' taste of violence.

예: Proper nutrition and hygiene are of paramount importance in adolescent development and growth.

2464. panegyric 뜻: formal praise

2475. paramour

예: The modest hero blushed to hear the speakers delivering

뜻: illicit lover

panegyrics about his valorous act.

예: She sought a divorce on the grounds that her husband had a paramour in another town.

2465. panoramic 뜻: denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view

2476. paranoia

예: On a clear day, from the top of the World Trade Center you can

뜻: psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution

get a panoramic view of New York City and neighboring stretches of

예: Suffering from paranois, he claimed everyone was out to get him;

New Jersey and Long Island.

ironically, his claim was accurate; even paranoids have enemies.

2466. pantomime

2477. paraphernalia

뜻: acting without dialogue

뜻: equipment; odds and ends

예: Because he worked in pantomime, the clown could be

예: His desk was cluttered with paper, pen, ink, dictionary and other

understood wherever he appeared.

paraphernalia of the writing craft.

2467. papyrus

2478. paraphrase

뜻: ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant

뜻: restate a passage in one's own words while retaining

예: The ancient Egyptians were among the first to write on papyrus.

thought of author 예: In 250 words or less, paraphrase this article.

110

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: His parsimonious nature did not permit him to enjoy any luxuries. 2479. parasite 뜻: animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant

2491. partial

예: The tapeworm is an example of the kind of parasite that may

뜻: incomplete

infest the human body.

예: In this issue we have published only a partial list of contributors because we lack space to acknowledge everyone.

2480. parched 뜻: extremely dry; very thirsty

2492. partial

예: The parched desert landscape seemed hostile to life.

뜻: biased; having a liking for something 예: I am extremely partial to chocolate eclairs.

2481. pariah 뜻: social outcast

2493. partiality

예: I am not a pariah to be shunned and ostracized.

뜻: inclination; bias 예: As a judge, not only must I be unbiased, but I must also avoid

2482. parity

any evidence of partiality when I award the prize.

뜻: equality; close resemblance 예: I find your analogy inaccurate because I do not see the parity

2494. partisan 뜻: one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party

between the two illustrations.

예: On certain issues of conscience, she refused to take a partisan 2483. parlance

stand.

뜻: language; idiom 예: All this legal parlance confuses me; I need an interpreter.

2495. passe 뜻: old-fashioned; past the prime 예: Her style is passe and reminiscent of the Victorian era.

2484. parley 뜻: conference 예: The peace parley has not produced the anticipated truce.

2496. passive 뜻: not active; acted upon

2485. parochial

예: Mahatma Gandhi urged his followers to pursue a program of

뜻: narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes

passive resistance as he felt that it was more effective than violence

예: Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small rural

and acts of terrorism.

communities, her concerns are universal, not parochial. 2497. pastiche 2486. parody

뜻: imitation of another's style in musical composition or in

뜻: humorous imitation; travesty

writing

예: We enjoyed the clever parodies of popular songs that the chorus

예: We cannot even say that her music is a pastiche of this or that

sang.

composer; it is rather, reminiscent of many musicians.

2487. paroxysm

2498. pastoral

뜻: fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage

뜻: rural

예: When he heared of his son's misdeeds, he was seized by a

예: In these stories of pastoral life, we find an understanding of the

paroxysm of rage.

daily tasks of country folk.

2488. parquet

2499. patent

뜻: floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosic-like pattern.

뜻: open for the public to read; obvious

예: In laying the floor, the carpenters combined redwood and oak in

예: It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke the truth.

an elegant parquet. 2500. pathetic 2489. parry

뜻: causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching

뜻: ward off a blow

예: Everyone in the auditorium was weeping by the time he finished

예: He was content to wage a defensive battle and tried to parry his

his pathetic tale about the orphaned boy.

opponent's thrusts. 2501. pathological 2490. parsimonious

뜻: pertaining to disease

뜻: stingy; excessively frugal

예: As we study the pathological aspects of this disease, we must

111

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He could never be a stuffy pedagogue; his classes were always

not overlook the psychological elements.

lively and filled with humor. 2502. pathos 뜻: tender to sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that

2513. pedagogy

produces these feelings.

뜻: teaching; art of education

예: The quiet tone of pathos that ran through the novel never

예: Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in

degenerated into the maudlin or the overly sentimental.

pedagogy, it took years before her teaching techniques became common practice in American schools.

2503. patina 뜻: green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by

2514. pedant

varnished painting

뜻: scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities

예: Judging by the patina on this bronze statue, we can conclude

예: Her insistence that the book be memorized marked the teacher

that this is the work of a medieval artist.

as a pedant rather than a scholar.

2504. patois

2515. pedantic

뜻: local or provincial dialect

뜻: showing off learning; bookish

예: His years of study of the language at the university did not enable

예: Leaving his decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes,

him to understand the patois of the natives.

Judge Walker was not at all pedantic legal scholar.

2505. patriarch

2516. pedestrian

뜻: father and ruler of a family or tribe

뜻: ordinary; unimaginative

예: In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker was the

예: Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of pedestrian

patriarch.

prose.

2506. patrician

2517. pediatrician

뜻: noble; aristocratic

뜻: physician specializing in children's diseases.

예: We greatly admired her well-bred, patrician elegance

예: The family doctor advised the parents to consult a pediatrician about their child's ailment.

2507. patronize 뜻: support; act superior toward

2518. pejorative

예: Experts in a field sometimes appear to patronize people who are

뜻: negative in connotation; having a belittling effect.

less knowledgeable of the subject.

예: Instead of criticizing Clinton's policies, the Republicans made pejorative remarks about his character.

2508. paucity 뜻: scarcity

2519. pellmell

예: They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers

뜻: in confusion; disorderly

made it uneconomical to operate.

예: The excited students dashed pellmell into the stadium to celebrate the victory.

2509. pauper 뜻: very poor person

2520. pellucid

예: Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced income, she was

뜻: transparent; limpid; easy to understand

by no means a pauper.

예: After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his pellucid style very enjoyable.

2510. peccadillo 뜻: slight offense

2521. penance

예: If we examine these escapades carefully, we will realize that they

뜻: self-imposed punishment for sin

are mere peccadilloes rather than major crimes.

예: The Ancient Mariner said, "I have penance done and penance more will do," to atone for the sin of killing the albatross.

2511. pecuniary 뜻: pertaining to money

2522. penchant

예: I never expected a pecuniary reward for my work in this activity.

뜻: strong inclination; liking 예: He had a strong penchant for sculpture and owned many statues.

2512. pedagogue 뜻: teacher

2523. pendant

112

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: hanging down from something

예: Praying for salvation, young Daedalus feared he was damned to

예: Her pendant earrings glistened in the light.

eternal perdition.

2524. pendant

2535. peregrination

뜻: ornament (hanging from a necklace, etc.)

뜻: journey

예: The grateful team presented the coach with a silver chain and

예: Auntie Mame was a world traveler whose peregrinations took her

pendant engraved with the school's motto.

from Tiajuana to Timbuctoo.

2525. pendulous

2536. peremptory

뜻: hanging; suspended

뜻: demanding and leaving no choice

예: The pendulous chandeliers swayed in the breeze as if they were

예: From Jack's peremptory knock on the door, Jill could tell he

about to fall from the ceiling.

would not give up until she let him in.

2526. penitent

2537. perennial

뜻: repentant

뜻: something long-lasting

예: When he realized the enormity of his crime, he became

예: Tese plants are hardy perennials and will bloom for many years.

remorseful and penitent. 2538. perifidious 2527. pensive

뜻: treacherous; disloyal

뜻: dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness

예: When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he

예: The pensive youth gazed at the painting for a long time and then

reproached his perfidious friend.

sighed. 2539. perforate 2528. penumbra

뜻: pierce; put a hole through

뜻: partial shadow (in an eclipse)

예: Before you can open the aspirin bottle, you must first perforate

예: During an eclipse, we can see an area of total darkness and a

the plastic safety seal that covers the cap.

lighter area, which is the penumbra. 2540. perfunctory 2529. penurious

뜻: superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or

뜻: stingy; parsimonious

enthusiasm

예: He was a penurious man, averse to spending money even for the

예: The auditor's perfunctory inspection of the books overlooked

necessities of life.

many errors.

2530. penury

2541. perigee

뜻: extreme poverty

뜻: point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth

예: When his pension fund failed, George feared he would end his

예: The rocket which was designed to take photographs of the moon

days in penury.

was launched as the moon approached its perigee.

2531. peon

2542. perimeter

뜻: landless agricultural worker; bond servant

뜻: outer boundary

예: The land reformers sought to liberate the peons and establish

예: To find the perimeter of any quadrilateral, we add the lengths of

them as independent farmers.

the four sides.

2532. perceptive

2543. peripatetic

뜻: insightful; aware; wise

뜻: walking about; moving

예: Although Maud was a generally perceptive critic, she had her

예: The peripatetic school of philosophy derives its name from the

blind sports: she could never see flaws in the work of her friends.

fact that Aristotle walked with his pupils while discussing philosophy with them.

2533. percussion 뜻: striking one object against another sharply

2544. peripheral

예: The drum is a percussion instrument.

뜻: marginal; outer 예: We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral

2534. perdition

suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of the great city.

뜻: damnation; complete ruin

113

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2545. periphery

misinterpretation.

뜻: edge, especially of a round surface 예: He sensed that there was something just beyond the periphery of

2557. pert

his vision.

뜻: impertinent; forward 예: I think your pert and impudent remarks call for an apology.

2546. perjury 뜻: false testimony while under oath

2558. pertinacious

예: When several witnesses appeared to challenge his story, he was

뜻: stubborn; persistent

indicted for perjury.

예: He is bound to succeed because his pertinacious nature will not permit him to quit.

2547. permeable 뜻: porous; allowing passage through

2559. pertinent

예: Glass is permeable to light.

뜻: suitable; to the point 예: The lawyer wanted to know all the pertinent details.

2548. pernicious 뜻: very destructive, harmful

2560. perturb

예: He argued that these books had a pernicious effect on young and

뜻: disturb greatly

susceptible minds.

예: I am afraid this news will perturb him and cause him grief.

2549. peroration

2561. perusal

뜻: conclusion of an oration

뜻: reading

예: The peroration was largely hortatory and brought the audience to

예: I am certain that you have missed important details in your rapid

its feet clamoring for action at its close.

perusal of this document.

2550. perpetrate

2562. pervasive

뜻: commit an offense

뜻: spread throughout

예: Only an insane person could perpetrate such a horrible crime.

예: Despite airing them for several hours, she could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odor of mothbals that clung to them.

2551. perpetual 뜻: everlasting

2563. perverse

예: Ponce de Leon hoped to find perpetual youth.

뜻: stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and unacceptable 예: When Hannibal Lecter was in a perverse mood, he ate the flesh

2552. perquisite

of his victims.

뜻: any gain above stipulated salary 예: The perquisites attached to this job make it even more attractive

2564. perversion

than the salary indicates.

뜻: corruption; turning from right to wrong 예: Inasmuch as he had no motive for his crimes, we could not

2553. personable

understand his perversion.

뜻: attractive 예: The man I am seeking to fill this position must be personable

2565. pessimism

since he will be representing us before the public.

뜻: belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess 예: The good news we have been receiving lately indicates that there

2554. perspicacious

is little reason for your pessimism.

뜻: having insight; penetrating; astute 예: The brillant lawyer was known for his perspicacious deductions.

2566. pestilential 뜻: causing plague; baneful 예: People were afraid to explore the pestilential swap.

2555. perspicuity 뜻: clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity 예: One of the outstanding features of this book is the perspicuity of

2567. pestle

its author; her meaning is always clear.

뜻: tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl 예: From the way in which the elderly pharmacist pounded the drug

2556. perspicuous

with his pestle, young George could tell that his employer was

뜻: plainly expressed

agitated about something.

예: Her perspicuous comments eliminated all posibility of

114

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2568. petrify

face of sudden emergencies.

뜻: turn to stone 예: His sudden and unexpected appearance seemed to petrify her.

2579. phobia 뜻: morbid fear

2569. petty

예: Her fear of flying was more than mere nervousness; it was a real

뜻: trivial; unimportant; very small

phobia.

예: She had no major complaints to make about his work, only a few petty quibbles that were almost too minor to state.

2580. physiognomy 뜻: face

2570. petulant

예: He prided himself on his ability to analyze a person's character

뜻: touchy; peevish

by studying his physiognomy.

예: The feverish patient was petulant and restless. 2581. physiological 2571. pharisaical

뜻: pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms

뜻: pertaining to Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to

예: To understand this disease fully, we must examine not only its

tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical

physiological aspects but also its psychological elements.

예: Walter Lippmann has pointed out that moralists who do not attempt to explain the moral code they advocate are often regarded

2582. piebald

as pharisaical and ignored.

뜻: of different colors; motled; spotted 예: You should be able to identify Polka Dot in this race; he is the

2572. phenomena

only piebald horse running.

뜻: observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation 예: We kept careful records of the phenomena we noted in the

2583. pied

course of these experiments.

뜻: variegated; multicolored 예: The pied piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored

2573. philanderer

clothing he wore.

뜻: faithless lover; flirt 예: Swearing he had never so much as looked at another woman,

2584. piety

Jack assured Jill he was no philanderer.

뜻: devoutness; reverence for God 예: Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa

2574. philanthropist

exemplifies the true sprit of piety.

뜻: lover of mankind; doer of good 예: As he grew older, he became famous as a philanthropist and

2585. pigment

benefactor of the needy.

뜻: coloring matter 예: Van Gogh mixed various pigments with linseed oil to create his

2575. philatelist

paints.

뜻: stamp-collector 예: When she heard the value of the Penny Black stamp, Phyllis was

2586. pillage

inspired to become a philatelist.

뜻: plunder 예: The enemy pillaged the quiet village and left it in ruins.

2576. philistine 뜻: narrow-minded person, uncultured and exculsively

2587. pillory

interested in material gain

뜻: punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism

예: We need more men of culture and enlightenment; we have too

and ridicule

many philistines among us.

예: Even though he was mocked and pilloried, he maintained that he was correct in his beliefs.

2577. philology 뜻: study of language

2588. pine

예: The professor of philology advocated the use of Esperanto as an

뜻: languish, decline; long for, yearn

international language.

예: Though she tried to be happy living with Clara in the city, Heidi pined for the mountains and for her gruff but loving grandfather.

2578. phlegmatic 뜻: calm; not easily disturbed

2589. pinion

예: The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person, unexcited in the

뜻: restrain

115

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: They pinioned his arms against his body but left his legs free so

rested.

that he could move about. 2601. plagiarize 2590. pinnacle

뜻: steal another's ideas and pass them off as one's own

뜻: peak

예: The editor could tell that the writer had plagiarized parts of the

예: We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle while

article; he could recognize whole paragraphs from the original

the rest of the mountain lay in shadow.

source.

2591. pious

2602. plaintive

뜻: devout

뜻: mournful

예: The pious parents gave their children a religious upbringing.

예: The dove has a plaintive and melancholy call

2592. piquant

2603. plasticity

뜻: pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulating

뜻: ability to be molded

예: The piquant sauce added to our enjoyment of the meal.

예: When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity and becomes less malleable.

2593. pique 뜻: irritation; resentment

2604. platitude

예: She showed her pique by her refusal to appear with the other

뜻: trite remark; commonplace statement

contestants at the end of the contest.

예: The platitudes in his speech were applauded by the vast majority in his audience; only a few people perceived how trite his remarks

2594. piscatorial

were.

뜻: pertaining to fishing 예: He spent many happy hours at the lake in his piscatorial activities.

2605. platonic 뜻: purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire

2595. pithy

예: Accused of impropriety in his dealings with female students, the

뜻: concise; meaty

professor maintained he had only a platonic interest in the women

예: I enjoy reading his essays because they are always compact and

involved.

pithy. 2606. plauditory 뜻: approving; applauding

2596. pittance 뜻: a small allowance or wage

예: The theatrical company reprinted the plauditory comments of the

예: He could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and

critics in its advertisement.

had to look for an additional source of revenue. 2607. plausible 2597. pivotal

뜻: having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious

뜻: central; critical

예: Even though your argument is plausible, I still would like to have

예: De Klerk's decision to set Nelson Mandela free was pivotal;

more proof.

without Mandela's release, there was no possibility that the African National Cogress would entertain talks with the South African

2608. plebeian

government.

뜻: common; pertaining to the common people 예: His speeches were aimed at the plebeian minds and emotions;

2598. placate

they disgusted the more refined.

뜻: pacify; conciliate 예: The teacher tried to placate the angry mother.

2609. plenary 뜻: complete; full

2599. placebo

예: The union leader was given plenary power to negotiate a new

뜻: harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill

contract with the employers.

예: In a controlled experiment, fifty volunteers were given erythromycin tablets; the control group received only placebos.

2610. plenitude 뜻: abundance; completeness

2600. placid

예: Looking in the pantry, we admired the plenitude of fruits and

뜻: peaceful; calm

pickles we had preserved during the summer.

예: After his vacation in this placid section, he felt soothed and

116

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2611. plethora

2622. polemic

뜻: excess; overabundance

뜻: controversy; argument in support of point of view

예: She offered a plethora of excuses for her shortcomings.

예: Her essays were, for the main part, polemics for the party's policy.

2612. pliable

2623. politic

뜻: flexible; yielding; adaptable

뜻: expedient; prudent; well devised

예: In remodeling the bathroom, we replaced all the old, rigid lead

예: Even though he was disappointed, he did not think it politic to

pipes with new, pliable copper tubing.

refuse the offer.

2613. pliant

2624. polity

뜻: flexible; easily influenced

뜻: form of government of nation or state

예: Catherine's disposition was pliant; she was like putty in her

예: Our polity should be devoted to the concept that the government

suitor's hands.

should strive for the good of all citizens.

2614. pluck

2625. polygamist

뜻: courage

뜻: one who has more than one spouse at a time

예: Even the adversaries of young Indiana Jones were impressed by

예: He was arrested as a polygamist when his two wives filed

the boy's pluck in trying to rescue the archeological treasure they

complaints about him.

had stolen. 2626. polyglot 뜻: speaking several languages

2615. plumb 뜻: vertical

예: New York City is a polyglot community because of the thousands

예: Before hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a plumb line from

of immigrants who settle there.

the ceiling as a guide. 2627. pomposity 2616. plummet

뜻: self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt

뜻: fall sharply

예: Although the commencement speaker had some good things to

예: Stock prices plummeted as Wall Street reacted to the rise in

say, we had to laugh at his pomposity and general air of parading his

interest rates.

own dignity.

2617. plutocracy

2628. ponderous

뜻: society ruled by the wealthy

뜻: weighty; unwieldy

예: From the way the government caters to the rich, you might think

예: His humor lacked the light touch; his jokes were always

our society is a plutocracy rather than a democracy.

ponderous.

2618. podiatrist

2629. pontifical

뜻: doctor who treats ailments of the feet

뜻: pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious

예: He consulted a podiatrist about his fallen arches.

예: From the very beginning of his ministry it was clear from his pontifical pronouncements that John was destined for a high

2619. podium

pontifical office.

뜻: pedestal; raised platform 예: The audience applauded as the conductor made his way to the

2630. pore

podium.

뜻: study industriously; ponder; scrutinize 예: Determined to become a physician, Beth spends hours poring

2620. poignancy

over her anatomy text.

뜻: quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion 예: Watching the tearful reunion of the long-separated mother and

2631. porous

child, the social worker was touched by the poignancy of the scene.

뜻: full of pores; like a sieve 예: Dancers like to wear porous clothing because it allows the ready

2621. polarize

passage of water and air.

뜻: split into opposite extremes or camps 예: The abortion issue has polarized the country into pro-choice and

2632. portend

anti-abortion camps.

뜻: foretell; presage 예: The king did not know what these omens might portend and

117

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: expressing possibility; latent

asked his soothsayers to interpret them.

예: The juvenile delinquent is a potential murderer. 2633. portent 뜻: sign; omen; forewarning

2644. potion

예: He regarded the black cloud as a portent of evil.

뜻: dose (of liquid) 예: Tristan and Lsolde drink a love potion in the first act of the opera.

2634. portly 뜻: stout; corpulent

2645. potpourri

예: The salesclerk tactfully referred to the overweight customer as

뜻: heterogeneous mixture; medley

portly rather than fat.

예: He offered a potpourri of folk songs from many lands.

2635. poseur

2646. poultice

뜻: person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to

뜻: soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions

impress others

of the body

예: Some thought Dali was a brillant painter; others dismissed him as

예: He was advised to apply a flaxseed poultice to the inflammation.

a poseur. 2647. practicable 2636. posterity

뜻: feasible

뜻: descendants; future generations

예: The board of directors decided that the plan was practicable and

예: We hope to leave a better world to posterity.

agreed to undertake the project.

2637. posthumous

2648. practical

뜻: after death (as of child born after father's death or book

뜻: based on experience; useful

published after author's death)

예: He was a practical man, opposed to theory

예: The critics ignored his works during his lifetime; it was only after the posthumous publication of his last novel that they recognized his

2649. pragmatic

great talent.

뜻: practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something

2638. postulate

예: This coming trip to France should provide me with a pragmatic

뜻: self-evident truth

test of the value of my conversational French class.

예: We must accept these statements as postulates before pursuing our discussions any further.

2650. pragmatist 뜻: practical person

2639. posture

예: No pragmatist enjoys becoming involved in a game that he can

뜻: assume an affected pose; act artificially

never win

예: No matter how much Arnold boasted or postured, I could not believe he was as important as he pretended to be.

2651. prate 뜻: speak foolishly; boast idly

2640. potable

예: Let us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak

뜻: suitable for drinking

for themselves.

예: The recent drought in the Middle Atlantic States has emphasized the need for extensive research in ways of making sea water potable.

2652. prattle 뜻: babble 예: The children prattle endlessly about their new toys.

2641. potent 뜻: powerful; persuasive; greatly influential 예: The jury was swayed by the highly potent testimony of the

2653. preamble

crime's sole eyewitness.

뜻: introductory statement

2642. potentate

is set forth.

예: In the preamble to the Constitution, the purpose of the document 뜻: monarch; sovereign 예: The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at

2654. precarious

home on his throne.

뜻: uncertain; risky 예: I think this stock is a precarious investment and advise against its

2643. potential

purchase.

118

Barron’s GRE Master Words

2655. precedent

2666. predatory

뜻: something preceding in time that may be used as an

뜻: plundering

authority or guide for future action

예: The hawk is a predatory bird.

예: This decision sets a precedent for future cases of a similar nature. 2667. predecessor 2656. precedent

뜻: former occupant of a post

뜻: preceding in time, rank, etc.

예: I hope I can live up to the fine example set by my late

예: Our discussions, precedent to this event, certainly did not give

predecessor in this office.

you any reason to believe that we would adopt your proposal. 2668. predilection 2657. precept

뜻: partiality; preference

뜻: practical rule guiding conduct

예: Although the artist used various media from time to time, she had

예: "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is a worthwhile precept.

a predilection for watercolors.

2658. precipice

2669. preeminent

뜻: cliff; dangerous position

뜻: outstanding; superior

예: Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from the edge of

예: The king traveled to Boston because he wanted the preeminent

a precipice.

surgeon in the field to perform the operation.

2659. precipitate

2670. preempt

뜻: headlong; rash

뜻: head off; forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself;

예: Do not be precipitate in this matter; investigate further.

supplant 예: Hoping to preempt any attempts by the opposition to make

2660. precipitate

educational reform a hot political issue, the candidate set out her

뜻: throw headlong; hasten

own plan to revitalize the public schools.

예: The removal of American political support appeared to have precipitated the downfall of the Marcos regime.

2671. preen 뜻: make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction

2661. precipitous

예: As Kitty preened before the mirror, carefully smoothing her

뜻: steep; overhasty

shining hair, she couldn't help preening herself on her good looks.

예: This hill is difficult to climb because it is so precipitous; one slip, and our descent will be precipitous as well.

2672. prefactory

2662. precise

예: The chairman made a few prefactory remarks before he called on

뜻: exact

the first speaker.

뜻: introductory

예: If you don't give me precise directions and a map, I'll never find your place.

2673. prehensile 뜻: capable of grasping or holding

2663. preclude

예: Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also their

뜻: make impossible; eliminate

prehensile tails in traveling through the trees.

예: This contract does not preclude my being employed by others at the same time that I am working for you.

2674. prelate

2664. precocious

예: The archbishop of Moscow and other high-ranking prelates

뜻: advanced in development

visited the Russian Orthodox seminary.

뜻: church dignitary

예: By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was precocious.

2675. prelude 뜻: introduction; forerunner

2665. precursor

예: I am afraid that this border raid is the prelude to more serious

뜻: forerunner

attacks.

예: Though Gray and Burns share many traits with the Romantic poets who followed them, most critics consider them precursors of

2676. premeditate

the Romantic Movement, not true Romantics.

뜻: plan in advance

119

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: She had premeditated the murder for months, reading about

2687. presumptous

common poisons and buying weed killer that contained arsenic.

뜻: arrogant; taking liberties 예: It seems presumptous for one so relatively new to the field to

2677. premise

challenge the conclusions of its leading experts.

뜻: assumption; postulate 예: Because Jack had based his argument upon a faulty premise, his

2688. pretentious

opponent cheerfully pointed out the holes in his logic.

뜻: ostentatious; ambitious 예: I do not feel that your limited resources will permit you to carry

2678. premonition

out such a pretentious program.

뜻: forewarning 예: We ignored these premonitions of disaster because they

2689. preternatural 뜻: beyond that which is normal in nature

appeared to be based on childish fears.

예: John's mother's total ability to tell when he was lying struck him 2679. premonitory

as almost preternatural.

뜻: serving to warn 예: You should have visited a doctor as soon as you felt these

2690. pretext

premonitory chest pains.

뜻: excuse 예: He looked for a good pretext to get out of paying a visit to his

2680. preponderance

aunt.

뜻: superiority of power, quantity, etc. 예: The rebels sought to overcome the preponderance of strength of

2691. prevail 뜻: induce; triumph over

the government forces by engaging in guerrilla tactics.

예: He tried to prevail on her to type his essays for him. 2681. preposterous 뜻: absurd; ridiculous

2692. prevalent

예: When the candidate tried to downplay his youthful experiments

뜻: widespread; generally accepted

with marijuana by saying he hadn't inhaled, we all thought, "What a

예: A radical committed to social change, Reed had no patience with

preposterous excuse!"

the conservative views prevalent in the America of his day.

2682. prerogative

2693. prevaricate

뜻: privilege; unquestionable right

뜻: lie

예: The President cannot levy taxes; that is the prerogative of the

예: Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is

legislative branch of government.

justifiable and regard the statement as a "white lie."

2683. presage

2694. prey

뜻: foretell

뜻: target of a hunt; victim

예: The vultures flying overhead presaged the discovery of the

예: In Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons has as his prey

corpse in the desert.

not wild beasts but wild plants.

2684. prescience

2695. prim

뜻: ability to foretell the future

뜻: very precise and formal; exceedingly proper

예: Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does not take

예: Many people commented on the contrast between the prim attire

prescience for me to foresee problems in our future trade relations

of the young lady and the inappropriate clothing worn by her escort.

with Japan. 2696. primogeniture 2685. presentiment

뜻: seniority by birth

뜻: premonition; foreboding

예: By virtue of primogeniture, in some cultures the first-born child

예: Hamlet felt a presentiment about his meeting with Laertes.

has many privileges denied his brothers and sisters.

2686. prestige

2697. primordial

뜻: impression produced by achievements or reputation

뜻: existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary

예: The wealthy man sought to obtain social prestige by contributing

예: The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors.

to popular charities. 2698. primp

120

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: dress or groom oneself with care

뜻: enormous; marvelous

예: She primps for hours before a dance.

예: He marveled at her prodigious appetite when he saw all the food she ate.

2699. pristine 뜻: characteristic of earlier times; primitive, unspoiled

2711. prodigy

예: This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness.

뜻: highly gifted child; marvel 예: Menuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders on his violin when

2700. privation

he was barely eight years old.

뜻: hardship; want 예: In his youth, he knew hunger and privation.

2712. profane 뜻: violate; desecrate

2701. privy

예: Tourists are urged not to profane the sanctity of holy places by

뜻: secret; hidden; not public

wearing improper garb.

예: We do not care for privy chamber of government. 2713. profilgate 2702. probe

뜻: dissipated; wasteful; licentious

뜻: explore with tools

예: In this profilgate company, she lost all sense of decency.

예: The surgeon probed the wound for foreign matter before suturing it.

2714. profound 뜻: deep; not superficial; complete

2703. probity

예: Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his

뜻: uprightness; incorruptibility

fellow scientists to honor him as a profound thinker.

예: Everyone took his probity for granted; his defalcations, therefore, shocked us all.

2715. profusion 뜻: lavish expenditure; overabundant condition

2704. problematic

예: Seldom have I seen food and drink served in such profusion as

뜻: perplexing; unsettled: questionable

at the wedding feast.

예: Given the many areas of conflict still awaiting resolution, the outcome of the peace talks remains problematic.

2716. progenitor

2705. proclivity

예: The Roth family, whose progenitors emigrated from Germany

뜻: inclination; natural tendency

early in the nineteenth century, settled in Peru, Illinois.

뜻: ancestor

예: The cross old lady has a proclivity to grumble. 2717. progeny 2706. procrastinate

뜻: children; offspring

뜻: postpone; delay

예: He was proud of his progeny but regarded George as the most

예: It is wise not to procrastinate; otherwise, we find ourselves

promising of all his children.

bogged down in a mass of work that should have been finished long ago.

2718. prognosis

2707. procurement

예: If the doctor's prognosis is correct, the patient will be in a coma

뜻: obtaining

for at least twenty-four hours.

뜻: forecasted course of a disease; prediction

예: The personnel department handles the procurement of new employees.

2719. prognosticate 뜻: predict 예: I prognosticate disaster unless we change our wasteful ways.

2708. prod 뜻: poke; stir up; urge 예: If you prod him hard enough, he'll eventually clean his room.

2720. projectile 뜻: missile

2709. prodigal

예: Man has always hurled projectiles at his enemy whether in the

뜻: wasteful; reckless with money

form of stones or of highly explosive shells.

예: The prodigal son squandered his inheritance. 2721. proletarian 뜻: member of the working class

2710. prodigious

121

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The aristocrats feared mob rule and gave the right to vote only to the wealthy, thus depending the proletarians of a voice in

2732. propagate

government.

뜻: multiply; spread 예: Since bacteria propagate more quickly in unsanitary

2722. proliferate

environments, it is important to keep hospital rooms clean.

뜻: grow rapidly; spread; multiply 예: Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage countless get-

2733. propellant

rich-quick schemes to proliferate

뜻: substance that propels or drives forward 예: The development of our missile program has forced our scientists

2723. prolific

to seek more powerful propellants.

뜻: abundantly fruitful 예: She was a prolific writer who produced as many as three books a

2734. propensity

year.

뜻: natural inclination

2724. prolix

belittle the talents of others.

예: Convinced of his own talent, Sol has an unfortunate propensity to 뜻: verbose; drawn out 예: Her prolix arguments irritated and bored the jury.

2735. prophetic 뜻: having to do with predicting the future

2725. prolong

예: In interpreting Pharaoh's prophetic dream, Joseph said that the

뜻: extend; draw out; lengthen

seven fat cows eaten by the seven lean cows represented seven

예: In their determination to discover ways to prolong human life,

years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.

doctors fail to take into account that longer lives are not always happier ones.

2736. prophylactic 뜻: used to prevent disease

2726. prominent

예: Despite all prophylactic measures introduced by the authorities,

뜻: conspicuous; notable; protruding

the epidemic raged until cool weather set in.

예: Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles's prominent ears make him resemble the big-eared character in Mad comics?

2737. propinquity 뜻: nearness; kinship

2727. promiscuous

예: Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere

뜻: mixed indiscriminately; haphazard; irregular, particularly

propinquity: they were more than relatives; they were true friends.

sexually 예: In the opera La Boheme, we get a picture of the promiscuous life

2738. propitiate 뜻: appease

led by the young artists of Paris.

예: The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods. 2728. promontory 뜻: headland

2739. propitious

예: They erected a lighthouse on the promontory to warn

뜻: favorable; kindly

approaching ships of their nearness to the shore.

예: I think it is advisable that we wait for a more propitious occasion to announce our plans; this is not a good time.

2729. prompt 뜻: cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor

2740. proponent

예: Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece of cake when

뜻: person who supports or proposes (an idea)

you're on a diet?

예: After the bill had been amended and re-amended in committee, even its original proponents didn't want to vote in its favor.

2730. promulgate 뜻: make known by official proclamation or publication

2741. propound

예: As soon as the Civil Service Commission promulgates the names

뜻: put forth for analysis

of the successful candidates, we shall begin to hire members of our

예: In you discussion, you have propounded several questions; let us

staff.

consider each one separately.

2731. prone

2742. propriety

뜻: inclined to; prostrate

뜻: fitness; correct conduct

예: She was prone to sudden fits of anger.

예: I want you to behave at this dinner with propriety; don't embarass

122

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The crude typewriter on display in this museum is the prototype

me.

of the elaborate machines in use today. 2743. propulsive 뜻: driving forward

2754. protract

예: The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than the engine-

뜻: prolong

driven plane.

예: Seeking to delay the union members' vote, the management team tried to protract the negotiations endlessly, but the union

2744. prosaic

representatives saw through their strategy.

뜻: dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual 예: Though the ad writers had come up with a highly creative

2755. protrude

campaign to publicize the company's newest product, the head office

뜻: stick out

rejected it for a more prosaic, down-to-earth approach.

예: His fingers protruded from the holes in his gloves.

2745. proscenium

2756. protuberance

뜻: part of stage in front of curtain

뜻: protrusion; bulge

예: In the theater-in-the-round there can be no proscenium or

예: A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor (generally benign) that

proscenium arch.

develops near a joint membrane or tendon sheath, and that bulges beneath the skin, forming a protuberance.

2746. proscribe 뜻: ostracize; banish; outlaw

2757. provenance

예: Antony, Octavius and Lepidus proscribed all those who had

뜻: origin or source of something 예: I am not interested in its provenance; I am more concerned with

conspired against Julius Caesar.

its usefulness than with its source. 2747. proselytize 뜻: induce someone to convert to religion or belief

2758. provender

예: In these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to

뜻: dry food; fodder

proselytize; we must respect all points of view.

예: I am afraid of a severe winter because I have stored a large quantity of provender for the cattle.

2748. prosody 뜻: the art of versification

2759. provident

예: This book on prosody contains a rhyming dictionary as well as

뜻: displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies

samples of the various verse forms.

예: In his usual provident manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss.

2749. prosperity 뜻: good fortune; financial success; physical well-being

2760. provincial

예: Promising to stay together "for richer, for poorer," the newlyweds

뜻: pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated

vowed to be true to one another in prosperity and hardship alike.

예: As provincial governor, Sir Henry administered the Queen's law in his remote corner of Canada.

2750. prostrate 뜻: stretch out full on ground

2761. provisional

예: He prostrated himself before the idol.

뜻: tentative 예: The appointment is provisional; only on the approval of the board

2751. protean

of directors will it be made permanent.

뜻: versatile; able to take on many forms 예: A remarkably protean actor, Alec Guinness could take on any

2762. proviso 뜻: stipulation

role.

예: I am ready to accept your proposal with the two proviso that you 2752. protocol

meet your obligations within the next two weeks.

뜻: diplomatic etiquette 예: We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to

2763. provoke

avoid offending any of our guests.

뜻: stir up anger; cause retaliation 예: In order to prevent a sudden outbreak of hostilities, we must not

2753. prototype

provoke our foe.

뜻: original work used as a model by others

123

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2764. proximity

Muhammed Ali.

뜻: nearness 예: The deer sensed the hunter's proximity and bounded away.

2776. pugnacious

2765. proxy

예: As a child he was pugnacious and fought with everyone.

뜻: combative; disposed to fight 뜻: authorized agent 예: Please act as my proxy and vote for this slate of candidates in

2777. puissant

my absence.

뜻: powerful; strong; potent 예: We must keep his friendship for he will make a puissant ally.

2766. prude 뜻: excessively modest or proper person

2778. pulchritude

예: The X-rated film was definitely not for prudes.

뜻: beauty; comeliness 예: I do not envy the judges who have to select this year's Miss

2767. prudent

America from this collection of female pulchritude.

뜻: cautious; careful 예: A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he

2779. pulmonary

is greedy.

뜻: pertaining to the lungs

2768. prune

facts about the lungs of animals and human beings.

예: In his researches on pulmonary diseases, he discovered many 뜻: cut away; trim 예: With the help of her editor, she was able to prune her manuscript

2780. pulsate

into publishable form.

뜻: throb 예: We could see the blood vessels in his temple pulsate as he

2769. pseudonym

became more angry.

뜻: pen name 예: Samuel Clemens' pseudonym was Mark Twain.

2781. pulverize 뜻: crush or grind into very small particles

2770. psychiatrist

예: Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew, Michael first

뜻: a doctor who treats mental diseases

pulverized them into a fine powder.

예: A psychiatrist often needs long conferences with his patient before a diagnosis can be made.

2782. pummel

2771. psychopathic

예: The severity with which he was pummeled was indicated by the

뜻: pertaining to mental derangement

bruises he displayed on his head and face.

뜻: beat

예: The psychopathic patient suffers more frequently from a disorder of the nervous system than from a diseased brain.

2783. punctilious 뜻: laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise

2772. psychosis

예: We must be punctilious in our planning of this affair, for any error

뜻: mental disorder

may be regarded as a personal affront.

예: We must endeavor to find an outlet for the patient's repressed desires if we hope to combat this psychosis.

2784. pundit 뜻: learned Hindu; any learned person; authority on a subject

2773. pterodactyl

예: Even though he discourses on the matter like a pundit, he is

뜻: extinct flying reptile

actually rather ignorant about this topic.

예: The remains of pterodactyls indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet.

2785. pungency 뜻: sharpness; stinging quality 예: The pungency of the cigarette smoke made me cough.

2774. puerile 뜻: childish 예: His puerile pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends.

2786. punitive 뜻: punishing 예: He asked for punitive measures against the offender.

2775. pugilist 뜻: boxer 예: The famous pugilist Cassius Clay changed his name to

2787. puny

124

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: insignificant; tiny; weak 예: Our puny efforts to stop the flood were futile.

2799. prohibitive 뜻: extremely high (of prices etc.) 예: The super computer's price was prohibitive.

2788. purchase 뜻: firm grasp or footing 예: The mountaineer struggled to get a proper purchase on the slippery rock.

Q

2789. purgatory 뜻: place of spiritual expiation 예: In this purgatory, he could expect no help from his comrades.

2800. quack 뜻: charlatan; impostor

2790. purge

예: Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this quack; he

뜻: clean by removing impurities; clear of changes

cannot cure you.

예: If you are to be purged of the charge of contempt of Congress, 2801. quadruped

you must be willing to answer the questions previously asked.

뜻: four-footed animal 예: Most mammals are quadrupeds.

2791. purport 뜻: intention; meaning 예: If the purport of your speech was to arouse the rabble, you

2802. quaff

succeeded admirably.

뜻: drink with relish 예: As we quaffed our ale, we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern.

2792. purveyor 뜻: furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer 예: As purveyor of rare wines and viands, he traveled through

2803. quagmire

France and Italy every year in search of new products to sell.

뜻: soft, wet, boggy land; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself

2793. pusillanimous

예: Up to her knees in mud, Myra wondered how on earth she was

뜻: cowardly; fainthearted

going to extricate herself from this quagmire.

예: You should be ashamed of your pusillanimous conduct during 2804. quail

this dispute.

뜻: cower; lose heart 예: He was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger.

2794. putative 뜻: supposed; reputed 예: Although there are some doubts, the putative author of this work

2805. quaint

is Massinger.

뜻: odd; old-fashioned; picturesque 예: Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric.

2795. putrid 뜻: foul; rotten; decayed 예: The gangrenous condition of the wound was indicated by the

2806. qualified

putrid smell when the bandages were removed.

뜻: limited; restricted 예: Unable to give the candidate full support, the mayor gave him only a qualified endorsement.

2796. pyromaniac 뜻: person with an insane desire to set things on fire 예: The detectives searched the area for the pyromaniac who had

2807. qualms

set these costly fires.

뜻: misgivings 예: His qualms of conscience had become so great that he decided to abandon his plans.

2797. pyre 뜻: heap of combustible material, esp. for burning a corpse. 예: The mortician put pyre on the corpse before burning a corpse.

2808. quandary 뜻: dilemma

2798. pest

예: When the two colleges to which he had applied accepted him, he

뜻: troublesome or annoying person

was in a quandary as to which one he should attend.

예: He was a pest; always bothering people.

125

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2809. quarantine

pervaded the valley.

뜻: isolation of a person, place, or ship to prevent spread of infection

2821. quintessence

예: We will have to place this house under quarantine until we

뜻: purest and highest embodiment

determine the nature of the disease.

예: Noel Coward displayed the quintessence of wit.

2810. quarry

2822. quip

뜻: victim; object of a hunt

뜻: taunt

예: The police closed in on their quarry.

예: You are unpopular because you are too free with your quips and sarcastic comments.

2811. quarry 뜻: dig into

2823. quirk

예: They quarried blocks of marble out of the hillside.

뜻: startling twise; caprice 예: By a quirk of fate, he found himself working for the man whom he

2812. quash

had discharged years before.

뜻: subdue; crush; squash 예: The authorities acted quickly to quash the student rebellion,

2824. quisling 뜻: traitor who aids invaders

sending in tanks to cow the demonstrators.

예: In his conquest of Europe, Hitler was aided by the quislings who 2813. quay

betrayed their own people and served in the puppet governments

뜻: dock; landing place

established by the Nazis.

예: Because of the captain's carelessness, the ship crashed into the quay.

2825. quiver 뜻: case for arrows

2814. queasy

예: Robin Hood reached back and plucked one last arrow from his

뜻: easily nauseated; squeamish

quiver.

예: As the ship left the harbor, he became queasy and thought that he was going to suffer from seasickness.

2826. quixotic 뜻: idealistic but impractical

2815. quell

예: His head is in the clouds; he is constantly presenting these

뜻: put down; quiet

quixotic schemes.

예: The police used fire hoses and teat gas to quell the rioters. 2827. quizzical 2816. querulous

뜻: bantering; comical; humorously serious

뜻: fretful; whining

예: Will Rogers' quizzical remarks endeared him to his audiences.

예: His classmates were repelled by his querulous and complaining statements.

2828. quorum 뜻: number of members necessary to conduct a meeting

2817. queue

예: The senator asked for a roll call to determine whether a quorum

뜻: line

was present.

예: They stood patiently in the queue outside the movie theatre. 2829. quotidian 2818. quibble

뜻: daily; commonplace; customary

뜻: equivocate; play on words

예: To Philip, each new day of his internship was filled with

예: Do not quibble; I want a straightforward and definite answer.

excitement; he could not dismiss his rounds as merely quotidian routine.

2819. quiescent 뜻: at rest; dormant 예: After this geyser erupts, it will remain quiescent for twenty-four hours. R 2820. quietude 뜻: tranquillity

2830. rabid

예: He was impressed by the air of quietude and peace that

뜻: like a fanatic; furious

126

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: He was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park.

2842. ramshackle 뜻: rickety; falling apart

2831. raconteur

예: The boys propped up the ramshackle clubhouse with a couple of

뜻: story-teller

boards.

예: My father was a gifted raconteur with an unlimited supply of anecdotes.

2843. rancid 뜻: having the odor of stale fat 예: A rancid odor filled the ship's galley and nauseated the crew.

2832. ragamuffin 뜻: person wearing tattered clothes 예: He felt sorry for the ragamuffin who was begging for food and

2844. rancor

gave him money to buy a meal.

뜻: bitterness; hatred 예: Let us forget out rancor and cooperate in this new endeavor.

2833. rail 뜻: scold; rant

2845. random

예: You may rail at him all you want; you will never change him.

뜻: without definite purpose, plan, or aim; haphazard 예: Although the sponsor of the raffle claimed all winners were

2834. raiment

chosen at random, people had their suspicions when the grand prize

뜻: clothing

went to the sponsor's brother-in-law.

예: "How can I go to the ball?" asked Cinderella. "I have no raiment fit to wear."

2846. rankle 뜻: irritate; fester 예: The memory of having been jilted rankled him for years.

2835. rakish 뜻: stylish; sporty 예: He wore his hat at a rakish and jaunty angle.

2847. rant 뜻: rave; speak bombastically

2836. ramble

예: As we heard him rant on the platform, we could not understand

뜻: wander aimlessly (physically or mentally)

his strange popularity with many people.

예: Listening to the teacher ramble, Judy wondered whether he'd ever get to his point.

2848. rapacious 뜻: excessively grasping; plundering 예: Hawks and other rapacious birds prey on variety of small animals.

2837. ramification 뜻: branching out; subdivision 예: We must examine all the ramifications of this problem.

2849. rapport 뜻: emotional closeness; harmony

2838. ramify

예: In team teaching, it is important that all teachers in the group

뜻: divide into branches or subdivisions

have good rapport with one another.

예: When the plant begins to ramify, it is advisable to nip off most of the new branches.

2850. rarefied 뜻: made less dense [of a gas]

2839. ramp

예: The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied

뜻: slope; inclined plane

atmosphere.

예: The house was built with ramps instead of stairs in order to enable the man in the wheelchair to move easily from room to room

2851. raspy

and floor to floor.

뜻: grating; harsh 예: The sergeant's raspy voice grated on the recruits' ears.

2840. rampant 뜻: rearing up on hind legs; unrestrained

2852. ratify

예: The rampant weeds in the garden killed all the flowers that had

뜻: approve formally; verify

been planted in the spring.

예: Before the treaty could go into effect, it had to be ratified by the president.

2841. rampart 뜻: defensive mound on earth

2853. ratiocination

예: "From the ramparts we watched" as the fighting continued.

뜻: reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises

127

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: While Watson was a man of average intelligence, Holmes was a

2865. reaper

genius, whose gift for ratiocination made him a superb detective.

뜻: one who harvests grain 예: Death, the Grim Reaper, cuts down men and women, just as a

2854. rationalization

farmer cuts down the ripened grain.

뜻: bringing into conformity with reason 예: All attempts at rationalization at this time are doomed to failure;

2866. rebate

tempers and emotions run too high for intelligent thought to prevail.

뜻: discount 예: We offer a rebate of ten percent to those who pay cash.

2855. rationalize 뜻: reason; justify an improper act

2867. rebuff

예: Do not try to rationalize your behavior by blaming your

뜻: snub; beat back

companions.

예: She rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had been snubbed.

2856. raucous 뜻: harsh and shrill

2868. rebus

예: His raucous laughter irritated me and grated on my ears.

뜻: puzzle in which pictures stand for words 예: A coven of witches beside a tree is a possible rebus for the town

2857. ravage

Coventry.

뜻: plunder; despoil 예: The marauding army ravaged the countryside.

2869. rebuttal 뜻: refutation; response with contrary evidence

2858. rave

예: The defense lawyer confidently listened to the prosecutor sum up

뜻: overwhelmingly favorable review

his case, sure that she could answer his arguments in her rebuttal.

예: Though critic John Simon seldom has a good word to say about contemporary plays, his review of All in the Timing was a total rave.

2870. recalcitrant

2859. ravel

예: Donkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrant of animals.

뜻: obstinately stubborn 뜻: fall apart into tangles; unravel or untwist; entangle 예: A sigle thread pulled loose, and the entire scarf started to ravel.

2871. recant

2860. ravenous

예: Unless you recant your confession, you will be punished severely.

뜻: repudiate; withdraw previous statement 뜻: extremely hungry 예: The revenous dog upset several garbage pails in its search for

2872. recapitulate

food.

뜻: summarize 예: Let us recapitulate what has been said thus far before going

2861. ravine

ahead.

뜻: narrow valley with steep sides 예: Steeper than a gully, less precipitous than a canyon, a ravine is,

2873. receptive

like them, the product of years of erosion.

뜻: quick or willing to receive ideas, suggestions, etc.

2862. raze

Tom's tales of buried treasure and piracy.

예: Adventure-loving Huck Finn proved a receptive audience for 뜻: destroy completely 예: The owners intend to raze the hotel and erect an office building

2874. recession 뜻: withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity

on the site.

예: The slow recession of the flood waters created problems for the 2863. reactionary

crews working to restore power to the area.

뜻: recoiling from progress; retrograde 예: His program was reactionary since it sought to abolish many of

2875. recidivism

the social reforms instituted by the previous administration.

뜻: habitual return to crime 예: Prison reformers in the United States are disturbed by the high

2864. realm

rate of recidivism; the number of persons serving second and third

뜻: kingdom; sphere

terms indicates the failure of the prisons to rehabilitate the inmates.

예: The realm of possibilities for the new invention was endless. 2876. recipient

128

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: receiver

예: He was renowned for his rectitude and integrity.

예: Although he had been the recipient of many favors, he was not grateful to his benefactor.

2888. recumbent 뜻: reclining; lying down completely or in part

2877. reciprocal

예: The command "AT EASE" does not permit you to take a

뜻: mutual; exchangeable; interacting

recumbent position.

예: The two nations signed a reciprocal trade agreement. 2889. recuperate 2878. reciprocate

뜻: recover

뜻: repay in kind

예: The doctors were worried because the patient did not recuperate

예: If they attack us, we shall be compelled to reciprocate and bomb

as rapidly as they had expected.

their territory. 2890. recurrent 2879. recluse

뜻: occurring again and again

뜻: hermit

예: These recurrent attacks disturbed us and we consulted a

예: The recluse lived in a hut in the forest.

physician.

2880. reconcile

2891. redolent

뜻: correct inconsistencies; become friendly after a quarrel

뜻: fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odor

예: Every time we try to reconcile our checkbook with the bank

예: Even though it is February, the air is redolent of spring.

statement, we quarrel. However, despite these monthly lovers' quarrels, we always manage to reconcile.

2892. redoubtable 뜻: formidable; causing fear

2881. recondite

예: During the Cold War period, neighboring countries tried not to

뜻: abstruse; profound; secret

offend the Russians because they could be redoubtable foes.

예: He read many recondite books in order to obtain the material for the scholarly thesis.

2893. redress

2882. reconnaissance

예: Do you mean to tell me that I can get no redress for my injuries?

뜻: remedy; compensation 뜻: survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering 예: If you encounter any enemy soldiers during your reconnaissance,

2894. redundant 뜻: superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitious

capture them for questioning.

예: Your composition is redundant; you can easily reduce its length. 2883. recount 뜻: narrate or tell; count over again

2895. reek

예: About to recount the latest adventure of Sherlock Holmes,

뜻: emit (odor)

Watson lost track of exactly how many cases Holmes had solved

예: The room reeked with stale tobacco smoke.

and refused to begin his tale until he'd recounted them one by one. 2896. refectory 2884. recourse

뜻: dining hall

뜻: resorting to help when in trouble

예: In this huge refectory, we can feed the entire student body at one

예: The boy's only recourse was to appeal to his father for aid.

sitting.

2885. recrimination

2897. refraction

뜻: countercharges

뜻: bending of a ray of light

예: Loud and angry recriminations were her answer to his

예: When you look at a stick inserted in water, it looks bent because

accusations.

of the refraction of the light by the water.

2886. rectify

2898. refractory

뜻: correct

뜻: stubborn; unmanageable

예: I want to rectify my error before it is too late.

예: The refractory horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey.

2887. rectitude 뜻: uprightness

2899. refrain

129

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: v. abstain from; resist n. chorus

예: He reiterated the warning to make sure everyone understood it.

예: Whenever he heard a song with a lively chorus, Sol could never refrain from joining in on the refrain.

2912. rejoinder 뜻: retort; comeback; reply

2900. refurbish

예: When someone has been rude to me, I find it particularly

뜻: renovate; make bright by polishing

satisfying to come up with a quick rejoinder.

예: The flood left a deposit of mud on everything; it was necessary to refurbish our belongings.

2913. rejuvenate 뜻: make young again

2901. refute

예: The charlatan claimed that his elixir would rejuvenate the aged

뜻: disprove

and weary.

예: The defense called several respectable witnesses who were able to refute the false testimony of the prosecution's only witness.

2914. relegate

2902. regal

예: If we relegate these experts to minor posts because of their

뜻: royal

political persuasions, we shall lose their valuable services.

뜻: banish; consign to inferior position

예: Prince Albert had a regal manner. 2915. relent 뜻: give in

2903. regale 뜻: entertain

예: When her stern father would not relent and allow her to marry

예: John regaled us with tales of his adventures in Africa.

Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett eloped with her suitor.

2904. regatta

2916. relevant

뜻: boat or yacht race

뜻: pertinent; referring to the case in hand

예: Many boating enthusiasts followed the regatta in their own yachts.

예: Teri was impressed by how relevant Virginia Woolf's remarks were to her as a woman writer; it was as if Woolf had been writing

2905. regeneration

with Teri's situation in mind.

뜻: spiritual rebirth 예: Modern penologists strive for the regeneration of the prisoners.

2917. relic 뜻: surviving remnant; memento

2906. regicide

예: Egypt's Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking

뜻: murder of a king or queen

mummies and other ancient relics out of the country.

예: The beheading of Mary Queen of Scots was an act of regicide. 2918. relinquish 2907. regime

뜻: abandon

뜻: method or system of government

예: I will relinquish my claims to this property if you promise to retain

예: When a Frenchman mentions the Old Regime, he refers to the

my employees.

government existing before the revolution. 2919. relish 2908. regimen

뜻: savor; enjoy

뜻: prescribed diet and habits

예: I relish a good joke as much as anyone else.

예: I doubt whether the results warrant our living under such a strict regimen.

2920. remediable 뜻: reparable 예: Let us be grateful that the damage is remediable.

2909. rehabilitate 뜻: restore to proper condition 예: We must rehabilitate those whom we send to prison.

2921. reminiscence 뜻: recollection

2910. reimburse

예: Her reminiscences of her experiences are so fascinating that she

뜻: repay

ought to write a book.

예: Let me know what you have spent and I will reimburse you. 2922. remiss 2911. reiterate

뜻: negligent

뜻: repeat

예: He was accused of being remiss in his duty when the prisoner

130

Barron’s GRE Master Words escaped. 2934. renounce 2923. remission

뜻: abandon; disown; repudiate

뜻: temporary moderation of disease symptoms; cancellation of

예: Even though she knew she would be burned at the stake as a

a debt; forgiveness or pardon

witch, Joan of Arc refused to renounce her belief that her voices

예: Though Senator Tsongas had been treated for cancer, his

came from God.

symptoms were in remission, and he was considered fit to handle the strains of a Presidential race.

2935. renovate 뜻: restore to good condition; renew

2924. remnant

예: They claim that they can renovate worn shoes so that they look

뜻: remainder

like new ones.

예: I suggest that you wait until the store places the remnants of these goods on sale.

2936. renown 뜻: fame

2925. remonstrance

예: For many years an unheralded researcher, Barbara McClintock

뜻: protest; objection

gained international renown when she won the Nobel Prize in

예: The authorities were deaf to the pastor's remonstrances about

Physiology and Medicine.

the lack of police protection in the area. 2937. rent 2926. remorse

뜻: tear or rip; split

뜻: guilt; self-reproach

예: The conflict over abortion threatens to split our nation, creating a

예: The murderer felt no remorse for his crime.

rent in the social fabric that will be difficult to mend.

2927. remunerative

2938. reparable

뜻: compensating; rewarding

뜻: capable of being repaired

예: I find my new work so renumerative that I may not return to my

예: Fortunately, the damages we suffered in the accident were

previous employment.

reparable and our car looks brand new.

2928. rend

2939. reparation

뜻: split; tear apart

뜻: amends; compensation

예: In his grief, he tried to rend his garments.

예: At the peace conference, the defeated country promised to pay reparations to the victors.

2929. render 뜻: deliver; provide; represent

2940. repartee

예: He rendered aid to the needy and indigent.

뜻: clever reply 예: He was famous for his witty repartee and his sarcasm.

2930. rendezvous 뜻: meeting place

2941. repeal

예: The two fleets met at the rendezvous at the appointed time.

뜻: revoke; annul 예: What would the effect on our society be if we decriminalized drug

2931. rendition

use by repealing the laws against the possession and sale of

뜻: translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc.

narcotics?

예: The audience cheered enthusiastically as she completed her rendition of the aria.

2942. repellent 뜻: driving away; unattractive

2932. renegade

예: Mosquitoes find the odor so repellent that they leave any spot

뜻: deserter; traitor

where this liquid has been sprayed.

예: Because he had abandoned his post and joined forces with the Indians, his fellow officers considered the hero of Dances with

2943. repercussion

Wolves a renegade.

뜻: rebound; reverberation; reaction 예: I am afraid that this event will have serious repercussions.

2933. renege 뜻: deny; go back on

2944. repertoire

예: He reneged on paying off his debt.

뜻: list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared

131

Barron’s GRE Master Words to present 예: The opera company decided to include Madame Butterfly in its

2956. reprise

repertoire for the following season.

뜻: recurrent action; musical repetition; repeat performance 예: At Waterloo, it was not the effect of any one skirmish that

2945. repine

exhausted Colonel Audly; rather it was the cumulative effect of the

뜻: fret; complain

constant reprises that left him spent.

예: There is no sense repining over the work you have left undone. 2957. reproach 2946. replenish

뜻: blame; censure

뜻: fill up again

예: I want my work to be above reproach and without error

예: Before she could take another backpacking trip, Carla had to replenish her stock of freeze-dried foods.

2958. reprobate 뜻: person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency

2947. replete

예: I cannot understand why he has so many admirers if he is the

뜻: filled to capacity; abundantly supplied

reprobate you say he is.

예: The book is replete with humorous situations. 2959. reprobation 2948. replica

뜻: severe disapproval

뜻: copy

예: The students showed their reprobation of his act by refusing to

예: Are you going to hang this replica of the Declaration of

talk with him.

Independence in the classroom or in the auditorium? 2960. reprove 2949. replicate

뜻: censure; rebuke

뜻: reproduce; duplicate

예: The principal reproved the students when they became unruly in

예: To the chagrin of the scientists, they were unable to replicate the

the auditorium.

results of their controversial experiment. 2961. repudiate 2950. repository

뜻: disown; disavow

뜻: storehouse

예: He announced that he would repudiate all debts incurred by his

예: Libraries are repositories of the world's best thoughts.

wife.

2951. reprehensible

2962. repugnance

뜻: deserving blame

뜻: loathing

예: Your vicious conduct in this situation is reprehensible.

예: She looked at the snake with repugnance.

2952. repress

2963. repulsion

뜻: restrain; crush; oppress

뜻: act of driving back; distaste

예: Anne's parents tried to curb her impetuosity without repressing

예: The repulsion of the enemy forces was not accomplished

her boundless high spirits.

bloodlessly; many of the defenders were wounded in driving the enemy back.

2953. reprieve 뜻: temporary stay

2964. reputable

예: During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers sought to make

뜻: respectable

the stay of execution permanent.

예: If you want to buy antiques, look for a reputable dealer; far too many dealers today pass off fakes as genuine antiques.

2954. reprimand 뜻: reprove severely

2965. reputed

예: I am afraid that my parents will reprimand me when I show them

뜻: supposed

my report card.

예: He is the reputed father of the child.

2955. reprisal

2966. requiem

뜻: retaliation

뜻: mass for the dead; dirge

예: I am confident that we are ready for any reprisals the enemy may

예: They played Mozart's Requiem at the funeral.

undertake.

132

Barron’s GRE Master Words 2967. requisite

뜻: breathing; exhalation

뜻: necessary requirement

예: The doctor found that the patient's years of smoking had

예: Many colleges state that a student must offer three years of a

adversely affected both his lung capacity and his rate of respiration.

language as a requisite for admission. 2979. respite 2968. requite

뜻: delay in punishment; interval of relief; rest

뜻: repay; revenge

예: The judge granted the condemned man a respite to enable his

예: The wretch requited his benefactors by betraying them.

attorneys to file an appeal.

2969. rescind

2980. resplendent

뜻: cancel

뜻: brilliant; lustrous

예: Because of public resentment, the king had to rescind his order.

예: The toreador wore a resplendent costume called a suit of lights.

2970. reserve

2981. responsiveness

뜻: self-control; formal but distant manner

뜻: state of reacting readily to appeals, order, etc.

예: Although some girls were attracted by Mark's reserve, Judy was

예: The audience cheered and applauded, delighting the performers

put off by it, for she felt his aloofness indicated a lack of openness.

by its responsiveness.

2971. residue

2982. restitution

뜻: remainder; balance

뜻: reparation; indemnification

예: In his will, he requested that after payment of debts, taxes, and

예: He offered to make restitution for the window broken by his son.

funeral expenses, the residue be given to his wife. 2983. restive 2972. resignation

뜻: restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control

뜻: patient submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job

예: Waiting impatiently in the line to see Santa Claus, even the best-

예: If Bob Cratchit had not accepted Scrooge's bullying with timid

behaved children grow restive and start to fidget.

resignation, he might have gotten up the nerve to hand in his resignation.

2984. restraint 뜻: controlling force 예: She dreamt of living an independent life, free of all restraints.

2973. resilient 뜻: elastic; having the power of springing back 예: Highly resilient, steel makes excellent bedsprings.

2985. resumption 뜻: taking up again; recommencement

2974. resolution

예: During the summer break, Don had not realized how much he

뜻: determination

missed university life: at the resumption of classes, however, he felt

예: Nothing could shake his resolution to succeed despite all

marked excitement and pleasure.

difficulties. 2986. resurgent 2975. resolve

뜻: rising again after defeat, etc.

뜻: determination

예: The resurgent nation surprised everyone by its quick recovery

예: Nothing could shake his resolve that his children would get the

after total defeat.

best education that money could buy. 2987. resuscitate 2976. resolve

뜻: revive

뜻: decide; settle; solve

예: The lifeguard tried to resuscitate the drowned child by applying

예: Homes resolved to travel to Bohemia to resolve the dispute

artificial respiration.

between Irene Adler and the King. 2988. retain 2977. resonant

뜻: keep; employ

뜻: echoing; resounding; deep and full in sound

예: Fighting to retain his seat in Congress, Senator Foghorn retained

예: The deep, resonant voice of the actor James Earl Jones makes

a new manager to head his reelection campaign.

him particulary effective when he appears on stage. 2989. retaliate 뜻: repay in kind (usually for bad treatment)

2978. respiration

133

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Fear that we will retaliate immediately deters our foe from

for the pension.

attacking us. 3000. retrograde 2990. retentive

뜻: go backwards; degenerate

뜻: holding; having a good memory

예: Instead of advancing, our civilization seems to have retrograded

예: The pupil did not need to spend much time in study as he had a

in ethics and culture.

retentive mind. 3001. retrospective 2991. reticent

뜻: looking back on the past

뜻: reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence

예: It is only when we become retrospective that we can appreciate

예: Hughes preferred reticent employees to loquacious ones, noting

the tremendous advances made during this century.

that the formers' dislike of idle chatter might ensure their discretion about his affairs.

3002. revelry 뜻: boisterous merrymaking 예: New Year's Eve is a night of revelry.

2992. retinue 뜻: following; attendants 예: The queen's retinue followed her down the aisle.

3003. reverberate

2993. retiring

예: The entire valley reverberated with the sound of the church bells.

뜻: echo; resound 뜻: modest; shy 예: Given Susan't retiring personality, no one expected her to take up

3004. reverent

public speaking; surprisingly enough, she became a star of the

뜻: respectful

school debate team.

예: His reverent attitude was appropriate in a house of worship.

2994. retort

3005. reverie

뜻: quick, sharp reply

뜻: daydream; musing

예: Even when it was advisable for her to keep her mouth shut, she

예: He was awakened from his reverie by the teacher's question.

was always ready with a retort. 3006. revile 2995. retraction

뜻: slander; vilify

뜻: withdrawal

예: He was avoided by all who feared that he would revile and abuse

예: He dropped his libel suit after the newspaper published a

them if they displeased him.

retraction of its statement. 3007. revoke 2996. retrench

뜻: cancel; retract

뜻: cut down; economize

예: Repeat offenders who continue to drive under the influence of

예: If they were to be able to send their children to college, they

alcohol face having their driver's licenses permanently revoked.

would have to retrench. 3008. revulsion 2997. retribution

뜻: sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction

뜻: vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses

예: Many people in this country who admired dictatorships

예: The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact

underwent a revulsion when they realized what Hitler and Mussolini

retribution from the sinners.

were trying to do.

2998. retrieve

3009. rhapsodize

뜻: recover; find and bring in

뜻: to speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthusiastic manner

예: The dog was intelligent and quickly learned to retrieve the game

예: She greatly enjoyed her Hawaiian vacation and rhapsodized

killed by the hunter.

about it for weeks.

2999. retroactive

3010. rhetoric

뜻: taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition

뜻: art of effective communication; insincere or grandiloquent

(as a tax)

language

예: Because the new pension law was retroactive to the first of the

예: All writers, by necessity, must be skilled in rhetoric.

year, even though Martha had retired in February she was eligible

134

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3011. ribald 뜻: wanton; profane

3022. rococo

예: He sang a ribald song that offended many of the more prudish

뜻: ornate; highly decorated

listeners.

예: The rococo style in furniture and architecture, marked by scrollwork and excessive decoration, flourished during the middle of

3012. rider

the eighteenth century.

뜻: amendment or clause added to a legislative bill 예: Senator Foghorn said he would support Senator Filibuster's tax

3023. roil

reform bill only if Filibuster agreed to add an antipollution rider to the

뜻: to make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; to disturb

bill.

예: Be careful when you pour not to roil the wine; if you stir up the sediment you'll destroy the flavor.

3013. rife 뜻: abundant; current

3024. roseate

예: In the face of the many rumors of scandal, which are rife at the

뜻: rosy; optimistic

moment, it is best to remain silent.

예: I am afraid you will have to alter your roseate views in the light of the distressing news that has just arrived.

3014. rift 뜻: opening; break

3025. roster

예: The plane was lost in the stormy sky until the pilot saw the city

뜻: list

through a rift in the clouds.

예: They print the roster of players in the season's program.

3015. rig

3026. rostrum

뜻: fix or manipulate

뜻: platform for speech-making; pulpit

예: The ward boss was able to rig the election by bribing people to

예: The crowd murmured angrily and indicated that they did not care

stuff the ballot boxes with ballots marked in his candidate's favor.

to listen to the speaker who was approaching the rostrum.

3016. rigid

3027. rote

뜻: stiff and unyielding; strict; hard and unbending

뜻: repetition

예: By living with a man to whom she was not married, George Eliot

예: He recited the passage by rote and gave no indication he

broke Victorian society's most rigid rule of respectable behavior.

understood what he was saying.

3017. rigor

3028. rotunda

뜻: severity

뜻: circular building or hall covered with a dome

예: Many settlers could not stand the rigors of the New England

예: His body lay in state in the rotunda of the Capitol.

winters. 3029. rotundity 3018. rile

뜻: roundness; sonorousness of speech

뜻: vex; irritate; muddy

예: Washington Irving emphasized the rotundity of the governor by

예: Red had a hair-trigger temper: he was an easy man to rile.

describing his height and circumference.

3019. riveting

3030. rousing

뜻: absorbing; engrossing

뜻: lively; stirring

예: The reviewer described Byatt's novel Possession as a riveting

예: "And now, let's have a rousing welcome for TV's own Roseanne

tale: absorbed in the story, he had finished it in a single evening.

Arnold, who'll lead us in a rousing rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"

3020. rivulet 뜻: small stream

3031. rout

예: As the rains continued, the trickle of water running down the

뜻: stampede; drive out

hillside grew into a rivulet that threatened to wash away a portion of

예: The reinforcements were able to rout the enemy

the slope. 3032. rubble 3021. robust

뜻: fragments

뜻: vigorous; strong

예: Ten years after World War II, some of the rubble left by enemy

예: The candidate for the football team had a robust physique.

bombings could still be seen.

135

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: The escaped convict was a dangerous and ruthless murderer. 3033. rubric 뜻: title or heading (in red print); directions for religious

3045. relapse

ceremony; protocol

뜻: fall back or sink again

예: In ordaining the new priests, the bishop carefully observed all the

예: The economy relapsed into a depression from the peak.

rubrics for the ordination service. 3034. ruddy 뜻: reddish; healthy-looking 예: His ruddy features indicated that he had spent much time in the

S

open. 3046. saboteur 3035. rudimentary

뜻: one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property

뜻: not developed; elementary

예: Members of the Resistance acted as saboteurs, blowing up train

예: His dancing was limited to a few rudimentary steps.

lines to prevent supplies from reaching the Nazi army.

3036. rueful

3047. saccharine

뜻: regretful; sorrowful; dejected

뜻: cloyingly sweet

예: The artist has captured the sadness of childhood in his portrait of

예: She tried to ingratiate herself, speaking sweetly and smiling a

the boy with the rueful countenance.

saccharine smile.

3037. ruffian

3048. sacrilegious

뜻: bully; scoundrel

뜻: desecrating; profane

예: The ruffians threw stones at the police.

예: His stealing of the altar cloth was a very sacrilegious act.

3038. ruminate

3049. sacrosanct

뜻: chew the cud; ponder

뜻: most sacred; inviolable

예: We cannot afford to wait while you ruminate upon these plans.

예: The brash insurance salesman invaded the sacrosanct privacy of the office of the president of the company.

3039. rummage 뜻: ransack; thoroughly search

3050. sadistic

예: When we rummaged through the trunks in the attic, we found

뜻: inclined to cruelty

many souvenirs of our childhood days.

예: If we are to improve conditions in this prison, we must first get rid of the sadistic warden.

3040. runic 뜻: mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet

3051. saga

예: Tolkien's use of Old English words and inscriptions in the runic

뜻: Scandinavian myth; any legend

alphabet give The Lord of the Rings its atmosphere of antiquity.

예: This is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it.

3041. ruse

3052. sagacious

뜻: trick; stratagem

뜻: keen; shrewd; having insight

예: You will not be able to fool your friends with such an obvious ruse.

예: He is much too sagacious to be fooled by a trick like that.

3042. rustic

3053. sage

뜻: pertaining to country people; uncouth

뜻: person celebrated for wisdom

예: The backwoodsman looked out place in his rustic attire.

예: Hearing tales of a mysterious Master of All Knowledge who lived in the hills of Tibet, Sandy was possessed with a burning desire to consult the legendary sage.

3043. rusticate 뜻: banish to the country; dwell in the country 예: I like city life so much that I can never understand how people

3054. salacious

can rusticate in the suburbs.

뜻: lascivious; lustful

3044. ruthless

and ribald jests.

예: Chaucer's monk is not pious but salacious, a teller of lewd tales 뜻: pitiless

136

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3055. salient

뜻: scornful remarks, stinging rebuke

뜻: prominent

예: His feelings were hurt by the sarcasm of his supposed friends.

예: One of the salient features of that newspaper is its excellent editorial page.

3067. sardonic 뜻: disdainful; sarcastic; cynical

3056. saline

예: The sardonic humor of nightclub comedians who satirize or

뜻: salty

ridicule patrons in the audience strikes some people as amusing and

예: The slightly saline taste of this mineral water is pleasant.

others as rude.

3057. sallow

3068. sartorial

뜻: yellowish; sickly in color

뜻: pertaining to tailors

예: We were disturbed by his sallow complexion, which was due to

예: He was as famous for the sartorial splendor of his attire as he

jaundice.

was for his acting.

3058. salubrious

3069. sate

뜻: healthful

뜻: satisfy to the full; cloy

예: Many people with hay fever move to more salubrious sections of

예: Its hunger sated, the lion dozed.

the country during the months of August and September. 3070. satellite 3059. salutary

뜻: small body revolving around a larger one

뜻: tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome

예: During the first few years of the Space Age, hundreds of

예: The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy, as he became

satellites were launched by Russia and the United States.

a model student. 3071. satiate 3060. salvage

뜻: surfeit; satisfy fully

뜻: rescue from loss

예: The guests, having eaten until they were satiated, now listened

예: All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.

inattentively to the speakers.

3061. sanctimonious

3072. satire

뜻: displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness

뜻: form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are

예: You do not have to be so sanctimonious to prove that you are

employed to attack vice and folly

devout.

예: Gulliver's Travels, which is regarded by many as a tale for children, is actually a bitter satire attacking human folly.

3062. sanction 뜻: approve; ratify

3073. satirical

예: Nothing will convince me to sanction the engagement of my

뜻: mocking

daughter to such a worthless young man.

예: The humor of cartoonists Gary Trudeau often is satirical; though the comments of the Doonesbury characters, Trudeau ridicules

3063. sanguinary

political corruption and folly.

뜻: bloody 예: The battle of lwo Jina was unexpectedly sanguinary with many

3074. saturate

casualties.

뜻: soak 예: Their clothes were saturated by the rain.

3064. sanguine 뜻: cheerful; hopeful

3075. saturnine

예: Let us not be too sanguine about the outcome; something could

뜻: gloomy

go wrong.

예: Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance; he is not as gloomy as he looks.

3065. sap 뜻: diminish; undermine

3076. satyr

예: The element kryptonite had an unhealthy effect on Superman: it

뜻: half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus,

sapped his strength.

portrayed as wanton and cunning 예: He was like a satyr in his lustful conduct.

3066. sarcasm

137

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3077. saunter

scavenging for odd bits and pieces at the auto wreckers' yards.

뜻: stroll slowly 예: As we sauntered through the park, we stopped frequently to

3088. scenario

admire the spring flowers.

뜻: plot outline; screenplay; opera libretto 예: Scaramouche startled the other actors in the commedia troupe

3078. savant

when he suddenly departed from their customary scenario and

뜻: scholar

began to improvise.

예: Our faculty includes many worldfamous savants. 3089. schematic 3079. savor

뜻: relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols

뜻: enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality

예: In working out the solution to an analytical logic question, you

예: Relishing his triumph, Costner especially savored the chagrin of

may find it helpful to construct a simple schematic diagram

the critics who had predicted his failure.

illustrating the relationships between the items of information given in the question.

3080. savory 뜻: tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable

3090. schism

예: Julia Child's recipes enable amateur chefs to create savory

뜻: division; split

delicacies for their guests.

예: Let us not widen the schism by further bickering.

3081. scabbard

3091. scintilla

뜻: case for a sword blade; sheath

뜻: shred; least bit

예: The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword

예: You have not produced a scintilla of evidence to support your

before slipping it back into the scabbard.

argument.

3082. scad

3092. scintillate

뜻: a great quantity

뜻: sparkle; flash

예: Refusing Dave's offer to lend him a shirt, Phil replied, "No, thanks:

예: I enjoy her dinner parties because the food is excellent and the

I've got scads of clothes."

conversation scintillates.

3083. scaffold

3093. scoff

뜻: temporary platform for workers; bracing framework;

뜻: mock; ridicule

platform for execution

예: He scoffed at dentists until he had his first toothache.

예: Before painting the house, the workers put up a scaffold to allow them to work on the second story.

3094. scotch 뜻: stamp out; thwart; hinder

3084. scale

예: Heather tried to scotch the rumor that she had stolen her best

뜻: climb up; ascend

friend's fiance.

예: To locate a book on the top shelf of the stacks, Lee had to scale an exceptionally rickety ladder.

3095. scourge 뜻: lash; whip; severe punishment 예: They feared the plague and regarded it as a deadly scourge.

3085. scanty 뜻: meager; insufficient 예: Thinking his helping of food was scanty, Oliver Twist asked for

3096. scruple

more.

뜻: fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons 예: Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she

3086. scapegoat

did not scruple to read his diary.

뜻: someone who bears the blame for others 예: After the Challenger disaster, NASA searched for scapegoats on

3097. scrupulous

whom they could cast the blame.

뜻: conscientious; extremely thorough 예: I can recommend him for a position of responsibility for I have

3087. scavenge

found him a very scrupulous young man.

뜻: hunt through discarded materials for usable items; search, especially for food

3098. scrutinize

예: If you need car parts that the dealers no longer stock, try

뜻: examine closely and critically

138

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Searching for flaws, the sergeant scrutinized every detail of the

예: The pack rat secretes odds and ends in its nest; the pancreas

private's uniform.

secretes insulin in the islets of Langerhans.

3099. scuffle

3110. sectarian

뜻: struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry.

뜻: narrow-minded; limited in scope

예: The twins briefly scuffled, wrestling to see which of them would

예: As university chaplain, she sought to address universal religious

get the toy. When their big brother yelled, "Let go of my Gameboy!"

issues and not limit herself to mere sectarian concerns.

they scuffled off down the hall. 3111. secular 3100. scurrilous

뜻: worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal

뜻: obscene; indecent

예: The church leaders decided not interfere in secular matters.

예: Your scurrilous remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue.

3112. sedate 뜻: composed; grave

3101. scurry

예: The parents were worried because they felt their son was too

뜻: move briskly

quiet and sedate.

예: The White Rabbit had to scurry to get to his appointment on time. 3113. sedentary 3102. scurvy

뜻: requiring sitting

뜻: despicable; contemptible

예: Because he had a sedentary occupation, he decided to visit a

예: Peter Pan sneered at Captain Hook and his scurvy crew.

gymnasium weekly.

3103. scuttle

3114. sedition

뜻: sink

뜻: resistance to authority; insubordination

예: The sailors decided to scuttle their vessel rather than surrender it

예: His words, though not treasonous in themselves, were calculated

to the enemy.

to arouse thoughts of sedition.

3104. seamy

3115. sedulous

뜻: sordid; unwholesome

뜻: diligent

예: In the Godfather, Michael Corleone is unwilling to expose his wife

예: The young woman was so sedulous that she received a

and children to the seamy side of his life as the son of a Mafia don.

commendation for her hard work.

3105. sear

3116. seedy

뜻: char or burn; brand

뜻: run-down; decrepit; disreputable

예: Accidentally brushing against the hot grill, she seared her hand

예: I would rather stay in dormitory lodgings in a decent youth hostel

badly.

than have a room of my own in a seedy downtown hotel.

3106. seasoned

3117. seemly

뜻: experienced

뜻: proper; appropriate

예: Though pleased with her new batch of rookies, the basketball

예: Lady Bracknell did not think it was seemly for Ernest to lack a

coach wished she had a few more seasoned players on the team.

proper family; no baby abandoned on a doorstep could grow up to marry her daughter.

3107. secession 뜻: withdrawal

3118. seep

예: The secession of the Southern states provided Lincoln with his

뜻: ooze; trickle

first major problem after his inauguration.

예: During the rainstorm, water seeped through the crack in the basement wall and damaged the floor boards.

3108. seclusion 뜻: isolation; solitude

3119. seethe

예: One moment she loved crowds; the next, she sought seclusion.

뜻: be disturbed; boil 예: The nation was seething with discontent as the nobleman

3109. secrete

continued their arrogant ways.

뜻: hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism.

3120. seine

139

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: net for catching fish

예: The hospital was in such a filthy state that we were afraid that

예: When the shad run during the spring, you may see fishermen

many of the patients would suffer from septic poisoning.

with seines along the banks of our coastal rivers. 3131. sepulcher 3121. seismic

뜻: tomb

뜻: pertaining to earthquakes

예: Annabel Lee was buried in a sepulcher by the sea.

예: The Richter scale is a measurement of seismic disturbances. 3132. sequester 뜻: retire from public life; segregate; seclude

3122. semblance 뜻: outward appearance; guise

예: Although he had hoped for a long time to sequester himself in a

예: Although this book has a semblance of wisdom and scholarship,

small community, he never was able to drop his busy round of

a careful examination will reveal many errors and omissions.

activities in the city.

3123. seminal

3133. sere

뜻: germinal; influencing future developments; related to seed

뜻: parched; dry

or semen

예: After the unseasonably dry winter the Berkeley hills looked dusty

예: Although Freud has generally been regarded as a seminal

and sere.

thinker who shaped the course of psychology, his psychoanalytic methods have come under attack recently.

3134. serendipity 뜻: gift for finding valuable or desirable things by accident;

3124. seminary

accidental good fortune or luck

뜻: school for training future ministers; secondary school,

예: Many scientific discoveries are a matter of serendipity: Newton

especially for young women

was not sitting there thinking about gravity when the apple dropped

예: Sure of his priestly vocation, Terrence planned to pursue his

on his head.

theological training at the local Roman Catholic seminary. 3135. serenity 3125. senility

뜻: calmness; placidity

뜻: old age; feeble mindedness of old age

예: The serenity of the sleepy town was shattered by a tremendous

예: Most of the decisions are being made by the junior members of

explosion.

the company because of the senility of the president. 3136. serpentine 3126. sensual

뜻: winding; twisting

뜻: devoted to the pleasures of the senses; carnal; voluptous

예: The car swerved at every curve in the serpentine road.

예: I cannot understand what caused him to drop his sensual way of life and become so ascetic.

3137. serrated 뜻: having a sawtoothed edge 예: The beech tree is one of many plants that have serrated leaves.

3127. sensuous 뜻: pertaining to the physical senses; operating through the senses

3138. servile

예: He was stimulated by the sights, sounds and smells about him;

뜻: slavish; cringing

he was enjoying his sensuous experience.

예: Constantly fawning on his employer, humble Uriah Heap was a servile creature.

3128. sententious 뜻: terse; concise; aphoristic

3139. servitude

예: After reading so many redundant speeches, I find his sententious

뜻: slavery; compulsory labor

style particulary pleasing.

예: Born a slave, Douglass resented his wife of servitude and plotted to escape to the North.

3129. sentinel 뜻: sentry; lookout

3140. severance

예: Though camped in enemy territory, Bledsoe ignored the

뜻: division; partition; separation

elementary precaution of posting sentinels around the encampment.

예: The severance of church and state is a basic principle of our government.

3130. septic 뜻: putrid; producing putrefaction

3141. severity

140

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: harshness; plainness 예: The newspapers disapproved of the severity of the sentence.

3153. shrew 뜻: scolding woman

3142. sextant

예: No one wanted to marry Shakespeare's Kate because she was a

뜻: navigation tool used to determine a ship's latitude and

shrew.

longitude 예: Given a clear night, with the aid of his sextant and compass, he

3154. shrewd

could keep the ship safely on course.

뜻: clever; astute 예: A shrewd investor, he took clever advantage of the fluctuations of

3143. shackle

the stock market.

뜻: chain; fetter 예: The criminal's ankles were shackled to prevent his escape.

3155. shun 뜻: keep away from

3144. sham

예: Cherishing his solitude, the recluse shunned the company of

뜻: pretend

other human beings.

예: He shammed sickness to get out of going to school. 3156. shunt 3145. shambles

뜻: turn aside; divert; sidetrack

뜻: slaughterhouse; scene of carnage

예: If the switchman failed to shunt the Silver Streak onto a side track,

예: By the time the police arrived, the room was a shambles.

the train would plow right into Union Station.

3146. shard

3157. shyster

뜻: fragment, generally of pottery

뜻: lawyer using questionable methods.

예: The archaeologist assigned several students the task of

예: On L.A. Law, respectable attorney Brackman was horrified to

reassembling earthenware vessels from the shards he had brought

learn that his newly discovered half brother was a cheap shyster.

back from the expedition. 3158. sibling 3147. sheaf

뜻: brother or sister

뜻: bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together

예: We may not enjoy being siblings, but we cannot forget that we

예: The lawyer picked up a sheaf of papers as he rose to question

still belong to the same family.

the witness. 3159. sibylline 3148. sheathe

뜻: prophetic; oracular

뜻: place into a case

예: Until their destruction by fire in 83 B.C., the sibylline books were

예: As soon as he recognized the approaching men, he sheathed his

often consulted by the Romans.

dagger and hailed them as friends. 3160. sidereal 3149. sherbet

뜻: relating to the stars

뜻: flavored dessert ice

예: Although hampered by optical and mechanical flaws, the orbiting

예: I prefer raspberry sherbet to ice cream since it is less fattening.

Hubble space telescope has relayed extraordinary images of distant sidereal bodies.

3150. shimmer 뜻: glimmer intermittently

3161. silt

예: The moonlight shimmered on the water as the moon broke

뜻: sediment deposited by running water

through the clouds for a moment.

예: The harbor channel must be dredged annually to remove the silt.

3151. shirk

3162. simian

뜻: avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger

뜻: monkeylike

예: Brian has a strong sense of duty; he would never shirk any

예: Lemurs are nocturnal mammals and have many simian

responsibility.

characteristics, although they are less intelligent than monkeys.

3152. shoddy

3163. simile

뜻: sham; not genuine; inferior

뜻: comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or

예: You will never get the public to buy such shoddy material.

as

141

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: "My love is like a red, red rose" is a simile. 3175. skinflint 3164. simper

뜻: miser

뜻: smirk; smile affectedly

예: The old skinflint refused to give her a raise.

예: Complimented on her appearance, Stella self-consciously simpered.

3176. skirmish 뜻: minor fight

3165. simplistic

예: Custer's troops expected they might run into a skirmish or two on

뜻: oversimplified

maneuvers; they did not expect to face a major battle.

예: Though Jack's solution dealt adequately with one aspect of the problem, it was simplistic in failing to consider various complicating

3177. skittish

factors that might arise.

뜻: lively; frisky 예: She is as skittish as a kitten playing with a piece of string.

3166. simulate 뜻: feign

3178. skulduggery

예: He simulated insanity in order to avoid punishment for his crime.

뜻: dishonest behavior 예: The investigation into municipal corruption turned up new

3167. sinecure

instances of skulduggery daily.

뜻: well-paid position with little responsibility 예: My job is no sinecure; I work long hours and have much

3179. skulk

responsibility.

뜻: move furtively and secretly 예: He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city in

3168. sinewy

order to avoid meeting any of his former friends.

뜻: tough; strong and firm 예: The steak was too sinewy to chew

3180. slacken 뜻: slow up; loosen 예: As they passed the finish line, the runners slackened their pace.

3169. singular 뜻: unique; extraordinary; odd 예: Though the young man tried to understand Father William's

3181. slag

singular behavior, he still found it odd that the old man incessantly

뜻: residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter

stood on his head.

예: The blast furnace had a special opening at the bottom to allow the workers to remove the worthless slag.

3170. sinister 뜻: evil

3182. slake

예: We must defeat the sinister forces that seek our downfall.

뜻: quench; sate 예: When we reached the oasis, we were able to slake our thirst.

3171. sinuous 뜻: winding; bending in and out; not morally honest

3183. slander

예: The snake moved in a sinuous manner.

뜻: defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements 예: Unless you can prove your allegations, your remarks constitute

3172. skeptic

slander.

뜻: doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a point of view.

3184. slapdash

예: In this matter, I am a skeptic; I want proof.

뜻: haphazard; careless; sloppy 예: From the number of typos and misspellings I've found on it, it's

3173. skiff

clear that Mario proofread the report in a remarkably slapdash

뜻: small, light sailboat or rowboat

fashion.

예: Tom dreamed of owning an ocean-going yacht but had to settle for a skiff he could sail in the bay.

3185. sleazy

3174. skimp

예: This is a sleazy fabric; it will not wear well.

뜻: flimsy; unsubstantial 뜻: provide scantily; live very economically 예: They were forced to skimp on necessities in order to make their

3186. sleeper

limited supplies last the winter.

뜻: something originally of little value or importance that in time

142

Barron’s GRE Master Words becomes very valuable

staff.

예: Unnoticed by the critics at its publication, the eventual Pulitzer Prize winner was a classic sleeper.

3198. smattering

3187. sleight

예: I don't know whether it is better to be ignorant of a subject or to

뜻: dexterity

have a mere smattering of information about it.

뜻: slight knowledge

예: The magician amazed the audience with his sleight of hand. 3199. smirk 3188. slight

뜻: conceited smile

뜻: insult to one's dignity; snub

예: Wipe that smirk off your face!

예: Hypersensitive and ready to take offense at any discourtesy, Bertha was always on the lookout for real or imaginary slights.

3200. smolder 뜻: burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment 예: The rags smoldered for hours before they burst into flame.

3189. slither 뜻: slip or slide 예: During the recent ice storm, many people slithered down this hill

3201. snicker

as they walked to the station.

뜻: half-stifled laugh 예: The boy could not suppress a snicker when the teacher sat on

3190. sloth

the tack.

뜻: laziness 예: Such sloth in a young person is deplorable; go to work!

3202. snivel 뜻: run at the nose; snuffle; whine

3191. sloth

예: Don't you come sniveling to me complaining about your big

뜻: slow-moving tree-dwelling mammal

brother.

예: Note how well the somewhat greenish coat of the sloth enables it to blend in with its arboreal surroundings.

3203. sobriety 뜻: moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol);

3192. slough

seriousness

뜻: cast off

예: Neither drunkards nor comics are noted for sobriety.

예: Each spring, the snake sloughs off its skin. 3204. sodden 3193. slovenly

뜻: soaked; dull, as if from drink

뜻: untidy; slipshod

예: He set his sodden overcoat near the radiator to dry.

예: Such slovenly work habits will never produce good products. 3205. sojourn 3194. sluggard

뜻: temporary stay

뜻: lazy person

예: After his sojourn in Florida, he began to long for the colder

예: "You are a sluggard, a drone, a parasite," the angry father

climate of his native New England home.

shouted at his lazy son. 3206. solace 3195. sluggish

뜻: comfort in trouble

뜻: slow; lazy; lethargic

예: I hope you will find solace in the thought that all of us share your

예: After two nights without sleep, she felt sluggish and incapable of

loss.

exertion. 3207. solder 3196. sluice

뜻: repair or make whole by using a metal alloy

뜻: artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water

예: The plumber fixed the leak in the pipes by soldering a couple of

예: In times of drought, this sluice enables farmers to obtain water for

joints from which water had been oozing.

irrigation. 3208. solecism 3197. slur

뜻: construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically

뜻: insult to one's character or reputation; slander

예: I must give this paper a failing mark because it contains many

예: Polls revealed that the front-runner's standing had been

solecisms.

damaged by the slurs and innuendoes circulated by his opponent's

143

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3209. solemnity 뜻: seriousness; gravity

3220. sophist

예: The minister was concerned that nothing should disturb the

뜻: teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious

solemnity of the marriage service.

reasoning 예: You are using all the devices of a sophist in trying to prove your

3210. solicit

case; your argument is specious.

뜻: request earnestly; seek 예: Knowing she needed to have a solid majority for the budget to

3221. sophistication

pass, the mayor telephoned all the members of the city council to

뜻: artificiality; unnaturalness; act of employing sophistry in

solicit their votes.

reasoning 예: Sophistication is an acquired characteristic, found more

3211. solicitous

frequently among city dwellers than among residents of rural areas.

뜻: worried, concerned 예: The employer was very solicitous about the health of her

3222. sophistry

employees as replacements were difficult to get.

뜻: seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning 예: Instead of advancing valid arguments, he tried to overwhelm his

3212. soliloquy

audience with a flood of sophistries.

뜻: talking to oneself 예: The soliloquy is a device used by the dramatist to reveal a

3223. sophomoric

character's innermost thoughts and emotions.

뜻: immature; shallow 예: Your sophomoric remarks are a sign of your youth and indicate

3213. solstice

that you have not given much thought to the problem.

뜻: point at which the sun is farthest from the equator 예: The winter solstice usually occurs on December 21.

3224. soporific 뜻: sleep producing

3214. solvent

예: I do not need a sedative when I listen to one of his soporific

뜻: able to pay all debts

speeches.

예: By dint of very frugal living, he was finally able to become solvent and avoid bankruptcy proceedings.

3225. sordid 뜻: filthy; base; vile

3215. somatic

예: The social worker was angered by the sordid housing provided

뜻: pertaining to the body; physical

for the homeless.

예: Why do you ignore the spiritual aspects and emphasize only the corporeal and the somatic ones?

3226. spangle 뜻: small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation

3216. somber

예: The thousands of spangles on her dress sparkled in the glare of

뜻: gloomy; depressing

the stage lights.

예: From the doctor's grim expression, I could tell he had somber news.

3227. spartan 뜻: lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined

3217. somnambulist

예: Looking over the bare, unheated room with its hard cot, he

뜻: sleepwalker

wondered what he was doing in such spartan quarters. Only his

예: The most famous somnambulist in literature is Lady Macbeth; her

spartan sense of duty kept him at his post.

monologue in the sleepwalking scene is one of the highlights of Shakespeare's play.

3228. spasmodic 뜻: fitful; periodic

3218. somnolent

예: The spasmodic coughing in the auditorium annoyed the

뜻: half asleep

performers.

예: The heavy meal and the overheated room made us all somnolent and indifferent to the speaker.

3229. spat 뜻: squabble; minor dispute

3219. sonorous

예: What had started out as a mere spat escalated into a full-blown

뜻: resonant

argument.

예: His sonorous voice resounded through the hall.

144

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3230. spate

3241. spoonerism

뜻: sudden flood

뜻: accidental transposition of sounds in sucessive words

예: I am worried about the possibility of a spate if the rains do not

예: When the radio announcer introduced the President as Hoobert

diminish soon.

Herver, he was guilty of spoonerism.

3231. spatial

3242. sporadic

뜻: relating to space

뜻: occurring irregularly

예: It is difficult to visualize the spatial extent of our universe.

예: Although there are still sporadic outbursts of shooting in the streets, the rebellion is essentially over.

3232. spatula 뜻: broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing

3243. sportive

예: The manufacturers of this frying pan recommended the use of a

뜻: playful

rubber spatula to avoid scratching the specially treated surface.

예: Such a sportive attitude is surprising in a person as serious as you usually are.

3233. spawn 뜻: lay eggs

3244. spruce

예: Fish ladders had to be built in the dams to assist the salmon

뜻: neat and trim

returning to spawn in their native streams.

예: Every button buttoned, tie firmly in place, young Alex Keaton looked spruce and tidy for his job interview at the bank.

3234. specious 뜻: seemingly reasonable but incorrect

3245. spry

예: Let us not be misled by such specious arguments.

뜻: vigorously active; nimble 예: She was eighty years old, yet still spry and alert.

3235. spectral 뜻: ghostly

3246. spurious

예: We were frightened by the spectral glow that filled the room.

뜻: false; counterfeit; forged; illogical 예: The hero of Jonathan Gash's mystery novels is an antique dealer

3236. spectrum

who gives the reader advice on how to tell spurious antiques from

뜻: colored band produced when a beam of light passes

the real things.

through a prism 예: The visible portion of the spectrum includes red at one end and

3247. spurn 뜻: reject; scorn

violet at the other.

예: The heroine spurned the villain's advances. 3237. spendthrift 뜻: someone who wastes money

3248. squabble

예: Easy access to credit encourages people to turn into spendthrifts

뜻: minor quarrel; bickering

who shop till they drop.

예: Children invariably get involved in petty squabbles; wise parents know when to interfere and when to let the children work things out

3238. sphinx-like

on their own.

뜻: enigmatic; mysterious 예: The Mona Lisa's sphinx-like expression has puzzled art lovers for

3249. squalid

centuries.

뜻: dirty; neglected; poor 예: It is easy to see how crime can breed in such a squalid

3239. splice

neighborhood.

뜻: fasten together; unite 예: Before you splice two strips of tape together, be sure to line them

3250. squander

up evenly.

뜻: waste 예: The prodigal son squandered the family estate.

3240. spontaneity 뜻: impulsiveness; absence of premeditation

3251. squat

예: What I liked best about Dale's parties was their spontaneity: a

뜻: stocky; short and thick

couple of friends would drop by, someone would pull out a fiddle or

예: Tolkien's hobbits are somewhat squat, sturdy little creatures, fond

guitar, and before you knew it the party would be in full swing.

of good ale, good music, and good food.

145

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3252. staccato

Ulysses to return from his wanderings.

뜻: played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt, sharp sound 예: His staccato speech reminded one of the sound of a machine

3264. stealth 뜻: slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness

gun.

예: Fearing detection by the sentries on duty, the scout inched his 3253. stagnant

way toward the enemy camp with great stealth.

뜻: motionless; stale; dull 예: The stagnant water was a breeding ground for disease

3265. steep 뜻: soak; saturate

3254. staid

예: Be sure to steep the fabric in the dye bath for the full time

뜻: sober; sedate

prescribed.

예: Her conduct during the funeral ceremony was staid and solemn. 3266. stellar 3255. stalemate

뜻: pertaining to the stars

뜻: deadlock

예: He was the stellar attraction of the entire performance.

예: Negotiations between the union and the employers have reached a stalemate; neither side is willing to budge from previously stated

3267. stem 뜻: check the flow

positions.

예: The paramedic used a tourniquet to stem the bleeding from the 3256. stalwart

slashed artery.

뜻: strong, brawny; steadfast 예: His consistent support of the party has proved that he is a

3268. stemfrom

stalwart and loyal member.

뜻: arise from 예: Milton's problems in school stemmed from his poor study habits.

3257. stamina 뜻: strength; staying power

3269. stentorian

예: I doubt that she has the stamina to run the full distance of the

뜻: extremely loud

marathon race.

예: The town crier had stentorian voice.

3258. stanch

3270. streotyped

뜻: check flow of blood

뜻: oversimplified; lacking individuality; seen as a type

예: It is imperative that we stanch the gushing wound before we

예: My chief objection to the book is that the characters are

attend to the other injuries.

stereotyped; they come across as ethnic caricatures, not as real people with individual quirks, fears, and dreams.

3259. stanza 뜻: division of a poem

3271. stickler

예: Do you know the last stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner"?

뜻: perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right 예: The Internal Revenue Service agent was a stickler for accuracy;

3260. static

no approximations or rough estimates would satisfy him.

뜻: unchanging; lacking development 예: Nothing had changed at home; things were static there

3272. stifle 뜻: suppress; extinguish; inhibit

3261. statute

예: Halfway through the boring lecture, Laura gave up trying to stifle

뜻: law

her yawns.

예: We have many statutes in our law books which should be repealed.

3273. stigma 뜻: token of disgrace; brand

3262. statutory

예: I do not attach any stigma to the fact that you were accused of

뜻: created by statute or legislative action

this crime; the fact that you were acquitted clears you completely.

예: The judicial courts review and try statutory crimes. 3274. stilted 3263. steadfast

뜻: bombastic; stiffly pompous

뜻: loyal; unswerving

예: His stilted rhetoric did not impress the college audience; they

예: Penelope was steadfast in her affections, faithfully waiting for

were immune to bombastic utterances.

146

Barron’s GRE Master Words society, we may expect grumbling and revolt. 3275. stint 뜻: be thrifty; set limits

3286. strew

예: "Spare no expense," the bride's father said, refusing to stint on

뜻: spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter

the wedding arrangements.

예: Preceding the bride to the altar, the flower girl will strew rose petals along the aisle.

3276. stint 뜻: supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of work

3287. striated

예: He performed his daily stint cheerfully and willingly.

뜻: marked with parallel bands; grooved 예: The glacier left many striated rocks.

3277. stipend 뜻: pay for services

3288. stricture

예: There is a nominal stipend for this position.

뜻: critical comments; severe and adverse criticism 예: His strictures on the author's style are prejudiced and

3278. stipple

unwarranted.

뜻: paint or draw with dots 예: Seurat carefully stippled dabs of pure color on the canvas,

3289. strident

juxtaposing dots of blue and yellow that the viewer's eye would

뜻: loud and harsh

interpret as green.

예: She scolded him in a strident voice

3279. stipulate

3290. stringent

뜻: make express conditions, specify

뜻: binding; rigid

예: Before agreeing to reduce American military forces in Europe,

예: I think these regulations are too stringent.

the president stipulated that NATO teams be allowed to inspect Soviet bases.

3291. strut

3280. stodgy

예: His strut as he marched about the parade ground revealed him

뜻: stuffy; boringly conservative

for what he was: a pompous buffoon.

뜻: pompous walk

예: For a young person, Winston seems remarkably stodgy: you'd expect someone of his age to have a little more life.

3292. strut 뜻: supporting bar

3281. stoic

예: The engineer calculated that the strut supporting the rafter

뜻: person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain

needed to be reinforced.

예: The doctor called her patient a stoic because he had borne the pain of the examination without whimpering.

3293. studied 뜻: unspontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful

3282. stoke

예: Given Jill's previous slights, Jack felt that the omission of his

뜻: stir up a fire; feed plentifully

name from the guest list was a studied insult.

예: As a Scout, Marisa learned how to light a fire, how to stoke it if it started to die down, and how to extinguish it completely.

3294. stultify 뜻: cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; frustrate

3283. stolidity

or hinder

뜻: dullness; impassivenss

예: His long hours in the blacking factory left young Dickens numb

예: The earthquake shattered his usual stolidity; trembling, he

and incurious, as if the menial labor had stultified his mind.

crouched on the no longer stable ground. 3295. stupefy 3284. stratified

뜻: make numb; stun; amaze

뜻: divided into classes; arranged into strata

예: Disapproving of drugs in general, Laura refused to take sleeping

예: As the economic gap between the rich and the poor increased,

pills or any other medicine that might stupefy her.

Roman society grew increasingly stratified. 3296. stupor 3285. stratum

뜻: state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness

뜻: layer of earth's surface; layer of society

예: In his stupor, the addict was unaware of the events taking place

예: Unless we alleviate conditions in the lowest stratum of our

around him.

147

Barron’s GRE Master Words

3297. stymie

3308. subsequent

뜻: present an obstacle; stump

뜻: following; later

예: The detective was stymied by the contradictory evidence in the

예: In subsequent lessons, we shall take up more difficult problems.

robbery investigation. 3309. subservient 3298. suavity

뜻: behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious

뜻: urbanity; polish

예: He was proud and dignified; he refused to be subservient to

예: He is particulary good in roles that require suavity and

anyone.

sophistication. 3310. subside 3299. subaltern

뜻: settle down; descend; grow quiet

뜻: subordinate

예: The doctor assured us that the fever would eventually subside.

예: The captain treated his subalterns as though they were children rather than commissioned officers.

3311. subsidiary 뜻: subordinate; secondary

3300. subjective

예: This information may be used as subsidiary evidence but is not

뜻: occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal

sufficient by itself to prove your argument.

예: Your analysis is highly subjective; you have permitted your emotions and your opinions to color your thinking.

3312. subsidy 뜻: direct financial aid by government, etc.

3301. subjugate

예: Without this subsidy, American ship operators would not be able

뜻: conquer; bring under control

to compete in world markets.

예: It is not our aim to subjugate our foe; we are interested only in establishing peaceful relations.

3313. subsistence

3302. sublimate

예: In those days of inflated prices, my salary provided mere

뜻: refine; purify

subsistence.

뜻: existence; means of support; livelihood

예: We must strive to sublimate these desires and emotions into worthwhile activities.

3314. substantiate 뜻: verify; support 예: I intend to substantiate my statement by producing witnesses.

3303. sublime 뜻: exalted; noble; uplifting 예: Mother Teresa has been honored for her sublime deeds.

3315. substantive 뜻: essential; pertaining to the substance

3304. subliminal

예: Although the delegates were aware of the importance of the

뜻: below the threshold

problem, they could not agree on the substantive issues.

예: We may not be aware of the subliminal influences that affect our thinking.

3316. subsume 뜻: include; encompass

3305. submissive

예: Does the general theory of relativity contradict Newtonian physics,

뜻: yielding; timid

or is Newton's law of gravity subsumed into Einstein's larger scheme?

예: Crushed by his authoritarian father, Will had no defiance left in him; he was totally submissive in the face of authority.

3317. subterfuge 뜻: pretense; evasion

3306. suborn

예: As soon as we realized that you had won our support by a

뜻: persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury)

subterfuge we withdrew our endorsement of your candidacy.

예: In the Godfather, the mobsters used bribery and threats to suborn the witnesses against Don Michael Corleone.

3318. subtlety

3307. subpoena

예: The subtlety of his remarks was unnoticed by most of his

뜻: writ summoning a witness to appear

audience.

뜻: nicety; cunning; guile; delicacy

예: The prosecutor's office was ready to serve a subpoena on the reluctant witness.

3319. subversive

148

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: tending to overthrow; destructive

뜻: separate; part

예: At first glance, the notion that Styrofoam cups may actually be

예: Northern and southern Ireland are politically and religiously

more ecologically sound than paper cups strikes most

sundered.

environmentalists as subversive. 3331. sundry 3320. succinct

뜻: various; several

뜻: brief; terse; compact

예: My suspicions were aroused when I read sundry items in the

예: His remarks are always succinct and pointed.

newspapers about your behavior.

3321. succor

3332. superannuated

뜻: aid; assistance; relief

뜻: retired or disqualified because of age

예: We shall be ever grateful for the succor our country gave us

예: The superannuated man was indignant because he felt that he

when we were in need.

could still perform a good day's work.

3322. succulent

3333. supercilious

뜻: juicy; full of richness

뜻: contemptuous; haughty

예: To some people, Florida citrus fruits are more succulent than

예: I prefer Jill's modesty to Jack's supercilious and arrogant attitude.

those from California. 3334. supererogatory 3323. succumb

뜻: superfluous; more than needed or demanded

뜻: yield; give in; die

예: We have more than enough witnesses to corroborate your

예: I succumb to temptation whenever it comes my way.

statement; to present any more would be supererogatory.

3324. suffragist

3335. superficial

뜻: advocate of voting rights (for women)

뜻: trivial; shallow

예: In recognition of her efforts to win the vote for women, Congress

예: Since your report gave only a superficial analysis of the problem,

authorized coining a silver dollar honoring the suffragist Susan B.

I cannot give you more than a passing grade.

Anthony. 3336. superfluous 3325. suffuse

뜻: excessive; overabundant, unnecessary

뜻: spread over

예: Please try not to include so many superfluous details in your

예: A blush suffused her cheeks when we teased her about her love

report; just give me the bare facts.

affair. 3337. superimpose 3326. sully

뜻: place over something else

뜻: tarnish; soil

예: Your attempt to superimpose another agency in this field will

예: He felt that it was beneath his dignity to sully his hands in such

merely increase the bureaucratic nature of our government.

menial labor. 3338. supernumerary 3327. sultry

뜻: person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra

뜻: sweltering

예: His first appearance on the stage was as a supernumerary in a

예: He could not adjust himself to the sultry climate of the tropics.

Shakespearean tragedy.

3328. summation

3339. supersede

뜻: act of finding the total, summary

뜻: cause to be set aside; replace

예: In his summation, the lawyer emphasized the testimony given by

예: This regulation will supersede all previous rules.

the two witnesses. 3340. supine 3329. sumptuous

뜻: lying on back

뜻: lavish; rich

예: The defeated pugilist lay supine on the canvas.

예: I cannot recall when I have had such a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast.

3341. supplant 뜻: replace; usurp 예: Corazon Aquino supplanted Ferdinand Marcos as president of

3330. sunder

149

Barron’s GRE Master Words the Philippines. 3354. surveillance 뜻: watching; guarding

3342. supple 뜻: flexible; pliant

예: The FBI kept the house under constant surveillance in the hope

예: The angler found a supple limb and used it as a fishing rod.

of capturing all the criminals at one time.

3343. suppliant

3355. susceptible

뜻: entreating; beseeching

뜻: impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance,

예: He could not resist the dog's suppliant whimpering, and he gave

as to a disease

it some food.

예: He was a very susceptible young man, and so his parents worried that he might fall into bad company.

3344. supplicate 뜻: petition humbly; pray to grant a favor

3356. sustain

예: We supplicate Your Majesty to grant him amnesty.

뜻: experience; support; nourish 예: He sustained such a severe injury that the doctors feared he

3345. supposition

would be unable to work to sustain his growing family.

뜻: hypothesis; surmise 예: I based my decision to confide in him on the supposition that he

3357. sustenance

would be discreet.

뜻: means of support, food, nourishment 예: In the tropics, the natives find sustenance easy to obtain because

3346. supposititious

of all the fruit trees.

뜻: assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical 예: I find no similarity between your supposititious illustration and the

3358. suture

problem we are facing.

뜻: stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing 예: We will remove the sutures as soon as the wound heals.

3347. surfeit 뜻: satiate; stuff; indulge to excess in anything 예: Every Thanksgiving we are surfeited with an overabundance of

3359. swarthy

holiday treats.

뜻: dark; dusky

3348. surly

and blond.

예: Despite the stereotype, not all Italians are swarthy; many are fair 뜻: rude; cross 예: Because of his surly attitude, many people avoided his company.

3360. swathe 뜻: wrap around; bandage

3349. surmise

예: When I visited him in the hospital, I found him swathed in

뜻: guess

bandages.

예: I surmise that he will be late for this meeting. 3361. swelter 3350. surmount

뜻: be oppressed by heat

뜻: overcome

예: I am going to buy an air conditioning unit for my apartment as I

예: He had to surmount many obstacles in order to succeed.

do not intend to swelter through another hot and humid summer.

3351. surpass

3362. swerve

뜻: exceed

뜻: deviate; turn aside sharply

예: Her SAT scores surpassed out expectations.

예: The car swerved wildly as the driver struggled to regain control of the wheel.

3352. surreptitious 뜻: secret

3363. swill

예: News of their surreptitious meeting gradually leaked out.

뜻: drink greedily 예: Singing, "Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum," Long John Silver and

3353. surrogate

his fellow pirates swilled their grog.

뜻: substitute 예: For a fatherless child, a male teacher may become a father

3364. swindler

surrogate.

뜻: cheat

150

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: She was gullible and trusting, an easy victim for the first swindler

예: During the twentieth century, many synthetic products have

who came along.

replaced the natural products.

3365. sybarite

3375. sedative

뜻: lover of luxury

뜻: calming drug or influence

예: Rich people are not always sybarites; some of them have little

예: It is dangerous to drive after taking the sedative; it brings

taste for a life of luxury.

drowsiness.

3366. sycophant

3376. stygian

뜻: servile flatterer

뜻: literary dark

예: The king enjoyed the servile compliments and attentions of the

예: The stygian room reminded him of an empty space.

sycophants in his retinue. 3367. syllogism 뜻: logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor T

premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument 예: There must be a fallacy in this syllogism; I cannot accept its 3377. tacit

conclusion.

뜻: understood; not put into words 예: We have a tacit agreement based on only a handshake.

3368. sylvan 뜻: pertaining to the woods; rustic 예: His paintings of nymphs in sylvan backgrounds were criticized as

3378. taciturn

oversentimental.

뜻: habitually silent; talking a little 예: New Englanders are reputedly taciturn people.

3369. symbiosis 뜻: interdependent relationship (between groups, species),

3379. tactile

often mutually beneficial

뜻: pertaining to the organs or sense of touch

예: Both the crocodile bird and the crocodile derive benefit from their

예: His callused hands had lost their tactile sensitivity.

symbiosis; pecking away at food particles embedded in the crocodile's teeth, the bird derives nourishment; the crocodile,

3380. tainted

meanwhile, derives proper dental hygiene.

뜻: contaminated; corrupt 예: Health authorities are always trying to prevent the sale and use of tainted food.

3370. symmetry 뜻: arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity 예: The addition of a second tower will give this edifice the symmetry

3381. talisman 뜻: charm

that it now lacks.

예: She wore the talisman to ward off evil. 3371. synchronous 뜻: similary timed; simultaneous with

3382. talon

예: We have many examples of scientists in different parts of the

뜻: claw of bird

world who have made synchronous discoveries.

예: The falconer wore a leather gauntlet to avoid being clawed by the hawk's talons.

3372. synoptic 뜻: providing a general overview; summary

3383. tangential

예: The professor turned to the latest issue of Dissertation Abstracts

뜻: peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing 예: Despite Clark's attempts to distract her with tangential remarks,

for a synoptic account of what was new in the field.

Lois kept on coming back to her main question: why couldn't he come out to dinner with Superman and her?

3373. synthesis 뜻: combining parts into a whole 예: Now that we have succeeded in isolating this drug, our next

3384. tangible

problem is to plan its synthesis in the laboratory.

뜻: able to be touched; real; palpable 예: Although Tom did not own a house, he had several tangible assets--a car, a television, a PC--that he could sell if he needed cash.

3374. synthetic 뜻: artificial; resulting from synthesis

151

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3385. tanner

3397. temerity

뜻: person who turns animal hides into leather

뜻: boldness; rashness

예: Using a solution of tanbark, the tanner treated the cowhide,

예: Do you have the temerity to argue with me?

transforming it into supple leather. 3398. temper 3386. tantalize

뜻: moderate; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel)

뜻: tease; torture with disappointment

예: Not even her supervisor's grumpiness could temper Nancy's

예: Tom loved to tantalize his younger brother with candy; he knew

enthusiasm for her new job.

the boy was forbidden to have it. 3399. temperament 3387. tantamount

뜻: characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess

뜻: equal

예: Although the twins look alike, they differ markedly in

예: Your ignoring their pathetic condition is tantamount to the murder.

temperament: Tod is calm, but Rod is excitable.

3388. tantrum

3400. temperate

뜻: fit of petulance; caprice

뜻: restrained; self-controlled

예: The child learned that he could have almost anything if he went

예: Noted for his temperate appetite, he seldom gained weight.

into tantrums. 3401. tempo 3389. taper

뜻: speed of music

뜻: candle

예: I find the conductor's tempo too slow for such a brilliant piece of

예: He lit the taper on the windowsill.

music.

3390. tarantula

3402. temporal

뜻: venomous spider

뜻: not lasting forever; limited by time; secular

예: We need an antitoxin to counteract the bite of the tarantula.

예: At one time in our history, temporal rulers assumed that they had been given their thrones by divine right.

3391. tarry 뜻: delay; dawdle

3403. temporize

예: We can't tarry if we want to get to the airport on time.

뜻: avoid committing oneself; gain time 예: I cannot permit you to temporize any longer; I must have a

3392. taut

definite answer today.

뜻: tight; ready 예: The captain maintained that he ran a taut ship.

3404. tenacious 뜻: holding fast 예: I had to struggle to break his tenacious hold on my arm.

3393. tautological 뜻: needlessly repetitious 예: In the sentence "It was visible to the eye," the phrase "to the eye"

3405. tenacity

is tautological.

뜻: firmness; persistency; adhesiveness 예: It is extremely difficult to overcome the tenacity of a habit such as

3394. tawdry

smoking.

뜻: cheap and gaudy 예: He won a few tawdry trinkets in Coney Island.

3406. tendentious 뜻: having an aim; biased; designed to further a cause

3395. taxonomist

예: The editorials in this periodical are tendentious rather than truth-

뜻: specialist in classifying (animals, etc.)

seeking.

예: Dental patterns often enable the taxonomist to distinguish members of one rodent species from those of another.

3407. tender 뜻: offer; extend

3396. tedium

예: Although no formal changes had been made against him, in the

뜻: boredom; weariness

wake of the recent scandal the mayor felt he should tender his

예: We hope this radio will help overcome the tedium of your stay in

resignation.

the hospital. 3408. tenet

152

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: doctrine; dogma

3420. tesselated

예: The agnostic did not accept the tenets of their faith.

뜻: inlaid; mosaic 예: I recall seeing a table with a tesselated top of bits of stone and

3409. tensile

glass in a very interesting pattern.

뜻: capable of being stretched 예: Mountain climbers must know the tensile strength of their ropes.

3421. testator 뜻: maker of a will

3410. tentative

예: The attorney called in his secretary and his partner to witness the

뜻: provisional; experimental

signature of the testator.

예: Your tentative plans sound plausible; let me know when the final details are worked out.

3422. testy 뜻: irritable; short-tempered

3411. tenuous

예: My advice is to avoid discussing this problem with him today as

뜻: thin; rare; slim

he is rather testy and may shout at you.

예: The allegiance of our allies is held by rather tenuous ties; let us hope they will remain loyal.

3423. tether 뜻: tie with a rope

3412. tenure

예: Before we went to sleep, we tethered the horses to prevent their

뜻: holding of an office; time during which such an office is held

wandering off during the night.

예: He was permanent tenure in this position and cannot be fired. 3424. thematic 3413. tepid

뜻: relating to a unifying motif or idea

뜻: lukewarm

예: Those who think of Moby Dick as a simple adventure story about

예: During the summer, I like to take a tepid bath, not a hot one.

whaling miss is underlying thematic import.

3414. terminate

3425. theocracy

뜻: to bring to an end

뜻: government of a community by religious leaders

예: When his contract was terminated unexpectedly, he desperately

예: Some Pilgrims favored the establishment of a theocracy in New

needed a new job.

England.

3415. terminology

3426. theoretical

뜻: terms used in a science or art

뜻: not practical or applied; hypothetical

예: The special terminology developed by some authorities in the

예: Bob was better at applied engineering and computer

field has done more to confuse laypersons than to enlighten them.

programming than he was at theoretical physics and math. While I can still think of some theoretical objections to your plan, you've

3416. terminus

convinced me of its basic soundness.

뜻: last stop of railroad 예: After we reached the railroad terminus, we continued our journey

3427. therapeutic

into the wilderness on saddle horses.

뜻: curative 예: Now better known for its racetrack, Saratoga Springs first gained

3417. terrestrial

attention for the therapeutic qualities of its famous "healing waters."

뜻: on or relating to the earth 예: We have been able to explore the terrestrial regions much more

3428. thermal

thoroughly than the aquatic or celestial regions.

뜻: pertaining to heat 예: The natives discovered that the host springs gave excellent

3418. terse

thermal baths and began to develop their community as a health

뜻: concise; abrupt; pithy

resort.

예: I admire his terse style of writing; he comes directly to the point. 3429. thespian 3419. tertiary

뜻: pertaining to drama

뜻: third

예: Her success in the school play convinced her she was destined

예: He is so thorough that he analyzes tertiary causes where other

for a thespian career.

writers are content with primary and secondary reasons. 3430. thrall

153

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: slave; bondage

3442. tipple

예: The captured soldier was held in thrall by the conquering army.

뜻: drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently 예: He found that his most enjoyable evenings occurred when he

3431. thrifty

tippled with his friends at the local pub.

뜻: careful about money; economical 예: A thrifty shopper compares prices before making major

3443. tirade

purchases.

뜻: extended scolding; denunciation 예: Long before he had finished his tirade, we were sufficiently aware

3432. thrive

of the seriousness of our misconduct.

뜻: prosper; flourish 예: Despite the impact of recession on the restaurant trade, Philip's

3444. titanic

cafe thrived.

뜻: gigantic 예: titanic waves beat aginst the shore during the hurricane.

3433. throes 뜻: violent anguish

3445. tithe

예: The throes of despair can be as devastating as the spasms

뜻: tax of one-tenth

accompanying physical pain.

예: Because he was an agnostic, he refused to pay his tithes to the clergy.

3434. throng 뜻: crowd

3446. titillate

예: Throngs of shoppers jammed the aisles.

뜻: tickle 예: I am here not to titillate my audience but to enlighten it.

3435. throttle 뜻: strangle

3447. title

예: The criminal tried to throttle the old man with his bare hands.

뜻: right or claim to possession; mark of rank; name (of a book, film, etc.)

3436. thwart

예: Though the penniless Duke of Ragwort no longer held title to the

뜻: baffle; frustrate

family estate, he still retained his title as head of one of England's

예: He felt that everyone was trying to thwart his plans and prevent

oldest families.

his success. 3448. titter 3437. tightwad

뜻: nervous laugh

뜻: excessively frugal person; miser

예: Her aunt's constant titter nearly drove her mad.

예: Jill called Jack a tightwad because he never picked up the check. 3449. titular 3438. tilter

뜻: having the title of an office without the obligations

뜻: handle used to move the boat's rudder (to steer)

예: Although he was the titular head of the company, the real

예: Fearing the wind might shift suddenly and capsize the skiff, Tom

decisions were made by his general manager.

kept one hand on the tilter at all times. 3450. toady 3439. timbre

뜻: servile flatterer; yes man

뜻: quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument

예: Never tell the boss anything he doesn't wish to hear: he doesn't

예: We identify the instrument producing a musical sound by its

want an independent adviser, he just wants a toady.

timbre. 3451. toga 3440. timidity

뜻: Roman outer robe

뜻: lack of self-confidence or courage

예: Marc Antony pointed to the slashes in Caesar's toga.

예: If you are to succeed as a salesperson, you must first lose your timidity and fear of failure.

3452. tome

3441. timorous

예: He spent much time in the libraries poring over ancient tomes.

뜻: large volume 뜻: fearful; demonstrating fear 예: His timorous manner betrayed the fear he felt at the moment.

3453. tonsure 뜻: shaving of the head, especially by person entering religious

154

Barron’s GRE Master Words orders

3464. tract

예: His tonsure, even more than his monastic garb, indicated that he

뜻: pamphlet; a region of indefinite size

was a member of the religious order.

예: The King granted William Penn a tract of land in the New World.

3454. topography

3465. tractable

뜻: physical features of a region

뜻: docile

예: Before the generals gave the order to attack, they ordered a

예: You will find the children in this school very tractable and willing

complete study of the topography of the region.

to learn.

3455. torpor

3466. traduce

뜻: lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy

뜻: expose to slander

예: Nothing seemed to arouse him from his torpor; he had wholly

예: His opponents tried to traduce the candidate's reputation by

surrendered himself to lethargy.

spreading rumors about his past.

3456. torque

3467. trajectory

뜻: twisting force; force producing rotation

뜻: path taken by a projectile

예: With her wrench she applied sufficient torque to the nut the

예: The police tried to locate the spot from which the assassin had

loosen it.

fired the fatal shot by tracing the trajectory of the bullet.

3457. torrent

3468. tranquillity

뜻: rushing stream; flood

뜻: calmness; peace

예: Day after day of heavy rain saturated the hillside until the water

예: After the commotion and excitement of the city, I appreciate the

ran downhill in torrents.

tranquillity of these fields and forests.

3458. torso

3469. transcend

뜻: trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk

뜻: exceed; surpass

예: This torso, found in the ruins of Pompeii, is now on exhibition in

예: This accomplishment transcends all our previous efforts.

the museum in Naples. 3470. transcribe 3459. tortuous

뜻: copy

뜻: winding; full of curves

예: When you transcribe your notes, please send a copy to Mr.Smith

예: Because this road is so tortuous, it is unwise to go faster than

and keep the original for our files.

twenty miles an hour on it. 3471. transgression 3460. touchstone

뜻: violation of a law; sin

뜻: stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion

예: Forgive us our transgressions; we know not what we do.

예: What touchstone can be used to measure the character of a person?

3472. transient 뜻: momentary; temporary; staying for a short time

3461. touchy

예: Lexy's joy at finding the perfect Christmas gift for Phil was

뜻: sensitive; irascible

transient; she still had to find presents for the cousins and Uncle Bob.

예: Do not discuss this phase of the problem as he is very touchy

Located near the airport, this hotel caters to the largely transient

about it.

trade.

3462. tout

3473. transition

뜻: publicize; praise excessively

뜻: going from one state of action to another

예: I lost confidence in my broker after he touted some junk bonds

예: During the period of transition from oil heat to gas heat, the

that turned out to be a bad investment.

furnace will have to be shut off.

3463. toxic

3474. transitoriness

뜻: poisonous

뜻: impermanence

예: We must seek an antidote for whatever toxic substance he has

예: Conscious that all things pass, the psalmist relates the

eaten.

transitoriness of happiness and fame.

155

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3475. translucent

graduate degree.

뜻: partly transparent 예: We could not recognize the people in the next room because of

3486. trek 뜻: travel; journey

the translucent curtains that separated us.

예: The tribe made their trek further north that summer in search of 3476. transmute

game.

뜻: change; convert to something different 예: He was unable to transmute his dreams into actualities.

3487. tremor 뜻: trembling; slight quiver 예: She had a nervous tremor in her right hand.

3477. transparent 뜻: permitting to light to pass through freely; easily detected 예: Your scheme is so transparent that it will fool no one.

3488. tremulous 뜻: trembling; wavering 예: She was tremulous more from excitement than from fear.

3478. transpire 뜻: be revealed; happen 예: When Austen writes the sentence "It had just transpired that he

3489. trenchant

had left gaming debts behind him," her meaning is not that the debts

뜻: cutting; keen

had just been incurred, but the the shocking news had just leaked

예: I am afraid of his trenchant wit for it is so often sarcastic.

out. 3490. trepidation 뜻: fear; trembling agitation

3479. transport 뜻: strong emotion

예: We must face the enemy without trepidation if we are to win this

예: Margo was a creature of extremes, at one moment in transports

battle.

of joy over a vivid sunset, at another moment in transports of grief over a dying bird.

3491. tribulation

3480. trappings

예: After all the trials and tribulations we have gone through, we

뜻: outward decorations; ornaments

need this rest.

뜻: distress; suffering

예: He loved the trappings of success: the limousines, the stock options, the company jet.

3492. tribunal 뜻: court of justice

3481. traumatic

예: The decision of the tribunal was final and the prisoner was

뜻: pertaining to an injury caused by violence

sentenced to death.

예: In his nightmares, he kept on recalling the traumatic experience of being wounded in battle.

3493. tribute

3482. travail

예: The colonists refused to pay tribute to a foreign despot.

뜻: tax levied by a ruler; mark of respect 뜻: painful labor 예: How long do you think a man can endure such travail and

3494. trident

degradation without rebelling?

뜻: three-pronged spear 예: Neptune is usually depicted as rising from the sea, carrying his

3483. traverse

trident on his shoulder.

뜻: go through or across 예: When you traverse this field, be careful of the bull.

3495. trigger 뜻: set off

3484. travesty

예: John is touchy today; say one word wrong and you'll trigger an

뜻: comical parody; treatment aimed at making something

explosion.

appear ridiculous 예: The ridiculous decision the jury has arrived at is a travesty of

3496. trilogy 뜻: group of three works

justice.

예: Romain Rolland's novel Jean Christophe was first published as a 3485. treatise

trilogy.

뜻: article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly 예: He is preparing a treatise on the Elizabethan playwrights for his

3497. trinket

156

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: knickknack; bauble

예: Despite the cold, many geologists are trying to discover valuable

예: Whenever she traveled abroad, Ethel would pick up costume

mineral deposits in the tundra.

jewelry and other trinkets as souvenirs. 3509. turbid 3498. trite

뜻: muddy; having the sediment disturbed

뜻: hackneyed; commonplace

예: The water was turbid after the children had waded through it.

예: Thr trite and predictable situations in many television programs alienate many viewers.

3510. turbulence 뜻: state of violent agitation

3499. trivia

예: We were frightened by the turbulence of the ocean during the

뜻: trifles; unimportant matters

storm.

예: Too many magazines ignore newsworthy subjects and feature trivia.

3511. tureen 뜻: deep dish for serving soup 예: The waiters brought the soup to the tables in silver tureens.

3500. troth 뜻: pledge of good faith especially in betrothal 예: He gave her his troth and vowed to cherish her always.

3512. turgid

3501. trough

예: The turgid river threatened to overflow the levees and flood the

뜻: container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave,

contryside.

뜻: swollen; distended

business cycle, etc.) 예: The hungry pigs struggled to get at the fresh swill in the trough.

3513. turmoil

The surfer rode her board, coasting along in the trough between two

뜻: confusion; strife

waves.

예: Conscious he had sinned, he was in a state of spiritual turmoil.

3502. truculence

3514. turncoat

뜻: agressiveness; ferocity

뜻: traitor

예: Tynan's reviews were noted for their caustic attacks and general

예: The British considered Benedict Arnold a loyalist; the Americans

tone of truculence.

considered him a turncoat.

3503. truism

3515. turpitude

뜻: self-evident truth

뜻: depravity

예: Many a truism is well expressed in a proverb.

예: A visitor may be denied admittance to this country if she has been guilty of moral turpitude.

3504. truncate 뜻: cut the top off

3516. tutelage

예: The top of the cone that has been truncated in a plane parallel to

뜻: guardianship; training

its base is a circle.

예: Under the tutelage of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso.

3505. tryst 뜻: meeting

3517. tutelary

예: The lovers kept their tryst even though they realized their danger.

뜻: protective; pertaining to a guardianship 예: I am acting in my tutelary capacity when I refuse to grant you

3506. tumid

permission to leave the campus.

뜻: swollen; pompous; bombastic 예: I especially dislike his tumid style; I prefer writing which is less

3518. tycoon

swollen and bombastic.

뜻: wealthy leader 예: John D. Rockefeller was a prominent tycoon.

3507. tumult 뜻: commotion; riot; noise

3519. tyranny

예: She could not make herself heard over the tumult of the mob.

뜻: oppression; cruel government 예: Frederick Douglass fought against the tyranny of slavery

3508. tundra

throughout his entire life.

뜻: rolling, treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America

157

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Her anger is unassuaged by your apology.

3520. tyro 뜻: beginner; novice 예: For a mere tyro, you have produced some marvelous results.

3531. unassuming 뜻: modest

3521. timid

예: He is so unassuming that some people fail to realize how great a

뜻: easily frightened; apprehensive

man he really is.

예: He was timid and cowardish; always backing up at daunting situations.

3532. unbridled 뜻: violent 예: She had a sudden fit of unbridled rage.

3522. tonic 뜻: invigorating medicine 예: The tonic water invigorated her, contrary to the enervating effect

3533. uncanny

of the alcohol.

뜻: strange; mysterious 예: You have the uncanny knack of reading my innermost thoughts.

3523. toil 뜻: work laboriously; make slow painful progress

3534. unconscionable

예: You must toil through 3500 words list in order to achieve a high

뜻: unscrupulous; excessive

score on GRE.

예: She found the load shark's demands unconscionable and impossible to meet. 3535. uncouth 뜻: outlandish; clumsy; boorish 예: Most biographers portray Lincoln as an uncouth and ungainly

U

young man. 3524. ubiquitous 뜻: being everywhere; omnipresent

3536. unction

예: That Christmas "The Little Drummer Boy" seemed ubiquitous:

뜻: the act of anointing with oil

Justin heard the tune everywhere he went.

예: The anointing with oil of a person near death is called extreme unction.

3525. ulterior 뜻: situated beyond; unstated and often questionable

3537. unctous

예: You must have an ulterior motive for your behavior, since there is

뜻: oily; bland; insincerely suave

no obvious reason for it.

예: Uriah Heep disguised his nefarious actions by unctuous protestations of his "'umility."

3526. ultimate 뜻: final; not susceptible to further analysis

3538. undermine

예: Scientists are searching for the ultimate truths.

뜻: weaken; sap 예: The recent corruption scandals have undermined many people's

3527. ultimatum

faith in the city government.

뜻: last demand; warning 예: Since they have ignored our ultimatum, our only recourse is to

3539. underscore 뜻: emphasize

declare war.

예: Adressing the jogging class, Kim underscored the importance to 3528. umbrage

runners of good nutrition.

뜻: resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult 예: She took umbrage at his remarks and stormed away in a huff.

3540. undulate 뜻: move with a wavelike motion 예: The flag undulated in the breeze.

3529. unanimity 뜻: complete agreement 예: We were surprised by the unanimity with which our proposals

3541. unearth

were accepted by the different groups.

뜻: dig up 예: When they unearthed the city, the archeologists found many

3530. unassuaged

relics of an ancient civilization.

뜻: unsatisfied; not soothed

158

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3542. unearthly 뜻: not earthly; weird

3554. unimpeachable

예: There is an unearthly atmosphere in her work that amazes the

뜻: blameless and exemplary

casual observer.

예: Her conduct in office was unimpeachable and her record is spotless.

3543. unequivocal 뜻: plain; obvious

3555. uninhibited

예: My answer to your proposal is an unequivocal and absolute "No."

뜻: unrepressed 예: The congregation was shocked by her uninhibited laughter during

3544. unerringly

the sermon.

뜻: infallibly 예: My teacher unerringly pounced on the one typographical error in

3556. unintimidating

my essay.

뜻: unfrightening 예: Though Phil had expected to feel overawed when he met Joe

3545. unfaltering

Montana, he found the experience unintimidating and relaxing.

뜻: steadfast 예: She approached the guillotine with unfaltering steps.

3557. unique

3546. unfeigned

예: You have the unique distinction of being the first student whom I

뜻: genuine; real

have had to fail in this course.

뜻: without an equal; single in kind

예: She turned so pale that I am sure her surprise was unfeigned. 3558. unison 3547. unfettered

뜻: unity of pitch; complete accord

뜻: liberated; freed from chains

예: The choir sang in unison.

예: Chained to the wall for months on end, the hostage despaired that he would ever be unfettered.

3559. universal 뜻: characterizing or affecting all; present everywhere

3548. unfledged

예: At first, no one shared Christopher's opinions; his theory that the

뜻: immature

world was round was met with universal disdain.

예: It is hard for an unfledged writer to find a sympathetic publisher. 3560. unkempt 3549. unfrock

뜻: disheveled; with uncared-for appearance

뜻: to strip a priest or minister of church authority

예: The beggar was dirty and unkempt.

예: To disbar a lawyer, to unfrock a priest, to suspend a doctor's license to practice--these are extreme steps that the authorities

3561. unobtrusive 뜻: inconspicuous; not blatant

should take only after careful consideration.

예: The secret service agents in charge of protecting the President 3550. ungainly

tried to be as unobtrusive as possible.

뜻: awkward 예: He is an ungainly young man; he trips over everything.

3562. unprecedented 뜻: novel; unparalleled

3551. unguent

예: Margaret Mitchell's book Gone with the Wind was an

뜻: ointment

unprecedented success.

예: Apply this unguent to the sore muscles before retiring. 3563. unprepossessing 3552. uniformity

뜻: unattractive

뜻: sameness; consistency; monotony

예: During adolescence many attractive young people somehow

예: After a while, the uniformity of TV situation comedies becomes

acquire the false notion that their appearance is unprepossessing.

boring. 3564. unravel 뜻: disentangle; solve

3553. unilateral 뜻: one-sided

예: With equal ease Miss Marple unraveled tangled balls of yarn and

예: This legislation is unilateral since it binds only one party in the

baffling murder mysteries.

controversy.

159

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3565. unrequited 뜻: not reciprocated

3577. unwonted

예: Suffering the pangs of unrequited love, Olivia rebukes Cesario for

뜻: unaccustomed 예: He hesitated to assume the unwonted role of master of

his hard-heartedness.

ceremonies at the dinner. 3566. unruly 뜻: disobedient; lawless

3578. upbraid

예: The only way to curb this unruly mob is to use tear gas.

뜻: scold; reproach 예: I must upbraid him for his unruly behavior.

3567. unsavory 뜻: distasteful; morally offensive

3579. uproarious

예: People with unsavory reputations should not be allowed to work

뜻: marked by commotion; extremely funny; very noisy

with young children.

예: The uproarious comedy hit Home Alone featured Macaulay Culkin, whose mugging and comic antics provoked gales of

3568. unscathed

uproarious laughter from audiences coast to coast.

뜻: unharmed 예: They prayed he would come back from the war unscathed.

3580. upshot

3569. unseemly

예: The upshot of the rematch was that the former champion proved

뜻: unbecoming; indecent

that he still possessed all the skills of his youth.

뜻: outcome

예: Your levity is unseemly at this time of mourning. 3581. urbane 3570. unsightly

뜻: suave; refined; elegant

뜻: ugly

예: The courtier was urbane and sophisticated

예: Although James was an experienced emergency room nurse, he occasionally became queasy when faced with a particularly unsightly

3582. urchin

injury.

뜻: mischievous child (usually a boy) 예: Get out! This store is no place for grubby urchins!

3571. unsullied 뜻: untarnished

3583. ursine

예: I am happy that my reputation is unsullied.

뜻: bearlike; pertaining to a bear 예: Because of its ursine appearance, the great panda has been

3572. untenable

identified with the bears; actually, it is closely related to the raccoon.

뜻: unsupportable 예: I find your theory untenable and must reject it.

3584. usurp 뜻: seize power; supplant

3573. untoward

예: The revolution ended when the victorious rebel leader usurped

뜻: unfortunate; annoying

the throne.

예: Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion.

3585. usury 뜻: lending money at illegal rates of interest 예: The loan shark was found guilty of usury.

3574. unwarranted 뜻: unjustified; groundless; undeserved 예: We could not understand Martin's unwarranted rudeness to his

3586. utopia

mother's guests.

뜻: imaginary land with perfect social and political system 예: Shangri-la was the name of James Hilton's Tibetan utopia.

3575. unwieldy 뜻: awkward; cumbersome; unmanageable

3587. uxorious

예: The large carton was so unwieldy that the movers had trouble

뜻: excessively devoted to one's wife

getting it up the stairs.

예: His friends laughed at him because he was so uxorious and submissive to his wife's desires.

3576. unwitting 뜻: unintentional; not knowing

3588. undergird

예: She was the unwitting tool of the swindlers

뜻: strengthen the base of

160

Barron’s GRE Master Words 예: Whereas relativity theory undermined the Newtonian mechanics,

3599. valor

cosmology was undergirded by it.

뜻: bravery 예: He received the Medal of Honor for his valor in battle. 3600. vampire 뜻: ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living 예: Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many

V

legends of vampires. 3589. vacillate 뜻: waver; fluctuate

3601. vanguard

예: Uncertain which suitor she ought to marry, the princess vacillated,

뜻: forerunners; advance forces

saying now one, now the other.

예: We are the vanguard of a tremendous army that is following us.

3590. vacuous

3602. vantage

뜻: empty; lacking in ideas; stupid

뜻: position giving an advantage

예: The candidate's vacuous remarks annoyed the audience, who

예: They fired upon the enemy from behind trees, walls and any

had hoped to hear more than empty platitudes

other point of vantage they could find.

3591. vagabond

3603. vapid

뜻: wanderer; tramp

뜻: insipid; inane

예: In summer, college students wander the roads of Europe like

예: She delivered an uninspired and vapid address.

carefree vagabonds. 3604. variegated 3592. vagary

뜻: many-colored

뜻: caprice; whim

예: Without her glasses, Gretchen saw the fields of tulips as a

예: She followed every vagary of fashion.

variegated blur.

3593. vagrant

3605. vassal

뜻: stray; random

뜻: in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord

예: He tried to study, but could not collect his vagrant thoughts.

예: The lord demanded that his vassals contribute more to his military campaign.

3594. vagrant 뜻: homeless wanderer

3606. vaunted

예: Because he was a stranger in town with no visible means of

뜻: boasted; bragged; highly publicized

support, Martin feared he would be jailed as a vagrant.

예: This much vaunted project proved a disappointment when it collapsed.

3595. vainglorious 뜻: boastful; excessively conceited

3607. veer

예: She was a vainglorious and arrogant individual.

뜻: change in direction 예: After what seemed an eternity, the wind veered to the east and

3596. valedictory

the storm abated.

뜻: pertaining to farewell 예: I found the valedictory address too long; leave-taking should be

3608. vegetate

brief.

뜻: live in a monotonous way 예: I do not understand how you can vegetate in this quiet village

3597. valid

after the adventurous life you have led.

뜻: logically convincing; sound; legally acceptable 예: You're going to have to come up with a better argument if you

3609. vehement

want to convince me that your reasoning is valid.

뜻: impetuous; with marked vigor 예: He spoke with vehement eloquence in defense of his client.

3598. validate 뜻: confirm; ratify

3610. velocity

예: I will not publish my findings until I validate my results.

뜻: speed 예: The train went by at considerable velocity.

161

Barron’s GRE Master Words with a wooden dummy. 3611. venal 뜻: capable of being bribed

3623. venturesome

예: The venal policeman accepted the bribe offered him by the

뜻: bold

speeding motorist whom he had stopped.

예: A group of venturesome women were the first to scale Mt.Annapurna.

3612. vendetta 뜻: blood feud

3624. venue

예: The rival mobs engaged in a bitter vendetta.

뜻: location 예: The attorney asked for a change of venue; he thought his client

3613. vendor

would do better if the trial were held in a less conservative county.

뜻: seller 예: The fruit vendor sold her wares from a stall on the sidewalk.

3625. veracious 뜻: truthful

3614. veneer

예: I can recommend him for this position because I have always

뜻: thin layer; cover

found him veracious and reliable.

예: Casual acquaintances were deceived by his veneer of sophistication and failed to recognize his fundamental shallowness.

3626. veracity 뜻: truthfulness

3615. venerable

예: Trying to prove Hill a liar, Senator Spector repeatedly questioned

뜻: deserving high respect

her veracity.

예: We do not mean to be disrespectful when we refuse to follow the advice of our venerable leader.

3627. verbalize

3616. venerate

예: I know you don't like to talk about these things, but please try to

뜻: revere

verbalize your feelings.

뜻: put into words

예: In China, the people venerate their ancestors. 3628. verbatim 3617. venial

뜻: word for word

뜻: forgivable; trivial

예: He repeated the message verbatim.

예: We may regard a hugry man's stealing as a venial crime. 3629. verbiage 3618. venison

뜻: pompous array of words

뜻: the meat of a deer

예: After we had waded through all the verbiage, we discovered that

예: The hunters dined on venison.

the writer had said very little.

3619. vent

3630. verbose

뜻: small opening; outlet

뜻: wordy

예: The wine did not flow because the air vent in the barrel was

예: This article is too verbose; we must edit it.

clogged. 3631. verdant 3620. vent

뜻: green; lush in vegetation

뜻: express; utter

예: Monet's paintings of the verdant meadows were symphonies in

예: He vented his wrath on his class.

green.

3621. ventral

3632. verdigris

뜻: abdominal

뜻: green coating on copper which has been exposed to the

예: We shall now examine the ventral plates of this serpent, not the

weather

dorsal side.

예: Despite all attempts to protect the statue from the elements, it became coated with verdigris.

3622. ventriloquist 뜻: someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from

3633. verge

another person or thing

뜻: border; edge

예: This ventriloquist does an act in which she has a conversation

예: Madame Curie knew she was on the verge of discovering the

162

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: food

secrets of radioactive elements.

예: There was a variety of viands at the feast. 3634. verisimilitude 뜻: appearance of truth; likelihood

3646. vicarious

예: Critics praised her for the verisimilitude of her performance as

뜻: acting as a substitute; done by a deputy

Lady Macbeth. She was completely believable.

예: Many people get a vicarious thrill at the movies by imagining they are the characters on the screen.

3635. verity 뜻: truth; reality

3647. vicissitude

예: The four verities were revealed to Buddha during his long

뜻: change of fortune

meditation.

예: Humbled by life's vicissitudes, the last emperor of China worked as a lowly gardener in the palace over which he had once ruled.

3636. vernacular 뜻: living language; natural style

3648. victuals

예: Cut out those old-fashioned "thee's" and "thou's" and write in the

뜻: food 예: I am very happy to be able to provide you with these victuals; I

vernacular.

know you are hungry. 3637. vernal 뜻: pertaining to spring

3649. vie

예: We may expect vernal showers all during the month of April.

뜻: contend; compete 예: Politicians vie with one another, competing for donations and

3638. versatile

votes.

뜻: having many talents; capable of working in many fields 예: He was a versatile athlete; at college he had earned varsity

3650. vigilance

letters in baseball, football, and track.

뜻: watchfulness 예: Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

3639. vertex 뜻: summit

3651. vigor

예: Let us drop a perpendicular line from the vertex of the triangle to

뜻: active strength

the base.

예: Although he was over seventy years old, Jack had the vigor of a man in his prime.

3640. vertigo 뜻: dizziness

3652. vignette

예: We test potential plane pilots for susceptibility to spells of vertigo.

뜻: picture; short literary sketch 예: The New Yorker published her latest vignette.

3641. verve 뜻: enthusiasm; liveliness

3653. vilify

예: She approached her studies with such verve that it was

뜻: slander

impossible for her to do poorly.

예: She is a liar and is always trying to vilify my reputation.

3642. vestige

3654. vindicate

뜻: trace; remains

뜻: clear of charges

예: We discovered vestiges of early Indian life in the cave.

예: I hope to vindicate my client and return him to society as a free man.

3643. vex 뜻: annoy; distress

3655. vindictive

예: Please try not to vex your mother; she is doing the best she can.

뜻: revengeful 예: She was very vindictive and never forgave an injury.

3644. viable 뜻: capable of maintaining life; practicable; workable

3656. vintner

예: The infant, though prematurely born, is viable and has a good

뜻: winemaker; seller of wine

chance to survive.

예: The poet wondered what the vintners could buy that would be half as precious as the wine they sold.

3645. viand

163

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3657. viper

예: Before filling its edges, the keysmith took the blank key and fixed

뜻: poisonous snake

it firmly between the jaws of a vise.

예: The habitat of the horned viper, a particularly venomous snake, is in sandy regions like the Sahara or the Sinai peninsula.

3669. visionary 뜻: produced by imagination; fanciful; mystical 예: She was given to visionary schemes that never materialized.

3658. virile 뜻: manly 예: I do not accept the premise that a man is virile only when he is

3670. vital

belligerent.

뜻: vibrant and lively; critical; living, breathing 예: The vital, highly energetic first aid instructor stressed that it was

3659. virtual

vital in examining accident victims to note their vital signs.

뜻: in essence; for practical purposes 예: She is a virtual financial wizard when it comes to money matters.

3671. vitiate

3660. virtue

예: Fraud will vitiate the contract.

뜻: spoil the effect of; make inoperative 뜻: goodness; moral excellence; good quality 예: A virtue carried to extremes can turn into something resembling

3672. vitreous

vice; humility, for example, can degenerate into servility and

뜻: pertaining to or resembling glass

spinelessness.

예: Although this plastic has many vitreous qualties such as transparency, it is unbreakable.

3661. virtuoso 뜻: highly skilled artist

3673. vitriolic

예: The child prodigy Yehudi Menuhin grew into a virtuoso whose

뜻: corrosive; sarcastic

virtuosity on the violin thrilled millions.

예: Such vitriolic criticism is uncalled for.

3662. virulent

3674. vituperative

뜻: extremely poisonous

뜻: abusive; scolding

예: The virus is highly virulent and has made many of us ill for days.

예: He became more vituperative as he realized that we were not going to grant him his wish.

3663. virus 뜻: disease communicator

3675. vivacious

예: The doctors are looking for a specific medicine to control this

뜻: lively or animated; sprightly

virus.

예: She had always been vivacious and sparkling.

3664. visage

3676. vivisection

뜻: face; appearance

뜻: act of dissecting living animals

예: The stern visage of the judge indicated that she had decided to

예: The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opposed

impose a severe penalty.

vivisection and deplored the practice of using animals in scientific experiments.

3665. visceral 뜻: felt in one's inner organs

3677. vixen

예: She disliked the visceral sensations she had whenever she rode

뜻: female fox; ill-tempered woman

the roller coaster.

예: Aware that she was right once again, he lost his temper and called her a shrew and a vixen.

3666. viscid 뜻: adhesive; gluey

3678. vociferous

예: The trunk of the maple tree was viscid with sap.

뜻: clamorous; noisy 예: The crowd grew vociferous in its anger and threatened to take

3667. viscous

the law into its own hands.

뜻: sticky, gluey 예: Melted tar is a viscous substance.

3679. vogue 뜻: popular fashion 예: Jeans became the vogue on many college campuses.

3668. vise 뜻: tool for holding work in place

164

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3680. volatile 뜻: changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly

3691. waffle

예: The political climate today is extremely volatile: no one can

뜻: speak equivocally about an issue

predict what the electorate will do next.

예: When asked directly about the governor's involvement in the savings and loan scandal, the press secretary waffled, talking all

3681. volition

around the issue.

뜻: act of making a conscious choice 예: She selected this dress of her own volition.

3692. waft 뜻: moved gently by wind or waves

3682. voluble

예: Daydreaming, he gazed at the leaves that wafted past his

뜻: fluent; glib

window.

예: She was a voluble speaker, always ready to talk. 3693. waggish 3683. voluminous

뜻: mischievous; humorous; tricky

뜻: bulky; large

예: He was a prankster who, unfortunately, often overlooked the

예: Despite her family burdens, she kept up a voluminous

damage he could cause with his waggish tricks.

correspondence with her friends. 3694. waif 3684. voluptuous

뜻: homeless child or animal

뜻: gratifying the senses

예: Although he already had eight cats, he could not resist adopting

예: The nobility during the Renaissance led voluptuous lives.

yet another feline waif.

3685. voracious

3695. waive

뜻: ravenous

뜻: give up temporarily; yield

예: The wolf is a voracious animal, its hunger never satisfied.

예: I will waive my rights in this matter in order to expedite our reaching a proper decision.

3686. vortex 뜻: whirlwind; whirlpool; center of turbulence; predicament into

3696. wallow

which one is inexorably plunged

뜻: roll in; indulge in; become helpless

예: Sucked into the vortex of the tornado, Dorothy and Toto were

예: The hippopotamus loves to wallow in the mud.

carried from Kansas to Oz. 3697. wan 3687. vouchsafe

뜻: having a pale or sickly color; pallid

뜻: grant condescendingly; guarantee

예: Suckling asked, "Why so pale and wan, fond lover?"

예: I can safely vouchsafe you fair return on your investment. 3698. wane 3688. voyeur

뜻: grow gradually smaller

뜻: Peeping

예: From now until December 21, the winter solstice, the hours of

예: Jill called Jack a voyeur when she caught him aiming his

daylight will wane.

binoculars at a bedroom window of the house next door. 3699. wangle 3689. vulnerable

뜻: wiggle out; fake

뜻: susceptible to wounds

예: She tried to wangle an invitation to the party.

예: Achilles was vulnerable only in his heel. 3700. wanton 3690. vulpine

뜻: unrestrained; willfully malicious; unchaste

뜻: like a fox; crafty

예: Pointing to the stack of bills, Sheldon criticized Sarah for her

예: She disliked his sly ways, but granted him a certain vulpine

wanton expenditures. In response, Sara accused Sheldon of making

intelligence.

an unfounded, wanton attack. 3701. warble 뜻: sing; babble 예: Every morning the birds warbled outside her window. W

165

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3702. warrant 뜻: justify; authorize

3713. welter

예: Before the judge issues the injunction, you must convince her

뜻: wallow

this action is warranted.

예: At the height of the battle, the casualties were so numerous that the victims weltered in their blood while waiting for medical attention.

3703. warranty 뜻: guarantee; assurance by seller

3714. wheedle

예: The purchaser of this automobile is protected by the

뜻: cajole; coax; deceive by flattery

manufacturer's warranty that he will replace any defective part for

예: She knows she can wheedle almost anything she wants from her

five years or 50,000 miles.

father.

3704. warren

3715. whelp

뜻: tunnels in which rabbits live; crowded conditions in which

뜻: young wolf, dog, tiger, etc.

people live

예: This collie whelp won't do for breeding, but he'd make a fine pet.

예: The tenement was a veritable warren, packed with people too poor to live elsewhere.

3716. whet 뜻: sharpen; stimulate

3705. wary

예: The odors from the kitchen are whetting my appetite; I will be

뜻: very cautious

ravenous by the time the meal is served.

예: The spies grew wary as they approached the sentry. 3717. whiff 3706. wastrel

뜻: puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); hint

뜻: profligate

예: The slightest whiff of Old Spice cologne brought memories of

예: He was denounced as a wastrel who had dissipated his

George to her mind.

inheritance. 3718. whimsical 3707. wax

뜻: capricious; fanciful

뜻: increase; grow

예: He dismissed his generous gift to his college as a sentimental

예: With proper handling, his fortunes waxed and he became rich.

fancy, an old man's whimsical gesture.

3708. waylay

3719. whinny

뜻: ambush; lie in wait

뜻: neigh like a horse

예: They agreed to waylay their victim as he passed through the dark

예: When he laughed through his nose, it sounded as if he whinnied.

alley going home. 3720. whit 3709. wean

뜻: smallest speck

뜻: accustom a baby not to nurse; give up a cherished activity

예: There is not a whit of intelligence or understanding in your

예: He decided he would wean himself away from eating junk food

observations.

and stick to fruits and vegetables. 3721. whittle 3710. weather

뜻: pare; cut off bits

뜻: endure the effects of weather or other forces

예: As a present for Aunt Polly, Tom whittled some clothespins out of

예: He weathered the changes in his personal life with difficulty, as

a chunk of wood.

he had no one in whom to confide. 3722. whorl 3711. welt

뜻: ring of leaves around stem; ring

뜻: mark from beating or whipping

예: Identification by fingerprints is based on the difference in shape

예: The evidence of child abuse was very clear; Jennifer's small body

and number of whorls on the fingers.

was covered with welts and bruises. 3723. willful 3712. welter

뜻: intentional; headstrong

뜻: turmoil; bewildering jumble

예: Donald had planned to kill his wife for months; clearly, her death

예: The existing welter of overlapping federal and state proclaims

was a case of deliberate, willful murder, not a crime of passion

cries out for immediate reform.

committed by a hasty, willful youth unable to foresee the

166

Barron’s GRE Master Words 뜻: sorcery; magic

consequences of his deeds.

예: Merlin amazed the knights with his wizardry. 3724. wily 뜻: cunning; artful

3736. wizened

예: She is as wily as a fox in avoiding trouble.

뜻: withered; shriveled 예: The wizened old man in the home for the aged was still active

3725. wince

and energetic.

뜻: shrink back; flinch 예: The screech of the chalk on the blackboard made her wince.

3737. wont 뜻: custom; habitual procedure

3726. windfall

예: As was his wont, he jogged two miles every morning before

뜻: fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event

going to work.

예: This huge tax refund is quite a windfall. 3738. worldly 3727. winnow

뜻: engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual

뜻: sift; separate good parts from bad

예: You must leave your worldly goods behind you when you go to

예: This test will winnow out the students who study from those who

meet your Maker.

don't bother. 3739. wrangle 3728. winsome

뜻: quarrel; obtain through arguing; herd cattle

뜻: agreeable; gracious; engaging

예: They wrangled over their inheritance.

예: By her winsome manner, she made herself liked by everyone who met her.

3740. wrath 뜻: anger; fury

3729. wispy

예: She turned to him, full of wrath, and said, "What makes you think

뜻: thin; slight; barely discernible

I'll accept lower pay for this job than you get?"

예: Worried about preserving his few wispy tufts of hair, Walter carefully massaged his scalp and applied hair restorer every night.

3741. wreak 뜻: inflict

3730. wistful

예: I am afraid he will wreak his vengeance on the innocent as well

뜻: vaguely longing; sadly pensive

as the guilty.

예: With a last wistful glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall, Sue headed back to her room to study for her exam.

3742. wrench

3731. withdrawn

예: She wrenched free of her attacker and landed a powerful kick to

뜻: introverted; remote

his kneecap.

뜻: pull; strain; twist

예: Rebuffed by his colleagues, the initially outgoing young researcher became increasingly withdrawn.

3743. wrest 뜻: pull away; take by violence

3732. wither

예: With only ten seconds left to play, our team wrested victory from

뜻: shrivel; decay

their grasp.

예: Cut flowers are beautiful for a day, but all too soon they wither. 3744. writ 3733. witless

뜻: written command issued by a court

뜻: foolish; idiotic

예: The hero of Leonard's novel is a process server who invents

예: Such witless and fatuous statements will create the impression

unorthodox ways of serving writs on reluctant parties.

that you are an ignorant individual. 3745. writhe 3734. witticism

뜻: squirm, twist

뜻: witty saying; facetious remark

예: He was writhing in pain, desperate for the drug his body required.

예: What you regard as witticisms are often offensive to sensitive people.

3746. wry 뜻: twisted; with a humorous twist 예: We enjoy Dorothy Parker's verse for its wry wit.

3735. wizardry

167

Barron’s GRE Master Words 3757. zealot 뜻: fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal 예: It is good to have a few zealots in our group for their enthusiasm is contagious. X 3758. zenith 3747. xenophobia

뜻: point directly overhead in the sky; summit

뜻: fear or hatred of foreigners

예: When the sun was at its zenith, the glare was not as strong as at

예: When the refugee arrived in America, he was unprepared for the

sunrise and sunset.

xenophobia he found there. 3759. zephyr 3748. yen

뜻: gentle breeze; west wind

뜻: longing; urge

예: When these zephyrs blow, it is good to be in an open boat under

예: She had a yen to get away and live on her own for a while.

a full sail.

3749. yeoman 뜻: man owing small estate; middle-class farmer 예: It was not the aristocrat but the yeoman who determined the nation's policies. 3750. yield 뜻: amount produced; crop; income on investment 예: An experienced farmer can estimate the annual yield of his acres with surprising accuracy. 3751. yield 뜻: give in; surrender 예: The wounded knight refused to yield to his foe. 3752. yoke 뜻: join together, unite 예: I don't wish to be yoked to him in marriage, as if we were cattle pulling a plow. 3753. yokel 뜻: country bumpkin 예: At school, his classmates regarded him as a yokel and laughed at his rustic mannerisms. 3754. yore 뜻: time past 예: He dreamed of the elegant homes of yore, but gave no thought to their inelegant plumbing. 3755. zany 뜻: crazy; comic 예: I can watch the Marx brothers' zany antics for hours. 3756. zeal 뜻: eager enthusiasm 예: Wang's zeal was contagious; soon all his fellow students were busily making posters, inspired by his ardent enthusiasm for the cause.

168