Professional Documents
Culture Documents
GRE 400 Words
GRE 400 Words
appall v. shocked
bedizen v. adorn with showy manner.
bellicose adj. quarrelsome; warlike
blight v. to spoil or ruin something.
bluster v. to be loud, noisy.
brazen adj. to face bold.
callow adj. immature, inexperienced.
caveat n. warning
certitude n. a feeling of sureness.
cliche n. phrase repetitively used.
cogent adj. convincing
conflagration n. a wild fire.
cul-de-sac n. trap
cursory adj. hastily done
defalcate v. to mislead money
detrimental adj. harmful
draconian adj. cruel; severe
dregs n. worthless things
embellish v. to decorate
ennui n. boredom
enormity n. serious crime
eschew v. to avoid
extirpate v. cut; to remove what is undesirable.
extraneous adj. coming from outside
fallacy n. a false argument
faux pas n. a social mistake
fecund adj. productive; fertile
fervor n. intense feeling
fiasco n. a complete failure
fulsome adj. offensive to good taste, esp. as being excessive; gross
gambit n. a risky action
gape n. open widely
gargantuan adj. huge; enormous
gargoyle n. a stone or a metal spout in the frame of a grotesque figure on a building
gaudy adj. flashy; showy
germane adj. relevant
glut n. abundance
gnarled adj. twisted; rugged
grisly adj. horrible; disgust or fear.
grotto n. small cavern/cave
grouse n. complain; fuss
grovel v. creep on the ground to behave like a slave in seeking favour or forgiveness.
guffaw n. a coarse laughter
haggled v. to argue about price
hallowed adj. blessed
hallucination n. visualization of something not actually present
hiatus n. a gap
homily n. long sermon
impending adj. approaching; threatening
impenitent adj. not repentant
imperial adj. majestic
imperious adj. to overpower; arrogant
imperturbable adj. calm; placid; at peace
impervious adj. impenetrable
impetuous adj. rash; violent
impetus n. driving force or impulse; stimulus
impiety n. irreverence; lack of respect for God.
implacable adj. one who cannot be satisfied; cannot be pacified.
implausible adj. unlikely; unbelievable
implicit adj. understood, although unstated
implore v. beg
imponderable adj. one that cannot be assessed or estimated in any definite way
imposture n. assuming a false identity, the act or an instance of fraudulence
impotent adj. weak; ineffective
impromptu adj. without previous preparation; at the spur of the moment.
impropriety n. improperness; unsuitableness; indecency
improvident adj. thriftless; lacking foresight
improvise v. compose or perform at the spur of the moment
impudence n. absurd; rude
impunity n. exemption from punishment
inadvertently adj. unintentionally; negligent
inalienable adj. non-transferable
inane adj. silly; senseless
incandescent adj. strikingly bright
incarcerate adj. imprison
incarnate adj. personified; taking a human form
incendiary adj. inflammatory; causing fire
incense v,n. infuriate; to cause anger; enrage
incessant adj. uninterrupted; unceasing
inchoate adj. recently begun; elementary; undeveloped.
incipient adj. at an early stage; beginning.
inclement adj. severe esp. cold and stormy.
incongruity. n. lack of harmony; absurd.
incontinent adj. lacking self-restrain (sexual);inability
indefatigable. adj. tireless.
inebriety n. intoxication.
insouciant adj. with out worry.
jabber v. chatter rapidly & volubly.
jaded adj. worn-out; tired.
jagged adj. with rough pointed often sharp edges.
jalopy adj. an old used car.
jargon n. language used by a special group; technical terminology.
manger n. a long open box from which horses cattle can feed.
mangy adj. shabby, dirty.
maniacal adj. wild behaviour; madness.
manifest adj. visible; obvious.
manumit v. free from bondage; set free.
martinet n. strict disciplinarian.
masochist n. one who enjoys what appears to be painful.
masticate v. chew with one's teeth.
maudlin adj. tearfully sentimental.
maul v. handle roughly.
mausoleum n. a grand tomb.
mauve. adj/n. pale purple.
maverick n. rebel; an unorthodox person.
mawkish adj. sentimental.
maxim n. proverb; a general truth.
mayhem n. injury to body; violent action.
meager adj. inadequate, scanty.
meander v. winds or turn in its course.
meddlesome adj. interfering; obstructing.
medley n. mixture.
meek adj. submissive; calm and cool.
melee n. fight.
menagerie n. gathering of wild animals in captivity.
mendicant adj. beggar.
mercenary adj. selfish; concerned with money.
mercurial adj. changing, inconstant.
meretricious adj. flashy, showy but falsely attractive.
mesmerize v. hypnotize, spell bind.
mete n/v. to distribute.
meticulous adj. excessively careful.
mettle n. courage.
miasma n. harmful vapours.
militate v. work against.
minatory adj. threatening.
minion n. a slave.
mire n/v. a swampy ground, a swamp.
mirth n. laughter.
misgiving n. doubts, unwillingness.
misnomer n. wrong name; incorrect /inapplicable designation.
missive n. letter esp. a serious one; an official letter.
mite n. very small object or creature.
mitigate v. make milder or less intense.
mogul n. powerful person.
mollify v. pacify.
molt v. shed or cast of hair.
mordant adj. biting; caustic; pungent.