GRE Big Book

1 Abscond Leave quickly and secretly and hide oneself, often to avoid arrest
or prosecution.
2 Acorn The fruit of an oak
3 Acquittal judgment that a person is not guilty of a crime
4 Aerate To supply or charge (liquid) with a gas
5 Aide An assistant
6 Alcove A recess or partly enclosed extension connected to or forming part
of a room
7 Alienate To cause to become unfriendly or hostile
8 Allay To reduce the intensity of
9 Allies To place in a friendly association
10 Allusive indirect reference
11 Amble slow walk
12 Amortize To liquidate (a debt, such as a mortgage) by installment payments
or payment into a sinking fund.
13 Anachronistic Representation of someone as existing or something as happening
in other than the chronological, proper, or historical order
14 Annotation to add notes to give explanation
15 Anthology A collection of literary pieces, such as poems, short stories, or
plays.
16 Anvil A heavy block of iron or steel with a smooth, flat top on which
metals are shaped by hammering.
17 Aorta The main trunk of the systemic arteries, carrying blood from the left
side of the heart to the arteries of all limbs and organs except the
lungs.
18 Arbitrate To judge or decide in or as in the manner of an arbitrator
19 Archaism An archaic word, phrase, idiom, or other expression.
20 Archivist One who is in charge of archives.
21 Aria A solo vocal piece
22 Armada large fleet of ships
23 Arson The crime of maliciously, voluntarily, and willfully setting fire to the
building, buildings, or other property of another or of burning one's
own property for an improper purpose, as to collect insurance
24 Artery Any of a branching system of muscular
25 Artistry Artistic ability
26 Assault violent physical or verbal attack.
27 Assay Qualitative or quantitative analysis of a substance, especially of an
ore or drug, to determine its components.
28 Atonement mends or reparation made for an injury or wrong; expiation
29

30 Attic Of, relating to, or characteristic of ancient Attica, Athens, or the

Athenians. 2. Characterized by purity, simplicity, and elegant wit.

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31 Avalanche A fall or slide of a large mass, as of snow or rock, down a

mountainside
32 Aver To affirm positively; declare
33 Averts To turn away
34 Awe of A mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired
by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might
35 Awe-inspiring causing awe
36 Awl A pointed tool for making holes, as in wood or leather.
37 Bait An enticement; a temptation.
38 Bale A large package of raw or finished material tightly bound with twine
or wire and often wrapped
39 Ballads The music for such a poem
40 Ballet A classical dance form characterized by grace and precision of
movement and elaborate formal technique, often but not always
performed on point by the women dancers.
41 Balloon A flexible, nonporous bag inflated with a gas, such as helium, that
is lighter than the surrounding air, that causes the bag to rise and
float in the atmosphere.
42 Barge A large, open pleasure boat used for parties, pageants, or formal
ceremonies.
43 Bark The harsh, abrupt sound uttered by a dog.
44 Bask To expose oneself to pleasant warmth.
45 Baste To sew loosely with large running stitches so as to hold together
temporarily.
46 Baton slender wooden stick or rod used by a conductor to direct an
orchestra or band
47 Bereft o leave desolate or alone, especially by death
48 Berry An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary and having the
whole wall fleshy, such as the grape or tomato
49 Bile A bitter, alkaline, brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow fluid that is
secreted by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and discharged into
the duodenum and aids in the emulsification,
50 Bleak Gloomy and somber; dreary
51 Blizzard A violent snowstorm with winds blowing at a minimum speed of 35
miles (56 kilometers) per hour and visibility of less than one-quarter
mile (400 meters) for three hours
52 Blowhard boaster or braggart.
53 Blush To become red in the face, especially from modesty,
embarrassment, or shame; flush. 2. To become red or rosy.
54 Boggle To hesitate as if in fear or
55 Bolster long, narrow pillow or cushion.
56 Boulder large rounded mass of rock lying on the surface of the ground or
embedded in the soil.
57 Bout A contest between antagonists; a match.

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58 Brat child, especially a spoiled or ill-mannered one.

59 Breached An opening, a tear, or a rupture. b. A gap or rift, especially in or as
if in a solid structure such as a dike or fortification. 2. A violation or
infraction, as of a law, a legal obligation, or a promise.
60 Bricklayer A person skilled in building with bricks
61 Brood The young of certain animals, especially a group of young birds or
fowl hatched at one time and cared for by the same mother.
62 Brooked To put up with; tolerate.
63 Bruised o injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of (part of the body)
without breaking the skin, as by a blow. b. To damage (plant
tissue), as by abrasion or pressure. 2. To dent or mar.
64 Bud A person or thing that is not yet fully developed
65 Bulge A protruding part; an outward curve or swelling.
66 Buoy Nautical. A float, often having a bell or light, moored in water as a
warning of danger or as a marker for a channel.
67 Burgle to enter a building by force and steal from it
68 Buttress structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or
reinforcement.
69 Byline A line at the head of a newspaper or magazine article carrying the
writer's name.
70 Canonical Of, relating to, or required by canon law
71 Capricious Characterized by or subject to whim
72 Caret A proofreading symbol (^) used to indicate where something is to
be inserted in a line of printed or written matter.
73 Carp To find fault in a disagreeable way; complain
74 Carve To divide into pieces by cutting
75 Cast To throw with force
76 Caste Any of four classes
77 Caterpillar The wormlike, often brightly colored, hairy or spiny larva of a
butterfly or moth.
78 Caulk To make watertight or airtight by filling or sealing.
79 Cavalry Troops trained to fight on horseback.
80 Cavern A large cave
81 Caves To dig or hollow out
82 Ceases To put an end to; discontinue
83 Censorious Tending to censure
84 Chandelier branched, decorative lighting fixture that holds a number of bulbs
or candles and is suspended from a ceiling.
85 Chanteys A song sung by sailors
86 Charade A game in which words or phrases are represented in pantomime,
sometimes syllable by syllable, until they are guessed by the other
players

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87 Chauvinist Militant devotion to and glorification of one's country; fanatical

patriotism
88 Chipmunk Any of several small, striped, terrestrial squirrels of the genera
Tamias and Eutamias
89 Chisel A metal tool with a sharp beveled edge, used to cut and shape
stone, wood, or metal.
90 Choir An organized company of singers
91 Chorales A chorus or choir.
92 Chrysanthemum Any of numerous, mostly Eurasian plants of the genus
Chrysanthemum in the composite family, many of which are
cultivated as ornamentals for their showy, radiate flower heads.
93 Churlishness Rude, boorish
94 Cinder burned or partly burned substance, such as coal, that is not
reduced to ashes but is incapable of further combustion.
95 Clam Any of various usually burrowing marine and freshwater bivalve
mollusks of the class Pelecypoda, including members of the
genera Venus and Mya, many of which are edible
96 Claw A sharp, curved nail on the toe of a mammal, reptile, or bird
97 Cleaved To split with or as if with a sharp instrument.
98 Cleaver A heavy, broad-bladed knife or hatchet used especially by butchers
99 Clinch To fix or secure (a nail or bolt, for example) by bending down or
flattening the pointed end that protrudes.
100 Cloistered A secluded, quiet place.
101 Clot A thick, viscous, or coagulated mass or lump, as of blood.
102 Cloture A parliamentary procedure by which debate is ended and an
immediate vote is taken on the matter under discussion. Also
called closure
103 Cloudburst A sudden, heavy rainstorm; a downpour.
104 Cob A male swan
105 Codify . To reduce to a code. 2. To arrange or systematize.
106 Cohabit To live together as spouses.
107 Collate To examine and compare carefully in order to note points of
disagreement.
108 Collusion To act together secretly to achieve a fraudulent, illegal, or deceitful
purpose; conspire
109 Comma A pause or separation; a caesura.
110 Commensurate Of the same size, extent, or duration as another
111 Compendium A short, complete summary; an abstract.
112 Concur To be of the same opinion; agree
113 Conniving To cooperate secretly in an illegal or wrongful action; collude.
114 Conscript One compulsorily enrolled for service, especially in the armed
forces; a draftee
115 Constrict To make smaller or narrower by binding or squeezing

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116 Contiguity Sharing an edge or boundary; touching.

117 Coop An enclosure or cage, as for poultry or small animals
118 Cordon A line of people, military posts, or ships stationed around an area
to enclose or guard it.
119 Corn Any of numerous cultivated forms of a widely grown, usually tall
annual cereal grass (Zea mays) bearing grains or kernels on large
ears
120 Corral An enclosure formed by a circle of wagons for defense against
attack during an encampment
121 Courted An extent of open ground partially or completely enclosed by walls
or buildings; a courtyard.
122 Cramp sudden, involuntary, spasmodic muscular contraction causing
severe pain, often occurring in the leg or shoulder as the result of
strain or chill.
123 Crass o crude and unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and
sensibility.
124 Crate A container, such as a slatted wooden case, used for storing or
shipping
125 Cravat A scarf or band of fabric worn around the neck as a tie
126 Crave To have an intense desire for.
127 Craven haracterized by abject fear; cowardly.
128 Crawl To move slowly on the hands and knees or by dragging the body
along the ground; creep.
129 Crease line made by pressing, folding, or wrinkling.
130 Croak A low, hoarse sound, as that characteristic of frogs and crows.
131 Crochet To make a piece of needlework by looping thread with a hooked
needle.
132 Crumb A very small piece broken from a baked item, such as a cookie,
cake, or bread.
133 Crumble To break into small fragments or particles.
134 Curt Rudely brief or abrupt, as in speech or manner.
135 Curtain Material that hangs in a window or other opening as a decoration,
shade, or screen.
136 Dally To play amorously; flirt. 2. To trifle; toy. 3. To waste time; dawdle. --
tr. To waste (time).
137 Damp Slightly wet.
138 Daredevil One who is recklessly bold
139 Darn To mend (a garment, for example) by weaving thread or yarn
across a gap or hole.
140 Dart A slender, pointed missile, often having tail fins, thrown by hand,
shot from a blowgun, or expelled by an exploding bomb
141 Dash To break or smash by striking violently.
142 Dawdler To take more time than necessary.
143 Debrief To question to obtain knowledge or intelligence gathered especially
on a military mission.

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144 Decried To condemn openly

145 Dehumanizing To deprive of human qualities such as individuality, compassion, or
civility.
146 Demur To voice opposition; object.
147 Den The shelter or retreat of a wild animal; a lair.
148 Denigrating To attack the character or reputation of; speak ill of; defame.
149 Denomination A name or designation, especially for a class or group
150 Dent A depression in a surface made by pressure or a blow.
151 Denture A partial or complete set of artificial teeth for either the upper or
lower jaw.
152 Deposition The act of deposing, as from high office
153 Derision To speak of or treat with contemptuous mirth.
154 Descry To catch sight of (something difficult to discern).
155 Deter To prevent or discourage from acting, as by means of fear or
doubt.
156 Dichotomy Division into two usually contradictory parts or opinions.
157 Dilettante A lover of the fine arts; a connoisseur.
158 Din A jumble of loud, usually discordant sounds
159 Disabuse To free from a falsehood or misconception.
160 Disaffect To cause to lose affection or loyalty
161 Disarm To divest of a weapon or weapons. b. To deprive of the means of
attack or defense; render harmless.
162 Disbar To expel (an attorney) from the practice of law by official action or
procedure.
163 Disburse To pay out, as from a fund; expend.
164 Disciples One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of
another.
165 Disintegration To become reduced to components, fragments, or particles
166 Disinter To dig up or remove from a grave or tomb; exhume
167 Dislodge To remove or force out from a position or dwelling previously
occupied.
168 Disparate Fundamentally distinct or different in kind; entirely dissimilar.
169 Dispel To rid one's mind of. 2. To drive away or off by or as if by
scattering.
170 Disposed To place or set in a particular order; arrange.
171 Disrupt To interrupt or impede
172 Dissemble To disguise or conceal behind a false appearance
173 Dissident Disagreeing
174 Distraught Deeply agitated
175 Divestiture To deprive, as of rights or property

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176 Dodge To avoid (a blow, for example) by moving or shifting quickly aside
177 Doff To take off; remove.
178 Doggerel Crudely or irregularly fashioned verse
179 Dogma An authoritative principle
180 Dome A hemispherical roof
181 Don To put on (clothing).
182 Dossier A collection of papers giving detailed information about a particular
person or subject.
183 Dote To show excessive love or fondness.
184 Drabness Of a dull light brown.
185 Drawbridge A bridge that can be raised or drawn aside either to prevent access
or to permit passage beneath it.
186 Drawl To speak with lengthened or drawn-out vowels.
187 Drift To be carried along by currents of air or water.
188 Droll Amusingly odd or whimsically comical.
189 Drone To make a continuous low dull humming sound.
190 Dross Worthless
191 Duck Any of various wild or domesticated swimming birds of the family
Anatidae, characteristically having a broad, flat bill, short legs, and
webbed feet.
192 Dune A hill or ridge of wind-blown sand.
193 Dupe An easily deceived person.
194 Dwindles To become gradually less until little remains. --tr. To cause to
dwindle
195 Dyslexia A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to
recognize and comprehend written words
196 Eavesdropper To listen secretly to the private conversation of others.
197 Edifying To instruct especially so as to encourage intellectual,
198 Effrontery Brazen boldness; presumptuousness.
199 Egotist The tendency to speak or write of oneself excessively and
boastfully.
200 Egress The act of coming or going out; emergence
201 Elegy A poem composed in elegiac couplets
202 Ellipsis The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete
syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding
203 Elusive Tending to elude capture, perception, comprehension, or memory
204 Embark To cause to board a vessel or aircraft.
205 Embellish To make beautiful, as by ornamentation; decorate.
206 Enacted To make into law.
207 Enamored To inspire with love;

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208 Encapsulate To encase in or as if in a capsule.

209 Encomium A formal expression of praise
210 Encumbering To put a heavy load on; burden.
211 Endow To provide with property, income, or a source of income
212 Engerders To bring into existence; give rise to
213 Ensemble A unit or group of complementary parts that contribute to a single
effect, especially
214 Ensign A standard or banner, as of a military unit
215 Entrenched To fix firmly
216 Entrust To give over (something) to another for care, protection, or
performance.
217 Enunciate To pronounce; articulate
218 Epaulet A shoulder ornament, especially a fringed strap worn on military
uniforms.
219 Epilogue A short poem or speech spoken directly to the audience following
the conclusion of a play.
220 Epistemology The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its
presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.
221 Epistle A letter, especially a formal one
222 Erratic aving no fixed or regular course; wandering.
223 Escalating To increase, enlarge, or intensify.
224 Eschew To avoid; shun.
225 Esophagus The muscular, membranous tube for the passage of food from the
pharynx to the stomach; the gullet
226 Espionage The act or practice of spying or of using spies to obtain secret
information, as about another government or a business
competitor.
227 Espy To catch sight of (something distant, partially hidden, or obscure);
glimpse.
228 Estrangement To make hostile, unsympathetic, or indifferent; alienate.
229 Etiquette The practices and forms prescribed by social convention or by
authority.
230 Eucalyptus Any of numerous tall trees of the genus Eucalyptus,
231 Evict To put out (a tenant, for example) by legal process; expel
232 Excoriation o tear or wear off the skin of; abrade. 2. To censure strongly;
denounce
233 Exorcised To expel (an evil spirit) by or as if by incantation, command, or
prayer.
234 Exotic From another part of the world; foreign
235 Expel To force or drive out.
236 Exposition A setting forth of meaning or intent.
237 Extant Still in existence; not destroyed, lost, or extinct

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238 Extemporaneous Carried out or performed with little or no preparation; impromptu.

239 Extemporize To do or perform (something) without prior preparation or practice.
--intr. To perform an act or utter something in an impromptu
manner; improvise.
240 Extenuating To lessen or attempt to lessen the magnitude or seriousness of,
especially by providing partial excuses.
241 Extirpation To pull up by the roots.
242 Fable A story about legendary persons and exploits
243 Façade The face of a building, especially the principal face.
244 Faddish A fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period
of time; a craze
245 Fallibility Capable of making an error.
246 Famish To cause to endure severe hunger.
247 Fatten To make plump or fat
248 Fatuity Smug stupidity; utter foolishness
249 Faucet A device for regulating the flow of a liquid from a reservoir such as
a pipe or drum.
250 Fawn To exhibit affection or attempt to please, as a dog does by wagging
its tail, whining,
251 Feckless Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.
252 Feeble Lacking strength; weak.
253 Feint A feigned attack designed to draw defensive action away from an
intended target
254 Fell The hide of an animal; a pelt.
255 Felon One who has committed a felony. 2. Archaic. An evil person.
256 Ferret A weasellike, usually albino mammal (Mustela putorius furo)
related to the polecat and often trained to hunt rats or rabbits.
257 Fickle Characterized by erratic changeableness or instability, especially
with regard to affections or attachments; capricious.
258 Fidget To behave or move nervously or restlessly
259 Figurine A small molded or sculptured figure; a statuette.
260 Filibuster n instance of the use of this delaying tactic.
261 Filigree Delicate and intricate ornamental work made from gold, silver, or
other fine twisted wire.
262 Finesse Refinement and delicacy of performance, execution, or artisanship
263 Finicky Insisting capriciously on getting just what one wants; difficult to
please; fastidious.
264 Flag A piece of cloth, usually rectangular, of distinctive color and design,
used as a symbol, a standard, a signal, or an emblem.
265 Flagged A distinctively shaped or marked tail, as of a dog or deer.
266 Flail A manual threshing device consisting of a long wooden handle or
staff and a shorter, free-swinging stick attached to its end.
267 Flaunting To exhibit ostentatiously or shamelessly.

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268 Flax Any of several plants of the genus Linum, especially the widely
cultivated
269 Fledge To take care of (a young bird) until it is ready to fly.
270 Flex To bend (something pliant or elastic).
271 Flinch To start or wince involuntarily, as from surprise or pain.
272 Flint A very hard, fine-grained quartz that sparks when struck with steel.
273 Flippant Marked by disrespectful levity or casualness; pert.
274 Flounder To make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance.
275 Flouting To show contempt for; scorn.
276 Fluke A stroke of good luck.
277 Flustered To make or become nervous or upset
278 Foil To prevent from being successful; thwart.
279 Fordable A shallow place in a body of water, such as a river, where one can
cross by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle.
280 Foreclosure The act of foreclosing, especially a legal proceeding by which a
mortgage is foreclosed.
281 Forestall To delay, hinder, or prevent by taking precautionary measures
beforehand.
282 Forfeited Something surrendered or subject to surrender as punishment for
a crime, an offense, an error, or a breach of contract.
283 Forgery To make a forgery or counterfeit.
284 Foyer An entrance hall; a vestibule.
285 Fracas A noisy, disorderly fight or quarrel; a brawl.
286 Frantic Highly excited with strong emotion or frustration; frenzied.
287 Freckle A small brownish spot on the skin, often turning darker or
increasing in number upon exposure to the sun.
288 Fresco The art of painting on fresh, moist plaster with pigments dissolved
in water.
289 Frieze A decorative horizontal band, as along the upper part of a wall in a
room.
290 Fringe A decorative border or edging of hanging threads, cords, or strips,
often attached to a separate band.
291 Frontier An international border.
292 Frown To wrinkle the brow, as in thought or displeasure.
293 Fumble To touch or handle nervously or idly.
294 Fur The thick coat of soft hair covering the skin of a mammal, such as
a fox or beaver
295 Furtive Characterized by stealth; surreptitious.
296 Fuss Needlessly nervous or useless activity; commotion.
297 Gadgets A small specialized mechanical or electronic device; a contrivance.
298 Gainsay To declare false; deny.

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299 Gall . Bitterness of feeling; rancor.

300 Gambol To leap about playfully; frolic.
301 Gangway A passage along either side of a ship's upper deck.
302 Garble To mix up or distort to such an extent as to make misleading or
incomprehensible.
303 Gargoyle grotesque ornamental figure or projection.
304 Gaucheness Lacking social polish;
305 Gavel A small mallet used by a presiding officer or an auctioneer to signal
for attention or order or to mark the conclusion of a transaction
306 Gerontocracy Government based on rule by elders.
307 Giggle To laugh with repeated short, spasmodic sounds.
308 Gild To cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold.
309 Gimmick A device employed to cheat, deceive, or trick, especially a
mechanism for the secret and dishonest control of gambling
apparatus.
310 Girder A horizontal beam, as of steel or wood, used as a main support for
a building or bridge.
311 Gladiator person engaged in a controversy or debate, especially in public; a
disputant.
312 Glare To stare fixedly and angrily.
313 Glaring Shining intensely and blindingly.
314 Gleanable To gather grain left behind by reapers.
315 Glib Performed with a natural, offhand ease.
316 Glide To move in a smooth, effortless manner.
317 Glimmer A dim or intermittent flicker or flash of light
318 Glower To look or stare angrily or sullenly
319 Goaded A long stick with a pointed end used for prodding animals.
320 Goblet A drinking vessel, such as a glass, that has a stem and base.
321 Gorge A deep, narrow passage with steep rocky sides; a ravine.
322 Gouge A chisel with a rounded, troughlike blade.
323 Graft To unite (a shoot or bud) with a growing plant by insertion or by
placing in close contact
324 Grate To reduce to fragments, shreds, or powder by rubbing against an
abrasive surface.
325 Gravel An unconsolidated mixture of rock fragments or pebbles.
326 Grill To broil on a gridiron.
327 Grisly Inspiring repugnance; gruesome
328 Gristle Cartilage, especially when present in meat.
329 Groan To voice a deep, inarticulate sound, as of pain, grief, or
displeasure.
330 Groom A man or boy employed to take care of horses.

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331 Groove A long, narrow furrow or channel

332 Grouch A habitually complaining or irritable person.
333 Grouse To complain; grumble.
334 Grovel To behave in a servile or demeaning manner; cringe.
335 Grudging To be reluctant to give or admit. 2. To resent for having; begrudge
336 Grumble To complain in a surly manner; mutter discontentedly.
337 Gulled A person who is easily tricked or cheated; a dupe.
338 Gulp To swallow greedily or rapidly in large amounts.
339 Gush To flow forth suddenly in great volume.
340 Gusher One that gushes, especially an abundantly flowing gas or oil well.
341 Gust A strong, abrupt rush of wind
342 Guy rope, cord, or cable used to steady, guide, or secure something
343 Guzzle To drink greedily or habitually
344 Hack To cut or chop with repeated and irregular blows.
345 Hallmark A mark indicating quality or excellence.
346 Hallway An entrance hall.
347 Halo The aura of majesty or glory surrounding a person, a thing, or an
event that is regarded with reverence, awe, or sentiment
348 Hangar A shelter especially for housing or repairing aircraft.
349 Harangue A speech or piece of writing characterized by strong feeling or
expression; a tirade
350 Harrow To break up and level (soil or land) with a harrow.
351 Haven A harbor or an anchorage; a port
352 Hawk Any of various similar birds of prey.
353 Hay Grass or other plants, such as clover or alfalfa, cut and dried for
fodder.
354 Headstrong Determined to have one's own way; stubbornly and often recklessly
willful.
355 Heal o restore to health or soundness; cure
356 Hedge A line of people or objects forming a barrier.
357 Hedonist Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the
senses
358 Herbaceous Green and leaflike in appearance or texture.
359 Herd A group of cattle or other domestic animals of a single kind kept
together for a specific purpose.
360 Heretical A person who holds controversial opinions
361 Hoist To raise or haul up with or as if with the help of a mechanical
apparatus.
362 Holster leather case shaped to hold a pistol.
363 Homiletics Relating to or of the nature of a homily

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364 Hoodwink To take in by deceptive means; deceive

365 Hurl To throw with great force; fling
366 Hush To make silent or quiet
367 Hymn A song of praise or thanksgiving to God or a deity
368 Hyperactivity Highly or excessively active
369 Hysteria Excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic.
370 Icicle A tapering spike of ice
371 Idolatry Blind or excessive devotion to something.
372 Idolized To regard with blind admiration or devotion.
373 Idyll A short poem or prose piece depicting a rural or pastoral scene,
usually in idealized terms.
374 Imbue To inspire, permeate, or invade
375 Impede To retard or obstruct the progress of.
376 Impiety The quality or state of being impious
377 Improvisation To invent, compose, or recite without preparation
378 Impugn To attack as false or questionable; challenge in argument.
379 Inadvertent Not duly attentive.
380 Inchoate In an initial or early stage; incipient.
381 Incriminate To accuse of a crime or other wrongful act.
382 Indomitable Incapable of being overcome, subdued, or vanquished;
unconquerable
383 Infatuation o inspire with unreasoning love or attachment.
384 Inflate To enlarge or amplify unduly or improperly; aggrandize.
385 Ingest To take into the body by the mouth for digestion or absorption.
386 Ingrained Firmly established; deep-seated
387 Inhibitor One that inhibits, as a substance that retards or stops a chemical
reaction.
388 Inimical Injurious or harmful in effect; adverse.
389 Inopportune Inappropriate or ill-timed; not opportune.
390 Insignia A badge of office, rank, membership, or nationality; an emblem.
391 Insinuate To introduce or insert (oneself) by subtle and artful means.
392 Insulin A polypeptide hormone
393 Insured The party who stands to benefit from an insurance policy
394 Intelligibility Capable of being understood.
395 Intemperate Lack of temperance, as in the indulgence of an appetite or a
passion.
396 Interplay Reciprocal action and reaction; interaction.
397 Intertwined To join or become joined by twining together.

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398 Intrepid Resolutely courageous; fearless.

399 Introspection Contemplation of one's own thoughts, feelings, and sensations;
self-examination.
400 Inured To habituate to something undesirable, especially by prolonged
subjection; accustom.
401 Inveigle To obtain by cajolery.
402 Inveterate Firmly and long established; deep-rooted
403 Ire Anger; wrath.
404 Ironclad Rigid; fixed.
405 Isolationist national policy of abstaining from political or economic relations
with other countries.
406 Ivory A hard, smooth, yellowish-white substance composed primarily of
dentin that forms the tusks of the elephant
407 Jamb A projecting mass or columnar part.
408 Jeer To speak or shout derisively; mock.
409 Jibe To make taunting, heckling, or jeering remarks
410 Knocker A hinged fixture, such as a metal ring or bar, used for knocking on
a door.
411 Labial made with the lips
412 Lace A cord or ribbon used to draw and tie together two opposite edges,
as of a shoe.
413 Lackluster Lacking brightness, luster, or vitality; dull.
414 Lair The den or dwelling of a wild animal.
415 Laity All those persons who are not members of a given profession or
other specialized field
416 Lambaste To scold sharply; berate
417 Lancet A surgical knife with a short, wide, pointed double-edged blade
418 Landslide The downward sliding of a relatively dry mass of earth and rock.
419 Largesse Money or gifts bestowed
420 Lasso A long rope with a running noose at one end, used especially to
catch horses and cattle
421 Lavishing Characterized by or produced with extravagance and profusion.
422 Lawn light cotton or linen fabric of very fine weave.
423 Laxative A food or drug that stimulates evacuation of the bowels
424 Leaven An agent, such as yeast, that causes batter or dough to rise,
especially by fermentation.
425 Lectern A stand that serves as a support for the notes or books of a
speaker
426 Leer To look with a sidelong glance, indicative especially of sexual
desire or sly and malicious intent.
427 Leniency Inclined not to be harsh or strict; merciful, generous, or indulgent
428 Levee An embankment raised to prevent a river from overflowing.

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GRE Big Book

429 Leverage The action of a lever.

430 Levy To impose or collect
431 Libertine One who acts without moral restraint; a dissolute person.
432 Lien The right to take and hold or sell the property of a debtor as
security or payment for a debt or duty.
433 Limerick A light humorous, nonsensical, or bawdy verse of five anapestic
lines usually with the rhyme scheme
434 Limn o depict by painting or drawing
435 Limousine luxurious automobile
436 Linen Thread made from fibers of the flax plant
437 Lionize To look on or treat (a person) as a celebrity.
438 Literati he literary intelligentsia.
439 Liturgy A prescribed form or set of forms for public Christian ceremonies;
ritual.
440 Log A usually large section of a trunk or limb of a fallen or felled tree
441 Loll To move, stand, or recline in an indolent or relaxed manner
442 Loner One who avoids the company of other people.
443 Loom An apparatus for making thread
444 Lope To run or ride with a steady, easy gait
445 Lull To cause to sleep or rest; soothe or calm
446 Lullaby A soothing song with which to lull a child to sleep
447 Lumber To cut down the timber of.
448 Lumen The inner open space or cavity of a tubular organ, as of a blood
vessel or an intestine.
449 Lurk To lie in wait, as in ambush.
450 Mace A ceremonial staff borne or displayed as the symbol of authority of
a legislative body
451 Maize A light yellow to moderate orange yellow
452 Malinger To feign illness or other incapacity in order to avoid duty or work
453 Mannered Having manners of a specific kind. 2.a. Having or showing a certain
manner. b. Artificial or affected.
454 Margarine A fatty solid butter substitute consisting of a blend of hydrogenated
vegetable oils mixed with emulsifiers, vitamins, coloring matter, and
other ingredients.
455 Marvel One that evokes surprise, admiration, or wonder. 2. Strong surprise
456 Mash A fermentable starchy mixture from which alcohol or spirits can be
distilled.
457 Mason One who builds or works with stone or brick.
458 Mast A vertical pole
459 Maul A heavy hammer having a wedge-shaped head and used for
splitting logs

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460 Meadow A tract of grassland, either in its natural state or used as pasture or
for growing hay.
461 Mediate o resolve or settle (differences) by working with all the conflicting
parties
462 Mediocrity Moderate to inferior in quality; ordinary.
463 Menace The act of threatening
464 Menthol A white crystalline organic compound, CH3C6H9(C3H7)OH,
obtained from peppermint oil or synthesized. It is used in perfumes,
in cigarettes, as a mild topical anesthetic, and as a mint flavoring.
465 Mercenary Motivated solely by a desire for monetary or material gain.
466 Meretricious Attracting attention in a vulgar manner.
467 Metaphysics The theoretical or first principles of a particular discipline
468 Meteoric Of, relating to, or formed by a meteoroid
469 Microbe A minute life form; a microorganism, especially a bacterium that
causes disease.
470 Millinery One that makes, trims, designs, or sells hats.
471 Mime A form of ancient Greek and Roman theatrical entertainment in
which familiar characters and situations were farcically portrayed
on stage, often with coarse dialogue and ludicrous actions.
472 Minatory menacing or threatening nature; minacious.
473 Mince To cut or chop into very small pieces
474 Minnow Any of various other small, often silver-colored fishes
475 Minutiae A small or trivial detail
476 Mitten A covering for the hand that encases the thumb separately and the
four fingers together
477 Moan A low, sustained, mournful cry, usually indicative of sorrow or pain
478 Moat A ditch similar to one surrounding a fortification
479 Molt To shed periodically part or all of a coat or an outer covering, such
as feathers, cuticle, or skin, which is then replaced by a new
growth.
480 Monocle An eyeglass for one eye.
481 Moratorium A suspension of an ongoing or planned activity.
482 Mortar A vessel in which substances are crushed or ground with a pestle
483 Mortify To cause to experience shame, humiliation, or wounded pride;
humiliate.
484 Motto A brief statement used to express a principle, a goal, or an ideal.
485 Mundane Of, relating to, or typical of this world; secular.
486 Muted Unable to speak.
487 Mutter To speak indistinctly in low tones
488 Nag To annoy by constant scolding, complaining, or urging.
489 Naivete An artless, credulous, or uncritical statement or act.

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490 Nascent Coming into existence; emerging

491 Natty Neat, trim, and smart; dapper.
492 Nauseating To feel or cause to feel nausea. 2. To feel or cause to feel loathing
or disgust.
493 Neologism A new word, expression, or usage.
494 Noisome Harmful or dangerous
495 Nostrum A favorite but untested remedy for problems or evils.
496 Numismatist The study or collection of money
497 Oblivious Lacking all memory; forgetful
498 Occult Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or
phenomena
499 Odometer An instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle
500 Offhand Without preparation or forethought; extemporaneously
501 Off-key Being out of accord with what is considered normal or appropriate
502 Oncologist The branch of medicine that deals with tumors, including study of
their development, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
503 Operetta theatrical production that has many of the musical elements of
opera
504 Opprobrious Bringing disgrace; shameful or infamous.
505 Optimism A tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the
most hopeful aspects of a situation
506 Optometrist
507 Oration A formal speech, especially one given on a ceremonial occasion.
508 Orchard n area of land devoted to the cultivation of fruit or nut trees
509 Orchestra A large group of musicians who play together on various
instruments, usually including strings, woodwinds, brass
instruments, and percussion instruments.
510 Orient The countries of Asia, especially of eastern Asia.
511 Ossified To change into bone; become bony
512 Ostracism To exclude from a group. 2. To banish by ostracism, as in ancient
Greece.
513 Otter Any of various aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the genus
514 Outlandish Conspicuously unconventional; bizarre.
515 Outmoded No longer usable or practical; obsolete.
516 Outrage An act of extreme violence or viciousness.
517 Outset The beginning; the start
518 Outstrips To leave behind; outrun. 2. To exceed or surpass.
519 Overawed To control or subdue by inspiring awe.
520 Overreach To reach or extend over or beyond.
521 Overwrought Excessively nervous or excited; agitated

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522 Oyster Something from which benefits may be extracted

523 Padding The act of stuffing, filling, or lining
524 Paean A song of joyful praise or exultation
525 Pageant An elaborate public dramatic presentation that usually depicts a
historical or traditional event
526 Palette board, typically with a hole for the thumb, which an artist can hold
while painting and on which the artist mixes colors
527 Palpitate To move with a slight tremulous motion; tremble, shake, or quiver.
528 Pan A shallow, wide, open container, usually of metal and without a lid,
used for holding liquids, cooking, and other domestic purposes
529 Pancreas A long, irregularly shaped gland in vertebrates, lying behind the
stomach, that secretes pancreatic juice into the duodenum and
insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin into the bloodstream
530 Panther The leopard, especially in its black, unspotted form.
531 Paragon A model of excellence or perfection of a kind; a peerless example.
532 Parch To make extremely dry, especially by exposure to heat
533 Parquet A floor made of parquetry
534 Parquetry Inlay of wood, often of different colors, that is worked into a
geometric pattern or mosaic and is used especially for floors
535 Parse To break (a sentence) down into its component parts of speech
with an explanation of the form, function, and syntactical
relationship of each part
536 Patch A small piece of material affixed to another, larger piece to conceal,
reinforce, or repair a worn area, hole, or tear
537 Paternalism A policy or practice of treating or governing people in a fatherly
manner, especially by providing for their needs without giving them
rights or responsibilities
538 Patio An outdoor space for dining or recreation that adjoins a residence
and is often paved
539 Patron One that supports, protects, or champions someone or something,
such as an institutuion, an event, or a cause; a sponsor or
benefactor
540 Pawnbroker One that lends money at interest in exchange for personal
property deposited as security
541 Pearl One that is highly regarded for one's beauty or value
542 Pebble A small stone, especially one worn smooth by erosion
543 Pedagogy he art or profession of teaching.
544 Pedestal An architectural support or base, as for a column or statue
545 Pediatrics The branch of medicine that deals with the care of infants and
children and the treatment of their diseases
546 Peel The skin or rind of certain fruits and vegetables
547 Peer To look intently, searchingly, or with difficulty
548 Peppery Of, containing, or resembling pepper; sharp or pungent in flavor
549 Perch A rod or branch serving as a roost for a bird

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550 Periscope Any of various tubular optical instruments that contain reflecting
elements, such as mirrors and prisms, to permit observation from a
position displaced from a direct line of sight.
551 Perish To die or be destroyed, especially in a violent or untimely manner.
552 Pernicious Tending to cause death or serious injury; deadly
553 Peroration To conclude a speech with a formal recapitulation
554 Perpetrated To be responsible for; commit
555 Persecute To oppress or harass with ill-treatment, especially because of race,
religion, sexual orientation, or beliefs.
556 Pertain To have reference; relate
557 Pervasive Having the quality or tendency to pervade or permeate
558 Pestle A club-shaped, hand-held tool for grinding or mashing substances
in a mortar
559 Petrify To convert (wood or other organic matter) into a stony replica by
petrifaction
560 Philatelist The collection and study of postage stamps, postmarks, and
related materials; stamp collecting
561 Picker To select from a group.
562 Pied Patchy in color; splotched or piebald.
563 Pigment substance used as coloring
564 Pinch o squeeze between the thumb and a finger, the jaws of a tool, or
other edges
565 Pine The wood of any of these trees
566 Piquant Pleasantly pungent or tart in taste; spicy.
567 Pique A state of vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity; a
feeling of wounded pride
568 Pirate One who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without
commission from a sovereign nation
569 Pitcher A container for liquids
570 Pith The soft, spongelike, central cylinder of the stems of most flowering
plants, composed mainly of parenchyma.
571 Plaque A small pin or brooch worn as an ornament or a badge of
membership.
572 Platitude Lack of originality; triteness.
573 Plea An earnest request; an appeal
574 Plead To appeal earnestly;
575 Pledge A solemn binding promise to do, give, or refrain from doing
something
576 Pliant Easily bent or flexed
577 Pluck To remove or detach by grasping and pulling abruptly with the
fingers; pick.
578 Plumb A weight on the end of a line, used to determine water depth.

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579 Plumbing The pipes, fixtures, and other apparatus of a water, gas, or sewage
system in a building.
580 Plummet Something that weighs down or oppresses; a burden. -
581 Plutocracy Government by the wealthy
582 Ply To join together, as by molding or twisting
583 Podiatrist The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment,
and prevention of diseases of the human foot.
584 Podium An elevated platform, as for an orchestra conductor or a public
speaker.
585 Poignant Physically painful.
586 Polemical A controversial argument, especially one refuting or attacking a
specific opinion or doctrine.
587 poll The casting and registering of votes in an election.
588 Pollen The fine, powderlike material consisting of pollen grains that is
produced by the anthers of seed plants.
589 Poncho A similar garment having a hood used as a raincoat.
590 Pontifical Relating to, characteristic of, or suitable for a pope or a bishop
591 Poseur One who affects a particular attitude, character, or manner to
impress others
592 Posse A group of people summoned by a sheriff to aid in law enforcement
593 Poster A large, usually printed placard, bill, or announcement, often
illustrated
594 Prate To talk idly and at length; chatter.
595 Prattle To talk or chatter idly or meaninglessly; babble or prate
596 Preach To proclaim or put forth in a sermon.
597 Précis A concise summary of a book, an article, or another text; an
abstract
598 Precursory One that precedes and indicates, suggests, or announces
someone or something to come.
599 Predestine To fix upon, decide, or decree in advance; foreordain.
600 Preempted To appropriate, seize, or take for oneself before others.
601 Preen To smooth or clean (feathers) with the beak or bill.
602 Prescience Knowledge of actions or events before they occur; foresight.
603 Presumptuous Going beyond what is right or proper; excessively forward.
604 Prevalent Widely or commonly occurring, existing, accepted, or practiced.
605 Probity Complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness.
606 Proclivity A natural propensity or inclination; predisposition.
607 Procrastinate To postpone or delay needlessly.
608 Proctor A dormitory and examination supervisor in a school.
609 Proliferate To increase or spread at a rapid rate.

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610 Prolixity Tediously prolonged; wordy. 2. Tending to speak or write at

excessive length.
611 Propitiate To conciliate (an offended power); appease.
612 Propitiatory Of or offered in propitiation; conciliatory
613 Prune To remove or cut out as superfluous.
614 Puddle A small pool of water,
615 Puissance Power; might.
616 Pull To apply force to so as to cause or tend to cause motion toward
the source of the force.
617 Pulverize To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust.
618 Punch A tool for circular or other piercing.
619 Pungent Affecting the organs of taste or smell with a sharp, acrid sensation
620 Purist One who practices or urges strict correctness, especially in the use
of words.
621 Putrefaction Decomposition of organic matter, especially protein, by
microorganisms, resulting in production of foul-smelling matter.
622 Pylon A steel tower supporting high-tension wires
623 Pyre A heap of combustibles for burning a corpse as a funeral rite.
624 Quaff To drink a liquid heartily.
625 Qualms sudden feeling of sickness, faintness, or nausea
626 Quarry A hunted animal; prey.
627 Quashing To set aside or annul, especially by judicial action.
628 quibbles To find fault or criticize for petty reasons; cavil.
629 Quilt A thick protective cover similar to or suggestive of a quilt
630 Quisling A traitor who serves as the puppet of the enemy occupying his or
her country.
631 Quiver To shake with a slight, rapid, tremulous movement.
632 Quixotic Capricious; impulsive.
633 Rafter One of the sloping beams that supports a pitched roof.
634 Rampage A course of violent, frenzied action or behavior.
635 Rampant Extending unchecked; unrestrained.
636 Rapacious Greedy; ravenous
637 Rarefaction A decrease in density and pressure in a medium, such as air,
caused by the passage of a sound wave.
638 Rarefy o make thin, less compact, or less dense.
639 Rarity Something rare.
640 Rash Characterized by or resulting from ill-considered haste or boldness.
641 Rashness Characterized by or resulting from ill-considered haste or boldness
642 Ratification . The act of ratifying or the condition of being ratified.

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GRE Big Book

643 Raucous Rough-sounding and harsh. 2. Boisterous and disorderly

644 Rave To speak wildly, irrationally, or incoherently.
645 Raze To level to the ground; demolish. 2. To scrape or shave off.
646 Reactionaries Characterized by reaction, especially opposition to progress or
liberalism; extremely conservative.
647 Receptive Capable of or qualified for receiving.
648 Recitals The act of reading or reciting in a public performance.
649 Rectitude Moral uprightness; righteousness.
650 Recumbent Lying down, especially in a position of comfort or rest; reclining.
651 Redoubtable Worthy of respect or honor
652 Reed Any of various tall perennial grasses, especially of the genera
Phragmites or Arundo, having hollow stems, broad leaves, and
large plumelike terminal panicles.
653 Reformers To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects;
put into a better form or condition.
654 Refrain To hold oneself back; forbear.
655 Regale To provide with great enjoyment; entertain.
656 Rehabilitative To restore to good health or useful life, as through therapy and
education
657 Relinquishment To retire from; give up or abandon.
658 Reminisce To recollect and tell of past experiences or events.
659 Remnant omething left over; a remainder.
660 Renegade One who rejects a religion, a cause, an allegiance, or a group for
another; a deserter
661 Rent Payment, usually of an amount fixed by contract, made by a tenant
at specified intervals in return for the right to occupy or use the
property of another.
662 Repine To be discontented or low in spirits; complain or fret
663 Reportorial A writer, an investigator, or a presenter of news stories.
664 Requiem A mass for a deceased person.
665 Requite To make repayment or return for
666 Rescind To make void; repeal
667 Resent To feel indignantly aggrieved at.
668 Restitution A return to or restoration of a previous state or position.
669 Resurgence A restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor; a revival.
670 Resurrect To bring back to life; raise from the dead.
671 Resuscitated To restore consciousness, vigor, or life to.
672 Retreat The act or process of withdrawing, especially from something
hazardous, formidable, or unpleasant.
673 Revile To assail with abusive language; vituperate. --intr. To use abusive
language.

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GRE Big Book

674 Revived To bring back to life or consciousness; resuscitate.

675 Rhinestone A colorless artificial gem of paste or glass, often with facets that
sparkle in imitation of a diamond.
676 Rhubarb The dried, bitter-tasting rhizome and roots of Rheum palmatum or
677 Riddle To spread throughout.
678 Ridged A long narrow upper section or crest.
679 Rifle A firearm with a rifled bore, designed to be fired from the shoulder
680 Rift A narrow fissure in rock.
681 Rigor Strictness or severity, as in temperament, action, or judgment.
682 Rind . A tough outer covering such as bark, the skin of some fruits, or
the coating on cheese or bacon.
683 Ringlets A long, spirally curled lock of hair.
684 Ripple To rise and fall gently in tone or volume.
685 rippled To form or display little undulations or waves on the surface, as
disturbed water does.
686 Rival One who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the
same object as another; a competitor.
687 Rivalry The act of competing or emulating
688 Roe The eggs or the egg-laden ovary of a fish.
689 Rogue An unprincipled, deceitful, and unreliable person; a scoundrel or
rascal.
690 Roster A list, especially of names
691 Rot To undergo decomposition, especially organic decomposition;
decay.
692 Rue To feel regret, remorse, or sorrow for.
693 Rueful Inspiring pity or compassion.
694 Ruffian A tough or rowdy fellow
695 Ruffle A strip of frilled or closely pleated fabric used for trimming or
decoration.
696 Rug heavy fabric used to cover a floor.
697 Rumors Unverified information of uncertain origin usually spread by word of
mouth
698 Rumple To wrinkle or form into folds or creases
699 Rung A rod or bar forming a step of a ladder
700 Sabotaged Destruction of property or obstruction of normal operations, as by
civilians or enemy agents in time of war.
701 Saddle` A leather seat for a rider, secured on an animal's back by a girth.
Also called Regional: rig.
702 Sale An instance of selling
703 Salvation Preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil. b. A
source, means, or cause of such preservation or deliverance.
704 Sampler ne who is employed to take and appraise samples, as of a food
product.

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GRE Big Book

705 Sap The fluid contents of a plant cell vacuole.

706 Sash A band or ribbon worn about the waist, as for ornament, or over the
shoulder as a symbol of rank.
707 Sate To satisfy (an appetite) fully. 2. To satisfy to excess.
708 Saunter To walk at a leisurely pace; stroll.
709 Savor The taste or smell of something. 2. A specific taste or smell.
710 Scaffold A temporary platform, either supported from below or suspended
from above, on which workers sit or stand when performing tasks
at heights above the ground.
711 Scalpel A small, straight knife with a thin, sharp blade used in surgery and
dissection.
712 Scarf A long piece of cloth worn about the head, neck, or shoulders.
713 Scoop A shovellike utensil, usually having a deep, curved dish and a short
handle.
714 Score A notch or an incision, especially one that is made to keep a tally.
715 Scotch To put an abrupt end to. 2. To injure so as to render harmless.
716 Sculpt To shape, mold, or fashion especially with artistry or precision. --
intr. To be a sculptor.
717 Scurvy A disease caused by deficiency of vitamin C, characterized by
spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin, and extreme
weakness.
718 Seamy Having, marked with, or showing a seam.
719 Sear To char, scorch, or burn the surface of with or as if with a hot
instrument
720 Seemly Conforming to standards of conduct and good taste; suitable.
721 Seminal Of, relating to, containing, or conveying semen or seed.
722 Sere Withered; dry.
723 Serrated Having or forming a row of small, sharp, projections resembling
the teeth of a saw.
724 Serration The state of being serrate.
725 Sever To set or keep apart; divide or separate
726 Sewer An artificial, usually underground conduit for carrying off sewage or
rainwater.
727 Shard A piece of broken pottery, especially one found in an
archaeological dig; a potsherd.
728 Shatter To cause to break or burst suddenly into pieces, as with a violent
blow.
729 Shaving A thin slice or sliver, as of wood or metal, that is shaved off.
730 Sheer To swerve or cause to swerve from a course.
731 Sheet A broad rectangular piece of fabric serving as a basic article of
bedding
732 Shell The usually hard outer covering that encases certain organisms,
such as mollusks, insects, and turtles; the carapace.
733 Sheriff The chief law enforcement officer for the courts in a U.S. county.

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GRE Big Book

734 Shirk To avoid or neglect

735 Shove To push forward or along.
736 Shriek A shrill, often frantic cry. 2. A sound suggestive of such a cry.
737 Shrill High-pitched and piercing in tone or sound.
738 Shrine A container or receptacle for sacred relics; a reliquary.
739 Shuck A husk, pod, or shell, as of an ear of corn, a pea, or a hickory nut.
740 Shun To avoid deliberately; keep away from.
741 Sibyl One of a number of women regarded as oracles or prophets by the
ancient Greeks and Romans.
742 Sidestep To step aside. 2. To dodge an issue or a responsibility.
743 Sigh To exhale audibly in a long, deep breath, as in weariness or relief.
744 Silversmith One that makes, repairs, or replates articles of silver.
745 Simper To smile in a silly, self-conscious, often coy manner. -
746 Sinecure A position or an office that requires little or no work but provides a
salary.
747 Sinewy Consisting of or resembling sinews.
748 Sinkhole A natural depression in a land surface communicating with a
subterranean passage, generally occurring in limestone regions
and formed by solution or by collapse of a cavern roof.
749 Sip To drink in small quantities.
750 Skiff A flatbottom open boat of shallow draft, having a pointed bow and
a square stern and propelled by oars, sail, or motor.
751 Skimp To deal with hastily, carelessly, or with poor material.
752 Skinflint One who is very reluctant to spend money; a miser.
753 Skirmish A minor battle in war, as one between small forces or between
large forces avoiding direct conflict.
754 Skit short, usually comic dramatic performance or work; a theatrical
sketch
755 Slab A broad, flat, thick piece, as of cake, stone, or cheese.
756 Slate A fine-grained metamorphic rock that splits into thin, smooth-
surfaced layers.
757 Slew A large amount or number; a lot.
758 Slither To slip and slide, as on a loose or uneven surface, often with
friction and noise
759 Sliver A slender piece cut, split, or broken off; a splinter.
760 Slouch To sit, stand, or walk with an awkward, drooping, excessively
relaxed posture
761 Sluggard A slothful person; an idler
762 Slur To pronounce indistinctly.
763 Smirk To smile in an affected, often offensively self-satisfied manner.
764 Smudge To make dirty, especially in one small area.

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GRE Big Book

765 Snatch To grasp or seize hastily, eagerly, or suddenly.

766 Sneer A scornful facial expression characterized by a slight raising of one
corner of the upper lip
767 Snide Derogatory in a malicious, superior way; sarcastic.
768 Snip To cut, clip, or separate (something) with short, quick strokes.
769 Snub To ignore or behave coldly toward; slight
770 Soar o rise, fly, or glide high and with little apparent effort.
771 Soggy Saturated or sodden with moisture; soaked.
772 Soliloquy A dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a character
reveals his or her thoughts when alone or unaware of the presence
of other characters
773 Solitary Existing, living, or going without others; alone. 2. Happening, done,
or made alone.
774 Somatic Of, relating to, or affecting the body, especially as distinguished
from a body part, the mind, or the environment; corporeal or
physical.
775 Somber Dark; gloomy
776 Sonata A composition for one to four instruments, one of which is usually a
keyboard instrument, usually consisting of three or four
independent movements varying in key, mood, and tempo.
777 Sonnet 14-line verse form usually having one of several conventional
rhyme schemes.
778 Soot The fine black particles, chiefly composed of carbon, produced by
incomplete combustion of coal, oil, wood, or other fuels
779 Sparse Occurring, growing, or settled at widely spaced intervals; not thick
or dense.
780 Spatula A small implement having a broad, flat, flexible blade that is used
especially to mix, spread, or lift material.
781 Spear A weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharply pointed end.
782 Sphinx Mythology. A figure in Egyptian myth having the body of a lion and
the head of a man, ram, or hawk.
783 Spice Any of various pungent, aromatic plant substances, such as
cinnamon or nutmeg, used to flavor foods or beverages. b. These
substances considered as a group
784 Spin To draw out and twist (fibers) into thread
785 Splice To join (film, for example) at the ends.
786 Splinter A sharp, slender piece, as of wood, bone, glass, or metal, split or
broken off from a main body.
787 Sprinkler One that sprinkles, especially: a. An outlet on a sprinkler system.
788 Spurious Lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin; not genuine;
false
789 Spurned To reject disdainfully or contemptuously; scorn. 2. To kick at or
tread on disdainfully
790 Squalor A filthy and wretched condition or quality.
791 Squander To spend wastefully or extravagantly; dissipate.

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GRE Big Book

792 Squat To sit in a crouching position with knees bent and the hams resting
on or near the heels.
793 Squelch To crush by or as if by trampling; squash.
794 Stake A piece of wood or metal pointed at one end for driving into the
ground as a marker, fence pole, or tent peg
795 Stanch To stop or check the flow of (blood or tears, for example).
796 Stanza One of the divisions of a poem, composed of two or more lines
usually characterized by a common pattern of meter, rhyme, and
number of lines. -
797 Stark Bare; blunt
798 Stasis A condition of balance among various forces; motionlessness
799 Statuary Statues considered as a group. 2. The art of making statues
800 Statute A law enacted by a legislature.
801 Stew To cook (food) by simmering or boiling slowly. --intr.
802 Stickler One who insists on something unyieldingly.
803 Stingy Giving or spending reluctantly.
804 Stint To restrict or limit, as in amount or number; be sparing with.
805 Stinting To restrict or limit, as in amount or number; be sparing with.
806 Stitch A single complete movement of a threaded needle in sewing or
surgical suturing.
807 Stockade A defensive barrier made of strong posts or timbers driven upright
side by side into the ground.
808 Streak A line, mark, smear, or band differentiated by color or texture from
its surroundings.
809 Striate marked with lines or ridges
810 Stride To walk with long steps, especially in a hasty or vigorous way.
811 Strolling To go for a leisurely walk.
812 Strut To walk with pompous bearing; swagger.
813 Stymie To thwart; stump
814 Subliminal Below the threshold of conscious perception. Used of stimuli.
815 Suborn To induce (a person) to commit an unlawful or evil act.
816 Subpoena A writ requiring appearance in court to give testimony.
817 Subsume To classify, include, or incorporate in a more comprehensive
category
818 Suede Leather with a soft napped surface.
819 Suffrage The right or privilege of voting; the franchise.
820 Sullenness Showing a brooding ill humor or silent resentment; morose or sulky
821 Supine Lying on the back or having the face upward.
822 Surcharge An additional sum added to the usual amount or cost.
823 Surf The waves of the sea as they break upon a shore or reef.

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GRE Big Book

824 Surfeit To feed or supply to excess, satiety, or disgust.

825 Surly Sullenly ill-humored; gruff.
826 Surmounted To overcome (an obstacle, for example); conquer.
827 Surrogate One that takes the place of another; a substitute
828 Surveyor To examine or look at in a comprehensive way.
829 Sustenance The act of sustaining.
830 Swamp A seasonally flooded bottomland with more woody plants than a
marsh and better drainage than a bog.
831 Sway To swing back and forth or to and fro. 2. To incline or bend to one
side; veer.
832 Swerve To turn aside or be turned aside from a straight course.
833 Swine A person regarded as brutish or contemptible.
834 Syllogism Reasoning from the general to the specific; deduction.
835 Symphony An instrumental passage in a vocal or choral composition.
836 Synopsis A brief outline or general view, as of a subject or written work; an
abstract or a summary.
837 Synoptic Of or relating to synapsis or a synapse.
838 Tadpole The limbless aquatic larva of a frog or toad, having gills and a long
flat tail. As the tadpole approaches the adult stage, legs and lungs
develop, and the tail gradually disappears. Also called polliwog.
839 Tainted The limbless aquatic larva of a frog or toad, having gills and a long
flat tail. As the tadpole approaches the adult stage, legs and lungs
develop, and the tail gradually disappears. Also called polliwog.
840 Talon The claw of a bird of prey. b. The similar claw of a predatory
animal.
841 Tamp To pack down tightly by a succession of blows or taps. 2. To pack
clay, sand, or dirt into (a drill hole) above an explosive.
842 Tan To convert (hide) into leather, as by treating with tannin.
843 Tangling To mix together or intertwine in a confused mass; snarl.
844 Tango American ballroom dance in 2/4 or 4/4 time. 2. The music for this
dance
845 Tanner A sixpenny coin formerly used in Britain; a sixpence.
846 Tapestry Something felt to resemble a richly and complexly designed cloth
847 Tare Any of various weedy plants of the genus Vicia, especially the
common vetch.
848 Tassel Something that resembles such an ornament, especially the pollen-
bearing inflorescence of a corn plant.
849 Taunt To reproach in a mocking, insulting, or contemptuous manner. 2.
To drive or incite (a person) by taunting.
850 Taunted To reproach in a mocking, insulting, or contemptuous manner.
851 Technocracy A government or social system controlled by technicians,
especially scientists and technical experts.
852 Tempers To modify by the addition of a moderating element; moderate.

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GRE Big Book

853 Tepid Moderately warm; lukewarm.

854 Terrace A porch or walkway bordered by colonnades.
855 Thatch Plant stalks or foliage, such as reeds or palm fronds, used for
roofing.
856 Theatrical Of, relating to, or suitable for dramatic performance or the theater.
857 Theatrically Of, relating to, or suitable for dramatic performance or the theater.
858 Tiff A petty quarrel. --tiff intr.v. tiffed, tiff·ing, tiffs. To quarrel.
859 Tirade A long angry or violent speech, usually of a censorious or
denunciatory nature; a diatribe.
860 Toady A person who flatters or defers to others for self-serving reasons;
a sycophant.
861 Toil To labor continuously; work strenuously.
862 Tombstone A gravestone
863 Tonality The scheme or interrelation of the tones in a painting.
864 Tongs A grasping device consisting of two arms joined at one end by a
pivot or hingelike scissors.
865 Topsoil To remove the surface layer of soil from (land).
866 Totality The quality or state of being total.
867 Totem An animal, a plant, or a natural object serving among certain tribal
or traditional peoples as the emblem of a clan or family and
sometimes revered as its founder, ancestor, or guardian.
868 Tourniquet A device, typically a tightly encircling bandage, used to check
bleeding by temporarily stopping the flow of blood through a large
artery in a limb.
869 Tout To solicit customers, votes, or patronage, especially in a brazen
way.
870 Touting To solicit customers, votes, or patronage, especially in a brazen
way.
871 Trample To beat down with the feet so as to crush, bruise, or destroy;
tramp on.
872 Transcribe To make a full written or typewritten copy of
873 Trapeze A short horizontal bar suspended from two parallel ropes, used for
exercises or for acrobatic stunts.
874 Treason A betrayal of trust or confidence.
875 Treatise A systematic, usually extensive written discourse on a subject.
876 Tremor A shaking or vibrating movement, as of the earth.
877 Tribunal A seat or court of justice.
878 Tribute A gift, payment, declaration, or other acknowledgment of gratitude,
respect, or admiration.
879 Trickle To flow or fall in drops or in a thin stream
880 Trinkets A small ornament, such as a piece of jewelry.
881 Trio . A group of three people or things joined or associated

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GRE Big Book

882 Troupe A company or group, especially of touring actors, singers, or

dancers.
883 Trowel A flat-bladed hand tool for leveling, spreading, or shaping
substances such as cement or mortar.
884 Trudge To walk in a laborious, heavy-footed way; plod.
885 Tuber A rounded projection or swelling; a tubercle.
886 Tulip Any of several bulbous plants of the genus Tulipa, native chiefly to
Asia and widely cultivated for their showy, variously colored
flowers.
887 Turkey A large North American bird (Meleagris gallopavo) that has
brownish plumage and a bare, wattled head and neck and is widely
domesticated for food.
888 Turret A small tower or tower-shaped projection on a building.
889 Tusk An elongated, pointed tooth, usually one of a pair, extending
outside of the mouth in certain animals such as the walrus,
890 Tussle To struggle roughly; scuffle.
891 Tuxedo A man's dress jacket, usually black with satin or grosgrain lapels,
worn for formal or semiformal occasions. Also called dinner jacket.
892 Twig A young shoot representing the current season's growth of a
woody plant.
893 Typify To serve as a typical example of; embody the essential
characteristics of.
894 Tyranny A government in which a single ruler is vested with absolute
power.
895 Tyro A beginner in learning something.
896 Unassailable Impossible to dispute or disprove; undeniable
897 Underrate To rate too low; underestimate.
898 Unfettered To set free or keep free from restrictions or bonds.
899 Unicorn A fabled creature symbolic of virginity and usually represented as a
horse with a single straight spiraled horn projecting from its
forehead.
900 Unsettling To displace from a settled condition; disrupt.
901 Untoward Not favorable; unpropitious. 2. Troublesome; adverse.
902 Upholstery Fabric, stuffing, and other materials used in upholstering.
903 Usurp To seize and hold (the power or rights of another, for example) by
force and without legal authority.
904 Valorous Courageous
905 Veil A length of cloth worn by women over the head, shoulders, and
often the face.
906 Venturing An undertaking that is dangerous, daring, or of uncertain outcome.
907 Verbiage An excess of words for the purpose; wordiness
908 Verdant Green with vegetation; covered with green growth
909 Veritable Being truly so called; real or genuine.
910 Vertigo The sensation of dizziness. b. An instance of such a sensation.

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GRE Big Book

911 Vigilance Alert watchfulness.

912 Vista A distant view or prospect, especially one seen through an
opening, as between rows of buildings or trees.
913 Vociferous Making, given to, or marked by noisy and vehement outcry.
914 Voluntarily Arising from or acting on one's own free will.
915 Vulture Any of various large birds of prey of the New World family
Cathartidae or of the Old World family Accipitridae,
characteristically having dark plumage and a featherless head and
neck and generally feeding on carrion.
916 Waddle To walk with short steps that tilt the body from side to side
917 Waft To cause to go gently and smoothly through the air or over water.
918 Wag To move briskly and repeatedly from side to side, to and fro, or up
and down.
919 Waggish Characteristic of or resembling a wag; jocular or witty
920 Wagon A four-wheeled, usually horse-drawn vehicle with a large
rectangular body, used for transporting loads.
921 Walrus A large marine mammal
922 Waltz A ballroom dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first
beat.
923 Wax Any of various natural, oily or greasy heat-sensitive substances,
consisting of hydrocarbons or esters of fatty acids that are
insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents.
924 Wean To accustom (the young of a mammal) to take nourishment other
than by suckling
925 Web A woven fabric, especially one on a loom or just removed from it.
926 Welter A confused mass; a jumble. 2. Confusion; turmoil.
927 Whale Any of various marine mammals of the order Cetacea, having the
general shape of a fish with forelimbs modified to form flippers, a
tail with horizontal flukes, and one or two blowholes for breathing,
especially one of the very large species as distinguished from the
smaller dolphins and porpoises.
928 Wheedle To persuade or attempt to persuade by flattery or guile; cajole.
929 Whet To sharpen (a knife, for example); hone. 2. To make more keen;
stimulate.
930 Whine To utter a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear,
supplication, or complaint.
931 Whittle To cut small bits or pare shavings from (a piece of wood)
932 Wick A cord or strand of loosely woven, twisted, or braided fibers, as on
a candle or an oil lamp, that draws up fuel to the flame by capillary
action.
933 Wield To handle (a weapon or tool, for example) with skill and ease. 2. To
exercise (authority or influence, for example) effectively.
934 Wily Full of wiles;
935 Wink To close and open the eyelid of one eye deliberately, as to convey
a message, signal, or suggestion.

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936 Woo To seek the affection of with intent to romance. 2.a. To seek to
achieve; try to gain.
937 Woodpile A pile of wood, especially when used for fuel.
938 Wool The dense, soft, often curly hair forming the coat of sheep and
certain other mammals, such as the goat and alpaca, consisting of
cylindrical fibers of keratin covered by minute overlapping scales
and much valued as a textile fabric.
939 Worship The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a
sacred object.
940 Writ Law. A written order issued by a court, commanding the party to
whom it is addressed to perform or cease performing a specified
act.
941 Wry Dryly humorous, often with a touch of irony.
942 Xenophobia A person unduly fearful or contemptuous of that which is foreign,
especially of strangers or foreign peoples
943 Yacht Any of various relatively small sailing or motor-driven vessels,
generally with smart, graceful lines, used for pleasure cruises or
racing.

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