a list of english words and their meanings because the gre verbal section is kicking my ass
abject: to the maximum degree;
(alternatively) completely without pride or dignity
absolve: wash away guilt, obligation, or punishment.
adroit: clever or skillful
apocryphal: of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true
apposition: the positioning of things side by side or close together
beholden: owing; being indebted or obligated (to someone)
belie: disguise; contradict; failing to give a true notion of something
bloviate: to talk pompously and at length
bucolic: relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life
circumscribe: to restrict within limits
clemency: mercy
cursory: hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
derision: scornful ridicule or mockery
desiccate: to remove the moisture from (something)
didactic: intended primarily to teach rather than to entertain
dispensation: exemption from a rule or usual requirement
docile: compliant; obedient; submissive
egregious: outstandingly bad or shocking
emulate: match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation
entail: require; call for
entreaty: an earnest or humble request
ethos: the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community
foil: a person/thing that contrasts with (and as a result emphasizes) the qualities of another
garrulous: excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters
glib: fluent but insincere and shallow
gregarious: sociable; fond of company
hackneyed: overused and unoriginal
idyllic: extremely happy, peaceful or picturesque
imperil: endanger; put at risk of being harmed, injured, or destroyed.
implicate: show (someone) to be guilty or involved in a crime
incorrigible: (a person or habit) cannot be changed or reformed
inept: unskilled, incompetent
intrepid: fearless; adventurous (usually used in a humourous connotation)
irreconcilable: (of two ideas or statements) conflicting; contradictory to each other
jargon: special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand
libertine: someone (usually a man) who freely indulges in sensual pleasures without regard to moral principles
librettist: a person who writes the text of an opera or other long vocal works
logorrhea: excessive and often incoherent talkativeness or wordiness
loquacious: talkative
onerous: (of a task or responsibility) involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty; burdensome
ostentatious: characterized by pretentious or showy display; designed to impress
palpable: tangible; (an emotion or atmosphere) intense enough to be felt
pat: simplistic; superficial and unconvincing
patina: gloss or sheen (on the surface of a metal) due to age or polishing; impression or appearance of something
perfunctory: usually an action, carried out without real interest, feeling or effort
perusal: the action of reading or examining something; scrutiny
pervasive: something unwelcome spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people
philistine: hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts.
polemic: expressing or constituting a strongly critical attack on or controversial opinion about someone or something
poring: to be absorbed in reading or studying (something)
pragmatic: practical; realistic
profligate: extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources
pugnacity: readiness to quarrel or fight
ramification: complex or unwelcome consequence
reactionary: conservative; opposing political or social progress or reform
repudiation: refuse to accept; reject
reticent: reserved; introverted; withdrawn
reverence: deep respect for someone or something (used in religious connotation)
roiling: (for a liquid) to make turbid or to move in a turbulent manner
scant: barely sufficient or adequate
scrupulous: careful, thorough, and extremely attentive to details
skein: length of thread or yard, loosely coiled or knotted; strand; an element that forms part of a complex or complicated whole
skewer: fasten together or pierce with a pin or skewer; subject to sharp criticism or critical analysis
sporadic: scattered or isolated
spurious: bogus; something that is not what it claims to be
staid: solemn; grave; serious minded; quiet
subsume: absorb something into something else
sullen: bad-tempered and sulky
temerity: excessive confidence or boldness
tentative: not certain or fixed; unconfirmed; provisional
tout: attempt to sell or show the merit of something
trite: lacking originality or freshness
truculence: eager or quick to argue or fight
understate: describe or represent (something) as being smaller or less good or important than it really is
vignette: a short description or account of something that expresses its typical characteristics very clearly
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