2011年GRE考试备考之阅读词汇笔记一

GRE考试备考阅读词汇

Barron GRE word list - A

abase

lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect

abash

embarrass

abate

subside or moderate

abbreviate

shorten

abdicate

renounce; give up (position, right, or responsibility)

aberrant

abnormal or deviant

aberration

deviation from the normal; mental disorder

abet

assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage

abeyance

suspended action

abhor

detest; hate

abide

dwell; abide by: comply with; put up with; tolerate; Ex. abide by the rules; Ex. I can't abide rude people.

abject

(of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology

abjure

renounce upon oath

ablution

washing

abnegation

renunciation; self-sacrifice; self-abnegation

abode

dwelling place; home

abolish

cancel; put an end to

abominable

detestable; extremely unpleasant

abominate

loathe; hate

aboriginal

being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native; indigenous; N. aborigine

abortive

unsuccessful; fruitless

abrasive

rubbing away; tending to grind down

abridge

condense or shorten

abrogate

abolish

abscission

cutting off; separation

abscond

depart secretly and hide

absolute

complete; totally unlimited; having complete power; certain; not relative; Ex. absolute honesty/ruler; CF. absolutism

absolve

pardon (an offense)

abstain

refrain; withhold from participation; intentionally not use one's vote;

abstemious

sparing in eating and drinking; temperate

abstinence

restraint from pleasant things, esp. eating or drinking; CF. abstention: act of abstaining from vote

abstract

theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational

abstruse

obscure; profound; difficult to understand

abusive

coarsely insulting; physically harmful

abut

border upon; adjoin

abysmal

bottomless

abyss

enormous chasm; vast bottomless pit

academic

related to a school; not practical or directly useful

accede

agree

accelerate

move faster

accessible

easy to approach; obtainable

accessory

additional object; useful but not essential thing

acclaim

applaud; praise; greet with great approval; announce with great approval; Ex. The new drung has been acclaimed as the most important discoveries for years; N: strong expression of approval and praise

acclimate

adjust to climate or environment; adapt

acclivity

sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity

accolade

award of merit; strong praise and approval

accommodate

oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt; make enough space for; ADJ. accommodative; CF. accomodating: helpful and obliging

accomplice

partner in crime

accord

agreement

accost

approach and speak first to a person

accoutre

equip; N. accoutrement

accretion

growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete

accrue

come to one as a gain; accumulate over time; come about by addition; Ex. benefits that accrue from scientific research; Ex. interest accruing in a bank account; N. accrual

acerbity

bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone)

acetic

vinegary

acidulous

slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic

acknowledge

recognize; admit

acme

peak; pinnacle; highest point

acne

skin disease (on the face)

acoustics

science of sound; quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in

acquiesce

assent; agree passively; comply without protest

acquittal

deliverance from a charge; V. acquit: free from a charge or accusation; discharge from a duty; conduct (oneself) in a specified manner

acrid

bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent

acrimonious

stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior

acrophobia

fear of heights

actuarial

calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics

actuary

someone who advises insurance companies

actuate

motivate; activate; cause to act

acuity

sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing)

acumen

mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen

acute

(of the senses) sharp; quickly perceptive; keen; penetrating; brief and severe; Ex. acute sense of smell/analysis/pain

adage

wise saying; proverb

adamant

hard; inflexible

adapt

make or become suitable for a specific use; alter; modify; adjust; N. adaptation: act of adapting; composition recast into a new form; Ex. The play is an adaption of a short novel.

addendum

addition; appendix to book; something that is added (as at the end of a speech or book)

addiction

compulsive habitual need

addle

make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg)

address

direct a speech to; speak to; deal with or discuss; direct one's efforts or attention to; make with a destination; N: formal speech

adept

expert at; very skilled

adhere

stick fast; be a devotd follower; N. adhesion: adhering; devotion; loyality

adherent

supporter; follower

adjacent

adjoining; neighboring; close by

adjoin

be next to

adjourn

suspend until a later time; move from one place to another

adjunct

something attached to but holding an inferior position

adjuration

solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly

adjutant

staff officer assisting the commander; assistant

admonish

warn or speak to with gentle disapproval; reprove

adore

love deeply and respect highly

adorn

decorate

adroit

skillful (in using mind or hand)