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232 | The Princeton Review, Inc.

Manual for the GRE Test

SECONDARY MEANINGS

Here are some less common meanings of common words that ETS frequently

tests.

alloy verb to commingle; to debase by mixing with somethinginferior

appropriate verb to take for ones own use; confiscate

arrest verb to suspend; to engage; to hold ones attention

august adjective majestic; venerable

bent noun leaning; inclination; proclivity; tendency

broach verb to bring up or announce; to begin to talk about

brook verb to tolerate, endure, or countenance

cardinal adjective of great importance

color verb to change as if by dyeing, i.e., to distort, gloss, or

affect

damp verb to diminish the intensity or check the vibration of

a sound, etc.

die noun a part of a machine that punches shaped holes or

cuts

essay verb to test or try; to attempt or experiment

exact verb to demand, call for, require or take

flag verb to sag or droop; to become spiritless; to decline

flip adjective sarcastic, impertinent

ford verb to wade across the shallow part of a river or

stream

grouse verb to complain or grumble

guy noun a cord or cable used to steady or guide some-

thing

intimate verb to imply, suggest, or insinuate

list verb to tilt or lean to one side

lumber verb to move heavily and clumsily

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milk verb to exploit; to squeeze every last ounce of

mince verb to pronounce or speak affectedly; to speak too

carefully; also, to take tiny steps or tiptoe

nice adjective exacting; fastidious; extremely, even excessively,precise

obtain verb to be established, accepted, or customary

occult adjective hidden; concealed; beyond comprehension

pedestrian adjective commonplace; trite; unremarkable; quotidian

pied adjective multicolored, usually in blotches or patches

pine verb to lose vigor (as through grief); to yearn

plastic adjective moldable; pliable; not rigid

prize verb/noun to pry; to press or force with a lever; something

taken by force; spoils

rail verb to complain about bitterly

rent adjective/noun torn, past of rend; an opening or tear caused by

such

quail verb to lose courage; to become frightened

qualify verb to limit

sap verb to enervate or weaken the vitality of

scurvy adjective contemptible; despicable

singular adjective exceptional; unusual; odd

steep verb to saturate or completely soak

strut noun the supporting structural cross-part of a wing

table verb to remove (as a parliamentary motion) from con-

sideration

tender verb to proffer or offer; to give

waffle verb to equivocate; to change ones position

wag noun wit; joker



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ADVANCED VOCABULARY

GROUP 1

abjure verb to renounce or reject solemnly; to recant; to

avoid

abrogate verb to abolish or annul by authority; to put down

abscission noun the act of cutting off or removing

acarpous adjective effete; no longer fertile; worn out

accretion noun growth; increase by successive addition; building

up

admonish verb to reprove; to express warning or disapproval

adroit adjective adept; dexterous

adumbrate verb to foreshadow or intimate; to suggest sketchily; to

obscure

anathema noun a solemn or ecclesiastical (religious) curse; accursed

or thoroughly loathed person or thing

anodyne adjective/noun soothing; something that assuages or allays pain

or comforts

antipathy noun aversion; dislike

antithetical adjective diametrically opposed; as in antithesis

apocryphal adjective of dubious authenticity or origin; spurious

apogee noun farthest or highest point; culmination; zenith (ant-

onym: perigee)

apostate noun one who abandons long-held religious or political

convictions

apotheosis noun deification; glorification to godliness

apposite adjective appropriate; pertinent; relevant; apropos

apprise verb to give notice to; to inform

arabesque noun a complex, ornate design; also to a dance position

arcane adjective mysterious; abstruse; esoteric; knowable only to

initiates

arrant adjective impudent



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artless adjective completely without guile; natural; without artifi-

ciality

ascetic noun/adjective someone practicing self-denial; austere; stark

asperity noun severity; rigor; roughness; harshness; acrimony;irritability

aspersion noun an act of defamation or maligning; animadver-

sion

assay noun/verb an analysis; examination; test; to put to a test

asseverate verb to aver; to allege; to assert

assiduous adjective diligent; hard-working; sedulous

attenuate verb to rarefy; to weaken or make thinner

augury noun omen; portent

auspice noun protection or support; patronage

auspicious adjective favorable; propitious; successful; prosperous

aver verb to affirm; to assert; to prove; to justify;

to asseverate

baleful adjective sinister; pernicious; ominous

bane noun cause of injury; poison; source of harm

beatify verb to bless, make happy, or ascribe a virtue to; to

regard as saintly

bedizen verb to adorn, especially in a cheap, showy manner; to

festoon

belie verb to give a false impression of; to misrepresent

bellicose adjective belligerent; pugnacious; warlike

bilge noun bulge; the protuberance of a cask

blandish verb to toady or fawn

blithe adjective carefree; merry

boisterous adjective loud; noisy; rough; lacking restraint

boor noun a rude or insensitive person; lout

burnish verb to polish; to rub to a shine



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byzantine adjective labyrinthine; complex

cabal noun a scheme or plot; a group of plotters

cachinnate verb to laugh loudly

cadge verb to sponge or mooch

cajole verb to inveigle, coax, or wheedle

calumniate verb to slander; to make a false accusation

calumny noun slander; aspersion

caparison verb to adorn or bedizen

captious adjective calculated to confuse or entrap in argument; hy-

percritical; caviling

caret noun an insertion mark (^) used by editors and proof-readers

cavil verb to find fault without good reason

celerity noun speed; alacrity

chasten verb to chastise or correct

chauvinist noun a blindly devoted patriot

chimera noun an illusion; originally, an imaginary fire-breathing

she-monster



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GROUP 2

churlish adjective boorish; vulgar; loutish; difficult and intractable

coalesce verb to come together; to fuse or unite

coda noun concluding section of a musical or literary piece

coeval adjective of the same period; coexisting

commensurate adjective matching; corresponding or proportionate in de-

gree, size, or amount

contemn verb to scorn or despise

contumacious adjective insubordinate; rebellious

corrigible adjective capable of being set right; correctable; reparable

countenance verb/noun to approve of or tolerate; face; composure

cozen verb to deceive, beguile, or hoodwink

craven adjective contemptibly fainthearted; lacking any courage

curmudgeon noun a crusty, ill-tempered coot; a misanthrope

daunt verb to cow or dismay

debacle noun rout; fiasco; complete failure

decorous adjective correct; formal; marked by decorum

defalcate verb to embezzle or misappropriate

denigrate verb to blacken; to belittle; to sully; to defame;

to disparage

denouement noun an outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot

deposition noun accretion; depositing; building up layer by layer;

official testimony

deprecate verb to disparage or belittle; to put down

depredate verb to plunder, pillage, ravage, or destroy; to exploit

in a predatory manner

derivative adjective unoriginal; obtained from another source

descant verb to comment at length

descry verb to discriminate or discern



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desuetude noun disuse

desultory adjective random; thoughtless; marked by a lack of plan or

purpose

detraction noun slandering; verbal attack; aspersion

diaphanous adjective transparent; gauzy

diffident adjective reserved, shy, or unassuming; lacking in self-con-

fidence

digress verb to stray from the point; to go off on a tangent

dilatory adjective causing delay; procrastinating

din noun loud, sustained noise

dirge noun a song of grief or lamentation

disaffect verb to estrange or alienate the affection of

discomfit verb to defeat; to put down

discursive adjective digressive; passing from one topic to another

dissolution noun disintegration; looseness in morals

distention noun the state or act of extending or being swollen out

of shape

distrait adjective distracted; absent-minded, especially due to

anxiety

doggerel noun trivial, poorly constructed verse

dross noun slag, waste, or foreign matter; impurity; surface

scum

dulcet adjective melodious; harmonious; mellifluous

dynamo noun generator; forceful, energetic person

eclectic adjective culled from many sources

edacious adjective voracious; devouring

edifying adjective enlightening

effluvia noun outflow in a stream of particles; a noxious odor or

vapor

effrontery noun boldness; impudence; arrogance



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effusive adjective gushing; excessively demonstrative

egress noun exit

encomium noun glowing and enthusiastic praise; panegyric; tribute;

eulogy

endemic adjective restricted or peculiar to a particular region; indig-

enous

engender verb to cause; to produce; to give rise to

enormity noun excessive wickedness; evilness

(Dont confuse with enormousness, which means

great size.)

ephemeral adjective evanescent; fleeting; short-lived

epicure noun one devoted to sensual pleasure, particularly in

food and drink; gourmand; sybarite

episodic adjective loosely connected; not flowing logically

epithet noun disparaging word or phrase

epitome noun embodiment; quintessence

equanimity noun composure; self-possession



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GROUP 3

equipoise noun equal distribution of weight; equilibrium

errant adjective traveling; itinerant; peripatetic

eschew verb to shun or avoid

estimable adjective worthy; formidable

evince verb to show clearly; to indicate

excoriate verb to censure scathingly; to upbraid

exegesis noun critical examination; explication

exemplar noun typical or standard specimen; paradigm; model

expatiate verb to descant; to discourse; to discuss or write about

at length

expiate verb to atone or make amends for

expostulate verb to argue earnestly in order to dissuade, correct, or

protest

expurgate verb to remove obscenity; to purify; to censor

exscind verb to cut out or extirpate

extant adjective existing; not destroyed or lost

extirpate verb to destroy; to exterminate; to cut out; to exscind

fallow adjective untilled; inactive; dormant

fatuous adjective silly; inanely foolish

feckless adjective ineffectual; irresponsible

felicitous adjective apt; suitably expressed; well-chosen; apropos

fetid adjective stinking; smelly; malodorous

fetter verb to shackle; to put in chains

filigree noun an ornamental work, especially of delicate lacelike

patterns

florid adjective flowery; ruddy; ornate

foment verb to incite; to rouse

forbearance noun patience; willingness to wait



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forestall verb to act in a way to hinder; to exclude or prevent an

action; to avert

forswear verb to renounce; to disallow; to repudiate

fracas noun noisy quarrel; imbroglio; brawl

fractious adjective quarrelsome; rebellious; unruly; refractory;

irritable

frieze noun a semi-sculptural, raised-surface ornamental facade

to a building

froward adjective intractable; not willing to yield or comply;

recalcitrant

gainsay verb to deny, dispute, contradict, to oppose

gambol verb to skip about playfully

garner verb to gather and save; to store up

gauche adjective crude; awkward; tasteless

gossamer adjective delicate; insubstantial or tenuous; insincere

guile noun artfulness; trickery; chicanery; duplicity

hallow verb to make holy; to consecrate

harrow verb to distress; to create stress; to torment

heretical adjective unorthodox; iconoclastic; dissenting from

established dogma

hermetic adjective sealed by fusion; airtight

heterodox adjective unorthodox; heretical; iconoclastic

hirsute adjective hairy; shaggy

homiletics noun the art of preaching

homily noun a sermon or morally instructive lecture

iconoclastic adjective attacking cherished beliefs; heretical; heterodox

idyll noun a carefree, light-hearted pastoral or romanticepisode; a literary or musical piece describing

such

ignominious adjective shameful; dishonorable; ignoble; undignified



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imbroglio noun difficult or embarrassing situation

impassive adjective expressionless; stoic; stolid; unsusceptible to

emotion; apathetic; phlegmatic

imperious adjective commanding; masterful; arrogant; domineering;haughty

importune verb to ask incessantly; to beg; to nag

impugn verb to attack or assail verbally; to censure; to

execrate

impute verb to attribute to a cause or source; to ascribe

indefatigable adjective doggedness; tirelessness

indolent adjective lazy; listless; torpid

ineluctable adjective certain; inevitable

ingenuous adjective guileless; trusting; naive; credulous

inherent adjective ingrained within ones nature; intrinsic; innate;

firmly established

inimical adjective hostile; adverse; unfriendly



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GROUP 4

inimitable adjective one of a kind; peerless

iniquity noun gross injustice; wickedness

innervate verb to supply with nerves; to embolden; to energize

inscrutable adjective incapable of being discovered or understood

insensible adjective unconscious; unresponsive; unaffected; numb

insouciant adjective unconcerned; carefree; heedless

insular adjective parochial; narrow-minded

interdict verb to prohibit; to forbid; to ban; to halt

inveigh verb to attack verbally; to denounce; to deprecate

inveterate adjective deep-rooted; ingrained; habitual

involute adjective intricate; complex; convoluted

itinerate adjective to travel from place to place; to peregrinate

jejune adjective vapid; uninteresting; immature; puerile

jibe verb to agree; to be in accord

jocose, jocular adjective humorous; gay; blithe

labile adjective readily open to change; unstable

lachrymose adjective causing tears; tearful

lambaste verb to censure; to excoriate; to berate

lassitude adjective listlessness; languor; weariness

libertine noun someone unrestrained by morality or convention

limn verb to draw; to outline in detail; to delineate;

to describe

limpid adjective transparent; serene; clear; untroubled; pellucid

lubricious adjective lewd; wanton; greasy; slippery

luculent adjective easily understood; lucid; clear

macerate verb to waste away; to soften or wear away by excessive

fasting or by excessive steeping



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maculate adjective marked with spots or blotches; besmirched;

impure

malinger verb to feign illness so as to avoid work; to avoid

work

maunder verb to digress; to meander; to stray from the topic or

path

mellifluous adjective sweetly flowing, usually used to describe use of

words

mendicant noun beggar; supplicant

meretricious adjective cheap; gaudy; tawdry; flashy; showy

metamorphose verb to transform; to change utterly

mettle noun strength of spirit; courage; stamina

mettlesome adjective courageous; high-spirited

militate verb to have weight; to bear on; to argue (against)

minatory adjective menacing; threatening

misogynist noun one who hates women/females

multifarious adjective varied; motley; greatly diversified

nadir noun low point; perigee

natty adjective trimly neat and tidy; smart

nexus noun a connection, tie, or link

noisome adjective offensive, especially to ones sense of smell; fetid

nonplused adjective baffled; in a quandary; at a loss for what to say or

do

nostrum noun panacea; cure-all; placebo; questionable remedy;

palliative

nugatory adjective trifling; inconsequential

obloquy noun abusively detractive language; sharp criticism;

vituperation; calumny

obstreperous adjective noisy; loud

officious adjective meddlesome; pushy in ones services



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ossified adjective tending to become more rigid; conventional;

sterile and reactionary with age; literally, turned

into bone

ostensible adjective seeming; appearing as such; professed

overweening adjective presumptuously arrogant; supercilious; overbear-

ing

palliate verb to make something appear less serious; to gloss

over

panegyric noun formal praise; eulogy; encomium

paradigm noun a model, example, or pattern; exemplar

pariah noun an outcast; a rejected and despised person

parry verb to block; to evade or ward off, as a blow

parsimonious adjective cheap; miserly

partisan adjective/noun committed to a party; biased or prejudiced;

supporter; adherent

paucity noun scarcity; a lacking of

peccadillo noun a slight offense; literally, a minor sin



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GROUP 5

pellucid adjective transparent; easy to understand; limpid

penchant noun strong inclination; a liking

peregrination noun traveling about; wandering

peremptory adjective admi ttin g of no cont radi ctio n; haug hty ;

imperious

perigee noun closest or lowest point in an orbit; nadir

peripatetic adjective itinerant; traveling; nomadic

peroration noun the concluding part of a speech; grandiloquent

speech

personable adjective pleasing in appearance; attractive

petrous adjective like a rock; hard; stony

petulant adjective impatient; irritable

philistine noun a crass individual guided by material rather than

by intellectual or artistic values

phlegmatic adjective impassive; stoical; lethargic; sluggish

picaresque adjective involving clever rogues or adventurers

pillory verb to punish; to hold up to public scorn

piquant adjective agreeably pungent; stimulating

pique noun/verb resentment; to annoy, irritate, or offend; to excite,

provoke, or arouse

placebo noun inactive pill prescribed for mental relief rather than

for physical effect; something tending to soothe

plangent adjective pounding; thundering; resounding

plumb verb to measure the depth; to examine critically

poignant adjective distressing; pertinent; touching; stimulating;

emotional

poseur noun affected or insincere person; literally, a poser

prate verb to chatter; to babble, as in prattle

precarious adjective uncertain; risky; dangerous



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precept noun rule establishing standards of conduct

precis noun concise summary of essential points

preempt verb to replace; to supersede; to appropriate

profligate adjective spendthrift; prodigal; wildly extravagant

prolix adjective long-winded; verbose

propinquity noun nearness in time or place; affinity of nature

propitiate verb to appease; to conciliate

proscribe verb to ostracize; to banish; to outlaw

provident adjective frugal; looking to the future

puerile adjective childish; immature

pugnacious adjective contentious; quarrelsome; contumacious; given to

fighting; belligerent

puissance noun power; strength

punctilious adjective precise; paying attention to trivialities, especially

in regard to etiquette

pundit noun an authority on a subject; one who gives

opinions

pusillanimous adjective cowardly; craven

querulous adjective habitually complaining; whining

raffish adjective tawdry; flashy; meretricious; low; vulgar; base

ramify verb to be divided or subdivided; to branch out

rapacious adjective voracious; greedy; plundering

rebus noun riddle; a representation of words by pictures or

symbols

recidivism noun relapse into antisocial or criminal behavior

recondite adjective abstruse; profound; arcane

reconnaissance noun preliminary survey to gain information, especially

of an enemy

reconnoiter verb to engage in reconnaissance



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recreant noun/adjective coward; cowardly; craven; pusillanimous

recumbent adjective leaning; resting; prone

redolent adjective fragrant; suggestive or evocative

refractory adjective stubborn; unmanageable; intractable; unruly;

fractious

regale verb to delight or entertain; to feast

remonstrate verb to protest; to object

repine verb to feel or express dejection or discontent; to long

for

repudiate verb to disown; to disavow; to reject as untrue

resolute adjective adamant; steadfast; determined; irresolute

rubric noun heading, title, or category

rue verb to regret; to feel remorse or sorrow



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GROUP 6

runic adjective mysterious; magical

sagacious adjective having sound judgment; perceptive; wise

salacious adjective obscene

salient adjective prominent; protruding; conspicuous; relevant

salutary adjective wholesome; causing improvement; favorable to

health

sanctimony noun self-righteousness

sanguine adjective cheerful; confident; optimistic

satiate verb to surfeit; to overindulge

saturnine adjective gloomy; dark; sullen; morose

seine noun a large net dragged to catch fish

seminal adjective like a seed; constituting a source; originative

sententious adjective aphoristic or moralistic; epigrammatic; tending to

moralize excessively

sidereal adjective astral; relating to stars or constellations

simper verb/noun to smirk; a silly smile

sinecure noun position requiring little or no work and usually

providing an income

sinuous adjective winding; undulating; serpentine

slake verb to satisfy or quench

sodden adjective soaked or drenched; unimaginative; dull

solder verb to weld, fuse, or join

sophistry noun fallacious reasoning; faulty logic

sophomoric adjective self-assured though immature; affected; bombastic;

lacking maturity

splenetic adjective bad-tempered; irritable

stanch verb to stop the flow of a fluid

stentorian adjective extremely loud and powerful



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stint verb to restrain; to be sparing or frugal

striated adjective striped; grooved; banded

stygian adjective gloomy; dark

succor noun assistance; relief in time of distress

sundry adjective various; miscellaneous; separate

supercilious adjective disdainful; arrogant; haughty

supine adjective mentally or morally slack; literally, lying on ones

back; prone

suppliant adjective supplicant; asking humbly; beseeching

supplicant noun beggar; mendicant

tamp verb to plug; to drive in or down by a series of blows

tautology noun a repetition; a redundancy

tawdry adjective cheap; gaudy; showy; tacky; meretricious

tendentious adjective biased; showing marked tendencies

timorous adjective timid; fearful; diffident

toady noun sycophant; flatterer

torrid adjective scorching; ardent; passionate

tractable adjective docile; obedient; easily led

travesty noun mockery; caricature; parody

tumid adjective swollen

turbid adjective roiled; muddy; clouded to the point of being

opaque

turgid adjective swollen; tumid; thick; pompous; bombastic

turpitude noun depravity; prurience

tyro noun novice; greenhorn; rank amateur

umbrage noun offense; resentment; pique

undulate verb to move in wavelike fashion; to fluctuate

untoward adjective perverse; unruly; unseemly



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upbraid verb to scold; to censure; to rebuke; to chastise

usury noun the practice of charging an exorbitant or illegal rate

of interest

vaunt verb to brag or boast

venal adjective capable of being bought or bribed; mercenary;

purchasable

venerate verb to revere; to worship

verisimilitude noun appearance of truth or reality

veritable adjective authentic; honest-to-goodness

virago noun a loud, domineering woman; a scold or nag

vitiate verb to pervert; to debase; to spoil; to make ineffective

volubility noun fluency; verbosity; easy use of spoken language

waft verb to cause to move as if by a light breeze

welter verb to writhe; to toss about; to be in turmoil

wend verb to go; to proceed; to walk



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