CAT

dissimulate = to disguise
use = she tried to dissimulate her grief by her exuberant attitude


untenable = cannot be achieved
use = an untenable situation


maelstrom = whirlpool, agitated state of mind
use = the maelstrom of civil war


promontory = headland, cape
use = a lighthouse on the promontory



jaded = spent, bored with one's situation
use = jaded palate


repartee = witty conversation
use = some plays are full of witty repartee





oblivion = unconscious or without memory
use = He sought oblivion in a bottle of whisky





gamely = in a spirited manner, with courage
use = he fought in a gamely manner





disseminate = distribute, to spread far and wide
use = web sites are used to disseminate political propaganda


disconcert = confuse
use = The whole experience had disconcerted him









tawdry = gaudy, cheap
use = he won a few tawdry trinkets at the village fair


gist = essence
use = That was the gist of what he said



impede = hinder
use = a broken-down car is impeding the flow of traffic


termagant = Violently abusive and quarrelsome
use = *


adduce = offer as example
use = None of the evidence adduced in court was conclusive

CAT

disclaim = renounce, to deny, disavow
use = the terrorists disclaimed responsibility for the bomb blast


aver = to declare to be true
use = The lawyer averred her client's innocence


ragamuffin = person wearing tattered clothes
use = a ragamuffin was begging for food


perceptive = discerning
use = perceptive insights


maudlin = weepy, sentimental



scruples = misgivings
use = Robin Hood had no scruples about robbing the rich to give to the poor


ichthyology = study of fish
use = *


simper = smile foolishly, smirk
use = She gave her teacher a simpering smile


succulent = juicy, delicious
use = a succulent mango


aviary = cage where birds are kept
use = the zoo had an aviary




enigmatic = puzzling, inexplicable
use = The Mona Lisa has a famously enigmatic smile


indite = write, compose
use = indite letters





odorous = Having an odor, especially a fragrant one
use = the new plant is more odorous





painstaking = taking great care
use = painstaking research


magnum opus = masterpiece
use = the painting is considered to be his magnum opus


prosody = study of poetic structure
use = the book on prosody contains a rhyming dictionary


austere = stern, strict, unadorned, harsh, Spartan
use = an austere room


surmise = to guess
use = The police surmise that the robbers have fled the country


bellicose = Warlike, aggressive
use = a bellicose situation





stupor = lethargy
use = in a drunken stupor


captious = fond of finding fault in others
use = the criticisms were always captious and frivolous


satanic = pertaining to the Devil
use = a satanic cult

CAT

deploy = arrange forces, to spread out strategically over an area
use = to deploy my skills


thwart = to block or prevent from happening
use = my plans have been thwarted by the strike


recumbent = reclining
use = She looked at his recumbent form beside her


pandemic = spread over a whole area or country
use = Malaria is still pandemic in India


clique = a small group
use = a very unfriendly clique of people


equable = even-tempered
use = an equable climate


pretense = affection, excuse
use = She made absolutely no pretence of being interested.








omniscient = all-knowing
use = the omniscient narrator


meander = to wander aimlessly without direction
use = The film meanders along with no particular story line





fanaticism = excessive zeal, extreme devotion to a cause
use = their fanaticism led to the fight


scanty = meager, insufficient



eloquence = fluent and effective speech
use = renowned for her eloquence and beauty


specious = false but plausible
use = a specious argument


haughty = arrogant
use = a haughty manner


lapidary = relating to precious stones
use = she employed a lapidary to cut a large diamond


undocumented = not certified

serpentine = winding
use = the serpentine course of the river




clime = region, climate
use = doctors advised him to move to a warmer clime


cataract = Opacity of the lens of the eye resulting in complete or partial blindness
use = cataract operation


engender = generate, to produce
use = Her latest book has engendered a lot of controversy



abase = lower, humiliate
use = he refused to abase himself in the eyes of his followers

CAT

manumit = free from bondage, emancipate
use = some slave owners were willing to manumit their slaves


cache = hiding place
use = a cache of explosives


comatose = stupor
use = By midnight I was virtually comatose






gruff = rough-mannered
use = he was blunt and gruff
















asylum = place of refuge
use = apply for political asylum








herald = harbinger
use = The president's speech heralds a new era in foreign policy


intercept = prevent
use = The police intercepted a shipment of fake drugs


desuetude = disuse
use = the machinery was in a state of desuetude








devise = plan
use = devised a game plan










sultry = sweltering
use = sultry weather




err = mistake, misjudge
use = He erred in agreeing to her appointment




impasse = deadlock
use = The dispute had reached an impasse, as neither side would compromise


inviolability = security from being destroyed
use = they respected the inviolability of her faith

CAT

furtive = stealthy
use = He made one or two furtive phone calls





snivel = whine
use = He's sitting in his bedroom sniveling because







callous = insensitive, thick-skinned
use = callous attitude


hubris = arrogance
use = He was punished for his hubris


spoliation = pillaging, depredation
use = an act of spoliation




connivance = pretence of ignorance of something wrong, assistance or permission to offend
use = with connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the teacher





caricature = cartoon, exaggerated portrait
use = the overblown caricatures





frolicsome = Prankish
use = the frolicsome puppy


gambit = plot
use = a clever opening gambit





sabotage = treason, destruction
use = attempt to sabotage the ceasefire





pundit = learned or politically astute person
use = a political pundit


vendetta = grudge, feud
use = a personal vendetta


tutelage = guardianship
use = under the tutelage of




disabuse = correct, to free from a misconception
use = He thought that all women liked children, but she soon disabused him of that idea











congeal = solidify, as a liquid freezing, to become thick or solid
use = The blood had congealed in thick black clots


pander = cater to people's baser instincts
use = It's not good the way she panders to his every whim

CAT

agile = nimble, well coordinated
use = agile child


furtive = stealthy
use = He made one or two furtive phone calls


thesaurus = book of synonyms
use = a thesaurus in dictionary form


snivel = whine
use = He's sitting in his bedroom sniveling because


defame = slander or disgrace
use = The opposition party tried to defame the Prime Minister


satiate = satisfy fully
use = He drank greedily until his thirst was satiated


callous = insensitive, thick-skinned
use = callous attitude


hubris = arrogance
use = He was punished for his hubris


spoliation = pillaging, depredation
use = an act of spoliation


memorandum = note
use = memorandum of understanding


connivance = pretence of ignorance of something wrong, assistance or permission to offend
use = with connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the teacher


partiality = bias
use = there was no evidence of partiality in the selection process


caricature = cartoon, exaggerated portrait
use = the overblown caricatures


audacity = boldness
use = It took a lot of audacity to stand up and criticize the chairman.


frolicsome = Prankish
use = the frolicsome puppy


gambit = plot
use = a clever opening gambit


implement = carry out, execute
use = The changes will be implemented next year


sabotage = treason, destruction
use = attempt to sabotage the ceasefire


amorous = strongly attracted to love; showing love
use = amorous adventures


pundit = learned or politically astute person
use = a political pundit


vendetta = grudge, feud
use = a personal vendetta


tutelage = guardianship
use = under the tutelage of


ludicrous = absurd, laughable
use = a ludicrous idea


disabuse = correct, to free from a misconception
use = He thought that all women liked children, but she soon disabused him of that idea


defer = postpone, to submit or yield
use = I defer to your judgment.


inert = inactive
use = The dog lay inert on the sofa


dehydrate = dry out
use = feeling dehydrated


congeal = solidify, as a liquid freezing, to become thick or solid
use = The blood had congealed in thick black clots


pander = cater to people's baser instincts
use = It's not good the way she panders to his every whim


pedestrian = common, unimaginative
use = he wrote page after page of pedestrian prose

CAT

solstice = furthest point
use = the winter solstice


advert = advertisement, refer to
use = since you advert to this matter frequently, it must be important


gauntlet = leather glove
use = take up the gauntlet and meet the adversary


insouciant = nonchalant
use = insouciant attitude


pied = mottled, brindled
use = pied piper of Hamlin





charlatan = quack, fake
use = the charlatan was caught




finicky = meticulous, fussy
use = He's terribly finicky about his food


turnkey = jailer
use = by bribing the turnkey


quarry = prey, game
use = a granite quarry


marred = damaged, disfigured
use = the marred surface of the table


wizened = shriveled
use = a wizened old man with yellow skin and deep wrinkles





irksome = Wearisome
use = he found working in the office irksome


depose = testify, to remove from a high position
use = was deposed as a leader


petrify = calcify, shock
use = the punishment petrified the students


fallacious = wrong, unsound, illogical
use = fallacious argument


apathetic = unconcerned, indifferent
use = Young people today are so apathetic about politics



perpetrate = commit
use = to perpetrate atrocities against innocent people


cognate = from the same source, related
use = The Italian word 'mangiare' is cognate with the French 'manger', both of which mean 'to eat'














exhort = strongly urge
use = The governor exhorted the prisoners not to riot


fete = to honor
use = She was feted by audiences


quietude = tranquility
use = the monk lived in quietude of the jungle

GRE

consecrate = make holy, dedicate to a goal, to declare sacred

use = The new temple was completed and consecrated in 1962

hoyden = tomboy, boisterous girl

fetid = foul-smelling, putrid, stinking

use = fetid air

litany = list

use = a litany of complaints

prophet = prognosticator

use = the words of the prophet

substantiate = verify

use = evidence to substantiate the allegations

ovine = like a sheep

use = ovine believers

manacle = shackle

use = They had manacled her legs together.

rancid = rotten

use = rancid oil

jaunty = having a sprightly manner

use = jaunty dress

odoriferous = pleasant odor

use = the odoriferous spices make the food more appetizing

extenuate = To diminish the gravity or importance of

use = He was unable to say anything that might have extenuated his behavior

igneous = produced by fire, volcanic

use = igneous rocks

dotage = senility, mental decline

use = in his dotage, the old man bored everyone

wizardry = sorcery, magic

ecstasy = Rapturous excitement or exaltation

use = they were in ecstasy

conch = spiral shell

use = blowing conch at the temple

dirge = lament with music, funeral hymn

use = the funeral dirge stirred us to tears

unctuous = insincere

use = his unctuous manner

GRE

demean = to degrade, humiliate, humble
use = The entire family was demeaned by his behavior

promiscuous = sexually indiscreet
use = promiscuous in his youth

sacred cow = idol, taboo
use = the sacred cow of parliamentary democracy


capital = most significant, pertaining to wealth
use = capital gain tax

soliloquy = A monologue

ornithology = study of birds

fanfare = publicity
use = there was much fanfare

ignoble = dishonorable
use = an ignoble action

gerrymander = to rearrange voting districts to suit the interests of a party

raiment = clothing
use = I have no raiment fit to wear for the party



lucid = clearly understood
use = a lucid explanation

obviate = make unnecessary
use = A peaceful solution would obviate the need to send a military force.

Koran = holy book of Islam

eerie = weird
use = she heard the eerie noise of the wind

pendant = Anything that hangs from something else
use = a beautiful necklace with a diamond pendant.

imposition = intrusion
use = the imposition of the death penalty

effusion = pouring forth
use = an effusion of anger

jeremiad = lament, complaint
use = a lengthy jeremiad

burlesque = farce
use = the cartoonist burlesqued the manners of the politicians


yokel = country bumpkin
use = his classmates regarded him as a yokel

easy

renege = break a promise
use = If you renege on the deal now, I'll fight you in the courts

incarnate = having bodily form
use = as devil's incarnate

mischance = bad luck, misfortune
use = an unfortunate mischance

filch = steal something of little value
use = Who's filched my pencils

vermin = A noxious animal
use = He thought all terrorists were vermin

sacerdotal = priestly

sublime = lofty, excellent
use = sublime beauty


heretic = One who holds opinions contrary to the recognized standards or tenets of any philosophy
use = the conquerors punished the heretic

recreant = coward, betrayer of faith
use = the religious people ostracized the recreant who had abandoned their faith

valor = bravery
use = He was promoted to the rank of major in recognition of his valor during the battle

constituent = electorate, component, part
use = The minister worked hard, always talking to his constituents and hearing their problems

orchestrate = organize
use = a brilliantly orchestrated election campaign





extant = existing
use = We have some extant records from the sixteenth century


laudatory = commendable
use = the laudatory comments by the critics

dais = platform
use = speaking from the dais

titular = in name only, figurehead
use = the titular head of the new bank

buttress = support

rebuttal = replay, counterargument
use = She issued a point-by-point rebuttal of the company's accusations

daub = to paint carelessly, to smear

epigram = saying, short, witty saying or poem
use = a frequently quoted epigram

persevere = persist, endure
use = persevere in your efforts for great success