gre vocabulary

Hauser

asunder adv (fml) into pieces; apart
The house was ripped asunder by the explosion.
A fierce quarrel split the partnership asunder; the two partners finally sundered their connections because their points of view were poles asunder.

centurion Roman army officer commanding a unit of 100 soldiers
Because he was in command of a company of one hundred soldiers, he was called a centurion.

cynic person who believes that piople do not do things for good, sincere reasons, but only for theier own advantage. adj cynical
A cynic attributes selfish motives to all acts.
A cynic at all times, he was suspicious of all altuistic actions of others.
With that cynical outlook he doesn't trust anyone.

ecology (scientific study of) the relation of plants and living creatures to each other and to their surroundings. adj. ecological n. ecologist
Chemicals in the factory's sewage system have changed the ecology of the whole area.
the dangerous ecological effects of industry
The ecologist was concerned that the new dam would upset the natural balance of the creatures living in Glen Canyon.

flotsam parts of a wreched ship or its cargo found floating in the sea
Beachcombers eke out a living by salvaging the flotsam and jetsam of the sea.

Hauser

satyr (in Greek and Roman myths) god of the woods, half man and half goat; man with very strong sexual desires
He was like a satyr in his lustful conduct.
He is neither a eunuch nor a satyr.

vindictive having or showing a desire for revenge; unforgiving
vindictive people, acts, urges, comments
Divorce sometimes brings out a vindictive streak in people; when Tony told Tina he was getting a divorce, she poured green Jell-O into his aquarium and turned his tropical fish into dessert.

abhorrent disgusting, hateful n abhorrence
Violence is abhorrent to his gentle nature.
It's pretty obvious these people have an abhorrence of war.
She is abhorrent of all forms of bigotry.

asylum place of refuge or safety; protection
The abandoned children were put into an asylum.
The refugees sought political asylum from religious persecution in a new land.

cerebral of the brain; intellectual (rather than emotional)
a cerebral h(a)emorrhage
His poetry is very cerebral.
The content of philosophical works is cerebral in nature and requires much thought.

Hauser

putrid (rotting and therefore) foul-smelling; very distasteful or unpleasant or of poor quality
the putrid smell of rotting fish
Why did you paint the room that putrid colour?
When the doctor removed the bandages, the putrid smell indicated that the wound had turned gangrenous.

sycophant servile flatterer, bootlicker adj sycophantic
Fed up with the toadies and brownnosers who made up his entourage, the star cried, "Get out, all of you!  I'm sick of sycophants!"
a sycophantic smile

abject (of conditions) wretched, hopeless
living in abject misery
On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind.

cerebration fml working of the brain, thinking
Mathematics problems sometimes require much cerebration.

dabble splash (hands, feet, etc) around in water; work at in a nonserious fashion
She dabbled her fingers in the fountain.
The children dabbled their hands in the bird-bath, splashing one another gleefully.
The amateur painter dabbled at art, but seldom produced a finished piece.

Hauser

moratorium temporary stopping of an activity, esp by official agreement; legal delay of payment.
declare a moratorium on arms sales
If we declare a moratorium and delay collection of debts for six months, I am sure the farmers will be able to meet their bills.

penumbra partly shaded area around the shadow of an opaque object (esp around the total shadow of the moon or earth in an eclipse)
During an eclipse, we can see an area of total darkness and a lighter area, which is the penumbra.

pylon tall tower or post that marks a path for aircraft landing; steel tower supporting cables or telephone lines.
Sadie carefully banked her airplane as she followed the line of pylons set up to mark the course of the Great Plane Race.

savor enjoy the taste or flavour of (sth), esp by eating or drinking it slowly.
savor the finest French dishes
Now the exams are over, I'm savoring my freedom.
Relishing his triumph, Costner especially savored the chagrin of the critics who had predicted his failure.

syllogism logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion
There must be a fallacy in this syllogism;  I cannot accept its conclusion.

Hauser

eddy circular or spiral movement of water, air, etc
The water in the tide pool was still, except for an occasional eddy.
Eddies of mist rose from the valley.
Eddies of dust swirled in the road.

flout disobey (sb/sth) openly and scornfully
flout the law, convention, the rules
flout sb's advice
The headstrong youth flouted all authority; he refused to be curbed.

imbecility stupidity
I am amazed at the imbecility of the readers of these trashy magazines.

jocular meant as a joke; fond of joking, playful
Although Bradford knew the boss hated jokes, he couldn't resist making one jocular remark; his jocularity cost him the job.
Is the name of that jocular fellow Alfie?

morbid given to unwholesome thought; always think of gloomy, or unpleasant things, esp disease or death.
People who come to disaster sites just to peer at the grisly wreckage are indulging their morbid curiosity.
'He might even die.''Oh, don't be so morbid.'

Hauser

ablution fml or joc washing
perform one's ablutions
His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled “Opera in the Bath.”

atavism resemblance to remote ancestor rather than to parents adj atavistic
In his love for gardening, Darren seemed an atavism to his Tuscan ancestors who lavished great care on their small plots of soil.
an atavistic urge

certitude fml  feeling of certainty
Though there was no certitude of her getting the job, Karin thought she had a good chance of being hired.

dally waste time, procrastinate; trifle with
She dallies over her work and rarely finishes it.
Karen told Lesley that Elmer would only dally with her affections.

edict order issued by an authority
by edict of the king
obey the edicts of parliament
The emperor issued an edict decreeing that everyone should come see him model his magnificent new clothes.

Hauser

quack charlatan, impostor
Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this quack; he cannot cure you.

scabbard cover for the blade of a sword, dagger; sheath
The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword before slipping it back into the scabbard.

symbiosis interdependent relationship (between groups, species), often mutually beneficial. adj symbiotic
Both the crocodile bird and the crocodile derive benefit from their symbiosis; pecking away at food particles embedded in the crocodile's teeth, the bird derives nourishment; the crocodile, meanwhile, derives proper dental hygiene.

virtual being or acting as what is described, but not accepted as such in name or officially
Our deputy manager is the virtual head of the business.
A virtual state of war exists between the two countries.

abnegation self-sacrifice
Though Gareth and Duchess Maisie loved one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom.

sinboy2002

真是佩服楼主！！