GRE Vocab-Magoosh Practice #3

volatile

(adj.) highly changeable, fickle; tending to become violent or explosive

decrepit

(adj.) old and feeble; worn-out, ruined

manifesto

a public statement explaining the intentions, motives, or views of an individual or group

stoke

add fuel to; strengthen; to stir up; amplify

prudent

adj. acting with or showing care and thought for the future syn. wise, careful, cautious, discreet, sensible, thoughtful, sagacious (good judgment, sage), provident

astute

adj. critically discerning; safacious; shrewd; crafty, clever; cunning marked by practical hardheaded intelligence; or having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this into one's advantage. "Wilhemina Slater is an ________ and shrewd business woman, using her cunning schemes to take over the Meade empire." Latin: "astus" craft

contrived

adj. deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously; created or arranged in a way that seems artificial and unrealistic. "Henry and Betty's relationship in Season 2 was very _________d and did not portray a realistic coupling." syn. artificial; forced, strained, labored

inscrutable

adj. difficult or impossible to comprehend, fathom, or intrepret; of an obscure nature syn. enigmatic, unread, mysterious Latin: "in" not; "scrutari" to search

discerning

adj. having or revealing keen insight and good judgment

disavow

to deny responsibility for or connection with

bristle

v. 1. react angrily or defensively, typically by drawing oneself up (hair or fur standing upright away from the skin, especially in anger or fear.) 2. be covered with or abundant in. "She _______d at his rude judgment."

cow

v. cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation syn. daunt, browbeat, bully

rehash

v. to rework old material, redo work

sate

v. to satisfy (any appetite or desire) fully; supply (someone) with as much as or more of something than is desired or can be managed syn. satiate, surfeit, glut, gorge "_____ your appetite at my mom's"

vacillate

(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will "Betty __________d between being loyal to Daniel or helping her father become a U.S. citizen." syn. oscillate, fluctuate, indecisive, irresolute

espouse

(v.) to take up and support; to become attached to, adopt; to marry

precarious

Dangerous; risky; lacking in security or stability

evasively

In a tricky way; not straightforwardly; avoid the issue "Notwithstanding her tendency to ______________ when journalists' questions blatantly pried into her personal life, the senator always spoke directly and candidly on issues relating to her public role." syn. ambiguous, indirect reply

reticent

adj. not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; reluctant to draw attention to yourself, temperamentally disincluded to talk, cool and formal in manner syn. reserved, withdrawn, introverted, restrained "she was extremely ________ about her personal affairs at work."

incendiary

adj. tending to excite or inflame factions, sedition, or quarrel; inflammatory; seditious "The columnist was so vehement in his opposition to the divisive issue of fracking that even when he moderated his comments his piece was too _________________ for publication."

prevaricate

beat around the bush, hedge Latin: "prae" before; "varicari" straddle; "praevaricate-" walked corrkely, deviated

precis

n. a brief summary or abstract of a text or speech syn. synopsis