GRE备考：GRE阅读词汇笔记(4)

　　arbiter

　　person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position ot make influential judgments; Ex. supreme arbiter of fashion in beachware

　　arbitrary

　　unreasonable or capricious; random; tyrannical; Ex. arbitrary ruler

　　arbitrate

　　act as judge

　　arboreal

　　of or living in trees

　　arboretum

　　place where different trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited

　　arcade

　　a covered passageway usually lined with shops

　　arcane

　　esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener

　　arch-

　　chief; first; Ex. archbishop

　　archaeology

　　study of artifacts and relics of early mankind

　　archaic

　　antiquated; no longer used; belonging to the past; N.

　　archetype

　　prototype; primitive pattern

　　archipelago

　　group of closely located islands

　　archives

　　public records; place where public records are kept

　　ardor

　　heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent

　　arduous

　　hard; strenuous; Ex. arduous work

　　argot

　　slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people

　　aria

　　operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio

　　arid

　　dry; barren; unproductive

　　aristocracy

　　hereditary nobility; privileged class; government by nobility; N. aristocrat

　　armada

　　fleet of warships

　　aromatic

　　fragrant; having a sweet smell; N. aroma: strong pleasant smell

　　arraign

　　charge in court; indict

　　array

　　marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order; clothe splendidly; adorn; N: fine clothes; ordered group; Ex. in battle array

　　arrears

　　being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done

　　arrhythmic

　　lacking rhythm or regularity; N. arrhythmia

　　arrogance

　　pride; haughtiness; ADJ. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important

　　arroyo

　　gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater

　　arsenal

　　storage place for military equipment

　　artery

　　blood-vessel; CF. vein

　　artful

　　exhibiting art or skill; deceitful; cunning; CF. artifice

　　articulate

　　effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly; having clear sounds; having joints; Ex. articulate speech; V: express thoughts and feeling clearly; pronounce clearly; unite by joints

　　artifacts

　　object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced

　　artifice

　　deception; trickery

　　artisan

　　a manually skilled worker

　　artless

　　without guile; open and honest

　　ascendancy

　　controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant

　　ascertain

　　find out for certain; make certain

　　ascetic

　　practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism

　　ascribe

　　refer; attribute; assign

　　aseptic

　　preventing infection; having a cleansing effect

　　ashen

　　ash-colored; deadly pale

　　asinine

　　stupid; Ex. asinine remarks

　　askance

　　with a sideways or indirect look ; Ex. look askance at

　　askew

　　crookedly; slanted; at an angle

　　asperity

　　sharpness; roughness; severity ; Ex. asperities of a Russian winter

　　aspersion

　　slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on

　　aspirant

　　seeker after position or status

　　aspire

　　seek to attain ; long for; Ex. aspire to become president; Ex. aspire to/after the leadership

　　assail

　　assault

　　assay

　　analyze ; evaluate

　　assent

　　agree; accept; N. assessment

　　assert

　　state strongly or positively; demand recognition of ; make a claim to ; Ex. assert ones independence

　　assiduous

　　diligent

　　assimilate

　　absorb; take into the body and digest it; understand completely and be able to use properly; cause to become homogeneous

　　assuage

　　mak less severe; ease or lessen ; satisfy ; soothe

　　assumption

　　something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of; Ex. her assumption of power; V. assume

　　assurance

　　firm statement that something is certainly true; promise or pledge; certainty; confidence in ones own ability; self-confidence; Ex. In spite of all his assurances, he did not come back; Ex. assurance of his loyalty; Ex. The teacher lacked assuranc

　　asteroid

　　small planet

　　astigmatism

　　eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism

　　astral

　　relating to the stars

　　astringent

　　binding; causing contraction ; harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism

　　astronomical

　　enormously large or extensive

　　astute

　　wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to ones advantage

　　asunder

　　into parts; apart; V. sunder

　　asylum

　　place of refuge or shelter; protection

　　asymmetric

　　not identical on both sides of a dividing central line

　　atavism

　　resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic

　　atheistic

　　denying the existence of God; N. atheism

　　atone

　　make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for

　　atrocity

　　brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious

　　atrophy

　　wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle

　　attentive

　　alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; Ex. attentive audience; Ex. He was attentive to the old lady; N. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration

　　attenuate

　　make thin; weaken

　　attest

　　testify; bear witness

　　attire

　　clothe; N: clothing; array; apparel

　　attribute

　　essential quality; V: ascribe; explain

　　attrition

　　rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition

　　atypical

　　not normal; not typical

　　audacious

　　daring; bold; N. audacity

　　audit

　　examination of accounts of a business; official examination; V.

　　augment

　　increase; add to

　　augury

　　omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of

　　august

　　impressive; majestic

　　aureole

　　suns corona; halo; bright circle of light

　　auroral

　　pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis

　　auspicious

　　favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices

　　austere

　　forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monks austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity

　　arbiter

　　person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position ot make influential judgments; Ex. supreme arbiter of fashion in beachware

　　arbitrary

　　unreasonable or capricious; random; tyrannical; Ex. arbitrary ruler

　　arbitrate

　　act as judge

　　arboreal

　　of or living in trees

　　arboretum

　　place where different trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited

　　arcade

　　a covered passageway usually lined with shops

　　arcane

　　esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener

　　arch-

　　chief; first; Ex. archbishop

　　archaeology

　　study of artifacts and relics of early mankind

　　archaic

　　antiquated; no longer used; belonging to the past; N.

　　archetype

　　prototype; primitive pattern

　　archipelago

　　group of closely located islands

　　archives

　　public records; place where public records are kept

　　ardor

　　heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent

　　arduous

　　hard; strenuous; Ex. arduous work

　　argot

　　slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people

　　aria

　　operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio

　　arid

　　dry; barren; unproductive

　　aristocracy

　　hereditary nobility; privileged class; government by nobility; N. aristocrat

　　armada

　　fleet of warships

　　aromatic

　　fragrant; having a sweet smell; N. aroma: strong pleasant smell

　　arraign

　　charge in court; indict

　　array

　　marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order; clothe splendidly; adorn; N: fine clothes; ordered group; Ex. in battle array

　　arrears

　　being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done

　　arrhythmic

　　lacking rhythm or regularity; N. arrhythmia

　　arrogance

　　pride; haughtiness; ADJ. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important

　　arroyo

　　gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater

　　arsenal

　　storage place for military equipment

　　artery

　　blood-vessel; CF. vein

　　artful

　　exhibiting art or skill; deceitful; cunning; CF. artifice

　　articulate

　　effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly; having clear sounds; having joints; Ex. articulate speech; V: express thoughts and feeling clearly; pronounce clearly; unite by joints

　　artifacts

　　object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced

　　artifice

　　deception; trickery

　　artisan

　　a manually skilled worker

　　artless

　　without guile; open and honest

　　ascendancy

　　controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant

　　ascertain

　　find out for certain; make certain

　　ascetic

　　practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism

　　ascribe

　　refer; attribute; assign

　　aseptic

　　preventing infection; having a cleansing effect

　　ashen

　　ash-colored; deadly pale

　　asinine

　　stupid; Ex. asinine remarks

　　askance

　　with a sideways or indirect look ; Ex. look askance at

　　askew

　　crookedly; slanted; at an angle

　　asperity

　　sharpness; roughness; severity ; Ex. asperities of a Russian winter

　　aspersion

　　slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on

　　aspirant

　　seeker after position or status

　　aspire

　　seek to attain ; long for; Ex. aspire to become president; Ex. aspire to/after the leadership

　　assail

　　assault

　　assay

　　analyze ; evaluate

　　assent

　　agree; accept; N. assessment

　　assert

　　state strongly or positively; demand recognition of ; make a claim to ; Ex. assert ones independence

　　assiduous

　　diligent

　　assimilate

　　absorb; take into the body and digest it; understand completely and be able to use properly; cause to become homogeneous

　　assuage

　　mak less severe; ease or lessen ; satisfy ; soothe

　　assumption

　　something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of; Ex. her assumption of power; V. assume

　　assurance

　　firm statement that something is certainly true; promise or pledge; certainty; confidence in ones own ability; self-confidence; Ex. In spite of all his assurances, he did not come back; Ex. assurance of his loyalty; Ex. The teacher lacked assuranc

　　asteroid

　　small planet

　　astigmatism

　　eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism

　　astral

　　relating to the stars

　　astringent

　　binding; causing contraction ; harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism

　　astronomical

　　enormously large or extensive

　　astute

　　wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to ones advantage

　　asunder

　　into parts; apart; V. sunder

　　asylum

　　place of refuge or shelter; protection

　　asymmetric

　　not identical on both sides of a dividing central line

　　atavism

　　resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic

　　atheistic

　　denying the existence of God; N. atheism

　　atone

　　make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for

　　atrocity

　　brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious

　　atrophy

　　wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle

　　attentive

　　alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; Ex. attentive audience; Ex. He was attentive to the old lady; N. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration

　　attenuate

　　make thin; weaken

　　attest

　　testify; bear witness

　　attire

　　clothe; N: clothing; array; apparel

　　attribute

　　essential quality; V: ascribe; explain

　　attrition

　　rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition

　　atypical

　　not normal; not typical

　　audacious

　　daring; bold; N. audacity

　　audit

　　examination of accounts of a business; official examination; V.

　　augment

　　increase; add to

　　augury

　　omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of

　　august

　　impressive; majestic

　　aureole

　　suns corona; halo; bright circle of light

　　auroral

　　pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis

　　auspicious

　　favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices

　　austere

　　forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monks austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity