Study GRE W-36 Flash Cards

 
Pile Management Card
GRE W-36

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prate
speak foolishly; boast idly
Let us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak for themselves.
potentate
monarch; sovereign
The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at home on his throne
postulate
self-evident truth
We must accept these statements as postulates before pursuing our discussions any further.
posthumous
after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death)
The critics ignored his works during his lifetime; it was only after the posthumous publication of his last novel that they recognized his great talent.
posterity
descendants; future generations
We hope to leave a better world to posterity.
portly
stout; corpulent
The salesclerk tactfully referred to the overweight customer as portly rather than fat.
portent
sign; omen; forewarning
He regarded the black cloud as a portent of evil
pontifical
pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious
From the very beginning of his ministry it was clear from his pontifical pronouncements that John was destined for a high pontifical office.
polity
form of government of nation or state
Our polity should be devoted to the concept that the government should strive for the good of all citizens.
plummet
fall sharply
Stock prices plummeted as Wall Street reacted to the rise in interest rates
plumb
examine critically in order to understand; measure depth ( by sounding)
Try as he would, Watson could never fully plumb the depths of Holmes' thought processes.
plenary
complete; full
The union leader was given plenary power to negotiate a new contract with the employers.
platitude
trite remark; commonplace statement
In giving advice to his son, old Polonius expressed himself only in platitudes; every word out his mouth was a truism.
plaintive
mournful
The dove has a plaintive and melancholy call.
placate
pacify; conciliate
The store manager tried to placate the angry customer, offering to replace the damaged merchandise or to give her money back.
pith
core or marrow; essence; substance
In preparing a pineapple for the table, first slice it in half and remove the woody central pith.
pique
irritation; resentment
She showed her pique at her loss by refusing to appear with the other contestants at the end of the competition.
pinion
restrain
They pinioned his arms against the body but left his legs free so that could move about.
piety
devoutness; reverence for God
Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa exemplified the true spirit of piety
pied
variegated; mutlicolored
The Pied Piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored clothing he wore.
phlegmatic
calm; not easily disturbed
The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person, unexcited in the face of sudden emergencies.
philistine
narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain.
We need more men and women of culture and enlightenment; we have too many philistines among us.
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