GRE (12 Oct’08 iv)

1. fervid : showing earnest feeling

fervid Definition

fer·vid (fʉrvid)

adjective

  1. hot; glowing
  2. impassioned; fervent

Etymology: L fervidus fervere: see fervent

 

fervid Related Forms
fer·vidly adverb fer·vid·ness noun

fervid Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • imagination: It needs the most fervid imagination to distort any text to refer to him.

 

2.

fervent Definition
fer·vent (fʉrvənt)

adjective

  1. hot; burning; glowing
  2. having or showing great warmth of feeling; intensely devoted or earnest; ardent

Etymology: ME + OFr & fervens (gen. ferventis), prp. of fervere, to glow, boil, rage bhreu-, to boil up bher-, to boil > brew, burn

 

fervent Related Forms
fer·vently adverb

fervent Synonyms

fervent

modif.

zealous, eager, ardent, fervid; see enthusiastic 2, 3, intense, passionate 2. See syn. study at passionate.

fervent Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • musician: The lãutari ‘ The lãutari of Clejani are perhaps the most inspired and fervent of all folk musicians in Romania.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: Q So you would say that America is becoming more secular that its subscription to religious beliefs is becoming less fervent?

Modifies a noun

  • admirer: On the 10 August, Massey, a fervent admirer of Milton, entered the lists.
  • prayer: Rejoice, thou who with fervent prayer hast given wing to thy spirit!
  • believer: We in the west, even fervent believers, are used to humor being directed at religion.
  • supporter: He is also a fervent football supporter of Crystal Palace.
  • wish: National reconciliation is now the most fervent wish of the Somali people.
  • nationalist: She was passionate about the Welsh language and a fervent nationalist.

Modifying Another Word

  • equally: Each successive move against the puritans by Laud appeared to have provoked an equally fervent response.
  • so: He was moderately humorous in School of Rock, because he was so fervent.
  • too: But perhaps it is all the product of too fervent an opposition, too fertile an imagination.
  • especially: Had the refugees known their eventual destination their prayers on Friday afternoon would have been especially fervent.
  • even: We in the west, even fervent believers, are used to humor being directed at religion.

Preposition: in

  • spirit: We need to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord.
  • prayer: Do we have any idea what it means to be fervent in prayer?

fervent Quotes

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

—Bible (NewTestament)

 

3.

zealous Definition

zeal·ous (zeləs)

adjective

full of, characterized by, or showing zeal; ardently devoted to a purpose; fervent; enthusiastic

Etymology: ML zelosus zelus: see zeal

 

zealous Related Forms
zeal·ously adverb zeal·ous·ness noun

zealous Synonyms

zealous

modif.

zealous Usage Examples
Modifies a noun

  • reformer: Henry was a forceful and energetic character, a fervent and zealous reformer in the mold of Bernard.
  • preacher: He embraced the tenets of Fox, and became aim ardent disciple of the zealous preacher.
  • defender: The 5th Duke was a zealous defender of the Established Church at all times.
  • advocate: Interesting herself particularly in the education of girls, she was a zealous advocate for the extensive teaching of domestic economy.
  • pursuit: Salinas’s zealous pursuit of ‘ free market ‘ policies made him a darling of the Western media.

Modifying Another Word

  • overly: This can only encourage firms not to be overly zealous in attempting to resolve alleged shortcomings of service.
  • over: We strongly caution against anyone against being over zealous in these matters.
  • too: There is an excellent archway down yonder in case a too zealous policeman should intrude.
  • so: The Lord is so zealous for his law, that he will part with it for no man’s sake.
  • very: However, an Address to the Coal Miners develops into a very zealous piece of propaganda.
  • extremely: Unfortunately his extremely zealous brand of police work means that Starsky burns through partners faster than his beloved Gran Torino goes through spark plugs.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: Local authorities are now becoming increasingly zealous - desperate even - about getting us to recycle more of our rubbish.
  • seem: Evangelical theology is being decimated by this teaching that seems so zealous ” to discover how sparse the faith that justifies can be.

Preposition: in

  • cause: Fearless and zealous in the cause of others he had gone forward to reconnoiter the enemy’s lines, when he fell mortally wounded.
  • obedience: Thirdly, assurance makes us zealous in obedience and service.

Preposition: of

  • gift: Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

Preposition: for

  • law: In John 2:27 Jesus has ” zeal ” and in Acts 21:20 James ‘ followers are ” zealous for the Law ” .
  • work: They not only have good works to prove the reality of their faith, but they are zealous for good works.
  • deed: Verse 14, because God is purifying for Himself a people for His own possessions zealous for good deeds.

 

 

 

4.

illicit Definition
il·licit (i lisit)

adjective

not allowed by law, custom, rule, etc.; unlawful; improper; prohibited; unauthorized

Etymology: Fr illicite illicitus, not allowed: see in- & licit

 

illicit Related Forms
il·lic·itly adverb il·lic·it·ness noun

illicit Synonyms

illicit

modif.

illicit Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • do: I accuse nobody without proof, because I realize it’s just as bad to accuse someone frivolously as to do something illicit.

Modifies a noun

  • trafficking: The fight against the illicit traffic in cultural property The extent of illicit trafficking has never been greater.
  • antiquity: No provenance is what keeps the trade in illicit antiquities alive.
  • brokering: The fifth cluster focused on the issues of import/export controls and illicit brokering.
  • distillation: The new duty structure was intended to prevent illicit distillation in Great Britain: it was a compromise designed to protect the spirit revenue.
  • drug: Like most illicit drugs, you can never be sure of what is in them.
  • distiller: He stood six feet four inches tall and his stature helped to silence any of the illicit distillers who challenged the newly licensed distillery.

Modifying Another Word

  • often: Saying you understand will often illicit a grunt at best.
  • only: The profits to be made encourage not only illicit plundering of ancient sites but skillful forgeries.
  • apparently: I do not have time this evening to unravel the complexities of this apparently illicit relationship.
  • entirely: As the supply chain is entirely illicit, there are no legitimate manufacturers with whom the government can work to restrict supply.
  • not: But we’re not illicit any more, so you’re going to have to stop being that too.

 

 

 

5.

unlawful Definition

un·law·ful (-lôfəl)

adjective

  1. against the law; illegal
  2. against moral or ethical standards; immoral

 

unlawful Related Forms
un·law·fully adverb un·law·ful·ness noun

unlawful Synonyms

unlawful

modif.

unlawful Law Definition

adj

  1. Not authorized by law; illegal.
  2. Punishable under criminal law.
  3. Characterized by moral corruption.

unlawful Usage Examples
Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • render: The OFT ruling in any case is spearate from the laws already in place that render these charges unlawful.

Modifies a noun

  • discrimination: In October 2006 the law will be amended to include unlawful discrimination on the ground of age.
  • killing: At a later inquest the jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing.
  • deduction: They are also protected from unlawful deductions from their salary.
  • eviction: This would be unlawful eviction, which is a criminal offense.
  • combatant: Instead he offers us a linguistic and legal leap into the unknown, describing them as ‘ unlawful combatants ‘ .
  • intercourse: Roman Polanski had pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13 year old girl in 1977.

Modifying Another Word

  • otherwise: The assessment of necessity must be made at the time the decision is made to commit the otherwise unlawful act.
  • potentially: Legality: discrimination on the grounds of race, gender and disability are potentially unlawful.
  • therefore: To address any creation by such a name, is therefore unlawful.

Infinitive complement

  • treat: It is unlawful to treat disabled people less favorably than non-disabled people.
  • refuse: It is unlawful to refuse someone a job because they are pregnant.

Used with adjective complement

  • declare: Was this oversight of such severity as to require the entire project being declared unlawful?
  • become: Discrimination on the grounds of age will become unlawful from October 2006.
  • rule: However, it was ruled unlawful by a German court on the grounds of being anti-competitive [ 5 ] .

Preposition: in

  • employment: The law makes sexual harassment - and harassment on the ground of sex - explicitly unlawful in employment or vocational training.

Preposition: for

  • employer: Under the DDA it is now unlawful for an employer to operate blanket bans on the recruitment of people with diabetes.
  • provider: It is now unlawful for education providers to treat disabled people ‘ less favorably ‘ than they treat non-disabled people.
  • authority: This section states that it is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way, which is incompatible with a Convention Right.
  • person: Management It is unlawful for a person managing any premises to discriminate against disabled people occupying those premises.

 

 

 

6.

outlawed Synonyms

outlawed

modif.

stopped, banned, illegitimate, made illegal; see illegal.

 

 

7.

orison Definition
ori·son (ôri zən, —sən)

noun

Now Literary a prayer

Etymology: ME oreisun oreison oratio, a prayer oration

 

orison Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • hasty: Only the stuttering rifles ‘ rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons.

 

 

8.

squalid Definition

squalid (skwälid, skwôl-)

adjective

  1. foul or unclean, esp. as the result of neglect or unsanitary conditions
  2. wretched; miserable; sordid

Etymology: L squalidus squalere, to be foul or filthy

 

squalid Related Forms
squa·lid·ity (skwä lidə tē, skwô-) noun or squal·id·ness squal·idly adverb

squalid Synonyms

squalid

modif.

squalid Usage Examples
Modifies a noun

  • surroundings: The Williamsburgh Savings Bank, rises majestically from its squalid surroundings where Atlantic Avenue meets Flatbush Avenue.
  • camp: Yet the squalid refugee camps are filled with people who are all too aware of the bitter reality.
  • condition: The squalid, run-down conditions at Glasgow Zoo did not happen over night.
  • apartment: He died of smoke inhalation from a kitchen fire in his tiny, squalid one-bedroom apartment in Philadelphia.
  • street: The applause of society is but faintly audible in the slums of Whitechapel or in the squalid streets of Southwark.
  • flat: Instead the four women were held in a squalid flat in Lamia by a criminal gang waiting for them to give birth.

Modifying Another Word

  • rather: However, until 1970 a group of rather squalid houses stood here.
  • often: Often squalid and slackly administered with lavish dietaries Kent’s mixed workhouses did little to reduce the rates.
  • not: Anyway, picture a small room, roughly decorated in white, not squalid, but certainly not luxurious, .
  • somewhat: However the latest work, in what was the arena of the amphitheater, has also revealed that a somewhat squalid late Saxon settlement.
  • so: No little woman is so trifling and sordid, no handmaid so squalid, but that she gained some advantage from his death.
  • very: You can sleep here but its very squalid and usually wet.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: Two days later this pleasant site was cursed, as usual, with the ” Reverse Midas Touch ” and digging became somewhat squalid.

squalid Quotes
We are not going to tolerate these attacks from outlaw states, run by the strangest collection of misfits, looney tunes and squalid criminals since the advent of theThird Reich.

—Reagan, Ronald Wilson

   Never under the most despotic of infidel Governments did I behold such squalid wretchedness as I have seen since my return, in the very heart of a Christian country. And what are your remedies? After months of inaction, and months of action worse than inactivity, at length comes forth the grand specificöthe never-failing nostrum of all state physicians from the days of Draco to the present time; death. Is there not blood enough upon your penal code that more must be poured forth to ascend to Heaven and testify against you?

—Rochdale

 

 

 

9.

grimy Definition
grimy (grīmē)

adjective grimi·er, grimi·est

covered with or full of grime; very dirty

 

grimy Related Forms
grimi·ly adverb grimi·ness noun

grimy Synonyms

grimy

modif.

dirty, begrimed, dingy, soiled; see dirty 1. See syn. study at dirty.

grimy Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • very: Here a ramp leads down to the original station entrance subway with its white glazed brick walls now looking very grimy.
  • rather: The accommodation was a wooden bunk in the back of a lorry, shared with two other clowns and four rather grimy tattooed laborers.
  • all: Their hands and faces were all grimy, and their clothes.
  • slightly: Coming off the slightly grimy platform at Manchester Picadilly I was most impressed by the rest of the station.

Modifies a noun

  • street: But no longer will you find the grimy back streets, or rows of chimneys belching back smoke.
  • window: Through my grimy window, I observe the old man shuffle past with his new companion.
  • town: Burne-Jones spent the first 20 years of his life in Birmingham, then a grimy industrial town.
  • face: With sweat running down his forehead eroding rivulets into a grimy face, he holds a goats head by its horns over roaring flames.
  • hand: She had the faded picture clasped in her grimy, knotted hands.
  • wall: Painted on to a grimy white wall were the words ‘The Gate Vegetarian Restaurant ‘ .

Used with adjective complement

  • look: Here a ramp leads down to the original station entrance subway with its white glazed brick walls now looking very grimy.

 

 

10.

dingy Definition

dingy (din)

adjective -·gier, -·gi·est

  1. dirty-colored; not bright or clean; grimy
  2. dismal; shabby

Etymology: orig. dial. var. of dungy

 

dingy Related Forms
din·gily adverb din·gi·ness noun

dingy Synonyms

dingy

modif.

dingy Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • look: Always wash colored items separately to whites, otherwise, even if the color does not run, the light articles will look dingy.
  • lose: Mersey River Rescue has caught the lost sailing dingy.

Adjective modifier

  • small: On clear evenings, there would be a landing party, buzzing over to the deserted shore in a small dingy to explore.
  • little: We were then filmed from a little rubber dingy which I subsequently obtained.

Modifies a noun

  • skipper: Cheshire’s stronghold for the dingy skipper, a Local Biodiversity Action Plan species, is on Ashton’s Flash.
  • basement: The vinyl version is like being led down into a dingy basement, with the lights off.
  • sailing: Sailing Guest membership at the Errwood Sailing Club, which offers dingy sailing in the Goyt Valley, can be arranged.
  • corridor: We must have walked down dark dingy corridors for ages - very creepy.
  • pub: I met Jon in a rather dingy pub in Waterloo, London five years ago.
  • street: I tracked him down to a dingy street in Soho.

Modifying Another Word

  • rather: I met Jon in a rather dingy pub in Waterloo, London five years ago.
  • very: Lighting was originally by oil lamp, very dingy.
  • somewhat: Tattered prayer-books and somewhat dingy scapulars were brought to light.
  • pretty: The Manchester Craft and Design Center is a true oasis in the otherwise pretty dingy Northern Quarter.
  • particularly: Our final visit was to a particularly dingy part of the dregs of the city.

Noun used with modifier

  • sailing: Mersey River Rescue has caught the lost sailing dingy.
  • rubber: We were then filmed from a little rubber dingy which I subsequently obtained.
  • inflatable: These trips take just 15 minutes in an inflatable dingy - hard hats are provided.

dingy Quotes

Of course, being fatally poor and dingy, it was wise of Gerty to have taken up philanthropy and symphony concerts.

—Wharton, Edith Newbold ne¤  e Jones

 

 

 

 

 

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