I'm a bit worried.

I am taking the GRE on Saturday. I would like to score all 800s (6's for the writing), but unfortunately that seems quite unlikely, given that my math skills and vocabulary have deteriorated since high school, and I don't think I've written a timed essay since I was 17.

plus, it's at 8am. what the hell was I thinking?

anyway, feel free to ignore this post. I'm just going to type out the definitions of some words I don't know, because hopefully this will cement them in my mind.

abrogate (v.t.):
1. To annul or abolish by an authoritative act.
2. to put an end to; to do away with
derivation: from Latin abrogare (ab = away from, rogare = to ask; also, to propose a law). so abrogare = to completely repeal a law
sentence: The Massachusetts blue laws on Sunday alcohol sales have recently been abrogated.
abrogation doctrine: con law doctrine describing when the federal government can waive states' sovereign immunity.

amortize (v.t.):
1. to liquidate (a debt) by installment payments.
2. to write off an expenditure for (office equipment, for example) by prorating over a certain period.
derivation: Middle English, but eventually Latin: (ad + mors, mort-) so towards death. to deaden.
sentence: He amortized his mortgage over a period of 30 years.

artful (adj):
1. not straightforward or candid; disingenuous
2. marked by skill at achieving a desired end, especially with cunning or craft. (ant = artless)
sentence: The artful dodger was good at both lying and picking pockets.

bilk(v.t):
1. a. To defraud, cheat or swindle.
b. To evade payment of
2. To thwart or frustrate
3. To elude
sentences: He made millions bilking wealthy clients on art sales. OR He bilked his debts. OR “Fate . . . may be to a certain extent bilked” (Thomas Carlyle)

cynosure (n):
1. anything to which attention is strongly turned; a center of attraction
2. That which serves to guide or direct.
3. Ursa Minor (the constillation)
derivation: comes from Greek word kunosoura, meaning "dog's tail,"
which was apparently the ancient Greek name for Ursa Minor.
sentence: Betty, ever the life of the party, was the cynosure of our social circle.

desultory (adj):
1. jumping or passing from one thing to another without order or rational connection; disconnected. aimless.
2. by the way; as a digression; not connected with the subject.
3. coming disconnectedly or occuring haphazardly; random.
4. disappointing in performance or progress.
derivation: Latin desultor = a leaper (de = down from, salire = to leap)
sentence: Their correspondence consisted of the odd, desultory postcard. OR Their desultory conversation touched on many random topics.

encomium (n):
1. warm, glowing praise.
2. a formal expression of praise; a tribute. a panegyric.
derivation: Greek from enkomion = a formal speech/poem of praise (for a victorious athlete, for example). (en = in, komos = celebration)
sentence: The encomiums about "The Sopranos" likened it to Dickens and Shakespeare.


inimical (adj):
1. having the disposition or temper of an enemy; unfriendly; unfavorable.
2. opposed in tendency, influence, or effects; antagonistic; adverse.
derivation: Latin inimicus = unfriendly, hostile (in = not, amicus = friendly)
sentence: Venus is even more inimical to human existence than Mars.
(NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH INIMITABLE)

invidious (adj):
1. tending to provoke envy, resentment, or ill will.
2. containing or implying a slight
3. envious
derivation: Latin. invidiosus = envious, hateful --> invidere = envy --> invidere = to look upon with the evil eye (in = upon, videre = to look at)
sentence: The lover's obsessiveness may also take the form of invidious comparisons between himself, or herself, and the rival.
-- Ethel S. Person

minatory (adj):
1. threatening, menacing
derivation: Latin minatorious --> minari = to threaten. (related to menace)
sentence: The guard gave him a minatory look and he decided not to cause any trouble.

sinecure (n):
1. an office or responsibility that involves little work or responsibility
derivation: Medieval Latin sine = without cura = care (originally described a church office without the care of souls. i.e. an empty title.)
sentence: The position of VP on house council is a sinecure.

traduce (v.t.):
1. to cause humiliation or disgrace by making malicious and false statements; to malign.
derivation: Latin traducere = to lead as a spectacle; to dishonor (trans + ducere = to lead)
sentence: You traduced my good name around the world.