English Basic Nouns

The new Cessna airplanes will be the acme of comfort; offering reclining seats and ample legroom.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a tireless advocate for the rights of African-Americans in the United States. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one for the GRE

Albert Schweitzer spent most of his life doing missionary work as a doctor in Africa; seeking no reward; apparently motivated only by altruism.

The governor's animosity toward his rival was only inflamed when the latter spread false lies regarding the governor's first term.

The Ivy League is considered the apex of the secondary education system.

Nietzsche was known for using aphorisms; sometimes encapsulating a complex philosophical thought in a mere sentence.

Test day can be one of pure apprehension; as many students worry about their test scores.

The ascendancy of the Carlsbad water polo team is clear--they have a decade of championships behind them.

The Spanish conquistadors were known for their avarice; plundering Incan land and stealing Incan gold.

Modern technology has been a boon to the travel industry.

Although I was unhappy that the relationship ended; I appreciated her candidness about why she was ready to move on from the relationship.

Rosa Park's refusal to give up her bus seat acted as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement; setting into motion historic changes for African-Americans.

The chauvinist lives on both sides of the political spectrum; outright shunning anybody whose ideas are not consistent with his own.

When government abuses are not kept in check; that government is likely to become autocratic. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one for the GRE

In the final moments of the trial; during his closing speech; Phillips was nearly begging the judge for clemency.

Many have argued that Lee Harvey Oswald; JFK's assassin; was in collusion with other criminals; others maintain that Oswald was a lone gunman.

He found pop music a constraint on his ability to learn and preferred to listen to classical musical while studying.

Computers have helped solve some of the mathematical conundrums which have puzzled man for many centuries.

The International Food Expo was a cornucopia of culinary delights: gourmet foods from every continent were under one roof.

He placed no credence in psychics; claiming that they offered no special powers beyond the ability to make people part with their money.

Virginia's wide-eyed credulity as a five-year old was replaced by suspicion after she learned that Santa Claus didn't really exist.

I am surprised by the dearth of fast food chains; this is America and I assumed they were on every street.

The decimation after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is incomprehensible.

Despite all their talented players; the team was filled with discord--some players refused to talk to others--and lost most of their games.

She finished her thesis with dispatch; amazing her advisors who couldn't believe she hadn't written 60 scholarly pages so quickly. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one for the GRE

The charlatan mistook the crowd for a bunch of dupes; but the crowd was quickly on to him and decried his bald-faced attempt to bilk them.

An egotist; Natasha had few friends because of her inability to talk about anything except her dream of becoming the next American Idol.

Charles rude remark toward Sarah yesterday was due to his illness; not due to any real enmity toward Sarah.

The euphoria of winning her first gold medal in the 100 meter dash overwhelmed Shelly-Ann Fraser and she wept tears of immense joy.

When their new roommate sat staring at an oak tree for an hour; Marcia thought it indicated a mental problem; but Jeff assured her it was a harmless foible.

During the heyday of Prohibition; bootlegging had become such a lucrative business that many who had been opposed to the 18th Amendment began to fear it would be repealed.

Those in attendance represented a hodgepodge of the city's denizens: chimney sweepers could be seen sitting elbow to elbow with stockbrokers.

Daedalus was famous for his ingenuity; he was able to fashion his son Icarus with a pair of wings; using wax to hold them together.

Lynne speaks four Romance languages; but she doesn't have an inkling about how East Asian languages are structured.

To those with little training in medicine; the jargon of doctors can be very difficult to understand.

As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is; some analysts believe that were a junta suddenly to gain power; it could be even more unpredictable and bellicose than the current leadership

The town was struck by a malady throughout the winter that left most people sick in bed for two weeks.

Johnson initially suggests that the secret to business can be summarized in a single maxim but then requires a 300-page book to explain exactly what he means.

Hamlet is a figure of tremendous melancholy: he doesn't have a truly cheerful scene throughout the entire play.

After enduring daily taunts about my name; I became enraged and pummeled the schoolyard bully and his sycophantic friends in a brutal melee.

Hamilton had been deceived so many times in his life that he hid behind the gruff exterior of a misanthrope; lambasting perfect strangers for no apparent reason.

Come back you miscreant! yelled the woman who just had her purse stollen.

Monte was no miser; but was simply frugal; wisely spending the little that he earned.

Many have accused Hemingway of being a quiet misogynist; but recently unearthed letters argue against this belief.

Despite the initial hullabaloo; the play was of no great moment in Hampton's writing career; and within a few years the public quickly forgot his foray into theater arts. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one for the GRE

There is a paucity of jobs hiring today that require menial skills; since most jobs have either been automated or outsourced.

Even as the dishwasher at the French restaurant; Josh quickly learned that he had the perquisite of being able to eat terrific food for half the price diners would pay.

At its pinnacle; the Roman Empire extended across most of the landmass of Eurasia; a feat not paralleled to the rise of the British Empire in the 18th and 19th century.

Vinny's uncle beamed smugly about how he'd offered his nephew fifty dollars for his Harvard tuition; even twice the amount would have been a mere pittance.

Dennis arranged an elaborate ploy; involving 14 different people lying for him in different situations; so that it could appear that he was meeting Mary completely by chance at the wedding reception.

Before the team takes the field; the coach always calls for a powwow so that he can make sure all the players are mentally in the right place.

The principal explained that even though one student had done modelling work outside of school; the outfits that student wore in those photographs in no way established a precedent for what could be worn at school dances.

The new neighbor quickly gained a reptuation for her presumption; she had invited herself to several of the neighbors homes; often stopping over at inopportune times and asking for a drink.

When Maria reported that she had been visited by Jesus Christ and had proof; a profusion of reporters and journalists descended on the town.

Ironically; the leading proponent of Flat-Earth Theory flies all over the world in an effort to win more adherents.

While he could articulate no clear reason why Harkner's plan would fail; he neverless felt qualms about committing any resources to it.

Steve certainly is in a quandary: if he doesn't call Elaine; she will blame him for everything; but if he does call her; the evidence of where he currently is could cost him his job.

"In one of the most famous quips about classical music; Mark Twain said: ""Wagner's music is better than it sounds."""

Despite a raft of city ordinances passed by an overzealous council; noise pollution continued unabated in the megalopolis. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one for the GRE

Barry forgot his wife's birthday two years in a row; and was only able to redress his oversight by surprising his wife with a trip to Tahiti. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one for the GRE

Those old reprobates drinking all day down by the river--they are not going to amount to much.

I was initially excited by the idea of a trip to Washington; D.C. but now that I have read about the high crime statistics there; I have some reservations. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one for the GRE

Since Jack could not think of a convincing reason why he had to miss the seminar; he attended it with a sense of resignation. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one for the GRE

Every afternoon; the small company has a respite in which workers play foosball or board games.

Although a great CEO; he did not have the political savvy to win the election.

Joey had difficulty hanging out with his former best friend Perry; who; during his entire cup of coffee; enumerated all of the government's deficiencies--only to break ranks and launch into some screed against big business.

The invention of the 3M Post It Note was serendipitous; because the scientist who had come up with the idea was looking for a strong adhesive; the weak adhesive he came up with was perfect for holding a piece of paper in place but made it very easy for so

I know only a smattering of German; but Helen is able to read German newspapers and converse with natives.

Taking weekly trips to Vegas; Megan was a spendthrift whose excesses eventually caught up to her.

He was hoping for a monthly allowance loan from the government; but after no such stipend was forthcoming he realized he would have to seek other means of paying for his college tuition.

Since climate change policy has been mired in congressional fighting; this summit should help set the goals for president's next term.

In a tremendous display of tact; Shelly was able to maintain a strong friendship with Marcia; even though Marcia's husband; Frank; confessed to finding Shelley more attractive than Marcia.

In terms of political change; a tirade oftentimes does little more than make the person speaking red in the face.

While they experienced nothing but travails in refinishing the kitchen; they completed the master bedroom in less than a weekend.

As of 2013; nearly 1.5 million Syrians have fled their country hoping to escape the tribulations of a civil war tearing their country to pieces.

Riots broke out just in front of our apartment building; and the tumult continued late into the night.

"The cynic quipped; ""There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to prevaricate""."

Mark Twain referred to the Victorian Period in America as the "Gilded Age"; implying the ample moral corruption that lay beneath a mere veneer of respectability.

Poor Billy was the victim of the virago's invective--she railed at him for a good 30-minutes about how he is the scum of the earth for speaking loudly on his cellphone in public.

At the zenith of his artistic career; Elvis was outselling any other artist on the charts.