Page 282 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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D: GRE Words
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distillation (DIS til AY shin) n. 1. a process by which a liquid is vaporized, and
the vapor is cooled to form a purer or more highly concentrated substance; 2. a
purifying or refining by distillation
• Alcoholic spirits are removed from fermented mash by means of
distillation.
• Distillation is used to separate gasoline from crude oil.
[Syn. concentration, purification]
diversity (di VERS i tee) n. the quality or state of being different or varied
• The diversity of its people is thought to be one of the great strengths of the
United States.
• An interesting menu in a restaurant should offer the customers a diversity
of choices.
[Syn. variety]
divest (di VEST) vt. 1. to strip of clothing or rank; 2. to get rid of unwanted
things
• For failing to follow orders, the sergeant was divested of his stripes.
• Given the recent performance of the stock market, now seems like a pretty
good time to divest your portfolio of poor performers.
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. strip]
divulge (di VULJ) vt. to make known, disclose, reveal
• You must promise never to divulge the location of the hidden treasure, or
else!
• Unless you pay to see my hand, I do not have to divulge which cards I was
holding when I won that hand.
[-d, divulging] [Syn. reveal]
dogmatic (dawg MAT ik) adj. 1. of or like dogma; 2. accepted without proof;
3. stating an opinion with arrogance
• In the early part of the twentieth century, the story about a young George
Washington chopping down a cherry tree was dogmatic.
• The scientific community encourages its members to question everything
and to avoid being dogmatic.
• Dr. Jackson tends to be dogmatic when he hands out his diagnoses to the
medical students.
[-ally adv.] [Syn. dictatorial]
dolt (DOHLT) n. stupid, slow-witted person; blockhead
• The way that man slipped into the bus seat before the pregnant woman
could take it marks him as a dolt.
• Who but a dolt goes out of the house wearing his or her shoes on the
wrong feet?
[-ish adj., -ishly adv., -ishness n.]