Monday, August 13, 2012

< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (119)


Govern (verb) 
to exercise the authority or influence over
With all the fear and oppression of a dictatorship, Hitler governed the people ruthlessly.  

Gradient (noun) 
deviation from a particular direction 
If the neutron star is too large, the gravitational forces overwhelm the pressure
gradients and collapse cannot be halted.

Grading (noun) 
certain degree in rank, degree, quality, proficiency
This light dispersion, or color flash, has no effect on the technical grading of color.
  
Gradual (adjective) 
proceeding very slowly by degrees
It is tempting to think that if language evolved by gradual Darwinian natural selection,
we must be able to find some precursor of it in our closest relatives, the chimpanzees.

Grasp the main point (verb phrase) 
to perceive and recognize the meaning of
When you think you have grasped the main point the whole essay goes to prove,
underline it and write the thesis in the margin.

Gravitate toward (verb phrase) 
to have a tendency toward
Sociology majors who are interested in organizational theory gravitate toward
organizational planning, development, and training.

Gravity (noun) 
a force that attracts a body to the center of the earth or some other celestial body
Whenever a plane is in flight, there are four forces acting on it: gravity, lift, drag, and
thrust.

Graze (verb) 
to make light and momentary contact with, as in passing
While at war, some soldiers experienced close combat in which bullets from enemy fire
literally grazed by their heads.

Greatly (adverb) 
to a high degree                                                                                  
He nevertheless greatly admired black social gospel proponents such as his father who
saw the church as a instrument for improving the lives of African Americans. 

Gregariousness (noun) 
the act of associating with others of one’s kind
Meteorology and the gregariousness of the insect are two factors in the development of
a desert locust plague. 

No comments: