Webster Essential Vocabulary

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

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.

  • Distillationis 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 diversityof 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 divestedof his stripes.

  • Given the recent performance of the stock market, now seems like a pretty
    good time to divestyour portfolio of poor performers.
    [-ed, -ing] [Syn. strip]
    divulge(di VULJ) vt. to make known, disclose, reveal

  • You must promise never to divulgethe location of the hidden treasure, or
    else!

  • Unless you pay to see my hand, I do not have to divulgewhich 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;



  1. 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 dogmaticwhen 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 doltgoes out of the house wearing his or her shoes on the
    wrong feet?
    [-ish adj., -ishly adv., -ishness n.]


D: GRE Words 273

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